A Day in the Life

by TheHardie-Boy

Believe Starlight

“It’s a little hard to believe, but I believe you."

“You do?” Starlight asked with a relieved smile. I guess she was worried that I might not have believed her.

“Yeah. I’ve even had a bad feeling since we got back to Ponyville, but kept it from you. But first, what did Princess Luna say?”

“She said that the changelings took her and Princess Celestia, and to be careful who I trust.”

“Be careful who you...oh, no. I think that the ‘Twilight’ from earlier might have been a changeling and was why she was acting so odd. And I bet the others were changelings too and that was why they weren’t themselves.”

“And if that’s true, then our friends have been captured too! What do we do, Jake?”

To keep her calm, I rested a hand on Starlight’s head. “Well, first, we gotta get out of the castle without ‘Twilight’ spotting us. Then, find some help from somepony we can trust.”

Starlight’s horn glowed, and the next thing I knew, we were outside by Trixie’s wagon. Trixie’s not who I had in mind to ask for help, but at this point, beggars can’t be choosers.

Starlight called out, “Hey, Trixie! Trixie!”

Fireworks fired off from inside the wagon, and red, blue, and yellow sparks flew out of the windows and any tiny openings the wagon had. When the “show” ended, Trixie poked her head out of the wagon’s window while coughing.

After Trixie's coughing stopped, she rubbed her eyes groggily. “Oh, Starlight? Jake? It’s late, why are--”

Starlight interrupted, “Trixie, there’s no time. We’re in danger!"

With an annoyed frown, Trixie responded, “Okay, I humor you. Why are we in danger?”

I was about to explain everything, but I remembered the warning that Princess Luna gave Starlight. I instead ordered, “First, say something that only the real Trixie would know.”

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot about that, Jake. Now, Trixie, when we were talking the other day, what did you say to never tell anypony?”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You two woke me up to play 'twenty questions’?”

“Come on, Trixie. There’s a reason, but please, just do what Starlight asked,” I begged.

Trixie looked away and muttered something under her breath.

“Trixie, this is serious! Just tell us!” Starlight implored.

Trixie turned her head to us. In an annoyed voice, she answered, “I said that ‘even Trixie’s made mistakes’! There? You happy?”

Starlight sighed, knowing this was truly Trixie. “Yes, and sorry. But we needed to make sure you’re you because the changelings have returned!”

Trixie’s eyes widened and she shouted, “What?! You’re serious?!”

Starlight nodded her head. “Yeah. Princess Luna told me in a dream that she and Princess Celestia were captured.”

“I added, “And Twilight, Spike, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were taken too. So, I think we should head to the Crystal Empire and get help.”

A male voice from behind us answered, “There will be no help coming from the Crystal Empire."

We turned to the voice, and saw a changeling walking toward us.

Trixie screamed and Starlight created a turquoise ball of magic around Trixie. The sounds of Trixie’s screaming stopped and she was still freaking out in that ball, so I figured the ball muted her voice.

With my eyes on the changeling, I warned, “Stay back!”

“No, it’s me, Thorax.”

“Wait, you’re Thorax?” I felt relief, knowing this changeling was a friend. I also noticed he had light-blue wings that sparkled like crystal.

Starlight kept up her guard, though. With the tip on her horn glowing, Starlight questioned, “How do we know you’re really Thorax?”

Thorax transformed into a copy of Twilight and repeated one of her friendship speeches.

Before Thorax even finished, Starlight interrupted, “Okay, we get it. But why can’t we get help from the Crystal Empire?”

Thorax answered, “Because Princess Cadance has been caught, and Shining Armor sent me to get help from Princess Twilight.”

Starlight responded, “But Twilight’s been captured too!”

Thorax exclaimed, “What?! She has?!”

Trixie asked, “Okay, now what?! Do you have any ideas, Jake? Starlight?”

Starlight frowned. “I...I don’t know. We need to find somepony else to help.”

Trixie countered, “But there is ‘nopony else’! Every other powerful pony has been captured and you’re the strongest one left, Starlight!”

A different male voice said, “You know, whenever somepony talks about ‘powerful ponies’ I’m always forgotten.”

We looked to the top of Trixie’s wagon and saw who the voice belonged to. It was Discord, knitting something in the shape of a rabbit.

“Discord? Wait, is that really you?” I asked.

As his “answer” to my question, Discord snapped his fingers. Everything around us was literally upside-down, and chocolate rain poured out of a cloud in the distance.

Starlight commented, “Yep, it’s really him.”

Discord snapped his fingers, and everything returned to normal.

But, even though we knew he was the real Discord, I wondered if asking him for help and trust that he’ll do it was a good idea. He’s not “bad” but is extremely unpredictable, and usually just does whatever he feels like doing.

Trust Discord

Don't trust Discord