//------------------------------//
// Chapter 12 
// Story: Nightshade: Into the Fire 
// by JustPonyboy 
//------------------------------//

Ace looked slightly embarrassed and hid walked closely behind Nightshade as reporters repeatedly snapped photos. It seemed Ace's new tuxedo was a hit and his flipped up hairstyle had them swooning, Ace was not enjoying the attention. He flinched at every camera flash, hiding his face away.

"Mom said they weren't gonna do that this year," Ace whispered to Nightshade.

Nightshade glanced at one of the guards standing by the entrance to make sure they weren't watching as he sent a magic wave their way, shattering the camera lenses. He chuckled and the angry shouts from the photographers as they entered.

"Oops. Did I do that?" Nightshade pushed up his glasses with a grin.









Ginger tapped his foot, Hazel was supposed to be dressed already. What could be taking so long- Ginger flinched as his front door opened and Hazel stepped out in a crisp black tux with a no tie and the top button open. He looked like a well-dressed desperado. Ginger looked down at his own black-tie before Hazel began to walk.

"Alright," He stopped and posed for Ginger, "How do I look? Dressed to kill?"

Ginger just stared.

"Ginny?"

Ginger snapped out of whatever trance he was in, "You- you look fantastic."

"I could tell by the look in your eyes."

"Let's just get to the Gala already."









"Is all this really necessary?"

Totoro walked alongside Celestia in a black dress and a crimson cape, in her opinion it made her look like a vampire. It was ridiculous.

Celestia giggled, "Having second thoughts? If you're going to attend, you attend under my terms, and you have to look presentable. It isn't ladylike to have a matted mane."

"They don't let me use comb or brushes in the psych ward. Apparently it can be used as a stabbing instrument." Totoro huffed as she walked like an angry dragon with the princess.

"Now spill."

"You won't like it," the earth pony grimaced.

"I don't care."

"Unlike our Sun princess to act this way... Your son is going to die tonight. I've seen it. It's fixed in time tonight."

"When?"

Toro stopped and glared at Celestia, "What do you mean 'when'? Surely you don't expect to alter space and time by preventing it. Are you out of your mind? You can't stop a fixed event!"

"Dammit, that's my child, and I'll be damned if I stand by while he dies knowing I could prevent it!"

Toro threw her head back in grim laughter, "We'll see. Then you better catch him before about... 11. You know, when Vinyl will swap from that awful noise to slow dance. It'll be fun to watch you get what's coming to ya- "

There was a resounding smack as Celestia struck her across the face, Toro staggered back and leaned against a wall.

"Don't you ever, ever try to tell anyone what they deserve. I won't be told such things by the likes of you," There was a hint of a snarl in her voice, and Toro cowered slightly. "Now go to the ballroom and sit. If you move, I'll have you drugged and carted off to the nearest ward for the rest of your worthless life."

Toro scurried off, muttering curses, as Celestia began to compose herself in the hallway.









Strike put her hand up and waved Nightshade and his friends over.

"Captain Strike?"

"Just Strike tonight," She straightened her bow tie and put her hand on Sioux's shoulder, "I'm here on my night off with my new friend."

"Is he- "

"See, I told you he'd ask a stupid question." Strike nudged the changeling, and he laughed, looking a bit less tense. "Yes. He'd actually bumped into you two about a week ago. Ace made him nervous."

Ace bowed his head, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable!"

"It's alright," He looked at Strike momentarily, and she nodded, "I was still getting used to living in the town."

"So is it just you two? He doesn't really seem like your type, Cap." Nightshade smirked.

"It's nothing like that, we're here as friends. We're actually waiting for Thunderstruck- "

There was a clap of thunder and almost everyone at the Gala took a quick glance at the sky that was surprisingly clear, in a flash of white a zebra-patterned mare with an electric yellow mane gracefully flew in accompanied by Spitfire and Soarin. The pegasus straightened her red dress and removed her sunglasses as she walked over to join Strike.

"Nice to see you, Cap," Her electric yellow eyes made Strike's wings unfurl slightly before she pressed them to her back. "And you must be Sioux. Whoa, diggin' the 'do! How'd you get that mane color? Who's your stylist? I gotta get their number."

"It's natural," Sioux said nervously.

"That... is... AWESOME!" Sioux looked surprised and began to smile as Struck spoke a mile a minute to the changeling.

"I'll be with Struck- I mean- not with her with her but like- walkin'- you know what I mean!" The flustered captain walked off with the two.

Nightshade looked at Ace, "Guess it really is up to us. Strike's gonna be following Struck's tail all night."

"Why- "

Nightshade cut him off, "I'll tell you when you're older."

"Nightshade, I'm older than almost everyone here."



Across the room, Hazel and Ginger finally made their way into the hall.

"Wowza," Hazel murmured. "This is one high-class party."

"My gosh," Ginger looked embarrassed, "You didn't just say 'Wowza'."

Ginger just smiled at his curious gazing about, to think anypony hadn't seen the interior of the Castle in Canterlot was almost unheard of. Hazel looked like somepony just offered him free ice cream. 

For the next hour or so they danced talked and ate, that was until Octavia made eye contact with him from across the room. He'd been midway through his glass of wine when her worried glance caught his eye. She knew he shouldn't be drinking, with that worried look and Vinyl in tow, Ginger quickly downed his drink looking for an escape. No, no-no. I don't want to speak to her, not now. 

The place was too crowded for him to slip away, and taking flight wasn't an option for multiple reasons. He did the only thing he could think of, he tapped Hazel on the shoulder and the moment the stallion turned his head Ginger pressed his lips to the other's taking him by surprise. The other stallion melted into the aggressive move, and Octavia stopped her approach after a few hushed words from the DJ and a smile.

Magnolia froze, she felt as if she was rooted to the floor, and she felt her anger bubbling over. How dare he? How dare he lead me on? He did this on purpose, he did it to hurt me. She felt furious tears on her face, she turned away and wiped her eyes. She just couldn't stop smiling now. Magnolia made a trip to the food table, swiping something off it and coming back to where Ginger and the stallion stood talking.

She put on a convincing fake smile as she walked up to them, "Ginger! Great to see you! Octavia didn't come around and ruin your night, did she?"

"No, she was too busy with her friend."

"Is that right?" She looked at Hazel, who looked questioningly at her. "Well come on then, Gin, I wanna get on the balloon before the slow dancing starts."

She began to walk off and Ginger looked back at Hazel, "Don't worry, I'll be back. I'd promised her we'd go at least once tonight."









Toro sat alone at her table next to Luna as she just stared at the moon, "Soon."

Luna just looked at her, not judgmentally, but Toro could tell she heard.

"It's too bad your sister doesn't understand that nopony can prevent what is supposed to happen tonight."

Luna just nodded solemnly. Toro had grown a decent amount of respect for her. Then again, a thousand years alone would wise up anypony to what is and isn't in your control.









Ace carelessly danced to the music blasting from Vinyl's turntables, Nightshade sat at a table content with keeping watch. He felt adrenaline pumping, but couldn't pinpoint why he could feel the danger.



Ginger smiled as the balloon reached the end of its tethering rope, they were so high up that the ponies inside looked like colorful specks. He marveled at the lights of Canterlot. This was how I was meant to see it. I could watch forever.

"So who was he," Ginger looked back at Magnolia. The smile on her face was long gone, replaced with a snarl and a murderous glare. She held a kitchen knife in her hand.

"Whoa! Mag! Wha- "

"Don't play fucking stupid! I saw you! How... How dare you lead me on like that? How dare you cheat on me... With a stallion no less!"

Ginger raised an eyebrow in confusion and fear. He needed to calm the situation. "What are you talking about? We aren't even dating. Mag, I'm sorry if I made it seem that way. You're a great friend of mine, but that's all I saw you as. You are the best anypony could ask for but- "

"You know, you did like to talk your way out of trouble," She tightened her grip on the blade, "But talkers like to lie don't they?"

"What?"

She jammed the knife into his midsection and her vengeful grin turned into a look of regret as she realized the gravity of what she had just done, Ginger struggled to draw choked breaths as his shirt began to grow red.

"I'm so sorry..." She whispered before she shoved the stallion over the side of the basket, looking away as he plummeted.

Nightshade leaped to his feet as he spotted a shadowy figure crossing the dim dance floor. I see you!

He threw Ace to the floor as a shot rang out and a pony in a suit hit the floor. It only took Nightshade a moment to realize who it was, and felt sick as he saw Struck and Sioux leaning over the fallen figure.

"You just had to get in the way... Didn't you?"

There was a deafening bang and a dull pain in Nights' skull as the sound faded away.