I followed Twilight into the castle, glad that she didn’t just leave me outside. Our relationship was shaky, at best, so I tried to get on her good side by not provoking her in any way. I restrained myself from commenting when she peeked in every room along the way, even though I was very curious about that behavioral pattern. It was as if she was inspecting her own home. After ‘discovering’ the kitchen, she grabbed a bowl of peaches from the table and made me carry it to her bedroom.

She trotted in the middle of the room and looked around. “Wow!”

I put down the bowl of peaches from my mouth onto the table near the bed. “What is it?” I asked.

“Each of these items... I recognize them. The memories of how they got here—I can access them.”

“What’s so odd about that?”

“Oh, um… nothing. They’re just useless memories.” Twilight trotted to the picture with many ponies in it. Her image was right in the center with wings spread wide apart. With a hoof she knocked it off the table; it crashed on the ground, shattering the glass casing.

My heart sank when I saw the calamity.

“I don’t need any of this stuff,” she said. “It doesn’t represent the real me. I’m getting rid of it all.”

“It looks to me like these were gifts to you.” I intervened. ”Don’t you feel anything for these personal items?”

“Nope, but you seemed to be quite attached to them. Interesting...” She half-closed her eyes as she stared me down. “Maybe you’re just an evil crook and wanted to steal everything.”

I pondered on the thought. “You think?”

“Yes, most definitely. You’re evil.”

“I’m evil?”

“Everypony hates you. Nobody appreciates you.”

“Why is that?” I looked up at her. “What did I do to them?”

“Nothing, everypony was just jealous of you.”

“Are you jealous of me, too?”

“No, of course I’m not. I’m nothing like those ignorant ponies.” She pointed a hoof at me. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t just come into my house—” she smiled as her eyes traversed all around “—and move yourself in.” She looked at me, and her smile got even bigger. “But perhaps you could earn your living here, after all.”

Twilight turned to Spike when he peeked from behind the door frame. “Hey, dragon baby!”

“Spike! My name is Spike!” He stepped in, his claws clenched at his sides.

“Well, um, Spike… how would you like to have an assistant?” she asked.

“Please tell me you’re not seriously considering letting Trixie stay. Besides, can assistants even have assistants?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t see why not.”

“I’ve seen many universes, and in none would Trixie agree to that.” He looked at me.

I sat down. “If I did something wrong, I want to make up for it.”

Spike gasped. “I think this universe is the most broken one of them all.”

Twilight ruffled my mane with a hoof. “You may stay, but you have to do everything we tell you to do. Actually, you can start pulling your weight right now. Here’s some trash for you to take out, Trixie.”

She threw a book at me. It hit me and landed on the floor. I picked it up and dusted it out. There were engraved letters on the covers: Journal.

“Twi, I gave you that journal for your birthday.” Spike thumped forward. “Why would you throw it away? I thought you liked my gift.”

“You keep it then, scales.” She tore the book out of my hooves with her magic and dropped it before him as her eyes shifted up. “If this memory serves me right, we seem to have a joined journal now, anyway.” She trotted to the nearby shelf. “Aha! I remembered correctly!” Engulfing the book with magic, she telekinetically threw it at Spike. “Keep that one, too!”

“That’s not even yours to throw away...” murmured Spike.

“You!” She gazed at me. “Throw this in a trash bin!” A picture album flew at me. It hit me in the head and fell to the floor, opening at its last page. Before me, I saw pictures of Twilight and her friends. I shuffled the pages toward the beginning and from some point back she lacked her wings, but her friends remained at her side at all times. A warm feeling engulfed me. I could just stare at those happy pictures for the rest of the day and be content. At the very beginning of the album, there were pictures of her fillyhood.

Spike raised his voice. “Twilight, how come you’re throwing your things away? Why are you acting like this?”

“I need space—especially if Trixie is going to live with us. We need to make room for her; therefore, it’s her fault. Take it out with the newcomer.”

His green eyes pierced me. “Whenever I see you, bad things happen.”

“And that’s exactly why we’re letting her stay here, Spike. She’s up to no good and we have to keep an eye on her.”

“I’m up to no good?” I asked.

“Aren’t you?” She grinned at me.

“I don’t think so, no.”

“Oh, good.” Her horn charged up. “Then off on the road with you, tramp.”

A magic field encased me and I drifted toward the door. I turned back, raising a leg toward her. “Please don’t throw me out. I don’t know where to go.”

“We don’t care,” Twilight said. “We’re not a shelter for homeless ponies.”

“Please let me stay,” I yelped.

She waved a hoof at me. “Bye.”

“Wait…” I swallowed my saliva, but I still felt a clog in my throat. “Perhaps, my intentions aren’t perfectly stellar. I might be up to no good…”

Twilight trotted toward me. “Really?” The magic forcefield dissipated, making me fall to the floor. She towered above me. “You of all ponies? Do tell!”

“Maybe,” I glanced at Spike then bowed my head. “I came to Twilight to ask her to stay out of my way while I do bad things.”

“Yes, and I said that I’d never let you, right?” Twilight persisted.

“You might have said something or other…” I looked down at my forehooves.

“Is that what happened, Trixie?” Spike asked.

“Yes, that’s exactly what happened.” Twilight intervened. “Then she promised to earn her living and not be evil if we let her stay here.”

“Trixie, you, actually said that? No, something like that couldn’t possibly have happened. Damn! I really am in the wrong universe again, aren’t I?”

“I do really want to stay.” I looked up at him. “My wish is to stay here. At least for a little while.”

“You see, Spike?” Twilight chuckled. “We have her to thank for throwing all of the stuff away.”

“No, please.” I rose a hoof in the air. “You don’t have to do that. I won’t take up any room.”

“Why do you want to stay here so badly, Trixie?” Spike half-closed his eyes. “This doesn’t make any sense.”

“I just do; I don’t know. I can’t explain it. The thought of leaving just terrifies me.”

I stood up and turned to Twilight. “Please don’t throw out these things because of me. I won’t use much space. There’s no need to fret about me. I can sleep outside. Honestly, I really don’t mind.”

“Nonsense. We can’t let a bum sleep in front of the princess’s home. We’re ponies, not some filthy diamond dogs. Now help me throw my useless stuff away.”

“Can I take this?” I pointed at her album.

“No, it’s my stuff, and I don’t want to give it to you. I want to throw it away. And this junk here, too.” She shuffled a hoof along the shelf, throwing books and pictures off it.

My eyes fixed themselves at the beautiful things that gathered on the floor. I wanted to hold on to everything in the pile. Despite seeing the items for the first time, I felt a strong connection to them.

“You really like all these things, don’t you, Trixie?” Twilight smirked.

“It’s odd, but yes. I seem to really like them. Do they need to be thrown away? It feels like a waste.”

Spike stepped forward. “Yeah, Twilight, what has gotten into you?”

She gasped. “Why are you siding with her, assistant? I’m the one in charge here, and you are supposed to assist me.”

“I thought this was my home, too,” Spike growled.

“Fine!” She sighed. “Tell you what, Spike. I’ll throw what I don’t want on the floor and you can take whatever you want out of the pile. Trixie will throw out the rest.”

“Um, can I take the rest of the things instead of throwing them out?” I asked and quickly bowed my head as her eyes pierced me.

“And where will you stash your loot, servant?”

“Twilight, I’m sure you can spare her a room somewhere in the whole castle.”

“Ugh! Fine.” She trotted to the hallway and pointed a hoof at a small door. “That’ll be your room, Trixie.”

“Twilight, that’s where I keep my brooms.” Spike protested.

“I’m sure we can also fit a pony inside. Either way, you’ve wasted enough of my time, assistants. I wish to roll in my bed now and enjoy every moment of it!”

“You’re going to bed?” Spike raised his eyebrows. “It’s the middle of the day. I thought you hated wasting reading light.”

“I’ll just roll in it. There’s nothing suspicious about rolling in my own bed! Now, shush!” She waved a dismissive hoof in his direction. “Go show Trixie to her room, or something.”

“You were always kind of weird, Twilight, but I thought I was getting the hang of you. It feels like I’m at square one again, though. It’s like you’re not even yourself.”

“Whatever. Just go away!” She threw a pillow at him.

“Ugh!” He crossed his claws on his chest and thumped to the exit where I was perched. He closed the door of Twilight’s room behind him. “Come, Trixie. Let me show you to your ‘room’.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at him and followed his lead along the crystal corridor.