//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: A Trixie Situation // by Autum Breeze //------------------------------// Chapter 6 ___________________________________________________________ Sunset awoke to feel tiny arms wrapped around her waist. Looking down and pulling the blankets up a bit, she saw Trixie sleeping soundly against her, her expression of calm, like any child that has had a good night’s rest. Smiling softly, Sunset rubbed Trixie’s shoulder lightly. “Trixie, time to get up.” After a few tries, Trixie stirred, before slowly opening her eyes and looking up, blinking a few times with a confused look on her face. Once she’d woken up enough, she realized she was holding onto Sunset’s waist and pulled away, sitting up and bowing her head. “Trixie’s sorry! She didn’t mean to grab your waist! She was sleeping and must’ve—” Sunset put a hand on Trixie’s shoulder, causing the little girl to stiffen. “Trixie, it’s alright,” she said reassuringly, then chuckled. “I’m not mad you hugged me in your sleep or anything.” She chuckled again. “If anything, I thought it was sweet and cute.” There was silence for a few moments, before Trixie slowly looked up at Sunset with uncertain amazement. “R-really?” Sunset nodded, moving her hand up and ruffling Trixie’s hair. “Hey, this is me we’re talking about, remember? The girl who came from a world full of little ponies? Sweet and cute is a common thing there.” Trixie blushed, though Sunset wasn’t quite sure why. Any further thoughts were put on hold as Sunset glanced at the clock and noticed the time. “We’d better have some breakfast,” she said, sliding off the bed and stretching. “I need to go shopping before we meet up with the others for that picnic in the park.” “Picnic?” Trixie asked with both excitement and curiosity. “Oh, right,” Sunset bopped herself on the head. “We planned it before you were regressed. Well, after the Friendship Games, Pinkie had planned for us to have a picnic in front of the Wondercolts statue.” She frowned, putting a hand to her chin. “Though I guess that’s just the podium now, since the statue got destroyed.” Trixie looked down, not certain how to respond to that. Sunset moved to the door and opened it, allowing Trixie out first before following the small hall. As she passed Twilight sleeping on the couch, she pondered about waking her up, but then decided against it. Princess Twilight had proven the morning after their sleepover during the Battle of the Bands that she was not a morning person (pony?), so chances were this world’s Twilight was similar. Moving into the kitchen, Sunset couldn’t help but smile seeing Trixie sit down on the couch where she wouldn’t wake Twilight and turn on the TV. Currently showing was an old show called The Mysterious Cities of Gold. Sunset had seen a few episodes of it online, but hadn’t really paid it much attention, as that had been back when she was a horrible person, so hadn’t been interested in what the humans found entertaining. Shaking those thoughts away, she got out the sapphire stone frying pain and got to work cooking some bacon and eggs. As she cooked, she heard a loud yawn from behind and glanced over her shoulder to see Twilight sitting up. Her hair was already tied up in a bun like before, though it looked a little ratter than it had before. Hearing a yelp, she looked over to Trixie, who was laughing as Spike licked her good morning. “Morning, sleepy head,” the bacon-haired teen said to her glasses-wearing friend. “How do you like your eggs?” “Wait. You’re cooking breakfast?” Twilight asked, lifting her glasses with one hand again rubbing her eyes with the other. Sunset smirked. “Eeyup. What? Don’t you normally have a cooked breakfast?” Twilight yawned again, shaking her head. “Normally I’d just have soon toast and head off for school.” “On a Saturday?” Sunset couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. Twilight nodded, sleepily moving over to the cupboard and taking out some glasses. “Principal Cinch always made it clear I needed to keep a firm study schedule, even on weekends.” Sunset smirked. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that now. You’re a Canterlot High student now. Cinch has no hold on you.” Inwardly though, she was scowling. Cinch even made Twilight go to school on weekends? Is her own reputation all that woman ever thought about when it came to Twilight? Twilight paused for a moment, blinked, then smiled and laughed. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” then she frowned. “Huh. I’ve never had a Saturday where I didn’t have to go to school.” She looked to Sunset. “What do kids our age normally do on Saturday mornings?” Sunset shook her head, moving the eggs and bacon onto a large plate, lifting it and taking it over to the table and putting it in the centre. “Well, I was going to do some shopping today. You and Spike wanna join or will you stay behind to watch over Trixie for me?” “Trixie’s coming shopping too!” an annoyed voice said. Glancing down as Twilight came over with the glasses and some apple juice, she saw a pouting Trixie. “So, you wanna come shopping with me?” “Trixie just said that, didn’t she?” the little girl replied, stomping a foot. Sunset rolled her eyes, chuckling. “All you had to do was ask, Trixie. So, Twilight, you wanna join us?” she asked the purple girl as they sat down at the table, Spike moving over to Twilight’s sit and nuzzling her leg. Twilight smiled. “Well, it would be the first time I went shopping with someone other than my parents or my brother, so, I don’t see why not.” “Mmhm! Good bacon. You sure can cook, Sunset.” The voice of the only four-legged being in the room (well, always was and wasn’t currently a biped due to the portal’s magic, anyway), caused both girls to glance under the table. Spike had moved away from Twilight and was now by Trixie, who was passing him some of her bacon and eggs. Sunset felt a need to scold her, before she realized they’d not thought about Spike’s breakfast and since bacon and eggs wasn’t harmful to dogs, she decided to let it go. Besides, there was plenty of food regardless of what Trixie was feeding the dog. ___________________________________________________________ “Well, that was an interesting experience,” Twilight said as they walked out of the grocery store, herself and Sunset carrying two bags full of produce each. Twilight was wearing her Crystal Prep uniform, as her clothes were in need of a wash, so it was all she had. “That teller seemed a little uncertain around you though, Sunset. Why is that?” Sunset sighed. “Let’s just say, before I became the girl I am now, I wasn’t the kindest human out there and that clerk sometimes got the worst of it when I went shopping.” “Thanks again, Sunset!” The little voice caused her to look down and smile as Trixie walked next to her, her arms wrapped around the brown teddybear wearing a wizard’s hat and cap Sunset had gotten her. Trixie had spotted it whilst she and Twilight had been getting some frozen goods and had refused to leave the store without it. Sunset worried she might end up spoiling Trixie with how often she seemed to give in to the little girl’s demands. It was hard for her not to, though. She still felt guilty about how, technically speaking, it was her fault Trixie was a child now thanks to the Sirens coming to Canterlot High in the first place, which they wouldn’t have had she not brought Equestrian Magic into this world with her. “Twilight?!” The shocked, angry sounding voice caused their group to halt and turn, to see a tall guy with white skin and blue hair, wearing a purple shirt with a an imprint of a shield with three stars above it and a purple six-pointed star in its centre, and long pants, walking towards them. At once, Twilight moved to hide behind Sunset. “Oh no. shining Armour. He must have heard about what happened at the Friendship Games.” “Twilight, what happened at the games?” the tall young man demanded, looking sternly at the girl hiding behind Sunset. “I just heard Principal Cinch has been called to a meeting with the school board about things revealed by other students.” Sunset’s brow furrowed slightly. “And did you learn what those are?” Shining Armour glanced at Sunset, looking her over, before answering. “Not that I see why it would be your problem, miss, but I heard accusations that Principal Cinch was involved in blackmailing.” Trixie snorted. “Good. That meanie deserves whatever they give her.” At once Shining Armour turned a glare on the little girl, who whimper and grabbed onto Sunset’s leg. “Is this girl related to you?” he asked, looking to Sunset, before returning a glare at the little girl. Sunset’s eyes narrowed. “I’m looking after her for a while, but no, we’re not related. What does that matter?” “Then, if she’s under your care, you should teach her some manners,” Shining snorted, returning to look at Sunset. “And not to talk badly about others when she doesn’t know what’s going on.” This time Sunset snorted. “Doesn’t know? Trixie was there along with the rest of us when Cinch blackmailed Twilight, just so she could win the Friendship Games and improve her own reputation!” Shining Armour stepped closer, but Sunset wasn’t intimidated by his taller height. “Principal Cinch is the best Principal Crystal Prep has ever had. It’s because of her Crystal Prep is the top school in the country.” “She’s also a manipulative witch who’d do anything to anyone to get what she wants, even threatening to accuse my own Principal of cheating in the games, just so she wouldn’t have lost them!” Sunset shot back, her eyes glaring daggers into the taller man’s. By now, others were taking notice, but Shining Armour didn’t seem to be noticing. He gritted his teeth, his own eyes narrowing. “You’re from Canterlot High?” “And so’s Twilight now!” Sunset growled back. “So, any insults you have for me because of my school, I’d suggest you think twice about, unless you don’t care if they’d be redirected at your own sister too!” That caused Shining Armour to pause, before glancing to the girl cowering behind Sunset. “Wait. Twilight, you’re leaving Crystal Prep for Canterlot High?” Twilight nodded, still not coming out from behind the former unicorn. “We’d love to continue this little chat, but there’s a crowd gathering and, besides that, we’ve got some friends to meet up with,” Sunset said, turning and nudging Twilight so she’d get moving, Trixie hurrying after them. ___________________________________________________________ “And that’s why we’re late,” Sunset finished telling about their trip to the stores to the girls as they all moved over to where the portal was. “That dirty,” Dash muttered, punching her fist into her palm. “Talking to his own sister like that.” “It ain’t right, that’s fer sure,” Applejack nodded, looking just as angry as Dash. “No brother should talk to his sister like that.” “It would seem our world’s Shining Armour is nothing like the one from Princess Twilight’s world,” Rarity agreed as they reached the statue, or where it had been, anyway. “From what she told me of him during our sleepover back during the Battle of the Bands, he’s quite the gentleman. Our Twilight's brother, however...” “It is pretty mean of him to treat Twilight that way,” Fluttershy agreed. Twilight sighed, hugging herself lightly. “Shining Armour was one of the reasons I felt pressured into being in the games in the first place. Dean Cadance understood that I didn’t want to be in them, but Shining Armour insisted on it, even though I explained why I didn’t want to be in them.” They all stood around, Dash and AJ bristling with anger at Twilight’s older brother, Sunset still feeling angry about it too. Trixie herself wasn’t too impressed with Twilight’s older brother. From what Twilight had told them during breakfast and their shopping trip, he was a police officer. What kind of police officer confronts his little sister in public and belittles her from speaking up against someone as horrible and mean and Principal Cinch? Trixie’s opinion of Shining Armour was that he was a big doody head. She blinked, frowning at herself. Doody head? What was she, five? ... Okay, physically, yes, she was, but it’s the principal of the thing. As everyone was standing around, their spirits down because of Twilight’s brother’s behaviour, Pinkie cried suddenly out, “Hey, let’s put those frowns upside down! Welcome Picnic Party!” pulling out a basket from... You know what? Trixie wasn’t even going to question it. Before any of them could really answer, Pinkie had set up a red and white checked picnic blanket in front of the where the Wondercolts statue had been, pulling out several sandwiches, juice boxes and a few cupcakes. Twilight and Spike were the only ones in the group who stared at Pinkie, before looking to the others with an expression that asked, “How?” They all chuckled, Applejack putting an arm around Twilight and saying, “Trust me, sugarcube. Better not ta asked an’ just accept it as Pinkie being Pinkie.” Twilight looked like she wanted to argue the matter, very much, but the chuckles and shaking of heads from the others made her stop. So they all sat around the picnic blanket, just enjoying some time together, Trixie sitting next to Sunset as she herself dug into one of Pinkie’s cupcakes. Suddenly there was a sound from beside herself and Sunset and the pony Twilight appeared through the stone. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner,” she said, glancing behind at the portal. “It’s just I didn’t get your messages until just now because I was caught in this time travel loop and, honestly, it was the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me.” She blinked, before her eyes went wide as she finally saw the Twilight from their world, who was staring back at her with an uncertain smile and waving, while was Spike staring, jaw agape. All was silent for a few moments as they stared at each other, the only sound being Pinkie sipping her drink. “Make that the second strangest,” Princess Twilight said, wearing an uncertain smile. Their Twilight shook her head, her expression still uncertain as well. “Um... hi... Twilight?” Sunset stood up and put a hand on pony Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight Sparkle, meet Twilight Sparkle. Twilight,” she said, looking to their Twilight, “meet Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship.” Their Twilight just smiled sheepishly, whilst Princess Twilight did this same. Spike took a few hesitant steps forward and sniffed Princess Twilight’s feet. He cocked his head, frowning. “Wow. She even smells just like you, Twi.” Princess Twilight blinked, before her expression became uncertain. “Wait. How can this world’s Spike talk? Isn’t he just a dog here?” Spike blinked, before frowning. “Just a dog, huh? So what’s your worlds’ Spike then?” He blinked again, cocking an eyebrow. “Wow. That’s gotta be the weirdest thing I’ve ever said, and I only just started talking yesterday.” “He’s a dragon,” Twilight said, deadpan. Spike’s expression went blank, before he backed up a bit. “Uh... okay. Never mind me.” “Can you fix me now, please?!” Twilight blinked, taken aback by the smaller voice and glanced down at where her arm was being pulled to see Trixie looking up at her. She cocked an eyebrow, before they widened. “Oh! Right! One of your last messages was about Trixie being regressed.” Trixie nodded. “Can you fix me?” Though, even as she finished speaking, a part of Trixie questioned why she wanted to return to her previous age, confusing her. Twilight smiled, bending down and put a hand to Trixie’s forehead, before she started singing a simple tune, one Trixie remembered Fluttershy humming a few times. As she did, she glowed with a purple light, Ponying Up like the others, gaining pony ears, longer hair like a tail and wings, like Fluttershy and Rainbow, only hers were bigger, since she was an Alicorn. As she hummed, Trixie felt a tingling through her body. It felt nice, if she had to be honest, even tickled a little, causing her to giggle. “Oh dear.” Those words and tone from the princess caused Trixie’s mood to drop at once as she opened her eyes to see Twilight wearing a worried frown. “Whatever is the matter, Twilight?” Rarity asked, glancing between her and Trixie. Twilight stopped humming, her wings fading away and her ears and hair returning to what they were before as she folded her arms, sighing. “I can’t change her back.” “What?” everyone but their Twilight cried, eyes wide, Trixie’s already starting to brim with tears. Sunset stepped forward, her expression concerned. “Twilight, what do you mean? Why can’t you change Trixie back?” Twilight shook her head. “You were right that this was the Siren’s magic. I can faintly trace it, something seems to have removed it from her before.” “That was Sunset!” Pinkie said, bouncing down in front of the lavender girl from the other world, moving her body around. “She used all our magic together and began kinda like an Alicorn, or at least I guess an Alicorn, she had wings and horn and everything, though her wings were made of fire, whilst yours are always feathered. Anyway, you see our world's Twilight accidentally turned into a power-crazed magical creature, so of like what Sunset turned into when she wore your crown, only Twilight's monster form that tried to rip the world apart when she was exposed to the magic she'd accidentally stolen from both us and the portal, so Sunset combined all our magic and became an Alicorny girl and when she used her magic to seal all the holes between our worlds Possessed Twilight opened some of it washed over Trixie.” Twilight blinked, before glancing around as if to ask, “Is she exaggerating or...?” Their Twilight shook her head, her expression sagging. “No. I really did turn into a monster and almost ripped our two worlds apart.” She hugged herself. “Sorry.” Twilight shook her head, giving a warm smile. “Hey, you wouldn’t be the first being I know who’s done that, and I’m not talking about Sunset.” Sunset chuckled, before her expression became serious. “So, do you think I did something to Trixie when my magic washed over her?” “Trixie remembers that,” the little girl pipped up. “Trixie felt all warm and as if something that shouldn’t be in her was gone, but she didn’t know what.” Twilight nodded. “I thought so. When Trixie got exposed to the Siren’s magic that regressed her age, it remained inside of her, meaning, if it had stayed inside her, she’d have been a five-year-old forever.” Trixie eeped, clutching onto Sunset’s arm. “And now?” Sunset asked, glancing down at Trixie for a moment before looking to Twilight. The princess gave a warm smile. “I can tell you you cleansed her of the magic, so it won’t hold her at the age of five.” “But then why isn’t Trixie back to her normal age?” Applejack asked, looking confused. Twilight sighed, shaking her head. “I said it wouldn’t keep her at that age. I never said she’d change back.” “What?” they all gasped. Twilight shook her head again, looking to Trixie. “Regression magic is really advanced. Even Alicorns aren’t meant to use it unless in emergencies. And... sometimes... depending on how they're cast, the effects can’t be reversed.” “So, what does that mean for Trixie?” Fluttershy asked. Twilight looked at the child clutching onto Sunset’s arm. “She’ll have to grow up again.” “That’s not fair at all!” Rainbow stated, stomping a hoof. “Can’t you take her to Equestria and used the magic there. Your whole world’s filled with it. Maybe there you could do it?” Twilight just shook her head. “I don’t even think Trixie can go through the portal. Whilst the magic that regressed her is gone, I don’t think, until she reaches the age she was before she was regressed, she’ll even be able to pass through it.” “Can too!” Trixie cried, her expression firming. She let go of Sunset’s arm and charged at the portal. “Trixie, wait—” Sunset tried to say as she whirled around, her hand outstretched, but too late. Trixie hit the statue’s base, the portal rippling from her touch, but bounced right off, falling to the ground on her butt. The others all gasped as Sunset hurried over and held the now sobbing Trixie as she realized she was stuck as a child. Twilight sighed. “I’m really sorry, you guys. I wish I could do more, but the Age Spell used on Trixie is a bit beyond my abilities to override without studying it a bit more.” “And, being the Element of Magic, that’s saying a lot,” Sunset sighed as she stood, holding Trixie in her arms as the child sobbed into her jacket. Twilight nodded, looking down. “The only way for her to return to her original age is to grow up like any normal girl. Sorry.” Sunset sighed, shaking her head, before putting on a smile. “Well, looks like I’ll be having a permanent house guest then.” “Huh?” Twilight asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna put Sunset in charge of looking after Trixie whilst she’s little,” Fluttershy smiled, before it faded. “Though... I don’t know if they intended for it to be permanent.” “It would make more sense if her parents looked after her,” Applejack said, folding her arms. “No!” They all started when the little voice shouted. Trixie was clinging onto Sunset much tighter. “T-Trixie doesn’t wanna leave Sunset.” Both Twilights glanced at each other, not sure what to make of this. Their Twilight sighed, rubbing her neck. “Well, Dean Cadance told called me to let me know she'd be speaking with Shining Armour, so we shouldn't have worry about him bugging us about a little girl hanging around.” “Cadance?” Twilight asked, turning to face her double, an eyebrow raised. “My sister-in-law’s a dean in this world?” Their Twilight blinked, staring in amazement. “How did you know Cadance is my sister-in-law?” Twilight just blinked. “Uh... because the Cadance in my world married my brother.” “You’ve a brother too?” their Twilight asked, her eyes wide. “Is his name Shining Armour.” “Yep,” Twilight said with proud smile. “Captain of the Royal Guard and husband to the Crystal Princess.” “Dean Cadance is a princess in your world?” “Yo, Twilights?!” they both blinked, before turning to Rainbow Dash. “Kinda getting off topic here.” “Sorry,” they both said in unison, before looking at each other and laughing. “Ah hope this ain’t what happens when Sunset meets her other self,” Applejack, her arms folded. That caused them all to pause, before Rainbow glanced at the farm girl. “Uh, AJ; what are you talking about?” Applejack pointed a thumb and Sunset, then nodded to the two Twilights. “Well, Sunset’s fr’m Equestria, right? So, the her fr’m this world’s still around somewhere.” All were silent as they absorbed that. Sunset shuddered, scratching behind her head. “I hope she’s not like how I used to be.” “Hold up!” Rainbow Dash cried, her hands in the air. “Again, off topic." “Uh... right,” Princess Twilight said, scratching her head. “Well, if that’s all, then I guess I should be heading back to Equestria.” This was met by awws of disappointment from everyone, especially their world’s Twilight. “I wouldn’t have minded talking with you and comparing the slight variances between the factors leading to the cause of relationships in our worlds.” Everyone aside from Twilight and Sunset stared blankly at her once she’d finished. “Uh, anybody understand a word of that?” Applejack asked, glancing around the group. “Got me,” Dash shook her head. “I lost track after “slight”.” “Really?” the princess asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Sounded perfectly simple to me.” She turned to her counterpart. “That would be fun,” she nodded, before sighing. “Maybe some other time? In truth, I really should make sure things are still okay with Starlight Glimmer.” “You’ll have to tell us about it later,” Sunset smiled, nodding. “We understand, Twilight.” The girl nodded, before holding out a hand to the other girl. “Well, it was nice meeting you... Twilight.” “Yeah,” the other replied, returning the handshake. “Same here, um, Twilight.” The princess nodded, before turning to the portal, bid everyone a final farewell, before vanishing through the stone. “Well, what’ll we do now?” Sunset asked, looking around at the others. They all shrugged. A musical tune caused them all to look to Twilight, who reached into her pocket and pulled out an iPONE. Her expression became a little uncertain. “It’s a text, from Dean Cadance.” “What does it say?” Rarity asked, cocking an eyebrow. Twilight squirmed a little. “I’m expected to be present at a meeting with the school board tomorrow.” “What?” the others all cried. “How come?” Rainbow demanded, her brow furrowing. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” “They want Sunset and Trixie to be there too,” Twilight went on, looking over the text. “Cadance will pick us up tomorrow at ten and take us there.” “Wait, us too?” Sunset couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. “Why would they want to speak with me or Trixie?” Twilight shook her head. “I don’t know. Cadance just told us to be ready for the meeting tomorrow.” They all remained quiet, going over that. It was Rarity who broke the silence. “Well, if you are going to see the school board, we’ll need to get you a new ensemble, Twilight, darling.” She moved over and began directing Twilight in the direction of the store where Rarity worked part time. “Wait, what?” Twilight stuttered as the fashionista continued pushing her onwards. “Oh, indeed, darling,” Rarity said matter-of-factly. “You are not going to see the school board wearing that uniform. No longer being a student of Crystal Prep, you should start wearing things far less severe that shines the inner you.” “Should... we help her?” Trixie glanced up to Sunset, not sure if Twilight was entering dangerous territory or not. Sunset sighed, giving a small smile. “We couldn’t stop Rarity right now, even if we tried.”