Phoenix

The month of January was finally coming to a close. Students were finishing exams, midterms, or other various papers that they had collectively all lost sleep on in their mad frenzies to review what they had studied in the first semester.

“Maaaan…” Aria groaned as she leaned back, stretching as the four sisters got out of Adagio’s car. “I am sooo glad exams are done.”

“I agree!” Sonata giggled as she looked over at her shorter sister. “You were getting really whiny there towards the end!”

“I was not!” came the growling voice of the purple sister, the girl glaring at her cyan family member.

“Yes, you were.” Adagio’s carried a tone of finality as the four girls made their way towards the school, Aria rolling her eyes as she trudged along.

“Your still just mad that we had no D cell batteries for your toy!” Aria chuckled as she clapped Adagio’s back playfully.

“Really, Aria?” Fireside said loudly, groaning as she connected the palm of her hand to her forehead. “Can you just drop this subject already!?”

“Seriously! Prized breeding stallions would feel emasculated by that thing!”

“Ariiiaaa…” Adagio turned around and glared maliciously at the crass girl, her hands clenching and unclenching rapidly. “I will end you if you don’t shut up…”

“Fiiiine…” Aria relented and rolled her eyes, only to instantly return to a snide smirk. “Horsefucker.”

Strangled screams of fury and threats of dismemberment trailed after the two girls as Aria started towards Crystal Prep, doing her best to retreat from the vengeful ire of her sister. Sonata and Fireside shared small looks before giggling and shrugging their shoulders as they started to make their own ways to the school.

“So how well do you think you did?” Sonata asked, a lively skip to her steps, her arms trailing behind her thanks to holding onto her bag.

“Pretty well, I think?” Fireside gave a small smile as she thought back to her tests. They had been fine, for the most part. She always finished before anyone else and had to wait at her desk for the mandatory hour to pass before she could leave, but she felt confident with her answers. “How about you?”

“Same as you.” her sister sung, doing a quick spin and twirl maneuver. “Just think, one more semester left! Then we’re free again!”

“Heh, I guess you’re right, huh?” Fireside smiled as she followed Sonata up the brief flight of stairs and into the school.

“Ah! M-Miss Glow!” came the half nasally, half whiny tone of Principal Cinch’s personal secretary, the balding man waving the taller girl down as he pushed through the sea of entering students. “P-P-Pricipal C-Cinch would l-ike to-to see you!”

“Oh? Like, right now? I was just heading to home room, though. Can it wait till after?” Fireside asked as she looked over to Sonata, the girl giving a small frown in response.

“I’m, um, I-I’m afraid not!” the man shook his head slightly, having to reseat his glasses on the bridge of his nose as a result. “Sh-she said it shouldn’t take long! Follow me please!”

“Wah- Hey!” Fireside suddenly found herself being drug by the petite man, his iron grip encased around her lower arm. “Fine, I’ll come along, just let go! See you, Sonata? I guess?”

The vertically diverse pair made steady tracks through the school, bobbing and weaving between the various students that steadily thinned the more the two progressed. Eventually, after multiple flights of stairs, the pair came to rest before the front door to the woman’s office, the man sweating and panting slightly.

“T-There you are!” He said, pulling off his fogged up glasses and wiping them with the cloth he retrieved from his suit. “Sh-Sh-She’s just inside her o-of-office!”

Fireside gave a small nod before walking towards the door, turning the ornate handle and making her way into the room. The pitch blackness overwhelmed her, swallowing her in its embrace as she shut the door behind herself. She noticed the hairs all over her body were starting to stand on edge as she took slow, steady strides towards the Principal’s desk, the lamp upon it the only source of illumination in the room, pausing before taking a seat on one of the fancy leather chairs that sat before the desk.

“Why did you ask to see me?” Fireside inquired as she stared at the tall back of the woman’s chair, the piece of furniture slowly turning around to reveal Cinch’s passively aggressive face.

“Ah, Miss Fireside, how nice of you to come.” the woman started, seeming to be completely ignoring Fireside’s question. “I asked to see you today because I wish to discuss the Friendship Games with you… Are you familiar with them at all?”

“I know they are a competition of sorts between Crystal Prep Academy and Canterlot High School?” the girl gave a small shrug as she tried her best to remember what she heard about them. “That’s about all I know.”

“Well, that will have to do for the moment. You see, the assembly today is being held in regard to the naming of the team of students our Academy will be using for the Friendship Games, and I want you to be the team captain.” Cinch explained, steepling her fingers as she looked across the table at Fireside.

“Oh, um, thanks?” Fireside gave a nervous chuckle to go with her even more nervous grin. “In all honesty, Principal Cinch, I’d just assume not go there if that’s fine.”

“Well I’m afraid that won’t do at all.”

“Um, what?” Fireside had a bemused look on her face as she tried to pierce through the darkness and study Cinch.

“You will be the captain for the games, that has already been decided.” the woman said, a cruel, confident tone carrying through the room.

“Decided by who? And don’t I get a say?” Fireside was slowly swapping her humour to anger, as evident by her rising tone.

“If you value the education of you, your sisters, and those friends of yours, you will participate in the games as the captain of Crystal Prep’s team, as well as not mention this to anyone, though I will of course deny the allegations, and with my word against yours, I don’t think you would have much of a chance.”

Fireside’s look of annoyance slowly morphed to one of barely restrained anger as she shot to her feet, her hands slamming on the desk just as Cinch’s smirk changed to a smug smile of pure evil.

“Are you seriously blackmailing me!?” the girl yelled, slamming her fists on the edge of the table.

“I am merely… informing you of role regarding the Friendship Games, Miss Glow.” Cinch’s smile grew even deeper as she watches the girl fume helplessly.

“And what if I don’t? What happens if i go to the police, huh?” Fireside demanded, realizing the hair on her body had remained standing the whole time, a small buzzing sound finally becoming audible in the silence.

“Well unfortunately this time you won’t have a phone recording as evidence.” Cinch pointed out as Fireside dug into her pocket for her phone, the device’s screen wavering and flickering. “And if you do decide to tell anyone, it still won’t help your case. Instead you will singlehandedly make sure that everyone you hold dear will be unable to pursue any sort of post secondary education.”

“You really think highly of yourself, don’t you?” Fireside grimaced as she realized the ultimatum that had been thrown down upon her. Sure, she would be fine not doing university or the likes, but her sisters? Twilight? They don’t deserve to lose their chances.

“Fine. I’ll play your stupid game, you traitorous bitch. But! If I find out you backed out on your end of the deal? I will personally end you…” Fireside shoved her arms onto the outside lip of Cinch’s desk with as much force as she could muster, her muscles screaming as she connected with enough force to break a large chunk of the woman’s heavy desk away, the piece clattering to the floor as Fireside stood up and turned away, only to pause and look over her shoulder at the surprised looking woman.

“I’d get that looked at if I were you…” she said with a smirk before walking towards the door and exiting the room.

***

“Okay, seriously? The fuck did she do this time?” Aria asked as she watched Fireside viciously stab her fork into her salad.

“I’ll tell you girl’s tonight.” the girl growled as she finished off her salad. “Promise.”

“So, um…” Twilight gave a nervous half chuckle as she tried to change the subject. “A-Are you girls ready to hear who’s going to be making the team for the Friendship Games?”

“Well I know that I said I didn’t want to go.” Adagio said with a tired sigh. “I don’t want to go back to that place.”

“Me neither!” Sonata said, an adorable, angry look on her face. “Those people are jerks! Er, mostly, I mean…!”

“No worries, Sonata.” Fireside said as she finished draining her water bottle in a single, elongated pull. “Yeah, I, uh… I’m not looking forward to going there myself.”

“I’m just glad Cadance was able to talk Cinch out of having me participate!” Twilight had a happy smile on her face. “That will give me more of a chance to study the strange readings the school has been giving my sensors since the start of the school year.”

“Strange readings?” Aria gave a chuckle as she looked over at the bespectacled girl. “What are you talking about, Spark?”

“Oh! Well Ethyl has been recording these strange waves and patterns, usually coinciding with those strange light shows the school were putting on.” Twilight started to explain. “So I figured that maybe I would stop by there one day after class and-”

“Wait, who’s Ethyl?” Fireside turned to look at the lavender skinned girl, wonder on her face.

“Oh, er…” the girl immediately turned flush with embarrassment, stuttering over her words as she tried to clarify the situation. “E-E-E-Ethyl is just what I n-n-named my sca-anner! I-I-I-It’s just easier to say then-”

“It’s fine, Twilight!” Fireside let out a surprisingly hearty laugh given how she had been acting so far. “No need to explain your thought process’ to us.”

“Attention, students of Crystal Prep Academy. Please proceed to the auditorium as soon as possible for an important assembly.”

The lunchroom grew silent as the student’s all turned their attentions up to the voice of their Principal ringing out through the crowded room, causing whispers to break out amongst the gathered youths.

“Well, I think I would hazard a guess about what that assembly is gonna be about.” Aria said, a heartless chuckle as she returned to scarfing down the last remnants of her lunch.

“The Friendship Games, probably the naming of our team.” Adagio said as she finished cleaning up the crumbs of her food, neatly clearing up her plastic utensils onto her tray. “I suggest we hurry and make our way to the auditorium. We don’t want to keep our gracious Principal waiting.”

The four other girls nodded as they finished with their own meals, Twilight rushing to clean herself up as best she could before rushing after the sisters, the five of them depositing their trays as they made their way from the lunchroom and into the hallways, heading steadily towards the auditorium.

The group maneuvered through the row upon row of seats that filled the vast auditorium, about a third of them full of students who were preoccupied by talking with one another, before deciding on some seats near the front of the room, within a few meters of the stage that Cinch was standing upon, looming high above the young pupils of her school.

“Welcome, students, to the starting assembly of the new semester. I hope you all had a good morning getting your new schedules and preparing for the first week of your new classes starting Monday.” Cinch stood straight, her posture stiff and professional as she preached steadily to the boys and girls sitting before her. “But before that happens, we must discuss the upcoming event that shall be occurring next month, on Saturday March Seventh.”

“The Friendship Games shall be hosted at Canterlot High School, and will pit twelve students from each school against each others in three separate events to determine which school is the victor. Now, as you are well aware, Crystal Prep has yet to lose these games, let alone lose to that school in any event in the last ten years. I do not think that I need to tell you what I expect to occur at these games.”

“Now, before that will occur, our team must be named. The following students are among the highest performing students in both academics and physical studies, and as such represent the epitome of what Crystal Preparatory Academy stands for. They shall be have the privilege of using this Academy’s very best resources in their preparation for the games, but will be expected to keep up with their regular studies as well.”

“Now, without further waiting, would the following students please come to the stage: Miss Indigo Zap, Mister Jet Set, Miss Lemon Zest, Mister’s Neon Light, and Royal Pin, Miss’ Sour Sweet, Sugar Coat, Sunny Flare, and Suri Polomare, and Mister’s Trenderhoof and Upper Crust.”

Fireside, her sisters and Twilight each gave rather rambunctious cheers as the five girls they knew were called up to the stage, at least compared to the cool responses from the rest of the students, their tired sighs threatening to silence their meager golf claps.

“Now I would hope,” Cinch said, turning around from the students gathered on the stage to her side to once again address the students still sitting. “That those of you still sitting would recognize that we are one student short of the twelve that will be representing our school in these games. The last student that I shall be calling up to the stage is to be the captain of our team, and is the perfect representation of both intelligence and physical prowess, the very definition of our Academy.”

“Would Miss Fireside Glow please come to the stage?”

***

“Woooo! Paaar-taaaaay!” Indigo Zap shouted as she thrust her glass of some sort of sugary beverage above her head, an incredibly large grin spreading across her face as she started to give short, rapid “whoops”.

“Hey! Careful with that!” Aria bellowed, her arm shooting out towards the glass that seemed ready to fall to the ground. “If you spill even a single drop of that on this floor, I WILL END YOU, ZAP!”

The four sisters, as well as Twilight Sparkle and Indigo Zap’s group decided to get together at the Siren’s Den and celebrate the naming of Crystal Prep’s team, and especially Fireside’s captaincy of the team.

“I will once again congratulate you, Fireside Glow.” Sunny Flare nodded her head as she looked at the girl. “Not only were you named the captain of our team, but you also won the Crystal Heart award for the month of January.”

“I’m still not sure what that even means?” Fireside gave a nervous chuckle as she rubbed the back of her head, only to have Indigo rush over and nudge her firmly in the ribs.

“Why don’t ya ask Specs over there? She’s been the winner every month since we all started at this school!”

“It’s really nothing that important.” Twilight blushed as she waved her hands before herself, nervous look on her face. “It’s just a privilege thing, really.”

“Your name gets to be engraved and permanently left on display at the front entrance.” Sour Sweet said, a sweet smile on her face, before it instantly disappeared into a rather sour grimace. “And you get to have the entire god forsaken academy fawn over you.”

“Free food, you can skip one class a day to go to one of the personal study rooms all by yourself,” Lemon Zest sauntered over and removed the headphones from her over top of her ears, resting the wireless device around her neck, a laugh coming to her lips. “There’s also the fact that all the students will hate you though.”

“Well I’m sure she’s used to that last one.” came Sugarcoat’s voice, the girl reclined on Sonata’s bean bag chair as she tapped away on her phone. “All four of you girls have become the most despised students in the school since you arrived, and it’s not limited to students either.”

“Well I can say for sure that Mrs. Melon and Mr. Wave are on her side!” Sonata beamed as she walked in from the kitchen, her arms and upper body concealed by the massive tray in her arms and the contents upon it. “Now enough talk about downer subjects, let’s party!”

“Woooo! Paaar-taaaaay!” Indigo Zap shouted as she once again thrust her glass of the same sugary beverage above her head, an incredibly large grin spreading across her face as she started to give short, rapid “whoops”.

“Damnit, Zap!” came Aria’s shout, causing Fireside to give a small chuckle before she noticed Adagio standing towards the kitchen, a single delicate digit beckoning the amber skinned teen to follow.

“So, you didn’t seem too upset about participating in the games, given how you felt during lunch.” Adagio stared at Fireside with a passive look, but Fireside could tell just how much her sister was studying her, trying to delve deep into the taller girl’s mind.

“Yeah, well… What am I gonna do, tell her no?” Fireside did her best to fake a smile, but found herself unable to meet Adagio’s piercing look as her hand shot to her upper arm. “Besides, maybe it will be fun to go there and compete? Surely the competition isn’t that one sided!”

“Twilight told that woman no, honey, so don’t give me that line.” Adagio was slowly appearing more and more motherly, her hands coming to rest on her wide, childbearing hips. “I don’t see why you couldn’t.”

Fireside remained silent, starting to slump down as she remained focusing on anything not her sister, or nearby to her, causing Adagio to let out an exhausted sigh before starting to pace around the kitchen, walking over to one of the cupboards and retrieving a tall, delicate glass, and setting it on the island in the middle of the room.

“I just worry for you, Fireside. That’s all.” the mass of orange curls were turned towards Fireside as her shorter sister opened the short fridge built into the lower cabinets, pulling out a bottle of some sort of alcohol, uncorking it it and pouring herself a half a glass. “But if you want to go, there’s no reason for us not to come cheer you on. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I shall retire to my room. I have no desire to see my house fall apart thanks to those hooligans.”

Fireside nodded as she watched Adagio return the bottle to the fridge, the matriarch of the family departing the room and heading towards the stairs, leaving Fireside alone to think about the day, and wonder about what the Games would bring.

“As long as they all get their futures…” she said softly, looking down at her clenched fist, a sad smile coming to her face. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me…”