Hold on; where had he gone? Dash didn't expect him to disappear just like that. But there was no time to think about it now; the guards were almost half way through the crowd and Dash still hadn't moved. She looked up at the Wonderbolts viewing box to find it empty. She could fly over the guards to the viewing box or even through a window and escape, but if they recognized her, (which was extremely likely given the sensation she had become), it wouldn't matter how far she ran, they would be waiting for her at the Wonderbolt Stables. Dash spun around and retreated through the burnt curtains; hoping nopony had recognized her yet. Backstage she raced to the back door only to remember it was locked, she turned around and was about to try running down a side passage but heard a guard shout too close to the door to risk it. She was trapped!

'Think Dash think,' Trixie was doing a magic show, there had to be a trap door she could disappear down or a potion that would make her invisible or something like that. Dash started kicking over boxes, and spilling the contents on the floor, but couldn't see anything useful. She kicked the lid of another box, which came flying off and collided with the base of a table still lit with a dozen burning candles from when Trixie had tried to seduce her. The table teetered, then fell, spilling the candles into a box filled with perfume and makeup which exploded on impact, lighting a rack of nearby costumes on fire. This was bad. Rainbow gripped down with her hooves and flapped her wings as hard as she could, but this only fed air to the flames and blew them onto the dry plywood walls which seemed only too eager to ignite. This was really, really bad!

Dash could feel the heat pounding on her face and tasted the air fill with smoke as the fire raced throughout wooden interior of the theater. She had to get out of there fast. Breaking open the remaining boxes Dash finally spotted some things she could use. Grabbing a small smoke machine between her hooves and throwing a cloak around her head to hide her mane, Dash launched and flew through a line Canterlot guards who had been blinded by the smoke and were themselves retreating. Dash glanced behind her relived to see a trail of thick green smoke following her rather than a rainbow. Her mane and tail was under the coat and so if nopony had seen her earlier, she might get away unrecognized. Breaking through an upper window she released the coat and smoke machine as she shot up into the cool afternoon air. Below her, Dash could see the theater going up in flames as the audience poured out into the street. An emergency exit opened and the stagehooves came scurrying out and after them came the Canterlot guards carrying Trixie's lifeless crew.

Three-hundred years of Equestrian history were going up in smoke beneath her. The financial loss would be massive, but she didn’t have to pay for it and since the fire had started in the back, everyone should be able to get out OK, so at least nopony would die for her mistake. Still, if she was recognized, it could mean the end of her career and or even jail; not that the former mattered anything to her anymore, but to be caged and unable to fly... Dash decided that the best way to avoid suspicion was to act natural and pretend nothing had happened.

Realizing she was due for her performance in an hour and hadn't eaten since breakfast, Rainbow turned and drifted towards the palace, stopping short at what had become her favorite restaurant. She couldn't eat much or it would slow her down in her performance but a small snack would help. That fact that it was an all you can eat buffet, or that it was expensive even for a full meal, didn't really matter. Since joining the Wonderbolts, Rainbow had more money then she knew what to do with and didn't mind overpaying for the good food and familiar atmosphere.

Rainbow was eating a couple oat cakes and selected fruits when she started noticing that more and more ponies were looking in the same direction. She followed their gaze to the make-your-own-sandwich bar where an enormous sandwich seemed to be assembling itself with the help of a pair of gray hooves that were sticking out from its sides. Rainbow stared for several moments in amusement and then shock as the hooves carefully took sides of the tray and scooted it along the bench to reveal the maker of the incredible sandwich to be none other than Derpy. For somepony who couldn't fly straight she definitely knew how to balance two feet of fruit and veggies on a single piece of bread, and the sandwich was getting even bigger.

Dash left her plate and went over to the sandwich bar; partly to get a closer look at that ridiculous sandwich, partly to ask where the red unicorn was and partly out of curiosity at how Derpy could afford to get in here on a mail-mare's salary, (though she had the sense not to ask the last question directly).

“Hi Rainbow Dash” said Derpy cheerfully as she carefully balanced a dozen dandelions to the top of her vertical salad. “Good to see you made it out OK, like the red pony said. Do you like my sandwich?” Derpy's voice didn't have any trace of resentment for rejecting her friendship earlier. Come to think of it she had been awfully quick to forgive Trixie for insulting her eyes and trying to push her down a hole earlier. That was like Derpy; she probably screwed up so much and got made fun of so much she was just use to it, or maybe she had already forgotten it had happened.

“Its great.” said Rainbow eying the enormous sandwich, “What do you mean the red pony said I got out OK?”

“Well he cast a teleport spell and he must have done it better then Trixie did it because I didn't get stuck down a trap door this time. The next thing I knew we were outside. He asked me once more if I was sure if I was alright and then, when the theater caught on fire, he teleported up to the roof of this really high building and watched until he was sure everypony was out. After that he came back down and asked me what I wanted to do. I was hungry and told him, so he took me here. He paid for me and now... I'm making a sandwich.” Derpy precariously stood on her hind hooves, using light flaps from her wings to steady herself, and gingerly placed several slices of apple onto her dinner.

Rainbow looked around the buffet but couldn't see the red unicorn, “Is the red unicorn still here?”

Derpy shook her head, almost knocking over her sandwich with her muzzle, “Nope. He paid for me and then he left, I don't think he was hungry.”

Something in Derpy's story seemed a bit incredible that somepony would do all this for a complete stranger, “Did he tell you who he was or where he was going?”

Derpy reached for a sliced pear and scattered it onto the latest layer of her sandwich, “Nope, he never told me his name. He just said he had to meet somepony in the palace and that I should enjoy my dinner. He's just a really nice guy.”

Rainbow eyed the towering sandwich; she wasn't sure, but she thought it had started to lean a little and she didn't want to be anywhere near Derpy if that thing came tumbling down. “OK well goodbye Derpy, enjoy your sandwich... speaking of which you might want to call it finished about now.”

“Soon,” said Derpy with a voice full of concentration as she looked back over the sandwich bar to see if there was anything she had missed, “It’s almost ready, and when it is it will be delicious. Do you want a bite?” When Rainbow Dash didn’t respond Derpy turned just in time to see the exit door close. She looked dejected for a moment and then smiled as she turned back to her masterpiece.

Derpy took her tray to the closest table, one step at the time, and then began wondering how in the world she was going to eat it; but by that time Rainbow was already in the street flying towards the palace gates. Rainbow wasn't sure why she felt such a strong impulse to see this stallion again, but he had probably saved her life and Derpy's as well. Rainbow felt that she should at least thank him for that, if nothing else. That was a good enough excuse to find him.

She finally spotted the red stallion a block away from the palace gates, and lighted down next to him; getting a good look at him for the first time. He was tall, and ripped with solid muscle from hoof to horn like Rainbow had only seen in the most conditioned of athletes; yet something about his demeanor made it difficult for her to imagine him playing any sport that she could name. There was a big, cool looking scar that ran along his chest, with several smaller scars scattered around it. Two more scars ran parallel to each other along his back, and one scar behind his ear, and another; OK there were a lot of scars. Most puzzling however was his cutiemark; after the display in the theater, Rainbow half expected that his cutie mark would be Trixie getting thrown across the stage onto her face, but instead it was of a hoof lifting off a patch of mud without leaving any hoof-print. What did that mean? “Hi.”

The red pony's horn glared as he swung around in a single movement but after seeing it was her, his horn died down and he gave a faint smile as recognition fluttered into his eyes, “You're the girl who helped in the battle.” What had happened to his voice? It was like in the last half hour he'd gained or lost a thick accent, maybe his voice changed whenever he got angry but right now it definitely seemed deeper and richer then it had been in the theater.

“That's me.” Rainbow nodded, beaming with pleasure that the stranger remembered her, though she wasn't sure why it should matter so much.

“Am I to take it you're responsible for the little fire they had?” He asked with a smirk; he seemed to have blamed her for the incident but didn't think it a bad thing.

“That was an accident. I even tried to put the flames out but I was too late.”

“Really? I could have teleported you out too if you had wanted, but it was your idea to split up. I thought maybe you wanted to go back and leave them a little going away present.”

“It was an accident I swear!” Rainbow put her hoof over her chest, “I was just trying to get out of the theater... and things got a little out of hoof.”

The stallion scrutinized her carefully as she proclaimed her innocence and seemed to believe her. “OK.” he shrugged, “I'm guessing you didn't find me to talk about what you didn't do, so why did you find me?”

“Well I... I just, I just wanted to thank you for saving me back at the theater... and for saving Derpy. ”

The red pony looked at her for a moment as if he were trying to make up his mind about her; “Silently defending the guests of ignorance” he seemed to mumble.

Rainbow smiled, “Derpy is definitely ignorant I'll give you that, but you didn't seem that silent too me.”

The stranger paused, “Tonight was an exception.”

“Still, you were radical with the way you stood up Trixie and her gang. Not a lot of ponies would have done that for a stranger.”

The stallion’s smile disappeared, “Neither would many ponies rescue somepony and then push them away like you did.”

Rainbow blushed, not because he had misunderstood her but because he understood correctly. She shouldn’t have been so cold towards Derpy, but she still didn't want to be publicly associated with her, “Sorry about that, Derpy just took me by surprise, that's all.”

“It’s not me you should apologize to, it should be De... what did she say her name was?”

Part of Rainbow was offended the red pony spoke so directly, the other part was thrilled that he spoke his mind, rather than covering up his objection with pleasant lies as so many others would have done. “Her name is Derpy, and you're right. I should say sorry and I will. But in the meantime I would like to thank you for saving us both, thank you.”

The stranger looked at her, maybe with kindness, or maybe he was just thinking about how to get rid of her. “You're welcome. Are we done?”

“Wait!” Rainbow still didn't know anything about him, even though they had saved each other's lives. “Can you at least tell me your name?”

The red pony thought for a moment as though giving away his name was a dangerous act, “Silent Storm,” he said finally, “And you are?”

Rainbow was taken back; she thought every pony in Canterlot knew her since she had become leader of the Wonderbolts. “You don't know?”

Storm ears perked forwards with curiosity, “Should I?”

He probably just couldn't see her that well. Maybe she had soot in her mane that was making it hard to recognize her. Or maybe he had been away from Canterlot for a while and didn't know the Wonderbolts had a new captain. “I'm Rainbow Dash,” she said proudly, “Leader of the Wonderbolts.”

“The wonder whats?”

This guy had never heard of the Wonderbolts? Was he serious? “The Wonder Bolts” said Rainbow as clearly as she could.

“Who are they?”

This was too much. Who living in Equestria had never heard of the Wonderbolts? “Well, the Wonderbolts are the personal stunt flying team of Princess Celestia, they're made up of the best pegasus fliers in Equestria and they've been Canterlot's top entertainment venue for the last twelve years.”

Storm hesitated. “Someponies told me that Trixie was best act in Canterlot. That's why I went there. To be honest if that was the pinnacle of what Canterlot has to offer, Canterlot must be a depressing place to live.”

“Trixie?!” Rainbow was floored at the understandable mistake “Whatever pony told you Trixie was the best in Canterlot is a liar! The Wonderbolts are Canterlot's top entertainment and if you've never seen them you should.”

Storm looked over his shoulder to the palace gates. “I'm sorry, but I need to report to the palace tonight. While I'd like to believe you that Trixie isn't the best in Canterlot I don't have time waiting around for the Wonderbolts next performance or finding where they perform. Goodbye.”

“The Wonderbolt stadium is attached to the palace and the next act starts in half an hour,” Rainbow said quickly, “You can stop to watch it and then you can go do whatever you need to do.” Rainbow Dash had been sure that everypony had seen the Wonderbolts perform at least once. She wasn't going to let somepony, let alone someone like Storm leave Canterlot with Trixie's act of horror as his only sample of Canterlot culture. But it was more than that, there was something about Silent Storm Rainbow couldn't name but it was there, powerful, gravitating her, tempting her to find out more. Maybe it was a result of how alone she had felt these last few months, but she wanted Storm there for her sake as well as for his.

Storm glanced up at the almost setting sun and then back to the palace. Weighing his need to do whatever it was he needed to do with the chance of seeing these Wonderbolts. “OK” he said hesitantly. “How much is a ticket?”

Rainbow smiled at him, “For you; free.”

The bouncers at the Wonderbolt stadium didn't object when Rainbow turned up with a guest for the exclusive party. The other Wonderbolts were already suiting up and Filthy Rich was getting impatient for the star of the show to arrive. Storm slipped past the guards who either didn't notice him or didn't care. Dash raced to wash, suit up, do a final check that the arena and her Wonderbolts were ready and then led them out in a brilliant display of music and light.

The Wonderbolts performance had begun!

Rainbow Dash had chosen the timing of the performance perfectly for the sun to paint the clouds in glistening shades of gold. But the sun wasn't enough, all the Wonderbolts, especially her, had to have perfect timing as they wove through the embroidered pattern of clouds, making the entire field come alive into a changing moving shape. Rainbow glanced up at the viewing platform where Filthy Rich and his guests sat spellbound by her speed and grace and reveled in the moment. Performing for an awestruck audience was the only time when being Wonderbolt captain seemed worthwhile; the Wonderbolts were the best fliers in Equestria, and she was the best of the Wonderbolts, she was the best of the best, and everyone knew it, (well… almost everyone.)

The clouds were torn through, broken and remade into new shapes until the field resembled a giant target of progressively larger circles spinning in alternate directions. The Wonderbolts kept the circles spinning, flying between the circles and through their perimeters, breaking and reforming the lines repeatedly; giving the sky the appearance of being rocked by an earthquake rippling out from the epicenter in the middle.

Teamwork was critical, and so was understanding the strengths of your teammates. Misty was the weakest flier so she spun the center cloud, and then spreading outwards, as the clouds got harder to spin came the stronger fliers. Dash took the widest circle at the edge, flying close to the audience themselves. Her wings beat powerfully, each beat bringing her faster and faster as she prepared to do her sonicrainboom. Three rows of empty boxes zoomed past and then the one containing her audience.

Her thoughts beamed with pride as she thought of her slower counterparts; none of them could make her cloud spin at the necessary speed, none of them could keep up with her in a race. She turned for another lap around the empty part of the circuit, but as she did a flash of red flew past her eye, and then another as she passed the far side of the arena. Slowing her speed enough to glance at the third row of 'empty' boxes she caught a glimpse of Silent Storm. Passing the occupied box Dash clearly saw him, right where he had been, she must have imagined him before, but as she came to the next row of boxes there he was again.

Every box she passed seemed to contain Storm's image. She thought she was hallucinating until as she slowed down at one bend she saw him disappear from the box she had just passed and reappear in the front row of box she was going to. He was teleporting! Teleporting fast enough to keep pace with her almost at full speed! Dash slowed down just enough to be sure her imagination wasn't playing tricks on her, but this time she was certain; waiting for her at the front row of an otherwise empty box was Storm leaning over the railing and staring at her. She flew towards him and for the space of one heart beat their eyes met – did he just wink at her? A tuft of cloud broke from the ring Dash was meant to be maintaining and hit her square in the face. Looking back, the other way, she saw her ring was starting to break up. This could ruin everything! Forcing Storm out of her mind, Dash roared back into action, quickly regaining control of her crumbling cloud circle and getting it spinning back in pace with the others. She glanced upwards at the gigantic mirrors set around the arena and knew the sun would vanish behind the hills within seconds, it was now or never.

Dash fell from her cloud circle and plummeted towards the earth. The ground raced towards her at breakneck speeds but Dash didn't flinch. She was now low enough she was passing trees and rooftops as she fell, but her course remained steady. Then, just as she started being able to identify individual flowers in the palace garden, she angled her dive into a swoop and began climbing. Her heart was racing and breathing hard as the last rays of the sun died and the sky went momentarily dark. This was it!

Breaking the sound barrier just as she tore through the center cloud, she knew without seeing that the cloud grid the Wonderbolts had assembled was being torn to shreds by the six colored rainbow blast which exploded from her mane and tail. Soaring high above the audience with the Wonderbolts, whose suits were now glowing brightly thanks to the arts of Rarity's special dyes, Dash began swerving around making tight loops leaving a shining trail of rainbow behind her, spelling a congratulatory letter for Diamond Tiara graduating junior school, clear against the dusk sky.

Dash and the other Wonderbolts hovered in the sky a few moments after their performance was done. Even at the great height and despite the small audience they could still hear clearly the wild applause from the audience beneath. Forming into simple ranks the Wonderbolts fell in unison to a stone platform in front of the seats and took a bow. Rainbow looked up at her wowed audience and tried to spot Storm, but he seemed to have disappeared. Finally after some of the crowd had dispersed she caught sight of him at the back of the crowd; Rainbow couldn't be certain but she thought he looked impressed; she'd find out. As the crowd began breaking up and moving towards the palace ballroom Storm once again found himself with Rainbow at his side, but this time he didn't seem to mind. “Bet you never saw that before.” she said confidently.

Storm's face glowed, “You were amazing.”

Rainbow beamed; finally a compliment! “The Wonderbolts and I have been practicing that act for weeks now to get the timing just right. We all worked really hard but it was fun practicing.” This wasn't strictly true, most of the Wonderbolts had complained nonstop about the early morning starts and long training hours until she threatened canceling holidays unless they got it right.

Storm shook his mane and reiterated his compliment. “No, not them, just you; you were amazing.”

Rainbow felt the blood rush to her face and looked away hoping that Storm wouldn't notice. When she did she realized that they were some of the last ponies in the viewing box, and the few that were left were moving towards the gates. Storm followed her gaze and realized the same thing. “Where’s everypony going?”

“Oh, there's a dance party at the ballroom that starts in a few minutes. They're all going to get ready for it... you... wouldn't want to dance would you?”

Silent Storm looked back to where the tip of the moon was starting to rise and cast a quick glance towards the palace. Rainbow knew what he was going to say. He was going to say he had already wasted enough time watching the Wonderbolts perform and he had to get on with seeing whoever was waiting for him, “OK”.

Rainbow felt her heart skip a beat.

Rainbow Dash and Silent Storm moved gracefully across the palace dance floor, or at least Rainbow did. Silent Storm moved stiffly and thoughtfully, not that he was clumsy with the way he moved, but more like he was imagining the dance hall filled with invisible enemies which he was fighting in slow motion. OK, so he wasn't that much of a dancer, but that was what made it so special. Storm wouldn't have danced with just anypony, there probably wasn't another mare in Canterlot, who he would dance with. But he was dancing with her, and he was enjoying it as much as she was. (The fact that he left Derpy at the restaurant proved she was just a charity case to him.)

Rainbow excitedly kept her dancing slow so not to embarrass her partner, but then her heart stopped cold when she saw a pair of Royal Guards, an earth pony and a pegasus, enter the room with a picture of Storm, Derpy and herself. Somepony must have taken it when Derpy gave them each a hug, and now the guards were looking for whoever started the fire! Storm seemed too preoccupied studying the way the other stallions handled their mares to notice the guards. Maybe if she could dance Storm to the back of the hall without being seen they could sneak out the back door before –

“HALT!"

The Royal Guards stood transfixed in their gleaming Canterlot armor. Dash looked around for somewhere to run, but they knew where to find her at the Wonderbolt stables so the only thing she would be doing would be abandoning Storm to face the guards alone. Not that he couldn't handle them of course, but if he defeated these guards, more would come, and then more; Storm would have to flee Canterlot to escape. If she ran out on him now she might never see him again!

Storm turned away from Dash and regarded the guards with mild complacency, “Go away” he quipped and began turning back to Dash when the pegasus ran between them, rearing up on his hind legs.

“You two have been accused of the arson of the Canterlot Theater and the assault of seven showponies. You need to come with us for questioning immediately.”

Storm's expression turned dark with anger, but instead of blasting him unconscious he spoke in a low voice of authority, “Third table from the ice sculpture, next to the tree, red saddlebag, leaf insignia, steel clasps. Open it and read its contents, by the time you’re finished reading, I should be done here. READ SLOWLY.” The pegasus reared again and Dash resisted the urge to bite him from behind, but something about Storm somehow convinced both of them that starting a fight was a bad idea and miraculously, the two guards walked back to the table. Seeming to think better of his earlier advice Storms horn glowed faintly as his saddlebag opened and a scroll floated out and uncurled itself onto the table.

The music began playing again and Storm mimicked the dance pose of the stallion next to him, waiting for Rainbow Dash. This time, it was her turn to act as though she'd never danced before. The music and position of the other dancers dictated that she dance with her back to the guards. In her frequent glances over her shoulder another couple always blocked her vision except once when she saw one guard watching her and Storm in case they tried to make a break for it, while the other pondered the scroll.

Her chance finally came when Storm unexpectedly tossed her spinning into the air. The first time she faced them, both guards were now staring at the scroll and looking worried, second turn the pegasus who had run between her and Storm had his mouth hanging open, the third turn both of them had their mouths open. Fourth turn the pegasus looked like he was going to bolt from the room and would have if his partner hadn't pulled him back. Rainbow couldn't help but snicker then suddenly realized she hadn’t put her wings out to break her fall. She looked down to see that the floor was close and coming closer but before another thought passed her head she felt a strong, warm wave of telekinesis catch her and lower her gently to the ground in front of Silent Storm.

The music ended and all the dancers in the room took a bow, “Shall we go see what our friends have found out?” said Storm with a curious smirk. Rainbow threw her mane back nodding gleefully, and then trotted after Storm towards a table with a repacked saddlebag and two very unhappy looking guards who stood at attention as the dancers approached. Storm was the first to speak, “The conflict at the theater began with a second rate magician losing her temper at the silver colored pony named Derpy. I intervened to help her and the situation turned violent. Rainbow Dash intervened to save me. Both she and Derpy are completely innocent, neither are to have even the slightest repercussions for their actions tonight, I take full responsibility for the damages to the theater.”

“Yes Sir.” The guards replied in unison.

“But of course” Storm continued casually “I'm a bit too busy to spend the night in a cell over a charge of brawling or damage to public property.”

“Yes Sir” the guards responded again.

“So get the mess cleaned up, and put Trixie and her lackeys on the next train out of Canterlot! If they resist you are to chain them behind the carriage with magic resistant locks and drag them to the border of Equestria! I don't want to see or hear her in Canterlot ever again! If there is a problem, you are to take it directly to Shining Armor and ask him if Silent Storm has the authority to issue such and order! Am I clear!?”

At the mention of the Captain the Guards stares grew even wider. Rainbow didn't know much about the Royal Guard, but she did know that Shining Armor hadn't appeared in public for months and clearance to see him had become stricter and stricter until, except for The Princesses, it was doubtful anypony had the right meet with him directly. But Storm spoke as though he knew him well and had full confidence in knowing exactly what his response would be. Who was this guy?

“After that” Storm continued, “You can both pull latrine duty for the next three months for disobeying a direct order from a superior officer.” Looking at the earth-pony he let him go, “Dismissed,” but then turned gravely to the pegasus who had challenged him in from of Rainbow Dash. “You on the other hand owe the mare an apology for your rude behavior tonight.” The Pegasus lowered his head and murmured something inaudible. “What was that!?”

The pegasus stammered moment looking pitiful but finally eventually managed, “Please forgive me Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow looked down on the defeated guard and flicked her mane. She wasn't seriously thinking about asking Storm to punish him more; but she hadn’t felt this alive since before being made leader of the Wonderbolts and wasn't going to let the moment pass without savoring it. After a long wait she smiled, “Aww, it’s alright.”

The guard began scurrying away and had nearly escaped when Storm added, “And after you’re done with your duties tomorrow you can volunteer to scrub the barracks and polish all of your unit’s weapons until they shine.” The guard picked up to a gallop and got out of the hall before Storm had any other ideas about how he might be spending the next few months and Rainbow laughed for the first time in weeks.

The music started again and Storm led Rainbow back to the floor for a final dance before the party ended. If Storm had never danced before he was a very quick learner, or maybe he use to dance and it had just been a long time. Either way he was rapidly improving, enough that Rainbow felt he could dance and talk at the same time. “Soooo are you going to tell me what was in that scroll?” she asked finally after trying unsuccessfully to come up with a less subtle approach.

“It regards my presence here in Canterlot.” He had seemed to have sensed her question coming and planned his response; what he would say and more importantly what he wouldn't.

“Can you tell me what it says?”

Storm stumbled a moment. Maybe he wasn't that comfortable dancing yet and they shouldn't be talking; actually, it was just an excuse to pretend not to have heard her. “How did you join up with the Wonderbolts?”

Rainbow looked away in annoyance and disappointment, but answered his question anyways; “My parents brought me to one of their performances when I was just a tiny filly, and I fell in love with them. Wait! What I mean is, I really, really liked their act. I started practicing my flying and last year I finally got the chance to join them. After that it wasn't long until I became their leader.”

Storm nodded, “And now that you won your objective, is being a Wonderbolt as great as you imagined?”

Rainbow could have been knocked over with a feather. This was the first time anypony had asked her that question. Even her friends who she had known all her life had taken it for granted that she would be happy having fulfilled her life's dream. Could she admit that after pursuing the dream of fame and greatness all her life she had caught it and found it hollow? Why should she? Storm wasn't telling her the truth about him. She tried to look him in the eye but failed, “It’s a dream come true.”

When she finally looked back at Storm he was nodding slowly, “Good, I'm happy for you.” Rainbow thought she could detect a hint of sadness in his voice.

Shortly afterward the music of the last dance ended Storm's saddlebag levitated to his back, “I need to go now.”

“Wait.” said Rainbow, “Before you go, please tell me: who are you?”

“You already know my name.”

“I know but... who are you?”

Storm looked her dead in the eye with a firm gaze, “You should be afraid to ask that question.”

Couldn't he take any of her questions seriously? Fine, if he wanted to play games and not be serious then... fine. She'd play along. “Oh, would you have to kill me if I found out” she tried to portray a playful smirk to hide her frustration.

“No. But even if I did that would be no reason not to ask; death is not to be feared. But you should be afraid that if you ask me that question, I might tell you the truth.”

He was joking, right? Rainbow tried to think of a retort but before she could Storm turned and left the hall, leaving Rainbow Dash alone.

Silent Storm entered the security wing of the palace proceeded through several checkpoints, at each one he produced the same scroll the guards had seen and was admitted without further question. Refusing the offer of a guide and instead asking for directions to a certain tower, Storm proceeded alone up a long stone staircase, admitted himself into a dark room and immediately closed the door behind him.

In one corner, on a bed of soiled hay lay a shivering pony, his fur was coming out and was scattered across the floor, his muscles were wasted, his condition suggested somepony who hadn't eaten properly for weeks, his breathing was labored but steady, and the blood vessels in one eye had burst, leaving it red in stark contrast to its milky white counterpart. Storm did not recoil from the tortured pony as many other ponies might, but regarded him with a grim solace from the knowledge of what was about to happen and wished for one moment that he hadn't come. The pain would begin soon, and when it did there would be no stopping it until the task was done.

Finally he turned to the only other pony in the room, Princess Celestia, who stood silently over the suffering creature. “I'm ready” he said calmly, “Let's begin.”

Next Chapter: Scenes Deleted from the middle Estimated time remaining: 60 Minutes