//------------------------------// // Trial and Error // Story: Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic // by onekface //------------------------------// Chapter 38: Trial and Errors (Perilous Peaks) (Autumn’s Ranch) Flash can’t remember the last time he was yelled at. Perhaps he simply can’t remember. Perhaps he locked those memories away in the back of his mind. After Twilight stormed off to the gateway he’s been sitting here watching the goats making noise. He tried to follow her but then he wounds began to act up forcing him to take a seat by the pens and wait for her eventual return. He can’t remember seeing Twilight ever being that angry or snippy for that matter. The rage and venom she spat out was downright hurtful. It was almost as if she was another person entirely. She was normally the calm and collected one. Always having a level head above her shoulder. The gal who had the solution to everything. But now she looked like the girl who had a shorter fuse than Rainbow Dash on a bad day. “Hey~~” Autumn poked her head into his field of view holding that same smile she had all day long. “How’s it sanding?” “It’s… wait what?” “Sorry. That was my first attempt at doing puns. The magazine I’m reading says doing comedic skits or jokes is one of the best ice-breakers in all conversations. Though I’m having a hard time finding the right words.” “Heh… well for a first attempt, I think you were doing pretty well.” “Really?” “But you might wanna take a class on ‘Reading the mood’ before you pull out any jokes. You have to pick your moments otherwise you might just end up hurting other people.” “Hmm… note taken.” She joined him by the seat still smiling. “Speaking of which. That reminds me. I never got the chance to thank you for saving me and Twilight.” “Oh please. That was nothing. I mean… the moment I saw you come out of that portal I mistook you guys as some dimensional explorers or time traveling space cops.” She paused. “Not that you’re bad or anything. Still… it would’ve been nice to have a unique encounter for once.” Autumn tried to hide her embarrassment through a laugh. “So… you’re waiting for your friend?” “Yeah. She left to clear her head. I… think she might be a little mad at me.” “Ooooh, sounds serious. Wanna talk about it?” “Not really much of a talking mood right now.” “Oh I have a thing just for that.” Autumn giddily brought him a cup of liquid from out of nowhere and offered it. There was an oddly mixture of blue in the coloring which looked completely out of place in this desert. “I call it Foal’s-breath tea. The herbs for it only grows at the top of this mountain. It’s been a specialty of mine. One sip of this and it’s guaranteed to make you all chatty. I should know, I drink it all the time.” Strangely enough that would certainly explain her behavior. He sipped. “Hey… not bad.” “I know, right!? The people in the village find it kinda minty but I certainly prefer it over all their pickled-everything.” Her smile remained unmarred. “So~ wanna talk about it now? I mean… if you want. It’s not like I’m pestering you because I’m absolutely bored or anything. It’s just that there really isn’t anything to do out here other than listening to sheep talk. And judging from what I heard from that one-sided screaming match, it must be super serious.” It doesn’t look like she’ll stop either. “Well… you’re not wrong about that.” He admitted. “Sorry about Twilight. She’s not normally this…” “Prickly? Mean? Hyperactive?” “Angry.” Flash answered chuckling softly. “She’s normally very sweet. But it looks like this fiasco we’re in kinda got to her.” “Well that’s no surprise. I’d be panicking out of my brains if I suddenly woke up and found myself on the other side of the world with no way of going back.” That was true. And that’s what Flash had been telling himself too. “If anything, I think she’s taking it better than most people. But you on the other hand… you’re acting way too calm for this.” “You think so too?” “I expected something along the line of mood swings, panicking, and all that other stuff. But here you are, sitting on this bench, still as a rock. I find that pretty weird itself. What’s your secret?” The boy pondered. Why was he so calm? He should be rattled, scared out of his mind, or even hyperventilating. Heck, he remembered his first trip to Equestria after their shipwreck. He was confused at first, being a pony and all, but in the end he felt… calm. “Honestly, I’m not even sure. I guess after everything I’ve went through these last few years I just have this feeling that everything will be alright. I mean I’ve been turned into a zombie at one point, hypnotized by evil sirens, almost sank into the bottom of the ocean. And all those times things could’ve turned out badly. Yet… it all worked out in the end. Maybe I just somehow know that my stories always have a happy ending.” He took another sip. “Sounds like you’ve been living quite the adventure.” “You can say that again.” “Sounds like you’ve been living quite the adventure.” He blinked but decided not to comment on that. “Yeah… I sure am. But nothing like what Twilight and her friends go through on a daily basis.” Flash looked up, his eyes becoming distant. “You should see them, battling evil creatures and magic with powers you’d only see in movies. They go through danger and come out on top almost every time. When they face a crisis, they stand stall and never flinch. They’re real live heroes.” “Sounds like you admire them.” “I do!” He really did. “They’re amazing. Like real live superheroes.” “Aren’t you one of them?” Flash paused chuckling softly, brushing the back of his hair. “Me? No I’m not like them. I’m just the backup who cheers on the sideline. I don’t have any of their superpowers but I get to help out every now and then.” “Oooh! Like a sidekick?” Not a title he’d wear but yeah. That was pretty much the best description you can use. “Something like that.” He nodded. “Well a good sidekick always stick by the hero’s side. It’s in the rules.” “Rules?” “Sergeant Royal Foot from Space Cavalry Warriors issue #99. A space cadet will always stick by his partner’s side through thick and thin! Through Solar winds and Nebula storms, we stand as one and fall as one.” She placed one hand above her breast quoting perfectly. “It’s one of my favorite comics. But the point is… that you always stuck by their side even though they never asked for it. Twilight might not seem like it now, but I’m sure deep down she’s glad you’re with her.” “She has a strange way of showing it.” “So why are you stopping now?” The boy gave her a confused brow. “What do you mean?” “Well from what you told me, you kept helping your friends even though they don’t want it. And sometimes they even push you away. But yet despite all of that, you still help them. So why stop now? If you want to help them then do so.” “In the world of magic, you can’t afford to be soft. What if your friends over there get attack right now? What if one of them gets injured because you refuse to lift a finger? Is that what you want?” Adagio’s words rang heavily in his head. “Don’t let a little pain stop you from doing what you want.” “You’re right.” The boy stood back up clutching his cane. “Twilight might not know it but she needs me. She needs a friend…” “Or a sidekick.” She added which made the guy laugh a little. xxxxxxxxxx Twilight wasn’t really sure what she expected to find around here. She found the portal that they came through just an hour walk from the ranch but it was badly damaged. Much of what belonged to the old Yaztec Empire had crumbled and withered from time and most of the structure seemed to have been buried under a ton of sand. If it wasn’t for the few obelisks sticking out of the ground no one would think that an ancient civilization was even here. It was a wonder why no one actually claimed this place yet. A discovery of such an ancient location would spark an excavation at the very least. But seeing how isolated this place was, she can understand why no one would want to come here at all. Heck, even the people in the village down in the valley don’t seem remotely interested in such a historical sight. They have no idea of the significance of this place or the power it possess. Had they known, they would be worshipping this area with reverence. The portal area looked remarkably similar to that of the one she had found in the mountains and the cave under the castle. From what she can gather, there must’ve been a structure here once upon a time that protected the portal itself but it has since decay and eroded for god knows how long. There was a podium in front of the gateway where a Portal Stone was supposed to be. As expected, the catalyst for creating a portal was no longer there. Probably crumbled to dust or destroyed some way or another. If not then maybe it was buried amongst the sand along with what was left of the building. “Nothing…” She reached out to the gateway expecting some kind of reaction. But it stayed silent just like everything else here. There was barely even a hint of magic lingering in the area. And without a Portal Stone to activate the thing, the blasted gateway will remain close. And the one they got from Castle Hoofbeard is buried under a ton of rubble. She grunted to herself, eyeing the runes curiously. Her fingers traced around the symbols trying to make sense of them all. But thanks to her cracked lens she could barely make out the shapes or designs. “Ugh! Stupid glasses! Of all the days to not bring my spare! How am I supposed to work if I can barely see anything!? I knew I should’ve ordered a custom job. Grrr! Why was I born with shortsightedness? Why did Shining Armor get all the jock genes while I’m stuck with this!? Stupid.” “Blame genetics. It’s a thing.” “And why can’t anything be simple? Why is it that all of my magical adventures have to come with complex puzzles, deadly monsters or both? Would it kill the universe to let me have it easy for just one moment!?” The ruins remained silent as the shifting sand blew in her direction. “And why can’t my adventures take me somewhere nice for once!? Somewhere with no windy sands, no tree monsters out to get me, no Cyclops golem, no magical portals or anything that wants to ruin my day. Just somewhere I can sit back and relax with my friends! ARGHH!!” Out of frustration and anger she threw a kick at the portal which echoed with a loud and definite clang. Her expression soured as she pulled away cursing inaudibly while clutching her foot. “Ow! Owowowowowowow!” “Easy now. Your temper is getting the better of you.” “Oh yeah. Like you’re any help.” Twilight froze when she finally heard the voice clear as day in her head. “Wait… who said that?” She heard a chuckle, echoing from somewhere nearby. For a moment she thought that her conscience was simply getting the better of her. But now that she was alone and having a somewhat clear head, she can unmistakably hear someone speaking. “H… hello? Is someone there?” “……” Was she just talking to herself just now? Was the sand and heat finally getting to her? No that can’t be right. It’s barely been a day and thankfully she managed to keep herself cool and hydrated. She shouldn’t be hearing things until after her mentality broke down. She wasn’t even remotely hallucinating yet. At least… she didn’t think so. “I must be hearing things.” Twilight said finally before returning to her investigation. “Come on Twilight. Keep it together. Otherwise Flash might start think you’re crazy.” “He’s not the only one.” “Ok ok focus.” She grumbled, ignoring the whispers in her head. “Magic is just a fuel. It’s the spell that converts that fuel into anything we want. If I can just replicate that spell to my geode. I could… no that won’t work. The amount of magic to do that would be enormous. I’ll need at least tw…” She paused as if recalling a thought. With a swift motion she dug into her pocket and pulled out the black gem bracelet. “Yes! The black gem!” “Oh that’s just a terrible idea.” The device hummed with magic stating that there was still some energy left in that device. “There’s still magic.” She smiled giddily seeing some measure of light at the end of the tunnel. “And it’s still strong. If I combine this with the power of my geode, I might be able to replicate the portal spell.” Her eyes cast to the podium giving it a thought. This whole scenario was nothing more than a theory that she conjured up. She experimented with magic before but that was only when she had her lab. Now she was here doing tests that implemented a whole slew of dangers. Normally this would be the time where her friends comes to warn her and maybe even stop her from carrying out such a dangerous test. Heck she could practically hear Sunset whining about all the little details. But none of them were here right now so it didn’t matter. Throwing caution to the wind, went ahead. “This can’t end well.” She put on the bracelet and allowed its magic to merge with her own geode. Mixing the two different magic from two separate worlds was like putting two types of fuel in one jerry can and shaking it violently thinking that it would produce something greater. That was the idea. A bad one… but an idea no less. With a heave she let the magic out, sending a beam of light through her palm focusing it on the gateway. It reacted in such a way that it shook the whole mountain with much of the structure glowing ominously. Twilight could feel the power, the magic. It coursed through her veins like fire and she can honestly say that she enjoyed every second of it. But what came after made her smile. As her power merged, she saw something tear up in front of her. Like the fabric of time and space was bending to her will. It was a small one, a tiny cut just visible enough to prove her theory right. Skyscrapers came into view. Big neon lights and roads made of concrete and asphalt, familiar landmarks that she visited once before. Even the observatory on the hill, which she remembered fondly, can be seen in the distance. There was no doubt about it. That was Canterlot City. “It worked! It actually worked!” Not that she had any doubt of course. But it was still cool to see it happen before her own eyes. But just as she cheered, the universe decided to throw a curve ball in her direction. The portal suddenly began to throw sparks and its structure rattled dangerously. She tried to apply more of her powers but that only seemed to make it worse. Kind of like putting gasoline in a fire thinking it’ll burn it out. More sparks began to fly and even the sand began to shiver and shake. “That’s not good.” With a deafening noise the tear closed and the backlash that came afterward sent a shockwave so strong that Twilight went flying back. She groaned painfully as the old aches from this morning surfaced. Her vision went blurry for a second before she collapsed on the sand, a purple figure appearing from the corner of her eye. “Well…” It muttered disappointingly, arms folded. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” (Canterlot docks) (Warehouse Area) (Sunday) “Thanks again for coming with me on this Sunset. I never would’ve made it through all that traffic in my car.” The redhead shrugged back casually as they drove up at the docks. The smell of the ocean becoming clearer the deeper they went. “Don’t mention it. Always happy to help. Besides, I could use the distraction too. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie have been telling me to take a break. Looking over my phone every ten minutes has me losing sleep. And Rainbow Dash isn’t helping either.” “I take it she’s not taking it very well.” “She’s upset. We all are. Even Pinkie Pie’s looking a lot less cheerful.” Not even their resident bundle of energy could escape the depression. She was still trying to smile, make everyone feel like everything would be fine. But you could tell that her smile was becoming strained and her bouncing movement becoming less… bouncy. “I suppose even she can show her worries one way or another.” Rarity let out a soft sigh. She too had been doing the same, trying to reassure everyone that everything will be right as rain. But it wasn’t working. Not while Twilight hasn’t called. “Not that I’m any different. I keep telling myself that it will all be fine but… I really do hope that Twilight and Flash are alright.” “Same here.” Sunset nodded finally turning a corner and pulling a stop to a rather creepy looking underground parking lot. “Uh… speaking of which. Are you sure this is the right place? This doesn’t look like the kind of place snazzy people would meet up.” “This is the right address.” Rarity checked her phone again matching it with the address before exiting the car. “Warehouse 18 car park. And just so you know, I take it as an insult to be called ‘Snazzy’. We prefer to be called aspiring artiste.” “Sure you do.” “It’s a big difference darling. You must separate the true pioneers from the rest. But I must admit that this wasn’t what I expected for a meeting with Vignette.” She was expecting glamorous lighting, decorated walls or at the very least a red carpet. Something that displayed style, art, imagination and wealth! This warehouse seemed to have been buried deep within alleys upon alleys. There was a stench of fish in the area, probably because of the cannery nearby. The parking lot was so deep down that you can hardly make out the sunlight at all. If she had to describe it, this looked more like a place where rich people come to get robbed or… worse. It would certainly make an awesome origin story for a caped crusader though. But good luck getting something like that to happen in a Rated TV-Y series. “Rarity! There you are!” Vignette’s loud bombastic voice chimed, startling the two from the doorway, a smile on her lips. “You’re rather early. I wasn’t expecting you until noon. Welcome!” She turned over to the redhead beside her. “And you brought a friend too.” “Yes.” Rarity welcomed the gesture. “I thought that being punctual would help. And naturally you remember Sunset.” “Of course I do. You’re one of the girls I zapped into my phone in Equestria Land.” The two girls froze at the comment while Vignette passed that comment around like it was a used up toilet paper. “Fun times.” They wouldn’t necessarily call it fun either. “Uh… yeah.” Sunset rubbed her head sideway eyeing Rarity who shrugged. “That happened…” “Anyway welcome! The more the merrier I always say. We’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” “You have?” The purple haired fashionista asked. “Why of course! Everyone wants your opinion on their designs. After Hoity gave you such high praise, your input will be key.” Aww shucks. Rarity lifted her head proudly at such a comment. She always did adore people who clung to her every word. It was something of a dream of hers to have folks beg for her opinion. “Why thank you. And the place you picked is just umm…” “Admirable, isn’t it?” Not the word she’d use but sure… whatever. “Come along now. We’re all just dying to see you.” xxxxxxxxxx Sunset breathed a short sigh of relief when they entered the warehouse which looked surprisingly better than the outside. It still look like a place where dreams go to die, but at the very least it didn’t have that back alley smell or that haunting disgusting look of trash everywhere. Those brought back some old memories when she first came to this world. Vignette led them through the place, throwing gestures to the folks in the warehouse who busied themselves in their work. She recognized a few faces from the pageant show. A few of them were winners of the last round. And while Sunset couldn’t really understand a single word Vignette was throwing around, her friend seemed to be giggling and blushing, taking them like they were compliments. However… as they delve further into the warehouse, Sunset couldn’t help but feel a chill crawling at the back of her neck. She won’t say that she had a sixth sense or anything but something in her gut was telling her that something bad was going on and she should grab her friend and bolt to the door right now and don’t look back. “I know what you’re thinking.” Vignette stated. “You’re wondering why I rented this damp decrepit place away from the city and not some studio in Midtown.” She wasn’t thinking that, but it was certainly close enough. “Uh… well…” “For the ambience!” The fashionista declared raising her hands to the roof. “For the sights, the sound, the smell! All of it. Honestly the same appearance of the city has begun to stale. It’s always the same old styles. Fringes, collars, sleeves and colorful skirts that goes with your blouse. Same old same old. That’s why my colleagues and I decided to have a little change of pace. A news perspective on life. And what better than the complete opposite of what we’ve always had?” “That uh… sounds… great?” Sunset managed to say. “But actually we’re just here for the guest list for Hoity’s pageant show.” “Oh right.” The lady nodded dumbly before handing them a list. “I had it printed out. You’d be amazed just how many celebrities are coming. Honestly, his connections alone is respectable.” They reached for it just to have whiffed away from their grasp, her finger waggling at them. “Ah ah… a deal’s a deal. You’ll have to model for me first if you want this.” Rarity shrugged. “Well I suppose I did promise to help.” “Exactly! Magnifique. Oh and before we continue. I’d like you both to see my lineup for Hoity’s show.” She clapped her hands signaling some of the workers to move the curtains up. “Tada! What do you think?” … What does she think? What did any of them think? Is this really what pass as clothes in the human world? No offense to Rarity or the other designers here but she wouldn’t wear those things even if they were the last shred of fabric in the whole wide universe. I mean… where would she even begin? It was nice to look at, sure. But would anyone really wear this in public? She could probably picture Fluttershy in one of those dark getups during one of her Skull Cruncher moods but that was an extremely rare occasions. These things looked more like ritual outfits. With the amount of leather she was using and black coloring, you’d think she was starting a cult of some kind. There were so many buttons and belts that once you put it on, there was no getting it off. “It’s gorgeous!” Rarity cheered though her expression held a mixture of confusion at the same time. “You really outdid yourself this time Vignette. You really got the uh… leather… right.” “I was going for deep, dark, depression.” I dunno about deep but she certainly had the dark and depressing thing down. “And of course I saved the best for last.” Does it have more belts than the other designs? “Whola! My Pièce de résistance. The Queen of the Shadows.” Yup, she got it right. That dress had the darkness feeling to it. With the amount of belts and dark toned wings anyone wearing it would be worthy of the title. “And I want you Rarity, to try it out?” “Me?” Her purple haired friend choked. “Absolutely. I was designing this with you in mind. You have that domineering personality, the drive and the desire. When you wear this, I can see you stomping upon the rest of humanity like they were bugs.” “Oh w… well I wouldn’t say that they were bugs.” “Oh don’t be so humble. A queen is never humble.” Vignette spoke like she was trying to elevate her to godhood. “When you stand at the top, all will bow before you. You will become a person everyone aspires to be.” Rarity blinked, her voice shallow. “R… really?” “The crowd before you will chant your name, you will be the envy of everyone.” “I do love people envying me.” Of course you do. “When you walk down that aisle, your competitors will turn green with envy, your fans will adore you.” Oh she’s good. She was playing on Rarity’s weakness. Her hubris and desire for fame. Sunset couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “You Rarity will be lady of the hour. All eyes will be on you.” “I’ll do it! EEEEEeeep!” The girl couldn’t grab that dress fast enough and enter the nearest dressing room. Satisfied, Vignette turned over to her with snake-like eyes. “And as for you, sweetie.” “Me?” Sunset pointed dumbly to herself. “What about me?” “Would you care to sample one of our work? It would certainly provide some good data if you modeled for us.” She brushed her hands quickly in decline. “N… no thanks. I’m not really into modeling. Besides, I don’t have that grace.” “Nonsense sweetie.” Vignette paced around her, scanning the little redhead like a prey. “You have an excellent figure.” I do? “Those curves, those eyes and that fiery hair. Why if I didn’t know better, I think the boys would be falling for you just by looking at you. I bet you’re popular in school.” Sunset twiddled her hair shyly. “I wouldn’t say popular.” “But you are beautiful.” She snapped her fingers calling her muscles to bring forth a mirror. With a quick and forceful hands she brought Sunset towards it. “Look at you. I can already picture your face on the big screen. Give showbiz a chance and you might be staring on your very own movie.” Her own movie? That seemed a bit farfetched. Sunset was having trouble just putting together an act for the school play. “You… think so?” “I know so.” The fashion star nodded cooing softly into her ears. “You have such a fine figure, it’s such a waste not to put it to good use. But perhaps the reason why you’re not so confident is because of your… fashion.” Sunset looked down. “What’s wrong with my clothes?” “Well for one thing, it screams old school. Whoever taught you your designs was clearly out of his mind.” Well to be completely honest, these clothes weren’t hers. They were Rainbows’. She merely picked those that resembled her old style. As a matter of fact… if she was to be honest, her whole fashion sense was merely copied to the first boy she met around here – a long time ago. “Why don’t we change that?” “Change?” “Yes. Try on one of our designs here. Anyone of them.” She offered, gesturing to a large array of clothes in the warehouse and their creators who were more than happy to help. “Trust me. Put them on and you’ll feel like a whole different person. Have a new you.” It was tempting. And honestly she did enjoy a few of Rarity’s designs on a few occasions. Perhaps a new look for her might do her some good. “Always first place, never second best.” “Only high stakes, we aim to impress.” Her phone rang, interrupting the moment. “Uh… maybe next time. I uh… need to answer this.” Sunset quickly pulled herself away from the woman and made a quick dash off to a corner, not noticing the woman’s annoyed snarl. … Phew… that was close. What was that about? Vignette was acting pretty weird and… rather touchy too. Fashion designers really are weird in their own special ways. Gathering her mind, she turned over to her phone not recognizing the number on screen. Great. If this was another one of those infomercials she’d look silly. “Hello?” “Sunset Shimmer?” The girl’s eyes widened. “Vice-Principal Luna? How’d you get my number?” “School records.” She answered boringly. “But never mind that. I’m glad that you answered. I was hoping to get in touch with you on another matter. Can you speak right now?” “Uh… sure. I guess. Is something wrong?” “It involves a friend of yours, Flash Sentry.” The girl’s feet rooted to the floor as the color drained from her face. “I’m calling under the request of his father. He claims that Flash hasn’t returned home for two days now and has left no message. Seeing as you two have history, I thought you might know his whereabouts.” They had history. Just… not the right kind of history. “Flash? Well… no actually.” And surprisingly enough that wasn’t a lie. She really had no idea where he was at all. Only that he was with Twilight. “O… k?” Luna didn’t seem to buy that excuse. “Where did you see him last?” “At the umm… somewhere.” What was she to say? That Flash had been buried under a castle or that he was involved with another one of their magical hijinks. “Sunset…” The Vice-Principal gave a tone close to that of a warning. “What’s going on? Did you do something again?” “Wha? No. Pfft. What makes you think that?” “Because I’ve learned your tell since the Fall Formal.” Even though Sunset couldn’t see her, she can tell that the woman was holding her nose grunting lowly. “This wouldn’t happen to involve the castle that sunk into the ocean the other day, would it?” Holy cow, she really is sharp. “Sunset. I am going to ask this once. Where… is Flash?” There was no escaping it. That woman had her number… quite literally in fact. “It’s a long story.” One that many wouldn’t believe. But just as she spoke, she brushed pass one of the fashion designers grazing his arm. “Oh sorry.” What the…? “Well you’d better tell me now, otherwise things might get complicated. Flash’s father is worried about him and I’m afraid he might do something drastic if he’s not found soon.” Wait a second. That can’t be right. Sunset blinked as the voice on her phone died down on her. She turned to the man she brushed against earlier noting his attire. It was very similar to that of Vignette but with less belts. But that wasn’t what had her alarms going off. It was only for a moment but she was sure that she read his mind just now. Her power activated subconsciously, sending a torrent of emotions through her mind. There was a strange sense of anger and resentment building inside of him along with a whole mess of emotions. And strangely enough it was all directed at her and Rarity. For a second there she thought that it was just a misunderstanding. But she suddenly bumped on another worker – and this time it was even stronger. So many emotions. All of them negative. Anger and resentment… but also… fear? It was too much for her head to handle. “Sunset? Hello? Are you there?” “Sorry Vice-Principal Luna. I’ll have to call you back.” She could practically hear her curse even when the line was already cut. The girl quickly made her way back to the changing room thankfully finding her friend behind closed curtains. “Hey Rarity. You in there?” “Just a minute darling. This dress Vignette gave me really has some intricate workings. She really put a lot of effort in this thing and I don’t want to mess it up.” “Never mind that. Have you noticed something strange about this place?” “If by strange, you mean the amount of buckles I have to go through to put this on, then yes.” “Not that.” She scolded through the curtains. “I just tapped some of the other designers and read their minds just now, and something is seriously wrong. It’s like… they’re all anxious, angry and frustrated and afraid at the same time.” “Honestly now Sunset. You can’t possibly think these good people are in cahoots with Hoity. You’re starting to sound quite loony even for me.” “It’s not just that.” Sunset exclaimed quietly, taking a quick glance to the others nearby who busied themselves with their work. “I just have a feeling. Everyone here seems to be on edge. It’s like something could happen at any second.” “They’re probably just stressed, darling.” Rarity reasoned. “This fashion show is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The promise of fame and fortune has them riled up. I, myself, was once in their shoes. The pressure of it all was daunting. They’re putting everything they have in this event so I can understand if they’re feeling a bit… prickly.” “That’s not how Vignette shows it. And have you noticed that everyone here is wearing the same outfit as her? Everything leather, with more belts and buttons than I could count. I’m not really into fashion but even I find this a little… creepy.” “It’s called a ‘trend’. I’m sure Hoity’s show calls for such in another one of his challenging displays. Vignette and the others here are merely following it up. I’m sure there’s a perfectly logical reason for all of this.” The fashionista poked her head out of the curtains eyeing her friend. “So will you please calm down? We’re safe Sunset. Evil magic doesn’t just run rampant in this world and I doubt Hoity would try anything here. He wouldn’t dare try to jeopardize his own pageant show.” She… had a point there. The world of fashion was alien to her and it could just be her paranoia whispering in the back of her mind. Perhaps the stress of battle against Hoity lingered. After all, there were too many witnesses here. Even if a shadow monster would appear, it was the middle of the day. It’d be crazy for that man to make such a move. “You’re… probably right.” Sunset admitted. “I’m probably just stressing out over nothing. I shouldn’t let it get over my head.” “I completely agree. And~ speaking of which.” Rarity then pulled the curtains revealing herself for all to bask in her splendor. “Tada! How do I look? Be honest dear. I need all comments to be as referral as possible.” Sunset scanned her and was… somewhat impressed. It was definitely different to what Rarity wore every day. Instead of the usual glamor, grace and all things gem, she now sported a seductive dress that was a blend between a vampire queen and a dominatrix. Give her a crop and a puffy pillowed throne and her image would be complete. She can practically see her putting those stilettos to good use stepping on some (un)lucky soul digging those hills deeper than it had any right to be. “Wow Rarity. You look umm… good?” “I know!” She replied with a wide smile. “I was against it at first seeing how tight it was. But after putting it on I’m starting to see Vignette’s point of view. She might actually be onto something. I don’t only look good, but it feels good to be in. I don’t think I ever want to take it off.” That doesn’t sound sanitary. “I’m seeing everything in a whole new light.” “Are you sure that’s not just your suit suffocating you?” Honestly, nothing there looked pleasurable at all. You can practically see the leather cutting into her skin. “That doesn’t look… comfortable.” “It’s not meant to be comfortable darling. It’s meant to be fashionable. Though I do admit that it does eat away at me, but something about it makes me feel… good on the inside. Perhaps you should try one and see for yourself.” Sunset raised her hand up in decline. “No thanks. I’m not really into fashion like you.” “Oh come now. Have a little change in your wardrobe. Remember the dress I made for you for the Winter Holiday Party?” Does she remember? She remember looking hot in it. The number of looks and praises she got from the gang and her friends was proof of her ratings. “Remember how everyone kept eyeing you?” “Yeah…” She rolled her eyes admittedly. “Then you should try out something new. Look around you Sunset. Every fabric you see here has been tailored made by professionals from all over Canterlot. These are the clothes that will be put on display for the whole world to see. Everyone will be vying for them. And now we have the honor of wearing them first.” “Well… when you put it that way. I suppose that does make them somewhat appealing. But I think I’ll stick to my old style for now.” “Suit yourself. As for me. I am going to… to… to… oh…” Sunset raised a curious brow seeing her friend looking rather weak all of a sudden. “You ok?” “Oh my. I’m terribly sorry. I suddenly feel rather… lightheaded for some reason.” She reached for her hair, brushing that strange sense tingling in her body. “Are you sure the dress isn’t cutting the circulation into your head or anything?” “No no. It’s probably just exhaustion. I’m better now.” Rarity let out a weird smile. “Come. Vignette says that the moment I strut through that runway, the guest list is all ours.” (Autumn’s ranch) Twilight stirred from her makeshift bed feeling rather sore. Her body ached everywhere and the straw pillow she laid on only seemed to make it worse. “How long do you intend to sleep?” Bwah? The voice jolted her brain bringing her up from her covers. Her sudden movement and gasping startled the nearby sheep prompting them to move out of the way. She looked around and recalled this unfamiliar surroundings. “Where am I?” “Back in that crazy lady’s barn. I think the sheep gave it away.” Yeah that made sense. “What happened?” “Let’s just say the stunt you pulled didn’t exactly go as planned. You got magical backlash and you got knocked out.” That would certainly explain the pain on her body and the aches on her arm. “I mean honestly. What in the world were you thinking? Mixing two different types of magic together? You’ve studied magic long enough to know that making that kind of mixture is dangerous. You’re lucky you got away with all your fingers.” “It sounded like a good idea at the time.” Twilight grunted though she didn’t disagree. She knew that mixing Equestrian magic with magic from this world would have a volatile reaction. But it worked in the end. “How long was I out?” “Long enough. That boy was panicking ever since he brought you back.” Of course Flash would be. “Guess I should thank him.” But then Twilight realized something when she finally opened her eyes. She cast a glance to her surroundings noticing that there were only sheep sleeping beside her. “Wait… who am I talking to?” “You still haven’t figured that out yet?” The voice mocked her. “And here I thought you were the smart one.” Twilight looked around but still saw no one. Was it just a voice inside her head? Was she going mad? “You’re not going crazy.” Gah! Now that voice was reading her mind too! “Who are you? What are you?” “You really don’t remember me?” She whispered dejectedly. “Then maybe this will jolt your memories.” And in that moment a figure suddenly manifested itself. It was her… but also not her at the same time. Dark wings manifested itself as a seductive version of Twilight flew down, eyes brimming with power and a suggestive smile that seemed to tease its victim. “Hello Twilight.” It spoke tauntingly. “Did you miss me?”