//------------------------------//
// 22 The chase is on 
// Story: A new breed of evil 
// by Rarity Belle 
//------------------------------//

	Nightmare Rarity stood upon the balcony of her domain. The eyes glanced over the mighty horizon that seemed to be stretching itself for miles upon, without end. Her eyes were given the true time to look at the sheer beauty of the red and orange color within the skies. The sun was setting down behind the mountains and hills to end the day once again.

        Yet with the wind that was blowing calmly, it caused her purple and white streaked hairs to wave within it like they had always done. Her nostrils opened and closed themselves almost countless times. Almost as if the queen was sniffing the air like a dog who tried to pick up a scent. She knew that the package had been send and delivered. The only question that remained was where the armies were staying.

        “You’re coming for me at one point or another. But the question itself is just going to be both where and when. And that, is what bothers me more than you think,” the nightmarish unicorn spoke up to herself as she released a gentle growl before her eyes looked over to the moon who was already raised. It was a thing that caused the mare to have her own questions upon it all.

        The sun and moon were both visible within the same skies. That was a sign which meant that something had gone wrong in the house of Canterlot. The unicorn almost knew exactly just what it happened to be that had set up the scenery. A slow but evil snickering was released through the mouth of the unicorn as her eyes kept themselves aimed towards the moon itself.

        “Spooked now, aren't you? Oh but you trust me, there is a whole lot more of where that came from my dears. Just, you wait. For in time, nopony can escape the demons that are inside of their head,” spoke Nightmare Rarity. Her horn coated itself once again in the magical aura.

        The humming and the lights became almost too much to both hear and see as she kept on charging. Lashes of lightning were released from the tip of the gem and made contact with the dark crystal railing before seeming disappearing into nothing. It would only have been a matter of time before the charge itself would have been released before the eyes of the world and another attack would be released.
    
        In the courtyard of the domain had many of the clouds of shadow looked over to the queen upon the balcony. They couldn't fully understand just what was going on in the moment. But whatever it was that she was trying to do, it did create for this amazing show of light for them all. A show of light that didn't escape the mind of Shadowfright one bit. The commander turned himself around and took on his stallion like appearance to watch it with his gem eyes.

        “This is impossible,” he whispered to himself. With the attack on his life was still in his mind and the wounds having fully healed, he began to think again for himself. The sights that he managed to see were something that was rather impossible and literally unbelievable to witness. Never in his life had he seen so much power going through the horn of the unicorn, of any unicorn.

        There was however one point in time where the dark alicorn did something pretty similar to that and that was to cover a major settlement in darkness. “Will history repeat itself?” the stallion asked himself aloud. Though he kept his volume in just a whisper to. Something about it all just didn't seem to be adding up for him. Something had triggered her for whatever reason.

        Yet in the meantime had Shadowblood been keeping himself busy in the dungeon. He would have emerged as a cloud upon the courtyard and looked over to the balcony of his queen. Not even he could believe the sights he saw. Something about the raw power output that she did, caused him as well as many others of the nightmare forces to become scared. One wrong motion, one wrong word and they all would be just vaporized from their witty existence.

        Silence was the emotion that dominated the inner walls of the domain, together with the tension of what was about to happen. None of the nightmare forces even as much dared to interrupt the queen’s actions. Not even the always so loyal savages showed themselves. For even they were afraid of her power. A thing that had never ever happened before or after their own transformation. 

        Then it just happened. In the matter of second it was just done and gone. The massive charge that had been saved, was released into the air. In the evening skies did the blue bolt of magic travel across the skies like a mythical comet that came down to the land. Except that the tail of the comet had the same side effect as the storm she had produced weeks ago.

        Shortly after the bolt had been fired and soared across the skies, Nightmare Rarity’s horn would have discharged itself completely. When it was discharged, the smoke was coming off of it. Though that didn't stop her from grinning and chuckling like the madmare that she happened to be. The utter insanity that was flowing through her thoughts caused the volume of her to be reaching levels that it echoed through the whole of the woods.

        Each of the nightmare forces in the domain looked up in a frightened pose towards that balcony, while the false shepherds in the woods all turned their heads towards the domain after their ears caught the sounds. None of the forces could have even expected just why she was doing that, but all they could guess was the very fact that something that she had done seemed to have gone straight to her will.


~~~~

                     
Though the sounds themselves just didn't stop at the borders of the forest. They traveled even further to the very inns that stood near the edges of it. In one of them had the pegasus mare caught that faint laughter. The mare stood outside in the hope to get a fresh nose. She heard a laughter that was almost haunting like caused her to be spooked and she turned her attention over to the treeline. “What in the name of the heavens high are we having now?” she whispered to herself.

        Nothing in her world had ever prepared her for the sounds she just heard, nothing in her world even remotely resembled the things that she had heard. It seemed impossible but the creeps were crawling up the legs of the mare as she gave off a shudder. “This can’t be… This forest, this forest is haunted I tell you,” she said to herself. Her body turned itself around in order to go back inside. The safest place within the nearby surrounding was perhaps the insides of the inn itself.

        She wanted to barricade every last opening in order to make sure that that force wouldn't have been able to get inside. Though little did she knew just what that forces was actually capable of. “Oi, close down everything tighter than ever for the night. Something tells me that something terrible is going to happen this very night,” she said to the barkeeper in a whisper.

        With the little guests that she still did have, the mare didn't wanted to throw in the panic by them just yet. The barkeeper himself on the other end, turned himself around and leaned against the top of the wooden bar and looked at his boss with a shady look. “So you heard it too?” he replied to her in a whisper of his own. A fact that scared the pegasus mare just a little bit.

        “How couldn't I? I was outside when that ear piercing sound came through. For goodness sake, how on earth would I have been able to miss it, if even you heard it?” the mare answered. She took a bottle of an alcoholic beverage and opened it. Without taking a glass of any sort was the bottle was set upon her lips. The next thing was that she took a big swig right out of it.

        “You are rather absent ever since that incident with the stallion, remember?” the barkeeper returned to her. He took the bottle straight out of her hooves. “No booze for you tonight. If it indeed is going to be as you say, I need you to be sober. If you’re drunk, I can just give you straight to them.”

        The pegasus mare stared over to the stallion with a look that was everything but friendly. Then there was a deep sigh which was released through her nostrils. “I suppose you’re right. I’ll be in my office if you need me. And don’t forget it.” Those were the last words to be spoken by her. She disappeared upon a set of stairs and went to one of the upper levels of the inn.

        “No ma’am, I won’t,” the barkeeper whispered almost inaudible. He placed the bottle on the counter and turned himself back around to see the guests. “Right, still got you lot to take care of.”

        Hours would have both come and went. The time to finally close the things for the night had set in. Never in his life had the stallion felt so much fear as he had done that very evening. Even if the guests didn't wanted to admit it, they were also just terrified of something for that night. Something terrible was bound to happen to them. Except they hadn't the slightest clue of just what it happened to be. The mood in the ground floor of the inn was tense to say the least. Though that very tension seemed to becoming weaker with every guest who went to bed. It was a thing that came much to the relief of the barkeeper before he finally found it was time to close everything off for the night.

        The mare on the other end had been sitting behind the desk of her office. She had pondered her head upon the matters that had come to her light. Yet when she looked out of her window and towards the moon, there was the most incredible sight she had ever seen being revealed to her. One that even managed to pierce itself upon her retina.

        The moon itself was covered in a blue light of an object that flew before it. The comet that was fired by the dark unicorn soared past the moon at incredible speeds. Though the play of light that it created was something nopony could have ever expected. None of the ponies in the land would be prepared for the things to come. Nopony was ready for fear knocking at their doors.

        The pegasus mare kept on looking towards the hunk of space rock through the window of her office. The stallion looked at it from the last uncovered set of windows on the ground floor. All the doors had been locked and double locked, all the blinds had been placed before the windows both in and outside. Though the magic of the moon covered in the blue aura and the comet that soared before it, had him captured by his imagination. Never had he something seen that beautiful. But the beauty, was about to be turned into a horror.
            
        Just after the comet went past the moon itself did something happen. The very shadow that Luna had seen in the corner of her eye when Twilight was looking through her telescope, had managed to return in the fullest of glories upon the surface. The only exception being that that time, it was clearly visible from every angle that the eyes would be looking at.

        It laid in wait and preparing itself was that what the magic had done after it was fired towards the rock. For weeks it had calmly laid there while preparing itself. Until the command was gotten to reveal itself to the world of the ponies that lived upon the face of the land.

        Once again did the shadow image of the unicorn appear itself before them all. That alone was more than enough to cause some genuine frights to be happening by most ponies who witnessed it. Though with the shadow standing upon the moon in that intimidating, sideways pose that looked over the ponies, it would be the deadly snicker that gave every last soul the creeps on it.

        There was nothing that could have prepared them for that laughter that was given to them. The fear that it spread was something nopony was resistant against.


~~~~

 
Not even in Canterlot itself were the ponies free from the laughter. All of the five friends and the two princesses looked upon the moon with horror in their eyes. They couldn't believe what they saw. “T-That’s the face!” Fluttershy whimpered. She yelped and almost dove right into the tail of Pinkie.

        It was a thing that worked for a little bit. Only the head managed to get itself in the curly and puffed up hairs of the party mare. “That face, Ah've never it before,” Applejack mumbled. She remembered only having seen the eye of the being clear as day. Those very same eyes were just one of those little things that wasn't revealed to the others.

        “Well, whatever it is, that snicker I heard when I tried to enter the dreams of you all,” Luna spoke to them. She kept on looking to the moon though. “Whomever this is, I think we found our suspect. And Fluttershy, you were right. It is far too refined to be Nightmare Moon.”

        “Then, who is it, princess? Can’t you make a suggestion about it? An old enemy of you two maybe?” Twilight questioned to the royals. Who in return both tore their attention away from the window and turned back around. Back to the pile of papers and documents that all had been sniffing through in the hope to find the name of the stallion. “Please?”

        Where Celestia released a deep sigh before she would continue the search in silence, Luna would have turned her head over to the group while her body was placed sideways. Her eyes looked honest but also worried to her soul. She was worn out from the reading, they just looked tired and overall not her usual self. But she did took the responsibility of answering Twilight upon her. “That, Twilight Sparkle, is the same thing that happened to me over a thousand years ago. Ladies, what you’re looking at, is the possible successor of Nightmare Moon.”

        All of the ponies gasped for air. None of them even wanted to believe the facts as they were presented before them. None of them even wanted to believe the words. Though countering a princess upon such words would have been everything but wise thing to be doing. So instead they all turned themselves around and calmly walked back to do their job. Their thoughts pondering of just how everything came to be. Yet it also acted as a massive flame to find that stallion mentioned.

        Where everypony would have returned to the search of the stallion. It was Twilight herself who dared to look back at the moon and sighed deep. It was obvious to her already, that the slender body build and the structure of the face could be leading to one pony alone. “Oh Rarity, where have you gotten yourself into now? Why, why didn't you spoke with nopony about this? Were you truly, that afraid to tell us?” Those were just some of the question her mind was being plagued with.

        Though when the time was there again, Twilight had also returned to the duty of finding the stallion, whatever it would be taking. Words wanted to be spoken upon the matter for certain. Each of the seven mares felt the ‘eyes’ piercing right through their souls. Almost as if the figure upon the moon was looking straight at the seven of them.

        It was a feeling that came much to the annoyance of Luna herself who eventually took the measures into her own hooves and closed all of the room’s curtains. “I’m getting sick of the being stared at for my mistakes. I don’t need her to remind me to that,” she growled up. Her horn then calmed itself down to just a levitation field to keep the documents in that she was reading from.


~~~~

                     
Back over at the inn had both the mare and stallion gathered themselves at the window on the ground floor and the pegasus shook her head towards it. “Whatever it is going to be, it is going to be bad news for us all. I can almost guarantee you that,” she spoke up in a whisper before a hoof was placed upon his shoulder. “Close it all, then go to bed. We’ll be needing our sleep for the night.”

        The stallion himself gave her a nod before her closed down the hatches as the mare already returned to her own room and bunkered down into her bed. The night would be a tough act to go through for certain. But what they didn't knew was that everything done was just for intimidation. As well as to rain the fear indoctrinating magic upon the city of Log Pegasus. Only in the matter of a few days would they be feeling the massive effects of the fears and frights.

        Though when the stallion himself also turned to bed, he couldn't shake the sounds and images out of his head. It would be those sounds and images that would be haunting them for the rest of the night. Whether he would be liking it or not, the fuels of nightmares had been given to him.

        The stallion turned himself around in bed in the faint hope to get at least some of his shut eye though the chances would be kept to a true minimum for that. A thing that went for the both of them actually.

        When the two closed their eyes and wanted to sleep, all they could be seeing was that haunting shadow of the nightmarish unicorn queen upon the surface of the moon. A sight that rightfully frightened them. But they weren’t the only ones. Tons of other ponies around the land shared the feelings. Her presence had been noted by all. Though few could point hooves.


~~~~

                     
While the images of the nightmarish mare faded from the rock through the gears of time, back in Canterlot had the ponies found some rather interesting leads to just who, why and what when it came down to the stallion. Thanks to careful reading through thousands of documents about every last pony that seemed to be living in the kingdom, they finally seemed to be having three leads that could be bringing them somewhere. The only shameful part was the fact that two of them laid a couple hundred miles away.

        “Taking the train to such places is going to be a hell as it take hours to get there hours to find him, not to mention hours to find him!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed when everything was discovered.

        Yet it was Twilight who laid a comforting hoof upon the shoulder of her friend. She followed it up with a gentle smile. “It is true that the distance is enormous, Dashie, but keep in mind you have two alicorns and a unicorn right here with you as well,” she said to her. The smile only got bigger and bigger. Almost as if she was trying to tell something to the group. A thing they could only hint at.

        “What ya tryin' to say here Twi?” Applejack then asked of her. The cowgirl didn't seem to be getting any or all of it. Or at least she couldn't wrap her head around it all. “Some explanation would be helpful before anything else is done, ya know that, right?”

        The mulberry unicorn looked over to her orange friend and gave her a single nod. She then turned her head over to the princesses. Who on their own had been breeding a little plan that they could use “With the possible locations of the stallion that are known to us, we can not exactly pinpoint where he would be today. That much is certain indeed,” Celestia brought forth towards the mare. She then would have looked over to her younger sister, giving her the words in silence.

        “However, what we can do is send some of you, if not a group of two, out to some of the locations in the attempt to discover the very place where he could possibly be. So the question here is, who is ready to be teleported to Manehatten, the Crystal Empire and here in Canterlot?” Luna then said. There would have been a smile coming from her lips when she had finished.

        The decision fell tough upon each of the ponies. But eventually were the groups made. Rainbow and Pinkie would be send to Manehatten to search out the stallion, while Twilight and Applejack would be staying in Canterlot. Though it meant that Fluttershy would be on her own. In any normal cause would that have seemed like some big trouble lying somewhere in a corner and waiting to happen. They had to remember that that time was everything but normal though.

        And that time she seemed to be perfectly fine with it. Which was much to the disbelief of all the other ponies. “Well, you see girls, the Crystal Empire isn't that bad to wander around on your own. Cadence is the princess there, remember? All the ponies are just so friendly and helpful with her back at the throne. I’m actually honored to be going to there,” the shy, yellow pegasus told and explained to her friends.

        Friends who couldn't even believe a single word of the thing that were spoken against them. “Yeah right,” whispered Rainbow to herself. She shook her head a little bit. “Ponies there are just as bad as in Manehatten if you don’t look out.” Instead of others agreeing with her statement, all that she received was a punch to her side given by Applejack. It was meant as an indication that she needed to keep her mouth shut. “Alright alright, I heard you.”

        “Then so it shall be done. Each of you will be send towards the destination through a powerful teleportation spell. There is however, one backlash to it,” said Luna just before she walked towards the five of them. All of their eyes gained a sense of curiosity as they didn't fully understood just what was being meant by those words. “You will only have one hour before you are automatically zapped back to Canterlot. And let me address this even more: don’t get into trouble. That goes for all of you. We have enough on our heads as it is. Any questions?”

        Luna’s words couldn't have been more clear for each of them. Finally didn't the princesses talk in riddles and cryptic words, but just plainly stated the words as they were supposed to be. Something that came much to the relief of both Applejack and Rainbow. Though none of them had their questions and Luna began to charge up her horn to cast the spell upon the first two mares.

        “Remember, you will only be having an hour,” she repeated to both Applejack and Twilight. Then the massive charge was released from the horn and they were just gone. Gone in the clap of a hoof and it had to happen two more times. It would have drained the princesses from their powers.

        With care was the spell cast once again. That time upon Fluttershy alone who also was just gone literally in the manner of a second or two. Finally it were both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie who got zapped over to their destination. Something that only left the royals inside of the throne room and a deep sigh of Celestia was the first sound outside of the discharging. “You really thought this was going to be a good idea sister?” the white alicorn asked. There was a genuine look of confusion upon her face. One that seemed to worry even Luna about the facts as they were.

        “If I only knew that sister, if I only knew,” replied Luna with a simple tone. Their eyes were then caught by the rising sun of the next day. “The next couple of hours, shall decide what will happen next for us all.”


~~~~

                     
“Princess! …Horseapples,” muttered Twilight to herself. She had made the sudden realization that they weren't in the castle anymore. Instead was she standing in the business district of the city.

        “What’s the matter ,Twi?” the cowgirl asked before she noticed the concerned look in the eyes of the unicorn. Even though they could be flying at one another’s throat from time to time, the concern for one another still happened to be there. A loving fact was it for certainly. For Twilight it meant pretty much the world to her.

        The purple rimmed eyes of the mare looked over to the cowgirl while a deep sigh was released through her nostrils. “It, it’s just that the castle was protected by that shield, remember? And now that we are here outside, who knows whether or not we fall victim to the curse of, her,” she said to her with a worried tone. It was something they had the right to be carried on for certain. Nopony even wanted to be captured in the grasps of the unicorn again, let alone sleep for two weeks only to suffer the worst nightmare ever.

        Applejack on the other end managed to crack a genuine and warm smile before she placed her hoof upon the back of her friend. Something that was meant to be saying that everything would becoming just fine. “Twi, listen to me here for a bit. It was princess Luna who cast that spell upon us right? Ah reckon she was that wise to give us all a personal shield for the time we would be out here. Wouldn't ya agree?”

        It were words that hit the unicorn pretty much straight home for certain. Not to mention the fact that they were actually logical when it came down to it. It would have made sense of such an act was actually done, as they were the only lead that the royals would even be having in order to get to the stallion without going personally. “I, I suppose you are right on it though,” the unicorn whispered as she also cracked her friend a smile and felt the rays of the morning sun tickling her horn.

        “Hey, can we, stand here for just a minute or two?”

        “Ah don’t see the problem in that partner.”

        While the two ponies stood there, the sun slowly crawled further up against the skies. The rays didn't just coat the horn, instead it coated their entire being. Something about the first morning rays of sunlight always did something to a pony that couldn't be truly explained by words or any other thing. But what was known though, was the fact that it made them feel just so good for a couple of seconds.

        “Nothing beats the good ol’ morning sun if ya ask me,” the cowgirl said while she kept on sunbathing for just a bit longer. She then opened her eyes again and looked towards Twilight.

        Who on her own turn shared the looks with her friend and smiled. “You got that part right. But let’s go, we have a business to find and prepare for disappointment,” the unicorn added before she kicked her legs into gears. Applejack chuckled a little bit. Almost in an instant did she knew what was meant by most of the words. Though others caused her to question a little bit.

        The cowgirl threw her legs into gear as well and together did the two ponies wander over the sidewalk of the district as the questions just wouldn't leave her mind until they were asked. They were looking for the right building where the stallion supposedly worked or had worked, the question was being asked there and then. “Twi, what do you mean with we needed to prepare for disappointment?” Applejack asked out of sheer curiosity.

        “The lead is from years ago and most ponies tend to change their jobs every so often. So the chance is bigger that he has left this job of his already, for the sake of getting a new one somewhere else. However, they might be having some good information there though. …Speaking of, here it is,” Twilight said to her. The unicorn came down to a standstill before a rather impressive looking building. The mares had to admit that the city had so its certain charm. Yet never would they have expected a building like that to be raising before their eyes.

        “Ah should here more often, cause that’s a work of beauty right there,” the cowgirl chuckled up. She took her hat off and looked at the very top of the skyscraper.

        “You and me both, you and me both, Applejack,” Twilight replied as she was simply being baffled of the sights that they both saw.

        Though the insides of the building –or at least the lobby of the place– looked even better than they could have ever expected. Where the building was a beauty on the outside, the insides did happen to be even greater. Not even the castle of Canterlot seemed to be able to tip at the place’s beauty. It appeared to have borrowed some design elements of the castle though.

        Though they weren't there for any sightseeing sadly, they were there to find the pony they were looking for. The mares walked up to a reception desk and gave a smile to the stallion with an arcane headset who made a motion with his hoof that they had to wait a little bit.

        Notes were written down upon a pieces of paper while the occasional nod was being made. “It shall be done, sir, I will give it to Finances and then we’ll be going seeing how it goes from there. Bye,” the stallion spoke up in a higher pitched voice then the mare had expected to be hearing.

        “What?” the stallion spoke up in response to the two oddly looking mares that had gotten in front of him. “Excuse me, where are my manners, how may I help you fine ladies today?”

        “We...” Applejack started. Yet she couldn't form any more words in her mind. Just his unusual tone was more than enough to confuse the cowgirl.

        “We are looking for a stallion named Emerald Masquerade. Supposedly he is working here or has worked here.” Twilight then finished up. Even though it was strange, she could at least focus on the facts as they were.

        The stallion behind the counter rose an eyebrow the moment he heard the name and sunk a little bit in thoughts of his own. “Oh you mean Emmy! I remember him quite well actually. Shame he was fired a couple of years ago. A fine coworker in my eyes. I’ve heard that he moved to Manehatten, but after that it seemed like he has vanished from the land. Is there anything else I can help you with?” he then spoke up towards the two of them with a smile.

        “No, that’ll be all,” Applejack finally replied to him. A smile managed to be cracked upon her lips. “Thanks for the info though.”

        “You’re welcome,” the stallion returned to them just before the mares left him alone again.


~~~~

                     
When Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were coming back to their knowledge did the two of them stand in an alleyway that seemed to be leading to some kind of bar. The pegasus was already getting her shady ideas of just why somepony would have been going down there. It was a place that he was spotted a couple of times. Even though it gave her the creeps, she nodded to Pinkie that they needed to be going and fast. The entire atmosphere of Manehatten itself just didn't work for the pegasus for one reason or the other.

        The two of them calmly walked down the alleyway. Down until they were standing before the door and the excited Pinkie kept on hoping upon her spot. Something that caused the bouncer outside to lower his shades a little bit and look at the two of them. His grey coat but emerald rimmed eyes continued to gaze over the two of them. He dared to speak his words. “What is she on?”

        It was a simple question but the answer to it was something a little bit harder to explain. The chance existed that it was impossible to a pony who lived outside of Ponyville. “She isn't on anything, she like that from herself. Now can we please enter, we’re looking for somepony.”

        “Are you the cops?” the bouncer then asked bluntly. The mares had to admit that he was straight to the point and not afraid. Though recalling the words of Luna of not getting into trouble soared through the both of their heads. It would be a promise hard to keep up, but they would be doing it just for the sake of it.

        “Right, and that’s why I took my hyperactive partner with me? You thick?” Rainbow spoke up in an intimidating voice towards the bounces. “Do I look like a cop to you, does she look like a cop to you?” The cerulean blue hoof was pointed to Pinkie. Rainbow laid the emphasis on her words and glanced the gray coated stallion deep in the eyes.

        “I suppose not. Walk further please, but no trouble or you get into a whole lot more.”

        “Heard ya,” the pegasus returned before they both entered the bar. 

        When the two of them entered did they immediately realized that they had come into the straight underworld of Manehatten. Outside of the smell of booze and smoke could they see quite a lot of weaponry just lying upon the tables, like they were nothing. All of the sudden did everything began to make sense to the rainbow pegasus. She wanted to get out of there straight away and with good reasons behind it.

        Though she was leashed to Pinkie, who on her own turn had already hopped over to the bar and had taken place upon a stool. The only thing that Rainbow could do was pretty much the same. Though the fear of all the figures that were looking at her never left her. The two of them literally stuck out like a sore thumb with the coloring of their coats as both gray and black seemed to be dominating, followed by everything in between.

        The bartender looked at the two of them and gave them a smirk. “Lookie here boys, two new buttercups that were entered. Let me guess, wrong turn at the square?” he grinned to them.

        “Actually, it's something else,” replied Pinkie. She grinned like a little devil and dumped a bag of bits upon the bartop. “I’m looking for information of which I’m certain you can provide for a couple of tourists.”

        “Right on, I’ll be your guide for the day,” the barkeeper returned to the mare. He took the bits and hid it below the bar. “You paid the price, so ask away.”

        “Emerald Masquerade, does that name ring any bells to you?” Pinkie then asked in a dead serious tone. It was a change of character that Rainbow never had expected nor could have expected from a pony like Pinkie. She was baffled to say the least, but also lucky as it meant she didn't had to speak a word in the situation. A little something that could be seen as her saving grace.

        “Ha! Another debt collector or hitmare send upon him? Wouldn't be the first time that stallion danced with the devil. Though to break the ice with you doll, he hasn't been seen here in six months. Nopony knows where he has gone to. Whispers speak about  he moved to the Empire since it has returned. But they are just that, whispers. Can I offer the both of you a drink?” the bartender asked to them, reading two glasses already for any kind of liquor.

        “What do you think, Dash?” Pinkie asked to her friend.

        “Suppose it can’t harm, as we still are stuck here for some time.”

        Pinkie grinned then softly just before she spoke up again. “Make it two of the strongest drinks you have. Let’s test that liver of yours, Dash.”

        “Oka- …Wait, what?!”


~~~~

                     
After having rubbed her head softly from the zap had Fluttershy opened her eyes again under a gentle groan. The that sights were presented to her seemed like beauty within her eyes. Everything that she was seemed to be like a postcard that she could be sending towards her friends. All of the crystal ponies that just wandered about and around with their own minds busy with something else, it truly was something she could look at all day.

        Not to mention that the buildings shone nice and bright. The palace was visible over the tops of the houses. Every single doubt, every bit of fear, all were almost shaken right off of the mare before perhaps the biggest chance had been noticed. Even she was made up out of the crystals again. Her crystalline form had been taken once again and she giggled towards it. Fluttershy gave her body a spin or two. Giggles of enjoyment were released before the bell tower hit the hour.

        It was the chiming of that very same bell that caused the pegasus to be knocked straight back into the there and then. She had to find that stallion no matter what. Records had it that he seemed to be living in one of the apartments in the more southern district of the empire. So that was the first place that she would be going.

        Minutes past one another calmly while the crystal pegasus walked through the Empire. Her eyes just weren't focused upon getting to the location, but also to the activity that happened to be going around and about. Who knew, maybe she would be walking past him without even knowing if her eyes weren't going into every direction. It was a little something that she said to herself of doing, just as an ‘in case that’-event.

        As time went by, it seemed that her luck paid off. After she had walked almost fifty minutes through the empire, the time to reach the location wasn’t there anymore. Though she meant to have seen something else. Something else that could be helping her perhaps a whole lot more than she originally could have even thought it would.

        Her eyes were looking at a small cafe and on the terrace sat a crystalline stallion. One with emerald green colored mane. A mane that was in fact actual emeralds given their physical state. Enjoyment was the emotion that suddenly filled the pegasus as she hurried herself over to the place and then calmly walked up to the table the stallion sat behind.

        “You mind if I, sit down here for a moment?” Fluttershy asked him in her usual shy tone. Though in response she didn't got any form of words. Instead she received a simple nod that allowed her to do it.

        The crystalline, yellow pegasus sat down with a graceful motion and placed her forelegs upon the table. She needed to ask the question of course but perhaps a more formal introduction was more on its place. “The name is Fluttershy, by the way,” she carried out softly. Though she added something she didn't intend to do. “I’m a friend of Rarity.”

        Yet it seemed to be those unintended added words that caused the stallion to set his cup back on the table and actually raise an eyebrow to her. “I beg your pardon, miss, but did you say that you were friends with, Rarity?” The pink maned pegasus could only nod in response as it was the truth. “Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in years. Tell me, are the rumors true that she just, disappeared?”

        “Are you… Emerald Masquerade, by any chance?” Fluttershy asked in return. It was then that she felt something tugging on her tail. Instantly knew the pegasus that it was the teleportation spell that was going its job again. “Could, could you meet me here, in a few days again? I’m sorry but, I really need to get going here. Uhm, let’s say two days from now, around noon?”

        The stallion was taken by a massive surprise as he didn't understood a single word from what she meant about leaving. Though he did gave her a nod about the following meeting.

        “Great! See you then!” were the last words of the pegasus before she was teleported back towards Canterlot in a zapping fashion of blue lightning. Which on its own left the stallion upon his chair with a couple blinks and then looking down to the liquids in his cup.

        “…Well that was unusual. Though we shall meet again soon enough, Fluttershy, and see what this is all about,” the stallion spoke to himself. The cup was brought again to his lips and he took a sip.