//------------------------------//
// Episode 19: "Trivia Trot Madness" 
// Story: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 12 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
//------------------------------//

…

…

Spike, Celestia and Luna paced back and forth outside of the Castle of Friendship's library. It was late at night and all three of them knew that Twilight should be fast asleep, but she wasn't.

"Okay," Spike declared to the two retired alicorn princesses. "We're going in there and saying to Twilight that although she is busy preparing for Trivia Trot's charity show, she needs to get some sleep."

"Yes," Luna agreed. "A well minded pony must have a well minded rest."

"And Alex Trebuck is the best of the best!" Celestia added, squealing slightly and excitedly. "I've always wanted to meet him!"

Spike felt slightly taken aback by Celestia's excited behavior.

"Of course, I still would like to get his autograph," Luna remarked. "In fact, I would love to be on the show and…"

"-Let's focus on getting Twilight to sleep, all right?" Spike reminded, but at that moment, the door opened and out stepped Twilight along with Pinkie Pie. "Well, that was easy. Easier than last time."

"Oh, hey there everyone," Twilight remarked, yawning slightly and magically causing some flashcards to disappear. "What time is it?"

"It's late, Twilight, that's what time it is," Celestia replied to her former student. "You really should get some sleep, one princess to another."

"Sorry," Twilight chuckled. "It's just that Pinkie and I need to be in tip top shape for the charity edition of Trivia Trot."

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie added while jumping into the air. "The best minds in all of Equestria are going to be there! So we gotta get those noggins a boggin!"

Amused slightly by the display, Celestia nevertheless led Twilight and Pinkie away from the library. "Of course," She laughed. "But Hhw about you turn your brains off and we'll…help you practice more in the morning?"

As she spoke, Celestia began to feel a surge of excitement in her stomach.

"I get the feeling that you seem to have an affection for a certain game show host," Twilight guessed, looking up at Celestia. "Alex Trebuck, is it?"

Just then, Celestia swooned and fell over on her hind legs. Fortunately, Luna was there in time to catch her. Giving Twilight and Pinkie an awkward stare, Luna helped carry her older sister to their quarters.

"This is going to be very interesting," Luna muttered to herself. "Very interesting indeed."

…

…

The next morning, Twilight, along with five of her friends, made her way to the royal train for her appearance on a special edition of Trivia Trot in Manehattan along with Pinkie. But they were not the only princesses competing and they knew it.

"All right, Applejack," Rainbow Dash spoke as she quizzed Applejack while looking down at a flashcard. "This city is where the first Equestria Games was held in? Here's a hint, it's not Canterlot."

"What is…um, Appleloosa?" Applejack guessed, causing Rainbow to plant her hoof in her face.

"If you were guessing the first rodeo in Equestria," Rainbow Dash bitterly remarked. "You'd be right. But the correct answer is, Baltimare."

"Does it look like I know everythin' about every sport ever, Rainbow Dash?" Applejack replied, glaring at the Princess of Loyalty. "I'm just a simple farm pony who happens to be a princess. Ask me somethin' simpler, okay?"

"There are no 'simpler' categories," Rainbow cried in protest. "Come on, Applejack, I want to win this for the Wonderbolt Academy! The money we win…"

"…largely goes to the war effort. The only thing we do is give a good representation of who we are as princesses," Applejack corrected. "Twilight agreed this would be a great opportunity to help out a good cause."

Meanwhile, in another section of the train, Twilight was being quizzed by Spike along with Pinkie.

"Answer this," Spike said, reading off a flashcard. "This pony has a particular fondness for tabasco flavored cupcakes that sometimes keeps her up at night, though she is nocturnal by nature."

"Who is Princess Luna?" Pinkie asked.

"Correct!" Spike answered in a smooth voice. "Now pick another category."

Without hesitation the party pony declared. "Equestrian Enemies for four hundred bits!"

Picking up another flashcard, Spike read it off to them. "The creature known as Lord Tirek held a strong relationship with this highly significant other prior to becoming the creature he is today. Here's a hint, it's not Scorpan."

Pinkie felt her eyes drop at hearing this question. "Who is…King Vorak?"

"Nope, Twilight?" Spike questioned.

Twilight guessed. "Who is…Sendak?"

"Nope. Wrong again." Spike shook his head. Then, tapping on the seat three times, Spike gave them the answer. "Who is Tirek's maternal grandmother, Lady Minerva?"

Both Twilight and Pinkie looked at each other with blank expressions on their faces. "Who?" They both asked each other, before looking over at Spike.

"Don't look at me!" Spike protested. "I'm just reading off the questions! That's what it says on the card."

And in another private train car, Celestia and Luna were preparing themselves for their encounter with their fan and idol.

"Luna," Celestia asked in a giddy voice while looking in a mirror while she applied some makeup. "Do you think that Alex Trebuck will like me?"

"He'll…love you just as you are, Celestia," Luna amusingly laughed. "You don't need to do yourself up. You don't look a day over three hundred after all."

"But I want to look my best for Alex!" Celestia protested, trying to apply eyeshadow on her eyelids. "This is the pony who helped inspire me to become a teacher and a good leader. Besides, he likes the fine arts like you do, right?"

"W-well, yes…" Luna stammered, shrugging her shoulders. "He does. It makes me wonder why he never attended any events during our reign."

"Perhaps he was too nervous or too busy," Celestia remarked. "But now that we're retired…"

"-Just don't get ahead of yourself trying to impress him, sister." Luna sighed and returned to letting Celestia continue to prepare herself for what was to come.

…

A little while later, the train arrived in Manehattan and scores of photographers and reporters went about their business of trying to take pictures of their six leaders as they walked down from the station.

"I must say that the press is being their usual selves, I guess some things never change," Rarity remarked. "Good thing Fluttershy is not here and taking care of Discord. She'd be hating this right now."

"They're probably just as excited for Trivia Trot as we are," Twilight declared as they boarded a special carriage. "If anything, it's a good distraction from what's going on. Sure we want to win, but we also want to have fun, right? It'll be just like when we went to Manehattan Escapes together, every now and then we need a break. I learned from the last time we played Trivia Trot."

"Yeah, and this time Team Twi-Pie's gonna be unstoppable!" Pinkie declared much to the confusion of Celestia and Luna.

"Team…Twi-Pie?" Luna blinked.

"It's a long story," Twilight remarked. "Some name that Pinkie came up with the last time we played Trivia Trot. The last one I attended before taking the throne in fact, and let's just say I got carried away defending my title for what I thought would be the last time."

"Well, if you say so," Celestia chuckled, reaching into her saddlebag and pulling out an autograph book. "As long as I get my autograph from Alex Trebuck, I'm happy."

"You're also here to support us though, right?" Twilight asked her former mentor and fellow princess.

"Oh, yes, of course, how can I forget?" Celestia blushed. Slightly embarrassed, she placed her autograph book back inside the saddlebag.

When the carriage reached its destination, crowds of ponies had already lined up outside of the district theater to get glimpses of the celebrity contestants.

As they prepared to arrive at the theater, Applejack couldn't help but take notice of a carriage in front of them. Two yellow unicorn stallions that seemed very familiar to her were inside one of them.

"Uh, Applejack, is something wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked as the two stallions got off.

"Yeah, I smell somethin' fishy," Applejack answered. "Some trouble makin' unicorns who I'll bet are up to no good again, even after they helped save the world."

Keeping her eye on the two unicorns, Applejack watched as they made their way into the theater and disappeared from view. Little did any of them know that inside the theater, the two unicorns were ushered into a bathroom where a third yellow coated unicorn was waiting for them.

"You took your sweet time getting here, cousins," The unicorn said to the brothers. "The crowds are already starting to gather like mad!"

"Yes, yes, don't worry about them," A yellow unicorn coated with a red moustache remarked as he removed a pair of sunglasses. "We're going to win this competition our way! Right, brother of mine?"

"Of course, brother!" The non moustached stallion declared. "We win and seventy five percent of that money goes towards our resort expansion project. No harm, no foul."

"That's what they want us to think, Flim!" The third unicorn remarked as he reached into a gray duffle bag. "Just remember who is going to help secure your victory tonight, remember? Me, the greatest game show impresario in all of Equestria!" He then removed a gray toupee and a gray fake moustache, placing them on his mouth and his head.

"Of course, you look exactly like him now, Flem!" Flam laughed, admiring his cousin's well planned disguise. "With that know-it-all stuck wherever he is, nopony will know it's really you under there! Just make sure not to be too obvious, can't risk giving ourselves away before the money is ours."

The two brothers and their cousin couldn't help but laugh at their intentions to make this charity edition of Trivia Trot theirs for the taking!

…

…

As the audience members took their seats, Twilight and her friends were backstage and were getting ready for the game.

"Okay girls," Twilight instructed to them all. "This is just for charity. Whoever does win, no hard feelings."

"As long as there's none of that rule bending like last time, I'll consider it fun." Rainbow remarked.

"Well, I can't help but wonder if those two unicorns are who we think they are," Applejack commented. Sure enough, the two ponies that had caused trouble for Twilight and her friends in the past came over to them. "I should have known," Applejack frowned as she saw Flim and Flam approach. "What are you two clowns up to now? Ain't you caused enough trouble?"

"Trouble? Why would we cause trouble? We're here for the same reason you are, competing for charity, of course!" Flim laughed, nudging Applejack in the side. "I mean…we all want to take the minds off the war effort, right? It's been bad for business."

"What makes you so sure about that?" Rainbow frowned, giving the two brothers a stare. "I've got a hunch you aren't really here for charity. Besides, don't you two have a resort to run?"

"Maybe…" Flam shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, don't spoil this for everypony, understand?" Twilight warned the brothers. "There are a lot of really important ponies watching us tonight. So don't try anything funny for your sakes"

"Oh, we know about that!" Flim promised. "If we try anything I assure you it won't be funny."

Meanwhile, in the audience, Celestia, Luna, Spike and Rarity were just as anxious for the game to begin as the rest of the ponies gathered.

"This is even greater than I imagined it would be!" Celestia cried, trying to hide her excitement. "Who ever thought that I, a former princess, would meet one of my biggest idols? Do you think I look fine, sister?"

"You look like yourself, Celestia," Luna answered while trying to hide a smirk. "But save your excitement until the show is over."

Then, at that moment, the lights dimmed and the sound of music was heard as a loud voice boomed out. "THIS IS TRIVIA TROT!" The announcer declared. "Let's meet today's contestants: Playing for the School of Friendship, Princesses Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. Playing for the Wonderbolt Academy, Princesses Applejack and Rainbow Dash. And finally, playing for their own resort, Flim and Flam. And now, here is the host of Trivia Trot…Alex Trebuck!"

Dressed in a gray business suit, the disguised Flem walked onto the stage and began the game. "Thank you, Johnny," Flem announced. "Welcome to another edition of Trivia Trot, folks. But this is no ordinary rendition. Tonight we have three pairs of contestants each competing for a respective charity of their choice. And most importantly, we're doing this to provide everyone a decent distraction from a growing war, against an overgrown goat."

The audience chuckled slightly, but right away both Celestia and Luna felt something was off.

The disguised Flem, meanwhile, directing the contestants to look at a large board. "Here are the categories: Potent Potables; Kingdoms between the Frozen North and the Badlands; Coloratura and Songbird Serenade; I Have a Cider, which means that you get the points automatically and I get to have a glass of cider. Things You Do with a Ruler; Tie Your Wings; and finally, Do You Like Bananas?"

Hearing the last category made Celestia and the others question that something was indeed off. "Who invented these categories? Discord?" Celestia whispered to Luna, who merely shrugged her shoulders.

"Flim and Flam, you go first." The disguised Flem said to his two cousins.

"Um, that's a nice jacket you are wearing, Mr. Trebuck." Flim said, leaning in front of the podium he and Flam were sharing.

"Strange," Luna whispered to her sister. "No contestant has ever complimented on Alex's wardrobe before."

"Is that wool?" Flam asked. "Must be expensive."

"Just pick a category," Flem instructed, but the two brothers were too fixated on their cousin's disguise to notice. "All right, let's go with Bananas for six hundred bits…the princess formally known as Celestia used bananas to throw at a picture of this Equestrian villain."

At that moment, the buzzer rang from Twilight and Pinkie Pie. "Yes, Princess…Princess…geez, one princess would be enough."

"Um, Lord Tirek?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Uh, correct." Flem declared who immediately got a look from his two cousins.

"Coloratura and Songbird Serenade for 400 bits." Twilight declared.

Flem looked down at his card, as if deep in thought. "At the Friendship Festival in Canterlot, Songbird Serenade was turned into a literal caged songbird by this smelly monkey."

Applejack buzzed in. "Was it the Storm King?" She asked only for an incorrect buzzer to sound.

"Sorry, that is incorrect, farm girl." Flem replied.

"But it was the Storm King! I was there!" Applejack protested.

"Not according to my answer card here, princess," Flem replied and then turned to his cousins. "Flim and Flam?"

"Was it…Kong King?" Flam asked, and a correct buzzer went off.

"What?!" Twilight cried. "Applejack's right, it was the Storm King that put Songbird in the cage!"

"Let's move on," Flem replied while shaking his head, trying to ignore Twilight. "Flim and Flam, pick a category."

"Coloratura and Songbird for six hundred bits!"

Flem read the next card. "Coloratura had her former manager try to force three r musicians to do what?"

Buzzing in, Applejack was determined to get the answer right."Force them to travel in a snowstorm!" But the incorrect buzzer sounded again. "What?!" Applejack cried. "That sniveling Svengallop tried to…"

"Now, now, now, your highness," Flem interrupted. "There's no need for such outbursts, just play the game," He then turned to Flim and Flam. "Flim and Flam?"

Flim asked. "Dance the Pony Paloka over and over again?"

Flem smiled as the correct buzzer went off. "Correct!"

Immediately, Twilight and her fellow princesses began to grow more and more frustrated with the situation. Even Celestia and Luna were disgusted by what they saw.

"How can all these answers be right?" Rarity cried in dismay. "It doesn't make sense!"

"Of course it doesn't, the real Alex Trebuck would never mix up his facts the way this imposter is doing to benefit Flim and Flam," Luna declared, suddenly activating her horn. "That's not him! Someone's trying to rig this whole game!"

Both Rarity and Spike were astounded by what they had just heard, while Celestia and Luna rose to their feet. "Wait here," Celestia whispered to Rarity and Spike. "We'll be back."

So, the two sisters left the audience leaving Spike and Rarity alone to watch as the rigged game continue to unfold

…

…

"All right, Flim and Flam," Flem declared. "You have the next category."

"We'll take Bananas for two hundred bits." Flam replied.

"The princess formally known as Luna was so tired one morning that she ate the peel of a banana instead of a fruit in front of this former village idiot." Flem responded, only paying half attention to the card.

The four princesses participating were shocked by what they were hearing! "All right," Twilight growled, buzzing in while feeling very insulted. "Who is Starlight Glimmer, and let me tell you that she is not an idiot! You've got some nerve insulting her on the show like this!"

Deciding to ignore the remark, Flem turned to his two cousins. "Flim and Flam?"

"Is it Discord?" Flim asked.

Flem smiled. "Correct again!"

"Hey, wait just a minute! Discord didn't rule over that village, buster!" Pinkie Pie cried out from the stand. "I can Pinkie Promise you on that!"

Ignoring the princesses' anger and frustration, Flem continued on with the rigged game.

"I don't know who or what came up with that ridiculous slogan, but there is no such thing as a Pinkie Promise," Flem remarked, much to Pinkie's shock and disgust. "Sort of a juvenile saying, don't you think?"

Pinkie all but literally collapsed into pieces in dismay!

"You know what?" Twilight snapped, glaring at Flem. "All of the questions that were answered tonight were incorrect. Who are you, really? You're not Alex Trebuck!"

Fearing that his cover was about to be blown, Flem decided to advance the game forward. "Um, um, okay, okay, hothead princess," Flem stammered as he sensed the audience was beginning to side with Twilight and the others. "Since things are beginning to get out of control, it's now time for Final Trivia Trot…"

But no sooner did Flem say that than did another figure dressed in a gray business suit and necktie walk out onto the stage. "And so, this was the final Trivia Trot."

As the pony walked onto the stage, the audience cheered wildly and right away the brothers and their cousin realized that their cover was blown. The real Alex Trebuck had finally arrived.

"And what a ride it has been!" Alex declared. "From Sapphire Shores to Countess Coloratura. But boy, oh boy, oh boy, you really rigged up this game in favor of your friends in that middle slot there. None of the answers given were any of the correct answers."

"Um, um, um…"

"That's how we figured it out!" Luna declared as she and Celestia walked onto the stage. "And we know Alex Trebuck well enough to know he is a good but firm host! He would never stand for such clear favoritism on his show!"

"And as for you…" Celestia added, using her magic to remove the fake moustache and toupee from Flem's head causing the audience to gasp and boo. "Show us who you really are!"

"Well, well, well," Alex remarked, looking over at Flem. "A copycat of myself. Let me give you some advice, pal, I don't take kindly to cheap carbon copies. I suggest you leave now before I press charges."

"Um, um, um…" Flem stammered, looking over to his cousins for help. "No, those answers from Flim and Flam were the correct answers. These four princesses are very stupid! They think they know everything, but they don't!"

"Back off, pal!" Alex cried, coming to the defense of Twilight and her friends. "They don't have to take that from you."

Feeling that their cover was blown, the Flim Flam brothers attempted to sneak off of the stage, only to be stopped by Celestia and Luna's magic and dragged to the center of the stage.

"I think there is a lesson to be learned here, audience," Alex declared. "Anypony who tries to cheat their way up in life…will end up in serious jeopardy."

Looking back to Twilight and the others, Alex winked at them and then Celestia and Luna teleported the brothers and their cousin away with their magic in a flash of light. Once they were gone, the audience broke into applause.

"So now that the fake me and his cronies are gone," Alex announced, turning his attention over to Celestia and Luna. "Why don't we start over with you two participating?"

Excited beyond belief, Celestia nearly fainted only to be held up by Luna's magic.

…

For the rest of the night, the game started over and was done in a fair manner. Finally, it came time for the true final trivia trot.

"Now that we have this game done properly," Alex said with a sincere smile. "It's time for the final trivia trot and the answer to the question is: This small town south of Canterlot was named a co-capitol of Equestria for the sake of the well being of this famous princess. You have thirty seconds, good luck."

"All right, Celestia and Luna, my two biggest fans," Alex said as he revealed their answer when the thirty seconds had ended. "Your response is… 'We love you, Alex!'"

Immediately, the audience broke into applause and Alex couldn't help but feel slightly choked up at this answer. "I gotta tell you," He smiled. "That's the first time in all my years of hosting this show that somepony has done that for me."

Pulling himself together quickly, Alex returned to his hosting duties. "Anyways, your answer was unfortunately wrong and it seems it will cost you all but five of your bits, so you'll finish in third place."

Then, he turned his attention over to Rainbow Dash and Applejack. "Princess Rainbow Dash and Princess Applejack, your response is, Who is us'? Technically that's a yes, but you needed to have the full answer. That will cost you a thousand bits dropping you a thousand even."

Finally, he turned his attention to Pinkie Pie and Twilight. "Princesses Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie, your response is: who is Twilight Sparkle and her friends? That is the correct response, that gets you five thousand bits, bringing you to ten thousand bits. And thus making you two the winners of this special edition of Trivia Trot!"

As the audience applauded, Twilight and Pinkie embraced one another in their victory. "And your winnings tonight will go towards the School of Friendship and all of the proceeds for tonight's show will go towards the Equestrian war effort. Thank you all for donating and we'll see you next time. So long, everypony!"

Meanwhile, Flim, Flam and their cousin found themselves transported to an unusual location.

"Um, brother," Flim asked as they found themselves surrounded by yaks. "Why did those former princesses transport us here to…whatever this place is?"

"I'm not sure brother," Flam replied. "But, I don't think that they are going to be very welcoming to us."

As the surrounding yaks growled and got closer, the brothers and their cousin prepared themselves for whatever came their way.

"Um, may we interest you in some warm blankets?" Flam asked, randomly pulling out a stack of blankets. "They are very useful in this weather!"

But the leader of the yaks, Prince Rutherford, thought otherwise. "Yaks teach crooked ponies a lesson!" He thundered and the yaks surrounded the three con ponies, teaching them a lesson that they would never forget.

Meanwhile, Alex Trebuck had gathered Celestia, Luna, Spike Rarity and the rest of the princesses in his dressing room as he finally signed the autograph Celestia had so wanted.

"My apologies for what happened tonight," Alex said to Twilight and the others. "I had some trouble getting here."

"What exactly happened to you, Alex?" Twilight questioned.

"Let's just say I had a few minor hiccups on the way over here," Alex replied, looking at Celestia with affectionate eyes. "Someone misplaced the key to my apartment. I'm just grateful that this young mare was such a good locksmith."

Celestia couldn't help but blush at those words.

"But, all that matters is that we do these kinds of shows for fun," Alex smiled. "No one, not even ponies who have their own agendas will ever take that away from me. I'm grateful for all of you, just as you are all grateful for me."

Twilight and the others took their feelings in grateful natures. For they had inspired Alex Trebuck's life just as much as he'd inspired theirs.

…

…

In loving memory of

Alex Trebek

1940-2020

…

…