Karma
The students of Canterlot High were actually a bit relieved. True, evil magical beings had become a distressingly common sight lately, but at least this one had been talked down with minimal damage. No brainwashing this time, thank goodness.
Sunset helped the newly restored Twilight up, but she was immediately knocked back down by Spike, tackling her to the ground. He dropped the glasses he held in his teeth so he could lick her face.
"You!"
Everyone froze as Cinch stormed into the center, pointing a finger at her top student. "You monster! You did this!"
That got an uproar. Twilight flinched, clutching her pet like a teddy bear, until she realized who was speaking, and what was being said.
"You're the one who made her use that magic!" Lemon Zest said.
"You pressured her into it," from Indigo Zap.
"You're a horrible person," Sugarcoat said.
Those statements got a bigger uproar from everyone else. They quieted as Principal Celestia stepped forward. Twilight, even in her shocked state, saw Sunset look surprised. She guessed Celestia never got this angry.
"You told her to do it? To go playing around with magic? How could you be so irresponsible?”
“How dare you talk to me like that when you’ve been cheating! Principal Celestia, I demand that you forfeit the games immediately! You have cheated using magic!”
“Are you really trying to turn this on us? You caused this whole mess!”
“Either you do, or I’ll take it up with the school board!”
At this, Principal Celestia folded her arms and put on a smile. “Go ahead. I’m sure the school board would love to hear all about the holes into another dimension.”
“Or the students transforming into flying creatures,” Luna said, stepping up to her sister. “Or the talking dog.”
Spike laughed, which snapped Twilight out of her shock. So many people were standing up for her.
Cinch tightened. Then, she whirled, facing Twilight once again. “You! I’ll see you never get your admission to the Everton Program! I’ll make it my mission that you never get into any university!”
Twilight felt her insides ice all over again. Her head felt dizzy. What was she going to do now? It was her word against a respected teacher.
“No you won’t.”
Everyone turned to Dean Cadance, who was calmly strolling up to join the sisters of Canterlot High. “I think you’ll be fast-tracking Twilight’s application through.”
“And what makes you think I’ll be doing that?”
Now Cadance was smiling that same smug smile. “Do you think I’m an idiot, Cinch? You think I haven’t noticed what kind of person you are? And don’t you think I got suspicious when you were so insistent on getting Twilight to compete? Did you think I’d see you calling in her brother as anything but an attempt to pressure her into something? I know you too well, Cinch. So, I might have left my smartphone in your office with the camera running. And it seems that I caught the most interesting conversation.”
Cinch was frozen in fear. Twilight could actually see her knees shaking. It was the most uncollected she had ever seen her.
By this point, Cadance had pulled out her phone and was casually typing on the screen. “Why don’t we take a look?”
Despite the fact that the phone wasn’t hooked up to any speaker, the audio carried all over the courtyard. Not that it would have been hard, a pin dropping could have been heard at that point.
But only at that moment. As soon as the audio was done, the entire courtyard erupted in outraged cries. Cinch was actually sweating. Never had any student seen her like this.
Twilight felt her face heat. A few minutes ago she had been a monster... and everyone was standing up for her. They were getting mad not at her, but for her.
She felt a tug. Sunset pulled her up, then wordlessly pulled her into a hug. Twilight could have cried. But she had to stay strong in front of Cinch.
Cinch reached for the phone, grabbing it out of Cadance’s hand. She was about to smash it when she noticed how calmly Cadance was taking the whole thing.
“Like I kept the only copy on my phone. It’s already on my computer, and Shining Armor’s.” She took it carefully from the still-shocked Principal’s hand. “And just in case, I let Celestia and Luna in on everything as well, and they’ve been helping me shadow you. Oh, we’ve caught so much of what you’ve done.”
As the cries quieted, Cinch spoke. “So... if I put through Twilight’s application, you’ll keep quiet?”
Cadance shook her head. “No. I’m still reporting all this to the school board. But I’ll be nice about it.”
“What? But... I’ll be ruined!”
“I don’t care. I’d never allow you to keep your position after what you’ve done. You’re a disgrace, you know that? An absolute disgrace. I couldn’t live with myself if I let you keep your position. How could I stop you from bullying the next student that you saw something who came along? And honestly, toying around with magic just to win a high school competition? You make yourself out as a great educator, but I’m wondering how someone so foolish managed to get out of grade school.”
Celestia stepped up. “So much for your image as a perfect principal. This is the end for you.”
If looks could kill, Cadance and the sisters of Canterlot High would have dropped dead on the spot. Cinch was furious, her face red, her knuckles so tightly clenched that everyone was sure her fingernails were digging into her skin.
Then, like a switch had been flipped. She straightened her back and readjusted her glasses. Then, as if she hadn’t just had her entire life’s work stolen out from under her, she turned and walked away, as if she was leaving of her own volition.
Everyone was cheering. Twilight was still surprised.
“Uh, Twilight? Don’t you want your glasses?”
Twilight perked up and looked down at Spike, who was looking up at her. “What do you mean? I’m wearing my...”
She stopped. The black framed eyewear lay in front of Spike. She felt her face. It was bare.
She picked up the glasses and put them on. The world became blurry. She took them off. Everything was clear as a bell. She put them on and took them off again.
“Twilight?” Spike asked.
“I... I can see.”
“What?” Sunset asked.
“My glasses... I don’t need them. I can see perfectly.”
“...It must be the magic. Makes sense, the Twilight from my world didn’t need glasses.”
“The... what? There’s another Twilight?” Twilight asked, confused.
“I’ll explain later.” She took the glasses. Then she walked over to a student Twilight didn’t recognize and handed it to him. “Take these to the workshop. Pop out the lenses and replace them with regular glass.” When the student stared at her, she went on. “We can’t let there be any trace that magic’s been used.”
Now understanding, the boy took the glasses and ran off.
Twilight could only marvel at how together Sunset was about everything. While she had been playing with things she didn’t understand, there was someone who knew all the answers.
“Wait... would a high school have the equipment to work with glass in the workshop?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Applejack nudged her. “We just had a motocross race, I wouldn’t question it.”
Twilight was led inside and to a classroom. Celestia and Luna stopped anyone outside Sunset Shimmer and her friends from following, which she was grateful for. She didn’t think she could put up with everyone, even if they were going to offer support.
Fluttershy handed her a drink, apologizing that it was just water. But it was fine, her throat was dry. Sunset said it was to be expected after that much contact with magic.
Cadance placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stay in here as long as you need. After what happened, you'll need it."
"Thank you." Then, after a moment, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Cadance gave a sad smile. “I couldn’t let Cinch find out what I was up to too soon. I was hoping to get more footage. With Cinch, I wanted to get as much as I could.”
“I... I guess that makes sense.”
“We can talk a bit more later. The other Shadowbolts all want to line up to give testimony to what they saw Cinch do... leaving out the magic, of course. It looks like these games really did bring the school together.”
She gave Twilight a kiss on the forehead, then left the room.
“I heard Celestia talking to the police. It looks like they’re willing to buy the story of a bunch of vandals,” Rainbow Dash said. “But they’re getting suspicious, after that ‘terrorist attack’ from a few months ago.”
Applejack shrugged. "Eh, if they'll buy that all those smartphone videos of what happened are 'just fancy editing and special effects', I think they'll buy this."
Twilight looked up. “She’s not having me arrested?”
Sunset put a hand on her shoulder. “If she wasn’t going to arrest me after I destroyed part of the school, she isn't going to arrest you.”
That got an incredulous look. “You destroyed part of the school?”
Sunset winced, but still gave a sheepish smile. “I told you I’ve been where you were. And believe me, the only reason I didn’t get arrested was because Princess Twilight begged Celestia not to let it happen.”
“P-Princess Twilight?”
Sunset sighed. “Like I said, I have a lot to catch you up on.”
"Well, I guess that's good. I only have to worry about everyone else hating me."
Fluttershy, who was sitting on another desk with Spike in her lap, gave her a smile. “I don’t think you need to worry, Twilight. Everyone here met the other you. You... um...”
“Have a better reputation than Sunset did,” Applejack finished. Sunset winced again, but didn’t argue.
“But... I’m not this other Twilight.”
“Maybe not, but everyone remembers her anyway,” Rainbow Dash said. “I wouldn’t worry too much. Princess Twilight hangs out at her pony-home most of the time. They’ll realize you’re your own Twilight Sparkle eventually.”
“It... it doesn’t seem right. I...”
“Twilight, stop,” Sunset said. “I understand how you feel, but beating yourself up like that isn’t going to solve anything. Just be grateful you’re getting your second chance so easily.”
"But..." Twilight stumbled over her words. "Why should Cinch get all the punishment for something I did?"
"Darling, Cinch bullied you into everything," Rarity said. "And unlike you, she doesn't care that she almost got so many people hurt. Maybe you did make a decision to use that magic, but you also made the decision to be yourself again."
Rainbow Dash came forward. "And everyone's seen the weird effects magic has on people. Believe me, we've all experienced it."
"Besides, you're not getting off scot-free." When everyone looked at Sunset, she clarified. "If you're anything like me, there will be nightmares, and a lot of unpleasant feelings for a while, even if nobody blames you for what happened."
The other girls gaped at Sunset. “Wh-why didn’t you say anything?” Fluttershy asked.
Sunset slouched. “Because I thought I deserved it,” she said simply. In a flash Pinkie and Rarity were at her sides hugging her. Sunset hugged back, but pushed them off fairly quickly. “Girls, it’s okay. I’ve gotten over it. I haven’t had a nightmare since...” she looked at Twilight, like there was something she didn’t want to bring up with her just yet. “...since Christmas.”
“Sunset... we’re talkin’ about this later,” Applejack warned.
Sunset collected herself, then spoke again. “It shouldn’t last as long with you. You’ll have us to help you through it.”
“I...” Twilight took a deep breath. “...Thank you. I’m...” She couldn’t find the words. “No one’s ever been like this to me.”
Almost immediately her vision became pink as Pinkie filled her vision. “What? But... haven’t you ever had a friend? Or been to a slumber party? Or gone to a hangout and eaten so much that you threw up in the bathroom and made your friend promise not to tell?”
Rarity suddenly became interested in the textbook on the teacher’s desk.
“Um... not really?” It was more a question than an answer, hoping whatever she said wouldn’t set her off. Unfortunately, it did.
“Oh my gosh! Then I have to get busy! I need to set up a ‘You have friends now’ party, a slumber party, I need to get you a membership card to Sugar Cube Corner...”
“Whoa, what? I...”
“Let her wear herself out,” Applejack said. “She gets like this. You’ll get used to it.”
“But... you really want to be friends with me?”
“Why wouldn’t we?” Fluttershy’s tone seemed genuinely confused.
“But... I turned into a monster!”
“So did I once,” Sunset said, “And you made the right choice in the end.”
“I go to a different school.”
“It ain’t that far away,” Applejack said.
“But...”
In lieu of another response, the six girls piled around her and gave her a group hug. It was the last straw. The dam finally broke, and Twilight cried. And cried. And cried.
It was quite a while before they broke off. Twilight dried her eyes, and Spike licked her cheeks.
“As long as we don’t get that sappy all the time,” Rainbow Dash muttered. Applejack hit her lightly.
“So... what is this story with the other Twilight?”
Sunset smiled. “Well, it all started in the other world where I was born...”
Suddenly a loud shuffling came from the hallway. The girls looked at the door in time to see Cinch being helped down the hall. Only her face was red and badly swollen.
Fluttershy gasped. “What happened to her?”
“I don’t know,” Twilight said. “It looked like she was having an... allergic reaction...”
She looked down at Spike. He grinned an embarrassed smile.
“Okay, so... maybe I didn’t need to do my shedding in her car. But she should know better than to keep it unlocked.”
Twilight just hugged him.
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Sweet!
You know I was also thinking of doing something like this, where Cinch gets her comeuppance though mine will be a very different.
Okay, Spike's little revenge was the high point of this entire chapter.
If there's one thing I love seeing in the stories I've seen so far of "Friendship Games" aftermath, it's that so many people remember to write Spike as a dog that talks, not the dragon in dog's body that the other Spike is.
...is it weird that I'd much rather see a meeting between the two Spikes than what we got at the end of the movie, with the meeting between two Twilights?
Engrossing as always, I noticed a couple minor errors, though.
I think you mean "he" there, unless I'm misunderstanding that sentence
Pretty sure that's supposed to be "here"... unless I'm really misunderstanding that sentence.
I think the Shadowbolts should also transfer to CHS, I mean Cinch will take her anger out on them and not to mention how Shining Armor and Twilight's parents would react to what happened.
I agree, Cinch barely got any comeuppance.
She's full of bulls
t too, acussing CHS of using magic on their advantage when it was actually an accident what caused those plants to appear on the track, which then attacked all contestants indiscriminatedly. And when Dash DID pony-up (gosh they should've used another term), She was no longer competing, but helping the two remaining bikers to finish the race, one of them from CP. And she can't possibly accuse Apple Jack for cheating when she was evidently helping Twilight despite her being in the other team.
I would have had somebody calling out her bulshit.
One typo I caught, though:
It should be "he," if we're talking about Shining Armor.
I loved this story. Can't wait to see the next chapter.
This is a great tale so far. Can't wait for the other chapters.
Heh.
Totally forgot about Cinch's allergies. I was so certain that was going to be important, and then both the movie (at least the American TV cut) and I forgot about it.
Question for you though: who is the boy Twilight doesn't recognize? Flash Sentry?
Now for the Twilight and Princess Twilight encounter.
Fear the shed!
I know why you did this; they really did over-rush the end of Friendship Games and it would have been nice to see more of the outcome/consequences. This also has some nice characterisation of the human world's Twilight (aka Science Twilight, according to the toy range).
FWIW, I agree that Cinch is plotting her revenge. She cooled down and walked away as if it were all nothing a bit too suddenly for my peace of mind.
I really loved your Slytherin!Cadence. It makes sense that a Cadence who is a Crystal Prep alumnus and a very senior staff member would be at least as skilled at the Dark Arts of Politics as Cinch herself. I wonder if she's been plotting this little coup for a while? Maybe she's been observing her superior (personally, electronically and possibly using students she's been grooming as her agents) so she could determine in advance who she was likely use as her next disposable patsy so she could record Cinch incriminating herself when she puts the pressure on that unfortunate student. The fact that it was to be the girl who will shortly be her younger sister-in-law just made it personal and CPA Alumni do 'personal' with a very sharp and bloody edge.
I'm hoping that there is a chapter with Shining Armour. He seemed a bit of a stereotypical team-player who is all "Let's go, Shadowbolts!" and who might have even sympathised with Cinch's objectives (if not automatically her methods). It will be nice to see him being hit with the reality bat a few times.
6496213
My feeling is that Josh Haber and the rest of the team are setting Cinch up as a recurring antagonist. Maybe she'll become obsessed with exposing CHS's 'unnatural methods' (and, although she doesn't know it, exposing the school's extra-universal connections) or just focus on destroying Twilight personally for failing her.
She's smart enough and has a strong enough sense of self-preservation to know that she had been outmanoeuvred. There was no way to pursue her desire to humiliate Canterlot High without setting up a Mutually Assured Destruction confrontation regarding Twilight's activities, so she just chose instead to concede this round and walk away, keeping her powder dry for a confrontation that she can win.
She'll be back.
6497056
One thing about Dean Cadance's plan: She caught Cinch's blackmailing by complete accident. Why an accident? Because she only wanted to record Twilight's reaction to being invited to participate the Friendship Games. Why record her reaction? Because her Boyfriend, Shining Armor, Twilight's Big Brother, wanted to see it.
There was no coup. No years-long planning. It was all decided right in the moment Cadance saw Cinch bullying Twilight and keeping her college application hostage.
This isn't my opinion. It is all said and explained in this chapter.
6497710
So, wouldn't be illegal using that record as proof? And most important, what is the point of doing it after Cinch just admitted the blackmail in front of both schools?
Cinch: "And I would I have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids and your talking dog! "
6497769 If it was, it wouldn't matter. Everyone would know what kind of person Cinch was, and the school board would begin presuring her to retire. If she tried to block Twilight's scholorship, all it would take is sending that video to the right people.
If it was illegal, Cinch could file a complaint, but that would just end up with everone knowing about it, ruining her rep further, which is important to her. Cadance may suffer consequences, but she'd likely consider it worth it to stop Cinch. Her only way to escape gracefully is to bow to Cadance and resign.
And yes, she slipped up in her anger and let the secret spill, but with all the connections she has, getting some cold, hard evidence would still really help the process.
6496273
It's nobody, he's just a background student that Sunset recognizes is good enough with glass.
6498162 Ah, so you had Cadence think of everything. Making her the ultimate chessmaster. For Cinch, it was check and mate.
I havent read it, beacause I wanna know who is or what is Cinch?
6499384
Have you not seen Friendship Games? Cinch is one of the characters introduced in that movie.
6499384
Abacus Cinch, Headmastress of the Crystal Prep Academy, complete stuck-up, self-entitled, black-mailing bitch you'll ever see.
I wonder when Cinch gets offered the magic of friendship?
6499608
6499557
ooooooooooh, that one, sorry Im terrible remembering names
i hope twilight trasnfers to canterlot high school
That karma feels so refreshing... Dean cadence is best teacher.
Keep up the great work! ;-)
6496273 Might as well be him. It'd be the most he did in the entire movie.
Made me curious about what was said on the audio and while it's clearly AU. You manage to fill in a few holes.. All in all it was a fair story.. So far,
6496213
Also the fact if CHS was using magic you can kind of tell by the glowing, longer hair, pony ears, and occasional pair of wings. So if they had been using magic to cheat it would have been immediately noticeable.
Not that Cinch know that or would care.
Another chapter please
I think this is a good first chapter. Though I do wonder, shouldn't the Shadowbolts also get a little punishment? They admitted they were wrong and helped saved everyone in the climax so that makes them better than Cinch, but they also pressured Twilight like she did and bullied Twilight for who knows how long. But no matter what you do I'm interested in what happens next.
6498162 Someone should make a creepy-pasta
6496101 how so
6575121 Let's just say it's a fate worse then death
6575133 Please tell me
6576090 Want a link to it?
6576354 Hell Yeah
6576451 Ok, hope you like it https://www.fimfiction.net/story/294934/my-little-pony-equestria-girls-friendship-games-alternate-scene
6576462 Oh i already seen that. here is my unfinished story
password is 123 http://www.fimfiction.net/story/296287/midnight-fury
6576723
6576462
Can you two have conversations like this through PM, and not in my comments section?
6576743 Sorry
6576848 It's Cool
Y U No new chapters
Ah karma.The best thing to give somebody their well deserved comeuppance for being mean or nasty to anybody. Keep up the good work.
"That's what it says. A horrible person. We weren't even testing for that."
I noticed that you've changed the part where Cadance confronts Cinch a bit. Any particular reason why?
okay, does anyone ELSE think that this should be on TVtropes? I mean, they borrowed an idea from Sam Raimi "Spider-man" movies...
note: sorry about the lack of noise: that's just the way I found this clip...
Well done Spike you gave Cinch what she deserves.
6496116 I think it's not all that weird. I think everyone subconsciously realizes that PriTwi and SciTwi are pretty much the same person, it's just that one had a "Suddenly Friends" moment at a crucial point, and the other didn't until five years later (I know canon says it's only been a few months in the show verse, but I denounce that fallacy for the fanon 'IRL time=Show Time')
With Spike, we understand that while both were raised by Twi, they really were completely different characters. One was a dragon, the other an average, if cute, dog. Then Magics.
XDDDD To that ending.
It's so awesome to see the opposite of the usual tragedy.
"This'll be at least a 100k word saga" aaaand the author falls off the face of the Earth after 1 chapter.
Well, two regular chapters, one two-parter, and a short epilogue.
So five chapters? Four-and-a-half? THREE-and-a-half, if you count the two-parter as only one total chapter? Something in that range.
Wait what?
Run that by me again?
Oooooooooohhhhhh.
I think you meant to say "here" instead of "her". Might want to fix this.
*reads end* Pfft... HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!