Cadence smiled when she arrived at work that morning. It was true that the students needed some disciplining but in all honesty they weren’t the worst group she ever encountered.
No…. no don’t think on it…. that life is over and done. You aren’t her anymore. She thought to herself. She continued to smile as she greeted the students who walked by her… and then she saw her. As usual Twilight was on the bleachers reading a textbook all by her lonesome. However from what she heard she shouldn’t be alone. She should be with her new friends and having fun with them, ESPECIALLY considering what happened not too long ago.
“Well here’s a surprise I wasn’t expecting to see.” Cadence joked as she sat next to Twilight.
Twilight jumped before turning to see her big sister-in law sitting next to her. Sighing she closed the book. "Not that surprising..." She mumbled. "The girls at CH have their own projects to deal with. And no one here is in any mood to let me forget how badly I messed up..." Twilight said as she looked out into the field sadly. “I mean…. nobody else nearly tried to take over the world, I went the extra mile and tried taking over TWO. I can’t believe I actually LISTENED to Cinch tell me that the magic I had was what would help win the Games… maybe I am an idiot.” Twilight said before she felt Cadence put a hand on her shoulder.
“Twilight I want you to understand something.” Cadence said before making Twilight turn towards her. “You are not an idiot okay? You were just misused by someone who didn’t understand what the real meaning of these games are.” She told her and mentally she planned out EXACTLY what was going to happen to Cinch next time she heard her do something like this. She was so wrapped up in her plan she failed to see Twilight was actually crying. Breaking away from her mental ideas she hugged the poor child who only broke away from it.
"But I had the magic, I'm the one who decided to unleash it without so much as testing it or at least trying to get a better understanding of it." She continued, taking off her glasses and wiping away her tears. "I mean, the stuff opened portals, made my Dog talk, and summoned a GIANT PLANT MONSTER!" She groaned throwing her arms up. "I should've KNOWN better! But instead I let all of that peer pressure get to me and what happened?! I turn into something one step away from a raging she-demon!" She shouted as she got up and stormed off, her sadness turning into anger. "And now almost everyone in the school either glares at me or calls me a "transfer traitor" behind my back!"
“Not all of them do Twilight. What about the five you were working with during the games? They don’t hate you.” Cadence said which only got Twilight to chuckle.
"Yeah, but what's five girls compared to the entire school?"
“To someone like you Twilight…. that can be all you need.” Cadence told her as she tried hugging her sister-in-law again and this time Twilight didn’t even try and fight back against it.
“I’m so sorry Cadence…. I-I messed up…. I messed up so badly.” Twilight wept as Cadence made the hug even tighter.
“I know Twilight…. we all make a mistake every now and then…. but the key thing is to never let it be the thing that defines us.” Cadence said. Twilight smiled as she wiped her eyes and hugged her sister in law.
“Thank you….. thank you so much.” She managed to say before letting go of the hug. “I…. I’m going to go finished getting ready.” Twilight said as she hurried off. Cadence smiled the whole time Twilight saw her but once she left her demeanor went sour. No she wasn’t going to wait for the next student to confess Cinch abused them… she was going to make sure she NEVER did that to anyone… ever again.
Principal Cinch was in a foul mood. No scratch that, she was absolutely livid, Crystal Prep's winning streak had been shattered by Canterlot High and her reputation was suffering for it, she'd been humiliated by those children, and worst of all she couldn't go to the school board about their unfair advantage without looking like an insane lunatic!
“Damn that school… damn it and every single insolent brat that goes there.” She said aloud in her car. It was nighttime and she was heading home to do her usual grading. Naturally every child was going to get an F after what happened. That should motivate them next time.
So wrapped up her thoughts she was, she didn't notice a silhouetted figure watching her as she pulled over and parked in front of her house.
"Those wenches they call Principals will pay. I may not be able to prove what they did, but I'll be damned if I'm made a laughing stock because of them!" She snapped as she threw open her door and slammed it the moment she got inside, the impact was so strong it knocked a few pictures off the walls.
Cinch ignored this and stormed upstairs. As she stomped upstairs she failed to hear the sound of a window being opened. From the window slinked in a figure clad in black. It’s torso had a long sleeve turtleneck, it’s hands were fully covered by gloves, it had sweat pants covering it’s legs, boots for it’s feet, and a ski mask covering everything on it’s head but it’s two cold green eyes.
Before Cinch could begin to relax she realized something. Her papers were still in her car. At first she considered going after them but they were from those KIDS. She wasn’t going to bother with them. She was finished putting on her nightgown when she heard something coming from down stairs.
"Probably a mouse or something..." She grumbled to herself, not in the mood to deal with any vermin at this time.
*CRASH*
'That was no mouse!' She thought to herself as she quickly grabbed the nearest blunt object she could find-a trophy-and slowly made her way towards the stairs...
"So snobbish..." And voice echoed throughout the house, sending a chill down her spine.
"W-Who's there?!" Cinch called out, trying to hide the fear evident in her tone.
“Someone who has gotten sick of your incompetence.” The voice echoed again.
"Incompetence?!" She snarled, gripping the trophy tightly. "I am the Principal of the most prestigious school in history!"
“Then explain again why the students all fear you? A principal is meant to keep order but they are also meant to be kind to those who seek help. They are meant to be as harsh as they’re needed to be. You were only brought on because of pity.” The voice taunted. Cinch growled as she tried to find whoever the voice was…. and she failed to see the figure that was walking behind her.
"Don't talk to me as if you know me!!" She growled, taking a few steps back, sweat starting to trickle down the side of her face. "I was brought on because I brought order and stability! Otherwise students like those six little upstarts would be acting like they own the place! The school needed someone to step up and take charge, someone who was a firm believer in hierarchy, someone who knew how to keep those students in line, and that person was ME!" Cinch yelled at the voice. She continued marching forward but now she wasn’t even afraid. No she was angry. Who was this voice that dared to think she was a horrible principal? She was the one who made that school a success! She was the one who saved them from being nothing more than a school of delinquents! What did that weak bitch Cadence ever contribute?! Before she could finish her thought she turned around and there stood the figure.
"Keeping them in line? Is that what you call blackmailing an innocent girl? Pressuring her into a situation she had little to no control over?!" The figure continued, raising its voice in anger as it walked towards her. Her sharp glare piercing Cinch’s very soul.
“How did you know about that? W-who told you?!” Cinch demanded but instead of telling her the figure merely growled and pushed Cinch down the stairs.
The Principal barely had time to scream as she plummeted down the stairs, as with each step she hit Cinch felt a different bone in her body being snapped as though they were toothpicks until she hit the final step and one quick snap told her that something horrible just happened. She tried to move her hand but found that it was impossible…. then she tried moving her feet but as with the legs nothing happened…. she was paralyzed from the neck down.
“H-help….. s-somebody please… h-help.” Cinch pleaded but her voice had lost it’s authoritative touch. She couldn’t scream as her lungs were nearly collapsed. The figure casually walked down to her from the stairs and stopped just in front of her.
“Shush now…. no need to talk too much… you were in a tragic accident.” The figure said before carefully moving Cinch’s head to face it. It then placed a gloved hand over her mouth while the other closed her nose.
Tears welled up in Cinch's eyes as she tried to scream through the hand, she couldn't die like this! Sadly all that came out was a mangled groan as her vision blurred... slowly her assailant lowered its face towards her's until they were inches apart, taking off her mask and giving her a good final look at her face. As her eyes widened in horror at the realization of who it was, her assistant whispered two words to her before the last spark of life left her body.
"Enjoy hell." Cadence said as Cinch finally gave her last breath. The assistant merely removed her hands from the body, grabbed her mask and put it on again and began to leave… but not before she put her contacts back in giving her the pink eye color she normally had. With that she took her leave.
Cadence sighed as she flopped onto the bed, mentally kicking herself. She'd sworn off this, she promised herself she'd abandon this line of work... and not half an hour ago she ended a life without a second thought.
'Not that the bitch didn't deserve it... wouldn't be the first corrupt Principal I'd killed either...' She thought to herself, sadly that did little to ease her guilt.
"Why...? Why do I keep breaking my vows...?" She groaned as she made her way to the shower. "I really need to clear my head..." At these words she turned on the shower head and began getting undressed…. and then she took off the mask that she had wore for the past two years… the mask of one giant lie. “Cadence….. Cadence I’m trying…. God above I’m trying so hard.” The woman said as she looked at the life-like mask in her hands. She remembered that day so long ago. The day she promised someone close that she wouldn’t let anything hurt Twilight.
*15 Years Ago*
Cadence was finished putting her nightgown on as she walked to the living room. Her home may not have been that lavish but she really enjoyed the more peaceful area of the city compared to the more crowded and snobbish rich district. She sat down on the couch waiting for Shining, he had to work late that day, and turned on TV. She giggled as she saw it was one of those sports shows he loved so much. At first she didn’t care much for them but they had grown on her admittedly…. however being so invested she didn’t hear a window in the bedroom being opened. From the window slipped in a black clad figure… a long sleeve turtleneck, it’s hands covered by full gloves, long pants, padded shoes that barely made a sound, and a ski mask that covered everything but it’s two mournful green eyes. The figure didn’t want to do this it really didn’t… but honor decreed this must happen.
‘Forgive me sister.’ The figure said as it pulled out a small pistol and placed a silencer on it. Working carefully it opened the door to the hallway and looked both ways. It was a good thing that Cadence didn’t have to babysit Twilight that evening or that Shining was working late… she would’ve hated to kill them as well. She made her way to the living room and aimed the gun at Cadence… no… no the living room would make too much of a scene. She needed to do something else. She pulled the hammer back and the clicking sound got Cadence’s attention.
“Don’t make a sound.” The figure told her, it’s voice distorted by a voice synthesiser, but Cadence only glared.
“So which one are you hm? Blueblood? Jet Set? I told the master before and I’ll tell you the same thing. I’m not going back to you.” She said as she pulled a gun from out between the couch cushions and aimed it at the figure.
“You misunderstand…. I’m not here to convince you to come back sister….. I’m here to make sure your stain on our honor doesn’t spread.” The figure said. “Please don’t make this harder than it already is sister.” At these words something within Cadence made her realize who it was under the mask…. and it shocked her to the core.
“Chryssie?” Cadence said. Chrysalis only nodded but still refused to take off her mask. She didn’t want to show weakness… and Cadence deserved better. She beckoned her to follow. Cadence obeyed, thinking through her head a plan to try and convince Chrysalis to join her. “Chryssie listen… you know I escaped. You know that it’s not impossible to do so. Please you don’t need to do this.”
“No I…. I need to sister.” Chrysalis said as she motioned her gun to the bathroom. Cadence went in. There was no going back after this.
“Please…. Chryssie we’re sisters.”
“I know…. and that’s why this hurts me so much.” Chrysalis said. “Any final requests sister? I will fulfil them the best I can.”
“Yes…. two…. I want you to promise me…. you’ll watch over Twilight…. don’t let her suffer.” Cadence begged.
“I would have done that anyways sister…. but yes I do promise I will….. what is your next request?” Chrysalis asked as she brought the gun right behind Cadence’s head.
“I….. I want you to leave them….. that’s my final request…. I want you to try and have a normal life.” Cadence said… and with that she closed her eyes and braced for the inevitable. Normally she would’ve turned the tables on her attacker by now but Chrysalis would’ve wanted to die and she couldn’t bring herself to do this.
“Sister-”
“Promise me.” Cadence begged one more time hoping Chrysalis would do so.
“.... very well sister. I promise you after this I will leave.” Chrysalis said. Cadence nodded as she was content now. With one swift movement Chrysalis pulled the trigger.
“I promised you…. and now I… no…. no they paid…. the five apologised and Cinch…. Cinch was dealt with…. I swear to you… as long as I live…. nothing will happen to Twilight.” Chrysalis said to the latex mask in her hands. She heard a vehicle turn in outside and figured it was Shining…. no more lies. Twilight may not know but she couldn’t bring herself to lie to him anymore. The lies die here… as does her silent pain.