//------------------------------// // "Who Wants to Live THAT Long?" // Story: Why Did I Choose to be Trixie? // by Mike the Red //------------------------------// "Amethyst? We're heading back to Canterlot already?" Trixie asked me. It had taken me a little while to find her, though I was comforted to know little Jade was sound asleep in his crib. I had to get Marina from her school and apologize deeply to her new teacher and the school principal, informing them of my return to position of Solar Regent, a fact which impressed them greatly. "Yeah, Trixie, I've made all the return arrangements. I told you Celestia would tire easily -- though I wonder what she's been doing on her vacation. Perhaps I should ask her next time I see her." "Trixie has seen the way Celestia sometimes looks at you --" "Yeah, I've caught her half-lidded glance a few times myself. Don't let it bother you, Trixie, I'm used to it. Maybe she wants me to provide her with an Alicorn foal, but I know you'll never allow for that --" "Don't even think of that! Trxie will never forgive you if you do! I'm still upset about you providing Sparkle with her filly!" "I understand, Trixie, but I told you -- and I apologized for that. You cheated on me as well, so let's not bring up the past when you know it will only lead us down a dark path. I know you want to be happy -- well, I'd like to be happy as well. Let's get going, 'Her Majesty' doesn't want to be kept waiting," I said, offering my wife a soft smile. She sighed heavily as we set about the task of repacking everything. Marina wanted to help as well, though her attempts proved to be more of a hindrance than a help. The little filly laughed and giggled at some of her mistakes in trying to pack things, eliciting groans from Trixie and me. "Look, Marina, I know you wanna help, but could you just simply watch us do this? You might learn a thing or two," I suggested. "Okay, Daddy," she said softly before sitting on her haunches to watch with keen interest. After packing, we put all the boxes into Trixie's caravan, then pulled it to the train station. I created train wheels for the caravan so it could be pulled behind the rest of the train. When the ponies pulling the train objected to this, I told them I would pay them extra from the Royal Treasury for their trouble, adding that said compensation would be more than worth their while. They doubted my word, though I showed them my regalia and flared my wings, causing them to bow before me and effusively say, "Your Majesty!" We had a short layover in Hoofington, giving us an opportunity to meet with Trixie's mother, Midnight. We had a short conversation and showed little Jade to his grandmother, who smiled very warmly and graciously thanked me for providing her with such beautiful foals. I told her I was interested in providing her with a third foal, though Trixie stridently objected to this, saying that she was not ready for another foal just yet. Midnight practically begged her to do so, however, and Trixie said that she would make no promises and that a third foal would have to wait quite some time. Midnight begged us to stay for lunch, but since our train would be leaving before too much longer, I offered her a raincheck on it, promising we would return soon to spend some more time on a future visit. We said our good-byes and returned to the train, which stopped in Ponyville for another one hour layover. Trixie and I made the rounds in Ponyville for the layover, meeting with Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy. Twilight was in Canterlot, covering Solar Court for Celestia and eagerly awaiting our return. Rainbow Dash was in Cloudsdale, attending Wonderbolts training -- she had finally been accepted into their group, fulfilling a life-long dream of hers. The signs of weakening bonds of friendship were starting to show, and I implored the others to stay in touch frequently with their other friends, letting them know that there might come a time when they would need to wield the Elements of Harmony and find their bonds of friendship had weakened to the point where those Elements might not work. "Celestia forbid!" Rarity gasped in shock at my admonition. The others added similar sentiments, pledging to keep their bonds of friendship as strong and as fresh as the day they vanquished Nightmare Moon. I reminded them of her presence in the other universe, noting that she should be pretty close to foalbirth herself, which drew greater gasps from the assemblage of ponies. Trixie scowled at me when I mentioned this, though I grinned sheepishly. After their initial shock wore off, they expressed a deep curiosity to see the foal. I promised to return sometime either with pictures or with Nightmare Moon and the foal themselves, a prospect which actually frightened them. Trixie's scowl deepened and I simply chuckled at the response. Marina expressed a curiosity to see a possible half-sibling, though I reminded her about how much trouble it might cause. The little filly pouted in protest, giving me her best puppy-dog eyes look, a trait she learned from her mother. "Okay, Marina, I'll take you to meet her when we get back to Canterlot," I sighed in resignation. "Trixie wants to see her as well," she huffed almost angrily. "Trixie would have words with her." I scoffed at her statement. "Trixie, do you think you have power approaching her level? She would mop the floor with you if you tried to challenge her." "Perhaps Trixie would challenge you instead?" the show-mare retorted, her anger beginning to flare. My visage darkened at her boldness. "I may have been willing to let you attack me in the past, Trixie, but I am a Solar Regent. If you attacked me, I would place you in the dungeon --" I began, then I saw Marina start crying as tears started welling up in her mother's eyes. The other ponies glared at me in disapproval and chided me for losing my temper. "Look, I'm sorry, but she tried to kill me twice, if you all remember correctly. I will not allow a third attempt on my life from her, especially when I have been entrusted to rule Equestria in Celestia's absence. That's why we're headed back to Canterlot. I apologize for losing my cool, but I don't react well to being threatened," I stated flatly. This silenced everypony around me, including Marina. The others apologized to me, noting that they had forgotten that I was now royalty and to be treated as such. It was my turn to glare in disapproval. "Come on, Trixie, we're going to be late for the train if we don't hurry," I stated, practically dragging the show-mare in my magic aura. "Trixie thought you loved her," she mewled, a tear trickling from her left eye. "Trixie, let me tell you something. I love you dearly, though I don't show it as often as I should. I never want you to think I don't love you. Come on, let's hurry now. We'll have plenty of time later on to visit them and have another party with Pinkie Pie." The train was readying to depart the station as we arrived, quickly boarding and taking our seats. Trixie sat right next to me, leaning against me to show her affection. "Amethyst, Trixie is sorry for acting out," she said softly. "Trixie is scared of losing you." "You need not worry about that, lover girl," I said, a slight chuckle escaping my lips. "I know I told you not to call me that, Sunshine!" she giggled, then nuzzled me in a show of affection. I returned her gesture, feeling a sense of awkwardness at doing so. It was during the train ride that I received an urgent message from my father, who used the communication device I had given him during my parents' first visit to Equestria. He told me that my mother had fallen and broken her left hip and that he wanted to know if I could help. I told Trixie to continue to the Castle without me, that I needed to help my parents with an urgent matter and that I would return to Canterlot as soon as possible. She begged me not to stay away too long and I reassured her by kissing her on her lips, cooing softly to her that I would be back quickly. I teleported outside the train and used my wings to slow my rate of speed, then landed on the ground. I teleported back to Earth to meet up with my father, who had gone to the hospital to stay by my mother's side. It took some searching, but I managed to locate them and teleported to their room. "Mike! Thank God you're here," my dad said, an expression of deep worry on his face. "Mom? How are you doing? Have they given you a hip replacement?" I asked. "Mmm, Mike ... it hurts ... they've told me it will be some time before I can get a hip replacement," my mother said softly, grimacing slightly in pain. "Let me help you," I said, enveloping her in my pale yellow aura. I used strong healing magic on her, repairing the bone tissue in her hip and strengthening it. She smiled as the pain receded. My dad stood slack-jawed in astonishment. "You know, I could de-age you and make both of you younger, if you want," I offered, smiling softly. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Mike -- how are you able to do that?" my dad asked. "Just as my healing magic fixed Mom's hip, I can use similar magic to remove the effects of aging from both of you, thus prolonging your life, should you wish. I can also give you a winning lottery ticket," I stated confidently, offering a big toothy grin. "How long can you allow us to live?" my mom puzzled. She sat up in the bed, noticing no pain at all and grinned. "I can alter your genetic structure and metabolism to allow both of you to live for a thousand years, if you wish." I chuckled at my parents' reaction as they both temporarily lost the ability to form a coherent thought, their mouths flopping open and closed for a few moments before they regained their composure. "Who wants to live THAT long?" my dad asked in exasperation. "I don't have much choice in that matter myself, Dad -- as an Alicorn, I'm going to live for thousands of years," I replied sullenly. "WHAT?!" they asked in astonishment. "I suppose I forgot to tell you that," I mused somewhat sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm going to live for a very long time -- and so is Twilight. Princess Celestia's already been alive for more than three millennia and so has her younger sister Luna." "Well, if you can provide us with a winning lottery ticket, I suppose you could take about 30 years off each of us," my dad mused. "Done!" I said almost gleefully, enveloping both of them in a pale orange aura and de-aging them thirty years and restoring them to full health. "I do not wish to lose you both just yet -- you have been wonderful to me and I wanted to give you at least a small token of my affection and respect for all you've done for me in the past. It makes me happy to know that I haven't lost you two, Mom, Dad. I love you!" I said warmly, a big smile on my face. A single tear trickled from my right eye. "We love you too, Mike! Thanks again for your help," my dad said in deep gratitude. "Now what about that lottery ticket?" "Go to any store that sells lottery tickets. Buy a single ticket for the largest jackpot, and just wait," I chuckled. "You will win that jackpot." My parents hugged me in response.