Canterlot Academy Trials

Once everyone was outside, they all met up with Grimrose at the outdoor directory stall that Mei had used earlier. Ponies and other creatures were walking and chattering up and down both sides of the road, so this allowed our mixed group of young heroes to speak with each other without fear of anyone listening in.

“Okay, Rose,” Nebula called out to her as they all gathered, “Don’t tell me you’re planning on doing what I think you’re thinking of.”

Rose hung her head as she leaned against the library. “...I don’t want to either, but it seems as if we have no choice but to look into her mind for an answer. If we manage, the best-case scenario is that we’ll be able to force her to come clean, apologize to Saffron and Anzac, remove that kid from her custody, and get her to withdraw from the culinary world.” She took a deep breath. “...I know it sounds insurmountable, but…”

“No, no--no way.” Nebula’s ear flicked and he vehemently denied this approach with a shake of his head, “We can’t just keep prying into people’s heads for answers. It’s unethical.”

Blue scratched the back of his head in an unsure manner, “...I gotta agree, Rose. Going in Gaea’s head was one thing, but this is a Canterlot big-shot we’re talking about, here.”

Since Mei had yet to experience what they were talking about, she was the most curious. “Hrm? You mean to tell me you’ve crafted a spell that lets us go in people’s minds? Most interesting…”

Grimrose sighed, “I know…it’s not the most apt approach, but look at Mr. Anzac himself. He was dealt an unfair hand just because he wanted to care for his daughter and his wife. But then Zesty got crazy and pushed him away because of her greed,” she took a moment to glance at Blue in particular. “...you of all people should know how bad greed can take someone.”

And she had it correct, which is why Blue hesitated before answering. “...yeah. You’re right. When some of the dragons I knew got greedy, they turned ugly…nasty…” His expression turned cold as he grit his teeth and looked away from the group for a moment, “...and were ready to stab me in the back when it was convenient.”

“...Bud…” Nebula muttered under his breath.

“...something you wanna talk about, Blue?” Mei asked as she put a hoof on his shoulder, which was pushed away by the dragon.

Blue rejected their sympathies for the time being in order to focus on the matter at hand. The last thing he wanted was more attention drawn to himself. “Nah, don’t worry about it. I’m just thinking about what we should do here and if it’s morally okay to snoop around like that.”

“Even if it isn’t,” Nebula cut in, “We’re not looking to do such a thing for personal gain here. We’re looking to write a corrupt, distorted wrong from a mare whose inflated ego has also corrupted the population itself. I don’t think we should stand by and allow someone like her to ruin the reputation of places like the Tasty Treat just because she feels like it.”

The group was unable to come to a unanimous decision. Was it morally okay to view the inside of someone’s mind even if the intent was to expose their true colors to the world? This idea was something they simply couldn’t agree upon as they idled in front of the library.

…That is, until someone decided to make her presence known to them.

“Excuse me,” Harissa trotted up to them from a nearby marketplace stall, catching their attention with their heads turning when she called out to them, “I couldn’t help but overhear you talk about Zesty Gourmand.”

“Hm? Oh…yeah,” Nebula tried to play it off, hoping she had only heard the tail-end of their conversation. “We were just…discussing where we should go eat based on her rating system,” he looked to his group for support, “Right guys?”

Grimrose replied with a silent nod.

“Yup,” Mei bounced off of Nebula’s set-up with a snappy response, “We’re just looking to--”

“Bull,” interjected the young mare who wasn’t in the mood for games. “I heard you speaking of my mother. You’re the ones investigating her, aren’t you?” She idly kicked one of her hooves against the ground. “I recommend that you stay out of it. Who knows what’ll happen to you all if you get…reported,” she added with a sinister tone and a fierce, almost impish smile.

Blue stepped in front of the group and folded his arms, seemingly unafraid of Harissa’s claims. “So what if we are? Do you know how unfair your mom treated your dad?”

“Pfft,” she scoffed and rolled her eyes, “Quit talking big. You don’t know me or my situation.”

Mei joined in, “Uh, actually…we do. We spoke to your father not too long ago.”

That caught Harissa’s attention. The young mare paused and gazed at the kirin in awe. “...you did? Seriously?”

“Yes,” Grimrose added, “Do you know how badly your mother treated him?”

“He was kicked out of the house when you were little,” Nebula explained, “He tried to keep Zesty from wasting away with long work hours and starving herself for her modelling gigs but she didn’t--”

“...” As they spoke, Harissa’s eyes shifted around to glance at each member of the group before she shut them and took a step back. She interrupted Mei’s sentence with a rebuttal, “N-no…that can’t be. Mom told me that he abused her and that’s why I’ve never met him. He’s evil…y-you’ve all been fooled!”

Since it was a literal matter of ‘he said/she said’, Nebula made a suggestion to get to the bottom of it. “Okay, why don’t we settle this by going to the Royal Court and see if there’s any record of a reported case of abuse to go along with your parents’ divorce. Then we’ll know for sure.” He looked at the other members of his group and asked, “That sound good?”

“Yeah,” Blue replied, “If we get proper evidence, then we’ll know who’s in the wrong.”

“Fine by me,” Rose added.

“I’m in,” Mei agreed.

While that seemed reasonable, Harissa was adamantly against the idea. She bit her lip, then stomped her hooves down.

“N-no! I-I…you don’t need to do that!” she stuttered her way through her uncertainty as she hung her head, “J-just…stop investigating my mom!”

“...why?” Blue asked out of genuine confusion this time, looking to hear the mare out.

And as she raised her head, that devilish grin returned to her face. “...Because if you do, I’ll tell the Royal Guard that you guys molested me.”

Everyone’s eyes shot wide open as the mare started to pace back and forth.

“Yeah…you two college guys decided to rape me in a bush nearby,” she explained her sinister plot in a low tone, “Nobody will believe you.”

“Bullshit!” Blue hissed as he balled his fist, “You make a claim like that and they’ll know you’re fucking around!”

“He’s right,” Nebula agreed as he glared at Harissa, “Tungsten knows we wouldn’t do something like that. Your words hold no weight to us.”

Despite this, Harissa simply snorted with an arrogant, cocksure grin. “Oh really? Even if it turns out that I’m lying, nobody will look at you guys the same way ever again. The seeds of doubt will forever be planted upon you as the public will still wonder if you might have diddled a mare that’s just barely underage.”

Grimrose spread her wings and hovered over to her. “...you’d dare shame yourself and your family upon a bed of lies just to satisfy your own desires? You’re pathetic.”

“That’s the only way to get ahead in Canterlot. It’s how my mom did it, so it’s how I’m doing it too,” Harissa turned around and flicked her tail. “The choice is yours. Keep snooping around and I’ll destroy your public image with a simple cry of timberwolf. Who do you think left that bag of fake-drugs to throw the entire school staff off my trail? When Luster Dawn takes over, goody-two-hooves like you are gonna be things of the past.”

And with that, she pranced away with a smug smile on her face--content within herself as if she knew her plan was foolproof.

Once she was gone, Blue snorted steam from his nostrils as he brought his claw to his face and shook his head. “...I can’t believe we’re getting played by some kid.”

Refusing to stand idle and accept a threat lying down, Nebula grit his teeth and spat, “You know what? Fuck this. I take back what I said before. We’re going into Zesty’s head.”

“...Yikes,” Mei visibly recoiled upon hearing Nebula speak so harshly, “...what’s with the sudden change of opinion, Nebula?”

Nebula started trotting off, “...meet me at Tungsten’s place. I’ll explain there. It’s not safe out here.”