Mirror's Image

Chapter 16 Part 02

Princess Luna and her band of merry ponies (and one tagalong changeling) left the hive behind them and once more travelled through the dusty Wastelands.

"Ha! This Great and Powerful Changeling shall be the best servant Princess Amaryllis has ever had or will have!" the Great and Powerful Changeling decreed as she walked besides Princess Luna. "She shall work harder than she has ever before!"

"Does this thing have an off-switch?" Rainbow Dash asked. "That's like the tenth time she said that!"

"This Great and Powerful Changeling will continue to do so and you can't stop her!" the Great and Powerful Changeling cheered.

"Sweet Celestia, she's still as annoying as she was before," Rainbow Dash facehoofed.

"At least she ain't embarrassing us in front of everypony this time around," Applejack noted as she gave Rainbow Dash a pat on the back.

"Am I missing something here?" Princess Luna asked.

"Yeah, we're pretty sure that this Changeling here visited Ponyville some time ago," Rainbow Dash explained. "When she was still a pony, I mean. Her name was Trixie and she kept on proclaiming that she was the most great and powerful Trixie or something."

"It's a long story," Applejack said.

"It's a long walk to Canterlot," Luna said with a smile. "We have time."

"You wanna do the honors?" Rainbow Dash asked Applejack, who nodded in response.

"Sure thing," she said. "Some time ago, Miss Great and Powerful here came rolling into Ponyville with her travelling magic tricks, starts spouting a lot of hooey about being the best Unicorn and such."

"Sparkle could kick her butt any day of the week," Rainbow Dash interjected. "She just thought we'd think she was a braggart or nonsense like that if she did."

"Ah was getting to that," Applejack said, a little annoyed at the fact that Rainbow Dash interrupted her like that. "Now, as ah was saying: this Trixie comes into Ponyville and begins boasting about her greatness and stuff like defeating an Ursa Major and what not."

"An Ursa Major?" Luna fought to suppress her laughter but failed royally. "Magic has little to no effect on their hide and a Unicorn is no more than a flea to them."

"We kinda figured that," Applejack said. "Apparently, a few of the young'uns thought it was a good idea to bring in an Ursa from the Everfree, so Trixie could vanquish it."

"How have I not heard of this before?" Luna asked, her laughter falling away and replaced with worry. "An Ursa Major would have razed Ponyville to the ground and caused numerous casualties and fatalities!"

"It wasn't an Ursa Major," Applejack told her, which calmed Luna down visibly. "Just a baby. Twilight managed to magic it home to its mum."

"My dear sister did mention something about a minor upstart with a nocturnal beast to me. Some time after I returned to my duties, I think it was." Luna also recalled reading a friendship report, pertaining to the use of one's skills and whether or not that was showing off.

"Anyway, afterwards Trixie ran off into the night. Haven't seen hide or hair of her since." Applejack tipped her hat in the direction of the Great and Powerful Changeling. "Ah reckon that's why."

"Ha! The Great and Powerful Changeling has no interest in your story," the Changeling said as she turned to face the ponies. "That doesn't sound like something the Great and Powerful Changeling would do! Not at all!"

"Trixie did that too," Rainbow Dash pointed out. "You know, talking in third person."

"Calling herself Great and Powerful," Applejack added.