Twilight Sparkle awoke deep in the night. She examined her surroundings, trying to make sense of where she was. This was not her bed. This was not her library. A grey-cyan curtain surrounded her on all sides. Dormant monitoring equipment beside the bed she was lying in.

Hospital? Twilight thought. Why am I in a hospital?

“Ahh, my faithful student is awake.” The alabaster alicorn strode through the curtain at the end of Twilight’s room. She moved towards the confused mare, then laid her neck across the small unicorn in an affectionate hug. “I was worried I would have to leave for Day Court before you awoke.”

“Oh, Princess.” Twilight sat up, panicked. “I am sorry, are you running late because of me? Please don’t bother yourself for my benefit.”

“It was only a jest, my dear Twilight.” She gently placed a hoof on Twilight’s chest, easing her back down.

“Do not worry yourself on matters of Court; Luna will take care of it for me for the next few days. She is most excited that I have entrusted her with my daily duties.” Celestia held her hoof to her mouth and hid a light chuckle. “Though I suspect that will change after the first three requests from the nobility; and while it might lack a certain gravitas, I am quite capable of raising the sun from a hospital room.”

“Hospital…” Twilight sat upright, panicking again; with Celestia’s entrance, she’d forgotten where she was. “Why am I in a hospital? Did I get hurt? Are my friends okay? Is anypony hurt?”

“You are fine, Twilight Sparkle. You were just exhausted after the magical surge. Your friends are okay.” The princess smiled.

Twilight was relieved; she could not bear it if her friends were hurt. However, she faltered at the mention of the magical surge, noting with worry that Celestia had not answered her final question. A cold knot formed deep within Twilight’s chest.

“You just need to rest, Twilight. And I am sure the nurse standing right outside the curtains wants to come in and check up on you.”

A cough from outside the curtains told Twilight they were not alone. Nurse Redheart walked through the curtain, a guilty look on her face. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I wasn’t eavesdropping, I was just unsure if I should interrupt or not.”

Celestia nodded as the nurse approached Twilight. She checked her pupils and temperature. “If we can do anything to make you more comfortable, please let us know. The doctor will be in to see you soon, Miss Sparkle,” Nurse Redheart cheerily informed her. “If anything happens, please press this call button and we will come as soon as we can.”

She bowed to Celestia as she was leaving. “Your Majesty.”

“Nurse, if I might impose,” Celestia asked politely, “would you kindly get Miss Sparkle some juice and a small sandwich from the kitchen? She will have expended a good deal of energy, and I think a small meal might help her recoup faster.”

“Yes. Yes, Your Majesty, yes. Of course. Right away.” The nurse dashed out of the room.

“Princess?” Twilight tried to get the diarch’s attention. “What happened? You said I had a magical surge… And you didn’t answer my last question: was anypony hurt?”

The princess shook her head silently. With a deep sigh, she spoke. “Nothing gets past you, my astute protégé… I was hoping to let you rest before we spoke about it.” Celestia’s face fell. “Do you remember… participating… in a stage show?”

Twilight searched her memories of what had happened. She vaguely recalled a stage show. There was a magician, she was performing. Rainbow Dash had gotten up on stage, and was doing a rope trick. No, that’s not right. Applejack was doing a rope trick, when the showmare used the rope to hog-tie her friend. Rainbow Dash had performed some tricks, but the showmare had once again bested one of Twilight’s friends.

Rarity had been next; Twilight had to stifle a laugh as she recalled her friend’s horror when the showmare enchanted her coiffure.

She remembered getting on stage at the encouragement of her friends. After that, there was nothing.

“Sorry, Princess.” Twilight shook her head. “I only remember flashes."

“You do not remember what spell you were trying to cast?”

Twilight shook her head again. She couldn’t remember much from the day.

The nurse returned with a plate of sandwiches, some fruit, and freshly-squeezed orange juice; Celestia motioned for Twilight to eat. She did not feel hungry— her mind was working in overdrive. A simple magical mishap would not be reason enough for the Princess to cancel Day Court.

Celestia held a hoof to Twilight’s shoulder as the mare started to curl herself into a ball. “Please…” Twilight’s voice wavered. “Please Princess, tell me what happened. What did I do?”

Celestia breathed gently through her nostrils. Letting out a deep sigh, she explained. “Shining Armor has spoken with the local constabulary; we were really hoping you would remember more.” Twilight’s breathing became far more erratic. Her brother, Captain of the Royal Guard, was interviewing witnesses. Celestia stroked one of Twilight’s fetlocks, trying to calm the mare down. “Twilight Sparkle, please calm yourself.”

When Twilight had stopped hyperventilating, Celestia continued. “Several audience members were caught in the surge, but they were returned to normal when you lost consciousness. Some are a little shaken up, but they are physically unharmed. Once the spell had dissipated, the two of you were brought here to the hospital.”

“Who else–”

“The showmare was brought in as well. She is still in critical condition; the doctors are doing what they can for her. In the meantime, Shining Armor is trying to find her next of kin.”

I’ve killed somepony I’ve killed somepony I’ve killed somepony I’ve killed somepony I’ve killed somepony I’ve killed somepony I’ve killed somepony I’ve killed somepony I’ve killed somepony…

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. “Princess, the nurses told me she was awake. May I come in?”

I’ve killed somepony and my brother is here to arrest me I’ve killed somepony and my brother is here to arrest me I’ve killed somepony and my brother is here to arrest me I’ve killed somepony and my brother is here to arrest me…

“Twiley!” Shining Armor crossed the room, and drew his little sister into a hug. “You had us worried, kiddo. We… uhh, Twiley?”

They’ll probably throw me in a dungeon or banish me to the moon or banish me to a dungeon on the moon…

Celestia continued to stroke Twilight’s fetlock. Shining Armor smiled, a knowing look in his eye.

Mom and dad will be so disappointed I’ll never see my friends again…

“There’s only one way to get her out of something like this, Princess.” A grin crossed his muzzle. He moved in close to the hyperventilating mare’s cheek, drawing in a deep breath. Celestia watched as Shining Armor moved in, like he was going to kiss Twilight on her cheek.

Oh no I’m not going to be the princess’ student anymo—

Shining Armor blew a loud raspberry on Twilight’s cheek, the mare blushing and pushing her brother away. “Gross! I told you to never do that…” Twilight paled, looking up at the Princess, who was hiding a chuckle behind her hoof. “Shiney! How could you do that in front of the Princess?”

Twilight pulled the covers of her bed over her head. “If you’re going to arrest me, couldn’t you at least have let me keep my dignity?”

Shining Armor looked to the Princess, who looked to be in a small amount of pain from holding in her laughter, then back to his sister. “If I were going for dignity, I wouldn’t hide under my blanket like a little filly. Now come out, Twiley…” Shining Armor tugged at the sheet. “Nopony is going to arrest you.”

Twilight let the blanket fall; Shining could see the tears in her eyes.

“B-but I killed somepony.”

Shining Armor held his sister again. “You haven’t killed anypony, Twiley. Everything will be okay."

Ж

“… I hereby challenge you, Ponyvillians! Anything you can do, I can do better. Any takers? Anyone? Hmm? Or is Trixie destined to be the greatest equine who has ever lived!?”

The orange mare jumped up on the stage, pulling out a lasso and performing several impressive tricks with the rope. The lasso shot out, tying Trixies legs together as she was flipped onto her back. The orange mare finished the insult by stuffing an apple into Trixie’s mouth.

“My my, what boasting,” they chanted. She tried to shrink as the laughter from the audience rang in her ears.

The cyan pegasus jumped on the stage to continue the humiliation. Grabbing the rope between her teeth, the rainbow-maned mare shot to the sky, dragging Trixie screaming behind her. As the pegasus hit the apex of their flight, she let go of the rope, both dropping into a free fall.

Trixie screamed around the apple still stuffed in her mouth. The rainbow-maned pegasus circled Trixie, laughing as they both fell. “They don’t call me Rainbow and Dash for nothin’!”

Trixie watched in horror as she plummeted towards the stage of her vardo. Upon the stage was a white unicorn, watching the falling mare. Her mouth opened impossibly wide, bearing sharp teeth.

“My my, what boasting!” The audience’s mocking laughter continued to ring in Trixie’s ears.

Four boards were torn from the stage. The rear curtain of the stage was pulled off, swirling in the magics of the mare below. It tore into multiple strips, each one shooting up to twist around Trixie.

Her limbs were wrapped with the silk of her old curtain, suspending her inches from the stage. She turned her head towards the sky, the four boards crossed in pairs, holding her like a marionette.

The white mare laughed as she tugged the boards to-and-fro.

“My my, what boasting!”

“You may think you're tough with all of your so-called powers, but there's more to magic than your brutish ways.” Trixie was forced to dance about the stage; with the silk pulling at her arms, she was helpless to resist. “A unicorn needs to be more than just muscle.

“A unicorn needs to have style.” Trixie was forced to curtsy before the crowd.

“A unicorn is not a unicorn without grace and beauty.” The unicorn grinned at Trixie, her razor-sharp teeth gleaming. “Something a waste like you could never have.”

“My my, what boasting!” The audience jeers had risen in cacophony, the faces of every pony bearing the same razor-sharp grins as the white unicorn on stage.

“You will never be the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria.” A purple unicorn stepped on the stage, eyes blazing with the heat of two suns. “You have not even the magic of an insect. You are Great and Pathetic, Trixie Lulamoon. A joke. I will show you what true power is.”

A dark fog surrounded them both, blotting out the sun. The crescendo of the chant had risen, filling her ears. “My my, what boasting! My my, what boasting! My my, what boasting! My my, what boasting! My my, what boasting!”

“Let me show you what true power is, Trixie Lulamoon.”

Trixie tried to cast her counterspell, but the two forces connected. Like a paper boat on a gentle river, Trixie could not withstand the flow of magic when the torrential flood came. It did not wash over her; it crushed her under its weight. It squeezed all air from her lungs; she could not scream. She was drowning. Drowning in more etheric power than she had ever experienced.

“She’s flatlining. Nurse! Prep the paddles, NOW!”

“Ready doctor!”

“Clear!” Next Chapter: Chapter 2 Estimated time remaining: 8 Minutes