Midday tried not to laugh as she walked back into town, a few people staring at her new hat. She did feel rotten about having stolen in, from Trixie, but it was...
Actually it wasn't in a good cause. But if her actions caused Trixie to apologise and not go on a magical rampage, that was good, right? And it would perhaps distract Rainbow Dash from any thought of revenge on her.
As she approached the library, her legs began to feel more and more leaden. She walked in. No-one was home. That was probably alright, she felt like having a lie down. Midday placed Trixie's hat on a chair.
"Might wanna get a hatrack." She felt a serious need to sit down. After all, she'd only need to wait for Trixie to show up. As
long as she didn't fall asleep, she'd be fine.
Five minutes passed.
Ten. Fifteen.
"Where is she?" she muttered. She stood up, and was rewarded by her legs screaming out in pain.
After a few more minutes Twilight and Spike returned.
"Well, as far as town meetings go, that wasn't too bad."
"Yeah, got a few good naps in." The little dragon laughed. Then Twilight saw the hat.
"Spike, does that hat look familiar?"
"Actually... Yeah." There was a fierce knocking on the door.
"Twilight, Twilight? You in there?" It was Rainbow Dash. She sounded panicked. Or was it just concerned? Probably the second. The door opened, Rainbow evidently not bothering to wait for a response.
"Twilight? Twilight?!" She bellowed.
"Right here" said Twilight, from all of three feet away from Rainbow Dash.
"We've... got a situation."
*****
The three ponies (and one dragon) walked to the outskirts of town, where a group of ponies had surrounded Trixie. Some of them were gawking, some glowering, and more than a few seemed fit to weigh in with their own opinion.
"What's going on here?" Twilight asked. Several dozen ponies responded at once.
"-Brought Ursa Minor-"
"My child has nightmares!"
"Terrifying!"
"Arrest her!"
"Criminal!"
"Banish her!"
"-Compensation!-"
Midday looked at Twilight, who wasn't sure what to do. She looked back at Trixie, who looked on the verge of running. She felt something, something familiar. Guilt. She took a deep breath.
"ENOUGH!" Almost everyone instantly cowered. Midday breathed out, and for a second looked lessened and younger and incredibly tired.
"Don't like shouting." She whispered. Then she stood up straight again.
"Now then, someone intelligent and responsible talk with this pony, and by that I mean Twilight Sparkle. Anyone who is here to blame or complain or attack this pony, go home or just away and do something productive." Trixie, for her part, looked annoyed and terrified.
"Okay, I'll talk with her" Twilight said. Nopony looked surprised. The crowd dispersed and Twilight walked over to Trixie.
"Hello, Trixie."
"Twilight Sparkle." The blue unicorn hissed.
"What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash butted in. Trixie muttered something.
"She wants her hat back." Rainbow and Twilight turned to look.
"I may have stolen it to lure her back into Ponyville." She said. Trixie lunged, only to find herself floating in the grasp of Midday's magic.
"You attack me? When the mare you so desperately want to confront is right there?"
The showmare's eyes darted from Midday to Rainbow Dash to Twilight for several seconds.
"Hat first" Trixie growled.
*****
Trixie's reaction to getting her hat back was... unusual.
"It's okay, it's okay," She whispered to it, "Mommy's here, mommy's here." Twilight, Rainbow and Spike all exchanged nervous glances at the sight of a grown unicorn caressing a hat.
"Now then..." Trixie said, "Twilight Sparkle, you ruined my life!"
"Seriously? Pretty sure you managed to do most of the ruining yourself." Rainbow Dash muttered.
"Don't forget Snips and Snails." Spike pipped in.
"And the Ursa Minor."
"You drove me out of town!"
"You ran." Rainbow scoffed.
"Made me a laughingstock."
"Did we?" Said Rainbow.
"YES!"
"And you heckled her." Midday added.
"You keep out of this." Trixie hissed.
"Shutting up."
"Would it help if I said I was sorry?" Twilight said.
"HOW CAN YO-.... wait, what?"
"I'm sorry. For the part I played in ruining your life."
"Pretty sure she'd ruined it herself Twilight."
"I agree." Midday was a bit surprised at herself for saying that.
"It... it might help." Trixie looked somewhat embarrased.
"Trixie, after that incident with the Ursa Minor... how long has it been since you've performed a show?"
"Months" She spat. "Long, long months."
"Well, why don't you stay here, in Ponyville. Just until you can get back on your feet?"
"Stay?" Said Trixie.
"Here? In Ponyville?" Rainbow Dash exclamined. She rushed over to Twilight.
"What are you doing, egghead?"
"I did help ruin her life Rainbow. It's only fair I help fix it." Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight like she'd just said roads made out of soap were a good idea.
Trixie for her part looked unimpressed.
"Trixie would rather not stay here in this..." Her eyes scanned the library, "Town."
Midday stood up.
"Fine. You go back on the road in your cheap little wagon you bought for a few bits that falls apart every time a pebble hits it. Trixie, this pony is offering you a place to stay, a chance to rebuild your life. Are you honest to Luna going to turn your back on that, try and scratch a living out of rocks again, just because your pride can't stand admitting you need help?"
There was a pause.
"Yes" Trixie said. Midday frowned.
"Trixie would turn her back on that offer out of pride. But... I suppose this town is a step-up from a rock farm."
"Well, I suppose that settles that. Spike, take a letter." Twilight smiled.
Trixie turned to Midday, who shrugged.
"Dear Princess Celestia..."
"What exactly are you doing?"
Twilight Sparkled stared blankly at Midday, like she'd just asked what oxygen was for.
"I'm sending a letter to the princess, to let her know I've learn a lesson about friendship."
"You what now?"
"Today, I have learnt-"
"Oh, she's kidding, right?" Trixie muttered.
"Evidently not."
"HEY!" barked Rainbow Dash, "Shut up and let the mare write."
"I think you mean dictate. Spike's the one doing the writing."
"Will you girls let me write?"
"Sorry."
Midday chose not to listen, instead she wandered into the kitchen to make herself something to eat. She wandered back in just as Twilight was finishing.
"- Rather than dragging a situation out longer than is necessary. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."
Once Spike had sent the letter, the four of them sat there.
"So... what do we do now?" Midday asked.
"PARTY!" Came an all-too familiar voice from out of nowhere.
"Has she been listening the whole time?" asked Spike.
*****
Midday chose not to party, instead going to lie down. She was feeling annoyed.
'That was incredibly stupid, and shouldn't have worked. Honestly, stealing a hat. That was the best I could come up with? I'm amazed Trixie didn't try and level the town to get to me.' she rolled off the bed.
She looked out of the window at Ponyville. She looked further, towards Canterlot. She had changed what had been, altered Trixie's life. Would anypony notice? Would things be thrown into disarray? Would she remain long enough to see the damage? She looked around the room.
"Alright, no more altering time on purpose." She said. Then she noticed something. A cupboard, with the door slightly open. She walked over to it, and opened it. Inside was... a costume. A Nightmare Night costume. She recognised it, all too well.
"Star-Swirl" She hissed.
She suddenly felt a desire to attend the party.
*****
Inside Sugarcube Corner everypony was partying, even Trixie. They were dancing and cheering and generally ignoring the small mob that had yelled at Trixie. She'd apologised, and everything was probably alright for now.
Midday snuck her way in. Or at least tried to.
"Hey, Midday. I wondered if you were coming to this party. A party isn't a party until everypony is there, and everypony is happy!" beamed Pinkie.
"Hey" she said. Pinkie's smile flickered.
"Are you alright? you don't look very happy."
"Just got a lot of things of my mind Pinkie." She tried smiling, "But right now, I just want to relax and try and be happy!"
Happy in this case seemed to involve heading towards the food-table rather than dancing. There she saw a familiar face.
"Lyra?"
"Oh, it's... mumur... something-ty, right?"
"Midday Eclipse, as you well know."
"Do I?" The mint-green mare asked, a sly smile on her face.
"I'm fairly certain I mentioned my name."
"Well, it's nice to see you. How are you finding Ponyville?"
"It's... not what I expected." Lyra giggled at that.
"You have no idea how often I hear that." She paused, then added "Actually, I don't hear that very much."
"If you don't mind, what are you doing with your front legs?" They were bent at odd angles, and being used to hold quite a lot of candy.
"Oh, well, I just like... using my legs like this. BB says I shouldn't, that I eat too much. Especially at parties. But she knows I can't eat during work or practice. I'd make a mess everywhere And I forget to eat."
"She really does." Came the voice of a cream-coloured earth pony, who siddled up to Lyra, glimpsing briefly at the mass of sugary goods the unicorn was holding.
"I thought you weren't coming, BB."
"I changed my mind. Probably out of fear of my little Lyra surrounded on all sides by strange ponies." Lyra gave her a Look. The mare frowned.
"Okay, I heard Pinkie was serving drink at this one."
"Not till later" Sang Pinkie, emerging from the punch bowl.
"Yeah," said Lyra, laughing at Midday's startled face, "She does that a lot."
"I was thinking more of the hygene issue." She turned back to Lyra. "And you haven't introduced your friend."
"I'm Bon-Bon" The mare said, "Her girlfriend." And what followed was a display of politeness that would have probably made Rarity sweat.
"Pleased to meet you."
"Likewise"
"So what do you do for a living, anyway?" Lyra asked.
"I am a part-time accountant. Currently on paid vacation."
"What for?"
"Sorry?"
"Oh, how rude of me." Bon-Bon 'smiled', "I meant for how long"
"Indefinitely."
"Oh, well, it was nice seeing you again" Lyra said, hoping to stop anyone from doing anything.
"Always a pleasure." Midday smiled.
As she turned to walk away, she heard Bon-Bon and Lyra talking.
"You talked to a stranger on a train? Oh Lyra, you toy with my delicate little heart."
"Is that all I do with you, sweetie?"
Midday suddenly wished she knew how to erase her own memories. She was probably going to need it.
'Darn flirterers' she muttered.
Then Trixie jumped on her. She seemed oddly cheerful.
"Heey, it's you. Again. Hello. Did I actually get your name?"
"I'm pretty sure you didn't." She wondered briefly on whether repeated use of her false name would make her like it. Perhaps not, she decided.
"Well, I am Midday Eclipse, and you are?"
"Trixie Lulamoon, at your service." The mare smiled. She suddenly have a vision of being pulled underwater and chewed to pieces by a giant cartilagenous fish. And a slight whiff of something.
"Have you been drinking, already? It's not even after three in the afternoon yet."
"Trixie wasn't going to this thing sober." The mare smiled, "And I'm not quite drunk yet." She frowned, and leaned in. Midday really wished she hadn't.
"Used up the last of Trixie's stuff to do it. Hidden away in my hat" She giggled. It was a rather odd giggle. And at that she walked off, swaying very slightly as she did.
Midday saw Pinkie watching the whole party, scanning for anypony not having a good time.
"Hey, Pinkie!" She called.
"Hiya" she said, then went back to watching.
"You alright, you look kinda distracted." As far as opening conversations with Pinkie went, that hadn't been the best.
"Actually, my Pinkie Sense has been just weird all afternoon. I've never felt it being like this before, not even that time with... the Doozy."
"The... Doozy?" Pinkie turned to look at her. Her mane seemed to droop slightly. Then it sprang back up.
"I'm sure it'll be fine, everything will work out in the end." And then Pinkie hopped away.
*****
A few hours later, Twilight was going to bed. With everypony out partying, she had managed to get her schedule for the next month in order, and find some new information about Commander Hurricane. And some strange mentions of a city in the furthest north, beyond where any pony had historically set foot. She would probably have to ask Celestia about that one, because there was no way such a thing could be true.
Her attempt to slumber was ruined by a crashing noise from downstairs.
"Watch it" That sounded like Midday
"Non, you watch it." And that sounded like Trixie. Although... was that Prench she was speaking in?
"You aren't 'xactly a genius yerself, Lulamoon."
More Prench. Then hoofsteps. The lights came on. Midday wandered over to the spare bed, as did Trixie. The two mares stared at each other. Twilight just watched, her mind wracked with alarm and amusement.
"What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?"
"No, what are you doing?"
"No, what are you doing?!"
There was a small pause.
"I'm gonna bed." Midday slurred.
"So am I"
"This is my bed. I sleep here."
"And Lulamoon is your guest, so she sleeps here."
"I'mma guest as well."
"Go sleep on the couch then"
"There is no couch!" She watched as the two mares started flailing at each other. Were they drunk?
"There is only one way to settle this." Midday hissed.
"I agree."
"We shall have a duel. A magic duel."
"YE-ooh, that's a better idea."
"What were you going to do?"
"Lure you down to the abandoned mine. But your idea was better."
Twilight just facehoofed. How drunk were they?
"So we are agreed?"
"Yes. A duel, at first light."
"Indeed!"
"Right after we get some sleep."
"Of course."
Twilight really, really, really, really hoped this wasn't going to be a regular occurance.
*****
Somewhere else, in the main console room of the most wonderous vehicle ever made, various things flashed, and beeped. A hoof clumsily ran across the console.
"What the-?"
The pony identifed as the Doctor stared at the screen.
"Unidentified temporal incursion? Where?"
He watched as the location appeared on the screen, narrowing further and further...
"What?"
He flicked a switch, and the engines began to hum and strain.
Back to Ponyville it was, it seemed.