The Coming of Comet Flip-Flop

by cheesemeister

A Clue is Discovered

Four hours passed, and no headway was made. The group was beginning to feel discouraged. Fortunately, being in Fluttershy’s body did not hinder Zecora’s culinary skills. She made a delightful soup of various roots, herbs, and flowers, which renewed the spirits of the knowledge seekers.

“This soup will brighten body and mind. It makes one feel sharper, and also more kind,” Zecora as Fluttershy declared.

Twilight as Spike sipped the soup and sighed contentedly. She suddenly seemed to have an idea. She took up a tattered book with a frayed white cover emblazoned with azure stars. She flipped through the book and gave a shout of glee.

“Yes! This is it right here!” she said. “All we need to do is get our hooves on some Quixotium! It was this element that was activated when the comet exploded, causing us to switch bodies. If we can find some and cause another explosion, everything should go back to normal.”

“There’s a little problem with this idea, Twilight,” Celestia as Discord said. “Quixotium is only found in outer space.”

“That’s not a problem, Miss Gloomy Hooves!” Discord as Celestia scoffed. “There will be little bits of comet all over Equestria! We simply need to pick them up and, voila! We have Quixotium!”

“Yes, but that was a very big explosion, Mr. Not Grounded in Reality,” Celestia countered. “How are we supposed to recreate something like that?”

“I’ll think of something,” Discord sniffed. “I like making explosions. A big explosion would be right up my alley. Maybe Miss Twilight Dragon Breath could help me. At least this stiff body of yours has wings, so if we can isolate the explosive properties of the Quixotium, we can take it up into the atmosphere, and, kaboom!”

“Excuse me for sayin’, Princess Discord,” said Applejack as Rarity, “but I think this here plan of yours is missin’ a few steps.”

“And possibly even a minimum of common sense,” grumbled Rainbow Dash as Pinkie Pie.

“I didn’t say I had all the kinks worked out,” grumbled Discord. “Nevertheless, it’s a fine plan—perhaps even a genius plan. I swear, you are the most pessimistic ponies I’ve ever known! One little flip flop of bodies, and you all fall to pieces! You should try being flexible, like me!”

“Discord’s right,” Celestia said. “We need to stay positive. We have to try and be adaptable to our situation if we are to find a solution.”

“Maybe we need to make some kind of bomb from the Quixotium once we’ve gathered it,” Spike as Twilight said excitedly.

“We’ll need some kind of cannon to launch it!” declared Pinkie Pie as Rainbow Dash. “My party cannon could launch it into the atmosphere, and I could carry Twilight Spike up to explode it with her dragon breath!”

“Those are fine ideas, but none of them are necessary,” said a familiar voice.

The others turned to see Luna standing in the doorway with a dazzling pony whose shimmering purplish-white coat appeared to be sprinkled with diamond dust.