Oh man, I made this chapter, just in time but I cut it in half due to time. Whatever, it's here. Plus it's my birthday month. Well, enough of that.
Now the reviews:
Solon75: I wanted to set the stage of what's to come as with my first story, I winged it. Both Sour Sweet and Dusk Shine will have their moments throughout the story. I briefly touched upon them in this story
Dusk Shine's/Celestia's dream is a preview of what's going to happen. Plus I wanted to incorporate Celestia's prophetic dreams in this story. Starlight and the Dazzlings won't be here for a while
Baton Switch stood before her sister's door, her face wrapped with concern. Their parents had similar expressions. Sour Sweet barely left her room after returning from the hospital. They didn't know the full details but it must be something emotionally tremendous if Sour Sweet had to isolate herself. Baton Switch knocked.
"Hey, Sour Sweet, we need to get ready for school," She reported. Thanks to Cinch's cowardly hubris, both schools established a week-long break to recover after the disastrous friendship games. They suggested a half day to discuss plans. The door creaked. Sour Sweet was a total mess. Her eyes were woeful with heavy bags and bloodshot from constant sobbing. Unkempt dull hair with random strands sticking up like wheat. A mildly pungent aroma emitted from Sour Sweet's body. Baton didn't know if it was from her twin's clothes or body odor. When was the last time Sour showered or changed her clothes?
"You should eat something before heading out," One of her parents handed her a small smoothie. Sour lifelessly took it, taking small gulps barely acknowledging the fruity flavors. This was one of their meal replacements.
"I already showered so it's all yours," Baton Switch said, gesturing to the nearby door. They often fought over it but now wasn't the time. Not at all. Sour nodded, returning the cup, before closing the door again. The group walked away.
"Did she say anything?" Their father asked. Sour's door opened again, shut, and opened the bathroom door. The shower was turned on.
"Something that she messed up and said sorry to Dusk Shine," Baton Switch answered with a shrug.
"Were they close or anything?" One of them asked. Why did she mention Dusk Shine of all people? Both were on the same team when it all happened.
"They were until Cinch did something to drift them apart," Baton Switch implied, keeping some of their conversations a secret. There's no letting how their parents will react knowing that their daughter was dating the Schola Perfecta and then broke up with him. Were they going to be empathetic or outraged due to her tossing away such a valuable prospect?
"Of course that bitch did something. That doesn't surprise me at all. Releasing Aether just to win a high school game," The mother grumbled, raising her hands in annoyance. They went to their own devices, preparing for the day. Sour curled herself into a ball as the freezing water washed over her. Not bothering to indulge in her shower routine, seeing no point in it all. Sour Sweet gazing vacantly at the ceiling.
There's one more question. How were the rest of the Shadow 5 doing?
Not that great. Lemon Zest sat on her bed with her face buried into her knees. Her bedroom walls were stripped of their iconic musical paraphernalia as her punishment. Cadance informed their parents about their involvement in why Dusk Shine was in the hospital. Although they tried to stop it, that didn't matter since they started in the first place. Sweet Tart was heartbroken and absolutely livid at Lemon Zest's actions. She chastised her daughter as any furious parent would after discovering their wrongdoings. Her mother's voice dripped with heartbroken disappointment, telling Lemon Zest that she was supposed to be his friend. A light in the suffocating darkness. Lemon Zest overheard her mother, begging, pleading Twilight Velvet to forgive her after hearing what happened.
" Shit," Lemon Zest muttered, holding herself tighter. She fucked up.
"Hey traitor, it's time for school," Sweet Tart barked after a strong knock on the bedroom.
"Coming," Lemon Zest answered meekly. She hastily cleaned her room up to naval standards, grabbing her towel for a quick shower. Sweet Tart restricted her music usage placing Zest under a strict timer. Her uniform was on, feeling naked without her signature headphones. She jogged to the dining room where her breakfast lay there in a container retaining the warmth and steam. Lemon Zest approached her mother.
"Not now please," Sweet Tart denied, her eyes focused on her laptop and continued typing. Pain and remorse ached on Lemon Zest's features, giving her mother a curt nod before heading out the door. She dashed to the bus stop, nibbling on her savory pastries as she waited. Her hands reached into her pockets, connecting a set of earbuds to it. One of her few remaining privileges. Lemon Zest picked a random playlist to ease her mind. Her gold eyes widened. This was one of Dusk Shines. A duo of loose tears escaped her eyes while waiting. She wiped her eyes, hearing the bus brakes screeched to a stop. Lemon scanned for any remaining seats. A few CPA & CHS students were on the bus as well. Each glared and whispered under their breaths, placing their bags or legs on adjacent seats preventing Lemon from sitting next to them. Her lip quivered, opting to take one of the rear seats. The bus drove off.
Indigo Zap ran a few laps in a park near her house. She did this before school to get herself ready and focused, enjoying the early morning air. It didn't help. Indigo stopped by a tree, using this moment to catch her breath and wipe some sweat. The lactic acid burning her muscles did nothing to quell her frustration, anger, and guilt.
'The nerd thinks you're hot. I don't want to ruin his chances' Those words echoed. Her face heated either from anger or embarrassment. She didn't know.
"Damn it!" Indigo Zap punched the tree, ignoring the broken skin on her knuckles. She can hear Lighting's bragging and irritating words about how she let both the gold trophy and the golden boy slip through her hands. Indigo growled doing one more lap before heading home to shower and catch the bus. Her parents took her bike as punishment.
Sugarcoat sat in the backseat quietly. Solemnly. Her parents periodically glanced at her through the rearview mirror and each other. They were worried. Any reasonable parent would be. Their daughter was a motormouth, uttering paragraphs within seconds. Now. Nothing. A curt nod or deadpan Yes or No were her main conversation methods. They and several other parents will file a formal complaint against Cinch for endangering their children for a mere game. A mere game. It's ironic. Barely a week ago, the Friendship games were the closest thing CPA students had to the Equestrian Games, where only the best of the best were selected to join. It's a momentous occasion to be selected, opening doors years in advance.
Now.
It seems so silly. They shuddered recalling the brutal vetting process and the lengths some of their schoolmates did to potentially be on the roster. Cheating on tests to artificially boost their grades. Others willfully and gleefully sabotage other students to slightly improve their chances, only not to be chosen. Was this what they were encouraging in their children? Becoming selfish, traitorous amoral monsters who only care about victory even if it means damning their souls for all eternity. They hoped they weren't too late in correcting this behavior. Some were blessed with decent parents, but students like Sunny Flare aren't as fortunate.
Sunny Flare(Done)
Sunny Flare waited in the foyer. For the past few days, Cinch has desperately attempted to mitigate the social backlash caused by the Games. Frantic calls mixed with professional emails made Cinch leave early to control the foolish flames of her moronic ambitions. Sunny wasn't alone. Her maid, no, her older sister, waited with her. Sunny Flare glanced periodically with anxiety in her features. A plethora of questions swarmed. Why did Cinch hide them from her? Did they have the same father? Was their mother always this cruel person, or did something invoke this personality? Is their father still alive? Their eyes met. Her sister gave her a tiny smile. Sunny Flare broke it, and uncertainty washed over her. All of this was so new. Her phone buzzed.
"Outside," Sugarcoat messaged.
"She's here," Sunny Flare spoke, readjusting her bag straps. "I'll see you later,"
"Have a good day at school," Her sister smiled, opening her arms for an embrace. Sunny Flare took it before heading outside and joining Sugarcoat in the backseat. Both girls shared a worried glance at what'll happen at school.
The Shadow 5 arrived at CPA where a special form of hell awaited them. The B-team wasn't safe either. Students' glared and sneered at them, willfully bumping into them in the halls. Others treated as they treated Dusk Shine with hushed venom-filled whispers and distancing themselves as much as possible. They isolated Dusk Shine due to petty jealousy. Here they are doing the same to the once popular students although they rationalized their contempt for endangering their lives. CPA's luxurious halls aren't immune to the mask of ironic hypocrisy. The bystanders were just as willing. They entered their homerooms before the first bell.
Sour Sweet dropped her bag near her feet as she sat. Resting her head on the desk, gazing longingly at the space where Dusk Shine sat, fiddling with the bracelet. Dusk Shine's bracelet. Sugarcoat and Sunny Flare winced at her appearance. A downgrade. Sour Sweet allowed the full length of her hair to reach her lower back near her thighs. Unbrushed and unscented. Her face grew ruddy and bare without her light green eyeshadow. The school's sports jacket covered herself granting a shadow of normalcy. She wanted to cry but her tear ducts ran dry days ago. A chasm of guilt, shame, and self-loathing remained in her soul. The girls approached Sour Sweet, making polite chatter to ease her mind, offering some of their personal care items to raise her spirits. It's not much but enough for Sour to crack a smile while applying a mild-scented lotion.
Suri, Trenderhoof, and Neon Lights remained in their corner either on their phones or playing their handheld games. Huddled together to protect themselves against the frozen glares of predators. Their rigid bodies hung their heads with hunched shoulders condensed themselves into bite-sized portions. They attempted to ignore the gossip spreading around school like the latest viral trend. Nothing can settle the thundering heartbeat in their chilly bodies.
"All students please head to the auditorium," Cinch announced. Students groaned, rolling their eyes at the command but did so anyway. Numerous students scowled at the gaudy lifeless architecture built from the foundation of hypocrisy and conceited dealings. Like many before them, they wore their elite uniforms with pride, becoming one of Equestria's best. They gritted their teeth at how Cinch treated the Schola Perfecta. The best of the best. If Dusk Shine was a pawn to her, what chances do they have? Dozens of students desired nothing more than to rip these suffocating uniforms and toss them into the closest trash fire.
Teachers organized and directed them into the auditorium. Their seats were divided by grade and class, ensuring a smooth process. The auditorium buzzed with chatter until Cinch marched on stage. She aged. Heavy bags sagged with eyes at her grey stripe gleamed in the lights.
"Good morning students, I do hope you had a restorative week after the disastrous Friendship games," Cinch started
" Yeah, a disaster YOU caused!" Indigo Zap shouted before being dragged down to her seat. She said what everyone wanted to say.
"Since I don't have the most experience in dealing with traumatic events such as these, I'll have Dean Cadance," Cinch mentioned, offering Cadance to take the mic. The two exchanged as Cadance began talking, empathizing with the struggles they endured. That's when someone foolishly comments how Dusk Shine should've burned up since he didn't win.
"WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT?" Indigo Zap, Moondancer, and several others erupted in Dusk Shine's defense. Heated arguments sparked, followed by a shove, punch, or spat in the other's face uniform, leading to a bar brawl spreading before teachers could halt it. Screams echoed from bystanders, escaping the rumble while others attempted to separate the fighters.
" THAT IS ENOUGH! " Discord thundered. The air stilled. Their bones chilled, astonished and terrified behind the rumbling authority in his voice. He was never one for order but it disgusted him, igniting a bunsen burner in his blood. "This was exactly what Dusk Shine predicted," He grumbled, folding his brow, replacing his Cheshire grin with an authoritative grimace. Students released each other, helping some to their feet. Heat lingered into a painful numbness as they nursed their bruises. Dusk Shine predict this? He predicted them to be this? "A bunch of scavengers and vermin cannibalizing themselves to save themselves without him being the lightning rod. Pathetic," Discord berated, glowering as their heads hung shamefully. Others shrunk. "Some of you boasted that Dusk Shine was weak or you could've done better," Discords' face twisted at their moronic comments. "WHAT A TOTAL LOAD OF CRAP!" He motioned with a sweeping gesture, casting off the arrogance to the trash. He gnashed his teeth.
"You all forced him to use Aether because you didn't want to do it only to save yourselves. If he refused, WHO of all of you would've deep into the abyss and come back alive. You Royal Pin?! Marco?! Crusade?! Serenade?! Goldie Locks? Ceramic?! Verdant? Scorch? Aurora? Emerald? Clouddrive? Nami? Yuki? Ferrous? Oaker? Teacup? Lapis? Azul?" Discord called out, challenging some of the most arrogant students in CPA. They sat down avoiding his piercing gaze like mere alley thieves at the crack of dawn seeking safety in the shadows. Everyone waited for their answers. Nothing. The perfect answer for pyrite-layered cowards and hypocrites.
"Nobody? I expected this," His eyes rolled. "You all love to claim that you have fire in your souls. But from what I see, you have nothing but hot air squeaking out your self-centered overpriced backsides. To think the future of our country is within the hands of hopeless cowards," Discord mocked with a grimace and a folded brow. Their heads hung as others snickered and mocked their hubris. Discord motioned from Cadance to take the stand again. She thanked him with a smile when someone raised their hand. Cadance pointed at them
"Is Dusk Shine coming back for tutoring at least?" A student with grayish-blue hair asked. "I need to keep my GPA to stay on the team," The hall erupted with jeers, chastising their selfishness at a crucial moment. Someone threw an empty water bottle at them.
"Oh shut up!"One of their teammates snapped. A senior with a maroon buzzcut. "Do you honestly think we need you on the team? Your mom is sucking off the coach so you can be there for the photo," They scoffed at their benchwarmer.
"Can we send Dusk Shine some gifts?" Another student requested. Coffee Swirl is their name.
" I can answer that," Someone answered. A woman with onyx & white striped hair dressed in a crisp black suit marched on stage. "I'm a legal representative of the Shine family. Dusk Shine prepared a letter for such occasions with a few recent addendums," She introduced herself holding a notarized letter. They watched as the letter was ripped from its sealing. " Dear my associates and classmates at CPA," Dusk Shine's letter started formally as expected until it didn't. His tone remained yet mutated into a scathing elegant vitriol detailing how much he despised the CPA students, desiring nothing to do with them.
Numerous students rubbed the itching goosebumps on their limbs and necks. Eyes darted around like gnats, holding their queasy stomachs as guilt and anxiety nestled inside. Many of their faces faulted with shocked eyes. Is that what Dusk Shine thought of them? Did they treat him that horribly throughout the years? But it was years ago so why can't he let it go? Fools. The representative's monotone voice continued, listing specific students who shouldn't be involved. Suri Polomare endured the worst.
She flinched as each sentence delivered an ego-destroying blow. Their classmates watched her body rock like a water duck as Dusk Shine's words demolished Suri's sense of self. It would've been more humane if he simply killed her with his bare hands. Suri secured herself between legs bracing for a plan, covering her ghost pale features and wild eyes. Her hands clamped her ears blocking any words. There's nothing she can do.
Dusk Shine called her a dismal, hypocritical, skillless, vain, parasitic charlatan . Even if Suri placed effort in her work, it'll take beyond the eventual heat-death of the universe just for her to reach one in 1 x 1069 (Duovigintillion) the potential of a brain-dead quadriplegic whose limbs atrophied into nobs. Their unhinged jaws dropped at the articulated insult. Is that why Dusk Shine remained silent? Cadance wasn't surprised, experiencing a barrage of insults before and crying under her blankets with gallons of ice cream.
"Is that even a real number?" Audience members asked. Their eyes jumped from their sockets at the sheer amount of zeros.
"Cadance, I can't pronounce this," The legal representative muttered, showing her the difficult word hoping to make sense of it. Cadance shrugged, messaging Shining Armor for clarification. She knew it was German.
"Let me look," Discord offered, his eyes scanning the words. "Oh my," He muttered deeply, covering his shocked mouth at the vulgar words. Cadance's phone buzzed with Shining Armor's translations. Her expression matched Discord's with full context.
"How bad is it?" The representative asked.
" Atrocious," They commented, advising her not to say that. She heeded their advice.
"Furthermore due to the trauma, and emotional neglect inflicted on Dusk Shine thanks to the sheer derelict of duty, we'll be seeking damage compensations," The representative concluded to the cemetery of statues. A few students slumped, sliding from their chairs to their knees. Their hands grasp the seat in front of them for support. They can't. They . . . just can't. Their parents forced them to oblige by a strict contract, promising them to be on their best behavior. No exceptions. They'll lose everything and more. Onlookers muttered what their gaunt classmates were mumbling,
"We have resources available to help process this event," Cadance commented, gesturing to a set of tables. Each holding cards, pamphlets, and more provided by their benefactors to help their emotions and minds. "However for some of you," Her artic eyes darkened, piercing the terrified students, digging their fingers in the chair arms. " Please don't expect to keep your jobs or your uniforms by the end of the semester ," She warned. That scared them more than anything.
The assembly ended shortly after. Students stood heading to their assigned class, taking several cards and pamphlets. All the relaxation vanished like a gambler with their life savings. Eyes shifted with distrust, closing themselves within long-established groups. Survival took precedence. Lawsuits. The ax of being fired or expelled from CPA. No fellowship is worth enduring if that's the price for it. The prestige, legacy, and status were too much to abandon. Others merely had no other place to go, their reputations and deeds were too tarnishing to be a humble associate. Conflict stirred as the recipe of factions grew more enticing among the guilty, righteous, and neutral. Chains of arctic dread, bolstered by smoldering unease on their shoulders pondering who'll stay or leave.
Teachers attempted to establish normalcy in their class only to fail outright. Some called Dusk Shine's name out of instinct upon asking for answers to questions or solving problems on the board. They exhaled as no one ventured forward and resumed the dull lesson. Those were the competent teachers. Others might as well not be in the classroom, banking on Dusk Shine to lead the lesson plan for them. They struggled to elaborate on the material in basic terms. Some shrugged, deciding to make today an easy day or chose to berate them unable to surrender their egos with the impending dread of a dismal on their heads. Have they become that reliant on Dusk Shine? Throughout the day, students defended Dusk Shine from his critics. The most dynamic was Lemon Zest, kicking another student out of a chair, stating that it was Dusk Shine's. That student huffed, opting for another seat while others shuffled away.
Crystal Preparatory Academy. Once united in their dazzling excellence, they became shattered into factions. Factions within factions are bound by two goals. Justice or survival.
Cinch held her once proud head in her lavish hands and her glasses on the desk. She spent the entire week, answering scathing emails and calls for various prominent figures and institutions to voice their discontent and threatening to cut CPA from their funding and other privileges. Her office began an ornate crypt. She's alone with nothing but her thoughts after yanking the power cord from her office phone yearning for silence.
" This wasn't supposed to happen," Cinch grumbled, attempting to straighten her fizzled hair. An internal voice mocked asking what she did think was going to happen. Using Aether without going through dozens of legal procedures is federally illegal worldwide. And Cinch used it to win a high school game. Maybe Dusk Shine was correct as he usually is, regarding CHS's sudden success. A mere restructuring. That's all it was. "Hindsight is always 20-20," Icy death-inducing water has flooded her ship, leaving her without a life raft or provisions to weather the storm. She's treading water. Decades of work and esteemed reputation scattered across the desert winds. Cinch lost her prized student. The position of Principal is next. Sunny Flare doesn't acknowledge her in any shape or form. Students and their parents spat upon her name. It won't be long until she stands before a tribunal for the entire world and generations after to see.
"Principal Cinch," Cadance chimed. Cinch jolted, scrambling to regain her pose. Straightening her hair and returning her glasses to her face.
"Yes, Cadance," Cinch answered, clearing her throat. She must keep an appearance of control and authority. Shining Armor with her too.
"Please accept this," Cadance requested, holding a formal sealed letter with a blank expression. Cinch's muscles flared, unable to break her aghast gaze at the resignation sigil. No, no, no. She can't be leaving. Not now.
"Cadance, you can't be serious. Especially with the dire circumstances we're currently facing," Cinch panicked, sweat oozing from her forehead. "Shining Armor, please convince her not to much such as rash decision,"
"We're requesting to remove our names from the CPA alumni list," Shining Armor ignored, placing his alumni pin on the desk.
"We?" Cinch muttered.
"Yes, we," The door opened again, filling the room. These were some of CPA's best and brightest alumni. Doctors, lawyers, local politicians, star athletes, high-ranking professionals, and more!
"Why?" Cinch stammered. Her hands trembled, removing her glasses to massage her forehead before placing them on.
"What do you think?"An older alumni mocked her ignorance. "We found your recent actions to be highly incompatible with this fine institution," Their voices echoed with legal terms and business jargon.
"Besides, I don't want to be associated with the person who damn near killed my brother just to win a game and ran away like a coward," Shining Armor announced. Heavy jaws dropped at the accusation before gritting into a deep frown. She placed the Schola Perfecta in the hospital?!
"Is that what happened?!" Someone yelled from the crowd. Jeers and shouts bounced off the walls gaining the attention of students and teachers on the lower floors. They had a vague understanding of what happened. Never in their days, they expected Cinch to be this reprehensible. Cinch attempted to defend herself to no anvil at the outraged barrage of rebukes and chastising. Legions of fire ants bit and crawled over her skin, gnawing on her flesh, and creating tiny gashes in her armor for their salted blades to cut her. Cinch's wild eyes bounced around like a pinball during an earthquake. Back when she had power, she could demand them to stop and ask questions one at a time. Those days are gone. Her sharp mind dulled against the hydra of questions, answering one forcing two more to fill its place. She couldn't ignore or yell at them, erupting all of the frustration accumulated over the past week. Nor can she simply run away or hide under the desk a frightened child terrified by an extreme late-night thunderstorm. The crushing foundation of Cinch's reputation is ALL that she has left.
Cadance raised her hand to cool their tempers. They did but kept their scathing glares. Cinch released a shaky exhale. "Either you leave or we all leave," She goaded the pallid Cinch. Cinch was stuck with the lesser of two evils. Her reputation and status or demolish everything CPA exemplifies while losing her reputation and status. "Make your choice before we pick for you," Cinch didn't have a choice in this matter. This illusion of choice. Determines how Cinch ends her career and lives the remainder of her days. The first option rip the bandage. Cinch is dismissed and disgraced but it happens swiftly allowing everyone to move on with their lives without her, limping from this fall from grace, rebuilding a pale semblance of a life. The second option drags it out, exposing all of her sins to the global stage, locked away in a hidden federal facticity to live her days alone and pathetic. They began their exodus, leaving Shining Armor and Cadance alone with the current principal. The two turned their backs on Cinch, retrieving the letter and pin.
"Have a good rest of your day, Ms. Abacus Cinch," Cadance spat, her cold eyes glancing over her shoulder. The door shut.
Cinch slammed her head against the desk, unable to sustain the overwhelming reality crushing her. Her hands dug into her cranium, tugging her roots begging the pain to jolt her out of this purgatory. She stared at her hands. Ripped dulling hair strands matted them, sealing her coffin in reality. Cinch froze, unaware of her tightening chest and accelerated breathing. This is happening. Her hands trembled. Vision blurred. The passage of time is inaccessible to her senses. She has no one. Her mind slammed and tumbled against the waves, unable to latch on for breathing room. All her power flushed down the drain after a reckless night of heavy drinking.
An epiphany.
A pausing movement of clarity. Cinch has no one on her side to defend her or stop her. They want her gone. Both her enemies and allies. Nothing is stopping her from going scorched earth. In the far reaches of Cinch's mind, she knew that something like this would happen but prayed that it didn't. Some would call this paranoia while others would call this being proactive. Dusk Shine did the same. Cinch sighed, pulling out an empty drawer and removing the secret compartment where a tiny locked case lay. She blew off the thin layer of dust as she placed it on her desk. The school day ended so nobody would interrupt her. She entered the combination opening the first layer. Removing her necklace, pushing the switch jetting out a keyblade. Cinch inserted and turned with a dreadful click. A humble thumb drive. She bought this randomly on clearance several years ago, marveling how technology has progressed since her youth. An entire team of specialists would've taken weeks to sort this data. Now you can go to the local library. Cinch inserted it into her computer, uploading new files to the double-edged sword of Damocles.
Saving. . . Saving. . . Saving . . . Saving.
File transfer completed. Please remove the USB.
Cinch removed it, holding the device in her palms. Dusk Shine had his Pandora's box, observing, and making predictions based on the available information. His family was influential, leading to a choir of leaky lips hoping they would listen to inquiries about their peers. Now this was hers. Dusk Shine could only do so much as a teenager. A capable one but still a child. Her hands tightened. Catalogs of the graveyards within CPA's alumni's closets, some who just chastised her moments prior, and various other individuals. They wore monsters compared to her. Cinch secured the thumb drive again, holding it close. The floodgates will open, drowning everyone she could with her. This will ruin her reputation. Then again.
What more does she have to lose?
Damn. Looks like Cinch has her big red button as a backup plan. Factions are starting to form with CPA. It's not looking good for anyone.
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