Once Zircoro was in the small dressing room, he went to the tall standing mirror in the corner. He observed his surroundings from side to side. Then, he tapped on the mirror's smooth reflective surface three times. The mirror opened inward automatically. And it lead to a dark alleyway inside.
Zircoro climbed inside the mirror. He calmly walked down the darkness, without a guiding light. No fear...no regrets. Before Zircoro knew it, torches began to lit up the alleyway. Zircoro walked through the maze of hallways, descending deeper into the underground shadows of the opera house, as if he has traveled them a million times.
Zircoro finally reached his destination after five minutes of traveling the hallways. There was an underground candle lit lake. But next to this lake...on the wall in front of Zircoro...was a gold stone cave-like lair.
The lair was decorated with tons of old but classic red velvet stage curtains. Creative gargoyle and abstract creature marble statues everywhere. Desks, music sheets, and ink scattered all around. Craft materials accompanying the desks and their chairs. The center of this lair was a giant, towering, gold and red velvet organ. Next to the organ was a group of instruments,covered in a light see through curtain to protect it from dust.
Zircoro walked to the small wooden dock to the left of him. He takes the old row boat next to the dock,and rows towards the lair. When Zircoro's boat got closer to the lair, he noticed Eris was sitting on her organ stool in front of her organ. She was facing Zircoro with a cocky smudge look on her face. She was waiting for him. He rolled his eyes at this. Her legs were crossed, awhile tapping the tips of her claws together in a conceiving manner.
Once Zircoro's boat landed at her dock, she proclaimed joyously "Ah Zircoro...my dear old friend, you finally came!"
As the zebra approached the powerful musical organ, he was about to open his mouth to speak...
"Oh wait a moment though!"
Eris snapped her eagle talon with glee, then motioned her friend to speak. "Okay then, tell me the good news!"
Zircoro tells her in a deadpan tone "Hello Eris..."
He then realized what she did and let out an annoyed sign. He proceed with "Must you always do this."
Eris responded with a smirk on her face "As much as I like rhymes and riddles, yours gets real old real fast. But enough about that!"
She then magically poofed by Zircoro's side and curled him up in her snakey coils, "Where's my 10,000 bits?!"
Zircoro answered with a nod "They refused."
"WHAT?!" Eris shouted.
Zircoro ignore her exclamation and climbed out of her coils.
Eris yelled while Zircoro walks forward, "How could you let this happen?!"
Zircoro answered simply "I told you that the Shim Sham Sisters will never let money go...even to threats and ghosts."
Eris remarked "Ah but that's what persuasion is for my dear boy. But no! You couldn't even do that! What happened?!"
Zircoro couldn't take it any more. He couldn't hold it in. He halted immediately and turned dramatically towards Eris. He yelled "How could you do this to Butterscotch?! How could you trap him in this sick and twisted secret circle of yours?!"
Eris's harden expression dropped and relaxed. She let out a realized "Ohh, so that's what happened. I knew something was distracting you today. You had me worried for a moment." She finished it with a classic smile.
However, her smile only irritate Zircoro more. He shouted "How can you be so calm about this?!"
She answered with a cheeky expression on her face, "Who better to trust my secret with than the son of Zircoro himself?"
Zircoro's eyes widen and his jaw dropped to the harsh stone ground. He slowly backed away from Eris...he was speechless.
Eris continued smoothly "That cute little Bluebell is also your daughter, am I correct?" She chuckled in her throat then approached Zircoro slowly. "But that's not all I know. Honestly Zircoro, you think you can hide your secrets from me?"
Eris started crawling on all fours and sleeked around Zircoro like a wild cat. His gaze was at his front hooves and the ground, trying to ignore the draconquues slithering around him. She then whispered in his ear, "So, I guess it wasn't enough to just have a filly like her? Huh?"
Zircoro harshly whipped his head towards her, staring straight into her cruel eyes and growled "That's not what's important here! My point is..."
Eris waved her paw and claw defensively, while telling him "Don't worry, I know exactly what you're going to say. I will not harm a single pretty pink hair on his pretty little head. On the contrary, just like you, I will do whatever it takes to protect him."
Zircoro eyed her suspiciously and asked "Why?"
Eris shrugged her shoulders casually and responded elegantly "My reasons are my own. Just like your reasons are your own."
She stood up from her wild cat position and returned back to her towering height, "Since I'm in a...forgiving mood...I'll let your little slip slide. For now. But, make sure to have those fools pay me by the end of the week. Promise?" She showed him her toothy grin with her famous over sized fang sticking out.
Zircoro answered in a deep parental tone, "Only if you promise to stay away from my son."
Eris hide the feathery end of her tail in her cape, so that way, she crossed her tail feather like fingers. She lied "Deal."
Zircoro gave Eris a deadly glare before heading back to the boat. His path was blocked by a galloping Dopey. The hunchback pony almost knocked over the zebra.
Dopey panicked while trying to catch his breath "Oh gosh! I'm so sorry Master Zircoro! I-I..."
Eris snapped her eagle talon behind her back. Zircoro interrupted with Dopey "There is no need to worry. I know that you were in a hurry. On that note, I must scurry."
They gave each other an understanding nod and smile. Then they continued on their original paths. Before Zircoro stepped into the boat, Eris called out "There's no need to row back. Let me assist you!"
She snapped her lion paw and magically transported Zircoro back to the male dressing room. She turned to her loyal companion and asked "What's the sitch Dopey?"
Dopey panted "Mistress...he's coming..."
Eris uttered "Butterscotch? Here?...Now?"
Dopey answered while still trying to catch his breath "He...he left...a letter. At the...sanctuary. He wants...to come down...now."
Eris's mind was racing, trying to figure out the best solution to this new development. She wasn't expecting him so soon. Her heart was beating at the speed of light. She almost lost her breath. However, she was able to regain enough composure to say "On the letter, tell him that he can come this afternoon. At four o'clock. Slip the letter back in the sanctuary, and await his response."
All that Dopey could respond with was, "Oh...um, about that...I..."
Eris's blood began to boil. Her claw and paw were now hard fists. She growled "Don't tell me that you...let him in already?!"
Dopey slightly crouched down in fear and squeaked out "He'll be here in five minutes."
"ARRGHH! Why did you do that?!" screamed Eris while throwing her arms around in a child-like tantrum.
Once she was done letting out her anger, she ordered Dopey "Begone with you! Get on with your other duties and keep an eye on Zircoro! If you don't, so help me...I'll..."
Dopey struggled to gallop once more and scattered away like a bug out of the lair. He kept repeating in a frightened tone "I'm going! I'm going!"
As soon as Dopey left, a terrified Eris quickly cleaned up the lair. She used the mixture of her magic and moving the objects physically with her hands. Then, she dusted off her cape and straightened it's neck line. She even dusted herself off for an extra measure.
She went her golden vanity, which was on the far left side of the giant organ. The vanity mirror, like most of the lair, was covered by a red velvet stage curtain. Eris softly petted the vanity and curtain. Reflecting on whether she should remove the cover. She also reflected on why she was doing all this. What was this pegasus doing to her? Why was she feeling this way? This has all been happening so fast. For the first time in her life, she couldn't stand the adrenaline coursing through her veins.
She harshly removed the curtain and it revealed a glimmering un-cracked mirror. For some reason, Eris couldn't smash this one like the others around the lair. Eris had an admiration and fascination with cracked mirrors. They're so beautifully chaotic and imperfect. Plus for Eris, it was fun smashing mirrors. However, the vanity mirror cast a spell on her.
Eris, in a rush, fluffed her edgy yet messy hair with her fingers. Just to give it a little luscious volume. Then, she adjusted her black mask to make sure it was properly covering her face in the right places.
"Um hello? Eris?" Butterscotch's voice echoed throughout the lair.
Eris turned away from her vanity, brought the cover back over the mirror, and search for Butterscotch by the small dock. She saw the small yellow pegasus enter out of a glowing purple portal. The phantom instantly smiled at him, awhile calmly catching her breath and ignoring the buckets of sweat dripping from her back. All that she can hope for is for Butterscotch not to notice how hard she was trying to make a good impression.
Butterscotch was shocked to find a piece of land by the underground candle lit lake. He could have sworn that this lair wasn't there earlier. Then again...he was dealing with an all powerful goddess-like creature. He gave a quick look over his shoulder found the magical portal to the sanctuary gone. Butterscotch couldn't help but be awed by all these magical phenomenas.
"Butterscotch my dear! What brings you to my humble lair so soon? Not that I'm complaining of course...or not that I was waiting for your arrival." said a slightly nervous Eris. However, she hid her nerves through a giant fake smile.
Butterscotch responded meekly "I'm so sorry to intrude so soon Eris, but...I have to talk to you about something."
Eris's heart fluttered in her chest, her gold and ruby eyes glowed bright. She sighed to herself He came down here to talk to me.
She then summoned two cotton candy clouds for them to sit on. Butterscotch felt a little uncomfortable with his tail and legs sticking to the cotton candy, but he was willing to ignore it. Eris lied on her stomach and rested on her elbows. She replied "But of course! You can tell me anything. What's up?"
Butterscotch explained while trying to get over his hesitation, "I...I need to talk to you about...what happened today."
Eris inched her cloud closer to Butterscotch's cloud. She brought her head and her alluring eyes closer to Butterscotch's face. She playfully asked "What about today?"
This made Butterscotch's cheeks and ears burning red. He gulped before calmly continuing "I wanna talk about what you did to Elusive."
Eris cracked up at this. She replayed in her mind the humiliating prank she played on the cocky stallion. She laughed "Oh wasn't it just hilarious?! Did you see his face?! Priceless!"
As Eris chuckled some more of her devious accomplishment, Butterscotch whispered "Well I..."
She stopped her laughter as soon as she heard Butterscotch's guilty tone. Eris then asked softly "You...you didn't think it was funny?"
Butterscotch quickly defended "Oh I-I would have laugh but I was too busy worrying if Elusive was alright."
Eris answered casually "That prank was harmless I can assure. Why you are so worried about him anyway? Especially after the way he treated you!"
Butterscotch replied "I'm sure that all was just a big misunderstanding. I guess my question is...how come you prank Elusive all the time? What has he done to you?"
Eris looked away from Butterscotch and looked down at her claws. She commented with "Elusive has been a prickly thorn on my behind ever since he got here. He's been a pain to every pony! He has no talent. No vision, no emotion, no passion in his voice. Plus, he doesn't allow room for improvement in his voice because of his irritating ego. He doesn't deserve the title of Tenor! He is, as every pony says, a Primadona!"
Butterscotch peacefully proclaimed "He may be...disagreeable...but that doesn't mean we should be rude in return."
Eris barked at Butterscotch "Are you calling me rude?"
Butterscotch quickly remarked "Oh no! That's not what I meant! What I meant to say was...just because somepony is mean...doesn't mean that we should do mean things to him back."
Eris questioned "Why not? He deserves it. I'm simply playing out karma's plan for the little trout. Is that so wrong?"
Butterscotch responded simply "Well it is wrong because...our lives are measured by how kind we are to our friends, our enemies, and to strangers."
Eris scratched her chin and said in deep thought "Hmmm. How interesting."
Butterscotch asked "What's interesting?"
"The way your mind works. I've never met anypony who thinks like you. I like that." said Eris.
Butterscotch looked up sincerely to Eris and smiled, "So, does that mean that you won't pick on Elusive anymore?"
Eris responded cheerfully "No. This means that I'll think about it."
Butterscotch's spirits faltered a little, "Oh."
"Anything else on your mind?" Eris added.
Butterscotch needed to know more about her. He needed to see who she really is, not her phantom persona. His inner little voice is telling him to be wary of Eris. This the creature that strikes fear into ponies hearts. This is the phantom that turns others into stone. He shouldn't trust her. Yet...whenever he's around her, she has proven to be the opposite. She's kind to him. She can sing like an angel. She can create music from the heavens. Her magic can be good. She's playful and mischievous. What Butterscotch didn't like was her mystery. He needed to know the truth.
"Um...I know this is alot to ask, especially after I intrude into your home so soon. But, can I come back? Maybe tomorrow morning?"
Eris was cheering for herself inside her mind. If she really let her inner joy out, she would squee if she grinned. She told herself Yes! Totally nailed it! However, Eris knows she has to be play it cool.
She poof herself thin glasses and a thick planner for herself to flip through, "I might I have to switch some things around. But..."
She made her glasses and planner disappear before exclaiming "for you, I can make an exception."
Butterscotch smiled shyly and sweetly said "Wonderful! It's a rendez-vous then! Is eight in the morning good?"
Eris uttered out nervously "R-R-Rendez-vous? I mean...yes. Eight is good."
She quickly summoned that magical purple portal to the sanctuary for Butterscotch. The yellow pegasus let out a kind "I'll see you later Eris" before disappearing into the portal.
Eris's mind was jumbled. Her world was spinning, but not in a good way. She gripped the top of her head with her lion paw. She kept thinking to herself
...rendez-vous?! As in a date?!