It was a sunny morning for the citizens of Canterlot. Most ponies were very happy and thriving. As each pony shopped and ate on the go. One such pony is Lulu, she finally was able to repair the damage on the flour farm after lots of trail and error. In the end, the explosion was caused by the sloppy staff. Which made the farm gain a negative status among the higher ranking in Canterlot.
However Lunarium the school in charge of the farm didn't care about the nobles. They were too busy avoiding another disaster of the like and to deal with FLI. However FLI was surprisingly quiet. They appear to really respect Twilight's orders as they didn't do any flour selling after the sudden spike in sales regarding the flour. This made Lulu really respect Twilight, while also making her feel quite intimated by it all.
However right now, Lulu was worried about something worse. She had send Twilight to 'The red friend.' The red friend is an pub that is situated right below the Tartarus prison and next to the largest illegal black market in the world. Making the location alone extremely dangerous. But surprisingly, that is not why it was so dangerous.
No, it was the once inside the pub. Outcasts, illegal immigrants, murders and so much worse are the once that visit this truly massive establishment. Despite their bad name, they are one of the most richest pubs in the world. And also the one that look down upon female chefs the most. In fact it might have been caused by this pub that the world rejects female chefs so much.
However, Twilight was doing some research on this 'Forbidden place' and found out that the reason they look down upon these chefs were a lot more wholesome than what most might believe. Twilight found an extremely old news article from about a few thousand years ago.
Apparently this establishment was started by a female chef that was looking for work. After her many hit man jobs went mostly south, she needed a place to go and work at. Her only other skill besides killing was to cook. So she started the red friend. However as the years came and went, and the owner got older and older. One of the victims of one of her job finally tracked her down and murdered her in cold blood. At daylight. In front of her own guests.
After she died, everyone that had come to love her, slaughtered the killer in cold blood. In fact it is said that after the killer died, the guests found the killer's family and destroyed them also. This set off a chain reaction of events that eventually made it so that no female chefs were allowed to join this establishment in fear of another disaster like that one.
Not to mention, it made it become placed at the world's blacklist for most dangerous pubs in the world. Signed by every princess that lived at the time and made it so that anyone that joins it would automatically become a criminal. Even if you were totally innocent or forced to join it.
However, Twilight didn't really care about those details. If it wasn't for Celestia hiding the true details about her action. She would have become one of the most dangerous murders, herself. No, after reading through the news article Twilight stumbled upon a shocking discovery.
The one that started the 'Red friend' pub was part of an early version of the family Sparkle. As such, the one that died. Died as a Sparkle. Not the fake surname she showed off, so many times. Her name? Red Desert Star Sparkle. Star was her first name, Sparkle was her surname. And Red Desert is her nickname.
At this point, Twilight cared more about recovering her family name, than whatever goal she had before it all. She needed to know more about 'Star Sparkle' and of ways to recover her name and body. That way she could become buried alongside her fellow Sparkle family members. And become properly remembered as a Sparkle.
'It says that it's below Tartarus. But where exactly? There are lots of entrances, and most are dead ends.' Twilight thought as she searched for an entrance. When she remembered Becky. She is a long term chef inside the underground, perhaps she would know.
So Twilight closed her book and headed outside to get to the entrance to the underground. She remembered that there was such a door inside the commercial district. But she can't quite pinpoint where exactly. So she decided that wandering and search will most likely hold the highest chance of success which is why she did exactly that as soon as she arrived.
After a few minutes of wandering, Twilight succeeded. It was right next to pub that was suspiciously called the 'Red Desert' pub. But instead of dwelling on this odd coincidence, Twilight knocks on the door.
"Who is there-" The security guard was about to ask, when he looked down, "Ah! Twilight Sparkle! Please do come in." he said surprisingly friendly.
"Do you know where Black Chef is?" Twilight asked as soon as she enters.
"At the usual." The guard simply answers, after that he simply walks off.
"Thanks." Twilight said as she rushed towards Becky's restaurant.
And as soon as she arrived, she spots Luna seated on one of the bar chairs. She also sees her dad and Royal also seated at the place. Twilight kind of expected Luna and Royal, but she did not expect her father to also be seated in the restaurant.
"Becky!" Twilight shouted. Becky turns her head towards the source and sees Twilight.
"Hey! It has been awhile. How may I help you?" Becky asked, pleasantly surprised.
"Do you know a way into the 'Tartarus Illegal market'?" Twilight asked.
Becky went wide eyed almost immediately, she looks around to see if there were any guards nearby. There weren't any. She looks at Twilight worried. "Why do you ask?" Becky asked in a hushed tone.
"I have some business at The red friend." Twilight said simply, she sees Luna do a spit take at it's name. As she looks shocked at Twilight.
"What kind of business?" Becky asked.
"Family business. Apparently the original owner was a Sparkle. And I have got a family name to recover. Besides that? Well I am still working on improving the female chefs status. I got some hot intelligence that told me that they are the fastest route." Twilight said. This caused Luna to look with some surprise at Twilight. Becky on the other hoof, looks somewhat proud.
"Fine. Take this key. There is a door frame somewhere on the outside of the prison. That door frame leads straight into the market." Becky said smiling. The key that Twilight got was made of solid gold, with some very old mystical writing on it.
"Thanks." Twilight said as she rushed out of the underground.
Meanwhile Luna looks shocked at Becky, "Why did you turn her into a criminal?" she asked shocked.
"Because she can choose her own path. There is no need for me to control it. Besides you knew this was going to happen, no?" Becky said knowingly.
Luna's shock slowly descended into prideful smile. "You are right. Although it was more like Moon knew this would happen." she said.
"Even still. This is her final step until she finds the dish that will release you two." Becky said.
"It is. After this, Twilight's time as somepony we can control will be gone. She will become what she wanted. And will join the elements of harmony at last." Luna said.
"Just not as a element bearer." Night added, "I am aware of Twilight's future, that is why I gave an excuse to go to Manehattan." he said.
"It will be the time that Twilight will forge her own path. Just like right now." Royal said also knowingly.
"It seems you are not the only one that knows of her fate, Luna." Becky said with an smile.
"So it would seem. So it would seem." Luna repeated twice. Although she seemed to be smiling.
"But I must ask." Night started, "Was that missed shot that hit the slums truly natural?" he asked.
Luna's smile turned dark and evil. "No."
Meanwhile Twilight herself was totally oblivious to her own fate. She was too busy changing the fate of thousands of others. After she obtained the key, she rented a one-way ticket to the prison which was located in the badlands.
After an extremely long trip, Twilight arrived at the border town. She was about to pass through the checkpoint when a suspicious looking guard stopped her.
"Stop. It is about to turn night time. It will be too dangerous to run around in there." The guard said nervously. The guard had black hair and had a horn. Yet something about him, made Twilight alert.
"I know that. I will be fine. Let me through." Twilight requested.
"No! I mean, I can't let you do that. I will lose my job if you do!" The guard said. Twilight however immediately knew that this guard is who he seem. No guard would say, "I will lose my job if you do!" when somepony is trying to leave while that somepony is also an young adult.
Twilight simply rose her eyebrow at the weird way he is trying to say that she isn't allowed to pass. "Oh? Do tell then. What is so dangerous in the badlands at night that would prevent you, from letting me leave?" Twilight challenged.
"Uh manticores! And snakes!" The guard tried to reason.
Twilight wanted to laugh so badly, but luckily she kept a straight face. "Well for one. There isn't any manticores in the desert. They only live in the Everfree forest. And secondly snakes only appear in the San Palomino Desert." Twilight said matter-of-factly.
"Uh." The guard immediately realized that he screwed up.
"The only threat that I could think off are either a rogue changeling, a cosmic bear if I run into a cave or the occasional dragon that might hang around it for the heat, at day." Twilight simply answers for him. "Which means that I know what I am dealing with. So let me passed!" Twilight added annoyed.
"Well-" The guard was about to step aside, when his superiority walked into the conversation.
"I am afraid, I can't let you do that. Princess Celestia herself ordered a ban on leaving at night at the border." The head guard explained.
"On what ground?" Twilight said, demanding an explanation.
"We have been getting more and more reports of rogue changelings attacking merchants at the dead of night. And we recently got some reports of night wolves also appearing more often lately. Not to mention the fact that the illegal black market is most active at night, which attracts some nasty individuals." The head guard explained.
"I don't care. You can't restrict me from entering the badlands at the dead of night. Unless you can give me reasonable belief that I might happen to stumble on such a creature?" Twilight said as she totally ignored the head guards explanation.
The head guard sighs, "Only if you will allow me to record your name, occupation and reason for moving over the border at night. No matter the reason, this is standard protocol." he said defeated.
"Fine. Twilight Sparkle, Master chef, going to go work at a certain pub." Twilight said.
"Thank you. That has been recorded. Please pass over the line and tell me one thing." The head guard instructed.
"Sure. What is it?" Twilight asked after passing over the line.
"Which pub?" He asked somewhat worried.
Twilight's smile turns dark, while appearing innocent at first glance. "The red friend." she said as she leaves.
Leaving the shocked head guard with his equally shocked guard at the border. Twilight was about to become a criminal willingly.