đ§Chapter 5 đ§
The Crater
Twilight was staring at her wardrobe, trying to figure out what to wear, and she wasnât having the best time of it. She had specifically put their date so late in the day so she had time to overthink her outfit⌠but she had already spent all day doing so. It was now 7:30 PM. She had to make a decision.
Her horse wardrobe was full of dresses and ball gowns (all of which were tailored by rarity), but none of them seemed right for this. How did you dress for a first date when both parties had already kissed multiple times? There was that one dress that she had bought as a joke for one nightmare night party, but she could not be seen wearing it.
For once, she wished Spike was here and not⌠wherever he was right now. A dragon quest? What the hell even was a dragon quest. Oh well.
She looked over at the wall.
20 minutes until date time.
Fuckkk.
She flicked through the entire wardrobe once more for the billionth time. Nothing was working. She needed to impress TrixieâŚ
And to impress Trixie⌠she needed to showâŚ
âŚ
She looked back at the final cursed dress, and gave a huge sigh.
It had already been one of the most cursed, disrupted weeks of her life.
Might as well continue the streak.
Trixie was already waiting as Twilight arrived at Sugar Cube Corner. The sun was low in the sky, but still bright enough to be called daylight. She was wearing a simple blue dress, adorned with her usual Wizards hat. The blue horse was looking around, anxiously tapping the ground, but relaxed into her usual demeanour as she saw Twilight approach.
âTook you long enough, Sparks~ I wouldnât expect my little pony to be⌠soâŚâ she started gloating, before realising what Twilight was wearing..
Twilightâs blush was already painted onto her face as she moved into the light. Her black and white dress stood out against her purple fur, and the little hat completed the look. Twixieâs shock turned into a grin.
âOh Twilight, you DO know how to please me, donât you?â
Twilight Sparkle, future Princess of FriendshipâŚ
Was currently wearing a maid dress.
â... Let's just go inside.â she said, avoiding eye contact. Trixie let out a little chuckle, and the pair went inside.
Usually the corner would be closed by now, but Twi had pulled a few strings to make sure it was open.
Pinkiepie. Pinkiepie was the all of the string that had been pulled.
The pink horse would be their waiter, but Twilight had told her that the pair were there as some sort of way to reform Trixie. Pinkie happily believed her, excited to add a new friend to her repertoire.
As the pair walked in beside each other, Twilight was surprised as she heard Trixie whisper softly into her ear:
âYou are well on your way to earning it, Sparks~â
The shiver travelled all the way down Twilightâs spine. The thought of what âearning itâ meant excited her more than she liked to admit⌠but she had to stay focused. She had a lot of detective work to do tonight.
The room was sparse with all the furniture moved to the corners. There was a single circular table in the middle, with two plates and a candle in the middle. A candlelit dinner.
Oh horse.
Twilight awkwardly shuffled to her spot as Trixie strutted proudly. The pair waited for a few moments. No Pinkie yetâŚ
âWhat a delightful venue! I must say, you sure do know how to make an impression!â said Trixie, as she looked around at the decoration (or lack there of).
âTrixieâŚâ Twilight started, and then sighed. She needed to just cut to the chase.
âHow did you-â
âSo! Twilight! Twiley⌠Sparks⌠Twiley WileyâŚâ Trixie said, tilting her head back and forth as she tried to come up with a consistent nickname. âHow about-â
âTwilight. You can call me Twilight.â She said, trying to be firm.
âOkay, Twiggle!â
Ugh. Sheâs so hot.
âSo! Twigs! What do you like to do for fun?â
Twilight had to take back control.
âTrixie. P-Please. I just need to know-â
She was interrupted by the huge blast of confetti that blasted into the pairâs airspace. Twilight was left with her mane frizzed up, small bits of rose scented pink and white confetti covering her body. Trixie was similarly covered, but didnât even flinch as she continued to stare at Twilight.
âWELCOME TO SUGAR CUBE CORNER FOR YOUR FIRST EVER DATE!â Pinkiepie screeched as she bounced into the room. Twilight groaned. Maybe doing it here was a mistakeâŚ
Pinkie had suddenly teleported to the table, and was there with a chefs hat and outfit, a little waiters notebook.
âWhat can I get you two fine mares!â
Twilight was too frazzled to say what she wanted, leaving a chance for Trixie to throw in another stab into the chest.
âWeâll take a dozen green mint chocolate cupcakes, please! Lime green frosting~â
Twilightâs froze once more. Her secret weapon.
âExcellent!â Pinkie Pie scribbled it down.
Twilightâs gaze slowly moved to Trixie. The lime cupcakes that had been taunting her as they circled around her head for the last 24 hours had not gone away. How did she know???
âAnything for you, Twilight?â
Twilight shook her head, not breaking eye contact with Trixie. Pinkie just gave a little squeak of recognition, and skipped away back to the kitchen. Various cartoonish crashing sounds started emanating through the door. Let her cook.
âSheâs a rather good waitress, wouldnât you say?â commented Trixie, looking back to see Twilight glaring daggers. And blushing a firestorm.
âOh, what's gotten you so upset?â She said, sticking her tongue out. Twilight powered through.
âCut the crap, Trix.â
That shut her up. The smallest blushed formed on Trixieâs face at the use of the nickname.
âHow in all the 9 hells of tartarus did you know about the cupcakes?â
Trixie looked confused, before realization crossed her face. Twilight supposed that she hadnât actually expected to be called out on thisâŚ
â... Well, the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie JUST so happens to know everything about you, Twigs!â she said, giving her a little pat on the head. Twilight shuddered.
âIt's because I care every so deeply for my little pony~â
Pinkiepie coughed very loudly in the next room.
âBut I never told ANYPONY that.â she almost whimpered. âNopony else knows! The only place that it was even written DOWN was-â
Her Private Journal.
Her Private journal that she poured all of her thoughts, feelings and emotions into.
Her Private journal thats filled with things she wouldnât even tell her closest friends about.
Her Private Journal full of her Discord x Celestia fanfiction.
Twilight had been feeling a low level haze surrounding her consciousness for a while now, but at this revalation⌠It vanished without a trace.
âTrixie.â she stared at her, deadly serious.
âDid you look in my journal?â
Trixie stared back. There was a strange moment that crossed her eyes.
One of confusion.
Twilight didnât have time to question it though, because very quickly, a smile crossed the sorcererâs muzzle.
âY-Yes! I mean⌠I may haveâŚâ she said, stretching a little. âBut itâs only right that-â
Pinkie froze in her tracks as she entered the room. She had never expected to see Twilight slap anyone. But she had. Trixieâs hat was on the floor. Twilight had knocked over the table, and was now holding trixie against a wall with her magic, screaming at her. Initially, Trixie had seemed to think that this was a part of their big charade, but as she was against the wall, all semblance of confidence had been washed away.
âThat IS NOT OK! YOU CROSSED A LINE!â
Twilight dropped her onto the floor with a hard thud. âWHAT MADE YOU THINK IT WAS OK TO DO THAT?â
âI⌠I didnâtâŚâ
âDONâT EVEN TRY THAT! YOU ADMITTED IT YOURSELF!â
Twilight stamped her hoof down. Random things had started flying around the room as she glared down at her âdateâ. Trixie was whimpering.
âFuck off, Trixie. I never want to see you again. Whatever this little fling was? Its DONE. Got it?â
As she lay there on the floor, Twilight finally saw Trixie as how she believed her to truly be; a pathetic wet noodle of a horse. She threw her maid hat onto the floor indignantly.
âSheâll pay the billââ she half spat at PinkiePie.
And with that, she stormed out.
Pinkie blinked.
â...talk about a date with destiny, am I right, Trix? Itâs fine though! It wasnât real anyway!â
Trixie didnât respond. She was laying there, staring at the door, a horrible feeling of regret entering her stomach and not going away.
âTrixie you IDIOT!â she snarled at herself. âWhy didnât you just TELL HER THE TRUTH!â
Pinkieâs head tilted two and fro⌠and eventually put everything together. Their frosty meeting the previous day. Twilightâs plan to have a fake date. And whatever that explosion with.
âOoohhhHhHHhhooOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!â
Pinkie scuttled over to Trixie, placing a hoof on her shoulder.
âTHATS why you ordered those! You read her diary? Thats a big nono!â
âPinkie, I D-Didnât! I-I swear!â
âDo you Pinkie Promise?â Pinkiepie was suddenly right in her face.
âWhats a-â
âDO YOU PINKIE PROMISE!?!?!?â
âY-YES! I DO! NOW STOP SHOUTING AT TRIXIE!â
Pinkiepie seemed satisfied, smiling and sitting back on her tail which had become like a cushion.
âOkie Dokie Lokie! I believe you! Now go tell that to Twilight if you want her back!â
Trixie looked between the door and Pinkiepie.
âI canât⌠S-She only ever liked me because she likes it when Iâm mean to hâŚâ
An idea sprang into her brain. It made her freeze up. But slowly, a malicious smile crossed her face.
âOh⌠oh oh oHOH! I know JUST how to make her even MORE mad at me⌠then she will find me IRRESISTIBLE!â
Pinkiepie waved happily as Trixie exited stage left!
âIâm sure THAT wonât come back to hurt anyone!â she said, and whistled as she started rapidly cleaning up.
âFOR FUCKS SAKE!â
Twilight had thrown off the maid dress on her way home, leaving it in a bin outside Rarityâs. She could probably unicycle it at some point. She had a knack for that.
She slammed the door open of her treehouse, almost breaking the door, and stomped upto bed.
She slammed her head into a pillow and screamed a huge long large
âUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!â
She couldnât remember being this angry before. Not ever. How DARE she invade her personal things like that? As much as she hated to admit it, she had been slightly enjoying this pantomime that had occurred between the two, but she couldnât just look past this. She sat up, and squeezed her eyes shut. A few random glasses and bottles smashed around her.
Through the rage, a lone rational thought entered her mind.
Her ear did twitch slightly, and she looked over at the box that her diary was kept in. It didnât look like it had moved at all since a couple of days before Trixie had arrived back in town with the Alicorn Amulet. To open it it would have needed some clever trickery done on the lock. The anger began to simmer down as she started to consider if Trixie would have been able to look inside the boxâŚ
She sat there, staring at it. She tried her best to let more rational thoughts slip through the cracks.
You do still care about her.
Even if you donât want to admit it, you do.
There isnât any way that she could have gotten into that box.
You probably over did it there a bit.
CRASHHH
Are you kidding me??!??!?
Twilight shot up. Someone had broken in!?
Peering over the balcony, she saw the basement door swing open, a flash of blue tail disappearing into the darkness.
WHAT?
With a sudden flash, Twilight teleported down to the lower level and chased the assailant down.
âTRIXIE!?â
âIâLL SHOW YOU TWILIGHT! IâL SHOW YOU HOW MEAN I CAN BE!â
Shoot! Shoot shoot shoot SHOOT!
Twilight couldnât teleport to somewhere she couldnât see so the darkness of the basement limited her chasing options massively. If only she had wings!
She eventually found her, facing away from twilight.
âT-Trixie! What are you doing?â
Trixie slowly turned, smirk etched on her face. She was holding⌠the alicorn amulet.
She had never returned it to Zekora like she meant.
âTrixie⌠P-Please put that downâŚâ
âNO! This will make you like me again!â she said, and slowly becan moving it towards her neck.
âP-PLEASE! DONâT! I ALREADY LIKE YOU! I P-PROMISE!â
Trixie paused, but did not seem to believe it. Her hoof was trembling.
âThe meaner I am, the more you will fall deeply and madly in love with me! Y-You said it yourself!â she rebutted.
Twilight could feel the blush forming again, but the stakes were too high. She had to talk Trixie down from this.
âY-Yes⌠B-But thats⌠I donât⌠IâveâŚâ She was a bit stunlocked at the moment. âI d-donât know why I feel the way I feel about you. I-Its scary and confusing⌠b-but youâve never even given me a chance to try and talk to you about it! You just had to keep e-exploiting my weakness for you! A-And I really wanted to give this a proper goâŚâ She could feel the tears welling up. âY-You reading my journal was the last-â
Trixie let out a screech.
âI DID NOT READ YOUR FUCKING DREAM JOURNAL!â
She went to put it on.
In an instant, everything seemed to go in slow motion. Twilight let out a cry, and shot out a powerful magic energy beam at Trixie. Just as the amulet was fastened around her neck, the beam collided. There was a horrible flash of bright red light and the feeling of suddenly being in a gale force nine tornado. Everything in the basement was knocked around, and a loose crate smashed itself into Twilightâs head. Everything went dark.
Trixie slowly opened her eyes, having to cover up the light from the setting sun on her face⌠sun? But she was underground? The only way for there to be sunlight wasâŚ
Trixie properly sat up, trying her best to take in her surroundings. Twilight was motionless a few feet away from her, a small wound bleeding on her head. Her eyes widened in panic and she ran over, putting an ear next to her mouth. She could hear her still breathing. Good. She wouldnât have to do any horse mouth to mouth. Looking up, she realised where they were. Sat atop a pile of junk and rubbish, the pair now lay in a huge crater. Half of the tree above the basement had been blown away, and the setting sun was just peeking over the edge of the crater.
âCareful now! Iâm coming down!â
Trixie heard the southern twang of the accent before she saw the pony speaking. Applejack was abseiling down, her Lasso attached to something beyond the crater. A few ponies had gathered around the edges, but none were brave enough to actually go in to help. A wave of relief washed over Trixie as she watched the cowgirl descend to their level.
âT-Thank you so-â she started before being quite forcefully pushed away by AJ, who had immediately gone to Twilightâs side.
âTwi! Twi! Can you hear me?â she said, shaking her gently. Twilight didnât respond, but her eyes did tighten a little. Applejackâs head turned to glare at Trixie.
âWhat did you do?â
Trixieâs ears pulled back in a guilty whimper.
âI-I Didnât mean for this to h-happen! Honest! I-â
âLeave it for Celestia. Iâl be sure to get her on your case. You ought to be layinâ in the canterlot dungeon till the cows come home.â
Trixie wasnât aware that the cows were away.
Trixie sat down as AJ continued to check on Twilight. She looked up at the craterâs edge. She could see Fluttershy up there, crying into her hooves. Rainbowdash had just landed beside her to comfort her. Fluts seemed immediately more overwhelmed and upset and legged it, with Dashie leaving with her.
As the ringing in Trixieâs ears died down, she cursed at herself. How could she have been this stupid? Thinking that the Alicorn amulet would be the cure to anythingâŚ
Her blood ran cold.
The Amulet.
Looking down, she could see the metal casing that used to surround it⌠but not the gemstone itself. Where was it?
Twilight stirred.
âTwi!â Applejack let out a big sigh of relief. âYou had us all worried there for a sec, hun!â
Twilight managed to get to her hooves, eyes still closed.
âHow you holdinâ in there, pard?â Applejacked asked affectionately, placing a hoof on her shoulder.
Twilight let out a little noise. It sounded like⌠a chuckle?
âNever Better.â
Her horn glowed red.
Applejack felt the sensation of her airways being restricted.
She started to cough and choke, collapsing to the floor as she grasped at her neck.
Trixie looked on in horror, as Twilight looked up to greet her.
She opened her eyes.
They were as red as the alicorn amuletâs gem.