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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Gazing
One last chord faded into the night as the record player clicked to a halt. Only two ponies remained. Spike snored quietly in the corner. Twilight smiled.
“Don’t worry, Pinkie, we can clean up the mess tomorrow. I’m sure that memory cake will come out of the ceiling.”
They shared a nuzzle, and Twilight waved as Pinkie trotted out.
“Princess.”
The castle door closed with a solid thunk and Twilight smiled wearily, levitating Spike to her back. “I will make beautiful new memories,” she whispered as she passed the chandelier. Her hoofsteps echoed in the crystal halls, as she trotted to her chambers.
Once there, she set Spike in his basket before opening the bathroom door.
–BANG!–
“Princess!”
Ears flat against her head, Twilight waited for her legs to stop shaking.
Her teeth bared in a grin at the telltale muzzle of a party cannon peeking out from behind some towels. Chuckling a little, she relaxed enough to brush her teeth before heading for her bedroom.
“PRINCESS TWILIGHT!”
She blinked. A crystal ball swam into focus before her, glowing images swirling within. Behind it, a pair of guards pinned Trixie to the floor. A third guardspony had grabbed her shoulder, his muzzle to her ear as he took in a deep breath.
She shook her head like a wet dog, before turning to look at him.
Seeing that he had her attention the guard let go and stepped back, visibly relaxing before he spoke more normally.
“Princess, everypony has been worried sick. You’ve been in here with Trixie for almost two hours, and I’ve been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes!”
Twilight blinked at him owlishly. “What's happened?”
“A message from the North. One of the scouts heard from some locals that saw Tirek.”
“More rumors. Is there any verification?”
The guard shuffled his hooves “No.”
Twilight pressed a hoof to her forehead. “Send more scouts. If we find him, I will deal with him personally – we must catch him this time. There was no sign of the Princesses?”
The guard shook his head. “Princess, It’s been over a year. I’m sorry, but–”
“No buts.” Her ears lay flat against her head. “Return to your post,” she said, before turning to address the other guards. “Let her up.”
Trixie rose to her haunches and Twilight’s gaze bored into her. “Trixie. I don’t know what you hoped to achieve by bringing this to me. Even if this is a window to another Equestria, as you claim, while an impressive magical achievement, it has no practical value.”
Twilight began pacing. “All it does is show an Equestria where I chose to gamble our future on the mercy of a monster.” Gambled... And won. Instead of losing safely. Her vision blurred as she rounded on Trixie. “Is some glimpse of a happy-go-lucky Equestria supposed to help me find the princesses?" Her voice hitched. "Will it bring my friends back?”
Trixie opened her mouth, but closed it again at Twilight’s expression.
Twilight continued, oblivious. “I don’t know what your angle is, Trixie, trying to undermine me. If you’re working for Tirek, Chrysalis, Discord, or if this just another scheme for yourself.”
“Twilight, I swear to you it isn’t.”
Twilight snorted. “Unlikely. Well, whatever it is won’t work. Guards, take her away.”
Ram See's finest pasta primavera sat in her stomach like lead as Twilight strode through the Canterlot palace halls. The polished marble floors were cool against her hooves. Like crystal.
As always she shied away from the tall, mahogany doors, averting her eyes from their emblazoned sun before she turned towards her own suite and made her way to the balcony.
With a wave of her horn the sun slid beneath the horizon, Twilight summoning her namesake as silver moonlight flooded Equestria. An evening hush enveloped the land, its cool breeze pricking her eyes.
Twilight turned to a guard.
“Bring me Trixie.”
The moon had crested the distant mountaintops when the door creaked again. Trixie stumbled in, followed by a pair of guards.
“Princess? How can the great and Pow–”
Twilight’s look cut her off. Silence returned as emotions warred on her face.
Long moments passed before Trixie cleared her throat. “What can the meek and helpful Trixie do for you?”
Twilight flicked an ear. “Guards. Leave us.”
Her horn lit, drawing a cushion to the floor between them. The crystal ball landed atop it with a thud.
Twilight's voice was barely a whisper.
“Show me again.”
“Don’t worry, Pinkie, we can clean up the mess tomorrow. I’m sure that memory cake will come out of the ceiling.”
They shared a nuzzle, and Twilight waved as Pinkie trotted out.
“Princess.”
The castle door closed with a solid thunk and Twilight smiled wearily, levitating Spike to her back. “I will make beautiful new memories,” she whispered as she passed the chandelier. Her hoofsteps echoed in the crystal halls, as she trotted to her chambers.
Once there, she set Spike in his basket before opening the bathroom door.
–BANG!–
“Princess!”
Ears flat against her head, Twilight waited for her legs to stop shaking.
Her teeth bared in a grin at the telltale muzzle of a party cannon peeking out from behind some towels. Chuckling a little, she relaxed enough to brush her teeth before heading for her bedroom.
“PRINCESS TWILIGHT!”
She blinked. A crystal ball swam into focus before her, glowing images swirling within. Behind it, a pair of guards pinned Trixie to the floor. A third guardspony had grabbed her shoulder, his muzzle to her ear as he took in a deep breath.
She shook her head like a wet dog, before turning to look at him.
Seeing that he had her attention the guard let go and stepped back, visibly relaxing before he spoke more normally.
“Princess, everypony has been worried sick. You’ve been in here with Trixie for almost two hours, and I’ve been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes!”
Twilight blinked at him owlishly. “What's happened?”
“A message from the North. One of the scouts heard from some locals that saw Tirek.”
“More rumors. Is there any verification?”
The guard shuffled his hooves “No.”
Twilight pressed a hoof to her forehead. “Send more scouts. If we find him, I will deal with him personally – we must catch him this time. There was no sign of the Princesses?”
The guard shook his head. “Princess, It’s been over a year. I’m sorry, but–”
“No buts.” Her ears lay flat against her head. “Return to your post,” she said, before turning to address the other guards. “Let her up.”
Trixie rose to her haunches and Twilight’s gaze bored into her. “Trixie. I don’t know what you hoped to achieve by bringing this to me. Even if this is a window to another Equestria, as you claim, while an impressive magical achievement, it has no practical value.”
Twilight began pacing. “All it does is show an Equestria where I chose to gamble our future on the mercy of a monster.” Gambled... And won. Instead of losing safely. Her vision blurred as she rounded on Trixie. “Is some glimpse of a happy-go-lucky Equestria supposed to help me find the princesses?" Her voice hitched. "Will it bring my friends back?”
Trixie opened her mouth, but closed it again at Twilight’s expression.
Twilight continued, oblivious. “I don’t know what your angle is, Trixie, trying to undermine me. If you’re working for Tirek, Chrysalis, Discord, or if this just another scheme for yourself.”
“Twilight, I swear to you it isn’t.”
Twilight snorted. “Unlikely. Well, whatever it is won’t work. Guards, take her away.”
Ram See's finest pasta primavera sat in her stomach like lead as Twilight strode through the Canterlot palace halls. The polished marble floors were cool against her hooves. Like crystal.
As always she shied away from the tall, mahogany doors, averting her eyes from their emblazoned sun before she turned towards her own suite and made her way to the balcony.
With a wave of her horn the sun slid beneath the horizon, Twilight summoning her namesake as silver moonlight flooded Equestria. An evening hush enveloped the land, its cool breeze pricking her eyes.
Twilight turned to a guard.
“Bring me Trixie.”
The moon had crested the distant mountaintops when the door creaked again. Trixie stumbled in, followed by a pair of guards.
“Princess? How can the great and Pow–”
Twilight’s look cut her off. Silence returned as emotions warred on her face.
Long moments passed before Trixie cleared her throat. “What can the meek and helpful Trixie do for you?”
Twilight flicked an ear. “Guards. Leave us.”
Her horn lit, drawing a cushion to the floor between them. The crystal ball landed atop it with a thud.
Twilight's voice was barely a whisper.
“Show me again.”