Chapter 26: An Optimistic Takeover
Twilight found herself walking toward the cafeteria in a good mood, hearing about Vice-Principal Shining Armour's pleasure for her as she tried to fix the feud between him and Vice-Principal Finster, one that shoehorned Vice-Principal Cadence into the mix as well. But this was no easy task for her, since all three were academy employers, and one major mistake can deteriorate out of control. Even Principal Celestia would have to spark in to break up what was potentially going to be a riot breaking out between the bodies of the academy. However, fellow best friend and strong bond Sunset Shimmer and recently reformed antagonist Wallflower Blush were willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, one that was solely needed for the studious to pierce her way through the troubled dispute. All three girls regrouped in the cafeteria, finding the large room empty of their members; the rest of the Harmonizers had gone somewhere else.
"Oh, Twilight!". Wallflower called out as she came back from Vice-Principal Cadence's office in gratitude. The introverted student ran up to her as Sunset came back shortly thereafter. "I spoke to Cadence. She didn't have anything to report to me. Any luck with your find?".
"Vice-Principal Shining Armor is so close to Cadence that he wants her to go his way of thinking".
"Finster told me that she wants to invite DJ Candy to the academy to play some Christmas beats". Sunset Shimmer explained. "But regarding your brothers distaste in that music genre, he opted for a more, Disney song approach".
"I see...". Twilight soon looked around the cafeteria from her position. She couldn't find the rest of the group no matter how hard she wanted to try. "The girls are not here".
"The last time I saw them was in Dorm 49...". Sunset found the whole thing strange too, but fret not because she partially knew where they disappeared to. "We should check Gringotts Steak House for them. That's usually where we eat".
"Gringotts Steak House?". Wallflower was confused.
"We eat there all of the time!". Twilight explained to the gardener. "It's the one best thing beside the cafeterian food. It's almost lunch anyway, so we better stroll over to that place".
"Okay...". That was all she could say. Together, they turned their heads toward the door leading to the reception area and made their way toward the restaurant.
"So that's it...? The dispute is officially over?". Applejack gave her question to Lola, the southern farm girl hearing this for the first time since she was in class when Twilight entered Dorm 49. The ten Harmonizer members were sat on a single table, only sandwiched between a window and moderate amount of space for them to get out. Some of them had finished their meals, Rarity tucking into her roast dinner, Smurfette eating a hamburger, Pinkie chowing down on curry and Fluttershy eating a salad dinner.
"DJ Candy found somewhere that she could perform her sound-check, abolishing Vinyl's worries like a brick that hit the wall, still dusty as it sprayed the air with particles. But that doesn't mean the army of disputes are over just yet".
"What do you mean?". Rainbow asked, the athlete too having class at that time. Lola picked up her phone and checked any messages to see if Twilight or Sunset contacted her. They didn't.
"Our leader and co-leader are speaking to Cadence to find out what's going on with her. This is serious business if it involves one of the vice-principals".
"Want me to paint a picture?". Sticks rested her elbows on the table, giving Fluttershy some space to eat her salad. "A weird signal is coming out that's makin' this kind of racket. All of these events can be only caused by one person".
"Broaden that out for us please, Sticks". The bunny turned to the badger for answers.
"Do you have that feeling that magic is never forgotten in this world? People are acting eccentric and creepy, blasting their hate speeches on the good things and ignoring the bad, like the deforestation of the jungles and stuff that relates".
She turned to the bowl of salad and took a single lettuce leaf, emphasizing it's importance.
"We are seeing less and less leaves on plants and more and more of plants smashing people with their crimes against humanity. The last thing you want in your Gringotts salad bowl salad is someone else's government fetish. But as it turns out, that might be what you get".
The badger concluded by taking a bite out of the lettuce and slowly chewing, all the while Lola responded to her.
"So you are saying somebody is trying to make all of these unforgiving events unfold on purpose? We're just not seeing things?".
The badger could only nod as she took the remaining lettuce in her mouth to chew and swallow. Twilight, Sunset and Wallflower arrived right at that moment and closed the door behind them. The studious scouted the restaurant looking for them, spotting them sitting at a large table fitted for 6 people minimum. Seeing that they want to break the news, they walked over.
"Girls...". Twilight took the helm of leader again, resting Lola and Rarity from the role. She, Sunset and Wallflower stopped as they reached the table. "Shining Armor wants something whimsical for the Christmas holidays".
"Vice-Principal Finster wants to invite DJ Candy to visit and play some of her songs". Sunset explained.
"She really isn't going to escape this either way it goes". Wallflower added, grabbing the attention of Lola, Vexy and Sticks.
"I'm surprised to see you here, Wallflower!". Vexy was shocked, but kept her rhythm. "How was the yearbook committee?".
"It was fun. Sunset and I had a great time piecing our memories together".
"Good for you!".
"I still think Trunchbull is behind this". Sticks couldn't let go of her thought. All of the girls turned to the 12th member, eager to deny her claims swiftly. "This spy is helping the government of the United States broadcast weird magical anomalies in the shape of can openers. All I want to say is that, they don't really care about us".
"And your conspiracies are just as baloney as Vice-Principal Shining Armour in ballet class, Sticks". Vanellope spoke. "Nobody is broadcasting anything, and what is with the can openers?".
"Don't you dare support those evil guys!". She merely grew aggressive. "They take our senses and brainwash them into believing what we don't normally fit in, and that's all they ever write for us!".
"Hehe...". Twilight gently nudged Wallflower as she giggled. "She's always like this".
"Uh, huh".
"Lola...". She immediately turned the bunny. "You got me thinking about this too deeply. Thanks, friend".
"And I helped you set up Candy's sound-check too, at least you could be grateful we solved a dispute". Lola folded her arms.
"Okay, okay... For the sake of me risking another dispute, I'm going to keep my mouth shut for the remainder of this evening". Sticks vowed.
"Good". Lola showed signs of pouting at her.
"So...". Applejack moved to another subject. "How are we going to convince DJ Candy to go back to Canterlot Academy even though she argued with Vinyl Scratch?".
"I haven't casted my mind on that thought yet, Applejack". Sunset found a spare chair for her to sit on. She sat on the wrong side of the chair, her feet wrapping around the legs of the object. "We could maybe inform her on social media. That always works for us".
"Then it's settled". The farm girl was merely hesitant, destined to give the girls and herself a break from this onslaught of arguments they had to resolve. This gave Sunset little time to reflect on the answer, nodding in satisfaction to not leave them hanging on a thread.
"So we're sticking to messaging her online?".
"If we want to. I'm just tired of solving disputes more than the next gal".
"If it means so much to you, why don't you just drop out of this one?". Smurfette spoke.
"I would, but I couldn't. Vice-Principal Cadence is caught between the sticks. I can't just ignore her. What is she suddenly forgets my grades and shoves me back in with the lower IQ students? I'll be back in the classes with Peppa Pig!".
"Ugh". Lola rolled her eyes in anger at the mention. She still had her arms folded from Sticks' theories. "The entire first year was nothing but hell for me! I was practically stuck with her for the whole year!".
"See? I'm not the only one with doubts as large as that! We need to fix this dispute as soon as we get back into the academy! First things first is messaging DJ Candy on social media to tell her to come back and plan for her chances of performing Christmas beats in Gym 2. Not saying that it would happen though".
"But would it work from the ground-up?". Sunset asked the optimistic southern farm girl, Rarity finishing her meal as the last girl.
"Well... Let's see if we can try...". Applejack put all of her doubts behind her and shrugged off the worst of the worst that this could go.
That's the end of this chapter. The girls dining out at Gringotts Steak House again with Applejack taking care of resolving yet another another dispute, the southern farm girl tired of solving one argument after another. What will happen next? Read on to find out. Please review.