All things considered, it should have been the promise of a really nice day in Ponyville. But…it was Ponyville!
At the moment, Midnight was helping to set up a stage with the guys.
“Annnnnnnnnndd…. Done!” Midnight declared as they stepped back to admire their work. “This’ll be perfect for Twilight’s performance!”
“Those delegates from Saddle Arabia are gonna be impressed,” Soarin agreed.
“I wonder if Auntie Celestia will give me the chance to have a word with them,” Blueblood mused, “I’d love to show them the designs for an airship that’s in the making at my company.”
“You’re like Rarity that way, bro,” Thunderlane chuckled as he lightly socked Blueblood in the shoulder. “Looking for a good business opportunity!”
“But of course,” Blueblood said huffily while subtly rubbing his sore shoulder, “Business is like an airship itself! It requires a steady yet constant rate of upkeep, as a business requires the same in transactions. As an airship requires magic to power the motor and helium to fill the balloon, a business requires money and necessary items to remain aloft.”
“Okay, Blue, we get it,” Midnight chuckled, holding up his hooves in surrender.
“By the way, what exactly is Twilight doing for the entertainment?” Thunderlane asked.
“Something to do with levitating animals,” Midnight answered, “though Fluttershy is kinda… reluctant towards the idea.”
“Oh I’m certain Miss Fluttershy has nothing to worry about,” scoffed Blueblood.
“Y’all weren’t there when Twilight dropped a giant snowball on mah sister and Spike,” Big Macintosh deadpanned.
“Trial & error, my good man, trial & error,” Blueblood maintained.
“Besides, ever since I resumed our weekly sessions,” Midnight brought up, “mine and Twilight’s magic have greatly improved, and Twinken’s really enjoyed coming from time to time to get lessons of his own.”
“Not to mention our own creative tinkerings have led to some interesting designs, eh Midnight ol’ boy?” Blueblood chuckled.
“Y’know, Midnight, you and Twilight should do the entertainment for the Saddle Arabian delegates together!” Soarin suggested.
“Well…” Midnight considered when they heard a loud scream and they looked down the road that led to town square. “What was that?!”
“Ah dunno but Ah think there’s trouble,” Big Mac stated and he galloped off, promptly followed by the others.
The converged at town square and noticed ponies crowding in front of town hall.
“You beast!” They saw Rarity in an atrocious outfit that she would never wear. “These shades of brown should only be used for accents!”
“Rarity, my love!” Blueblood teleported over to her and caught her on his back as she’d fainted, Pinkie coming up.
“C’mon Bluey, we gotta get her into a nice, soothing pink! Stat!”
Midnight ran up, passing them and saw Twilight, who asked, “Midnight, what’s going on?!”
“Well, well, well…”
That voice was all-too familiar and they looked to see a cloaked pony standing in front of town hall.
“If it isn’t Twilight Sparkle…” she threw off her hood, her eyes flashing red for a moment, “and Midnight Blaze!”
“Trixie?!” Midnight was shocked.
“What’s she doing here?” Spike growled in contempt.
“You call that ‘great and powerful’?” scoffed Rainbow, flapping up.
Trixie sneered as her eyes glowed red and in a puff of smoke, Rainbow gasped to see her right wing had been abnormally enlarged, throwing her off-balance, Thunderlane and Soarin flying up to stabilize her.
“Wow, she’s Rainbow Wobble now!” cracked Snips.
“Good spell, o great and powerful Trixie!” cheered Snails.
“You two, quiet!” Trixie snapped rather irritably as she cast a spell on them.
As the smoke cleared, everypony saw Snips & Snails’ horns had been fused at the tips to each other, leaving the two colts fumbling and fighting
“Hey, what happened?!”
“Get off of me!”
“Come on, let go!”
“No, this way!”
“Trixie, what’s gotten into you?!” Midnight demanded, facing her. “I’ve heard that got your act together and started being nice to everypony!”
“Well your sappy advice helped me figure something out, Midnight!” Trixie sneered. “Nice guys finish last! I’m back, and I’m better than ever…”
Something’s not right, Midnight thought. I sense something… familiar at work, those spells Trixie used were… augmented somehow.
“Well you can prove you’re better by stop picking on our friends, Trixie!” Twilight demanded.
“Oh I’ll prove I’m better, alright, Twilight Sparkle…” Trixie said with narrowed eyes, “by beating you in a magic duel! Winner stays, Loser leaves Ponyville… forever!”
“Forget it! I’d never make a deal like that,” Twilight turned her nose up at Trixie.
“Hm, your call,” Trixie said in an ‘oh well’ tone and suddenly started casting spells left and right!
Blueblood was engulfed in red smoke and when it cleared, he squealed like a little filly to see his beautiful diamond-white coat gone, leaving him a bare-skinned unicorn stallion, raising his fetlocks, crying, “Don’t look at me!!”
A red outline of an arrow took a blabbing Pinkie Pie’s protesting mouth and dumped it into a garbage can that vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Pinkie unable to talk and only groan in complaint.
Thunderlane found himself coughing and feathers falling from his wings, a nasty case of magically-induced Feather Flu.
Spike was squashed into a ball and bounced into a hanging basket.
“Why are you doing this?!” Midnight demanded.
“Why…?!” Trixie echoed, “Because you two humiliated me! You ganged up on me the last time we met and destroyed my cart! I threw in the towel because I knew I couldn’t beat you both at the same time then… and you had the nerve to tell me how I should live and act! Help others? Expect nothing in return? After I left the last time, I was subject to ridicule, ponies laughed at me, jeered me, I had to take on the most menial jobs just to get by! For chump change! …But now I’m back with a vengeance! And Twilight? I’ll just keep casting spells until you accept my challenge…”
To punctuate that statement, she fired a red ray at Twilight’s library, making the whole thing rise into the air, which was impressive enough but she made tip upside down and shake it, making books fall out the windows. Owlowiscious tried in vain to catch them, with his beak and talons.
Twilight and Midnight shared a troubled look, Trixie smarmily asking, “Well, Twilight? Whattya say?”
Seeing their friends altered and miserable because of Trixie’s spells, Twilight sighed.
“Twilight, you don’t have to accept her challenge,” Midnight assured her. “We can undo all her spells together.”
“But you heard her, she’ll just keep casting spells on everypony in Ponyville until I agree!” Twilight debated. “It’s better I end this sooner than later.”
Midnight sighed, seeing the logic in Twilight’s words and stepped out of her way.
“Alright, Trixie,” Twilight turned to the miscreant, “Let’s duel!”
“Excellent!” Trixie smirked and dispelled all her spells on everypony.
Everypony, except Pinkie, much to her chagrin. But as Trixie had undone her spells, Midnight noticed something strange. Trixie’s horn as well as something around her neck had glowed with her magic, but whatever it was that had glowed, it was hidden by Trixie’s cloak.
What is that? I’m certain I’ve felt that energy before!
“If you win, I won’t set hoof in Ponyville again,” Trixie declared, “But if you lose…you’re the one banished from this one-horse town!”
Everypony gasped at that wager as Trixie and Twilight faced each other.
“Whenever you’re ready, Trixie…” Twilight challenged.
“Oh Twilight…” Trixie said in mock-sympathy. “I never said you would be dueling me!”
“Huh?!” everypony gaped at Trixie who then sneered wickedly as her eyes fell upon Midnight, and he gasped as he realized too late her intention.
A red tendril of energy shot from Trixie’s horn and connected to Midnight’s! He cried out in pain as he fell to his knees, everypony gasping and yelling, “Midnight!”
“Trixie, what are you doing?!” Twilight screamed.
“I said you would duel, Twilight,” Trixie said wickedly as she worked her horrific magic, and felt it working. She felt her power reaching in, taking root through Midnight’s horn and ensnaring his mind!
“But your opponent…!”
The spell was complete.
Midnight stood up slowly and everypony watched in horror as he walked over to Trixie’s side and turned to face them. Midnight’s eyes were glowing completely red, his expression stoic and impassive, much like the usual expression of Royal Guard ponies on duty.
“…will be Midnight Blaze!” Trixie laughed wickedly.
As Twilight stood there stunned, Trixie whispered a command into Midnight’s ear, and he nodded as he replied like an obedient soldier.
“Yes, Mistress…”
Then, without warning, Midnight magically launched himself at Twilight, his horn flaring with harmful intent!