Chapter 23. Science Unfair

Trixie was feeling great. Naturally, her show had been so amazing, that the people at Diamond Tiara’s birthday had been calling Sunset to hire her for more upcoming birthdays, family reunions, and more events. Sadly, only one was the current year, in November. But the fact that she had started her career with such a high note gave Trixie a warm feeling in her heart.

She walked through Canterlot’s Mall, barely glancing at the many stores within. It was Friday, and she had just gotten out of school, so she had agreed with Sunset to meet at the food court just to hang out for a bit.

As she approached the array of tables, the scent of the many different dishes filled her nose. It was always a weird mix, but never to the point of being disgusting. She sighed when her eyes met a familiar red and yellow head. She smiled and walked towards Sunset.

“Hey there,” Sunset greeted when she noticed Trixie getting closer.

“Hi,” Trixie answered before giving Sunset a quick peck. “How are you?”

Sunset shrugged. Trixie had grown quite fond of that simple gesture. “I’m fine. You?”

“Good.”

Sunset smiled. “You know, I got a call this morning,” she said, and waited for Trixie to raise an inquisitive eyebrow. “Apparently, word of your debut show has spread like wildfire. Fortunately, I gave all of Diamond’s relatives my number, just in case.” She chuckled a little. “And boy are they interested! At this rate, in two or three more shows I’ll have to hire a secretary or something!” She joked.

Trixie grinned. “That is only natural! The Great and Powerful Trixie does not disappoint! But you, my dear, loyal manager, swore that you were up to the task!” Trixie had to take a few seconds to hold back a laugh. “I guess I’ll have to hire another, more competent manager!”

“Oh, yeah? Well-” Sunset was interrupted by the sound of her phone. “Hold on, Trix. I have to take this one.” She pressed the answer button. “What is it?” While she waited for the answer, she reached Trixie’s hand and began caressing it. “What? Why?” Her hand tensed up as she put all her attention to her phone. “What?! I told you the documents were in-... No! They were in the third row! Easy to spot! How in the world did you miss them?!” She retrieved her hand and used it to massage the bridge of her nose. “Of all the irresponsible things you’ve done, Flam! You’ve gotta be kidding me! … You know what? I’m charging double for this, you hear? … Yes, and next time, follow the stupid chart!” And with that, she hung up, groaning.

“I’m guessing it was bad news?” Trixie asked.

“No kidding,” Sunset replied and sighed deeply. “I’ll have to work tomorrow.”

Trixie’s eyes widened. “What? But tomorrow’s Twilight’s Science Fair!”

“I know, but my stupid bosses lost some really important documents and I have to go fix it before the inspector arrives on Sunday,” Sunset replied.

For a moment, Trixie remained silent. “And if you don’t do it, you’ll get fired, right?”

Sunset snorted. “No, I’m the best thing that could’ve ever happened to the brothers... “ She grimaced. “But without those documents, they will be forced to close the emporium, then they’ll be broke, and then I’ll lose my job.” She sighed slow and deeply.

Trixie wrapped Sunset’s hand with both hands. “Hey, I’m sure Twilight will understand.”

“Thanks,” Sunset said with a smile. “You’ll have to be sassy for me at the fair.”

Trixie blinked. “What? No! If you’re not going, then neither am I!”

“Oh, come on! You’ve been driving me crazy with the whole friendship stuff! Well, guess what? They’re your friends too!” Sunset placed her free hand upon Trixie’s. “Besides, I don’t want you to be bored all day just because I have to work. I’ve been having so much fun thanks to you, it’s time you have fun too.”

Trixie leaned back and crossed her arms. “Well, I don’t want you to be the only one not having fun!”

Sunset smiled. “Hey, don’t worry, once you come back, we can have all the fun you want, and then some more. Besides, Halloween is next week. I’ll even let you pick my outfit. What do you say?”

Trixie sighed heavily for a few seconds as she pondered Sunset’s deal.

“Fine.”

Trixie got out of Applejack’s truck and stretched. Rarity had called shotgun, leaving Trixie in the back seat with Pinkie. And that wasn’t exactly a fun experience, despite Pinkie’s many tries to make her laugh.

“We’re finally here!” Pinkie yelled excitedly as she exited the vehicle.

After meeting at Sugarcube Corner at six in the morning, Applejack had driven five hours to Everton’s College of Science and Research. It was mere luck that the traffic in the highway had been, for the most part, very light. It was now eleven o’clock, barely an hour before the Science Fair started.

They had agreed to meet with Twilight at the main gymnasium, which, fortunately, was just ten minutes from the spot Applejack had parked at. Or at least that’s what the map said. There were so many people walking around that it was really hard to orientate. But thankfully, Applejack and Rarity managed to lead the group towards their destination with little effort.

From the outside, the building looked big, but once on the inside, Trixie had to hold her breath.

It was at least twice the size of CHS’ gym, if the four basketball baskets were any indication. The space was flooded with rows and rows of tables that supported the many projects people did either alone, or in groups. And of course, all the participants, their families and friends, coordinators, and security officers roamed the place like rapids.

Amongst the ever moving crowd, the girls spotted a lavender girl waving at them.

“Hey, Twi!” Applejack greeted when she was at hearing distance.

“Good morning, darling,” Rarity seconded.

“Twilight!” Pinkie yelled before trapping Twilight in a hug.

“Hi, Twilight,” Trixie said.

Pushing Pinkie away, Twilight smiled. “Hello girls, I’m happy to see you all here.”

“Of course! We promised!” Pinkie said.

While the girls told Twilight about their long journey, Trixie took the moment to admire what she had set up.

There were two of those coils at each side of the table, connected to different batteries and other stuff. In the center, there was a pyramidal shaped machine with lots of wires and screws showing, and on top of it, a single lightbulb. Behind Twilight, just like in the rest of tables, there was a kind of wall where she placed a diagram of how her project worked, and how could it be reproduced in a much bigger scale.

“So, this is your wireless electricity thingy?” Trixie asked. “Can I take a photo for Sunset?”

“Sorry, but cameras aren’t allowed here,” Twilight said. “But yes, this is it, girls!” She smiled brightly. “You came just as I finished setting it up. Now I can just show you, and any other person that stops by!” She shifted in her place a little nervously. “You can recognize most of the judges, but there’s always one that blends in the audience, and is never with them. This forces us participants to always treat everyone kindly, and always explain thoroughly and answer all questions, no matter how many times you have done it.” She took a deep breath.

“Whoa Twi, it sure looks like a mighty stressful job,” Applejack admitted.

Twilight smiled confidently. “It is, but I’ve been getting ready for quite some time now. I can do this!”

“That’s our Twily!” Pinkie said.

“I know you can do it, darling,” Rarity assured, placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “We’re just here to watch you win.”

Twilight giggled nervously. “Thanks. I’m aiming for first place, of course, but some of these projects are really good too.” She looked around. “Like the Immediate Water Filtration System,” she said, pointing at one far off table. “Or the Tankless Amphibian Breathing Device,” she continued to a more nearby table. “Or the-” She froze.

The girls looked at each other for a moment.

“Uhh, Twi? Are y’all feeling alright?” Applejack asked.

Twilight suddenly went pale, and she started shivering. As Rarity and Applejack were asking her what was wrong, Pinkie and Trixie looked in the same direction Twilight was pointing with her shaking finger.

Trixie felt a chill running down her spine.

Three booths over, a quartet of girls in wine colored uniforms crossed the walkway, each carrying a cardboard box. Twilight's eyes were fixed firmly on the girl at the head of the pack, Sunset Shimmer.

“Hey, girls?” Pinkie said, nudging at Rarity. “You might wanna take a look at… them…”

Rarity and Applejack turned to where Pinkie signaled, and they became silent.

“Sunset?” Applejack asked after a few seconds. “Ah thought she wasn’t comin’.”

Rarity crossed her arms. “I don’t think she’s our Sunset.”

“She isn’t,” Trixie confirmed, not taking her eyes off the doppelganger.

It was strange, Trixie thought. That girl didn’t just look like Sunset, no, she was her very image, from head to toe. Even the fiery hair had the same percentage of red and yellow. It was eerie, to say the least.

“Are you alright?” Rarity asked, placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder.

Twilight gasped, flinching at the touch, then looked at Rarity for a few seconds before producing an uneasy smile. “Yes, yes, of course! I-I’m fine, very fine, yes. Fine.” She grabbed the table, looked down, and began breathing heavy and slow. “I’m fine.”

“Do you need some water?” Pinkie asked, offering a bottle of water she took from somewhere to Twilight.

Twilight snatched the bottle from Pinkie and quickly drank half of it. When she finished, she sighed heavily. “Thank you, Pinkie… I think I’ll be fine.”

“‘Sides, you got us,” Applejack said. “She can’t harm ya.”

Twilight smiled gratefully. “I know… I’m glad I have you…”

“So, you’re going to be ok?” Pinkie asked.

“Yes…”

“Nice! Because she’s coming this way!”

True to her word, Sunset Shimmer, the version of this world, was walking toward them.

By her appearance alone, Trixie could barely tell them apart. It was the way they walked what really differentiated this Sunset from the one she knew. Just a year ago, Sunset used to walk with a slow, provocative swing of hips, her shoulders thrown backwards, her chin raised, and one hand on her waist. She always looked like she was in control, like she was untouchable. Lately, though, she walked with her shoulders dropped, her hands inside her pockets, her head low, and her hips barely swinging.

This Sunset Shimmer, however, walked in a completely different way. Her shoulders were slightly to the front, but with her upper body leaned back, her chin was lowered just a little bit, her arms fell freely at the sides of her body, and her hips swung in wide circles, as if trying to hypnotize someone, and her smirk stretched just a little bit upward from the left corner of her mouth.

She wasn’t confident like a queen, she was confident like a predator.

As she got closer, Applejack and Rarity flanked Twilight, while Pinkie remained in front of the table, as a shield. Trixie limited herself to watch from her spot, motionless.

“Hello, Twilight.” Even her voice was exactly the same. “It’s good to see you again. How have you been?”

Twilight didn’t look at her, choosing to remain silent.

“Hey there!” Applejack intervened. “Mah name’s Applejack! What’s yours?”

Sunset looked at Applejack with a wide smile. “My apologies. I’m Sunset Shimmer. Twilight and I are old friends.” She chuckled a little. “Well, old is a bit of a stretch. We met about two years ago or so.”

Applejack and Rarity shared a few confused looks.

Rarity uneasily cleared her throat. “My name is Rarity. This is Pinkie, and Trixie,” she politely introduced the rest of the girls, using her hand to point at each of them.

Sunset followed with her gaze, looking at each girl. When their eyes met, Trixie felt like time slowed down for a bit.

This Sunset’s eyes were the same shade of green, the same curvy eyelashes, and there even was the very same, almost imperceptible beauty spot at the side of her left eye. And even so, her eyes had something different, something Trixie couldn’t quite tell, something that made her heart beat just a little faster, and her head feel just a little warmer. She unconsciously hid her hands inside the pockets of her hoodie.

The endless moment broke when Sunset turned away.

“Twilight! Why didn’t you tell me you made so many friends? We could’ve hung out from time to time!” Sunset said, never losing her smile. “Well, I suppose that with you moving away and enrolling to another school, it would be a bit difficult.” She sighed. “Anyway, it was nice meeting you, girls. I have to go back to my booth. Let the best project win, Twilight!” And with that, she walked away.

“Well, that was… somethin’...” Applejack said.

Rarity only hummed an agreement.

“She was really nice!” Pinkie said, turning to Twilight. “Maybe she changed!”

Twilight looked up at Pinkie. “That’s just a charade. I bet if I had been alone, she would’ve threatened me or something.”

“I don’t know,” Trixie said. “She does act like she’s the bee queen in her own school, but not as the evil type.”

“Are y’all calling Twilight a liar?” Applejack asked, pointing a finger at Trixie.

Trixie frowned. “No. I’m saying that I’m with Pinkie. What if she did change?”

Applejack crossed her arms. “Girls like that don’t change!”

“Our Sunset did,” Trixie answered flatly, taking Applejack by surprise. “Or are you saying that you still doubt her?”

“T-That’s different!”

“Different how?” Trixie continued. “Sunset may not have pushed anyone from a window, but she did hurt a lot of people. Rarity there is an example!” She looked at Rarity. “Didn’t she throw a bucket of mud on you at the Spring Fling?” Without waiting for a response, she turned to Applejack again. “People can change. I’m not saying that I’m certain this Sunset changed, I’m saying that, just like our Sunset, she deserves the benefit of the doubt.”

Silence reigned between the girls for a moment, until Pinkie broke it.

“You know, it’s getting confusing. Which Sunset are we talking about now? Why don’t we call this Sunset as Human Sunset, and our Sunset as Pony Sunset?”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Is that the best you got?” Pinkie shrugged.

“Oh! How about we call Sunset to our girl, and Shimmer to the one in that marvelous uniform?” Rarity suggested.

Trixie hummed. “Yeah, I think that works.”

“Well, none of that matters,” Applejack said, walking up to Twilight. “If she changed, then good for her, but if she didn’t, it don’t matter anyway.” She patted Twilight’s shoulder. “We’re here for you.”

Twilight smiled. “Thank you, girls.”

“Anyway, now that everything’s fine again,” Trixie said. “Can you show me your project?”

“You’ve listened her rants about it quite a lot now,” Rarity intervened. “Why do you want yet another explanation?”

Trixie shrugged. “I dunno, maybe I just want to have something in my mind other than the very hot girl that looks exactly like my girlfriend.”

Twilight giggled. “Alright. This will help me get ready. The Fair officially starts in half an hour, after all.”

Somehow, Twilight managed to fit all the relevant information of her project in a span of only ten minutes. Trixie was sure that it was so she could explain it to the biggest number of people possible. But it was frustrating how she required hours just a few days ago.

After the third time Twilight explained her project to people arriving at her booth, Trixie became rather bored, and she couldn’t take her mind off of the girl just three booths over. Shimmer, as the girls had decided to call her, was doing the very same thing as Twilight: Presenting and explaining her own project. Trixie couldn’t see what it was from her position, which did nothing but itch her curiosity.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, her mind would easily forget about the mysterious project, and pay attention to the back of the doppelganger’s body. Trixie had to admit, she rocked the uniform look. She decided that the first thing she was going to do upon returning to Canterlot, was to buy a uniform for Sunset, since she had granted Trixie the permission to pick her Halloween costume.

Trixie chuckled deviously.

“What’s so funny?” Applejack asked, taking Trixie by surprise.

“Nothing,” Trixie lied. “I’m getting really bored. When is this thing supposed to finish?”

“Well, the judges have to see all the projects first,” Rarity answered. “Then, they have to discuss which one is the best one. Now, considering that they already saw half of the boots here, I’d say two more hours before they announce the winner.”

Trixie groaned. “I will not survive.”

“Oh, come on! Dontcha say that!” Applejack said, playfully smacking Trixie’s back with her hand. “Y’all can go watch the other projects if you want to! Why, Pinkie left half n’ hour ago!”

Trixie blinked. “Wait, I can actually roam this place? I thought we would stay by Twilight’s side.”

“Don’t worry about it, darling,” Rarity said. “Applejack and I will stay with Twilight. We won’t leave her alone. You can go watch other projects.”

“Great! You don’t have to tell me twice!”

Now unbound of her spot, Trixie decided to distract herself with whatever projects people had made. She got really surprised with some of them, like the Levitation Boots one, and then she got really disappointed with others, like the Chess Playing Robot; it had a winning streak of 2, against 14 losses!

Since she barely understood half of what people said about their projects, Trixie didn’t stay to listen to most of them, and just walked by, admiring the mechanic constructions, the lights, and overall the scientific feeling of everything.

That is, until she found herself in front of one particular booth.

“Hello there,” Shimmer greeted her with a smile.

“Uh… hi,” Trixie replied.

Unlike the first time, Shimmer now had all her attention on Trixie, and it made her feel a little flustered.

“Are you interested in my project?”

Trixie looked at the table. There was a cellphone connected to some sort of robotic rig, with wires and other electric stuff she barely recognized, and it all ended in some kind of black box, which had more and more electric connections.

“Uhm… Sure,” Trixie answered, doing her best not to look directly at Shimmer’s face. “What is it?” Immediately after asking the question, she saw the information behind Shimmer, and mentally smacked her forehead.

“An endless battery,” Shimmer answered. “As its name says, it’s a battery that will never run out, because it charges itself.” She motioned to the whole thing. “This is basically what it looks like on the inside. Do you want to know how it works?”

Right then, Trixie made the mistake to look at Shimmer’s face. It was like looking at a photograph of Sunset. Only that there was something different with her gaze, something that made Trixie’s heart race, her breathing become heavy, and her mind a little fuzzy. Something in her sideways smirk made her feel like she was looking at a completely different person, as if they weren’t identical at all.

By the time Trixie returned to the real world, more people had arrived to the boot, and Shimmer was giving the explanation. Even though she barely understood what Shimmer was saying, Trixie stood there the whole twenty minutes.

Of course, that didn’t go unnoticed, and after the people dispersed, Shimmer turned to Trixie and smiled.

“So? What do you think?” She asked.

Trixie blinked several times. “Uh, great! It was great!”

Shimmer chuckled. “I’m glad.” She got around the table towards Trixie. “I’d hate it if you found my project to be… boring.”

“Uh… Sure…” Trixie’s eyes darted from side to side as she leaned back. “So, uh… Where are your friends?”

“Who? Oh! You’re talking about the girls that were here?” Shimmer hummed. “I believe Adagio was feeling sick, so they went to the infirmary.” She smiled. “Why?”

Trixie felt sweat forming in her forehead. “No reason! I-I just thought-”

“Attention everyone,” a loud voice interrupted them. It was one of the judges, using a microphone from the far end of the building. “We are taking a thirty minutes break so that the owners of the projects can go to the restroom or get something to eat. If you don’t have anyone to look after your project, you can ask one of the security guards. That is all.”

“Well!” Trixie said a little too loud. “I gotta go, see you!” And without waiting for a response, she jogged away.

Her heart throbbed furiously in her chest, more out of adrenaline than anything else. She wasn’t sure why she felt like this. Was she attracted to Sunset’s human counterpart? It would be logical, she thought, since they basically were the same girl, only from different worlds, and with different lives.

She nodded to herself. Yes, it was mere physical attraction. She only liked Sunset, her Sunset. She only wanted to date her Sunset, and to kiss her Sunset. This Shimmer girl was nothing but a mere infatuation that was not going to last.

Taking a deep breath, Trixie placed her hand on her chest and sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

Trixie yelped, surprised at Rarity’s sudden appearance. She then noticed that she had arrived at Twilight’s booth without even thinking.

“W-What do you mean?” Trixie asked back

Rarity raised an eyebrow, then looked back, making sure that Applejack and Twilight weren’t listening. She turned to Trixie. “Darling, you were at Shimmer’s booth. And now you’re red as a tomato. Did she do anything to you?”

“No!” Trixie said a little too loud. “I mean… No. I just…” She tugged the neck of her hoodie a few times before an idea formed in her mind. “It’s really warm in here, don’t you think?” She forced out a laugh. “I’ll go outside for some air. You don’t mind, right?”

Rarity stared at Trixie for a few seconds before smiling. “Of course not, darling. Just don’t take too long, please.”

“Sure!” Trixie said right before turning around and walking to the exit of the building.

She didn’t exactly lie to Rarity. The building was really hot, despite the A/C, because of the insane amount of people inside. Trixie wanted some place where she could calm down in peace, so she walked up to a nearby garden, where there was nothing but a sole tree. She sat down against the tree and closed her eyes, breathing slow and heavily.

Despite the craziness of the situation, and her confusing feelings, Trixie couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous her problem was. Twilight had to deal with being near a girl that almost killed her, while Trixie was just a little flustered. It was laughable, so she laughed.

“Hello there.”

Trixie’s breath caught in her throat and she was locked in a coughing fit for a few seconds. Shimmer was just a meter away, looking at Trixie with a smile.

“Mind if we share the tree?” Shimmer asked, walking up to the tree and leaning on it.

“... Sure…” Trixie answered, looking away and wishing she could actually disappear or teleport elsewhere. What kind of convenient coincidence was this? Or maybe it wasn’t a coincidence, and Shimmer had followed Trixie. And if so, with what purpose? Was Shimmer interested in Trixie? She certainly hoped not, as she didn’t really want to break her heart, telling her that she was already dating another Sunset.

“Your name is Trixie, right?” The question took Trixie out of her reverie.

“Ah? Uh, yes…” Trixie answered, instinctively looking up at Shimmer. Her heart bumped hard at what the image before her.

Sunset Shimmer, wearing a nice school uniform, leaned back on a tree, and with a cigarette between her lips. It was certainly an image Trixie had never even considered, but surely didn’t mind at all. She had to remind to herself that this was an evil Sunset.

Trixie hid her hands into the front pocket of her hoddle and as silently as possible, began fiddling with her deck of cards.

Shimmer lit her cigarette and removed it with two fingers, blowing out some smoke. She took the cigar pack with her other hand and offered it to Trixie.

Trixie’s eyes widened and she looked away.

“I-I, uh… I don’t smoke,” she said. Why was it so hard to speak?

“It’s cool,” Shimmer said, taking the pack away into one of her pockets. “So, how’s Twilight been?”

Trixie frowned, but remained silent.

Shimmer took another drag on her cigarette. She waited a few seconds, then blew out the smoke with a heavy sigh. “What did she tell you?”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “About what?”

“I know Twilight,” Shimmer answered. “And I’m a people person. Your friends’ attitude alone said a lot.” She crossed her arms. “But… I’m afraid Twilight is still confused…” That finally got Trixie to look at her. Shimmer put the cigarette between her lips and looked up. “Twilight’s my best friend, you know? It pains me that she thinks I’d hurt her.”

Trixie stopped fiddling with the cards. She had a lot of questions in her mind. Why was Shimmer talking to her? Why did she sound so sad? She wanted to know, but for now, she could only formulate one question.

“What’s your version of the story, then?”

Shimmer snorted, blowing out some more smoke.

“You’re a clever girl, Trixie,” Shimmer said with some amusement in her voice. Just then, her expression darkened, and her smile disappeared. “Twilight and I had an argument. It started over a stupid misunderstanding, then it escalated quite fast… We said things we didn’t mean… Hurtful things…” She paused to take another drag on her cigarette. “I should have stopped, but I wasn’t thinking straight… The look in her eyes when I insulted her… I can’t apologize enough… And then…” She closed shut her eyes, frowning. “The stupid window broke!” Her hands turned into fists, and her knuckles became white. “By the time I realized what was going on, it was too late…”

She took a hand to her face and sobbed. “If only I hadn’t been so stupid! If I hadn’t said all those hurtful things… Maybe… She wouldn’t think I…”

Trixie felt a headache forming in her forehead. She couldn’t bear the image of any Sunset Shimmer crying in front of her. “So… She thinks you pushed her?”

Shimmer didn’t answer, and instead took another, larger drag on her cigarette, holding it for a few seconds, and then slowly releasing the smoke with a heavy sigh.

“Have you tried-”

“It doesn’t matter...” Shimmer interrupted her. “It doesn’t matter how many times I try to talk to her. She just won’t listen…” She looked down, taking the cigarette between two fingers and crossing her arms. “Once she has something in her mind, it’s virtually impossible to convince her otherwise…”

Trixie hummed. “That’s why you’re talking to me. You want me to tell her this.”

Shimmer sighed. “I’m sorry if it feels like I’m just using you, but you saw her other friends. They won’t even let me talk to her.” She turned to look at Trixie and smiled. “You’re the only one that looked like could give me a chance to explain myself… Thank you.”

Trixie looked away, trying to hide her blush.

“I’d very much appreciate it if you help me talk to Twilight. Even if the lot of you are present. I just want to clear up the misunderstanding,” Shimmer said.

“I can’t promise anything,” Trixie said, still looking away. “I will talk to them, but I can’t assure you anything.”

“That’s ok,” Shimmer replied. “Even if I don’t get a chance with them, at least I’d like a chance with you.” She grinned. “We may live far away from each other, and with me enrolling in Everton, it might be difficult, but… Can we be friends, Trixie?”

Trixie’s heart skipped a beat. She mentally reprimanded herself before answering. “S-Sure.”

“That’s good to hear,” Shimmer said. “Now, I have to return. My friends must be waiting for me.” She extinguished the cigarette against a nearby trashcan and disposed of it. “I’ll wait for you here after the fair. Don’t leave me waiting, ok?” She winked and walked away.

Trixie didn’t respond, she just stared at Shimmer as she disappeared inside the building.

To say that she was confused was an understatement. She needed time to assimilate what just happened, so she decided to wait for the fair to finish to talk with the girls. It would give her at least one or two hours to think.

“There you are!” Rarity said as Trixie arrived at the booth. “Whatever took you so long?”

“Sorry,” Trixie replied. “I got distracted.” She looked around. “Where are Twilight and Applejack?”

“They went to the restroom!” Pinkie answered from behind Trixie.

“Gah! Stop doing that!” Trixie yelled.

“Sorry!”

Trixie huffed, then turned to Rarity. “So, what’s new?”

Rarity crossed her arms. “Aside from you talking to the other Sunset?”

“Ohhhh! Busted!” Pinkie said happily.

Trixie’s jaw worked silent words for a moment. “T-That is… I was… I-It’s none of your business! I-I mean! You know!”

At that, Rarity snickered. “Oh, darling, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound like I’m questioning you.” She waited for Trixie to raise an eyebrow. “You just wanted to make sure that Shimmer is a good person like she made it out to be, right?”

Instinctively, Trixie nodded.

“So? What do you think?”

Trixie cleared her throat. “I still need to think.”

“Oh, come on!” Pinkie insisted. “I need to know whether to throw her a “Congratulations you’ve changed and are sorry” party or not!”

Rolling her eyes, Trixie stepped away from Pinkie. “You’ll have to wait.”

“At least tell us what did she say,” Rarity said. “We should take a decision together, including Twilight.”

Trixie sighed. “Fine. As expected, she has a different side of the story, but she still wants to apologize to Twilight.”

“A different side?” Pinkie asked. “Come on, Trixie! Don’t leave us in suspense like this!”

“It would be better if we wait for Twilight and Applejack to return,” Trixie said. “I don’t want to repeat myself.”

“Well, we won’t have to wait for long,” Rarity said with a smile, pointing behind Trixie. “Here they come.”

Trixie turned around, and true to Rarity’s words, Twilight and Applejack were just arriving.

“Whaddup, Trixie?” Applejack said. “We thought you got lost!”

“Trixie never gets lost!” Trixie claimed, placing her hands on her hips. “I was… gathering information!” She then looked at Twilight and relaxed her arms. “About Shimmer.”

Twilight didn’t show it, but her heart skipped a beat, and her stomach felt hollow. “W-What about her?”

“She has a different version of what happened between you two.” Twilight frowned, but before she could say anything, Trixie continued. “Now, Twilight, I’m not saying I don’t believe your side of the story.” She took a quick, deep breath. “She wants to apologize to you.”

Twilight didn’t answer, she just stared at Trixie for a while.

“And y’all just gonna believe ‘er?” Applejack asked, breaking the silence. “Y’all just said you don’t believe her side of the story! Why’d you believe she wants to actually apologize?! For all we know she’d try to hurt her or somethin’!”

Trixie sighed. “Because she even wants the lot of us to be there, if only to make sure she doesn’t try to do anything.” She crossed her arms. “As I said earlier, we should give her the benefit of the doubt.”

“But what about her side of the story?” Rarity asked. “If it differs from what Twilight told us, and you just said you believe Twilight, then it means she lied to you, doesn’t it?”

“Well, yes,” Trixie admitted. “But she looked really guilty while telling it. I think she was remembering what happened, and what she did, and she’s really sorry.” She looked straight into Twilight’s eyes. “She lied to me because she wanted the best chance to talk to you. Of course I won’t force you to actually do it, but at least think about it.”

Twilight looked away. “I… I can’t promise anything… But I’ll think about it.”

“Attention everyone,” the same voice from before was heard throughout the building. “The break will end in five minutes, and Everton’s Annual Science Fair will continue. All participants, please return to your respective booths as soon as possible. That is all.”

“Well, let’s wait for another eternity,” Trixie said, sighing. “I wish Sunset was here.”

“That would only make things awkward,” Rarity said, raising an eyebrow.

“I know!” Trixie said with a smile. “It would be hilarious!”

Two hours later, Trixie found herself daydreaming. Her fantasies about her and the two Sunsets had started off rather PG, but as time passed, they became really spicy. Applejack, Rarity and Twilight had decided to just ignore her senseless mumbling and constant drooling, and pretend they didn’t know her.

Pinkie, for her part, was in her own world, trying to make friends with everyone. It proved to be a challenge too big for her, since just two or three people had actually stopped to listen to her ramblings.

“Attention everyone,” the judge said once again through the microphone.

Trixie blinked, returning to reality. “Oh, come on! I was getting to the best part!” Applejack rolled her eyes, while Rarity and Twilight only giggled.

“The judges have finished looking at all the projects,” the voice continued. “We are going to take thirty minutes to decide the winner. You can exit the building if you so desire, but we ask the participants to be here after this last break. That is all.”

“Ugh, finally!” Trixie exclaimed, stretching her arms. “I thought this thing was going to last forever.”

“Ah don’t see why’d it bother you,” Applejack said with a smile. “Y’all looked pretty entertained just a minute ago.”

“Shut up,” Trixie replied. She then looked to Shimmer’s booth, and saw her gazing back before walking away. Trixie turned to Twilight. “So, ready to talk?”

Twilight mumbled something, looking away.

“If you don’t want to, that’s fine,” Rarity said, placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder.

“No, no, I-I want to hear what she has to say…” Twilight answered, taking a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with…” She then looked at the girls and gave a sheepish smile. “But… You’ll be with me, right?”

“The whole time, sugarcube,” Applejack affirmed with a nod.

“Wait a minute,” Trixie said. “Where’s the pink one?”

“Still trying to make friends,” Rarity answered, pointing five booths over the back of the building, where Pinkie was engaged in what looked like a one-sided conversation with an old lady. “She made it a challenge to herself to befriend at least five people.”

“How many so far?” Applejack asked.

“Two. Good thing I told her she had until the announcement of the winners, or we’d be stuck here the whole day.”

Trixie clicked her tongue. “Whatever, let’s go with your hot frenemy, Twilight.”

“Wait,” Twilight said, fidgeting with her fingers. “I-I can’t leave my booth unattended.”

Trixie rolled her eyes, turning to Pinkie’s direction. “Hey, Diane!” She shouted, easily earning the girl’s attention. “You watch this booth!” Pinkie nodded furiously before returning to her talk with the lady. Trixie turned to Twilight with a smile. “There. Our physics-breaking friend will take care of it.”

“Why don’t you ever call us by the name everybody else does?” Rarity questioned.

“I just called Twilight by her name, twice,” Trixie answered. “I just sometimes feel the need to call non-insulting names.”

“You might actually end up insulting somebody!” Rarity said.

“Then they have my permission to call me names,” Trixie replied dismissively. “Now, let’s go and talk with Shimmer before the break ends.” And without waiting for a response, Trixie began walking towards the exit of the building.

Trixie looked to the garden, and sure enough, Shimmer was there, leaning against the tree, arms crossed, and holding a cigarette with her left hand. She looked up and smiled.

Followed by the girls, Trixie approached Shimmer, stopping just two meters away.

“Hello again,” Shimmer greeted, looking at the girls. Her eyes then fell upon Twilight. “And hello, Twilight. I’m glad you agreed to come.”

Twilight leaned her body in acknowledgement, but didn’t dare to look at Shimmer, or even mutter a single word.

Shimmer saw this as a sign to continue. “Listen, Twilight. We left on pretty bad terms. But it’s been long enough. I’m sorry for what happened.” She offered Twilight her right hand. “Can you forgive me and be friends again?”

For a moment, Twilight didn’t answer. She only frowned, deep in thought. After almost a full minute, she finally turned her head and looked directly at Shimmer’s eyes. “You… pushed me out of a window.” Her jaw stiffened and her hands turned into fists. “I don’t think we can be friends again.”

“Pushed you?” Shimmer blinked, completely taken aback. “Twilight! You fell! How can you still say I’d ever try to hurt you?”

In that moment, Trixie was witness of the most terrifying, furious stare she’d ever seen. And the fact that it was coming from the usually friendly, chirpy nerd, made it the more frightening.

“What is wrong with you?!” Twilight yelled. “Do you think I and my friends are stupid?! Nobody buys your ridiculous story! Do you really think I’m such an imbecile as to randomly trip through a window?!”

Shimmer gaped for a moment. “Twilight, you hit your head, remember? The doctor said-”

“Don’t use the doctor’s words against me! Even if it was true, you still showed up, gloating about what you did!” Twilight was leaning forward, but her feet never moved an inch. And yet, it looked like she was over Shimmer, trapping her against the tree. “And you have the nerve to call me a liar right to my face?!” She leaned back and took a deep breath. “I honestly thought you really felt guilty, but I see you still want to play your sick games.”

“But Twilight!”

“Shut up!” Twilight interrupted her. “I know what you’re trying to do! You want my friends to think I’m the one that’s crazy. You just want to turn my friends against me so that I’ll quit. Well, guess what? It won’t work.” She paused for a moment, and then, against her better judgement, she flashed a smug smile. “I think you’re scared that I’ll win the fair, ” She snorted. “You always manage to sink even lower.”

Up until that moment, the only one raging and screaming had been Twilight. Trixie was beginning to think, if only for a second, that Twilight might have been in the wrong. But that last statement, that last line from Twilight worked like a fuse reaching the bomb.

Shimmer moved like lightning, and she slapped Twilight with so much force that the girl stumbled against Applejack, who was at her immediate right.

“You bitch!” Shimmer yelled, as the mask she had been wearing disappeared. The former guilt driven face was quickly replaced by one of raging fury. “You think you’re better than me?!”

Before Shimmer could say anything else, or even think of hitting Twilight again, Rarity stepped between them, glaring daggers at Shimmer, all the while Applejack helped Twilight regain her balance.

“Well now,” Rarity started. “It seems you did nothing but prove that Twilight wasn’t lying.” She huffed, crossing her arms. “I suggest you, for your own good, leave and stay as far from us as possible, or we’ll call the police.”

Shimmer’s breathing was heavy and fast, and her stare was trying to dig holes in Rarity’s face. She remained silent for a one long minute before she huffed. “This isn’t over.” And with that, she walked past the girls and towards the building.

Trixie couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed. Shimmer had really struck her as a repentant girl. She had looked and acted just like Sunset during the first week after the Fall Formal. And yet, it all turned out to be a charade to make Twilight quit the fair. It was so unreal, for a moment Trixie thought she was watching a bad soap opera.

During the last exchange of words with Shimmer, Twilight had been clinging to Applejack for dear life, keeping her eyes shut and slightly shivering. And once she heard Shimmer leaving, she dared open her eyes and look up at her friend.

“You ok there, Twi?” Applejack asked.

“I… I’m sorry…”

“You have nothing to apologize for, darling,” Rarity said. “She was trying to put us against you. Honestly, I think I would’ve acted the same.”

Slowly, Twilight stepped back, wiping her eyes before she looked at Rarity. “I mean… When she hit me… I-I just froze…”

“That’s only natural,” Trixie said, making everyone look at her. “She almost killed you in the past right after slapping you. I think it’s normal that your body would react like that…” She noticed the looks in Rarity and Applejack’s eyes. “What?”

“I’m sorry, but… You were the one wanting to give her a chance,” Rarity said. “You’re taking this awfully well.”

Trixie cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “I did say I knew she was lying. Besides, it’s not like I know her or anything. Now, if it was Sunset pulling a stunt like this, then I would feel horrible.” She snorted. “They’re not the same person. I can keep them apart pretty easily.”

“Uh-huh,” Applejack said. “Anyway, let’s head inside and tell Pinkie about this.”

“Yes, and let’s stick together until the fair is officially over,” Rarity added. “Let’s not forget Shimmer isn’t alone. She has three friends that might want to try something.”

Twilight sighed heavily. “I only want to leave now… I don’t care if I win or not anymore…”

“Now don’t you say that!” Rarity said, placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “Don’t let that crazy girl ruin this for you!”

Twilight nodded weakly. “I’ll try.”

Once Twilight had finally calmed down and Pinkie had been warned, the girls gathered up at Twilight’s booth and didn’t move from there, observing quite indiscreetly every movement of Shimmer and her little gang.

Unsurprisingly, even if they never moved from the booth, the three girls never seemed to cross a word, or a single glance, with Shimmer. They kept talking to themselves, with the occasional gaze towards Twilight and company.

It was a really tense and awkward situation, and the twenty minutes left of the break felt like hours. They tried several times to engage in idle chit chat, but after some minutes, it always died down into an uncomfortable silence.

Fortunately, the same judge from before took the microphone and tapped into it, getting everyone’s attention to the slightly raised platform at the back of the building.

“Attention everyone,” the judge said. “We have finished discussing, and we came to an agreement of which is this year’s best project here at Everton’s Science Fair. As you know, the winner shall be granted full investment to their project.” There was a round of applause and cheers before he continued. “Of course, that is not the only prize. As this event is renowned throughout the country, and over twenty high level universities, including Everton, of course, grant full scholarships to those involved in said winning project.”

A huge, loud cheer echoed the building.

“Whoa, this really is a big deal, isn’t it?” Trixie asked.

“It is,” Twilight answered with a nervous smile. “It’s not only the investment, or the scholarship. Winning Everton’s science fair also gives you a lot of good reputation in the scientific community.” She took a sharp breath. “It’s the biggest achievement for young, inexperienced scientists.”

“Well, let’s cross fingers then,” Rarity said.

“And without further ado,” the judge said, effectively silencing the whole building. “The winner of this year’s Everton’s Science Fair is…” He paused, smiled deviously at everyone, enjoying the suspense, and threw an arm over his head. “Wireless Electricity by Twilight Sparkle!”

Even though the girls cheered beside her, jumping around and hugging her, Twilight only took her hands over her open mouth, and froze.

“You won! You won!” Pinkie yelled excitedly, shaking Twilight from side to side.

“Pinkie! Let her process it!” Applejack said, grabbing Pinkie by the shoulders.

“I… I won?” Twilight asked to herself.

“Of course you won, darling!” Rarity answered.

In that moment, Trixie dared look in Shimmer’s direction. The saying of murderous looks seemed like child's play, compared to the intense glare full of hatred she was throwing towards Twilight. Trixie waited until Shimmer laid eyes upon her, just to sneer and flash her middle finger in her direction.

And to think she had been having the lesbians for Shimmer not even an hour ago.

“Twilight Sparkle,” the judge continued, having spotted the celebrating group. “Please come over here.”

She was still trying to organize her thoughts, but her feet were already moving towards the platform. Twilight braced herself. She had fantasized with this moment for a few years now, and it was scary just how perfect it all was. She had won the country’s biggest, most renowned science fair, thus securing her future as a scientist, and opening all the doors for future projects or whatever she’d want to do.

During the minute it took her to reach the platform, she pinched herself a few times, just to make sure it wasn’t a dream. And by the time she was just a meter away from the judge, her stomach felt hollow and she felt about to throw up. Fortunately for everyone, she didn’t.

“Twilight Sparkle,” the judge began, raising a red neck ribbon with a big, golden medal attached to it, sporting an easily readable number one. “Congratulations.” He proceeded to put the medal around Twilight’s neck. “We would like to discuss the terms of the investment on your project.”

“Y-Yes!” Twilight answered. “I-I also want you to know I want to enroll here in Everton!”

The judge chuckled. “We are thankful for your choice. We can also discuss that. Tomorrow at two in the afternoon at the administration building, room 201.”

“S-Sure! I’ll be there!”

“Excellent,” the judge said. Then, he turned to the crowd and lifted the microphone to speak. “And with this, Everton’s Science Fair is over! Do not get discouraged for not winning. Remember that you can always try again next year. Thank you very much!” The crowd gave a round of applause for courtesy. The judge turned off the microphone and smiled at Twilight. “See you tomorrow, Miss Sparkle. And bring your project’s information with you.” He stretched his hand.

Twilight immediately took his and hastily stretched it. “Of course! I’ll be there!”

Little by little, all the participants started to pack up their projects and leave. Twilight, on her part, slowly walked to her friends, feeling like she was walking on clouds.

“I thought they’d ask you to give a speech or something,” Trixie said.

Twilight looked at her with a stupid smile. “I wouldn’t be able to mutter a coherent sentence.”

“Fair enough.”

“Well, we hafta go now, right?” Applejack asked, looking at Twilight’s booth. “Want us ta help ya pack up?”

“Well,” Twilight fidgeted. She looked like she wanted to jump and scream of happiness in her spot, but she forced herself to calm down. “I first have to call my parents and tell them the good news… And also that I have to be here tomorrow too.”

“You have?” Rarity asked.

“Yes. We’ll discuss the investment in my project, copyright on it and future projects, and of course, my enrollment here,” Twilight answered, then took her phone. “You don’t mind if I speak with them here? I kind of don’t want to be alone, knowing that Sun- I mean Shimmer is here too.”

“Sure thing!” Pinkie said, and was seconded by a round of nods and agreements.

Twilight smiled and called her father’s number. “Dad, is mom with you?... Put me on speaker.” Her excited smile grew, and she could barely contain herself. “I won first place!” She squeaked.

The girls watched, very amusedly, how Twilight went on and on about her medal, the investment in her project, her enrollment in Everton, and how her future was brighter than ever before. She talked about how many doors have opened before her, how she felt more confident on herself than ever, and how she was going to innovate science in the future.

It was an endearing sight, watching Twilight rant like that at her parents. If Trixie had to guess, she’d say that they hadn’t said a single word since Twilight began speaking, letting their daughter let out all her excitement. She had to admit, she felt a little jealous for Twilight and her supportive family.

When Twilight finished her rant, she spent the following minutes telling them that she needed to return as per the judge’s request. Fortunately, it appeared that they were able to drive her there and back, and it only made her happier.

She hung up after a rather long round of goodbyes, then looked at her friends, who had amused smiles. “What?”

“Nothing, darling. We’re just happy for you,” Rarity answered. “It appears that your parents will accompany you tomorrow.”

“Yes. But if you still want to come…”

“As much as I’d love to,” Trixie said. “I think I had enough of this place.”

“Y’all don’t hafta be so rude ‘bout it,” Applejack said with a scowl.

Trixie shrugged. “Whatever.”

“It’s ok,” Twilight said. “I only wanted you to be here today. At least you could see other projects and stuff. But tomorrow will be rather boring. So don’t worry.”

“Either way,” Pinkie intervened. “You deserve a party! And if I’m not mistaken, I can gather everyone at Sugarcube Corner by the time we return! We gotta celebrate!”

Twilight chuckled. “Well, I don’t think it can hurt, as long as I don’t stay up too late. You know Everton isn’t exactly fifteen minutes from Canterlot.”

“Considering that the drive here was five hours, and the time we take packing up your project, we may be arriving at Canterlot at about ten o’clock, at best,” Rarity said.

Twilight blew out some air. “That is pretty late…”

“Don’t worry Twi-Twi!” Pinkie said. “We can throw your party any other day!” She closed the distance between them and placed her hand next to her mouth, as if trying to tell her a secret. “We can even skip school for you!”

Twilight giggled. “We’ll see. For now, let’s just pack everything up, and return to Canterlot.” The girls agreed and went to work.

By the time they finished placing everything into cardboard boxes, most of the building was already empty, save for some security guards, janitors, and the occasional mopping student.

They reached the parking lot where Applejack’s truck was, and loaded the boxes on the back. It was about five o’clock, but it felt like the day had ended. Everyone was tired, and they only wanted to sleep all the way back to Canterlot, but they decided against it, since it would be unfair for Applejack, who would be driving, and thus unable to nap too.

When the last box was secured, Pinkie was ready to call shotgun, but something caught her attention. “Girls, Shimmer’s coming this way.”

They all turned really fast in the direction Pinkie was facing.

It was true. Shimmer was walking towards them, looking really pissed off. And she wasn’t alone, she was being closely followed by her three friends. It only then dawned on Trixie that she hadn’t seen much of those three until then.

The girl to Shimmer’s right had pale yellow skin and a massive amount of puffy orange hair, then, a blue skinned girl with blue hair tied up in a ponytail, and to Shimmer’s left was a light purple girl with purple hair tied up in pigtails. They all were wearing the same uniform.

Immediately after spotting them, the girls circled around Twilight, as if forming a shield.

Unfortunately, Trixie was left right in front of said shield. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to protect Twilight, but the girl that looked exactly like her girlfriend was marching right towards her with a murderous glare.

Trixie swallowed, put on her best challenging frown, and crossed her arms. When Shimmer was at hearing distance, she spoke up. “Hey! Did you come to whine like a sore loser?”

“I don’t think you should mock her,” Twilight whimpered.

Trixie acknowledged the warning with a nod. “Don’t try to do anything stupid, Shimmer! Or else we’ll call the police!”

But Shimmer ignored her, and kept getting closer. Her friends were doing their best to look menacing and confident, but with every step, they started to look more and more insecure and confused.

Not only them, Trixie was also feeling a lot more nervous. When Shimmer was only two meters away, Trixie leaned back, and made one last effort to dissuade her.

“I’m warning you!”

Or at least, that’s what she tried to say.

Suddenly, Shimmer pounced forward, effectively closing the distance between them.

Trixie felt a tug, but she paid it no mind, as Shimmer’s eyes were a mere inch from hers, pouring hatred and disgust. Trixie couldn’t mutter a word, she was paralyzed by fear alone. Only a second later, Shimmer stepped back, pushing Trixie away. That’s when she noticed an intense heat in her stomach. She stumbled against Applejack’s truck and looked down.

Shimmer was holding a bloody pocket knife.

I was stabbed, Trixie thought as she took her hand to her burning stomach, feeling a sticky moisture. Sunset stabbed me… She felt the strength in her legs fading away, but before she fell, Twilight, who was right next to her, grabbed her by the arms and carefully helped her down.

That’s when she heard a thud, and a clank. She looked up, and saw Shimmer, pinned to the ground by Applejack, who was also twisting back her left arm.

“Unhand me, you disgusting hick!” Shimmer yelled, struggling in a futile attempt to free herself from Applejack’s grip. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with!”

Applejack gave a quick, painful twist to Shimmer’s arm, earning a scream in response. “Shut up!”

Meanwhile, despite the situation, Twilight had reacted quite fast. After helping Trixie sit down against the truck, she took a pack of handkerchiefs from her pocket, and pressed all of them against Trixie’s stomach.

“A-Alright, everything’s going to be fine,” Twilight said, although it was hard to tell if it was to calm Trixie, or herself. “We need an ambulance.” She looked up to Rarity, who was staring in horror at Trixie. “Rarity! Call an ambulance, now!” Rarity flinched, blinked, and nodded, taking out her phone. “Now, the police.” She turned to Pinkie, who had a blank stare. “Pinkie, I need you to go get a security guard, stat!” Pinkie nodded and ran away. With that taken care of, Twilight turned to Shimmer’s friends, who also were frozen in place, sporting horrified expressions.

“You three!” She said, and the girls looked at her. “What’s wrong with you?!”

The girls stepped back, but the yellow one decided to answer. “We didn’t know she’d do this! I swear!”

“If that’s true,” Twilight said, frowning. “Then you’ll stay here and wait for the police to tell them what happened.”

The girls were going to reply, but Shimmer beat them to it.

“Like that’ll help! I can buy my way out of this!” Shimmer yelled, doing her best to look at her companions. “If you even think of testifying against me, your lives are the ones that will be ruined!” She then turned to look directly at Twilight. “And I swear I’ll make you pay!”

Not wanting to hear more of her, Applejack grabbed the back of Shimmer’s head and smacked it against the floor, breaking her nose with the impact. “Ah said shut up!”

“It doesn’t matter how much money you have,” Twilight said. “You seem to have overlooked the fact that there are security cameras everywhere, and that your fingerprints are on the knife.” She looked at Shimmer’s companions. “You either do the right thing, or go to prison with her.” She sighed and turned to Shimmer again. “Even if you manage to buy a small sentence, it still will ruin whatever reputation you might have had, or might achieve in the future… What were you thinking?”

Instead of replying, Shimmer just screamed furiously, still trying, and failing, to break free. Her face was covered with dirt and blood, and as seconds passed, tears of impotence.

Twilight then decided to ignore Shimmer, and concentrate on her wounded friend. Trixie was pale, and looking blankly at the floor.

“Hey, Trixie,” Twilight said, barely getting Trixie’s attention. “I-I need you to tell me what you’re feeling, can you do that?”

Trixie opened her mouth for a few silent seconds before finding her voice again. “It... burns…”

“Ok, t-that’s a normal response…” Twilight said, giving Trixie a weak smile. “Y-You know, your wound is not that bad. I-I mean, not that it’s not bad, but for what I saw, your guts are still inside you, which is totally a good sign.” She said quickly. “B-But I’m no medic, I mean, I know a thing or two about first aid, but I can’t tell how deep the wound actually is, or if it damaged any vital organ…” Her eyes widened. “N-Not that that’s the case! I certainly hope not! B-But even so, we have to stop the bleeding. That’s already taken care of… more or less, but we still need professional help, right?!”

Trixie managed to place a hand upon Twilight’s, effectively silencing her rant. She forced a chuckle and looked up at Twilight. Suddenly, the rest of the world seemed to dim around Twilight.

“You’re a nerd,” Trixie managed to say before her vision blacked out completely.

And she fainted.

Author's Notes:

Did I just...