//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Arched 
// Story: Miss Ponyville 
// by lyra_lover777 
//------------------------------//

	Twist watched, frazzled, as the show went on. She retreated backstage as Scootaloo took the stage, smiling devilishly.
"VROOM, VROOM!" Scootaloo's scooter rumbled as it began to whiz around the stage. She flipped and cartwheeled on the vehicle while still controling it. Ohs and awes came from the crowd as they watched her, in a trance.
Twist moved to one of the backstage rooms, where her name was marked in red, sprawling letters.
She collapsed on her makeshift bed in the room, sipping a cool glass of water.
Scootaloo's performance ended, and the crowd roared in happiness.
Twist's eyes drooped, and she dozed off.
===
Archer was perched at the see through hole, smiling as Scootaloo left. They were pretty good friends, and it was good to see her pal get some attention that she craved so much.
Apple Bloom took the stage next, jumping and twirling through that metal hoop of hers. Archer's smile stayed where it was as Apple Bloom's tricks became ever complicated. Soon she was cartwheeling through the hoop while balancing a bottle of water and her head and not spilling a single drop.
She had no idea how the Apple filly did such a thing, but she did, and the crowd gave a good response.
Archer sighed happily as Apple Bloom's act continued on. She spotted a bag filled with peppermint sticks with her name scribbled lazily on it on a nearby table.
She looked around and then scooped up the bag, quickly swallowing up all the contents of the plastic container.
She was about to return to watch the show when an annoying itching bubbled up in her throat. She smacked her lips, and headed backstage to go procure a few cups of the refreshing substance.
When she reached the water cooler, she found all the cups smashed on the floor and the cooler mysteriously emptied all over the floor.
Archer sighed. She knew that there was an old, rusty water fountain out back. The itching in her throat was unbearable, and she cantered outside.
The rusty water pump sat in a blade of moonlight. Once it might have gleamed gloriously, but know it sat in a sagging heap. Archer recoiled slightly. Would she even be able to coax a drop of water out of this forsaken pump?
She sighed, getting to the ground and kneeling under the faucet. She opened her maw to swallow the crystalline substance as she searched for the knob.
She had been searching fro it for about a minute when a cold hoof grasped her own as applauding sounded from the outdoor atrium.
Suddenly the grip tightened, and Archer was flipped backwards in a heap.
The shadowy figure bent over her, a maniacal gleam in its eye.
The figure, with surprising strength, wrenched the pump out of the ground, smashing it into Archer's spine.
The attacker fled as the injured pegasus' howls sounded throughout the night sky.
===	
Dinky was about to take the stage when the cries of pain racked the building, spooking the audience.
The Mane Six, still in the crowd, were arguing once again.
"It has to be another attack!!! This is too much!" Twilight screeched.	
But the rest were off, speeding through the crowd towards the incident.
Twilight huffed, taking her own way there.
She slid outside, breathing in the crisp nighttime air.
A clunk sounded nearby.
Twilight turned sharply on her hooves to see a fleeing, shadowy shape. On the ground where the figure had been was a twisted metal pipe.
Twilight picked it up, spooked. She set off for the growing crowd around what must be the victim. 
She surveyed the pump, but knew she wouldn't be able to find out much about the attacker. If anything, the victim had been hurt by a strong stallion or mare due to how much force it would take to rip the pump from the ground.
Twilight was close to the crowd, and sped up to reach it.
===
Sweetie Belle, thoroughly shaken after witnessing the aftermath of Archer's attack, and had returned backstage to watch the rest of the competition. Dinky Doo was now on stage, a crew of at least twenty mares behind her in slim fitting garments matching her own.
Dinky Doo flipped in the air, landing on the backs of two of the backup dancers. They flipped her up, and another tow caught her. Soon they were a flurry of body parts and color, for a second a pyramid to the next a pulsating circle.
As soon as her performance was finished, cheers that rivaled the sound of Twist's rang throughout the auditorium.
Dinky Doo and her posse entered backstage, all smiling triumphantly.
The one mare galloped over to Sweetie Belle shaking her wildly.
"Where's your scotch stash?" she moaned, grabbing her belly.
"Um, we're only fillies...."
"WHERE'S YOUR BEER!"
"Uh, uh, um, out that door!" the alabaster unicorn squeaked. The whole pack of dancers was in the open, by the spot where Archer had been assaulted by the pipe wielding pony.
The mares dug into the ground, attempting to drink the dirt.
"Hey, this ain't no booze!" one of them squealed.
But Sweetie had already slammed the door shut and locked it, as well as shoving a table under the knob to make sure it didn't open.
'Sorry," she grunted at Dinky.
"Eh, don't mention it. Seriously. I need new ones anyway..."
"Kay kay."
"By the way, aren't you supposed to be on stage?"
Sweetie Belle gasped and sped off of the stage, grabbing a microphone stand. The crowd was a bit grumpy from having to wait, and she had a feeling that it might impact her performance.
===
Dinky Doo smiled. She might not be behind the whole Cotton and Archer scam, but she knew Sweetie was her biggest competition. So, just a little harmless delay wouldn't hurt anyone, right?