"Straight forward, four corridors away. Straight forward, four corridors away. Straight forward, four corridors away," Rainbow Dash whispered to herself as she speedily traversed the inner hallways of Shindig's Tower.
She made swiftly for the far end of the floor she was on, shimmying past ornate tables, flickering candelabras, and the occasional suit of armor. It occurred to her that it was frighteningly strange to be encountering absolutely zero guards—or any security force altogether. However, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Rainbow took advantage of the situation. At last, she made it past the fourth door, and it was then that she saw an arched frame leading into a spacious chamber. This particular room was almost completely devoid of decoration, save for a shrine of sorts at the far end that was lined with candles and incense. In the center of the shrine was a pair of doors crafted out of glossy red copper, and lined with suspiciously complex array of bronze tubes.
There was a door at the other end—emblazoned with apple motifs. Rainbow's heart skipped a beat, and she darted straight for it. However—just as she reached the doorknob—she froze in place. Something compelled her to pivot towards her left and stare at the shrine. Her eyes fell on the doors situated in the middle of the array of steam pipes. She wasn't sure why, but her heart started beating heavily through her chest, and she felt this cold, falling sensation, as if she was slipping downhill into a frozen sea.
Shaking the sensation off, she turned once more to the door in front of her. She tried the lock, but the knob wouldn't budge.
"Grnnngh.. of course. Frickin'..."
She stared once more at the apple motifs across the surface of the door. If the "Cider Princess" wasn't located beyond that barrier, then Rainbow Dash was liable to chew on her artificial wings.
For a brief moment, she paced in circles, grumbling to herself. Then, she scuffled to a stop, blinking into candle-lit space.
"Wait a second... I'm the Blue Jay. And the Blue Jay is a friggin' thief!"
In a flash, she looked at her chest. There were several pockets located along the leather lengths of her corset. She dragged a hoof down from pouch to pouch, feeling the contents within. After much fumbling, she was able to squeeze out an elaborate metal utensil.
"Lockpicks! Score!" Rainbow smiled to herself and squatted before the door, aiming the item at the knobs. "This isn't such a sucky dream after all—"
Just as she said this, she heard a series of hoofsteps trotting swiftly towards that dead-end of a chamber. Along with the clopping hooves came the sound of voices, growing warmer and nearer.
"Mother, are you certain you wouldn't rather retire for the evening?"
"No, Frederick. There'll be time for rest and relaxation after the heir has transcended. I'm terribly sorry to cut your well-planned ceremonies short, this evening, but I must commune with beyond."
"We understand, Mommy Dearest. Will you put in a good word for us?"
"Mmmmm... I always do, Felix. I love you both so much, and he does too."
Rainbow gnashed her teeth. "Luna Poop!" Fumbling with her lockpick, she looked every which way, finally spotting a table lined with pitchers of apple cider. Dashing over, she slid beneath the dangling velvet table-cloth and hid.
It was just in time, too. A series of alicorn hooves shuffled into the room, accompanied by the trailing skirts of Serenity Shindig's fabulous gown. The mare closed the doors to the arched entrance shut with a noticeable hiss of steam. The lights dimmed, and Rainbow witnessed with silent anxiety as the mare made her way to the shrine...