Left glared at Right. "Obviously I am the original, you can go away now."

"That is precisely what a copy would say," scoffed Right, turning her nose up. "But Trixie's fans will not be fooled so easily."

"Yes, my fans." Left pivoted on a single hoof, the others coming down once she was facing the crowd properly. "Which one of us is the original--"

"And which one gets deleted," coldly added Right with a wicked smirk. "Trixie is confident you will make the correct decision."

The crowd murdered and plotted. Wild schemes of how to tell them apart rippled as interest grew in the mystery. Capper was not joining the whispering, instead just watching the two of them with a half-lidded stare.

Rockhoof nudged Garou before tossing his head out into the crowd. Garou looked where he was indicating and frowned. The two of them moved out without a word, leaving most of the crowd to start suggesting ideas to find the right Trixie.

Seated on an elevated balcony, Celestia, Luna, and Mayor Lefont were seated around a table. Celestia and Luna were perched on pillows, while the bipedal mayor enjoyed a chair with thick cushions for both his bottom and his arms. The back was missing from the lower portion, allowing him to easily have his tail poking through it to sway slightly as he spoke with a grin to his two guests.

"I can only imagine, being princesses, you understand how difficult it can be to govern."

Luna inclined her head towards Celestia. "I confess, mine sister did much of that labor."

"Oh, stop that." Celestia waved it away. "I would have been lost without my sister at my side. Did you know she patrols dreams?"

Lefont hiked a brow at that. "Well, have you been here before? I feel certain I've seen you in a dream or two."

Luna snorted in a very equine way. "That was an awkward pass and you are perfectly aware of it."

He raised a hand flat towards her. "I meant nothing untoward, m'lady. Please don't hold it against me that I think you're worth a few kind words."

Celestia reached a wing, brushing Luna's side. "We have spent much of our time as reigning rulers, when not we were struggling to find a moment's peace in a troubled world beforehoof. Romance... is not a thing we have had much time for."

"That is a shame," he practically sighed out, leaning forward, chin resting on a fist, elbow on the table. "And none tried to meet this need of yours?"

Luna grabbed a fine goblet from the table, floating it in her magic. "Are you proposing you are just the one to do that?"

"Well, I co--" He didn't get to finish the statement, suddenly quite wet with wine that Luna had splashed right into his face. Blinking and sputtering, he looked stunned a moment before he cracked a little smile and began to laugh. "What a fiery one. Are you certain she's not the sun and you the moon?"

Celestia hovered over a napkin, holding it in the air until he took it. "She is protective, though we shouldn't be dousing our guest in his own provided libations. Sister, that was rude."

"He was rude first," she snapped, eyeing the skunk as he dried himself. "I have little interest in being 'romanced' by somecreature I have barely met. Is this how you treat all your guests?"

"Only a few." He held up two gloved fingers close together. "The ones that catch my eye... Most are... far less pleasant souls that still serve needed functions. I speak no ill of them, but I have no interest in that fashion with many of them. Now, let's put that aside." He half-turned, gesturing out across the dusty city. "The sun is setting. Even Klugetown is a sight to see as it lowers."

Celestia turned her vision not to the town, but the sun that lowered, a wistful look on her face. "I know you can handle this," she spoke to no one at all.

Luna softly coughed into a hoof. "I feel certain she can, Sister. The sun and moon have been moving smoothly so far."

Caught in the act, Celestia sat up straight in a jerk. "Hm? Yes, of course it has... She has..." She trailed off, glancing towards Lefont.

"Please, don't allow me to interrupt," he assured with raised gloves. "Are you... speaking of your replacement?"

Celestia's ears quirked towards him. "How observant of you. Yes, that is precisely who my thoughts drifted towards... She is well trained, and a good pony beside. I know she is doing her absolute best, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about it."

"This place would fall apart without me," sighed the mayor, leaning back in his chair so it was propped on just two legs. "I can't afford to take a day off, let alone consider retiring. I know how you feel."

Luna and Celestia shared a glance, doubt clear in their expressions. Luna nodded towards him. "Yes, seeing to the needs of others is a constant activity." She examined him, eyes wandering up and down. "Tell me, what is the most trying time you've experienced?"

"What a question..." He steepled his fingers, his chair crashing forward back into a resting position. "Well, there was a time, about five or so years ago. I was put to the real test..."

The two trixies were holding the crowd captive with swirls and flares of magic. One was cutting a worried person in half as the other set things on fire just to pluck them free, unharmed and clean. Both were working as hard as they could to one up the other in increasingly grandiose displays of magic ability, and the audience was roaring with approval, egging them on to up the game, to prove which one was the 'real' Trixie.

In the crowd, Garou and Rockhoof worked their ways slowly, eyes fixed on the same point. A glint of metal, a sudden movement. A hand thrust forward in an arc and something flew free of it. It struck a forcefield that faded a moment later, and they jumped on the thrower.

The crowd never even knew something had happened, Rockhoof and Garou throwing the beaver-like woman to the ground and holding her there as they divested her of her remaining daggers. "Why were you attacking Trixie?" demanded Garou. "What did she ever do to you?"

"She's a no good show off is what she is," spat the pinned female, wriggling beneath Rockhoof's namesake that had her pinned just as surely as any boulder. "Think she can just come in here and say she's better than people that actually work fer a livin'!"

Rockhoof pressed a little harder. "She works plenty hard enough, seein' as she's a guard just like us. She works twice as hard, perfectin' her craft as a showmare. Ya think that just comes easy?"

"Seriously, I couldn't do half those tricks." Garou chuffed as he continued making a pile of deadly implements. "How many daggers are you carrying?! Were you expecting a war?"

Up on the stage, the two Trixies were heaving with effort, glaring more metaphorical daggers at their counterparts. "Well... how was... that? Magnificant, Powerful... Trixie!" She threw a hoof high. "I am clearly the original."

"You sawed a creature in half," mocked the other, rolling her eyes. "I've seen that trick before. Defying the flames is far more impressive." She turned to the crowd and stood up. "Surely I am the original!"

The crowd was cheering, but it was as much for the antics as any one of them specifically. They weren't arriving at an answer. Capper stepped forward, arms crossed. "Well, there is one other way about this?"

Both Trixies fixed their glares on him. "What way is that?" they spoke in an echo.

"You just... come back together, instead of getting rid of one. So neither of you is erased." He brought his hands together with a smart clap. "Just like that."

The Trixies shared a look, both sneering in mirror before they fell to all fours. "That idea--"

"--isn't entirely terrible. But how can Trixie trust you?"

"I am Trixie," noted the other, polishing a hoof on her chest. "If you can't trust yourself, who can your trust?"

"I raise a good point... Very well. For our final trick of the day, we will make two into one!" They rose up together, their forehooves that were close to the other clopping against their doppelganger as both bowed as one to the crowd.

"We may not survive."

"But the show must go on!"

Both had shifted from survival to showmare mode, hamming up the venture they were about to take part in.

The beaver lady was tied up firmly in coarse rope, a mighty pile of sharp implements not that far away. Rockhoof slowly shook his head. "You found all that just on her? How did ye not prick yerself just walkin' about?"

The beaver thumped her tail against the ground. "Practice and a little ingenuity. You have any idea how long it'll take to get those back where they came from? Now let me go!"

Garou smiled in a canine way, tongue lolling a little. "Why should we do that? You'll try to hurt Trixie again."

"No I won't."

Rockhoof leaned in, one brow raising. "Ya say that..."

Celestia let out a little sigh. "It remains... somewhat uncanny, watching it do that without my involvement." She turned her eyes away from the setting sun.

"Sister, dear, it is much worse when it raises, and you are aware." She gestured to where the moon had begun to rise. "Still, it is on schedule and proceeding smoothly. Twilight has this."

"She does..."

Lefont looked between the two somber mares, his hands rubbing against one another with the soft rustle of leather on leather. "Let's not end the evening on a down note. We've had a pleasant time, shared such interesting tales... I would like to think, at the least, we've found new friends in this wide world, at the least."

Celestia's face brightened, lips upturning to a smile. "We have... If I may confess, I had thought less of you to start, but, a few playful advances aside, you have been a commendable host. Thank you, but we should return."

Luna nodded softly. "The others will worry if we tarry much longer. Good luck to you, and your town. May they both find prosperity."

"A blessing of the moon," he sighed out wistfully. "I'll treasure it. Go on then, but before you do, a gift." He snapped two fingers, pointing with the same hand at the archway that several servants were moving through, each carrying a small box. "For the both of you. I do not know your tastes, so you may select the one that most speaks to you."

Luna advanced to see what had been brought, but Celestia remained where she was, eyes narrowing a little. "I appreciate the sentiment. Truly, this is the utmost of generosity, but we cannot accept."

"We can't?" asked Luna, looking over her shoulder as floating bits of jewelry floated along with her to frame her face with obvious moon pieces.

"We can't," confirmed Celestia. "People would speak, Mister Lefont. Sending two eligible females away glittering with new jewelry... We are not at that stage of a relationship that we can accept such a gift."

Luna pouted a little, but her magic returned the jewels back into their ornate little boxes. "Really, sister. We didn't have to tell anycreature where we got them from. They're quite nice. At least have a look."

"We would know." She nodded towards Lefont. "I thank you once more. Today has been a delight. Perhaps, if we stop by another time, we could meet again."

Lefont dipped his head, his hands trembling faintly, holding back whatever he was feeling in that moment. "It was a pleasure and a delight, my princesses. Go, perhaps to return again? I would enjoy that."

Author's Note

Celestia and Luna do princessly things while the rest deal with a rowdy crowd. I felt for Celestia and Lefont here, the both of them. Does that make me odd?

What will happen when Trixie recombines?

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