Tang Ri Shan
My Little Pony Equestria Girls- Seeing Double
(I promised a chapter this weekend and I always try to keep my word. Enjoy!)
CH 25
'Twilight', who had been trying to get more comfortable, froze when she heard the doorknob rattle. Across the room, Adagio's green eyes glowed in the shadows that were concealing her. The doorknob rattled again...and again.
"Hmm...Now who could that be?" Adagio asked aloud as she emerged from the shadows and moved, almost gracefully, towards the door.
Aria's eyes flashed angrily as she tried the doorknob again, then threw herself against the door. No good, it wouldn't budge.
"Locked" She growled, glancing at her sister, whose face fell.
"I thought as much" Twilight mused. "Even with the others distracting Imitae, we've still got to get through some obstacles.
"Twilight, if that was you at the door just now, Adagio's coming up the stairs!" Twilight winced as her double's voice flooded her ear.
"Adagio's coming up" She warned, glancing at the other sirens
Aria frowned, then started pounding on the door. "Adagio, it's me! Open the door!" She yelled
"What are you doing?" Twilight hissed in alarm, her eyes widening.
"Get out of sight" Aria hissed back. Pounding on the door again, she called out. "I know your down there Adagio, I wanna talk to you!"
Sonata yanked Twilight out of sight as the door opened. Adagio darted through the doorway, closing it behind her. "How did you know where I was?" She asked.
Aria shrugged. "I just...knew" She replied. "But that's not the point. I want my sister back!"
"What are you talking about?" Adagio cocked her head
Aria spluttered angrily. "You know darn well what I'm talking about! Ever since you started hanging around with that changeling, you've gone right back to old ways." Seeing the look of alarm that crossed Adagio's face, Aria folded her arms and continued. "Yeah, I know all about who Mirranda is. You know I can't believe you would let someone like her brainwash you like that!"
Adagio frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about, and frankly, what business is it of yours who I choose to hang out with?"
Aria copied Adagio's frown. "Usually none, but when you hurt Sonata yesterday, it became my concern" Twilight felt Sonata stiffen next to her as she stifled a gasp. "Sure she can be ditzy and obnoxious, but she's our sister, your sister. When we lost our powers, we swore that we would always be there for each other. You remember how nervous Sonata was, how nervous I was? I distinctly remember you saying that we need each other now more than ever. Are you really going to let some changeling magic break apart this sisterhood? Wake up!"
Adagio looked confused during Aria's little speech and Twilight noticed the light in the siren's green eyes start to dim. Could Aria actually break Imitae's hold over her sister? She wondered in amazement.
"Where's Imitae now?" Sunset asked as she met up with Rainbow Dash inside an empty classroom.
"She should still be with the others." Rainbow Dash answered angrily.
Sunset caught the tone. "What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Imitae just tried to turn me against you, that's what's wrong!" Dash snorted.
"Oh, I see" Sunset mulled
"The worst part was, she almost did it, too. It was like she forced me to see bad memories of you and I felt my anger rising almost beyond control. In fact, if you hadn't had texted me when you did, I probably would have believed her." Rainbow Dash confessed, looking embarrassed. "But, when I saw your picture on the screen, it was like my head suddenly cleared, and I realized how much I've enjoyed our friendship." She held out her phone, showing Sunset the picture.
Sunset felt a big smile cover her face and her eyes dampened as she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "That...that really means a lot coming from you. Thank you"
Rainbow Dash smiled back. Just then, the classroom door opened and Rarity stormed in, looking annoyed. "Well, she certainly didn't waist any time!" She huffed
"Who?" Sunset asked, even though she had a pretty good idea who Rarity was referring to.
"Imitae" Rarity's frown deepened. "As soon as Rainbow Dash left, she went after Fluttershy next. The girl dashed off a few minutes later in tears, tears that were 100% real, I might add! Then she came after me."
"And, what did she tell you?" Sunset frowned.
"I...I'd rather not talk about it" Rarity stammered, a slight blush coming to her cheeks. "The point is, the sooner we stop her, the better!"
"Where is she now?" Rainbow glanced up from her phone
"I told her I wanted to meet with her in a little while to discuss costume ideas, we've got about ten minutes before then." Rarity announced, glancing at the clock above the blackboard.
"Right" Rainbow nodded and slipped her hand into her pocket. Pulling out the small case Pinkie Pie had handed her, she twisted open the top to reveal a pair of green-tinted contact lenses. "We'd better get ready, Rarity" She motioned the girl over. Rarity nodded and pulled a small mirror out of her purse, followed by a second case.
"Allow me" She offered, walking over to help Rainbow. Meanwhile, Sunset move over to the classroom door and peeked out into the hallway. Her eyes widened as she saw Imitae standing at the end of the hallway, speaking to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, who were standing at attention like soldiers, or robots. Sunset felt a shudder pass through her.
"Hold still" Rarity's voice made Sunset glance around in time to see Rainbow Dash yelp and leap away from Rarity, shaking her head rapidly.
"Are you okay?" Sunset asked, trying to smother her chuckle. Rainbow Dash glanced her direction, one eye red, the other eye green, both eyes blinking rapidly, her face frozen in a grimace of uneasiness and disgust.
"Really, Rainbow Dash!" Rarity tutted from behind the girl, both of her eyes already green. "If you'd just sit still for two seconds...!"
"Sorry, but I've never worn contacts before, they feel weird!" The blue-skinned girl complained, still blinking rapidly as Rarity closed in with the second lens.
Shaking her head, Sunset turned back to peek through the door, just in time to see that Imitae had disappeared and her two minions were walking down the hallway in her direction. "They're coming! You two ready?" She glanced back at her friends and two sets of green eyes stared back at her. They nodded. Sunset smiled back, then peaked through the doorway again, raising her hand. When Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were just passing the door, she dropped it. There was a loud thud from behind her, followed by an unearthly hissing. Sunset whirled away from the door to find Rarity on the ground, hissing in pain.
"What are you doing you fool?" Sunset exclaimed in a hiss-like voice. "Are you trying to get us caught?"
"Apologiezz my queen" Rarity moaned in reply in a similar tone, deliberately drawing out her S's. "Thizz one izz not uzzed to thizz new form"
"Silence!" Sunset snapped angrily and both girls jumped visibly jumped. Sunset gave an apologetic smile and the Rarity nodded, smiling as well. "You are a disgrace to all changelings!" Sunset hissed, glancing at Raindow Dash, who gave a subtle glance towards the door, and nodded.
"Thizzz one izz zzorry, my queen" Rarity whined, grabbing two desks in an dramatic effort to stand up, her legs shaking.
"I do not want apologies, I want results! Results you have failed to give me!" Sunset spat angrily, but was unable to keep a smile off of her face. Glancing at Rainbow Dash, she continued. "You have been unable to find me the traitor"
"Apologiezz my queen" Rainbow Spoke up, also drawing out her S's. "But we did not anticipate the prezzence of Twilight ZZparkle in thizz world. Zzhe hazz encountered out kind before"
Sunset huffed and stamped in frustration. "True, which means that we must remove her before we can continue our search for the traitor"
"When zhall we prozeed, my queen?" Rainbow buzzed, trying not to look at Rarity, who was walking between the desks like her legs had turned to rubber.
"The rest of Twilight's friends should have been replaced by now" Sunset spoke clearly. "We wait until the school is finished, then we imprison her with the others. I will assume her form myself. Another can take this form." She gestured to herself, causing Rarity and Rainbow Dash to stifle chuckles. Sunset shot them a warning glare. "Once Twilight is dealt with, we can focus on finding where the traitor is hiding."
"And when we have found Imitae, what zzhall...?" Rainbow Dash began, but Sunset cut her off.
"I TOLD YOU! Never mention the traitor's chosen name in my presence!" She screeched, clenched her fists and made them shake in anger, holding them up in full view of everyone.
"Forgivnezz, my queen" Rainbow Dash quickly knelt on the floor. "Thizz one hazz forgotten the price of betrayal"
"As has Imitae" Sunset gave a dramatic shudder as she spoke. "But when I find her, I will teach her exactly what that price is. She cannot be allowed to escape, she..."
"Spiezz!" Rarity, who had been shrinking backwards at Sunset's 'outburst', suddenly screamed. "Spiezz, my queen! Listening to uzzz!" She pointed at the classroom door. Sunset whirled around in time to see two figures, who had been peeking through the glass, duck out of sight. Hissing in anger, Sunset strode to the door, yanked it open, glanced out into the hall. As the bell had gone off a few minutes ago, the hallway was fairly crowded with students, many of whom were already wearing their Halloween costumes. Sunset saw a firefighter speaking with a ladybug, and a pirate, while a werewolf, a vampire, and a zombie darted around making spooky noises. She also saw the backs of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon hurrying away down the hall, moving very quickly.
Turning back to the girls, who were trying, and failing, to keep straight faces, Sunset announced "They're gone"
As soon as she spoke, it was like a dam broke, all three girls burst out laughing.
"That...that was hillarious!" Rarity exclaimed, clutching the desks for support as she chuckled.
"I'll say, especially when Sunset went all 'queen bee' on us!" Rainbow added, laughing so hard she practically fell over.
"I know, I was actually scared for a few seconds there!" Rarity replied, making the twosome laugh harder. "I thought for a second the old Sunset had come back, I...oh, oops!" At the mention of 'old Sunset', Sunset Shimmer had stopped laughing. "Sorry!" Rarity seemed to shrink under the girl's gaze.
Sunset shook her head, the smile creeping back onto her face. "It's fine. Besides, with drones like you two, it's easy to play a queen. Especially with your acting, Rarity"
"I beg your pardon!" Rarity exclaimed, but Rainbow started laughing again.
"She's got a point, Rarity. Can you say 'overdramatic'?" She teased.
"For your information, I believe in putting my heart of soul into a performance." Rarity flushed slightly as she spoke. "Not that you would understand. When was the last time you were on a stage?"
"Okay, cool it, you two" Sunset cut in, pulling her phone from her pocket and sending a text. "We'd better go meet up with the others." Still smiling, she headed outside, only to almost walk directly into a hooded figure with glowing white eyes who was standing on the other side of the door. "Whaaa!" Sunset exclaimed, jumping back in surprise. Behind her, Rarity and Rainbow Dash froze, all laughter wiped from their faces.
The figure paused, staring at them, then raised a hand in an apologetic gesture. "Oh I'm sorry, did I scare you?" A familiar voice asked.
"V-vice principle Luna?" Rarity asked as the woman lowered her hood. "Wow, we had no idea that was you! Impressive costume!"
Luna smiled as she nodded, removing a pair of dark goggles she was wearing with small pocket-lights taped to each side. "Thank you, and I'm sorry for startling you, but I thought I heard noises coming from in here. Care to tell me what's happening?"
"Oh um..." Sunset's mind whirred as she tried to work out what to say. She decided on the truth. "We just played a little Halloween trick on Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. That's all"
Luna raised an eyebrow. "A harmless trick, I hope"
"Oh, but of course" Rarity quickly answered. "We're just having a little fun with them" Rainbow Dash nodded vigorously.
Luna's eyebrow rose higher, but then she sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "As long as you don't go too far." She acknowledges, replacing her goggles. "Oh, are the Rainbooms still playing tonight for the dance?"
"Of course" Sunset answered. "We wouldn't miss it"
"Excellent. I'll see you then, I imagine. Remember to come a little earlier so you can get set up." With that, Luna pulled her hood up, the lights clipped to the side of the goggles giving the illusion she had lowing white eyes. "Happy Halloween" She added before darting through the door.
"Wow, that was cool" Rainbow Dash watched
"Simple, but effective" Rarity commented. "I wonder if I could rig up something like that"
"I'm sure you could, but in the meantime, we need to meet the others, come on" Sunset urged, leaving the classroom.
"You think those two got the message?" Rarity asked as they walked down the hall.
"Based on what I could see, I'm pretty sure they did" Rainbow Dash assured them, while waving at a student dressed as a clown. "I wonder if the others found the human Twilight yet."
"I hope so." Sunset's voice betrayed her concern. "But finding her is one thing, freeing her is another matter entirely
And that's enough for now! Wow, this chapter took longer to write than I had originally anticipated, but you can't rush works like this!
Originally I had planned for Imitae herself to 'overhear' the girls, but then I figured that wouldn't work since Imitae knows how changelings are supposed to act and the girls really don't. I think this scenario makes more sense, don't you? What did you think of the girl's plan?
Special thanks to LegionnaireBlaze for that touching remark. Really, you flatter me! And as always, I am open to any kind of critique or compliments. (Seriously, I could use some!) Let me know what you think!
Until next time!