Sparkyll and Hyde

by Dragon Spire

Act I: Chapter Four

Three hours of a long train ride later, Twilight stared out the window, watching the great city come into view. Many would wonder how the capital could possibly stay fixed on the side of a mountain, but the doctor only wondered what destiny had in store for her in her home city. Destiny was an ever-splitting path that flowed carelessly, regardless of what decision one took.

The PA pinged overhead, announcing that the train would arrive in ten minutes; enough time to ponder her conversation with Fluttershy about Silver Mist.

"Well, Silver Mist was my and Rainbow Dash's old teacher in the flight academy," she had told her when they first left. "See, I couldn't really fly all that well because I was afraid of heights, but everypony had to pass a flight test in order to graduate. so she came in and taught me how."

"But didn't those butterflies who saved you way back when do that for you?"

"Oh, they did, but Silver merely instructed me on the movements of one's wings and sometimes the history of pegasus flight. Did you know that we used to fly with hang gliders instead? And our wings were propellers to increase our speed! Erm, the point is, she never pushed me further than she needed to; she always said that I could never fly unless I actually tried. It wasn't until those butterflies that I knew, and she was so proud of me when I came back."

"Wow. So what did she have to tutor Rainbow on?"

"Everything else." She'd said so with a naively straight face.

Rainbow had picked up the story from there. After she and Fluttershy had graduated, Silver moved on, saying something about finding other ponies who needed her. The three wrote back and forth often, but hadn't seen her in person, until now. The pony she was helping now was the owner of a theatre celebrating its grand opening tonight; the Altrotta.

"I saw it on my way home from a few of my past meetings," Twilight had remembered. "Ponies over there were working around the clock painting and shining it up, but I didn't realize it was going to be a theatre."

"Yeah!" Rainbow had cheered. "And the owner's so in touch with Silver that she's reserved front row seats just for us!"

"I just hope Silver will like you," Fluttershy had shivered.

In response and encouragement, Rainbow had taken her in her hooves. "Don't be silly, Shy! It may have been a while, but she's friendly around anypony!" She had glanced at Twilight, "Uh, but yeah, don't give her a hard time, though. She gets real vicious when somepony irks her."

Given her rubbing the back of her head, she was nursing past bruises from making that mistake several times over.

Twilight lifted her head from the window and climbed off her seat. Underneath was her saddlebag, full of what she needed after tonight. Her plan was, after the grand opening ceremony, she'd return to her old home and set up in her study. Her father already knew her plans, and accommodated the house to her and Spike's needs. What would come after tonight was still up in the air, but that was the beauty of destiny: you never knew what was waiting for you.

Despite that she preferred to let it come at its own pace, rather than trying to drive her mind wild with the outrageous possibilities, like the one time she'd gotten a little crazy with her Smarty Pants doll.

Opening the saddlebag, she checked her formula, bubble-wrapped, of course. Adrenaline jumped in her veins as she hid it again; as far as the girls knew, she was going back to Ponyville with them. She'd have to confess before they got back to the train station, only so that they wouldn't worry during the opening.

Next was her journal. The leather crackled, even in her aura, from eight years of being well used. The top layer was nearly gone, save for the space where the title, 'Project TS: Property of Twilight Sparkle' read. Putting back in its place, she checked the quills, inkwells, and ink supply in the side pockets. All accounted for, and in doctor-approved state.

Lastly came the Alicorn Amulet; she dreaded having to check it again. Her aura reluctantly fastening around the artifact, she winced as a mental weight pressed into her. Cold whispers emanated from the grey alicorn's eyes and chanted the unicorn's name in beckoning. Urges to speak to it filled her, forbidden secrets teasing her to have but a small taste of what its magic could do in the face of light -

A hard chuck and disgusted snarl later, the object was at the bottom of the bag and pressed down by her journal. Its influence withdrew at once, practically hissing at the unicorn, an unspoken promise that she'd sooner forget in its whispers. Warmth steadily returned to her body as she tried to soothe her jolted nerves.

If that was what Trixie felt when she first found it, she dreaded to think what she had to deal with when it was actually on her. Zecora was right about one thing: dark magic did have its perils. But her belief that even the darkest demon could evolve into an angel stayed rooted in her heart. Princess Celestia always told her to see past the bad in everyone; wouldn't it also be fair to find that spark of light in a malevolent artifact? All who fell to their darkness did so because of their greed and willingness to embrace evil - she wouldn't, and she was anything but greedy.

"Y' alright, sugarcube?" she heard Applejack say. Pink flush dusted her face, realizing that her internal struggle had attracted six pairs of eyes.

" . . . Yep. Never . . . better, girls," she replied choppily.

Applejack gave a knowing smile. "T'ain't nothin' to worry about, sugarcube. That silly necklace'll be outta' your hooves next week and locked away fer good." She faced the others, resuming her part of a conversation.

"Spike, could you come here, please?"

Her call didn't arouse any suspicion in the girls. Rarity moved aside for him to get through, then settled again.

"What's up, Twi?"

Clearing her throat, she drew a low voice, "So you know what's going to happen for the next part of my work, right?"

"We're gonna stay with Dad for awhile -" he nodded.

"- Hopefully no more than two weeks."

He ignored her interruption and continued, "And my job's to take notes on the TS8, such as the instant effects and 'sim-toms'."

"Symptoms."

"That's what I said." He frowned. "But why worry about that now? Did you find a test subject?"

"I'm try -" Twilight bit her outburst back. "Sorry. I'm trying, okay? The Governors aren't ponies one could . . . negotiate around so easily. I'll find a way. Just not through my colleagues."

"Right. And -" he glanced at Applejack, who was still enthralled with her conversation "- This staying-in-Canterlot thing is between us, yeah?"

"Yes, keep it between us."

She spun back to the window, the gentle, many lights of the lampposts sparking up the mountainside. Moonlight shone over one side and made a behemoth shadow over the landscape below. As they closed in, the PA once again, in a dull, tinny voice, announced, "Attention, mares and gentlecolts, we have arrived in Canterlot, the shining capital of our Equestrian nation. Please prepare to disembark and gather your luggage. Thanks for choosing the Friendship Express."

"Come on, Fluttershy, let's go!" Rainbow demanded, tapping her hooves right by the exit. As the door hissed open in tandem with the engine, she dove out, not even bothering to wait.

"Huh," Twilight shrugged, "I had no idea she was a teacher's pet." Following after her, she put on her saddlebag, not even having a moment's peace before the amulet started whispering to her again. It was nowhere near as vehement as before, but she still felt its claws press into her.

"You all set, sugarcube?" Applejack came up to her, hearing her shudder.

Twilight hesitated. Did Celestia even know that the amulet was doing this to her? She shook herself out of her stupor. That was ridiculous. Princess Celestia, her teacher, putting her in danger if she knew its potency? "Yes, everything's fine, AJ. Let's go."

Her gaze lingered on her, then rested on her saddlebag.

"Really, Applejack, I'm fine." Twilight laughed at her voice crack. "I have it here safe and out of sight."

"But is it outta mind?"

"Well . . ." She got her there. Was it even possible to hide secrets from the Element of Honesty? "Look, I'll be alright once we get to the Altrotta," she promised. Hoped. Okay, lied.

But it didn't matter. After one more examination of the saddlebag, her friend sighed. "Just be careful, alright? I couldn't stand the thought'a you sufferin' more than a billy goat eatin' a tin can. And we don't need any of those Gove'ners swiping that thing, either."

Those bastards would have to pry it from her cold, dead hooves before she saw it in theirs.

She was already out the door and into the thick of activity before she could wonder where such a catty remark came from.

The seven made it nearly halfway to the Altrotta before they were met with, what Twilight was dreading, reporters actively searching for any scrap of news to steal from ponies trying to get by. Most of them were already at the theatre to report its opening, but a handful were standing by, waiting patiently just for her.

Considering that the Autumn equinox was planned early, it was unreal that they weren't driven away by the cold snap.

"Doctor! Doctor Sparkle!" One called, his spotting her a siren piercing the calm and attracting others. "What are your comments to your recent meeting with the Governors of Canterlot Hospital?"

"Was your project was shut down?"

"What about your row with Miss Melody?"

Twilight cringed under their stares and storm of questions. It was incredible. Every time she had a meeting, the reporters were the first to claw at her hooves for details. "Please excuse me. I'm sorry, I can't talk right now." Squeezing out between two reporters, she started for her friends, only for more to gang up on her.

"Wait, Doctor! Just tell me, are Sir Blueblood's claims that you threatened him true?"

"Fleur de Lis claims that you've been experimenting on asylum ponies without their consent!"

They pressed into her like a predator closing in on its meal. Having enough, she activated her teleportation spell.

"Run! She's using a spell!"

"She'll kill us!"

With a pink flare, she was gone, coming out in the middle of the shopping district, amongst a circle of ponies. They all jumped away, crying out as she steadied herself on a nearby crate. "Shoot. I knew I used that too quickly." A minute passed before she could stand upright, though she still wobbled as she walked off.

Her friends were just outside the area, running to her when they spotted her.

"Twilight! What happened?"

"Y'all, 'kay, sugarcube?"

"Where'd you go?"

She held up her hooves. She couldn't take all these questions, not even ones from her friends, much longer. "Reporters." Her brief answer settled their concerns.

"What, and you just ran from them?" Rainbow gawked.

"Now, Dash, not everypony wants swarming attention," Fluttershy muttered. "And she's had to deal with reporters since her project took off here."

Twilight nodded with her. "I've dealt with them since I was thirteen, when ponies started noticing that I was especially young to have advanced doctorates." She shrugged. "I'm kinda used to it. I just don't feel like hearing whatever hooey my colleagues made up about me this time."

"Oh, darling," said Rarity, "Don't you let them get to you; they are symbiotic with ponies of renown. Really, do you think they could survive without leeching off one's fame?"

"Do you, um, want to tell Princess Celestia what's going on? She might be able to get those reporters away."

Twilight forced a tight swallow. "No, Fluttershy. What would that prove? They all would jump at that and claim that I'm dependent on an Alicorn to get things done. Besides, I shouldn't have to, even if it did solve anything. This is my battle to fight. But thank you anyway."

"Oh. Of course."

Rarity then harrumphed, whipping out a medium-sized piece of black fabric. "Well, if that's the case, I believe that this will help with your dilemma."

Twilight slowly took it with her magic and slipped it on, buckling the clasp at the neckline. "Thank you, Rarity, but . . . black?" She was the type who'd burn any article of clothing that was black, if found in her closest. To see the fashionista in black was a sole occasion, when she was trying to go through Ponyville unnoticed when Fluttershy was having her 'modeling career'.

Ah heh . . . It's just a silly thing I keep for rainy nights," Rarity blushed. "I may have taken it in a hurry after packing my emergency crystal scarves . . ." Everyone else either sighed or rolled their eyes as Twilight examined the cloak.

There wasn't much to say in detail about it, except its fabric was made for the winter season, providing a thick blanket of warmth over most of her body, except for the hock of her back legs, its furthest reach.

She pulled the hood up so that it hung just over her horn, grateful for a shield from the biting wind. "Thanks again, Rarity. I really do appreciate it."

"Of course, dear. But I'll receive the thanks once we're out of the midst of these ruffians."

They moved on, Rainbow and Fluttershy taking the lead, followed by Pinkie and Rarity, and Applejack stayed closest to Twilight, who trotted in the back. Spike was stretched out on her back.

The cloak certainly helped; most ponies ignored her, unknowing of her identity. Spike, however, was the main reason that some took a double-take, and more shot daggers in their eyes.

It was bad enough, her having to deal with those stares whenever she travel through the city. They were conjured by ponies who actually bought the governors' lies. But she was at least grateful towards Rarity, that her cloak warded off the attention of reporters, who were far worse. Ponies who weren't reporters didn't have to question her about those rumors.

Not like she could do anything about it. If she truly acted on her frustration, she'd only succeed in proving them correct. So, like the governors, she had her own mask to wear; better yet, a muzzle. A muzzle disguised as a mask of indifference to the lies and the reporters and the opposition. The ponies who surrounded her in Canterlot and her colleagues, they were the wardens. They played their games and forced her to tighten that muzzle and to swallow their chess pieces like a bitter seed. It was her doing the forcing, but the governors were the reason it ever existed.

Her dreary pondering was cut off as she bumped into Applejack, who stopped.

"Well, well. I'll be darned," she whistled.

The two-story building stood on a small hill, a large flight of stone steps leading up to the front doors. Its overall facade a shade of evergreen, the frames of the windows on the second floor and the doors were traced with gold paint. The trails also were painted in intricate patterns before closing in the center, where its text was shown in raised lettering:

Twilight swallowed softly, climbing the staircase, wary of the ponies surrounding her. Now came the hard part; having a good time planted in one place, vulnerable to those who despised her.

"Whoa, Silver wasn't kidding when she said she helped make this place ritzy!"

Rarity sighed. "Agreed. Though, this whole thing reminds me of a hotel. Maybe it's the structure?"

Stumbling on a step, Twilight closed her eyes, taking in the scent of fresh pinewood and the clamor of lively music and chattering inside. "I think it is. Erm, I mean was a hotel, if my memory's right."

Spike fingered his lip in thinking, then exclaimed, "Oh, yeah! It's that run-down hotel that used to be here when we'd go to the pegasus race track!"'

"Mmhm. Except it was so out of the way of everything, nopony knew it was even there." She helped Spike off her back and let him walk on his own. "Even I thought it'd been demolished years ago. I guess whoever Silver's helping now wanted to put a hotel-ish spin on their theatre."

"Or they wanted to go the easy way without puttin' any real work into it," Applejack frowned. Her remark did make sense, being that, as Spike said, it was practically at the race track's doorstep. The last thing a theatre needed was having their shows interrupted by thunderous cheering from there.

"What do you suppose we do about getting inside?" asked Rarity, eyeing an usher that stood by the door. "I don't believe a letter from a manager would count as a reservation for us." The stallion's green aura surrounded a clipboard, no doubt with the names of expected customers on it.

Twilight stepped around Rarity and pulled her hood back, unintentionally taking on the look of a wanderer looking for shelter. "I'll handle this, Rarity."

Straightening out her mane in a somewhat-orderly fashion, she approached the usher.

"G'evening, miss. Your name?" the usher spoke before she could say anything. His attention was more on the clipboard, however.

"Twilight Sparkle."

He glanced up, seeing familiarity flicker in his eyes. But despite it being a split-second, she caught that it wasn't the friendly kind of recognition. Maybe this was a bad idea.

Nevertheless she forced herself to say, "I'm sorry, but my friends and I don't have reservations, but I think we're expected."

With Rainbow's permission, she passed him the letter from Silver Mist. The usher's eyes waved back and forth across the words, scrunching his eyebrows, then eyed her clothing suspiciously. Wondering what kind of doctor came to a theatre dressed in a cloak and sweater. She swallowed again, reconsidering her confession.

The usher glanced inside, eyes searching for someone, then huffed. "Fine. Get in, miss. But, please, don't 'pect any favors next time. This is a theatre, after all." She exhaled softly and gave a quick 'thank you' just as she heard him mutter something about 'giving free rides'.

As she and the girls slipped inside, they took in the interior. If it used to be a hotel, there was no evidence here. Whatever one would find in a lobby had been gutted out, making an expansive room with a stage twenty feet away, and a dining area between that and the girls. Twenty-five or so tables had been set out, six cushions per, in a checkerboard pattern across an oak floor. All but one had been filled with patrons.

The stage itself didn't have much detail besides massive, spread-out wings making up the frame above, and green curtains folded at the sides. A winding staircase nearby the stage ran up to the second floor, presumably off-limits to the public from what little life there was up there.

"I take it back," said Applejack. "Whoever did the work on this here theatre broke tooth an' hoof."

Pinkie, spotting a bar over to their left, 'oohed'. "Girls, they have a super-large amount of sarsaparilla!" She started to dive forward before Rarity stopped her.

"Erm . . . that's not . . . sarsaparilla, dear."

Twilight zoned out of their conversation, eyes scoping for Silver Mist, assuming the name meant she had a similar colored coat. A pony like her couldn't be that hard to find in a crowd of ponies with hues of blue and white and yellow.

"Hey! What gives!"

A spell activating behind her, as well as Spike's outcry, pricked the doctor's ears. Wheeling around, she charged back to the doors to find Spike behind a wall of green light. The usher's horn glowed the same color, eyes squinted. Twilight's objection died as he snarled to her, "Not it."

Stunned, Twilight argued, "What? No! He's with me, sir."

The usher didn't waver. "Don't care. It's not welcome here. One spark from it, and this place'll become the 'Ashtrotta'." Twilight heard Pinkie laugh at the pun and shot a look at her. The others must have heard too; they all stood behind her, ready to defend the dragon.

"For your information," said Rarity, approaching him, then standing on the edge of her hooves to meet his eyes, "It is a he, and he has as much privilege to enter as we do."

"You six don't have a privilege. I let you in because Silver apparently invited you. Otherwise, doctorate or no, I would've thrown you out by now." His cold eyes drilled into Rarity's, making her resolve disintegrate into worthless ash as she slinked away, muttering an apology to Twilight. "Sorry. Just enforce the rules here, mares."

Twilight bit back a thousand retorts, that muzzle of hers threatening to break. Silver Mist sounded nothing like a pony who would make a rule against other species entering. But she finally resigned with a sigh. "If you won't let my friend in, then I don't need to stay." The girls all started for her before she raised a hoof. "Not you, girls. You can stay if you want, but I don't want to. Not if Spike can't come with us. He's as much of a family as you're my friends."

Meanwhile Spike shuffled between feet, whether touched by her defending him or disappointed with the usher, she couldn't tell. "Listen, Twi, you don't have to leave. I'll just go back to our old house for tonight."

Twilight was already mentally rejecting at the idea. There was no way she wanted to spend the evening without all of her friends, especially not without Spike. "Spike, no. This isn't fair to you. You shouldn't be alone."

The drake folded his arms. "I'm not spending the night alone. Dad's got Fridays off, remember? Besides, mister bouncer here -"

"Hey!"

"Aw hush, I'm talking. Point is, I don't belong in here, and these ponies know it. So why not put that to good use?" He leaned forward before she could ask what he meant. "You're walking into a brand-new parlor, full of those dumb snobs, with you-know-what in tow and no defense whatsoever from it getting stolen." He began rolling his hands in a cycle to emphasize. "But say I took it for tonight, you'd have nothing to worry about, yeah? And nopony would know you ever had it. Just saying, being caught with it would be really bad for your rep."

"Spike, all I'd have to do is place a simple containment spell on it to keep prying hooves out."

"I take it that it keeps stressful energy inside, too?" he shot back, raising an eyebrow sarcastically.

"I -" She saw it in his eyes that he knew. The amulet still whispered to her, weighing her shoulders down like a boulder, clawing its dark ideas into her mind like a drag - griffon's claws. Even for one so young, it must have been obvious, the pressure she felt. And if he of anybody knew . . . "Fine," she sighed quietly. "But don't even -"

"Don't touch it more than I need to, don't leave it out in the open. Don't worry. I'll just put it in the safe soon as I get home. Give it here."

Deciding to give the whole saddlebag to avoid more suspicion from the usher, she passed it over, after the wall had been reluctantly taken down. As soon as she had, the whispers died out, and warmth returning to her body. She held back a shudder and instead focused on Spike. Her saddlebag looked heavy in his grip, but he seemed capable enough for the trip. "And, Spike?"

"Hm?"

"Just . . . please . . . be careful with it. It's not that I don't trust you, but the thing in there . . ." To say that tears didn't threaten to break through would have been a lie. This was wrong. He was too young to deal with such a dangerous thing.

Spike grinned back at her. "I'll be fine, Twi. I Pinkie Promise on that." He used his free hand to make the silent gestures of said promise and started to turn around. "I see you back home, okay?" He stepped around patrons waiting to go inside, and was swallowed by the night.

The usher had watched him closely, and now blinked at Twilight. "Well. Such sentiment for an imp like it."

Literally blowing off his dry insult with an exhale, she spun back, entering the semicircle of her other friends.

"Sugarcube? Y'alright?" asked Applejack, trying not to sound dense. Tapping her front hooves together, she glanced out from where Spike had left, then at Twilight, who also was looking.

"Mm . . . Maybe it's better this way, Applejack. I'd have to constantly look over my shoulder if he didn't take it with him. Trust me, I'll be better once we settle down.

"It hurts me to accept an atrocity like that," said Rarity. "Just because he's a dragon, it certainly isn't justified for him to be treated as such."

"I'm gonna talk to Silver about this," Rainbow said angrily, "That rule's stupid as Tartarus, and I'll buck it outta here, to the moon!"

As tempting as it was, Twilight didn't see a reason for her to do so. "That won't be necessary. My coming to the Altrotta's a one-time thing if this is the case. I just want to enjoy tonight, like he wans us to."

Trotting past the tables occupied by snobbish nobleponies, they headed for the one they presumed was theirs. As many of them glared at her, or slid their spare cushions under their table whenever she passed them, she did her best to ignore them. She may have been dirt under their hooves to them, but even dirt had its part to play.

At one point, she spotted Fancy Pants at a table, Blueblood and Fleur's backs to her. Waving quickly at Fancy, she ducked back down just in time to hear Fleur say, "Whatever are you grinning about, Fancy dear?"

"I saw a wonderful display of ponies tap-dancing back there." He hadn't missed a beat with his reply.

Rainbow snickered, then winked at Twilight.

On stage, a pegasus mare about Twilight's age was singing a jazz-themed song, twirling in place to the tune.

Rainbow flew up and did a three-sixty spin until drifting back down. "I dunno," she shrugged, turning back to Twilight, "I don't see her any - Look out!"

Twilight just in time to see a stallion's hoof thrust back. Throwing her front-legs up, she prepared for the blow.

Thwap!

She heard the music stop and nearby ponies fall quiet. She risked opening her eyes to find that a grey wing had blocked the attack, startling the stallion. This wing had no feathers on it, as though someone had ripped them off, leaving it instead tattered and ugly. The other wing was probably the same way.

"I believe that's enough of your roughhousing, sir," said the pegasus. Twilight looked to where the wing and body met and saw a pale-grey mare with a blood-and-peach-colored mane that ran past her shoulders in thin, spaghetti-like strands. Her icy-blue eyes pierced into the attacker's, which were wide with surprise.

When the moment passed, he snarled at her, "I say! This isn't your concern, madam. Excuse yourself at once!"

The mare lowered her wing and walked around him. As she passed, Twilight saw her cutie mark; twin feathered wings folded protectively around a cracked heart.

She risked a look at Rainbow, who grinned, bumping her hooves together in a 'go get em' fashion. Silver Mist.

Silver spoke again, in a soft voice. "This is a theatre, not a fight club. I will not tolerate the Altrotta being treated as such." She extended a 'wing' past Twilight to push her to a safe distance. "I will ask you once: apologize to Doctor Sparkle and return to your seat, or leave the Altrotta." She paused, then added with a grin, "Sir."

Sputtering in disbelief, the stallion raised a hoof, trying to strike again, this time at Silver. Instead, his blow was averted by her left 'wing', which she swung down to force his hoof to the floor. Recuperating himself, he then threw his other foreleg to which she twirled one-eighty and blocked with the same wing. Throwing that limb upward, she used that distraction to back-kick him in the throat. She stepped aside, letting him stumble forward.

Twilight blinked, suddenly registering that Rainbow was cheering.

The stallion hissed and started to let himself up before Silver pinned his neck with her front hoof. "You sadistic foal of a -"

"I believe you owe the doctor an apology now," she cut him off.

The stallion instead growled at her, struggling against her leg. "I'd rather eat my -"

She pushed harder, cutting off his oxygen. "Look, I abhor violence as much as the next pony does. But please, for the love of the Alicorns Above, don't make me do something regretful." She tapped her free hoof, sighing. "And make it snappy. I have better things to do than foalsit."

He swallowed, glaring at Twilight, then murmured an apology.

"Oh, for heavens sake," Silver whispered to herself. "Fine, it's acceptable. Glitz, Cashmere?" She motioned two ushers to her. "Remove him from the premises, please?" She lifted her leg, then stepped back.

"Wait! You said--"

"I gave you one chance; you wasted it, now leave."

As the ushers escorted him out, Twilight heard Applejack whisper to her, "What in the hay was his problem?"

"Three guesses why," Twilight deadpanned.

The pegasus singing her jazz number had watched the confrontation in shock, forcing her to lose her place and start over again.

Rainbow and Fluttershy were the first ones to approach Twilight and Silver. "See, Fluttershy?" grinned Rainbow, flying just over her. "I told you Silver could take him." The yellow mare just whimpered through closed hooves.

Silver grimaced, approaching her. "You. Wings tucked, haunches down, eyes forward!" Rainbow froze, petrified, and folded her wings, plopping to the floor. "And don't slouch!" She became stiff as a post. Silver scanned her ex-student meticulously, even brushing dust off her mane.

"Wow. Now I see where you get the Stare from." Twilight whispered to Fluttershy, who laughed quietly.

"Yes, but she never had to do that for me."

They turned back to Silver, who finished circling Rainbow, and made eye contact with her, ice meeting fire, before breaking into a grin. "I apologize, Rainbow Dash. I couldn't help doing that again, just for fun."

Rainbow's jaw practically unhinged. "What! But you -"

"What kind of school reunion would this be if I did not mess with you in front of your friends? Which, by the way, I'm proud of your efforts with friendship."

"Do I get a Wonderbolts sticker?" Rainbow gasped.

"Um, no, but moving on . . ." Turning to Twilight, she said, "I'm sorry you had to see that show of violence before, Doctor Sparkle. I saw him following you, so I assumed he had nothing good planned. I was hoping our grand opening would be without incident on your part . . ."

"Wait, you knew I was coming?"

Silver chuckled lightly at this, as though the answer was obvious. "Surely, Rainbow and Fluttershy told you about their letters to me? I was eager to meet you for some time, since hearing about the return of Princess Luna. And when I helped found this theatre, I knew I had to send invites for all of you."

"Huh. I hadn't a clue Rainbow Dash an' Shy were writin' that much 'bout us," said Applejack.

Silver nodded at the farmpony. "Yes. I got bimonthly letters from them both talking about your adventures, and how each of you now hold an Element of Harmony. You, specifically, represent the Element of Honesty; a personal favorite trait of mine. But I never thought I'd see the Harmony Bearers in person, much less two of my own students." She reached for a glass of wine, sipping it carefully. "So, do you find the theatre to your liking?"

Twilight, taking a glance over her surroundings, answered. "Well, it certainly looks wonderful. You've done a great job of running it so far, and I'm sure the pony you're helping knows that, too."

Silver laughed quietly. "Thank you, Doctor Sparkle. I'm pleased with the compliment, but I just oversee the food and seating, and take care of any complaints that we may have in the future. The Altrotta isn't really mine to command."

"Silver Mist!" Everyone except the summoned jumped; she let out an exasperated breath.

"Speaking of . . ."

A navy blue pegasus dive-bombed right in front of her, golden eyes glaring. Whatever her cutie mark was, it was hidden under the green uniform she wore.

Twilight gasped at her frame; her legs were like stilts that she thought would snap in two at any moment. "Where the hell is Soa -"

Silver walked calmly to her, closing her mouth with a 'wing'. "Please, calm yourself, Glider." she said caringly. "We cannot have our guests being scared off." She gestured to Twilight.

Turning to the doctor, Glider's fire-orange braid swung off her shoulder, batting her face before she shakily guided it back with her wing. Her bangs her unkempt and were tipped with gold. Her tail, on the other hand, was short and unbraided. The bunched-up cluster of white freckles on the bridge of her nose loosened when she recognized Twilight.

"Ahem. Doctor Sparkle, right? A . . . um, a pleasant surprise." She shook her head, flustered, then breathed in haltingly and started over. "I'm Gliding - erm, Glider, that is. I own and oversee my Altrotta Theatre." She secured an air of professionalism. "Ponies come to me if they have bigger complaints than dusty tables or hairs in food. But if that ever happens, I doubt they'll leave happy with my answer. I've chosen my chefs and performers as carefully as your teacher chose you. But I digress. Quite the colorful party you've invited, Silver. Those two are your former students, right?" She poked her muzzle at the pegasi.

"Yes. They are also the Bearers of Loyalty and Kindness."

"Are they? Well . . ." She studied them for a minute, every detail, then said, "Seems you taught them well. As students and friends of Silver, you're welcome in my theatre anytime, regardless of reservation."

"Awesome! Free dinner, Fluttershy!"

"I'm afraid I can't give everything for free, um . . . Dashell."

"Rainbow Dash."

"Right." She flushed, eyes drifting to Twilight again before addressing Silver. "Have you or have you not found him yet?"

"Not quite," Silver murmured, "But I am certain he will come any minute now."

Glider ground her teeth, snarling under her breath. Looking about ready to explode, Twilight backed off. Instead, she drew in a long, deep breath and muttered, "Damn it. Idiot." Then muttered something. Twilight caught the words, 'was so sure' and 'scrutiny's never wrong'.

Something about her was off, Twilight realized, but not the changeling-queen-disguised-as-future-sister-in-law kind of off. Maybe just a bit of a nutcase.

Glider cleared her throat, spreading twitching wings, and walked ahead. "Silver, keep both eyes out for that slack-off bastard. I'll go ahead and direct our guests to their seating."

"Right away. Fluttershy, do you want to help me look? We've so much to catch up on."

After eyeing Rainbow for her approval, she chirped, "Sure! I'd like that. Excuse me, Dash . . ." She slipped out from the group, following her out of the area.

Glider was a bit ahead, so the others trotted after her. "You'll have to ignore my concerns," she began. "When I sent out the schedule to my performers, one of them, I assume, ignored it. Now, I have to depend on a fractured group to entertain until he arrives." She glared at the floor. "He was supposed to sing with them, but if this keeps up, he'll be lucky if he makes the last performance."

"Forgive my questioning," said Rarity, "But I happened to notice that you've not set an actual play. I assume that's what a theatre is meant for?"

"Oh, I do plan plays," Glider replied, clearly trying to ignore her rudeness. "But I wanted tonight to be a music showcase; honoring great composers and lyricists of our time, such as Arab Menken and Maestro Wildhorn. I've even planned a Harness Zimmer showcase for the near-future. It would make sense, beginning . . . um . . ." She glanced back, eyes scanning for something. She panted, then looked away. "Right, um, beginning the career of the Altrotta with an overture. Mind the pun, if you will."
She forced an airy laugh, then stopped at a table and pulled out cushions for the guests. "Well, here we are. I do hope you enjoy yourselves. I'll get a waiter over in a few. And good luck finding a patient to test your theory on, Doctor Sparkle."

Twilight opened her mouth, but she already took off, zooming towards the second floor. She landed at one of the doors up there and disappeared inside.

"Y' alright, sugarcube?"

She flinched from Applejack's hoof touching her shoulder.

How?

"How did she know I was looking for a test subject?" she asked rhetorically, bewildered.

Her friends all took skeptical looks, before Pinkie guessed, "Maybe she just read it in the newspapers. Everypony's been reading them like I've been eating cupcakes."

"No, no." She shook her head. It wasn't possible she could have read it. "The details of our meetings are to stay in that very room, or only be shared with public officials." And as Bearers of the Elements of Harmony and her greatest supporters, her friends were entitled to that knowledge. "And I know none of the governors said anything, because mentioning what I needed would have risked the chance of benefitting me." Revealing what they denied her would have led to questions as to why, and then expose them for their spite against her. No, there had to be some other explanation.

They all caught her starting to panic, to which Rarity jumped to her aid. "Breathe, darling, breathe. Rainbow Dash may have accidentally slipped that detail into one of her letters, and Glider may have learned it from Silver."

Rainbow sank in her cushion. "Yeah, I might have. I don't remember what exactly what I wrote, but I did write her the day after you came back. Sorry, pal?"

Rarity's exercise worked. Twilight forced slow breaths, until finally closing her eyes. "It . . . it's okay, Rainbow. I think something so miniscule won't be harmful with Silver. If you say she's trustworthy, then I believe it. I don't know about Glider, though . . ."

The summoned waiter came to take orders before she could elaborate. First of all, she doubted that was how she knew. Rainbow had the least bit interest in her work, since it was complicated, to say the least. So why would she write about it? Secondly, even if she did, Glider didn't seem like the type who keep it under the radar. But the first point superseded the second, so she dropped it.

The jazz-singing mare finished her set list, diving into the back as she was replaced by another pegasus, this one with a dark blue coat. She began singing a classic Bridleway number, Twilight's thoughts plaguing her from recognizing it.

She, and the jazz singer must have been part of that 'fractured group' Glider had mentioned. Twilight looked down to the entrance, where the usher from closed the doors to signify that the theatre was full. This tardy performer would do well to avoid Glider at all costs; she seemed nothing like the forgiving type.

She started to drink from a glass brought over when a clatter of pans hitting the floor sounded from behind, followed by Silver hissing something at the interruption.