Ponyville's central square.

The big night was about to begin.
Almost everypony from the town was there, each one in their clothing. Mares in dresses and colts on tuxedos.
There wasn't a single dress equable to each other. Colors, decorations, details.

Excitement could be felt in the air, for obvious reasons, and Pinkamena wasn't an exception.
Mane had to go ahead by himself, for personal reasons, leaving the pink mare in her own with instructions from the colt.
The switchblade was hidden on the silk rose in her head, and inside her purse, the forged ticket to the gala, along with some bits to buy something nice.

*Alright... my... carriage, whatever that is, must be somewhere...

She found It. It was like a box on wheels, decorated with gold and silver, along with precious jewels, pushed by four colts. It seemed strange for her, such task could be a job. Being on a basement all those years with rare comings to the outside world, really lived up to Mane's words in the last weeks. She truly missed a lot.

A colt opened the door and while entering the strange transport, she noticed a shady brown colt inside, with a top hat and a black tuxedo.

Following Mane's rules, she simply entered and sited on the comfortable tiny sofas inside. The shadows were hiding the mysterious presence, while she kept her eyes to the window, observing the movement outside.

The wagon started moving, heading to Canterlot, and in the middle of the noise of the wheels on dirt, the colt started to speak.

"Hey miss..." - he whispered.

She didn't answer, the training was only to be used inside the gala, and Diane was not in the mood to take risks.

"Don't you know how to greet an old friend..?"

Her eyes quickly shoved to him, the word did the effect the colt was hoping for. She started to shiver, with a urge to grab the hidden blade, but she managed to control herself.

"If you don't wanna speak... then It's alright. I know how you are..."

The colt leaned forward, and she quickly recognized him. It was one of her connections. This one was one of Lil Miss Rarity's henchman.
Pinkamena blew the air on her lungs to the outside in relief.

"It seems your new partner prepared you well... and the dress, seems my boss outdid herself in such short period of time." - He said.

"Why are you here?" - She asked in a hurry. She was not pleased with his presence at all.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to interfere. Just to give you some advice. Friendly ones..."

The pink mare readjusted her position on the carriage's bench, ready to listen to him.

"First of all... I'm not here to help you..." - he started - "You see, the guys pulling the carriage, they are also contacts of mine. Just to make you sure you wouldn't escape or try something stupid."

"I don't care. Just get on the topic." - She interrupted

"Straight to the discussion? I like that!" - He arranged the top hat and continued. - "You will be seen... every step you walk, every action you perform, during the gala. Why? Because my boss doesn't trust you, much less in your partner. Besides, since when you work with somepony..?"

The question made her chill in her spine. They have been under watch since they left the basement, and she had to answer It quickly.

"I... um... I changed..." - she tried.

"I'm not buying that!" - He punched the carriage walls - "Everypony we used to send! You killed them all! Everypony who stepped in your territory! Dead! Every week! Gone by your own hoofs! And you don't dare lie to me! Our Organization knows all of your deeds!"

The violence of his voice and movements made her retract against the other side of the carriage.
That colt was well know in the "Organization" for his violence against others. Mainly to extract answers. He knew her too well. He knew she could kill him fast and silent, and she was not even threatening or mad at him.

He settled down.
"That guy did a number on you, didn't he..?"

She nodded in agreement, with an expression of fear.

"See? Was It too hard..?"

They were halfway to reach Canterlot, most of the trip, they remained silent, while she kept her eyes fixed on the windows again, amazed by the outside world. All those years, she was more focused in doing her jobs and arts, non stop to take a look, and for the first time, she had a moment to gaze the world she missed. The landscapes illuminated by Luna's moon was a beauty to be remembered.

"Hey!"

Diane looked at him.

"What are you gonna do with the money, if you succeed..?" - He asked.

She remained silent, with an expressionless face.

"It's alright... I respect your private matters..."

"I'm gonna send It to my family." - She simply replied.

"What?!" - The colt's face changed, between disgust and intrigue.

"I don't think I need to repeat myself, do I?" - She tried to input some respect.

"You don't need indeed! Since when you care about them? That grey guy really did something to you!"

"Yes, so what? You have problems with that?"

It was clear at his eyes. She really changed, and It was Mane's work. He had three conclusions on his brain. If she didn't change, she wouldn't be there, she would have killed her friend, and she would be stabbing him on that precise moment after all those threats.

Canterlot's lights started to illuminate the landscape.
The other carriages were already there, and some were still arriving, making a waiting line towards the palace.
Pinkamena's first time in Canterlot was like a fairy tale. The vibrant colors of the buildings, the residents happiness, the shops selling their belongings. She remained stunned at the window.

Moments later, It was about time she could set her hooves back in land.
Her carriage was four carriages away of being open so she could leave.

"Hey, "Cupcake Killer"" - He called

"What?!" - She controlled herself to not take her hooves at his neck.

"Just a reminder... you are being watched, many of us are scattered around the palace and you can't tell which one is who... and depending in your performance, the boss will be quickly notified."

Their carriage was about to be the next.

-"We should not be seen together." - He prescribed - "I'll go ahead, you go next..."

The door was opened, and the lights illuminated the inside of the carriage, making her cover her eyes.

"Good luck..." - He whispered and leaved the transport, faking a smile.

Diane was nervous to go out. The lights were strong, and the public presence was not helping.
A white young colt peeked inside, looking at her.

"Come on, Miss... the others are waiting! You don't wanna miss the the night, do you?" - He asked nicely.

She stepped out slowly, taking two steps away from the carriage, which door was shut close, and heading to the parking place along with the others, while other carriage gets into It's place.

In front of her, a huge gate which way was followed by guards posing like statues, looking to the front, only blinking their eyes.
No wonder Mane couldn't be there, whatever was his reason.

Crossing the gate, the palace's square was decorated by a small garden with a fountain in the middle.
Flowers, trees, bushes. All looking alive, along with the other guests. Their clothes were overwhelming decorated, compared to her dress.
The dress!
She stood out between them all. Diane could see colors everywhere. Pink, blue, yellow, white. All happy colors, and she was wearing black.
It made her nervous, while all the eyes were looking at her.
Who was she?
Where is she from?
Why is she dressed that simple?

The judging looks made her walk away from that place, more inside the party.

*Ok... let's see... garden... the royal garden... I must find my way there. We should encounter there.

She walked slowly among the guests, without an expression. And she had her reasons.
Alone in a place like that, most of the them looking at her for some reason. She noticed a door guarded by four guards, which outside was showing a garden. It should be there.

She heads outside, at the lights of the moon along with the lamps.
She walked away from everypony else, without giving notice, to the far back of the Royal Garden.

Behind the bushes, a grey colt in red and black mane appeared.

"Good, you're here." - Greeted Mane, while stepping out. - "Getting here without be notice was hard..."

"I don't like this..." - She muttered.

"What, why?"

"Everypony is looking at me, with funny looks..."

He checked the pink mare, there was nothing wrong with her. Only thing making him nervous towards her.

"You look... good."

"I guess... on the outside."

"Pinkamena, just follow what I taught you. Don't speak with anypony unless they speak with you. Enjoy yourself, eat, drink."

"Yeah... enjoy..." - She muttered in a nervous way.

"Something else wrong..?"

She remembered of the company on the carriage and his warnings. And explaining It to Mane could lead to some troubles.
Attending she was being watched without his knowledge.

"No, all good! I'll head inside! Hehe..." - She giggled with a fake smile

"If you say so." - He bought It.

"What about you? What are you gonna do?"

"I have other business to do in this place. Just go ahead and do your job. Just... don't kill the guy as soon you see him... remember what we trained!"

"Yes, see you around, I guess..."

And she headed back to the gala.
He returned to his hiding spot.

*I must think of something, I can't ruin this and be seen. She can't kill him, that's for sure, but I need to think of something!

He looked into the moon and the stars, and his mind lighten up with something.

*I have time for that...* - Mane thought.

And he headed to the palace, hiding in the shadows