Why? thought Trixie as the events played out in front of her once more. Why is this happening again? This has all happened already! Twice! And why can't I do anything to change what's going on? I already know how this ends! I'd rather just take off the Amulet right now and be done with it!
Ah, but that would be so dull, now wouldn't it, Trixie?
Who are you?!?
I am you. Trixie, you know that you want to keep the Alicorn Amulet on.
Twilight Sparkle smiled as she did her duplication spell, but Trixie already knew how it worked.
No, I don't! I never want to wear this Amulet ever again!
"Hey!" cried Twilight Sparkle as Trixie grabbed her "amulet" off of her neck. "Give it back!"
But you do. Don't lie to yourself, Trixie
Shut up!
"But... what about the pony with the ten instruments?" asked Trixie.
"That's not magic!" said Twilight Sparkle with a smile. "That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Is it over?
Pinkie Pie happily danced around playing all of the instruments that she had. Trixie blinked as nothing happened, and then quickly turned towards Twilight.
"Twilight Sparkle, I need you-"
A flash of light.
.....
-to help me! I'm repeating the same... Day... Over again...
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!" cried Twilight Sparkle as Rainbow Dash flew around unbalanced and Snips and Snails ran around trying to get unstuck.
No! Please, not again!
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Shut up! I will not accept the Amulet!
"Forget it!" snapped Twilight Sparkle, stamping her hoof on the ground. "I'd never make a deal like that!"
Trixie, this can be easy. Just accept the power of the Alicorn Amulet, and you can be free. You already know what Twilight Sparkle is going to do.
And I'm not going to change that! She is going to save me from the Amulet, and I won't let that change!
Hmph. Your choice.
"Hmph." said Trixie. "Your choice."
GYAAAAAH!!!
"That's not magic!" said Twilight Sparkle. "That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Trixie blinked in confusion. Hadn't she just been at the beginning of the duel?
"Twilight Sparkle..." Trixie paused. Was it going to start over once again? "...Thank you."
"Huh?"
The day hadn't restarted! Trixie had no idea why, but she wasn't about to complain! "For tricking me into taking the Amulet off. I shouldn't have put it on, but as soon as I did I never wanted to take it off again. You saved me from it."
"Then, I guess your welcome. I'm just glad that everypony is okay."
"..." Trixie didn't say anything. Was she already free of the loop? "Twilight Sparkle, I need to ask you about something. Are-"
Flash of light.
......
-time loops real?
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!" cried Twilight Sparkle as Rainbow Dash flew around unbalanced and Snips and Snails ran around trying to get unstuck.
N-no! The loop hadn't happened at the same point before, why did it change?
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
NO!!!
The duel was over even faster.
"That's not magic!" said Twilight Sparkle. "That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Trixie vacantly nodded. She hadn't looped. What was different?
"Trixie?" asked Twilight Sparkle. "Is something wrong?
"It's nothing..." muttered Trixie. "Just go back to practicing levitating those animals, Twilight Sparkle."
"Wait, how did you know that?"
Still no loop. "Just go, I'm busy."
"But-"
"Twilight Sparkle, I am trying to deal with-"
Flash of light.
.......
-all this stuff that keeps repeating!
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!" cried Twilight Sparkle as Rainbow Dash flew around unbalanced and Snips and Snails ran around trying to get unstuck.
Why?!?
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Shut up! I've already told you, I'm not giving in!
Hmph. Your choice.
"Hmph. Your choice."
There has to be a pattern! If only I could talk with Twilight Sparkle about all these loops! Unless...
"That's not magic!" said Twilight Sparkle. "That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Trixie quickly yelled out, "I'm stuck in-"
Flash.
........
-a time loop!
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!"
Is it really this simple? I just need to not mentions the loops to anypony?
"That's not magic! That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Trixie smiled. "Ah, that makes sense."
The rest of the day was quick. She added fireworks into Twilight Sparkle's performance just like the first time, and ran off. She didn't trip this time.
Freedom! I can't believe that it worked!
She looked up at the Northern Star, and her smile faded away. It was shining red.
No, no, no. Please don't-
Flash.
.........
-send me back again!
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!"
If she could change what was happening, Trixie would have collapsed in tears.
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Maybe if she called for help faster.
"That's not magic! That's just-"
"Time-"
Flash.
..........
-loop!
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!"
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
"That's not magic!" That's-"
"Everything is-"
Flash.
...........
-repeating!
Flash.
............
-time back to normal!
Flash.
.............
-I can't break free!
Flash.
..............
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Flash.
...............
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Flash.
................
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Flash.
.................
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Flash.
..................
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!"
Flash.
...................
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!"
Flash.
................
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!"
Flash.
.....................
"That's not magic! That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Flash.
......................
"That's not magic! That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Flash.
.......................
"Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!"
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Flash.
........................
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
"That's not magic! That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Flash.
.........................
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Flash.
..........................
Oh, my dear. You're just starting to see.
Flash.
...........................
"Stop picking-"
Flash.
............................
Oh, my dear. You're-
Flash.
.............................
"That's not magic!"
Flash.
..............................
Oh, my dear.
Flash.
...............................
"-my friends!"
Flash.
................................
Oh-
Flash.
.................................
"That's just Pinkie Pie!"
Trixie cried out and collapsed on the ground in tears.
Oh, my dear. Do you finally see?
Flash.