Read The Bridge: Sound of Thunder
Duchess Chrysalis jolted up so fast her glasses flew off and landed on Suri. The seamstress squeaked shyly as the image of her eyes became enormous. Gingerly taking them off, the earth pony mare pawed at her friend's shoulder to offer them back.
"U-Um, Duchess? Chrysie? Are you okay?"
The showroom floor was empty aside from the duo, the lights streaming from above illuminating the nearby collection of elaborately designed dresses, gowns, and a few suits. The gorgeous designs were strung up on racks or mounted upon oversized mannequins. Chrysalis shuddered and vibrated her wings as a cold snap trailed down her back. Slipping out a slightly exasperated sigh, the regent levitated her glasses back onto her face while trying to get back on topic.
"Sorry Suri. Just a, sudden jolt I suppose. Call it a vibe. The suits and dresses based off the kaiju look great. Wouldn't expect anything less from the best dress maker in Manehattan!"
Suri blushed and muttered a tiny, mouse-like squeal in a manner that would likely cause insulin stocks to rise by the second, fumbling up on a stepping stool to put a regal, crystal bejeweled navy blue suit with a red trim back onto a mannequin that was nearly double her size.
"Least I could do after Sir Xenilla saved my shop in Canterlot from getting, well, stepped on…. A-Anyways I just hope this helps out, they could use all the good PR they could get!"
The beautiful changeling's face was still wrought with unease. A prickling feeling in the back of her mind refused to give her any real calm. That and her maternal instincts were going so ballistic that it threatened to give her a migraine. She hadn't felt this strained since the alicorns crashed Trixie's coronation and nearly made off with the Queen-To-Be while the Duchess was unconscious. While circumstances said a repeat incident wasn't likely, she was still certain. Something was very, very wrong.
"Suri"
Chrysalis muttered with masked distress as the seamstress was about to present Dame Destroyah's dress.
"Hm? Yes mi'lady?"
"-You said you were in contact recently with Sir Xenilla earlier. When was the last time again?"
"Oh, just before you arrived actually. He called while on the Northerly train, on his way here with some of the others."
Chrysalis raised a curious eyebrow. Least she didn't have to worry about requesting his arrival a tad early, seemed he was doing that himself. Why bring along more of his kind with him then?
"Oh? He didn't have to leave Canterlot until the morning. Why is he heading here early? Eager to try on your suit?"
Suri Polomare, having not yet turned around and noticed any of the duchess' distressed body language, only snickered and waved her hoof while keeping her head half buried in a fabric rack.
"Said he sensed something a tad funny a bit ago and wanted to come here early to check it out."
'Fortunate…'
"… When should he arrive?
"Oh, he said sometime around midnight as the train rolls."
'…Very fortunate indeed..'