//------------------------------//
// 16 - Celebrations -Twilight 
// Story: If Chaos prevails... 
// by The Marshmallow 
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A round of clopping resounded in the large, crowded plaza, and the purple-clad, blue unicorn standing now lonely on the stage was basking in it. Ponies cheering for her were what she had always craved, and never she had managed to collect more than a sparse crowd. But now? Her own merits (and maybe, just maybe, a pinch of help from lady luck) had pushed her on the most important stage of Equestria, snatching the role of the main event from Sapphire Shores. THE Sapphire Shores. She couldn't remember a happier time in her whole life. But, at the same time, she couldn't just make it about her. She was better than that. "The Great and Powerful Trixie wants to thank you all! You are a wonderful audience!" As the loudspeaker broadcasted her voice to the crowd, she appreciated her own extreme humbleness. It was apparent to everypony how they should have been thanking her for her presence, and instead she was the one doing most of the thanking.  "Sadly, our time together is almost over. But before leaving, the Great and Powerful Trixie will amaze you once again!" Some smoke, carefully measured by the technical staff, started to invade the stage, creating a magical and mysterious atmosphere. As if to make clear that something was going to happen. So she spoke again: "Now, please, give some encouragement to my lovely assistant, Pinkie Pie!"

The Pink Pony, appropriately dressed, quickly made her entrance on the scene welcomed by the cheering of the crowd. She stopped just beside the magician and waved at the audience with a large smile. Seeing all those ponies having fun filled her with pride and joy, and even if she couldn't see what was going on the flying tribune, knowing that Discord was looking at her made her even a bit more excited.

With a single gesture, Trixie managed to calm the crowd a little bit. And as the cheering faded, the magician could again be heard: "Wait, Pinkie, where are the other assistants?" In her demeanour, she greatly exaggerated her surprise and even mimicked horror. Both her facial expression and her movements were trying to convince the crowd that something was wrong. "They had to bring the magic box!"

Without saying a word, Pinkie Pie started looking around, exaggerating every gesture of her own. She, too, looked extremely surprised as she saw nopony else on the stage. Then she shrugged her shoulders as if to say she had no idea where they could be, and then she simply gazed at the mare beside her looking for guidance.

Trixie sighed, loudly, feigning disappointment "Once again, the Great and Powerful Trixie will have to make do!" Quickly, she brought a hoof underneath her cape, and a very large blanket appeared from there, surprising many in the audience. She had kept it hidden for the whole show, just to be ready to use it now, and although the heat was considerable (it was still the peak of summer) it was certainly worth it. "Lovely assistant, can you take that side?"  Pinkie complied happily, grabbing it with her front hooves and balancing herself on her back legs. Trixie instead used her levitation magic to do exactly the same thing. They were keeping the blanket right over a secret trapdoor, with the bottom part barely touching the ground around it, and leaving enough space for something to appear underneath. Trixie moved a few steps away from there, attracting the attention on herself. That way, nopony paid too much attention to the blanket and its movements as the trapdoor underneath opened and the magic box started to be lifted onto the stage by the crew.

"You heard correctly, my dear audience! A magic box!" As Trixie spoke, Pinkie pie did let go of her hold on the blanket. Trixie moved it away too, letting it fall on the stage a few meters to her right, revealing the aforementioned prop and surprising many in the audience, leaving them in awe. It was a purple box with the same blue and yellow star motive of Trixie's dress, tall and wide enough to contain a pony but certainly not to give such pony freedom of movement. "Lovely assistant, can you show our audience that this is a solid box, with no way to escape from it?"

Pinkie Pie started walking around the box, looking at it for a few moments, and then she started rotating it so that the whole audience could see that it was made of solid wood on each side. then she went and opened it, revealing the black interior, and started to knock on each side. This was enough to dissipate any doubt among most of the audience.

"Good, now get into the box." Pinkie blinked twice, continuing her silly pantomime. She looked around, as if confused, and then she pointed at herself perplexed. "Yes, you. You see anyone else on the stage?" Slowly, a step after another, Pinkie got closer to the box, looking again into it. The perspective of being imprisoned into it had to seem somehow scary to the audience, just to add a little bit of suspense. And as she started to timidly get into it, Trixie Pushed her in with her magic, closing the box behind her. Then, she started levitating towards it some robust chains from the backstage, which she started to wrap around the box. Obviously leaving the bottom untouched, but nopony had to notice it "Do not look away, my dear audience, do not even blink. Behold the Great and Powerful Trixie making the impossible possible once again!"





There were no guards in the backstage, nopony that seemed especially suspicious of the orange farm-pony, of the white fashionista, or of her lavender assistant. Everypony was simply doing its job and seemingly the three were too. This didn't mean they could afford to be any less careful. As the right time was coming closer, Applejack gave Twilight a quick glance, to ensure she was looking at her, and then she touched the ground twice with her right foreleg. The unicorn knew perfectly the meaning of the gesture: Pinkie had just entered the magic box and the window of time before she would be lowered in the backstage was fairly short, meaning that she had no time to lose.

projecting her magic was a familiar feeling, cultivated in years of training under Celestia's guidance, and the position and the intensity of the projected magic resounded in her mind like the notes of a theremin. She had practised enough to remember to perfection the exact sensation that projecting the magic in that box would give her, and now she only had to guess the position of Pinkie Pie body, expanding that little bubble of magic so that it would envelop her whole body. Since she was supposed to be enclosed in a box, that was the easiest part. The whole process took no more than a few brief seconds but had already required a lot of focus and effort. And what was to come put even more pressure on her, as any error might not only have compromised their plan but even caused Pinkie Pie serious harm!

Twilight exhaled a long breathe, trying to calm herself down. It was no different from what she had done many other times, to what she had practised in the very same position for days. Recalling the training was helpful, and so was the breathing technique Celestia taught her. And thinking of her mentor, her family, and her friends finally gave her to courage to go forward. She clenched her teeth slightly, she made more and more magic flow in her horn and finally aimed it to the wardrobe near her, clearly visualizing it in her mind. Once she had entangled the two locations with her magic, she only had to ignite the whole process, suddenly making the Pink Pony pop out of existence for a fraction of a second, just to appear in a completely new location accompanied by a flash of light and a loud sound.

As neither the light nor the sound could manifest, due to the spells cast on wardrobe previously, Applejack gave Twilight an inquisitive look. The latter's horn was still slightly lit, and she looked for a moment a little unsure. As her scan went through, though, a small smile appeared on her muzzle, and she could confidently give her friend a nod. The farm pony could finally sigh in relief. Twilight didn't. Not only she had more to do, but thinking of the pony she had now trapped inside that wardrobe was flooding her with a crushing feeling of guilt. Still, sporting her best poker face, she moved a few tentative steps towards Rarity.





Rarity had the determination of a mare on a mission. Always. Be it her duties to the resistance or her job, she would never spare any effort. Only thanks to that kind of resolve Rainbow Dash's mane what not only untangled but even styled in a complex and elegant fashion, much to Rarity's liking. She was now sitting nearby Fluttershy, as the fashionista was making sure that the wedding dress would fit her perfectly. the blue pegasus' eyes were on her friend, much in appreciation of how well she looked in her wedding dress. The sight was giving her conflicting feelings.

"Wonderful, darling, simply wonderful. I knew this butterfly motive would be perfect for you!" Not only there were three butterflies in white lace on her chest, but also the whole gown was meant to remind a swarm of butterflies flying away. A 'virtuosismo' that took her too many sleepless nights to perfect. but it was definitely worth it, seeing it on her "And it is so easy to work with you!" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, as Rarity was giving her a teasing smile. To be fair, even the blue pegasus had do admit that there was some truth to Rarity's complaints. In the meantime, the fashionista focused again on the yellow mare. An insistent thought had invaded her mind. It was absurd, silly, impossible even given what was going to happen in a matter of minutes. And yet she couldn't help but suggest it. "You should try modelling for me, sometimes!"

Fluttershy blinked, twice, looking as if she thought she had misheard Rarity' words. Then, when the idea sunk in her mind, she started to blush. "Oh, no. No, no, no. I... really couldn't" She tried to hide her formerly yellow, now red face with one of her wings, although trying not to be of any impediment to Rarity's measurement. Still, she felt visibly bad about denying the other mare's request, so a moment later she opened her mouth again, just whispering: "I'm sorry..."

Rarity was, for a single moment, speechless. That was not the answer she expected. Sure, a refusal was a given. And even a sorry, as a sign of politeness, was not surprising. Her tone was. The deep sorrow that she was trying to hide startled Rarity notably, preventing her from answering immediately. She had an excuse to delay her words, namely the Figure of Twilight getting closer, sign that the plan was in motion. The words she had to speak were prepared already, so she could say them without a moment of delay "Twilight, dear!" As if she needed to catch her attention "I'm almost done here. Would you mind bringing that wardrobe to out carriage already? I am not going to need it anymore."

Twilight was positively impressed. It was so difficult for her to look relaxed, considering everything that was happening, but Rarity made it look so easy, so effortless. her years of practice in any kind of social setting, with any kind of pony, had definitely paid off "Sure thing, Rarity."But the lavender mare was still Celestia's disciple. there was some pride in that, and also there were an uncountable number of hours in which, besides magic, she was taught discipline and proper behaviour. her mind was not going to fail her now, nor her tone was going to betray her. an energetic nod sealed her words, as she went back to the wardrobe containing pinkie. she effortlessly levitated it besides her and started to walk towards the exit.

"As for you..." Rarity could then go back to focusing on the soon to be spouse.  The few moments Twilight gave her were extremely helpful in making her recover from the surprise at the yellow mare's words, and to consider the best possible answer to that. "No need to say sorry, it was just an idea..." She mustered her best comforting smile, pointing her own eyes straight in those of Fluttershy: "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do!" And to that the pegasus really didn't know how to answer, so she just lowered her eyes to the ground. Her big, sad, now almost watery eyes.





The very idea of holding captive an innocent, probably terrified, mare had previously made her feel sick to her stomach. Now, Twilight's breathing was, surprisingly, under control. She could walk nearby the two guards at the entrance without rising even the slightest suspicion, even managing to keep a confident smile on her own muzzle. There were no disturbances in the flow of her magic when she levitated her badge in front of them, which they barely checked, so she could easily walk away. Again, she was still not relieved. Not only her destination was still fairly far away, but a new feeling was developing in her mind. Was she becoming desensitized to the suffering she was causing the poor Pinkie Pie? Sure, she had never met her, and she was the loyal assistant of their enemy, but she was still a pony very much like her. Not feeling enough pity... Did that mean she was becoming everything she had always despised? What could she do to repent? Besides, obviously, feeling bad for not feeling bad enough, which was, everything considered, already a good start.

The lavender mare had not walked for two more minutes when her train of thought stopped. Derailed, even. It was a voice as sweet as she could imagine, no less soothing than that of Celestia when years in the past used to sing lullabies to help her and Sunset sleep, and yet it was also as intriguing as that of Rarity whenever she was trying to charm somepony. Neither feeling, though, could sink deeply into Twilight, who stopped immediately her motion, turning to face the mare immediately. Sheer horror was invading her mind, together with the desire to scream, maybe even to say all the words that a good filly shouldn't. And yet her face was still showing nothing but a confident, relaxed smile. She didn't know how long she could have kept that, though.

"Where are going in such a hurry, my little pony?"

There was no mistake, sadly. No other pony had such a luscious pink fur, softer than any other in Equestria and beyond, only ever treated with the most delicate and expensive balms. The same could be said of the three-coloured mane, style by the most capable manedresser in all of Canterlot, which was now delicately waving in the evening breeze. Her back was perfectly straight, her posture dignified, and a complete set of golden regalia adorned her hooves and her forehead. Her unicity reached even the elements that make the three tribes diverge -all of which she had. Her wings were larger than those of any pegasus she had seen, and her extraordinary pink horn was second only to that of Celestia herself. Just three meters from Twilight, with two royal guards clad in ceremonial armour at her sides, stood Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. The heir to the Frozen North. The Princess of Love. The only recognized alicorn of Equestria, and as such first in line to the throne.

The last pony Twilight would have wanted to meet.