Twilight shook the scented streamers out of her mane before saying, "I love these new streamers as much as you do, Pinkie, but they're a slight pain to clean up after."
Rainbow nodded in agreement, flapping her wings to rid her feathers of streamers. "Maybe can you not do that next time?" she asked.
Pinkie Pie grinned sheepishly. "Sorry!" she said. "I just can't help myself!"
Applejack chuckled. "Ah'm sure ya couldn't," she said, "with those streamers bein' from yer sister Maud and all." She used her tail to sweep the streamers off her bed. "Alright, now that we've got the party canon outta the way, who's got the Wheel of Choice?"
Princess Luna turned to Twilight. "What is this Wheel of Choice Applejack speaks of?" she asked. "This princess needs to know everything before beginning a game."
"It's this cardboard wheel that Rarity designed," Twilight explained. "We decided that we'd use the wheel to decide who's turn it is. We also use it as a fair method to pick the players who suggest Truth questions or Dares to the pony chosen. We just spin the arrow in the middle of the board, and when the arrow stops, the pony the arrow points to takes their turn."
Celestia had been listening to Twilight's explanation of the Wheel of Choice. She asked eagerly, "May I spin the Wheel of Choice?" She raised her right hoof as if she were in school asking the teacher a question. Quite the ironic analogy.
"Of course, Your Highness!" Rarity said enthusiastically. She tapped her chin and after a moment, said, "Pinkie was the last one who took their turn last week, correct? She must have the Wheel of Choice."
"Uh huh!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Lemme just find it first!"
She shuffled through her saddlebag, throwing out several items, which included a notebook, several rubber ducks, a life preserver, and a tuba. Luna was fascinated by the number of items Pinkie could hold in what looked like a saddlebag that could only carry a few books at most. How could she manage to fit, of all things, a tuba in it? Why in Equestria did she have a tuba in her saddlebag for a slumber party in the first place?
"A-HA!" Pinkie Pie took out a pink cardboard circle with a red arrow dangling from the center of it. "Here it is!"
She jumped off her bed and landed on the floor. Pinkie let the Wheel of Choice fly into the air and land on her head. She walked like a Canterlotian, back straight, head high, hoovesteps dainty but powerful, and made her way to Princess Celestia. Pinkie Pie lowered her neck and presented the Wheel to Celestia by saying, "It is my honor to present you with the Wheel of Choice. Spin if YOU DARE!"
Pinkie slid the Wheel off her head and onto the floor in front of Celestia. She hopped back to her bed and grinned. "Let's do this!" she exclaimed.
Celestia smiled. "Thank you, Pinkie Pie," she said. She held down the cardboard with one hoof and spun the arrow with another.
The arrow spun around for a few moments. All eyes were on the arrow, each player hoping it didn't point towards themselves. With the exception of Celestia and Luna. The Royal Sisters were eager to take their turns, not knowing the true evils of Truth or Dare.
The arrow slowed down. The eyes of the players moved to the direction the arrow was pointing at.
Twilight.
"I guess it's my turn!" Twilight said sheepishly. What a way to begin the game.
"Truth or Dare?" Rainbow asked with one of her famous sly grins.
"Tonight, I think I'll be frisky," Twilight said. With Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in the game, the possibilities were going to be 100% disastrous. So why delay the inevitable?
"Dare," she said.
"Twilight Sparkle, first up to tango, the first player to choose dare?" Applejack asked with a grin. She whistled. "And ah thought the chances of Flashlight were greater!"
"Very funny, Applejack," Twilight said, rolling her eyes, "but I don't have a crush on...that Royal Guard member."
"What Royal Guard member?" Celestia whispered to Starlight excitedly. Twilight Sparkle, with a crush? This was big news to her. She needed to know everything about this stallion. Then Celestia could endlessly tease both Twilight and the Royal Guard member.
Starlight Glimmer shrugged. "I've never known Twilight had a crush," she whispered.
"And now, to spin the wheel three more times!" Pinkie said. "Whoever the arrow points to gets to dare Twilight, and out of those three dares, she has to pick one."
"I shall spin the wheel this time!" Luna declared. She reached over and spun the arrow with incredible force. The arrow spun at a high velocity for a few moments before it slowed down. Starlight. Luna spun two more times, and the arrow landed on Rainbow Dash and Rarity.
"Alright!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "Whaddya girls have for Princess Twilight?"
Rainbow Dash came up with a dare immediately. "Challenge Discord to a food fight!" she said.
"Okay, no," Twilight said. "Let's hear what other dares there are. Starlight?"
"Um..." Starlight had learned a few weeks back that Twilight was afraid of quesadillas. Perhaps a dare about the tasty food?
"I dare you to learn how to make a quesadilla," Starlight said.
Twilight shuddered. "Definitely not," she said."What dare do you have for me, Rarity?"
"Well, I have been thinking about this dare for several days," Rarity said. "And I think you'll prefer this dare to the others."
"Then please, share your dare, Rare," Twilight said.
Rainbow Dash stuffed her hoof into Pinkie's mouth. "Yes, Pinkie," she said. "The sentence rhymed."
She took out her hoof and quickly wiped it with a napkin. Pinkie Pie giggled and said, "You were one step ahead of me, Dashie!"
"Twilight," Rarity said, "I dare you to spend half an hour with Trixie."
Twilight's eyes widened in surprise.
"Trixie?" Celestia asked. "As in, Trixie Lulamoon? The mare who used the Alicorn Amulet to take over Ponyville the day I was coming to town with the delegates from Saddle Arabia?"
"You know about Trixie, Princess Celestia?" Fluttershy asked politely.
"Do I know her?" Celestia asked. "She could be my potential niece-in-law!"
The room suddenly became quiet, registering the words one of the Royal Sisters had said. All eyes moved to Princess Celestia, who was covering her mouth with her hooves.
The only nephew Celestia had was Prince Blueblood. Potential niece-in-law? How much did the public not know about the Royals? And how did Twilight not know about this sooner?
"WHAT MY SISTER MEANT TO SAY!" Luna yelled in her Royal Canterlot voice. Her face was beaded with sweat and her pupils had shrunk by several times. She plastered a nervous smile on her face.
"She MEANT to say Trixie Lulamoon could be her potential nnn...new LIBRARIAN! At Canterlot Castle!" Luna said nervously. She glanced around the room, scanning the faces of each player. None of their faces said they believed her.
Applejack coughed awkwardly. "Ah suppose that's another story for another time," she said. "Now, back to Twilight!"
Twilight nodded. "I think I will accept Rarity's dare to spend time with Trixie." It was the only reasonable dare for Twilight to do. A food fight with Discord would just end up with a clean up crew for all of Ponyville. And why would Twilight want to make the stuff of her nightmares? She was surprised she didn't get nightmares about the cheesy tortilla. But thirty minutes with Trixie? That was alright.
"Is Trixie still in town?" Rarity asked, turning to Starlight. "You're the closest to her out of...the majority of us."
Starlight nodded in reply, smiling. "Last week, Trixie told me she was thinking about permanent residence here in Ponyville," she said. She gasped, a wonderful idea forming in her head. She noticed Celestia's frown of disapproval out of the corner of her eyes. "If Trixie does stay, can she come to our weekly slumber parties?"
Her question was met with silence. Spike could understand what his friends were thinking. None of them had seen Trixie for months, as far as Spike knew. Having Trixie at one of their slumber parties? Give it a few weeks with them all spending time with Trixie, then maybe they'd consider inviting her. That was if she did stay in Ponyville.
"I...suppose my question is best saved for another time?" Starlight guessed, clearly upset.
"For the best," Rarity agreed.
"So, ahem, where can we find Trixie now, Star?" Twilight asked , moving on from Starlight's question.
"Right now, Trixie is staying at the Ponyville Inn. But I think she's practicing her magic at the park," Starlight replied.
"Then let's go!" Rainbow Dash zoomed out of the room, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake.
The players looked at one another, exchanging glances before Rainbow dashed back into the room.
"Um, hello?" she asked impatiently. "Let's go already!"
"Yes, Rainbow! What a marvelous idea!" Rarity said sarcastically. "We'll go around Ponyville, with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Twilight all with us! No pony would EVER notice them with us!"
Rainbow glared at Rarity. "Hey, you don't have to be sarcastic about it!" she said, flying back to her bed.
"But Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in their forms would give us unwanted attention for the night," Fluttershy pointed out.
"Which is why Luna and I will change our forms," Celestia said.
"What ?"
Twilight's question was interrupted with two powerful glows, one golden, the other blue. The glows were so blinding, Twilight had to avert her gaze to the other side of the room. Even then, she could see the glow, and could feel the burning heat from the magic being performed. Her friends averted their gazes by covering their eyes with their legs or a pillow.
Finally, after a few moments, the glows and heat died down. Twilight turned her head back to the princesses and suddenly gasped.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were no longer. In Celestia's place sat a unicorn about Twilight's age. She had a white coat, stunning blue eyes, and an ombre mane, with the colors red, orange and yellow. Her cutie mark was a coal on fire.
In Princess Luna's place, there was a unicorn who had a light blue coat, midnight blue mane, and magenta eyes. Her cutie mark was a star with a tiara on it. She winced. "That spell always hurts," she said.
"It hurts worse for me," Celestia(?) said. "This forms feels strange without my wings."
"Indeed it does," Luna(?) nodded in agreement.
"So, you changed forms," Twilight said. "What are your names now?"
Celestia smiled. "Ember Fuel," she said. Her voice was slightly different. Younger and immature.
"Stargaze Headdress," Luna said. Her voice sounded like it had when the Elements of Harmony restored Luna from her Nightmare Moon form.
Starlight and Spike definitely exchanged death glares from across the room. They weren't even trying to be secretive anymore.
"Those are lovely names," Fluttershy commented. "But, um, this dare is just for Twilight. She doesn't need a lot of help finding Trixie, does she?"
"No," Twilight agreed. "I just need Starlight and somepony else. Everypony else can still play the game."
"I shall go with you!" Celestia/Ember Fuel declared.
"And why is that?" Twilight asked.
"Because my word is law!" Celestia said. Twilight raised an eyebrow. This kind of behavior from Celestia was shocking, to say the least. Twilight had never seen the princess act in such a way.
Twilight turned to face the rest of the players. "What will you all do while I'm gone?" she asked.
"We keep playing," Rainbow replied. "That's what we did whenever somepony went somewhere to do something!"
Sounded good to Twilight, but it would also mean she would miss out on the next turn. If luck had been on her side, Twilight would watch the arrow land on Starlight, and then Twilight, and then she would ask Star what was happening between Spike and Starlight.
But unfortunately, fate decided she had to talk to Trixie.
"Alright, then you all go at it," Twilight said, rising from her bed. "Starlight, Princess Cele Ember, let's go."
Twilight trotted out of the room, Starlight and Ember Coal following close behind.
As soon as they were out of ear distance from the room, Celestia said to Twilight, "Young filly, I'd like to have a word with you."
"Ditto," Twilight said.
It was about eight thirty when they arrived at the Ponyville park. On their way to the park, several ponies had questioned this Ember Coal that was walking with Twilight and Starlight. Luckily, the mares explained Ember was just staying in Ponyville for the night. No further questions were asked.
The sunset had just arrived. Ponies were gathering at the park to enjoy the weekend night. How the sun had set without Celestia's magic, Twilight wanted to know. But what she wanted to know even more was what Celestia was keeping from her.
"Why didn't you tell me that Trixie and Prince Blueblood are dating?" Twilight demanded as soon as they arrived.
"And you didn't tell me about the crush you have on a Royal Guard?" Ember asked.
"That's different!" Twilight said, stopping to face her former mentor.
The look in Ember's eyes said it was a lie. "You and I both know there is no difference between our secrets," she said. "Now, you begin, Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight stared at Ember. The mare's gaze was intense, the only look Celestia gave to the unicorns who had broken important rules, one of them being never to try dark magic. Twilight remembered the fear on the faces of the unicorns. They never could stand against Celestia's Look.
Neither could Twilight, years later, a grown mare, Princess of Equestria, no longer a student. Her legs became weak. Sweat started trickling down Twilight's face. Celestia's look said, No matter what, I will learn what you are hiding from me. I should punish you right here and right now for not doing so before.
She couldn't withstand it. She quickly blinked and faced the ground, the effects of the stare wearing off.
"Flash Sentry," Twilight admitted. "I saw his alternate self in the other world. Without his help, I wouldn't have been able to set up the Fall Formal in time, which would have resulted in my failure to recover my crown and return to Equestria. I saw him in the Crystal Empire, and I...I just fell for him. For a few months, I might add.
"But no longer do I like him," Twilight said. "It's been months since I last seen him. My crush on him faded after our first game of Truth or Dare."
"I don't mean to be rude," Starlight interrupted, "but we should start walking to find Trixie."
Twilight and Celestia exchanged glances. "We can talk about my situation on the way," Ember said.
"Fine," Twilight said.
Starlight led the way. She claimed she knew Trixie's favorite spot to perform magic. Twilight paid more attention to Celestia than what she passed.
"Trixie and Blueblood have been dating for three months," Celestia said.
"Then why would you say Trixie could be a good niece-in-law?" Twilight asked.
Ember sighed. "I meant it as a joke," she said. "Luna knows if they'll get married. But Blueblood has been happier lately. That's all I really know about their relationship. I'm busy ruling Equestria with my sister, so it cuts quality time short."
"Then why are you playing Truth or Dare?" Twilight asked. She shook her head. "No, more important question: Why didn't you tell me about Trixie and Blueblood?"
"Why didn't you tell me about Flash Sentry?" Celestia asked.
Twilight's mouth opened to reply, but nothing came out. She promptly closed it back shut and stayed silent, until minutes later, she heard somepony yell, "ALWIND!"
A burst of wind suddenly flew their way. Twilight's mane flew in the wind, and it the breeze, she had to admit, felt nice.
The wind that had suddenly occurred died down. "Trixie!" Starlight called, surging forward.
Twilight looked in the direction Starlight was galloping in, and saw Trixie was holding a journal book with her magic. Nearby were other books, including, "Magic Tricks 101" and "Illusions Nopony Will Believe." She looked like she had been in deep concentration, her eyes slightly glazed over. Her magic aura was a paler pink than usual. She had been practicing magic under a willow tree. The billowy branches and leaves on the tree cast a large shadow in the sunset light.
Trixie lowered her book and smiled wearily as Starlight galloped forward, like just seeing Starlight, her best friend made her day a little brighter.
"Trixie! It's so good to see you again!" Starlight stopped in front of Trixie and smiled. Though embracing a friend was a good greeting, the two mares were still uncomfortable with the "friendship" concept.
"Yes, it has been a while since we have last seen each other," Trixie said. "Tell me, Starlight, what brings you here with your friend, Trixie?"
"Oh, right," Starlight said. "So, I'm in the middle of playing Truth or Dare. Twilight's turn is now and she chose Dare."
"Oh?" There was a twinge of...something on Trixie's face. "What was Twilight Sparkle dared to do?"
"I was dared to talk to you for half an hour," Twilight answered, coming forward. Celestia was close behind.
"Well, well," Trixie said. "Twilight Sparkle. It's been some time."
"Too long, I think," Twilight said cautiously. "So, you know why I'm here. You won't run away, will you?"
Trixie snorted in laughter. "Run away?" she asked. "For what reason?"
"Well, maybe you don't want to be around me is all," Twilight confessed. She was completely fine with Trixie now, but how did this blue-coated mare feel about the princess of friendship?
"I suppose we shall discuss it in the thirty minutes we have together," Trixie said. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw a white-coated mare behind Twilight.
"Who is she?" Trixie asked, pointing to Ember.
Twilight looked behind her. "This is Ember Fuel," she said. "She's staying in Ponyville for the night."
Ember put on her best smile. "Hello!" she greeted.
Trixie smiled. "Hello, Princess Celestia," she said. "I have not seen you in a while, as well."
Ember paled if that was possible with her coat color. But she laughed. "Of course," she said. "You know about my anonymous disguise."
"That's not the point of what an anonymous disguise is, for me to know what it is," Trixie said, "but you have your reasons, Your Highness."
"Well, we'll leave you two here," Starlight said. "Come, Princess Celestia! I don't want to miss out on the next turn!"
"I'm right behind you!" Ember said, galloping behind Starlight.
"Uh, goodbye! See you soon!" Trixie called out. She turned to Twilight with a smug look. "Looks like we're going to have time to become besties, as they say!"
"Oh boy," Twilight said with a defeated expression.
Trixie and Twilight sat in the shade of the willow tree. It was beginning to grow darker, so Twilight had cast a spell with bright blue orbs of light around the tree and their location.
"So, what kind of magic were you practicing?" Twilight asked after two minutes of awkward silence.
"Elemental magic," Trixie replied.
"Really?" Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow. The only magic Trixie used to be interested in was magic that defied all logics and blew the minds of ponies, who found it entertaining. "What inspired you to practice a different kind of magic?"
"Starlight Glimmer," Trixie admitted. "She told me one time that she'd been practicing all kinds of magic with you, and she said it was fun. Starlight said I should try different types of magic. So I recently got this book called A Unicorn's Guide to Beginner's Elemental Magic in a library in Canterlot."
"Gee, I wonder what you were doing there," Twilight said sarcastically.
Trixie raised an eyebrow, no doubt wondering if Twilight was nuts. But she said, "I started practicing elemental magic a week ago. It's much harder than I thought."
"What do you have trouble with?" Twilight asked.
"Mostly fire and water magic," Trixie replied. "They seem like the easiest things to control! But I soon learned if they aren't controlled, they can become unpredictable."
"I had trouble with fire and water magic, too," Twilight admitted.
Trixie laughed bitterly. "Twilight Sparkle, unable to perform a simple magic spell? I must be dreaming!" she said.
"I'm serious!" Twilight said. "I also had a lot of trouble with air magic. Controlling wind? I'd rather teleport a few dozen times!"
Trixie smirked at Twilight. "Air magic is the easiest!" she said. "Whenever I cast a wind spell, I concentrate my feelings into the spell. The wind is powerful, but it can be gentle. It can make you feel like you are floating. It also hates being restrained. I've found that if you connect with the elements, the spell becomes easier and stronger."
"Really?" Twilight asked. "In all my years, I never noticed."
"Oh, come on," Trixie said. Her enthusiasm deflated. "The great and powerful Twilight Sparkle must surely have noticed. She is greater and far more powerful than Trixie, after all."
Twilight frowned. "What makes you say that?" she asked.
Trixie glared at her. "What does Trixie mean?" she asked. "You are the Princess of Magic! The Princess of Friendship, the most powerful magic of all! I've heard of the deeds you have performed with your friends! With your friends, you are practically unstoppable! It stopped the chaos spirit Discord! It ended Tirek's tyranny over Equestria! Even your friendship lessons reformed Starlight! You can do so much more than I can!"
At this point, Trixie had started crying. "It's hard knowing Starlight is your friend, the friend of the princess of magic," she said bitterly. "She's the first friend I've had in a long time. I originally performed magic shows to cheer ponies up, so they didn't have to be as down and lonely as I was. But the praise and approval got to my head and I started doing magic to prove how powerful I was.
"So you can understand now why Trixie doesn't believe you had trouble with magic," Trixie said, her ears flopping down in sadness.
After all that Trixie did, Twilight no longer had the heart to see her as an enemy. Trixie was essentially jealous of Twilight, bitter that she had more magic and friends than her. Something Twilight never thought Trixie would ever be jealous of.
"I didn't always have my friends," Twilight said softly.
Trixie wiped away her tears. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"Before I moved here, I lived in Canterlot," Twilight said. "I didn't have any friends there. I was just there with me, myself, and I. I didn't understand how powerful the magic of friendship was until I came here. I am who I am now with my friends. But even with my friends, I was still scared. Discord almost won. I almost gave up on my friends because of a spell I cast. Every villain I've faced, I came close to losing my friends. I'm not perfect either, Trixie."
She turned to face the broken unicorn. "Starlight became my friend because she had nowhere else to start over," Twilight said softly. "She also needed a friend. I have a feeling you need a lot of friends."
Trixie stared at Twilight with doubt. "But I know nothing about friendship!" she said. "How am I supposed to make another friend?"
"Well, you just made one," Twilight said. She gave Trixie a soft smile. The unicorn became confused.
"You're willing to forgive me?" Trixie asked.
"Of course," Twilight said. "After all, a friend of Starlight's is my friend. We also have something in common."
Trixie cracked a small smile. "Like what?" she asked.
"Magic," Twilight said, raising the book Trixie had been using earlier. "I learned a trick with fire in my early years. Would you like help?"
"Yes, please," Trixie replied happily. "Twilight?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for being my friend."
"You can thank my friends, who will definitely become your new friends, too."