Twilight is lounging contentedly yet with some determination and concentration in her bedroom -- AKA Twilight's Secret Laboratory of Assorted Potions, Recipes & Top Secret Fashion. And such a tumultuous year in 1298 she is experiencing so far, she reflects, as she looks over her stockpile of various potions and ingredients. Already she has moved households -- and planets! -- several times and not yet before reaching her 13th birthday no less!
In addition, Twilight has somehow and quite unfortunately acquired a new "best friend forever" named Spicy, whom she keenly suspects may actually be an evil stalker, a deranged serial killer, a vicious cannibal, or just the worst 'friend' in the history of friends -- or indeed all the above.
Several successive loud beeps and flashes light up on Twilight's phone nearby as she notices yet more SMS messages and missed calls from Spicy flicker by. Twilight rolls her eyes and begins to toss a pillow atop her phone when she abruptly notices an entirely different sort of message...
All individuals will be sent an invitation which should be thoroughly perused for pertinent details. All individuals, regardless of financial status, are welcome to attend. It is mandatory to dress by the dress code stated on the invitation, wearing your most impressive attire.
As following, stated by Missa Dela Vala Ember (also known as Stormy):
I am seeking an incredibly skilled individual to become a part of my team of designers and work together to produce breathtaking fashion design for my upcoming Harvest collection. Additionally, aspiring chefs interested in preparing a delicious treat for the Gala should become familiar with a delightful recipe for super soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies.
You may not be familiar with Missa Dela Vala Ember, but she is an incredibly talented and successful fashion designer who is also one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. Her legal representation is provided by Star Rocker, while Scarlett Potter serves as her financial and wealth advisor. Missa Dela Vala Ember owns the largest mansion in the UK. She exudes an air of fierceness, exuding immense pride and confidence in herself, and herself alone.
This message was sent out to everyone by Scarlett Potter.
Twilight sits transfixed for some long moments, as all the memories and dreams wash through her mind: memories of so many long weeks practicing potions and sketching gothic designs in the dark of night, and as always in Celestia's shadow, always longing for some tiny recognition of her own. Recollections of so many months and even years of reading of witches brews and elixirs; crocheting various Celtic crosses and pentagonal patterns from old yarn and string she found around; designing dresses and outfits for herself that rarely met any positive appreciation at all, if not merely snide remarks about that "moody witch girl" in her "weird clothes" again.
Nonetheless and through it all, no one could ever accuse Twilight of not having an otherworldly faith in herself, and indeed something inside told her that maybe this opportunity could be her big break that she was always waiting for. With hesitating fingers and more than a little anxiety and a racing heart, Twilight slowly but boldly replies to the mysterious message:
Dear Missa Dela Vala Ember, and Miss Scarlett Potter,
My name is Twilight. Yes I am an incredibly skilled designer and I volunteer! Plus I can bake delicious witch cookies.
From Twilight
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As Twilight's grandiose imagination begins to run away from her, being now with so many glossy and excited thoughts and images of unknown sparkling futures -- she is suddenly startled by the most unlikely commotion outside in the moonlight under her bedroom window!
Twilight hears some unusual thumping and stomping thuds like smashing rocks right beneath her window -- and she almost jumps off the bed in fright! Ducking down so as not to be seen, she inches over towards the window and with trepidation peeks gently over the sill. Until her face meets, face to muzzle, with a frighteningly cute baby horse! Twilight squeals and lunges back from the window slashing the curtains together as she falls to cower on the cold bedroom floor.
"Ruby!" she hears from outside, "what are you doing, get away from there!" a voice half whispers and half shouts from somewhere in the garden beyond and aside the window.
Twilight is intrigued by this lilting human voice, especially after her shocking face to horse encounter with such an unusual little creature! She peeks again through the curtains, and then hesitatingly pushes the window ajar to peer out into the moonlight.
And there she is stunned by a beautiful visage with locks of flowing curly golden hair waving ethereally in the dusky moon. The girl standing there has clear midnight eyes of dark crystal and wears an elegant emerald green evening dress that somehow flows and bunches around her in graceful waves despite no breeze at all in the still night air. The girl looks about Twilight's age and she stares back at her, as they lock eyes for a short moment in time.
"Ohhh.. sorry about my horse", she says, "Ruby is just a baby and just a baby rock horse at that! She is quite simply stubborn I'm afraid, and sorely attracted to your little garden there. I so hope it is not ruined!"
Twilight is almost too astonished to answer, but eventually she catches her tongue. She notices the strange baby horse is rather endearingly cute and seems to glow from an incandescent source within its stoney little body. "Oh, um.. that is ok, I guess.. yeah, that is my step-mom's evil lily patch. Actually I think the lilies were rather ugly and smelly, and I always wished to tear them up, but I knew she'd just get mad at me. So thanks kinda.. My name is Twilight by the way."
"Oh, I hope we don't get you in trouble!" the girl replies, "is there anything I can do to help?"
Twilight thinks for a moment, and puts on her thinking face, "Hmm, well maybe it was a bear, no, a wolf, no .. a werewolf that did it! That is it - that's what I will tell Evil Lyn what happened!"
"Umm ... really don't feel little Ruby here can pass for a werewolf!", the girl replies curiously with a delightful smile.
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Suddenly Twilight recalls where she may have seen this girl before, perhaps walking quietly through the halls of her school, perhaps attending the council meetings with Sierra, one of those smart and high-achieving girls whom Spicy often warned her about. After all, seems like Spicy has almost been running Twilight's life at school these past few months, warding off all the bad or good influences that would take away any influence at all from Spicy herself. Twilight also recalls meeting a nice and interesting girl named Elaine, whom she spotted with this girl once before, until Spicy warned her that she was an unpopular disaster and never to speak with her!
Twilight wonders briefly about Spicy's opinion of this particular girl -- then quickly realizes she simply does not care about that at all-- and she simply trusts her own feelings and intuition for once that this girl is very intriguing and certainly very unique.
The girl picks up her baby rock horse and cuddles him in her tender arms as he nuzzles and muzzles her gentle smiling cheeks. The girl begins to turn and leave as she says, "I am Octavia, by the way, and it was very nice to meet you. I hope you have a good and peaceful night".
