Sweetie opened her eyes, smiled, and teleported downstairs the moment the clock hit 12:01. Leaping out the door, she galloped toward Twilight’s castle, knowing she had roughly fifteen minutes before the Princess fell asleep. Knocking on the door, Sweetie waited, catching her breath.
‘This is going to be even better than my Coronation.’ Sweetie giggled, trying to hide her glee. If it wasn’t for the fact she was in a time loop, Sweetie would have burst into song over her plans. Moment soured by that thought, Sweetie glanced to her flank and pursed her lip. Singing songs from the heart was pointless with no one to remember them.
“Sweetie? What are you-” Twilight cut herself off as a piece of paper was slapped into her face, frowning as she read it. Sweetie waited patiently for Twilight to finish reacting, and then held out Twilight’s notes. Interrupting the Alicorn before she started reading, Sweetie put a hoof on Twilight’s nose, and smiled.
“I need your help to create a spell.”
Sweetie walked downstairs and sat down at the table, digging into her pancakes. As delicious as they were, Sweetie was getting tired of having them every Monday. Silently, she made a mental note to find a way to change the menu on a Monday. Maybe waking up before Rarity started breakfast would do the trick.
“Oh my! Sweetie what’s that on your body?” Rarity looked Sweetie Belle up and down, seeing her covered in red spots. Rarity had heard of many childhood illnesses, but never this one. Sweetie opened her mouth to respond, but they both turned as a knock sounded at the door. Opening it, Rarity was relieved to find out it was Twilight.
“Twilight! Sweetie’s sick with something!” Rarity moved out of the way as Twilight leaned down, narrowed her eyes, and touched Sweetie. Where she touched Sweetie, a single red spot appeared. Twilight nodded once, carefully hiding the spot as she turned toward Rarity. Smiling, she reached out her hoof, and took her friend by the shoulder.
“Oh don’t worry, it’s nothing contagious. It’s just cooties. Most fillies get them her age, I’m surprised you didn’t.” Twilight removed her hoof, leaving a red spot where Rarity couldn’t see. Relieved, Rarity put a hoof to her chest, and smiled. Sweetie tilted her head, pretending to be confused.
“Oh, well as long as it isn’t serious.” Rarity had never believe cooties were real. The colts at her school had been right! Who could have known? Sweetie waved goodbye to Rarity as she quickly left the house. Rarity waved to her, and then blinked, and gasped. Sweetie was sick! She shouldn’t be going to school.
“Hey Apple Bloom nice to see ya.” Sweetie brought Apple Bloom into a hug just as Rarity came out, and scolded her. Sweetie walked up to her bedroom, and smirked. Around midday, Rarity came up and mentioned she was leaving, and Twilight would be around soon. The moment Rarity left, Sweetie walked downstairs, meeting Twilight as she walked in.
“How’s the spread?” Sweetie smiled as Twilight pulled out a mirror, and cast a spell on it. Soon enough, Sweetie and Twilight could watch other ponies go about their daily lives. Sitting down, Sweetie watched as Twilight placed down some drinks, and a bag of popcorn.
“Let the show begin!”
Apple Bloom blinked in shock as a sudden desire to brush up against everypony filled her, and she couldn’t stop herself from doing so. As soon as she did, the feeling passed. It wasn’t long before the teacher noticed she was covered in spots. Tilting her head, Apple Bloom widened her eyes, she was too.
Cheerilee ordered the students home, looking to the dots rapidly spreading over her hoof. If they were unlucky, this would spread to everypony in Equestria. Cheerilee decided the best place to go first was the hospital, and so she cantered there, coming to a stop when she saw the line-up of ponies with the same condition. It was an epidemic!
Rarity frowned when she realised she was covered in ‘cooties’, and bit her lip. Had she caught it due to missing out on it when she was younger? No, the stallion with her also had spots. They were rapidly spreading along the train and infecting other passengers too, some even on their way to Canterlot.
Mr Rich greeted his marefriend with a hug as she hopped off the train, quickly noticing she was covered in red spots. In fact, everypony on the train was infected. Looking toward Canterlot, Mr Rich felt a chill enter his spine. Nopony would be safe, not even the Princesses. Gripping his marefriend, they both quailed in fear.
Celestia and Luna glared as somepony barged into their once-a-day lunch break. Both were in no mood, especially for emergencies.
“Your Highness-es! A sickness has broken out all over Equestria! It’s slowly infecting the castle!” As he spoke, the pony pointed to a single spot on his arm, and Celestia rubbed her forehead.
“Is it fatal?”
There was silence for a moment.
“Pardon?” The pony blinked, and Celestia narrowed her eyes.
“IS. IT. FATE-AL.” Celestia glanced to Luna, who rolled her eyes as she bit down on her meal.
“Well, we don’t know. We know it originated from Ponyville, and nopony has died yet despite being infected since this morning, but…”
Celestia returned to her meal, “Then it can be handled by my student.” Celestia watched as once more the pony fell into silence.
“Just because nopony has died doesn’t mean they won’t! You could be risking lives right now! We don’t know if and when it starts hurting ponies.” The pony slammed a hoof down, and both gave him a scathing glare.
“We get fifteen minutes a day to both eat and spend time with each other. We’re willing to take the risk. Besides, Twilight is capable, she’ll solve it.” Celestia gave a reassuring smile, and sipped her drink as a letter arrived. Nodding as if to say ‘I told you so’, she opened it.
And proceeded to splurt her drink all over Luna.
“I QUIT!?” Celestia, dove for a pen in panic, almost missing the fact that two more letters had arrived. Celestia quickly scanned the one with glowing gold letters, and instantly her composure returned, along with an irritated growl. Celestia held out the second letter for Luna, who immediately snorted, and broke into laughter.
“I can’t believe it, we got pranked by Twilight. Waaaha-hah-hah-ha.” Luna flared her wings as Celestia let a small smile fall on her face, and glanced toward the half written letter she had been making. Burning it with a flick of her horn, Celestia sent the other two letters back, and flared her wings.
“Come Luna, let’s go on vacation. It’s the only way to pay back Twilight. Oh, before I forget.” Celestia turned toward the pony, and quickly cast a memory forget spell, normally a forbidden dark art, and both Princesses teleported away.
“Alright, that’s my cue to leave.” Twilight stood up, and bowed to Sweetie, who waved Twilight goodbye as she teleported away. Giggling, Sweetie wondered what Twilight was going to do with Cadance in the Crystal Empire, and wondered if she should visit it one loop. Then again, Sweetie had already seen the Empire.
“Loop well spent,” she spoke, falling backward onto her bed just as the sun began to set.