Twilight's surprise visit took place the very next day, just as hinted by Endless Scroll. Noonlight and Trixie had spent the entire evening removing all traces of their mail magic activities and moving them to a 'safe' location. That is, if anypony could call Trixie's cart safe. On the plus side it was the last place anypony would look. For good measure, Trixie had cast a number of ward spells to keep a low profile. Hiding the material evidence, however, was only half the work. Noonlight had to pretend everything was normal. Being too anxious would clearly identify her as Starry Sun, not being anxious at all would create a bad impression.
The amount of Royal Guards at the school hadn't increased since yesterday - a single pair stationed at the entrance. Nothing indicated the Princess of Friendship was making an appearance today. At the start of third period, right on cue, she did, and what an appearance it was. As Endless Scroll was about to start his usual lesson, a purple light flashed on the podium. A split second later she was there - the alicorn princess that had saved Equestria several times over.
Noonlight felt herself become nervous. Usually she was not the pony to become star struck. Living in Canterlot she believed herself above such things. Sitting literally a few steps from a princess, however, quickly proved she wasn't. Now it finally sank in - this was the pony she had been exchanging letters and spells for weeks. Trixie had been crazy to start this challenge, Noonlight thrice so for agreeing to go along with it!
"Hello, everypony," Twilight said cheerfully. "I cannot tell you how glad I am to be here, among you all."
Nopony said a word. They were too shocked to respond.
"Well," the princess laughed uncomfortably. "I guess, my surprise visit really was a surprise..." She glanced at professor Endless Scroll, who shrugged and gave her a 'what?' look. "Anyway, as you have probably been told, the School for Gifted Unicorns, was gracious enough to invite me to see the best and brightest Equestria has to offer. And although, I personally never formally started a master class," a slight sigh of regret came along with those words, "I would still like for you to consider me... one of you. For the next few months at least," another attempts at a joke, another nervous laugh.
The silence remained unbroken.
"Well," Twilight smiled tensely. "So we'll be seeing more of each other in the weeks to come. And... Well I best leave you to your studies. I'm sure Professor..." she looked at him expectantly.
"Scroll," he whispered.
"Professor Scroll has a lot to teach you today. Ha, ha, ha," she made a step back. "If anypony has a question before I leave you to him..."
Suddenly all Tartarus broke loose. Unicorns everywhere started bombarding her with questions. Everypony wanted to be the one to get answered by the princess, even if it meant yelling the question at the top of their lungs. A few, Noonlight among them, covered their ears in a vain attempt to be spared. It was worse than being at a rock concert. By the time it was over, Noonlight considered skipping the rest of her classes and going to bed. The meeting wasn't what she had expected, not with so many eager ponies around. There was little to be gained by staying. Packing her books, she patiently waited for the princess, and the crowd surrounding her, to leave the hall. Noonlight was just about to go herself, when she felt a hoof tap her on the shoulder.
"You must be Noonlight Bright," an all too familiar voice said.
Turning around, Noonlight saw, to her utmost horror, that before her stood none other than Twilight Sparkle herself.
"Wha?" she glanced at the doorway, then back at the princess. Her pulse quickened. Drops of sweat appeared on her face. Had she been found out?
"Teleportation spell," Twilight explained helpfully. "Sorry if I startled you, I just wanted to have a word with you without so much noise around.
"Really?" Noonlight smiled guiltily. A voice inside her head kept yelling she knows.
"Of course! From what I learned you are one of the five stars of the master class to be given an assistant's position after graduation. And the only one brave enough to tackle Theoretical Magic! I remember it was one of my favorite subjects when I used to study here, along with the practical variety, of course."
"Oh?" Noonlight looked around for support, yet the only pony remaining was professor Scroll. "Maybe because I'm really bad at practical magic," she laughed nervously.
"Nonsense," Endless Scroll approached. "Miss Bright is our theoretical prodigy!" he patted Noonlight on the back. "Once she even demonstrated how to place safeguards on a circular spell, so as to..."
"Professor!" Noonlight shouted red as a beet, causing both him and the princess to stare at her. "I'm sure the princess has more important things to..."
"And so modest," he said to Twilight, who nodded. "Unfortunately, I believe We are expected in the Headmistress' office," he reminded.
"Riiiight." the princess' expression suggested that she wasn't overly thrilled to go there. Apparently some things never changed. "I'm sure we'll have a chance to discuss magic theory a bit more some other time, Noonlight. I'll be here until your graduation, after all."
"Thank you, Princess," Noonlight replied like a filly fresh from kindergarten.
"Don't be so formal," Twilight laughed. "I used to study here too, you know."
"Yes, Ms Sparkle," she said quietly before the princess and professor Scroll vanished in a teleportation flash.
The next few seconds the unicorn just stood there motionless. What had just happened? Was she dreaming? Quickly she levitated a book and opened it. Page 132. Bending the corner she closed it then opened it again. The page number was the same. So it couldn't be a dream. Which meant... A scream of joy filled the room. This had turned out to be the best day of Noonlight's life! She was to officially become an assistant, and not only that, but Twilight, THE Twilight, had given her a compliment and asked to discuss magic theory. What in Equestria could beat that?
"In your face, Aether Magna!" Noonlight said victoriously. The old mare had once stated that she didn't believe this new generation would amount to anything. If only she could see Noonlight now! In a few short months the unicorn had moved from "Miss Ever Mistakefull" to theoretical prodigy. Even princess Twilight had acknowledged it!
There was no way Noonlight could remain at school now. Using a teleportation spell of her own, she proofed out of the hall and into Trixie's wagon. Unfortunately, Trixie was there, which made the experience a bit uncomfortable.
"Aw!" Shouted Trixie as a hoof ended in her face. "Noon!" She pushed it away annoyed, moving to the nearest empty space. "When I said it wasn't safe to teleport to the dorm, I didn't mean the dorm specifically. The point was different!"
"I know, I know," Noonlight was too happy to bother.
"And I don't see how you can mistake 'no magic'," she went on giving her friend an annoyed look.
"I know, I know, but Twilight..."
"Teleported in class?" Trixie waved a hoof in the air. Noonlight just stared at her. "Oh, please. Did you think the Great and Powerful Trixie would miss this? I was there, five rows behind you."
Noonlight blinked. Had Trixie really been there?
"But I didn't see you," she said confused.
"Recolour spell," Trixie sighed. "Changes mane, fur and eyes. I picked it up after my last duel. Very useful for getting away from over-appreciative fans."
"So you heard what she told me?"
"All the squealing and shouting was too much for me so I left," Trixie grumbled. "Just because she has a pair of wings and a crown doesn't mean everypony should faint at the mention of her name. I bet half those ponies don't know a thing about her. Why, back when Trixie had the Alicorn Amulet..."
Noonlight's look made the blue unicorn stop. Her actions at the time weren't something to boast about, especially since they had lead to her bringing the Autocorrect tablet to Noonlight.
"A new letter came today," Trixie changed the subject. "I made myself purple, so if anypony was watching they would never guess it was me," she levitated the envelope out of a drawer and to Noonlight, who instantly grabbed it.
There were two scrolls, as usual - one spell, one note. Noonlight put the spell aside and started reading.
Dear Starry,
Your last spell was quite the headache. That's certainly one way to use double negative elements. I bet you didn't know that's what they were originally used for. With the development of better chain spells, however, the practice became obsolete, since the pony capable of casting more would always win.
On a separate note, I've come to visit Canterlot. You have no idea how much I wish we can see each other, but I'm here on official business. Sadly, this also means that we might have to postpone our duel. While here, I'll be staying at Princess Celestia's castle and having wild magic floating about might not be the best thing. Sorry.
Everyone from Ponyville says 'Hi', and Spike asked that I remind you to 'leave a few piles of fusion gems' somewhere for him. He's here with me, but since my business in Canterlot doesn't involve him, he is quite bored. I think you've spoilt him with those new gems of yours. If that keeps up he'll have to go on a diet.
Hugs,
Your pen pal friend and adversary,
Twilight
"Well?" Trixie asked once Noonlight put the note aside.
"She says she's in Canterlot."
"You don't say?" Trixie rolled her eyes.
"And that we'll have to postpone the duel until after her visit."
"Typical," for some reason the blue unicorn was unnaturally annoyed. "Can't have her look bad in front of her mentor."
"Are you saying we should go on?"
"What's the point? It's not like she'll bother casting any spells we send her. No, if I know Twilight, she won't change her mind. Unless an Ursa or something appears."
"What about her challenge then?"
"What about it?"
"Think we should cast it? It's already here, and since she won't send anything until graduation..."
"Sure," Trixie shrugged. "Why not? Any suggestion what defense pattern to use?"
Last time Twilight had gone with a gravity spell. That meant this time she would go with something insect related. Being over organized, the princess tended to cycle her attacks to the extent they became predictable. Only the secondary components varied.
"Full protection and creature counters," she said. "You might need to coat the inside of the wagon as well. Oh, and the scroll itself."
"Fine, fine," Trixie started casting the spells. "You go outside. With your books, It's crowded in here as it is."
No arguments there. The space was barely enough to hold one occupant, let alone more. Noonlight tiptoed outside. She could still see enough from the side window to give directions if needed.
"Ready?" she asked.
Trixie cast the last spell of the defensive pattern. Layers of blue glow covered her, the scroll and the entire wagon interior. Now it was time to cast Twilight's spell. Unlike all previous ones this was surprisingly short - a simple summoning. Like little dots, insects started appearing in the air. Without a second though, Trixie cast a bubble barrier around them. Initially, she expected her spell to trigger a response, but none such followed. The insects just continued increasing in number, filling the bubble.
"What do you think?" Trixie asked. "Seems a bit too easy."
From what they had seen so far, when Twilight was concerned, this never was the case. If something appeared too simple, they were looking at it from the wrong angle. Just like the storm cloud she had used a while back. Noonlight and Trixie were so preoccupied in preventing lightning from striking, that they almost missed the obvious - the cloud wasn't in fact a cloud, it was a mass of wool that had shot tendrils at them in an attempt to tie them up.
"Maybe she just wants to swarm us?" Noonlight suggested as the insects continued appearing. They had pretty much filled the protection bubble in its entirety.
"Well if that's all, I might as well..." suddenly she stopped. Her terrified expression suggested she had realized what was going on. "Noon, grab all your stuff and poof with it to the dorm," she shouted, as a second bubble enveloped the first, this one pitch black.
"Why? What's going on?" Noonlight leaned forward to get a better look inside the wagon.
"These are aetherflies." One by one, Trixie discontinued all her other spells focusing only on the barriers. "They feed on magic, it makes them glow. Once they eat through the bubble they will act as a beacon, letting Twilight teleport here."
Definitely an out of the box idea. The spell itself was just part of the equation. Twilight had probably cast another spell elsewhere to react to the beacon. Once she knew the direct location she would teleport there and the duel would be over.
Suddenly terror gripped Noonlight. If Twilight were to appear here and now more than the duel would be over.
"Stop daydreaming, filly!" Trixie was trying her best to keep the aetherflies in check. "Grab anything that is yours and poof out of here!"
"But..."
"Even if Twilight gets here, the Great and Powerful Trixie will take care of things. Now shoo!"
The pressure was too much. There were dozens of things that Noonlight could have done. With her knowledge of spells, there definitely was something she could have used to help. Instead she froze. The only thing that filled her mind was intense fear of her dreams being shattered. And she could not allow that, not when she was so close to achieving them. Closing her eyes the unicorn started her spell...