I'm not posting late today, and it's been a few weeks. But this chapter should hopefully fit in, but I've once more put a lot on my plate to deal with. Luckily I planned ahead and prepared a lot of chapters in advance. So, without further ado, here we go.

Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. But I'm waiting eagerly for season 4 to see how things turned out after that somewhat rushed season 3 finale.
…

"Come on, Ace, big night." Sky said. I sighed as the crowd gathered at the front. Rarity was close to having a panic attack, and just my luck, Horatio needed me to do a lot, so I couldn't even try to work on Fluttershy's dress, and I couldn't even have Sky or Specs get a message to Rarity. "You can do this. It's no different than walking on the rope. Your wings are under the suit and the cloak, you have a mask, and your mane is perfect." I nodded shakily, fighting the full body quake I would have had a month earlier. "You've got this. Come on, say it with me."

"I've got this." I said. She nodded. "I've got this…" I sighed. "I've got, to get on the tightrope in less than twenty minutes." She laughed. "Go, I've got this. I can do this." She turned.

"Good luck, Shades." She said. I nodded as she flew away, and after looking around, I made the mask float onto my face and stick. This one was lighter gray with thin streaks of silver made to look like it was coming out, shining through, and the eyes had sunglasses built in, mirrored, to let me see out but so that they couldn't see in.

"Ace, you're on in two minutes." Rarity said. I looked over at her. "You look amazing. Thank you so much for doing this." I smiled behind the mask. I really did feel different with a mask on, like a superhero, and Ace Stormrider was just my alter ego.

"For a friend, I'll deal with my issues." I said, somewhat confidently. She smiled. "Besides… A good suit like this is just asking for an audience to appreciate it." She laughed before sighing.

"I just wish I could have gotten Fluttershy's message…" She said. "But she's still happy with, what she has." I turned a little more and she stepped aside. "Good luck." I raised my head slightly.

"Shades O'Gray doesn't need luck." I said dramatically. She laughed.

"A superhero, are we?" She asked. I started walking. I tuned out all of the noise and treated it like my act. "Good luck." I walked out onto the stage to cheers, and as I made my way down, I took a few looks around, acting dramatic. When I got to Hoity Toity, I saw him looking at the cloak.

"Simple, wonderful use of contrasting colors…" He said. "It's positively astounding. So simple, yet so complex, it boggles the mind. Look at it once, and then away, and looking back is like seeing it for the first time all over again, no matter how many times I look away!" I smiled a little as I went to walk back while Twilight started walking on. When I passed her, her eyes turned to me, and I knew she was happy that I was there. But immediately after I got to the back, Rarity looked at me.

"Well?" She asked hopefully.

"He said it's simple, the contrasting colors worked well…" I said. "Look at it, then away, and then back, it's like seeing it for the first time all over again." She sighed.

"What a relief…" She said. "You should hurry though." I nodded.

"Good luck." I said. She laughed quietly as I walked toward the changing area, but she moved the divider.

"Show it off." She said. "It may be, my last success…" I looked at her as I walked away.

"You'll do better than this, Rarity." I said. "I know you well enough to say that next time we roll into town, you'll make something that makes this suit look out of style." She smiled a little as I turned my head and walked out. Looking around for a few moments, I moved my wings out from the slits in the back of the suit and took off, low at first, but I pulled up. I saw the lights against the tent and one focused on the entrance. I flew toward it and went right in, landing as the crowd cheered, and hiding my wings just as I went to land, confident they hadn't seen me. Looking down, I saw Sky cheering with them. 'Showtime… And back as Shades O'Gray.'

"Fillies and gentlecolts!" Horatio called. "Let's hear it one more time for Shades O'Gray!" The crowd cheered again as I stood up, holding my front legs out. "He might be a little overdressed tonight, for what he's doing, but he just came from the fashion show held by Ponyville's local hero of beauty, Miss Rarity!" The crowd cheered again. "It might be hard to see, but it's a sleek and slick black suit with silver embroidered borders, silvery buttons, and his cloak was made a few weeks in advance! And his new mask is as stylish as ever, giving him anonymity, and a new look! What do you have in store for us tonight?" I smirked and decided to be a little bolder than usual. I walked along the rope for a second before spinning on one hoof and switching while still in rotation. I repeated that three times and the crowd cheered. "No net, and he's spinning! Well done, but can you top that?" I laughed quietly and spun, and jumped. I landed somewhat awkwardly, so I just went to walking backward for a few steps. "Risky Shades, very risky!" There was some laughter, so I looked down just as a light swung by, and I saw him cover his eyes. "Whoa, star power, good ponies, star power! Clearly his fashionable mask, has some power of its own!" They laughed again and I moved so that I faced forward, and I lowered to all four hooves before moving onto only my front hooves. "Oh, my, Celestia, he's going to finish on his front hooves! He's never done anything remotely like this! They say it can't be done! Don't tempt fate, my boy!" I walked calmly, the cloak slipping slightly, but not much thanks to the suit, which had a small hook that held it in place. As I got near the end, the crowd was silent as the drummer kept a steady rapid beat. When I settled onto all fours, he hit the cymbal and the crowd roared as I looked around, smiling like a fool. "Oh, my, goodness, you did it! He did it, everypony! He walked on his front hooves along the wire, never once slipping or stepping wrong, and his cloak didn't even move! If that's not showing guts, then throw out the book on it!"
…

"Ace, I can't believe you did that." Sky said. "That was way more daring than anything you've done before."

"Well, there's, a little hook on the back." I said. "That held the cloak in place… It was, for the fashion show."

"A-about that." She said. "I know you went to bed right after, but, I checked in, and… It was a disaster after you left. Apparently, Rarity won't come out of the boutique, and she won't let anyone in." I looked at her. "She's too ashamed to show her face… I don't know what to do…"

"Maybe…" I started. "Well, coming from me, it won't hold any weight at all. I was just a step above a shut-in for a long time." She was silent. "I can try though. I'll, think of something."

"Well, you could always use the excuse that you want to give her the suit back." She said. "So you don't get any dirt on it." I nodded slowly.

"Yeah…" I said. "I guess I'll go by in a little while. I just need to get a few things."

"Okay." She said. "And I have to go check on a few of the stalls, and make sure Stratus is ready for tonight. We've got a new routine, but, it's going to cut into yours, so dad thinks you should have the night off, to help Rarity since he couldn't let you help her yesterday." I nodded.

"Okay." I said. "Tell Stratus he needs to pull a slightly looser turn, or he'll just sprain his wing again." She laughed.

"How did you know it was a sprained wing?" She asked.

"I saw him trying to take off, and he couldn't move his left wing properly." I said. "Should be okay if you get him to stop trying to force it to heal for a few more hours." She sighed.

"For a pony that barely knows anypony, you know a lot about everypony." She said. I laughed.

"I know a little about a few ponies from what I see." I said. "And if I didn't, your act wouldn't go over well." She walked out.

"Sometimes, Ace, you're a puzzle." She said. "See you later."

"Yup." I said. I grabbed a few books before turning. As I walked out, I looked toward the boutique. "I hope I can help… But I hope more that I don't make it worse." I walked off of the grounds while the others set up for the day. As I got close, I saw the girls walking back, and Twilight walked over. "She's still not coming out?"

"No, but we have a plan." She said. "There's one dress she didn't finish, so, we're going to try to do it for her. I got it out, so now we just have to get it to Fluttershy's house. She knows a lot about sewing." I nodded for a second. "Are you going to try to talk to her?"

"At the very least, I'm going to try something." I said. "I'll stop if she starts, trying to turtle up." She nodded.

"Well, I hope it works." She said. "We're really worried about her."

"Me too…" I said. "If you, need any help…"

"I know." She said. "You did a great job on my dress, by the way. I know it, was too much, but, I couldn't tell where Rarity's work ended and yours began." I smiled as she turned. "If you can't get her to come out, you know where we'll be." I nodded as she started walking, so I went to the door. I knocked lightly.

"Go away." She said. "Please, I want to be alone." I was silent. "I'm sorry Twilight, I just, need some time."

"I'm, here to, return the suit, until later." I said.

"Ace?" She asked.

"This is a great suit, but, Twilight gave me, an extra ticket to the Gala." I said. "So, I have a dirty job at times, and I want this suit to stay as clean as possible until the big night… Where better than here?" She was silent. "I just, want to be sure I can go and not look like I ran the whole way on a dirt road behind the carriages." The door slowly opened, and I walked in. She was wearing a robe, and she looked like she wasn't taking as much pride in her appearance.

"I can't go." She said. "Not after what happened. You were right. Your suit was the only one that they liked. I'm, a laughingstock."

No, you're not." I said. "You're still the best." She looked away as I walked over to the divider that slid open.

"Thank you, but, there's no changing that I should have just left the dresses alone." She said. "It's no excuse that I was giving into pressure from the others. I could have just, not done what they asked…"

"It's not in your nature." I said. I removed the suit and put it on a mannequin, adjusting my cloak as I pulled it back on, and I set he mask away as well. As I stepped out, she was walking away. "Rarity… If you need anything, just let me know. Even if you just want to talk… You have seven good friends who are worried about you." She looked at me. "I might not always be here, but you'll always have the others… I, really hope to see you, at the gala. It just wouldn't feel completely right without the best dressed Unicorn in Equestria." She smiled a little, but it faded. "If you need me, I'm helping Fluttershy with some things."

"Thank you." She said quietly. She walked up the stairs and I walked out, closing the door, and it locked.
…

I made a quiet sound and Opalescence jumped onto the sill, and then onto my saddle. He sat down as I walked over to the tree as quietly as I could manage. It had taken the better part of the day, but we'd finished the dress. I had to get back to the circus, but I had time to help set things up.

"Thanks for helpin' us." Applejack said. "We sure are askin' a lot of ya lately."

"What are friends for?" I asked. "Like I told Rarity, the gala wouldn't feel right without her there." They laughed as I walked over to the tree, and Opalescence jumped onto Fluttershy's saddle as she flew up to a branch. "I just wish I didn't have to head back. I don't have a clue what Sky needs to see me for so badly…"

"Whatever it is, she seemed pretty worried." Rainbow Dash said. "I hope she's okay."

"Knowing her, she might have caught her dress on something." I said. "She may act like a stallion, but she's got her girly moments." They laughed quietly as Fluttershy set back down.

"Ready." She said.

"We'll let you know how it turns out." Twilight said.

"Good luck." Pinkie said. "Tell her I said hi." I nodded.

"Good luck with this as well." I said. I turned and walked quickly toward the circus, but Sky wanted to meet me in our flight clearing. As soon as I got to the gate, I saw her moving quickly, so I started running. 'What are you up to, Sky?' As I got to the clearing, she was standing by the log with the branch I'd used as a cloak rack. "Hey."

"Ace, I, uh, really need to get this off my chest." She said. "Dad keeps pressuring me to use my plus one to bring a date to the gala, and, he won't let up… Since, you have that ticket, I don't have to use that plus one… But it wouldn't feel right, asking you to go with me. I mean, you're great an all, but you're, too much like a brother to me."

"I don't think I'd do much better, going with my sister as her date." I said. She laughed quietly.

"That's, what I mean." She said. "We're better friends than anything else… Family, almost." I nodded as she sat down, so I walked over and sat near her. "I just, I can't find a date. It's like, every time I try to find some colt to ask out, I lock up… I, I can't do it." I was quiet for a moment. "G-go ahead, laugh."

"I'm not going to laugh." I said. "I'm just, you're the most outgoing pony I know… Apart from Pinkie Pie. But you, Sky, are always trying to help me just to leave, which is bordering on pushy these days if I'm being honest." She laughed quietly. "Of all of the ponies I know, you should have zero issues finding a date."

"Well, I, can't." She said. "I just, keep trying, and when I want to go talk, I just shy away. It, freaks me out. Remember how hard you shake?"

"Yes, the bitter refrain my wings keep singing." I said dryly. She laughed quietly. "My guess, I'll get some cheesecake, and…"

"Ace…" She said quietly.

"Well, what do you want from me?" I asked tiredly. "Just think about who you're asking. You could have asked anypony else, but you decided to ask me, the one pony you could ask, but neither of us would be comfortable with it." She lowered her head.

"I just, don't want to disappoint my dad." She said. I moved my hoof and put it on her shoulder.

"You won't." I said. "Tell him, and let him know that you're trying and having trouble. He'll understand… If he doesn't, I guess it'll be the one time I'll yell at him." She laughed as I set my hoof down. "Honestly, I'm no good at this."

"Well, there's another thing." She said. "Specs needs a date, and she says she doesn't want to bother you…"

"Sky…" I said.

"So, she's going to find somepony in town." She said. "There's a plus one on that ticket as well… What about, yours?"

"No, just a plain old 'admit one'." I said. She sighed.

"Well, I guess we need some kind of idea." She said. "I just, don't know why I can't get the, stupid words out." I was silent. "Sorry, for bothering you with this."

"Hey, you're my sister." I said. She laughed. "Helping is what brothers do." She sighed quietly.

"I'll think of something." She said. "Eventually."

"How about I tell him how much trouble you're going through?" I suggested. "Maybe he'll have an idea."

"Thanks." She said quietly. "I don't know if I can tell him." I stood up. "Hard to believe, after all the grief I've put you through, and I tried to ask you how to get a date."

"Well, being this handsome, it's easy to think…" I started. She swatted me with her wing, causing us both to laugh.

"Cool it, Casanova." She said. We both started walking. "Thanks."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to dad about this." I said. She laughed quietly as we walked toward the camp. As we got in, I saw Horatio near my tent, and as I went to look, she had disappeared. "Sky?" I looked around, and then up, to see her flying toward the main tent. "And she says I can make an exit." I walked to my tent as Horatio looked. "Hey boss, what's up?"

"I've heard about your ticket to the Gala, and I had an idea." He said. "Sky is, honestly, your best friend, and even if it might be awkward…" I held my hoof up.

"Uh, we actually, had that talk, Sky and me…" I said. He seemed surprised. "She said, she's having trouble, finding a date. She tries to ask, and she locks up… It's like part of me is there in her mind saying 'just don't do it'."

"She never said a word…" He said. "Seriously?" I nodded. "That, isn't good, but, you could…" I shook my head. "And, why not?"

"She's like a sister to me." I said. "You're right, it would be awkward, too much for either of us to handle alone, let alone together. She actually, wanted advice from me. Shows how worried and desperate she is." He sighed tiredly.

"And I tried so hard to find nice young stallions…" He said quietly. "But, that just means she'll go alone… Maybe, she'll find somepony at the gala."

"Maybe, maybe not." I said. "But she didn't think you'd understand if she told you. Hence why I'm the messenger."

"So, what do we do to help her?" He asked. I shrugged.

"You're asking me?" I asked. "Seriously? I've never been on a date in my life… Up until a few weeks ago, I left the grounds once every few months to go get books and things I needed. I'm hardly the pony to ask." He was quiet for a moment.

"Maybe, if she wasn't alone, in seeking a date." He said musingly.

"Horatio, no." I said quickly. "I know that look on your face and I know that tone. No."

"Ace, it'll be much easier on her…" He started.

"Specs is looking for a date as well." I said. "Girls night out, whatever you call it…"

"You're like a brother to her." He said.