//------------------------------//
// The Past 
// Story: The Spy who Ran 
// by Fluttershy Auditore 
//------------------------------//

This water is heavenly… just the right temperature… oh wow… Mandarin was so focused on the water and her own internal monologue that she slipped on the floor of the shower, falling to the floor with an almighty THUMP that startled Saph in the next room. He ran in quickly, averting his eyes just in case.
“Is everything alright? You aren’t hurt?” He blustered, then realised that she was laughing again.
“I’m fine,” she gasped. “Just slipped, it’ll be nothing but a bruise.”
“A-alright,” he stammered.
“I’m fine, really,” she reassured. “There’s no need to worry.”
“Okay,” he said, leaving slowly.
Mandarin stayed in the shower for a while longer, just enjoying the feeling of the water cascading over her body. It had been forever since she had been warm during this time of year and it was amazing.

A glaring neon glow illuminated the streets of Canterlot. In the bright of the fancy light, high-class ponies strut along, ignoring or ignorant to the shadows of the alleys and the lost, crushed, cold and dying ponies within. Mugging was common for those who strayed too close to the darkness…
A young, black unicorn colt watched from the shade. His eyes were a bright white, the only colours in them being the black of the pupil and the red of veins. His black fur was standing on end in an attempt to deal with the cold of winter. He glared as a gang of older stallions walked by, their high-class origins covered easily by their trashy clothes, hoodies and slacks. The colt’s horn began to glow and his pupils expanded to cover the whole of both eyes in black as his unique magic took hold.
The leader of the group was named Fancypants; he was a unicorn stallion, only a few years older than the dark colt in the ally. His flank was bare as of yet, his talent undiscovered. Around family he was snooty and acted as one would expect from a high-class pony from a high-class family. Around his friends it was a completely different story, he was brash, arrogant, quickly dismissive and, above all, a pain in the flank. He was also a chronic arsonist, and always carried a lighter wherever he went. All this information flowed through the brain of the white-eyed colt as his pupils shrank to normal and the next stage of his magic began. After absorbing the knowledge and memories of Fancypants, the young colt’s body began to change. He grew in height and width, various bits of his body changed colour and texture until, finally, an exact replica of Fancypants stood in the ally, clothes and all. Now for the best part, thought the faux-Fancypants as he stepped out from the shadows and headed silently towards the gang.
“Hey, Fancy, what do you think of going to that old abandoned factory?” asked one of his friends. Faux-Pants grinned.
“Nah, boring,” he began. At once, everypony there jumped out of their skin and span around, ready to attack. That lasted a second before confusion set in and they glanced at their leader, then back at the other Fancypants.
“The buck…?” murmured a mare.
“I reckon you’re all wondering why there’re two of me,” growled Faux-Pants. He raised a hoof and pointed at the real Fancypants. “It’s ‘cause he’s a fraud!”

“Saph?” Mandarin’s voice broke Sapphire’s reverie. He blinked a few times, glaring at the annoying orange mare that had intruded in his flashback. His expression softened when he remembered where he was however, and he smiled. She was standing a little closer than he thought proper, but he didn’t really mind.
“Yes, can I help you with something Mandarin?” Keep your tone soft Em-Saph, Saph, I’m Flaming Sapphire. I’m not who I was. 
“Saph!”
“Wha-Sorry. Sorry, I spaced out. Pardon?”
“I asked if you had any oranges,” the orange mare repeated, smiling slightly. The irony was not lost on her new friend as his expression cracked into a grin.
“Oh, sure, they’re over here. Only Orange Family Oranges here. Is that okay?” He trotted over to the kitchen.
“Oh, uh, sure,” the mare muttered, depressed. “It’s fine.” The sudden change of her mood made a whistling noise as it sailed over Sapphire’s head.