As Without, So Within

Chapter 1

The sun had dipped over the horizon and night had begun to settle. Small groups of students trickled down the path to the front doors of Canterlot High, dressed in various brightly colored costumes. In the parking lot almost every spot was filled and more students were coming in from that entrance.

Leaning against the wall by the door of the school, Twilight looked at the time display on her phone. "Where are they?"

She looked up as she heard a car pull in and smiled at the familiar deep indigo convertible. The car pulled into an empty spot and its headlights turned off.

"Hello, dear!" Rarity called as she got out. She slammed the door and looked Twilight over as she approached. "Oh, did you forget your costume?"

Twilight looked down at her usual blue and purple blouse and skirt ensemble. "I've got a plan for that, actually."

"I hope so," Rainbow Dash called, pushing her door open. "I'm not gonna let two of our friends be squares tonight."

"I'm not a square," Fluttershy whispered from the other side of the car. "I just didn't want to dress up. I don't want to scare anyone."

"Scary?" Rainbow snorted. "If you don't wanna be scary, then just be awesome, like me." She planted a sneaker on the concrete barrier at the end of Rarity's parking spot and crossed her arms.

"You do look wonderful, Rainbow," Rarity said.

Rainbow was clad in a suit of silver and grey armor, overlapping plates covering her limbs save for her hands and sneakers, and larger plates over her torso. A black shirt and tights showed through the gaps in the armor. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and hung over the armor's collar around her neck.

As Rainbow stepped onto the sidewalk past Twilight, she peered closer at the armor, its pieces clanging together in a notable non-metallic ring. "That isn't real steel, is it?"

"Nah, it's painted plastic. It still cost me a hundred and eighty bucks online." Rainbow reached a hand up to wipe her brow, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. "And it's hot as hell, and a pain to sit down in. But it was worth it to look this good!"

She reached to her back and brought forward a sword and shield. She chuckled as the sword wobbled in her hand. "Er, these are just store-bought toys. Saved myself twenty dollars not ordering the set that came with the armor."

"Goodness, that's quite a price tag," Rarity feigned fanning herself. "I'm more grateful than ever that my costume was highly economical this year."

Twilight looked the fashionista over. Rarity was wearing a deep purple turtleneck sweater with a pair of pants a shade or two darker, and over it all a white lab coat with goggles hanging around her neck and a notepad and pens sticking out of her breast pocket. She noticed Twilight looking and twirled. "Do you like it? Who am I?"

"A scientist, of course."

Rarity stopped and huffed. "Yes, but which scientist!?"

"Um..." Twilight scrunched her nose and thought. "I have no idea."

"Paul Friedländer!"

Rainbow Dash scratched her head. "Is that the guy who invented the microwave or something?"

"He is the scientist who expanded our understanding of the production of indigo clothing dyes! My color, darlings!" Rarity gestured to her purple clothes. "I never realized I owed so much to him until Twilight told me about him!"

"I did?" Twilight's eyebrows lifted. "Because that's kind of an obscure thing to know, even for me."

Rarity huffed again and crossed her arms.