• Published 2nd Jul 2020
  • 8,987 Views, 938 Comments

Severed Ties - Carol Heart



Stranded in Equestria after Anon-A-Miss, Sunset is done with friendship. Unfortunately, the human Twilight's new device pulls not just energy from the portal, but a unicorn as well. Now the two must work together to get Sunset home.

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Chapter 40

Celestia led the group to the main doors, and upon entering the building, they were met by their first obstacle in locating Sunset and Principal Cinch; a security guard. However, she hadn’t gotten to the position she had without being able to think on her feet. Whipping out her district ID, the educator adopted her best condescending glare and walked right past without even stopping. Celestia held her breath as the group marched past the guard, waiting to be stopped or questioned, but either the idea of not needing clearance when you have confidence was valid, or the poor man had had too many run-ins with the CPA principal and knew better than to question another. Either way, it worked to the group’s advantage as they quickly hurried down the halls.

Heading down the empty halls of Crystal Prep, Celestia led the students and puppy in the general direction she remembered the science wing to be, something Abacus Cinch had shown off to her during the last Friendship games as they had all been remodeled and upgraded following a sizable donation from one her alumni. Turning a corner, Celestia pulled up short, causing the teens behind her to stop suddenly.

“What-“ Rainbow Dash started to say before being cut off with a quiet but harsh Shhh from her principal, who nodded over her shoulder. Cautiously peering around the corner, before Principal Celestia pulled her back and quietly ushered the group back down the hall.

When the group stopped, the principal was met with a group of questioning looks. Before she could say anything, Rainbow quickly stated, “There’s a group of guys blocking our way." She then turned to the only student of the school and asked, "Is there another way to the labs?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, this is the only hall to this part of the building without a building key pass." She nervously glanced in the direction of said hall before continuing, "I don't get it. Everyone's still at Canterlot High. There shouldn’t be anyone here."

Realization dawned on Rarity’s face, “It must be that group of ruffians that attacked Spike and the girls.” The statement elicited a menacing growl from the purple puppy.

“Well if that’s the case,” said Applejack pulling down the brim of her hat, eyes narrowing dangerously, “Ah think we should go return the favor.” The sentiment seemed to be shared in the serious looks of the teens, even quiet Fluttershy had an anger burning in her eyes.

“No,” Celesia said. It was quiet but carried a weight of finality. “There will be no more fighting. We will not stoop to their level.”

“I don’t think they’re just gonna let us through,” said Pinkie. “If that group of meanies is helping Cinch, and she has as much control over them as she did over everyone else in the school, and they probably don’t know everything that happened in the courtyard if they were in the parking lot with the busses, so they don’t know Principal Cinch probably won’t be Principal Cinch much longer.”

“Then I’ll just have to explain it to them,” Celestia said.

“What if they don’t listen?” Fluttershy asked.

“I’ll make sure that they do,” the principal stated, causing the girls to flinch with the heat of her statement.

Celestia strode back toward where the boys were stationed but didn’t make it far from the group before the rainbow-haired girl caught back up to her. “Wait, Principal Celestia, are you sure you want to do this? What you said back in the van… I can take care of those guys. Get them to chase me or something-“

“No,” the educator cut in, “though I appreciate the sentiment, Rainbow. As much as I would like to personally rescue Sunset and apologize. This is how I can be there for her now. I will take care of them while you get Sunset out of there.” Rainbow opened her mouth before Celestia cut her off. “I assume I can count on you to make sure she is safe.”

Determination won out, and the argument withered on Rainbow's tongue. “Yeah, we won’t let her down. Never again.”

“Good.” The principal said as she turned and continued her walk, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some delinquents to reprimand.”

***

Sunset awoke to find herself trapped in a cage that seemed far too small for one her size. A part of her wished she was still her previous diminutive size, if only so she would be able to properly stand up in the confined space. Sunset’s breathing picked up as she carefully shifted positions to try and ascertain her situation. Though she hadn’t mentioned it to Twilight, Sunset was not a fan of enclosed spaces. Her trips this week in Twilight’s bag was something she never would have agreed to had there been another option, though it was easier to overcome as she knew she could get out when she wanted. Now, however, staring through the bars, there was no such assurance.

Then, the more rational part of her mind reminded her that she was a unicorn who knew how to teleport. Channeling magic through her horn, Sunset ran the calculations and set a destination, but as she went to release the spell, a sharp pull racked her body as if someone had smacked her horn. The surprise caused the unicorn to cry out and then wince at the resulting headache it caused. “What the buck was that?” Sunset asked, rubbing her head under her horn. Once again she started to gather magic, this time to run a quick diagnostic spell to figure out what had happened, but just as before, when she tried to release the spell, Sunset could feel the magic be pulled away. As the spell required less magic than the teleport, the result was not as painful as the teleport attempt, but the amber unicorn’s head still ached and was feeling a bit winded.

Gazing more intently around the room, Sunset took in the large device her cage was connected to. Though the sheer size of it made it nearly unrecognizable, Sunset had spent enough time this week going over Twilight’s schematics and helping improve them to recognize the device for what it was. “That’s Twilight’s device,” the pony breathed, “but it’s massive. But how?”

“Because I have not cultivated the reputation I or Crystal Prep has by waiting for greatness to fall into our laps,” a cold voice called. Sunset had to turn her head at an uncomfortable angel in the too-tight space to make out the speaker, and found Abacus Cinch standing at what looked like, the controls for the massive device she was now connected to. “A reputation that you and Miss Sparkle have attempted to destroy with the little stunt you pulled breaking into my office and sharing my private files.”

Sunset’s eyes narrowed. “You were hurting the people you were supposed to be teaching. Students aren’t your trophies to display for others. They’re people that you were supposed to be helping and mentoring, not manipulating and blackmailing.”

“I was doing it for them, for the glory of Crystal Prep. Do you think it’s going to be easy for them just because they’re smart? The real world doesn’t work like that. It doesn’t care if you’re the best or the smartest. People don’t listen to the smart one or hire the best candidate. No, they hire their friends or listen to whoever is shouting the loudest. The world is unfair and unfeeling, and the sooner my students learn that fact and how to overcome it, the better they will be.”

“I know what it’s like to be angry at everything and feeling that the world was pitted against you," Sunset said understanding in her voice, "but believe me when I say, foisting your bitterness and resentment on others does not make you feel better. What you did to the students here was bad and you may not be principal anymore, but if you apologize and make amends, you can turn things around and help make CPA truly as great as its reputation.”

Abacus Cinch eyes met that of the trapped pony for a serious moment before the severe woman actually laughed. “Ha ha, you really are one of Celestia’s sappy feel-good students. You think I’ve lost? Look around you. With this device, I have a portal to another world. One of unlimited untapped power. That energy will make mine a household name, and the prestige that this discovery and its patents will garner will have them promoting me, not firing me.”

“You can’t just siphon Equestria’s magic. It is a fundamental part of the world. Without magic, everything about how nature works from the weather to the movement of the sun would not be able to function. You’d destroy everything.”

Cinch met the worried eyes of the trapped unicorn, her own cold gaze sparking slightly with a hint of something darker, “It is fitting don’t you think. That I should destroy your world, since you tried so hard to destroy mine.” And with that, Cinch started the device and Sunset’s ears folded at the piercing sound. Feeling the full pull of the magic being ripped from her, it didn’t register that the sound was coming from her own mouth.

Sunset could feel as the magic that had been replenished while wielding the power of the Elements was pulled away from her, and she sagged at the loss of energy. She prevented her body’s urge to just collapse and pass out through sheer will and stubbornness. Sunset traced the winding tubes and cords to what she knew from Twilight’s schematics should be the containment device for the energy. As she watched more and more of her magic be pulled away, she saw the familiar sparks of power ebb away from the machine and began to gather. Terror grew as the power grew, and the familiar swirl and pull of a magical vortex began to form.

“Cinch,” Sunset called, from her cage, “You have to stop this. The power is too much. It’s opening another vortex. You have to let me out of here so I can close it before it pulls us and all of Crystal Prep in.”

From her place behind the nearby control panel, the principal just smirked at the pony. “Honestly, did you really think I would fall for such a simple ploy? I’ve seen the rifts Miss Sparkle’s device created. Both in the hall at CPA and at the Friendship Games. I saw what they were capable of, and with this device, I can control it,” Cinch shouted over the din, as she increased the power to the device.

Sunset felt a painful surge rip through her body as the magic in her was hunted down and ripped out of her along with another pained cry.

***

Twilight led the way through the halls of Crystal Prep. She could still hear the angry tirade the CHS principal was delivering to the boys as she led them toward the main offices and away from the labs. With Principal Celestia gone, it had fallen on Twilight to direct the others to the labs. It was strange for the teen to have a group immediately defer to her when most of her past experiences were her being ignored by her peers (if she was lucky). Part of her mind wondered if this was connected in some way to them knowing the princess version of herself, or if it was simply because she was the only one who knew where the school’s science labs were located.

In any case, the group soon found themselves in front of the lab Sour Sweet had told them, and just entering the hallway, the teens could feel something was not right. Quickly punching in the code that she’d been given, Twilight opened the door and beheld chaos. The tool benches and worktable that were set up near the front of the room were devoid of their normal assortment of designs and calculations as the papers were now blowing fiercely around the room. Beyond that, in the back of the room, stood a massive device that vaguely resembled her energy collection device. It took up most of the left corner with a control panel that resembled a podium set up across from it where Principal Cinch stood seemingly reveling in her moment of triumph.

Twilight, was also quick to notice, that on the wall between the two devices, there was an all too familiar build-up of magical energy forming another magical portal. This one was gathering energy faster than any the teen had dealt with previously as it swirled and thrummed with the stolen magic. The rapidly growing vortex flashed and sparked with energy as its force swirled about, causing the air to whip around even more and pulling everything not bolted down to be pulled in.

Quickly grabbing hold of the door frame, Twilight continued to scan the room until she spotted who she was looking for. In a too-small cage attached to the monstrous machine was an amber unicorn. It looked like Sunset would be wholly uncomfortable in a space so small, but the teen doubted the tightness was what was said pony's biggest concern, as she watched a stream or red energy be pulled away from Sunset, a pained grimace on her muzzle.

“Sunset!” Twilight cried, before turning to the girls from CHS, “We have to get her out of there.”

“We have to shut that thing down,” Applejack called over the increasing din, “Or its goin’ ta destroy the whole school and all of us with it.” Twilight knew the farm girl was right, but another look at Sunset crying out in pain, left the nerdy girl unsure.

Seeing Twilight’s hesitation, Rainbow Dash stepped in. “Don’t worry about it. We’ve got this. You go get Sunset,” Rainbow shouted over the roar of the winds, “We’ll get this thing shut down.”

Grateful for the opportunity to go save Sunset, Twilight hesitated. The device was based on her designs, she would be the one with the best chance of shutting down the device. “Are you sure?” she asked. “Do you even know how it works?”

“Do I need to?’ Dash asked. “It’s a machine, right? That means it’s got to be powered by something. Unplugging it should shut it down.”

Twilight blinked. Sometimes being a genius, she tended to overlook the obvious solutions to problems. Nodding her head, she said, “Yeah, essentially that’s how we closed the early ones, but you have to hurry before it gets too big.” Surveying the set-up Twilight continued, “Getting to the control panel might be too risky given its proximity to the vortex. Wait...there,” she said pointing to a corner of the device. That’s the generator. See if you can disconnect it.”

“Got it,” Rainbow replied, nodding toward Applejack and carefully heading from the door, and along the wall, clutching on to the workbench so as not to be sucked toward the raging hole in space.

Turning her own gaze further down the machine, Twilight locked onto Sunset trapped and in pain, and carefully headed to the worktable in the center of the room and used it to bridge the distance to the monstrous device the pony was connected to. Sunset had always been there for her, defending her from the bullies, Cinch, and magic. Now it was time to repay the favor.

Author's Note:

Sorry about the wait. Things got all sorts of crazy with the holidays, and nothing gets accomplished when children are home from school. We have officially reached the beginning of the end, thee chapters to go in our dramatic conclusion. Poor Twilight is having a heck of a week.