“I can’t wait to get back to Las Pegasus!” purred Pretty Penny, sitting up just long enough to take a sip of her mint julep before leaning back in her deckchair, gazing out at the ocean from the aft portion of River Bank’s yacht. “I’m going to prepare the finest suites in six different resorts for His Highness’ exclusive use while he’s there! That way, he’ll never be more than a few blocks away from luxury no matter which part of the city he’s in!”
From the next chair over, Razzle Dazzle gave a loud snort. “You think he’ll care whether he’s sleeping on a featherbed or a waterbed?” sneered the old mare, adjusting her sunglasses despite the large umbrella keeping the sun off of her. “With those two beauties at his side, it’s obvious that he has an eye for the ladies. That’s why, when he comes to take in a show at the Palace, I’m going to make sure the Ponycat Dolls put on a performance he’ll never forget!”
“You really think the prince will go for that, Razzle?” chortled Gladmane condescendingly from where he was using a tanning reflector to take in the sun. “If some pretty little filly catches his eye, I’m sure he’d rather chase her than have her shake her flank at him.” He chuckled at the thought, one hoof reaching up to brush his mane back, the motion smooth and practiced. “He’s like me, a pony of action. That’s why I’m giving him ten thousand chips in advance for my casino, so he can take fortune in his hooves there the same way he did when he won his crown.”
“Why would anypony want to waste time tossing dice and playing cards when they could be indulging themselves in the finest of finery?” sneered Pretty Penny over the rim of her drink. “The prince will want to spend his time in luxury.”
“Creature comforts are inconsequential compared to the comfort that a gorgeous creature can give you,” snorted Razzle Dazzle, arching a brow over her sunglasses. “The prince will want to surround himself with pretty girls.”
“Loose ladies are temporary pleasures, not like a big pile of money that you won with nothing but your own skills and good luck,” jeered Gladmane, glancing over the top of his tanning reflector. “The prince will want to have fun gambling.”
The three of them glared at each other for a long moment before Pretty Penny broke the stalemate. “What do you think, Pixie? Which type of recreation is more to Prince Legis’s liking?”
“Huh?” Glancing up from where she was stretched out on her own deckchair, idly juggling a quartet of oranges that she’d nabbed from a nearby bowl of fruit, Pixie glanced over at the trio of ponies. “Oh, um, I’m just catching a ride back home,” she murmured, hoping to avoid being drawn into the three-way argument, knowing that whichever pony she agreed with would result in the other two lashing out at her.
“Come on now, don’t be shy,” urged Gladmane, flashing her an easy smile. “You’re in close with the prince, aren’t you? What’s his favorite pastime?”
Catching the oranges, Pixie gave a shrug. “I wouldn’t know. I mean, I’m sure River does, but I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to her, so I couldn’t say. It’s not like I know the prince himself very well.”
“You were singing a different tune yesterday,” noted Razzle, a taunting lilt in her voice. “Did Prince Legis read you the riot act a second time after your attempt to defend him failed so spectacularly?”
Pixie’s brow furrowed at that, but the look on her face was one of confusion rather than anger. “I’m sorry?”
“Ouch, that bad, huh?” chuckled Pretty Penny, swirling her drink lazily. “I was wondering why we didn’t see you at dinner last night. I guess now we know.”
“Now ladies, there’s no need to be rude to our poor little Pixie here,” snickered Gladmane. “After what happened with Jack Pot and now our new prince, it’s clear that she’s working on her newest magic trick: getting a stallion to make her disappear!”
All three burst into laughter at that, leaving Pixie confused and angry, her cheeks turning red as she glared at the guffawing ponies. “What are you all talking about?!”
“Oh, don’t act like you don’t know,” cackled Razzle. “Yesterday morning, when we had our first meeting with River Bank and His Highness. You barged in-”
But her explanation was interrupted as a new voice cut in. “Everypony, if I could have your attention please! Everypony!”
Looking over, the four saw a pegasus mare in a maid’s uniform – Feather Duster – cough self-consciously into her hoof as everyone turned to look at her. “I wanted to let you all know that our departure for Las Pegasus has been slightly delayed while Prince Legis makes some last-minute arrangements regarding Vanhoover’s safety in his absence. He thanks you all for your patience, and assures you that we’ll be underway soon.” Her announcement finished, she turned toward the fore of the boat.
“Now there’s a girl who knows how to trade up,” mused Pretty Penny, watching Feather Duster go. “Throwing aside her thieving husband for being a prince’s right-hoof mare, what a lucky break.”
Gladmane’s features twisted into one of vindictive satisfaction, remembering the bit of news that had slipped out during the musical number that had happened during last night’s dinner party. “I’m just glad Prince Legis punished that no-good pilferer so harshly. He’s the reason my casino got such a bad reputation.”
“Like it ever had a good one,” scoffed Razzle. “But that girl was smart to offer herself to the prince as a maid. She’s too homely to cut it as a plaything. You should keep that in mind, Pixie. Pixie?”
But the mare in question wasn’t listening to the others any longer, having broken into a gallop as she hurried to catch up to Feather Duster. “Excuse me, miss? Miss?”
Belatedly realizing that she was the one being called out to, Feather Duster turned around. “Yes? Can I help you with something?”
“You’re Prince Legis’s maid, right?” asked Pixie, slowing to a trot as she approached Feather. “I heard you got mad at Princess Twilight on his behalf when she tried to get him to call off the duel.”
The memory made the pegasus mare blush, embarrassed that she’d actually spoken like that to royalty, and in front of so many other ponies no less! “Ah, yes. I’m His Highness’ personal assistant, Feather Duster. And you’re Miss Bank’s friend Pixie, right?”
“The one and only.” Giving the maid a polite smile, Pixie’s expression turned serious a moment later. “Listen, do you know if River’s going to be joining us? I just assumed she’d be coming along, but I haven’t seen her all morning.”
Feather adopted an apologetic look. “I’m terribly sorry, Miss Bank won’t be joining us for the prince’s excursion to Las Pegasus. She’ll be going to Tall Tale to help prepare for his upcoming coronation ceremony instead.”
“Oh.” Her ears folding back in disappointment, Pixie sighed. “I haven’t really had a chance to sit down and talk to her since we made the trip up here, so I was hoping we’d at least be able to on the way way back. I mean, I know she’s really busy and all, and I’m sure the prince really relies on her if he’s trusting her to help with his coronation. I just…I really wanted to speak with her.” Biting her lip for a moment, she gave Feather a hopeful look. “I don’t suppose there’s enough time for me to head back to the manor and have a quick word with her before we take off?”
Feather Duster grimaced. “I’m not sure how long Prince Legis is going to need to finish preparing to leave, but I know that Miss Bank is seeing to some arrangements of her own.” Seeing the disheartened look on the other mare’s face, she tried to offer what consolation she could. “If you like, I could take her a message and bring you back whatever response she sends.”
Pixie, however, was already shaking her head, a polite – though obviously fake – smile on her face. “No, no, it’s fine. I just wanted to ask her about something that happened yesterday morning anyway.”
“Ah.” It took Feather Duster a moment to put two and two together, needing a second to connect the time period in question with who she was talking to. “Wait, is this about what you did for Prince Legis at the meeting he had then?”
Having already started to turn away, Pixie very nearly tripped over her hooves as she spun around. “Were you there?!”
Nodding, happy that she could be of help, Feather Duster smiled. “I was, and I thought it was wonderful the way you came to His Highness’ defense like that. I know he seemed ungrateful, and that the way he stormed out a few minutes later was frightening, but I can assure you that he’s really a very kind pony, and…is everything alright?” Feather’s smile faltered as she saw the confused expression on Pixie’s face then.
“I came to the prince’s defense…?” repeated Pixie slowly.
Tilting her head, Feather tried to make sense of the pegasus’ reaction. “I was a little concerned when you weren’t in attendance at dinner last night. That means you didn’t sign the papers to join the corporation that’s funding Vanhoover’s restoration, right?”
“Ah, no,” murmured Pixie, looking like she was only paying partial attention to what she was being told, staring into space with a mystified expression. “No, I didn’t sign any papers.”
“I see.” Nodding, Feather waited for some further reaction on Pixie’s part, only to be left hanging as the unicorn continued to stare into space, looking as though she was working on some sort of intractable problem. “Well…” prompted Feather, “once we’re on our way, I could inquire with His Highness about setting up a meeting if you’d like? I don’t know if he’d be willing to let you sign on after everypony else, but you’d at least be able to ask him, if you wanted.”
Again, it took Pixie several seconds to reply, eventually shaking her head as she turned her expression back to Feather Duster. “No, thank you, that won’t be necessary. I just…thank you,” she finished, giving another fake smile before turning and slinking away, leaving Feather to watch her go with a confused look before turning away to resume preparing for departure.
For her part, Pixie’s smile dropped as she made her way back to her room on the yacht’s lower deck, closing and locking the door behind her before moving to sit on her bed, feeling a cold shiver run down her spine her as she pondered what she’d just learned.
She had spent all of yesterday morning at the edge of the market, performing magic tricks and legerdemain for passing ponies. It had been something she’d done on a lark, an idea she’d gotten after spending time talking to a nice mare she’d met – a weather pony named Thermal Draft – who’d listened to how upset she was about what had happened with her husband and how unpleasant Piggy Bank had been and how River didn’t seem to have time for her. Drafty (as she preferred to be called) had suggested that she spend some time following her cutie mark, and she’d been right; seeing all the smiles that her magic show had put on had made Pixie feel much better.
But any lingering joy from that was gone now, replaced by the unnerving knowledge that somepony – or something – had been impersonating her.
The obvious explanation was that there was a changeling about, but for the life of her Pixie couldn’t imagine why it would not only choose to impersonate her, but would do so in order to try and help Lex seal his business deal with Las Pegasus’ most influential ponies. It didn’t sound nefarious in any way that she could imagine, nor like part of some scheme to steal love. It was a mystery of the highest order.
And I can’t tell anyone here about it!
Doing so was completely out of the question. If word got back to Lex Legis that somepony had stolen her identity in an attempt to interfere with his business, Pixie had no doubt that he’d want to talk to her at the very least. More likely, he’d want to use magic – either the terrifying dark magic that he wielded, or the mesmerizing powers of the Sirens, or the strange “religious” magic that he supposedly wielded, or something else she didn’t know about – in order to confirm that she was telling the truth, or that she wasn’t a changeling, or otherwise extract as many details as he could from her, and that wasn’t something Pixie could let happen.
Because if it did, there was a chance that he’d end up uncovering how she’d helped Starlight Glimmer escape.
It wasn’t an implausible scenario. If the Sirens enchanted her the way people said they could, she might end up confessing out of a magically-induced sense of guilt. Or maybe Lex would put a curse on her that would make her unable to lie, and then ask if she was hiding anything from him. And those were just what she knew about; in all likelihood, he had numerous other ways of making her talk.
And ways of punishing her once he found out what she’d done.
Shaking as the cold shiver running down her back grew worse, Pixie decided that the mystery of her imposter was one that she could live with not solving. As awful as it was to have her marriage fall apart, and for that make her into a topic of malicious gossip, her time in Vanhoover had made her painfully aware that things could be much worse. Pixie had no intention of tempting such a fate simply to satisfy her curiosity.
In the meantime, she’d need to stay in her room for the remainder of the trip back home, just to be safe. Hopefully her conversation with Feather Duster hadn’t tripped any alarm bells. Once they arrived in Las Pegasus she’d be able to put more distance between herself and Equestria’s fearsome new royal, hopefully enough that he’d forget about her entirely.
Despite the anxiety coursing through her, Pixie couldn’t help but smile a little as an idea crossed her mind.
Her daughter had followed in her and Jack Pot’s hoofsteps, traveling across Equestria and putting on magic shows everywhere she went.
Maybe it was time to ask her if she wanted an assistant.