(???, 11:00 PM, around the same time as last chapter)
"Why didn't Trixie wait until morning before leaving?" the showmare grumbles, walking on a dirt path through a forest. Luckily it wasn't the Everfree, but she still glanced nervously at her surroundings every now and again. She was wearing a brown cloak and a shoulder-bag under it containing her benefactor's 'donations'.
She had done what she said she was going to do, and left in a little under two hours. Unfortunately, her excitement had worn off after a few hours. Still, she was happy about the turn her life had taken. Though she wished this Discerning Eye had given her more info. How was she supposed to find him when she got to the Four Season Hotel? It's not like he told her his room number or where he would be found at certain times of the day.
A cold breeze caused her to shiver, but Trixie walked on.
*Rustle!*
"Gah!" she shrieked, jumping back a little. Out of nearby bush, a cute baby jackalope hopped out.
"O-Oh, just a jackalope." then she scoffed "Trixie wasn't scared." she said to herself haughtily.
"Yes you were." a voice said from behind her.
"AUGH!" she screamed, jumping a few feet forward. She quickly turned around to see none other than Isaac.
"Hello, Miss Lulamoon." he greeted with a smirk on his face, hands in his pockets.
"You! You're the one who turned that Twilight Sparkle mare and her friends into Alicorns!" she said, her legs shaking.
"Yes, but how do you know who I am?" he asked, walking towards her.
"N-Newspapers! Plus you have wanted posters everywhere!" she replied, walking backwards.
"Just for making a few ponies immortal? However, that's not what I came here for. I have need of The Great and Powerful Trixie."
"Why me?"
Isaac snapped his fingers, and in a flash of gold flames there was a unicorn stallion in his place. He had a green coat, brown mane, and blue eyes. He was wearing a black suit, and his cutie mark was of a magnifying glass with a gold star inside of it.
"Take a guess?"
"YOU'RE Discerning Eye?!" Trixie said, eyes wide
"Yep!"
"So what you said in the letter was a lie? Are the bits you gave Trixie even real? Oh Celestia, did you steal them?!"
In a flash of flames, Isaac was back to his true form. "In order: Well, I'm not a talent agent and I haven't been to any of your performances. I've been petrified and all that. Two, they're real if you don't tell anyone that I conjured them up. Three, see answer number two."
"These bits are fake?!" Trixie screamed, taking out her shoulder bag and emptying it.
"Hey, I used good magic to make those!"
"But they're counterfeits! They're illegal, and what do you want with Trixie anyway?" the showmare said, preparing to run.
"Simple, I want to be friends!" Isaac said, grinning.
"What?" the sheer oddness of the question caused her to stop.
"Well to be more accurate, I need a partner. Someone interesting to bounce ideas off of and tell me their own. Someone to keep me grounded by virtue of being less crazy than me."
"Why?"
"A king needs a Royal Adviser doesn't he?"
"Trixie repeats: WHAT?!"
"Let me make this clear." he began, levitating her dropped bits back into her shoulder bag with a glowing wave of his hand. "I plan on becoming royalty in a few months. Whether by conquest or by making my own nation depends on what opportunity comes the fastest. Like I said, a king needs a Royal Adviser."
"Trixie will not help you conquer Equestria!" she yelled, preparing to run again.
"Who says I want to conquer Equestria? This place is fine as is! I'd only conquer a place if it was a horrible dictatorship of some sort." he replied.
"So you can come in as a new, horrible dictator?" she replied, eyes narrowed as she backed away.
Isaac sighed and snapped his fingers, trapping Trixie in a magic bubble.
"Hey! You will let The Great and Powerful Trixie out of this bubble immediately!" she shrieked, banging on it with her hooves.
"Believe or not I'm actually trying to redeem myself by not being a complete jerk-off. I don't want to be stuck as a statue for another thousand years."
"Alright then, why involve Trixie in this?"
"I have no friends or family. Those I unwillingly left behind are probably long-dead by now. If you remember your history books from high school you'll know I was Discord's partner. He's a complete dick with no sense of remorse, and so was I."
"So you're lonely and full of guilt over your past crimes." it was more of a statement then a question.
"Yep."
They were both silent for a moment.
"What's in it for Trixie?"
"Aside from being a Royal Adviser? Odds are if I have my way you'll go down in history as one of the beings who contributed to the start of a new, golden-age of this world. Plus, the money I gave you is still worth something if you don't tell anyone it's fake. Then you'll get some real money once we actually get to the kingdom-organizing phase of my plan." Isaac snapped his fingers and the bubble disappeared.
Trixie spent a few minutes mulling it over. On one hand, she'd be working with one of history's greatest monsters which would instantly mark her as a criminal. On the other hand, he seemed to want to change and was offering her a position of great power, as well a chance to be the kind of pony foals will be taught about in history class hundreds of years from now. She went over all the pros and cons, before making her decision.
"Trixie's in."
"Excellent," Isaac replied with a grin, taking a knee and extending a hand, "So, friends?"
"Friends." Trixie said with a smirk, offering her hoof in return. They shook on it.
"So now what?" she asked.
"Well first, we're going to steal some things from Canterlot Castle."
"WHAT?!" she screamed, causing her new employer to cringe.
"Do ponies always have to scream so loudly?" he asked.
"Trixie thought you said you weren't going to stuff like anymore!"
"Did I say steal? I meant to say borrow. We'll give it back after we're done with it." he said, getting back up and walking forward.
"We're doing this NOW?!" Trixie asked incredulously.
"Of course not. We'll wait until after Princess Luna's trial. You still wanna go to the Four Seasons Hotel in Manehattan? It's a five-star establishment~!" he sung at the end.
Trixie's expression changed to one of delight as she started running to catch up.
"Does a pegasus fly?"
"I'll take that as a yes."
(Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville, The Morning After)
Blue Lily smiled as she happily ate pancakes. Her 'cousin' had to go to work early and apologized for not making breakfast for her. According to Minuette's memories. she wasn't that much of a cook anyway.
"Ahh, Pancakes! I missed eating these. Too bad they didn't exist in Equestria before I was petrified." she thought, stabbing a fork into her meal. There was a liberal amount of syrup applied of course.
At the same time, Trixie and her other body were casually walking to Manehattan. At least until they could buy a map, then Isaac could approximate the location and teleport them there.
"So ah see ya like the pancakes, sugarcube." Applejack commented from across the table. She had offered to make her breakfast to thank her for carrying her back home.
"They're delicious. I've had apple pancakes before, but never ones as good as these!" Blue Lily said. Thankfully, Apple Bloom was already at school, Big Mac was out in the fields, and Granny Smith was sleeping.
"Ah aim to please." the new alicorn replied with a tip of her hat.
"You didn't have to make me breakfast though."
"Nonense, it's the least ah could do since you and Pinkie carried me home an' all."
"I figured anypony would do the same if they saw somepony going into a dead faint in public."
"You'd be surprised Lily. What confuses me is that ah fainted just from seeing oranges in mah cart instead of apples." the farm pony said, rubbing her head.
"Maybe you're getting sick?" the unicorn replied with her mouth full.
"I don't think alicorns can get sick. Sides', I woulda felt somethin after I woke up if ah was."
"Can't you ask Princess Celestia about that?"
"Nah, she's too busy with her royal duties and ah wouldn't want to bother her."
"Aren't you a princess too though?" Lily asked.
"Nope, and that's just the way ah like it. These wings and horn here are just temporary until we catch that Isaac fella." she said proudly.
"Speaking of whom, do you have any leads?"
"No, we haven't heard anything about him since he saved the polar griffons from Nightmare Moon."
"Considering all he's done so far is give you and your friends immortality then overthrow an oppressive ruler, why does he have wanted posters up everywhere?"
"Princess Celestia told us some of the stuff he got up to with Discord," Applejack turned a little green at that, "and believe me, you don't want someone like that runnin' around without someone else to keep him in check."
"Yikes." Blue Lily commented. "I wonder if she told them about the time I tested my flames on living things before I actually knew how to use them?" she thought, casually swallowing her breakfast.
*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*
"Hey Applejack! Open up! Twilight says she has to tell us something really important!" a familiar brash voice proclaimed. Rainbow Dash was looking into the house from the windows.
"Ah'm comin!" the farm pony turned to her guest,"You just keep eating here and ah'll be right back."
"Take your time." Blue Lily said with a smile.
On that note, Applejack got out of her seat and left her alone. The unicorn's grin turned rather malicious as she watched her new 'friend' gallop away. These ponies were just too trusting. Seriously, she left her grandmother alone with a complete stranger. Granted Big Mac was in the fields, but if she wanted to do something to her, the sleeping old mare wouldn't be able to let out a single scream.
"And now it's time for me to spy on you." in a flash of gold flames, Blue Lily transformed into a male fly. He flew out of the Apple residence through a slightly opened window. Isaac flew after Rainbow Dash and Applejack, with speed no fly should have. He managed to land on the country mare's hat, and held on for dear life.
(Golden Oaks Library, Ponyille, Five Minutes Later)
Applejack and Rainbow Dash slammed the door behind them as they rushed in. Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were already there.
"Now that you're all here I can explain. Princess Celestia sent me a letter last night. Nightmare Moon has escaped from prison." Twilight said seriously.
The others gasped. Isaac had to resist the urge to scream obscenities about the incompetence of Equestrian law enforcement.
"But luckily the entire city of Canterlot is on lockdown until she's found. My brother, Shining Armor, placed a protective barrier around the city. Nopony can get in or out." she continued.
"Wait a minute, you have a brother? How come you've never mentioned him before?" Rainbow asked.
"And why is he allowed to put a barrier around the city?" Fluttershy added.
"Well, he just never came up in conversation." Twilight said, embarrassed, "As for the second question, he's the Captain of the Royal Guard."
"You're brothers the Captain of the Royal Guard?!" Rarity said, gasping, then seemed to consider something, "Is he single?"
"As a matter of fact,"Rarity's hopes went up. "No. Last I checked he was dating my old foalsitter." Twilight finished.
"Some mares get all the luck." the white alicorn grumbled.
"Wait, if the Royal Guard has got this handled, then why is the Princess telling us this?" Applejack asked.
"She just wanted to tell us this in case Nightmare Moon somehow got out the barrier so we could be on the lookout."
"Even she knows her guards are screw ups." Isaac thought bitterly, already having his other body and Trixie head towards Canterlot as quickly as possible. Plans would have to be accelerated.
"Applejack, there's a fly on your hat!" Pinkie pointed a hoof at him.
His ride looked up and saw him right on the brim. She just grabbed her hat with a hoof and shook him off, sending him flying into the air.
Isaac spun out of control, eventually righting himself in the air.
"Oooooh~." he groaned mentally, "Next time, I'll land on the ceiling if I'm spying on someone." he was dizzily flying up the stairs. He'd leave out the balcony and return to Sweet Apple Acres before Applejack did. The Mane Six proceeded to ask more questions about Shining Armor.
(Back At Sweet Apple Acres, Twenty Minutes Later)
"Blue Lily?" Applejack said, opening the door. Her guest was erm... 'talking' to Granny Smith.
"And ah told you, missy! I don't need help washing the dishes!" her grandmother declared.
"Aren't you supposed to make concessions for guests?" Lily asked.
"It's exactly because you're a guest that ah don't want you doing the dishes!"
"You're old. I'd feel bad if I didn't hel- Oh hi Applejack!" the blue unicorn said, noticing the farm pony come in.
"You're all done?"
"Yep! Seriously, you should open a restaurant with pancakes like those."
Applejack chucked, "Funny you should say that. We actually have a few relatives who've opened some with old family recipes."
"Any in Manehattan?"
"Mah Aunt and Uncle own Les Oranges."
"You're related to Valencia and Citrus Orange?!"
"Yep, my Ma was the former's sister."
"Wow, what a small world we live in. So, I'll see you later!" Blue Lily said, leaving the Apple residence.
"There's somethin' off about that girl." Granny Smith commented, glaring at her as she made her exit.
"Yer just mad she called you old." Applejack replied with a smirk.
"Oh hush you!"
(???, Same Time)
"YOU SAID WE WEREN'T GOING TO CANTERLOT IMMEDIATELY!" Trixie screamed, hanging on for dear life as she rode on the back of her new employer. Isaac had just suddenly starting swearing, grabbed her, and then took off! He had changed into a griffon for identity reasons of course. They were flying as fast as he could go, passing through clouds almost every minute.
"Change of plans! The stupid Royal Guards let Nightmare Moon escape!" the transformed being said.
"How do you expect to get in, and swipe all of that stuff you talked about when the city's probably locked down by now?!" the unicorn asked.
"I'll drill a hole under the city or something! We're just getting the really important stuff!" he replied.
"You don't mean?!" she gasped.
"Oh, I do!" Isaac asked with a grin.
(Canterlot Castle, Princess Cadence's Chambers, Same Time)
'Princess Cadence' hummed as she put on make up. Her 'fiance' was out doing his duties while she could take the time to relax and plan for the future. Like how she would redesign this castle once it was hers.
"Your majesty!" a generic pegasus guard said as he rushed in.
"Have you located our 'friend' yet, Number 24?" she asked, not even looking away from the vanity mirror.
"No, your highness." the guard said, bowing low.
"I said I wanted her found yesterday." Cadence said in a cold tone, glaring back at her subject
The guard started to sweat. "I know you did, but please, we just need more time!" he pleaded. A hand mirror flew right past his face, hitting the door behind him
"How hard is it to find a black alicorn filly in this city?! She should stand out like a sore hoof!"
"Please, your majesty! It's not our fault!" Number 24 said, sweating pouring off his face now.
"Well then, who's fault is it?!" the alicorn replied, her eyes flashing green.
"M-Maybe she's hiding from us because she can't tell we're on her side?"
"Just search harder! You have until this time tomorrow to find her and bring her tome. You don't want to have to be replaced, do you?" the bride-to-be threatened.
"N-No, my queen! I'll get right on it!" the guard answered, running out the door as fast as his hooves would take him.
'Princess Cadence' sighed and got back to applying make up. She had to look good if she wanted to suck as much love out of that fool Shining as possible. It was tough being the Queen of a bunch of incompetent wimps. But still, once she had Nightmare Moon in her grasp, everything would fall into place. All it would take is a quick memory searching spell, stealthily learned from the Starswirl the Bearded Wing, and then would have what she needed.
The pink alicorn grinned maliciously at that thought, her eyes flashing green again, and exposing sharp teeth that a pony should have no business having. Then, she began to sing.
"This day is going to be perfect, the kind of day of which I've dreamed since I was small~"