12:00 pm. Lyra Heartstrings had just woken up from a concert night. Bon-Bon was already at work, she had the whole house for herself. She decided that some cereal would be good for breakfast and sat down to eat. She grabbed a newspaper and read about whatever was happening in Equestria, including the fact that the destruction caused by Tirek was still not fully undone. She finished both her cereal and the newspaper and decided to go out and meet some friends. Then Twilight Sparkle appeared in front of her. “HeyLyrawanttobeaprincessforafewday-” She was not able to continue because a magic bolt hit her in the face.
“Twilight?! What the buck? Don’t just appear in front of people, that’s scary!” A very not-moving Twilight stood in front of her. “Twilight? You okay?”
“Ndo th spll!”
“”What was that?”
“Th spll! Ndo t!”
“Care to repeat?”
“NDO THE SPLL!”
“Ohhh! Sorry Twilight.” She stopped her magic and the turquoise aura around Twilight’s body disappeared. “You scared me so much, I didn’t even realise that I used the spell. So, you wanted to say something?”
“Yes. Could we go inside? I’d like to keep this between the two of us.”
“Ooookay” Lyra stepped aside and closed the door once Twilight had entered. “So, what is it that has to stay between us?” While the words that came out of her mouth were calm, her thoughts weren’t. Her mind was racing about the secrets that Twilight was about to present her. Had something happened that the Elements of Harmony couldn’t undo and she needed help from her? Was she going to play at the next Grand Galloping Gala? Or… was Twilight going to take her in as an apprentice? These and similar questions occupied her thoughts until Twilight finally spoke.
“I need vacation. I’m working round about 20 hours a day and even I can’t take that for several months straight.” This left Lyra kind of dumbfounded. She had expected, or at least hoped, that something had happened and that the princess needed her, not that one of her friends came to her to talk about her life.
“Well… I see how that can be hard... but I can’t see what’s so wrong with that so that it has to stay secret. Or why you are coming to me out of all ponies with that.”
“I’d like you to take my place for a while. With this potion here”, she said as she took the flask out of her saddlebag, “Our minds will swap bodies.”
Inside Lyra's mind:
Brain: ‘She did just ask that, right?’
Ears: ‘She did.’
Brain: ’J-J-J-J-JACKPOT!´
Back in the real world:
At that moment, Lyra was barely able to restrain the urge to scream out her thoughts. “W-Well if you think that I’m up to the job, then I would be more than happy to help out. But what exactly do you plan on doing once we’ve swapped?”
“I’d like to actually take a vacation, if that’s okay with you. I’ll pay with my own money, of course. I hope that doesn’t interfere with your private life? I’d only be gone for a week or so.”
“No, no, it’s no trouble at all! Bon-Bon’s gone for three weeks for a competition of the best candy manufacturers in Manehatten, so that’s the only place you should avoid.”
“Are you sure that you want to do this Lyra? You’ll have to take over all of my duties and act like me as well…”
“Don’t worry Twilight, as a loyal subject and even more as an old friend, I’ll happily help you, come Hell or high water.”
“Thanks a lot Lyra. Now, let’s do this. We’ll need some cups.” Lyra walked into her kitchen and got two very expensive-looking crystal goblets. Twilight raised an eyebrow.
“A special occasion deserves special cups.” Twilight shrugged and followed Lyra into the dining room. Lyra laid the goblets on the table and Twilight filled both of them with the potion. Both mares took one of them in their telekinetic grip and clinked them. “To our health!” Then they chugged the blue fluid. Lyra put the goblet down. For a moment or two, nothing happened. Then everything went black.