In a Cinch

'How could it end up like this?' Abacus Cinch asked herself as she sat on the opposite end of what used to be HER desk up until two weeks ago.

As if losing the Friendship Games and ruining the winning streak for Crystal Prep Academy wasn't bad enough, a few days later she was relieved of her position as principal! The students conspired against her and gave her the worst possible review on some website designed to grade teachers and staff members. As a result, not only did she lose her job as principal of the most prestigious school in the state, but no school would hire her! As if things couldn't get any worse, her former dean, Cadence, has taken over as the school's Principal! And give the position of Dean temporarily to her husband, a Crystal Prep alumni named Shinning Armor, which Cinch swore was against the school rules. Not like it mattered. No one would listen to her after she received that terrable review by practically every student in Crystal Prep and Canterlot High!

Teaching and molding young minds was her life!Now the only thing she could do to salvage what little bit of her life was left was to go to Principal Cadence and beg for her help.

"I'm really sorry Ms.Cinch, but this is out of my hands" Cadence explained again, wearing a sincere expression to promote sympathy for her former boss.

"Please, Cadence, isn't there anything you can do or say to the students!?" Cinch refused to go down without a fight, she had nothing left to lose but her pride. And was losing it fast. "If enough of them change their grade for me I could atleast get a decent teaching job at a school! Please, Cadence! "

Taking a firm breath to steady herself and focus her thoughts, she looked over at Shinning Armor, who had offered to join her for this meeting but promised to let her make the decisions.

"Ms.Cinch-" Cadence started to say, her tone reflecting her slight annoyance.

"Oh Cadence, please, we've known eachother for years! Please, call me Abacus" the former principal sat back in her seat, relaxed, and tried to play the friendly, first name basis, hoping to get in better with her former subordinate.

But Cadence saw right through the woman's cheap tricks. The new principal of Crystal prep wasn't fooled or moved by her former boss's antics and delivered a more harsh reply "Ms.Cinch, during your time as a teacher at this school, your only goal was to become principal by any means nessisary. Then, once you were principal, you pushed students to compete against not only students from other schools, but against their own classmates! In the two weeks you've been gone, not only has the collective grade point average rose, but moral is up, and students actually enjoy coming to school... I wasn't quite sure what to do with these documents I found in your old desk…"

Cadence then signaled her husband with a serious nod. Recognizing the signal, Shinning Armor pulled out a stack of files and layed them infront of Cinch, who looked upon the files with a slightly curious but also a nervous gaze.

"THESE are all documents YOU compiled on students at our school" Cadence started to explain, all kindness and consideration drained from her voice as her eyes narrowed on the former principal. "The files contain, but are not limited to; fears, phobias, quirks, emotional strengths and weaknesses, sensitive medical records, which is a HIPAA violation, and personal information that NO teacher should ever know about a student!"

By the end of her explination Cadence realized she was standing up, nails scratching the surface of her desk, eyes narrowed on a fearful looking Cinch, back arched as if ready for an attack. Once again, Cadence took a deep breath and gathered herself before speaking again. "If any of this ever got out, you realize you wouldn't just be unable to find a job, you'd probably be facing some serious prison time."

Cinch was afraid Cadence was going to leap at her before, but now the former principal's heart was racing a million miles per hour with the fear that she would grow old in a prison cell as someone's bitch. She was so stricken with fear, all the color practically drained from her face, that she didn't notice Shinning Armor whisper back and forth with Cadence.

"Well, we MIGHT be able to help you out a little" Cadence spoke up, her voice firm but coated as if to barely touch on hope for the poor woman before her.

Regaining some of her color, desperate for an escape from possible facing prison time, Cinch practically jumped at Cadence's feet. "Please! I'll do anything! Please! You have to help me! I cant go to prison! Those heathens will eat me alive! I-I'll be passed around like some property! Traded for a cigarette!"

A smirk expression was shared between Cadence and her husband before they looked back at the groveling woman. "We'll help you. And I think I know just how to do it..."