Equestria Girls: Hellmouth Harmony

by forrestib

The Games We Play

Dawn caught back up with the Wondercolts at lunchtime. She still couldn't quite adjust to how easy it had been to confirm there was something magical going on. Now that that was out of the way, not only did she know, but they knew she knew. It both made things much simpler and put her definitively off-book on how to proceed.

The dog could talk. Granted. That didn't answer how. Could she just ask? She wasn't certain if they had simply failed to prevent her from discovering magic or if they had even been trying to begin with. She looked around at the other students.

Screw it, “So, have any of you talked with Hecate recently? Tall girl, carries a torch and a key everywhere.”

Twilight gave her a funny look, “Greek Goddess of crossroads and Necromancy?

Dawn was caught somewhat flabbergasted that anyone had recognized the name, “And dogs. I ask because I'm interested in your dog, and how he learned to, um… talk.”

Spike poked his head out of Twilight’s pack on the lunch table, “Well you could just ask me yourself.”

“Oh right. Sorry, that was rude of me. Spike was it? I have a friend named Spike. Though he's not a dog. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I had a cat once. Not that I'm comparing you to a cat or anything, unless you like cats? No, of course you don't like cats. Oh! I have a friend who eats cats. I've never tried it myself but he tells me they're, um… tangy…”

She decided it was in her best interest to stop talking and wait for someone else to say something so that everyone would stop staring at her.

Spike obliged, “...right. Well I can't say I've ever had cat myself, so I don't know. This friend certainly sounds interesting. Is he… foreign?”

Dawn answered, “Yes, he is. He's Korean, I think. Something south-eastern. That must be where he learned what cat tastes like, since he says he hasn't eaten any in years.”

Dawn cringed. How long had it been since she had tried to make new friends? It hadn't been a priority in Rome. Had she always been this awkward with kids her age? Amanda had liked her, before… great, there went another pint of ice cream toward the cause of forgetting about Amanda and the others. What had she been investigating again? Oh yeah…

“So how did you learn to talk?”

Spike scratched his ear, “I'm not actually sure. All I did was chase a rabbit through a hole and when I came back I could talk.”

Dawn frowned. Not once in history had a story about going down a literal magic rabbit hole been so short... and boring. She wondered if the dog had been taught how to lie since this morning.

Fluttershy was the one to break the ice, “So Dawn, where did you go to school before you transferred?”

Dawn lit up at the opportunity to change the subject. Even if it meant delaying the investigation a little, “St Georges British, in Rome, Italy. My big sister moved there for her job a few years back and I tagged along for the ride. I mean if you can go live in Rome for free, why not, right?”

Rarity beamed, “I certainly agree. But why ever would you then move back here?”

Dawn shrugged, “I missed home. California. The beaches aren't the same across the pond. And since, well, I obviously can't go back to Sunnydale, Canterlot seemed like a pretty nice alternative.”

Rainbow, Applejack and Rarity held a silent concerned conversation before Applejack voiced their thought, “Are you alright talkin’ ‘bout it? Must've been awful losin’ yer home like that, even if it was empty when it happened.”

Dawn smiled, “It's fine. That place kinda blew anyway. I miss the mall. That's about it. Did any of you ever go there?”

Everyone shook their head except Pinkie who raised her hand enthusiastically, “I went there one summer. I saw the mayor give a speech. I really didn't like him.”

Dawn laughed, “You're right not to. He was a demonically bad mayor. He actually had to be forcibly removed from office by an angry mob. He totally exploded after that. It destroyed his career. There was a big party.”

There was another awkward pause. That seemed to happen every time Dawn opened her mouth, much to her annoyance.

Twilight broke this silence, “Right, well, you'll have no such trouble from mayor Sombra. He may not be especially pleasant, but he really knows how to get things done in the bureaucracy. There's a reason he's been re-elected every term for almost thirty years. His father was actually the same way. With how similar they look you almost have to wonder if he got anything at all from his mother's side of the family.”

Dawn noted to herself that she'd have to look into the mayor too, make sure another ascension wasn't on its way, “Good to hear.”

Pinkie Pie grabbed Twi by the collar, “Do you think he's a clone! Robot? Ooh! Immortal? Or maybe he's a vampire!”

Yup. Definitely look into the mayor.

Sunset peeled Pinkie off of Twilight, “No. I checked on him when I first got here. He's human, at least so far as he ages and bleeds like one.”

Dawn picked up on the inconsistencies in the exchange. Firstly, Sunset on record had lived in Canterlot her whole life. Secondly, Sunset apparently felt the need to check if people were human or not. She opted not to push this opening as it may close others later on by making the seven more cautious around her.

A student ran up to their table, “Hey! Rainbooms! I was hoping you'd pony up for a party I'm doing Saturday. It's gonna be awesome and if you came it'd just be even more awesome! Game?”

Rainbow Dash responded instantly, standing and handing him a twenty dollar bill, “Sure thing Sandalwood. Here ya go.” She pulled him in for a hug and whispered, “We'll talk later.” Rainbow waved as he stumbled off confusedly staring at the money in his hand, “I'll see you Saturday!”

Dawn knew something was up. Those two obviously didn't normally hug, which meant Rainbow had had something to say that Dawn wasn't supposed to hear. This seemingly random student had known whatever it was they were trying to cover up. A plan began to form as she looked among the other students scattered throughout the room at different tables.

Unfortunately, No matter what she did she couldn't shake her “new BFF" Pinkie Pie. And she had thought she was the follower, and not the followee. Followee... No. Followess? Followship?

Followed! That was the word. But the followed she most certainly was. Pinkie was sticking to her like a bad wish. She'd have no luck questioning the other students that day. Ah well. She followed Pinkie (while also being followed by Pinkie) to her next class.

After school, she rode back to base. She wondered if there was any way she could phrase her report that would make Xander forget the bet they had made the previous day.

Dawn dropped her school bag off at her room before going to Xander’s office. She heard other voices from through the door, but couldn't make out any words. More likely the words were gibberish, scrambled by enchantments on the door much like the ones she had cast on her bedroom in Rome. She didn't bother to knock before entering.

Xander was there, along with Faith, and Kennedy on speakerphone. Dawn had to think back to recall that Kennedy had been stationed in London.

Kennedy was talking when Dawn walked in, “-and no-one was hurt anyway, so it's… Did someone just walk in?”

Faith answered happily, “Don't worry yourself Ken. It's just little sis, back from your side of the sea.”

Kennedy took a moment to follow the nickname, “Dawn? Why isn't she still with Buffy?”

Dawn cut in, “Because I'm 19 and it's about time I handled an apocalypse on my own. Even Xander had two to himself by the time he was my age.”

Xander’s smile faltered slightly, “I'll call you back later. Just keep me posted on this psychic deal and let me know if it gets any stronger.”

“Can do, Watcher man. Later.”

The call ended and Xander turned back to Dawn.

“So what's this I hear about an apocalypse?”

Dawn sighed, “There isn't one as far as I can tell. The kids all seem nice enough right now, although they're definitely hiding something from me. The rest of the students know too so I think I can find out from them if I can sneak away from my new best bud club.”

She slapped three hundred dollars down on his desk.

He took the money and his smile returned full force, “It's really the dog? They have a talking dog?”

Dawn nodded.

Xander turned to Faith, who had remained oddly silent, “They have a talking dog.”

Faith clenched her teeth, “Fuck. I never thought we'd see the day.” She then produced another five hundred bucks to join Dawn's bills on the desk of the winner. “When did you get so good at this anyway?”

Xander casually picked up the cash and flicked through it, not really counting so much as gloating, “Comes with the job. I've seen it all.”

Dawn smirked, “Except the left side of your nose. There's totally a wart there now, by the way.”

Xander stopped, and felt his nose. No wart was present.

Faith gave Dawn a high-five that hurt the younger girl's arm.

Xander stored his winnings away, “When did I become the mature one?”

Faith laughed, “I don't know, maybe when you took the desk job?”

Xander poked an accusatory finger at the Slayer, “You're a teacher. You're supposed to be a positive influence.”

Faith shrugged, “These kids got enough positive influences in their lives, man. I'm just here to make sure they make the right mistakes and don't get themselves killed.”

Xander abandoned the vocal spar, “Can't argue with that. Is there anything else, Dawn? Do you know how the dog can talk or how it connects to the wings?”

She shook her head, “Nope. Sorry. Day 1 wasn't as informative as could be hoped.”

Faith congratulated, “Still went a heck of a lot better than anyone expected. Way better than my first investigation anyway.”

Dawn perked up a little, “Thanks. It's no biggie though. I'll let you get back to your call. It sounded important.”

She stood to walk out. No-one said goodbye, because they'd all see each other again later that day. Before she left she heard Kennedy pick up the recall, “Hey Xander. So the Dharma demon, from the storm cellar, stopped flaying and called me-”

---

The Rainbooms had gathered after school and all gone to Pinkie’s house. In a conversational lull, Sunset brought up the elephant in the room.

“So what are we going to do now that Dawn knows about Spike?”

Author's Note:

Today I have a question. Other than Sunset/Twilight for obvious reasons, which CHS student (Mane Five or not) would you like to see Dawn paired with? Or do you prefer her with Xander like in the comics? Let me know.