Once upon a time, Twilight Sparkle wasn't feeling all that great, so she just sorta phoned in the flavor text for that day's TMP prompt.

The prompt: Sick day.

This is a thirty minute writing prompt, meaning you have thirty minutes to finish your story from the time you start writing. You may take as much time as you wish to think, plan, or outline before you begin, but once the first word is on the page, the timer begins. When you are finished, post your story to this thread, and, in the tradition of the TMP mods of yore, I will read and give it a comment when I can.

Traditionally, TMP prompts would have a six to eight-hour window in which to submit, but for these legacy prompts, there will be no limit after the prompt is up. Go ahead and post something a year from now, if you like. Just bear in mind that I'm less likely to respond with feedback to anything submitted more than a day after the prompt. Good luck!

P.S. Thank you, CHeighlund, for covering last week. Many internet cookie points for you.

Legacy Prompt #12: "Am I Blue?" by Gojira007

"Rarity? I reckon we've got ourselves a bit of a problem."
Hanging upside down on the branch of a tree, her orange fur a sickly shade of blue, Applejack tried to find her unicorn friend. Once she laid eyes on her, picking leaves out of her mane while laying down on another, lower branch,, she could see the anger etched into every line of the dress-maker's also-blue face. "Problem?" Rarity spat. "Why, Applejack, whatever do you mean? After all, other than Discord running off to ruin Twilight and Cadance's special day together, our sneezes being strong enough to launch us like rockets, and my color scheme being completely ruined, I can think of no problems whatsoever."
With a groan, the Earth Pony did her best to right her position. "Yeah, well, I can think of a way t'fix at least one 'o' those," she said. "We find Discord, grab him by his stupid horns, and then deliver ten different layers of whup-ah...ah...AHHHH...!"
Rarity's ears snapped up, her eyes going wide as they looked up to where Applejack lay. "For Celestia's sake, darling, cover your...!" she yelped, but it was too late.
With a thundering "-CHOOOO!!!, the Earth Pony flew straight up into the air, the force knocking Rarity down off of the tree. It took the moment for the unicorn to collect herself, but just as she got back on her hooves, she found herself knocked right back off them as Applejack crashed down right on top of her. "...sorry..." the Earth Pony groaned, followed by a strong sniffle.
"No apologies needed," Rarity said with a sniffle of her own, "it's not your fault. But it does highlight something of a hole in your plan, don't you agree?"
Shaking her head as she got back up, and helping Rarity do the same, Applejack grumbled a bit before saying, "Yeah...we ain't exactly in any shape t'go after that patchwork snake, are we?"
"I'm afraid nah...nahhhh...NAAAAAAAAAHHH...!"
"Aww Ponyfeathers!"
Applejack hit the dirt, while Rarity soared off into Ponyville.

It took a bit of time for her to track Rarity down again (especially since she would have to stop every so often to sneeze herself into the air, then recover from coming back down, every few minutes), but eventually Applejack found her, and to her surprise, the fashionista was running right towards her too! "You OK?" Applejack asked as she approached.
"Mildly bruised from crashing into the middle of the Starswirl the Bearded travelling museum, I admit," Rarity said, "but as it so happens, my landing there was quite fortuitous!"
"Y'mean-*snf*-y'found Twi 'n' Princess Cadance before Discord could?" Applejack said, ears perking up.
Rarity gave a too-wide smile at that. "Well, uh, not quite...but I did learn one of the other attendees saw the three of them together, and overheard they were going back to the library!"
Tail swishing against the ground, Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Then we've still got a chance t'nab that varmint before he manages t'completely ruin Twi 'n' Cadance's day together!"
She gave another sniffle then, stepping back from Rarity quickly. "Whuh-oh...!" she gasped, "I think I feel another big ol' sneeze comin' on...!"
That was when Rarity's wobbly smile turned in to a sharp grin, and as the unicorn's ears lowered, Applejack's brow raised. "Uh, Rare? Might want t'duck 'n' cover here...." she said.
The unicorn shook her head, however. Instead, she took Applejack by the haunch, rotating the stunned Earth Pony a few feet to the left. "As it happens, Applejack," she said, "I feel a sneeze coming on too. And as I recall..."
She stepped away, mirroring Applejack's pose. The Earth Pony turned her head, and found their gazes locked. "...Twilight's tree is in the opposite direction of where we're facing, isn't it?"
Applejack blinked once, then twice, then widened her eyes as a smile of her own came to her face. "I reckon it is!" she said.
"Then on the count of three," Rarity said, taking a deep breath in and then continuing, "One...two...thrah...ahh...AHHHH...!"
And then they were off.

"I couldn't have been off by more than a foot or two!" Rarity growled between sniffles as she galloped ahead.
"WHAT?!?" Applejack yelled as she ran alongside her.
"And yet, somehow, we landed in the bell tower instead?" the unicorn continued to rant, even as the library's tree came into view up ahead. "Honestly! This Discord Flu is not co-operating at all!"
"WHAT WAS THAT?" Applejack yelled again, "YOU'LL HAVE T'SPEAK UP! MY EARS'RE STILL RINGIN' FROM HITTIN' THAT BELL!"
"STOP REMINDING ME!" Rarity snapped just as they arrived at the library's door.
That was when Spike stepped out to greet them. "Would you two please stop yelling?" he moaned, "My head's hurting enough from having Discord around, it really doesn't need any extra help!"
Immediately, Rarity whipped her head around to look at the young dragon. "Discord? Oh Spike darling, that's wonderful! We can give that ruffian what-for and get him out of Twilight's hair!" she all but squealed, hopping a little on her hooves.
For a moment, Spike simply stared at her, mouth open before stepping back, trembling. "You...you're both blue!" he squeaked. "You caught whatever Discord's got!"
Rarity reached toward the dragon, but he only stepped further back. "Oh, Spike, my apologies, we didn't mean to frighten you! We just wish to get Discord out of there so he'll stop bothering Twilight and Cadance on their special day!"
The dragon, still taking a step back, rubbed his claws together. "Uh...actually? You just missed him."
A slight twitch crept into Rarity's eye as she muttered "...what...?"
"I heard him 'n' Twilight 'n' Cadance talking about going t'the 'edge of Equestria' to get a special flower that'll fix his flu...." Spike said, ears going flat.
For a moment, Rarity trembled, gritting her teeth, narrowing her eyes, slapping her tail on the ground, and sniffling like a saw working its way through the whole library. Only another moment more, however, and she stood, chest puffed out, brows set, ears raised. "So be it!" she said, "Spike, be a dear and point us in the direction you saw them going when they left?"
Still keeping his distance, the dragon nonetheless nodded, and raised a claw toward where the sun was slowly setting on the horizon. "Come, Applejack!" Rarity shouted, turning herself appropriately. "We're not beaten yet!"
"WHAT?!?" the Earth Pony answered.
Slamming a hoof to her face, Rarity growled, "Oh for the love of...!" then grabbed Applejack and turned her around. "Here we come, Discord," she said, "Ready or nah...ahh...AHHHH...!"

Applejack panted, and sniffed, and coughed with every step she took along the barren ground. "Pretty sure...we managed t'hit...just about every rock formation on the way over here...." she muttered.
Rarity, trailing behind and blinking her eyes over and over, shook her head fiercely. "At least...your hearing's getting better...." she said hoarsely. "C-come now...darling...we're almost there by now, surely...."
The unicorn shivered all over, sniffling again as she did. Immediately, Applejack was by her side. "Aww Rares...I think...I think our flu's gettin' worse...." she said. "We need t'stop this...'fore we keel over...."
Rarity, however, kept walking. "Not a chance!" she hissed. "We've come this far, we can't...we shan't stop now!"
She found herself held in place by a strong hoof upon her back, however. "I want t'help Twi too, Rares," Applejack said, covering her mouth as she coughed again and then continuing, "But...it don't help her or anypony else t'go 'n' get ourselves more sick...."
The unicorn looked at her with a frown. "I never thought...I'd live to see the day...you of all ponies gave up...." she said.
Applejack hung her head. "Me neither, but...when you're licked...you're licked, sugarcube...."
"No."
Sniffling, then coughing, then sniffling again, then shivering again, Rarity slid out from under Applejack's hoof. "No!" she said again. "I don't know about you...but...but I for one refuse to let Discord just...make a mockery of us and...walk away! We promised Twilight we'd keep her and Cadance's day as special as we could...and if even a sliver of a chance remains that we can, even just a little...I say we shall!"
Then, with wobbly steps, the unicorn resumed her march, coughing and sniffling as she went. Lifting her head and blinking a bit, Applejack watched her friend go. "Well shoot, Rarity..." she said with a weak chuckle, "I...don't rightly reckon I can...argue with that...."
"That's...that's the spirit, darling," the unicorn said, and soon she found the Earth Pony in lock-step behind her, though their pace had only slowed down from before.
That was when they heard a familiar voice calling down to them. "Rarity? Applejack? Oh my goodness, what are you two doing out here?"
The duo looked up to see a large golden chariot slowly descending towards them, Twilight Sparkle reined to it on one side, Princess Cadance on the other. And there, seated in the chariot's cushioned interior, was Discord, green, pale, and polka-dotted all over. While Rarity's eyes fixed on the Chaos Spirit, Applejack doffed her hat as the trio approached. "Uh...howdy there, Twi..." she said, coughing again before resuming, "Sorry we're late, but...me 'n' Rarity came t'see-*snf*-t'see if we couldn't take Discord off your hooves...so you could enjoy what's left of your day together...?"
"Oh my goodness, look at you!" Twilight cried, wrapping her hooves around them both. "You came all this way out here while you were dealing with Discord's..."
Her eyes went wide then, ears raising as her whole body went stiff. Then, sliding her hooves off the pair, she slowly turned to look at the draconequus.

((Time Limit))

"Discooooooooooooooord...!" she growled, wings spreading out wide.
"What?" he chuckled, "just because I was faking, that doesn't mean they were."
While Twilight began ranting in Discord's face, Cadance approached Applejack and Rarity with a sympathetic smile. "I truly appreciate you two coming all this way to try and help me have a special day with Twilight," she said, "but...I'm afraid the situation with Discord has kind of resolved itself."
Rarity's entire body trembled then, and her eyes did the same, tears at their rims. "...oh..." she whispered, then sniffled, "...oh I see."
She then sank to the floor like a balloon that had lost all its air. Cadance put a comforting hoof on the unicorn's shoulder, while Applejack could only look at her friend, frowning. That was when Twilight's rant finally caught her attention. "And if you don't restore them both RIGHT NOW...!"
The Earth Pony looked to Discord as he rolled his eyes and readied his fingers to snap, then turned to the deflated Rarity on the ground. Then, ears raising, Stepping over to Discord, she looked to Twilight. "WAIT!" she shouted. "Before ya have Discord fix us up, Twi," she said, " it seems t'me you 'n' Cadance oughta have some peace-time t'yourselves today. Why don't you two enjoy the flight home on your own 'n' let me 'n' Rarity take Discord back t'Ponyville?"
She then fixed the draconequus with a powerful glare. "I know just the way t'get him there, too."
"...oh dear..." Discord squeaked, while the two alicorns shared a smile with each other. "Sounds like a plan to me, Applejack," Twilight said.
Helping Rarity to her hooves, Applejack led her to Discord. "Thank you, darling," Rarity whispered.
Then, both bearing that same razor grin, they took Discord by the shoulders. "Ready?" Applejack said.
Rarity giggled. "Ready when you ah...ahhh...AHHHH...!

END

((Kind of wishing something other than Rarijack inspired me to write for these, but this is actually a story idea I'd been sitting on since "Three's A Crowd" first aired, so there ya go. XD; ))

3857831
First, if the prompt is any reflection on reality, I hope you are feeling better now.
Second, it was my honor and pleasure; thank you for allowing me the opportunity.

Legacy Prompt 12: Short-term Bug

“Hello? Bon Bon, are you here?” Twilight Sparkle stepped into Lyra’s house, the door creaking slightly as she did so. “You weren’t at your shop when we were supposed to meet, so…”

She was interrupted by Lyra, coming from down the hallway. “Bon Bon is sick,” Lyra said a bit curtly, “and I believe it would be best if you were to leave now, Miss Sparkle.”

Twilight stopped. “She’s sick? Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t want to bother her if she’s not feeling well.”

Lyra nodded, sharply. “Very good. Now please hurry along, and allow me to get back to taking care of her.”

As Twilight turned toward the doorway, a voice from down the hallway called back. “You might as well send her back here, Lyra. This will be a good lesson for her, and if she’s inside she’s already exposed.”

At those words a golden gleam surrounded the door, gently but emphatically shutting it, and Lyra jerked her head, motioning Twilight down the hallway with her horn. “Bon Bon said to send you back, so back you go.”

Down the hall, Twilight stumbled into Bon Bon’s bedroom. A small fan was waving on the bedside, while there was a pile of blankets jumbled up on the bed. Buried underneath the pile lay what looked like a pegasus filly in green and orange. She looked up, amber eyes staring, then sniffled. “I’m sorry you had to see this,” she said, in a juvenile version of Bon Bon’s voice. “I’m afraid I’m a bit under the weather, and I’m having trouble with my magic.” As if to emphasize the point, a sudden fit of sneezing wracked Bon Bon, and when it finished the pegasus filly had been replaced by a unicorn mare, her neon-green floor-length mane forming a rather disorienting contrast to her candy-apple-red hide. “See what I mean?”

Twilight grimaced. “Are you sure it’s safe for me to be back here? I mean, no offense, but I’d rather not come down with-”

Bon Bon cut her off. “Safe enough. It’s a changeling bug,” she said, a distant look coming over her face on the last word. “Heh, bug. Sorry.” She shook her head and tried again. “You might start sniffling or coughing a bit, but you won’t get this bad. This isn’t a pony disease.” She sighed. “The side effects on you will be a bit different.”

Twilight frowned. “If you say so. Is there anything I can do to help you out?”

“Fluff the pillows, please?” At the request, Bon Bon lifted her head, and Twilight expertly reached out and grabbed the pillows, fluffing them with her magic and sliding them back under Bon Bon’s head. “Thank you, Twilight.”

“Anything else?” It was strange, but Twilight wanted to do more. She’d felt a deep thrill of pleasure when Bon Bon thanked her, and she wanted to feel it again. Whatever aid or comfort she could provide, it was only right to offer it. After all, serving Bon Bon was what she was there for, wasn’t it?

Twilight’s eyes went wide as she felt that thought slide past her mind. It felt so natural, so right, to become subservient, and she spun, her head pointing toward Bon Bon’s currently red-and-green one. “Bon Bon, what are you doing to me?”

“I’m not doing it on purpose." To Twilight, it felt as though the words should have been shouted, rather than tiredly near-whispered. "I told you I’m having trouble with my magic, remember? The mind-control part’s leaking out. I’m sorry, but you’ve been exposed since you stepped inside, just like Lyra. I’m afraid you’ll be under my control until I get well enough to let go. Sorry.” Bon Bon shrugged apologetically, then suddenly burst out into another, massive, explosive sneeze.

Twilight looked down at Bon Bon’s new form, dark blue mane on Rainbow Dash-blue earth pony mare. “So that… that’s it? I’m stuck obeying you until you get better?”

“Pretty much. You can try to walk away, but unless you’re doing something I told you to, you’ll end up running back worrying about me. And before you ask, no, I can’t order you to do what you normally would and forget about me. I’ve seen others try that before; it never works.”

Twilight rocked back, stunned. “I… I…”

Time Limit

“Twilight, relax.” As Bon Bon spoke those two simple words, a wave of calmness swept over Twilight, leaving her filled with that same pleasant feeling from earlier. “You may be stuck with it, but you can at least enjoy it, can’t you?”

Twilight nodded, a slow smile covering her face as the pleasant feeling swelled through her again. “I probably can, yeah.”

“Good. Now here’s what I want you to do. Go back home, tell Spike you’re dealing with a sick friend and where you’ll be, then come back here. When you get back, make sure the front door is closed and locked so nobody else gets caught like you did, then come back in here and we can have that discussion we were originally supposed to have. Do you understand these orders?”

Twilight stood up, a determined look on her face. “Of course, perfectly. You can count on me.” She turned, headed out, then poked her head back in as a thought struck her. “What should I tell Spike you’re sick with if he asks?”

Bon Bon grinned, tiredly. “Why not tell him you’re dealing with a case of influence-a?”

Twilight’s eyes gleamed, and she giggled. “Nice, but no thanks.” She looked Bon Bon in the eye, grinning wildly. “How about I just say it’s a short-term bug?”

Bon Bon shook her head, her grin growing slightly larger. “Get out of here, you.”

“Sure thing. I’ll bring you back some soup, Bon Bon. See you soon.” On those words, Twilight turned once more, headed outside.

3857831 Here's mine:

Legacy Prompt #12: Why Luna Really Didn't Show Up Until Season 2

“We find this ridiculous, sister!”

“Luna, a lot of things progressed while you were...indisposed.”

“We should not be sick!”

“As I was saying, Luna, many things progressed. That includes viruses and diseases. Over time, they evolved to combat our immune systems and medicines. If my memory serves, three entirely new diseases also emerged in the time you were gone. This is your body adjusting and trying to deal with these new dangers.”

“Three new diseases, and we have all of them. At the same time.”

“I know you wanted to get back to raising the moon soon, sister, but with you in this state, the doctors have recommended extended bed rest while your body learns to fight off the new diseases.”

“...Fine. We shall confine our self to our chambers until this passes.”

“Thank you, Luna. And no using your magic, either.”

“...Very well. We shall consign our self to using things like a serf.”

“Hmm. And that’s another thing. You should at least catch up on your reading-a lot of things have changed since the times you remember. I will instruct the library to provide you with a number of books to read while you rest.”

“At least we shall not be bored. How much time did the doctors claim I would be bedridden?”

“Anywhere from a week to a month. Don’t worry, Luna. We have the best care available for you, and you will likely not get this sick again. Once your body has dealt with the new viruses once, it will know how to prevent you getting them again.”

“We still find this ridiculous.”

“I’m sure you’ll be up and about in no time. Perhaps you’ll even be able to make the Nightmare Night celebrations.”

“We meant the fuzzy hat. We find it ridiculous, and entirely unnessecary.”

“It’s a vital part of the healing process, Luna. Medicine has come a long way. Just rest, for now, and I’ll see about getting you those books.”

3858262 (Much apologies for the ridiculous lateness of this response)

I did wonder what became of Rarity and Applejack in that episode. I like this idea of what they did for the rest of that day. Rarity and Applejack are great friends to have, trekking to the ends of Equestria while sick just to try and spare Twilight some Discord shenanigans.

3861291 (Much apologies for the ridiculous lateness of this response)

Puns

That's an awfully dangerous disease, causing unchecked mind-control like that. One would think a less civic-minded changeling than Bon Bon might end up causing some serious harm under the same circumstances.

3861861 (Much apologies for the ridiculous lateness of this response)

This explanation makes sense. There's no chicken pox on the moon, after all. Come to think of it, they didn't need the Elements to defeat Nightmare Moon at all!

This is short, but quite entertaining. The fuzzy hat is a central pillar of modern medicine, as we all know.

3934772 No apologies needed, I know how it can get. ^_^ Anyway, so glad you liked, I actually had a lot of fun writing this one. <3