//------------------------------// // Episode 2: Fabulous Misadventure // Story: Noctris Girls // by Blackyoshi //------------------------------// Four hours of sleep isn’t enough, Twilight thought when her alarm forced her out of bed, but there's no helping it now. She got up and started her morning routine. Bathroom, breakfast, dressing, gathering everything she was going to need during the day. She was already halfway out the door when a thought crept into her mind. You forgot your wallet. Twilight sighed, checked her bag, and didn’t find. She turned around and rummaged through her other jackets. She was sure that she had left it in one of the pockets, but had no luck. Your desk, in your room. She went there and found it. She was about to pick it up, but something caught her attention. Something weird in the corner of her eyes. She turned around to look at her reflection in the mirror, but she didn’t see herself in it. Instead, Midnight Sparkle stood there, awkwardly waving at her. Hey, Twilight… I’m back. Twilight froze up. Countless thoughts and questions raced through her head, all screaming for her attention. Midnight pressed her hands on her temples, her knees giving in a bit, forcing her into a hunched position. Stop that! Just be quiet! I can explain, I promise, but focus on one thing! “Easier said than done,” Twilight hissed at the mirror. Why is she back? I was never gone, Midnight said between deep breaths. She stood back up again. I just wasn’t strong enough to show myself. But I don’t want to fight. “And I’m supposed to believe that? You’re evil! Or a hallucination. Or I’m going insane. I don’t know.” I’m unscrupulous, not evil. That’s not the same. And yeah, in normal cases, you should probably seek professional help because of seeing and hearing me like that, but when were things ever normal since you discovered magic? Twilight hesitated before saying, “I guess that’s a fair point…” I’m an entity of curiosity first and foremost, you see? And since the Friendship Games, I had a lot of time to think. There’s so much to learn from both our world and Equestria, it would be a shame to destroy them already. And my best chances to learn more about them is working together with you. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got to convince me to trust you? Did you really think that was going to be enough?” Midnight visibly sighed, but Twilight didn’t hear anything. Yeah, I thought it wasn’t going to be enough. But could you at least give me a chance? Twilight contemplated it. Also, it’s not like you could ignore me, right? I’m literally a voice in your head right now. Twilight contemplated it some more. Midnight pointed at the clock. And you’re about to miss your bus. Twilight’s first class of the day was math, together with Rarity and Fluttershy. All of them were standing around her table and chatted. You have to admit that ending up here made you more sociable. Rarity told the others about a new makeup technique she had discovered over the weekend. “But I can’t try it on myself! It’s specifically for applying it to others.” Twilight nodded. Yes, and I’m happy to have friends here, as you obviously know. And you would have never enrolled here if it weren’t for your curiosity, i e me. Oh, shut it. “Fluttershy, dear,” Rarity asked, “do you have time after school? I have some marvelous ideas for your makeup.” “Uhm, sorry, Rarity. The animal center got a few new rescues, and I volunteered to help them settle in.” “Twilight, what about you?” “What?” she asked, being startled out of her thoughts by Rarity. “I asked you if you would—” “Sorry, I don’t have time, either.” “Maybe I’ll ask Rainbow,” Rarity said, “Anyway, do you know who the new one is?” She pointed at someone sitting at the table closest to the door in an old looking deep purple dress and long brown hair wearing headphones that would make Vinyl proud. Finally someone noticed, Midnight told Twilight, I was getting curious myself. Twilight shook her head. “Never saw him before.” “I saw her talking to a raven earlier,” Fluttershy said, “in front of the school. She even gave her some food. And that raven is really distrustful.” “Anyway,” Rarity continued, “that kind of dress wasn't in season for, well, one or two hundred years, but I must admit that it really suits… him? her?” Now Twilight took a closer look at the new one. “I’m not sure.” “Me neither,” Fluttershy admitted, “the raven also just called them ‘the tall one who gave me food.’” The voice should clear things up, Midnight said. “Let’s just wait until they say something,” Twilight suggested. The others agreed and returned to their seats. When the teacher came in, he asked the new one to stand up and introduce themselves to class. Twilight noticed that they were wearing a rose gold, heart shaped necklace with a blue stone, and that they were at least a head taller than most of their classmates. “Hello, I’m Silent Syringa, it’s an honour to be here,” they said with the most androgynous voice any of them had ever heard. Midnight shouted, OH COME ON! Be quiet! Right, I wouldn’t want to ruin your favorite class, Twili. Syringa’s next class was cooking. They took out their notebook, but realized that their pencil case was gone. Oh, dammit. They turned around and asked the violet haired girl and the rainbow haired jock using the table behind him, “Could you keep an eye on my stuff? I forgot something in the chem lab.” “Why, of course, darling,” the violet one said, “not a problem.” “Thank you.” Syringa gave them a little head bow before putting on their headphones. They strode out of the room and back to the chemistry wing. They looked around the room. Empty. Ok, where’s my… there we go! The pencil case lied on the teacher’s desk. They levitated it into their hand, left the room, and rushed back to cooking class, giving Vinyl a high five when they walked past each other on the way. Oh, sneaking into an empty lab, are we? Midnight said, And here I thought I’m the evil one between us. “I have a free period,” Twilight muttered, “and the rule about students not using the labs outside of classes is ridiculous.” She was looking for a certain chemical in the storage room next to the lab. “What are they afraid of? I have my own lab at home, and I never blew up that one, either.” Well… “I blew up an erlenmeyer flask, not the entire lab.” You probably shouldn’t do even that much here. It would be a shame if you were expelled. “I know. I just want to… why am I explaining my plan to you? You know what I’m thinking.” Because thinking out loud is calming… someone opened the lab door. Twilight walked over to the door and peeked into the lab. The new one. What are they doing here? Forgot something last period, I’d assume, Midnight responded, Just wait, they’ll be gone in a moment and—why are they stretching out their arm like that? I don’t know, it almost looks like— Syringa’s pencil case levitated over to them, held in a orange glow. They left the room. Twilight put a hand on her geode. “It’s still here... but how—” They can use magic! Midnight said with excitement, This just got very interesting, wouldn’t you say? “Or very dangerous.” Eh, that’s hardly a difference, anyway. “Please, Dashie, I need someone to try it on! I could do wonders with your face!” “For the last time, no!” Rainbow took out the tray from the oven. “You know I’m not into fancy stuff.” “Oh, is that so? And what about your… unusual sport?” Rainbow’s face turned red. “I told you about that in confidence, and still no. Go ask your girlfriend.” Rarity sighed. “Trixie is on a magician competition and won’t be back till Friday, but I need to test it before that. I can only borrow the set for two days.” “What’s the problem?” Syringa asked. “She needs a guinea pig for some crazy new makeup thing,” Rainbow told them. “Dash, why do you have to say that like I’m a crazy scientist?” “Because that’s how you act?” Rarity was about to respond to Rainbow, but Syringa was faster. “If you give me a few tips on how to apply makeup myself, then I would happily volunteer.” “Wonderful! Would you mind coming with me after school?” “Not at all.” Rarity told Syringa to sit in on the stool in the middle of her dressing room. “So, Darling, do you have anything in mind?” “Not really, sorry,” Syringa said, “I’m not familiar with makeup around here. Just do what you think is best.” “You—you give me a free hand?” “I mean, yeah. You’re the expert, after all.” Dear Nyx, please don’t make me regret what I just said. Rarity looked at their face, walked around them, and started to form ideas. “Could we maybe do away with that braid?” “No.” “But you just said—” “Rarity, no. I had that braid with the stone since I was twelve. It stays.” “I think I have an idea already. A dark red lipstick, and black, winged eyeliner and a royal blue eyeshadow. I’ll just take off your necklace before I begin, it really wouldn’t go well with the rest.” She stepped behind Syringa and opened the lock of the necklace. Wait, necklace… Syringa thought, Oh, shit! Rarity took the necklace and went to place it on the shelf with her makeup, but she had only taken one step when Syringa asked with a very deep voice, “Could I have that back?” causing Rarity to yelp. She jumped back in surprise, dropping the necklace. Great. Just great. Syringa stood up, picked up the necklace, and put it back on. Their voice was back at being androgynous. “So, I guess I owe you an explanation.” “I’d say so, yes,” Rarity said, still shocked. “Well, you see, I’m from Equestria. Well, not Equestria the realm, Equestria the world. But from the Schattenrealm. And my necklace is enchanted, it makes my voice like this.” “Why would you need that?” “Look at me. By your world’s standards, I look like a mare—a girl, sorry, still getting used to that. But whenever I say something in my natural voice, it brings people off balance. Some even reacted aggressively. But I honestly just like this style of clothing too much to give it up, so I made this necklace instead.” “Oh, I can totally see why. You really wear it well… So that means you’re a guy?” Syringa let out a deep sigh. “I’m biologically male, yes. An earth pony stallion, back in my world.” “Should I call you a he, then? Or do you prefer something else?” “I’d prefer they, honestly. In the Schattenrealm, ‘he’ and ‘she’ literally only touch upon the biological sex and nothing else. There’s no roles assigned to it. But here, everyone expects guys to act a certain way, and girls to act another way, and I just don’t want any of that. I really don’t feel a connection to either gender, anyway. That’s also why I made my voice androgynous instead on full on female.” “Oooh, you’re agender, I understand. Not a problem, Darling, I’ll stick with they.” “Thank you, really.” Syringa hesitated for a moment. “You will keep my secret, right?” “But of course! Now, let me get everything I need to work my own fabulous magic on you. Would you mind telling me what brought you into this world?” “Oh, I’m mostly looking after my little sister, Lis. She went through the portal a few months back and wanted to give this world a try. And our mom was okay with me going as well.” “Princess Twilight made it sound like she protects the portal like a treasure,” Rarity said while comparing two shades of red lipstick, “How could your mother get her to let you two through?” “Well, being a queen comes with its perks…” “Wait,” Rarity stopped dead and turned to Syringa, “your mother is a queen? “She is.” “Doesn’t that mean that you are a prince?” “Yeah, technically. I guess that makes you my official royal stylist, then.” Rarity squeed from that realisation. She picked a lipstick, went back to Syringa and said, “Now I need you to stay perfectly still, Darling.” Syringa finished the last stroke of their eyeliner. After Rarity had completed her work, she had shown them how to remove makeup, and then explained step by step how to apply it. “Like this?” “Exactly, Darling,” Rarity said, “you will have to practice more before you’re as good as I am, of course, but for now, it’s good enough. If you really want to get into makeup, we should go shopping this weekend.” “It would be a pleasure.” Syringa stood up from the vanity. “Thank you again for the lesson.” “You’re welcome, Syri. Now, I know you don’t want to let go of the braid, but I think I have an idea for the rest of your hair.” “I’m sorry, I should leave now. Lis has a friend over, and I promised to bring them home.” Syringa drove back to their home and parked in the driveway. Lis and Ocellus were already waiting for them. "Hey, Syringa, nice makeup," Lis said walking past them, Ocellus following closely. "For someone who got all the time, you're really impatient, Lis." Syringa locked the front door and went back to their car. They took the driver's seat, Lis and Ocellus the back seats. “That’s a nice car,” Ocellus said, “Thanks, It’s a 1933 Bentley.” They put Ocellus address into the gps. “Good, just ten minutes from here.” Syringa drove back on the road and continued, “It’s an older car, yes, but it has all kinds of modern conveniences. Air conditioning, central locking, gps, a modern engine and radio… but it still retained all of its charm and beauty.” “Sis really fell in love with it,” Lis joked. “I simply appreciate high quality engineering." Lis thought about something. "Hey, can't we pick her up tomorrow morning before school? If it's just that little bit more way?" "Sure."