Author's Notes:

The import did not accept the space after each paragraph so it looks a little funky, sorry.

Twilight Sparkle stared up at the painted glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling until she knew exactly how many were there. It didn’t help her sleep, especially when she noted the repeating pattern that abruptly cut off at the walls. Would it have been so hard to make it all neat and even? She huffed in the darkness and rolled onto her side.

Sleep still eluded her. Ever since her talk with Princess Celestia she had been unable to get her mind off her task. The doll’s maker was still loose using dark magic. Completely unchecked. And there she was lying in a comfy bed while somewhere, somepony could be getting hurt or worse.

Twilight slid out of the bed hurriedly. Levitating her one bag of belongings she made her way to the castle guest room’s door. The train wouldn’t be running that late but with some teleporting she could-

Guard stallions were waiting outside on either side of the hall just outside her door. They were lit by a single touch hung high on the wall. One turned his helmeted head her way and met her eye. “Miss Sparkle,” he said officially, “the Princess instructed us to make sure you are safe throughout the night.”

The purple unicorn smiled awkwardly. Her bag slowly drifted to the floor. “Yes, well, I realized I have to get going. If you’ll excuse me-”

“The Princess,” the other guard quickly interjected, his gold armor reflecting flames, “also requested that we not allow you to travel during the night. That it was, as she said, far too dangerous.”

Twilight bit back any retort she could think off, and they were quite a number. In the end she gave in, knowing if she went against the Princess the alicorn would lose face with her subjects. With a sigh, she turned back to her room, “Goodnight, then.”

“Goodnight, Miss Sparkle,” the two guards said in unison before the heavy wood door silently shut. The castle was like a well-oiled machine, and she simply an addition.

A shaft of gold warmed Trixie’s cheek until she sleepily opened her eyes. It streamed through a slit in what somepony seemed to have called curtains at some point. The unicorn rolled away from the light but couldn’t go far on the small bed. It squeaked annoyingly as she wiggled into a better position. By the time she was comfortable she was too awake to fade back into whatever dream had gripped her. She was somewhat thankful she couldn’t remember it.

With a yawn she rose from the sad excuse for a bed. Not like she could complain, really, having spent more time than she would have liked on the road. And she had hardly worried about how comfortable the bed was after the warm bath she had nearly knocked her out from relaxation. This place had one thing going for it, at least.

Another yawn escaped her and she decided to get all the way out of bed before it pulled her back into it. The innkeeper may let her stay in exchange for work, but that work wouldn’t be easy. As soon as everypony realized she, the Great and Powerful Trixie, had returned, they would no doubt come tomato in hoof to her first performance. It would have to be something particularly spectacular in order to win back her audience.

“Spectacular for an inn… ” she spoke softly to her image in the faded mirror.

“Good morning!” Ruby Pinch exclaimed hanging upside down from the inside of the fireplace. Trixie jumped sideways into the wall and slid down into a frightened heap. Soot covered the giggling filly head to hoof. She nimbly dropped to her hooves, leaving a puff of black in her wake. “Did I getcha’?”

“Wha-… what are you doing in the chimney?” Trixie stammered out. The little filly left sooty hoof prints on the wooden floor as she skipped towards the door.

“Sweeping, of course!” she responded cheerily. “But I haven’t found out how I’m supposed to climb back up yet… See you at breakfast!” With that she opened the bedroom door and dashed out.

The unicorn stared dumbfounded after her. “Morning… ”

Looking out over Ponyville in the midmorning rays, Pattern angled his head downward so the cloak covering it kept the light out of his eyes. His attire, mysterious as it was, would not draw too many eyes in the bustling city known for travelers. They would get more suspicious as he approached the tree house that Twilight Sparkle called home.

The stallion trotted down the grassy hill towards the town. A thin layer of wetness still covered the green underhoof, making the going somewhat treacherous. Pattern was thankful no other ponies were around to see his slippery approach. The fewer eyes on me the better.

Green turned to brown as he hit the main road just a few hundred hooves from the first building that marked Ponyville’s new beginning. His home had been built long ago when Ponyville was still young, but now the town was steadily creeping towards him as it flourished. Lowly shacks would be bulldozed for brick, just for those to be demolished for more everlasting stone and all the while pushing the population so the process could begin again. Soon it would overtake his mansion and reveal it to Equestria. It was inevitable.

But he was the last of his line and cared little for legacy. Once his latest creation was complete, he told himself, all the world could see his accomplishments. The thought gave him the courage he needed to continue into the town. Even as the sun continued to banish the night, ponies and stallions hurried about with one task or another. They called to one another and laughed and sang and ate. Each sound overlapped the other until Pattern felt like every single one was standing right next to him.

He ducked into the nearest inn, breath short. The overwhelming noise dulled to a hum as the door swung closed behind him. Pattern closed his eyes and brought his breath to a steady rhythm once again. When he opened them he had to take a moment to realize he had. The inn he now occupied had not woken up as Ponyville had: the curtains remained shut and the few occupants lay sleeping in chairs. Embers in the fireplace did little to light the large common room and bar.

Something dark flitted from shadow to shadow. Pattern’s hairs stood on edge. “Who’s there?” he said, horn glowing to life. The cloak over his head prevented the new light from penetrating more than a few hooves ahead of him. Giggling echoed off the walls. “Come out!”

“Quit shoutin’!” a drunken reply came from behind the bar.

“Mama’s awake!” said a lighter voice. The dark thing shot over to the bar and rushed around it. “Mama, I swept the chimneys! See, see!”

“You wa-… Aw, Tartarus, Pinchy! You’re gettin’ soot ever’where!” There was a commotion behind the bar. Pattern inched his way closer to it, still on edge. “Wash up and sweep this up, now!”

“Ooooookkkkkk, fine… ” Pattern nearly jumped out of his skin when the dark thing rushed out from around the bar and up the stairs to the second floor. His eyes were drawn back to the bar as a pony shaped shadow picked itself up. It saw him, no doubt by the glow of his horn through the fabric of his cloak, and gestured.

“Put that thing to use an’ open the curtains, will yeah?”

Shouting from below made Trixie pause at the top of the staircase. A dark form rounded the corner below and shot up the stairs, making the unicorn start. She recognized the giggling filly quickly, though, and moved out of her way to avoid a collision. The stairs were clear and she continued her decent.

A unicorn in a cloak was rushing from curtain to curtain. At each one his horn glowed and the cloth moved, letting in the morning light. The patrons that hadn’t made it to their rooms the night before shielded their eyes. Berry Punch hissed from behind the bar but made no move to stop the stallion.

Trixie approached her. “You have another employee?” the blue pony asked.

The other pony shook her head. “Nah, just som’ fella that wondered in.” She took a green bottle out from a mini-fridge behind the bar and wiggled it at Trixie. The unicorn, having seen this gesture from many earth and pegasus ponies in the past, used her magic to open the bottle. Berry Punch wasted no time downing the drink as soon as the top was off. She sighed with relief a moment later. “Much better.”

The unicorn stallion finished opening the final curtain and looked around, seemingly lost. Berry Punch waved him over. “Thanks, dear, your first drinks on me.”

“I don’t drink… ” the stallion said softly. Trixie’s eyes widened when he moved closer. The fur on his face ranged from all over the spectrum in blotches. His eyes were teal and what little of his mane poked out from the hood was black. “I… have to go… I need to see Twilight Sparkle… ”

Trixie’s ears perked up. “So do I,” she said without thinking. The stallion locked eyes with her. For a moment his widened, seeing her standing there for the first time. Trixie thought she saw a bit of wonder as well.

A hoof hitting the bar top brought both their attention back to Berry Punch. She rubbed a cloth against the wooden counter. “Well, you’re both out of luck. The resident bookworm is out of town.”

“What?!” both patrons exclaimed, their loudness making Berry Punch cringe.

She brought her hooves up in front of her. “Don’t blame me! That’s what the E.T.B. reported, anyways.”

Again, both Trixie and the stallion looked at her confused. With a sigh, Berry Punch turned towards the stairs and called up. “Pinchy!”

A female earth filly stood in front of a blue background with a grin from ear to ear. In a lisping voice she exclaimed, “Hello all my loyal followers! I have exciting news for you all!” A square image showing Twilight Sparkle about to get on a chariot pulled by royal guard pegasus appeared next to the filly’s head. “The best element of harmony out there, Twilight Sparkle, was escorted off to Canterlot this afternoon! No doubt she’ll be speaking with the Princess and be off on another amazing adventure!”

The image of the unicorn faded out. The camera cut to another, showing a roundtable of fillies. Leaning in, the excited filly addressed the assembly. “Now, members of Elements are The Best, what new and exciting adventure do you think Twilight Sparkle will be on now?”

A male unicorn filly cut in first. “I just want to point out that Twilight Sparkle is not best element of harmony-”

A female pegasus from across the table huffed. “Lane, we all know you have a crush on Fluttershy, you don’t have to try and bring it up every day!”

The original presenter interrupted. “Let’s keep on the topic at hand, please! Who here thinks Twilight will finally be crowned a princess?”

Every other filly at the table groaned. One filly ran her hoof through her hair, “Come on, Tiff, how does that even make sense? A unicorn can’t just magically turn into an alicorn, that’s crazy!”

“What the hell am I looking at?” the stallion said monotonously. Trixie bumped into his shoulder and leaned her head at Pinchy. He looked at her, confused. Trixie just shook her head.

Pinchy didn’t seem to notice the swear. She pointed her little hoof at the small computer screen set up on the child size desk in the room she seemed to share with her mother. “It’s the Elements are The Best!” she explained squeakily, “They’re the biggest elements of harmony fan club in Equestria! They always know what they’re doing!”

The hooded unicorn poked the computer screen. “This thing… has ponies in it?”

Trixie and Pinchy looked at him strangely. “It’s a computer,” Trixie said flatly. To Pinchy, she asked, “When was this recorded?”

“Yesterday. They make one every day.” Pinchy moved the little computer mouse with her hoof to navigate the webpage. There were dozens of videos listed for that month, with previous months linked along the side. “Want to see more?”

“One is more than enough, thanks,” Trixie said quickly. She moved away from the computer towards the door. “I guess we just have to wait till she comes back.”

The stallion huffed, “Cursed Celestia!” and stormed past Trixie out the door.

The unicorn cringed at his departure. “Sorry he was so rude, Pinchy,” she told the filly.

Pinchy was already focused back on the computer screen. “That’s ok… mama’s not a morning person either.”

Pattern stormed out the inn’s back door. Twilight Sparkle wasn't in town, which meant this entire trip had been pointless. He’d never felt so frustrated in his life. A full night’s walk just to be-

“Hey, you!” a voice behind him crashed into his world. He turned around to come face to face with the azure unicorn from inside. Once again the sight of her brought all other thoughts to a standstill. Her thoughts, however, continued. “That’s no way to speak around a filly! Swearing and cursing Celestia! Who do you think you are?”

“Pattern,” he said automatically. His cheeks flushed as he realized his involuntary response.

“Pattern?” Trixie shook her head. “Were you raised on a rock farm?”

The stallion flinched. “I wasn’t raised in Ponyville. I don’t know this place. I… I shouldn’t be here.” He started to turn away.

The other unicorn stepped into his path. “You’re not going anywhere until you apologize! You… are you ok?”

Pattern felt his legs going weak. The endurance that had pushed him through the night and into the morning to make it into Ponyville had begun to drain with the knowledge that his pray was missing. Exhaustion made his vision blur. “I’m fine; I just want to go home… ”

The azure unicorn stepped closer. “Alright, but maybe you should lay down first… ”

“No, just take me… ”

Darkness faded in.

“Kid looks like he walked all night,” Berry Punch commented from the doorway. Trixie gently levitated the stallion down onto the bed. “He better have some bits on him, room’s aint cheap!”

“I’ll pay for him,” Trixie said offhandedly, stepping away from the bed. “He’s in my room, anyways.”

A hoof booped the unicorn on the nose. “Not yet it isn’t. You’ve still got to perform.” The innkeeper turned and trotted out of the room, tail flicking.

Trixie let out a long sigh. She never experienced stage fright nor anxiety before a performance, but she was starting to feel nervous for the end result. Ponyville had yet to learn of her arrival and would no doubt be thrilled for a chance at getting even for her past misdeeds. The performance would have to be better than good; it would have to be the best anypony had ever seen. “Ever seen in an inn… ” she said to herself.

A shadow temporarily blocked out the mid-afternoon sun that shined through her room’s window. Trixie was unfazed: pegasus ponies often casted shadows similar to that. She walked out of her room and gently closed the door behind her. Hurried hoofsteps turned her from the entry.

Pinchy was practically bouncing down the hallway towards her. “Twilight’s back!”