"Once the Coronation has happened, this whole world will be changed," Shindig said, her alicorn splendor lighting up the opposite end of the ballroom. "There will be no reason to fear riff raff such as the Blue Jay and the Red Rook, for all of my children—even the estranged ones—will share the same consciousness as that achieved in the Cider Princess' transcendence."
"I think she traded in her sanity for those feathers and horn," Gustave mumbled.
"Shhhh!" Rainbow craned her neck, listening intently.
"There will be no need for police, or for walls, or for the chains that suspend us high above the filth that lies deep in this canyon," Shindig remarked, shuffling. "For the Cider Princess will have become a beacon, and her glory alone will be our source of joy and harmony. From that point on, we will not fear pain or suffering, for death itself will have been conquered." She scuffed to a stop and closed her eyes with a melancholic expression. "This peace does not come without sacrifice, of course. But it is for the eternal good of all of us. May the Cider Princess be praised."
The crowd murmured and cheered in agreement. Flim and Flam leaned on each other, smiling as they exchanged hooves to wipe each other's cheeks dry.
"What's with all this 'sacrifice' nonsense?" Gustave remarked. "This is so bizarre—I can't even tell if she is being serious."
"I suppose there's only one way to find out," Rainbow grumbled. She leaned aside, whispering into the Chaperone's ear. "Pssst. Epcot..."
"Guh!" The mare jumped, skirts flouncing. "Pl-Please! No flash photography until the ride has come to a complete stop—"
"Shhh! Keep it down! It's only me!" Rainbow leaned in more. "I know that Shindig's... errr... alicorn-ness is pretty intense right now, but can you sense beyond it to find out where Applejack is?"
"Errrrrm..." Epcot squinted. Her purple eyes darted about. At last, she perked up. "Yes! Indeedy!"
"Shhhhhhhhhhhh!"
She winced, smiling as her ears folded back. "Uhhmmmm... Yes indeedy, Rainbow Dash." She pointed towards the rear of the ballroom. "In that direction, about four corridors away."
Rainbow looked over her shoulder at the rear of the crowd, then back at Epcot. "Is there another way to get to where she's at?"
"Mmmmmhmmmm. But if you wish to go, you'd better pick a time when nopony is watching."
"Best idea yet." Rainbow backtrotted. "Gustave, look after Epcot. I'm going in."
The griffon rattled his beak. "What?!" He kept a nervous hawkeye trained on Shindig as the mare continued speaking to the crowd. "What about me?!" He shifted on his talons, glancing at Epcot. "I-I mean us?]"
"I need you here to keep their focus off of me," Rainbow said. "Then, when your presence is no longer required, the two of you should make a quiet exit and fly back to the clock tower. Got it?"
"What will you be doing?"
Rainbow frowned. "Hopefully? Throwing a wrench into the Cider Princess' transcendance." With that said, she turned and darted out into the nearby hallway with a flick of her tail. "Zoop!'
She just nearly headbutted two ponies—a delicate mare in a leather corset and a fumbling stallion in spray-painted armor.
"Eeeep!" The mare recoiled, her fake wings rattling.
"Gah!" Rainbow forced the door to the ballroom shut behind her. "What the—?"
"I... I don't understand!" The mare blinked. Her silken, pink mane had been distorted into an ugly collage of multiple dyed colors. "Who are you? I thought the Sons of Shindig had hired us as tonight's entertainment!"
Rainbow leaned forward, ruby eyes squinting. "...Fluttershy?"
The stallion glanced awkwardly at the mare—who only frowned.
"The name's Velvet Flanks, but tonight it's 'Blue Jay,'" the doppelganger of Fluttershy grumbled. "Or at least I thought it was!" She pointed an angry hoof. "Who are you to steal our thunder?"
"Eeeeyup!" the freckled "Rook" added with a frown.
"Er... yeah... about that..." Rainbow Dash stood tall. "There's been a change of plans."
"A ch-change?"
"Yeah!" Rainbow fidgeted. "You see, there were so many ponies invited tonight that the ballroom is pretty dang cramped at the moment. So they needed a Blue Jay who was..." Rainbow shuddered. "...smaller."
Fluttershy and Big Macintosh blinked.
"Whelp!" Rainbow smiled plastically and gave the mare a pat on the shoulder. "What happens in Philanthropy stays in Philanthropy! Heheh! I don't blame you for being unhappy about it. But if you need somepony to mouth off to, the Big Alicorn Herself is right in there. Waiting." Rainbow winked as she trotted briskly by. "You wanna ruin Shindig's night? Be my guest." And, with that, she darted around the candle-lit corner and was gone.
Big Macintosh bit his lip, looking at the mare.
Fluttershy frowned into the dim light, stomping her hoof. "Shit," she huffed.