Aeolia steps out of a building while talking to a reddish stallion. “Honestly, I thought that Hoofington was an unlikely place for a facility like this. But when I heard you were working here, I figured I might, ya know, come see it while I was still in southern Equestria.”
“Hey, at least it’s better than happened in Whinnyapolis,” the stallion chuckles.
“I know,” the monochrome mare replies, “I can’t believe that I tho—“ She cuts off as her gaze captures the commotion coming from within the town. “I’m gonna... leave for a minute,” she says distractedly before cantering away toward the town center.
The stallion sighs reminiscently, “she hasn’t changed a bit.”
Aeolia approaches the crater surrounded by ponies with extreme caution, being careful not to be noticed. She was not expecting the dust to be dispersed, and is mildly startled when the vortex spell is used.