Great and Powerful Comeback Tour, One Night Only

The reappearance of the Great and Powerful Trixie sent shockwaves through Canterlot. Paparazzi and nobles alike swarmed her as she exited her carriage, peppering her with pointed questions and snapping photographs.

“Pictures are twenty bits a piece!” she said over the din, her voice carrying effortlessly despite her age. “Settle up with my security team or we reserve the right to stomp your cameras. Thank youuu~”

The royal guard should never have let her pass. Today was not an open court day, and she hadn’t held castle clearance for over a decade. But word traveled fast in Canterlot. Sometimes a princess made a decision, and the consequences of that decision showed up at the front gates wearing a tight-fitting leotard and a cape before word could be passed down to the rank-and file. No one wanted to be the guard to get in the way of a princess's love life. They lifted their spears.

The sound of pandemonium and the methodical crunch, crunch, crunch of cameras being smashed followed Trixie inside.

“This must be her doing,” Twilight said as she paced the length of her office. “Trixie cooked up some scheme to relaunch her career, and she thinks it’s okay to step all over my likeness like it’s a rung on a ladder. Today, of all days. I played ball with her once. I am not doing it again.”

She turned to her stenographer, who was doing her best to blend into the wall. “Leave the next forty five seconds out of the record.” She carefully held her mane aside and put her face into a pillow. Then she screamed, “MotherBUCKING HALF-BAKED, PEAR-SHAPED, BUTT SO BIG IT CAUSES EARTHQUAKES, UGLY—”

Prince Guildario Pelayo, Duke of Esponola, First Son of Griffon King Pelayo, watched the pandemonium from his guest suite in the castle’s northern spire.

“Bitch,” he growled. “She’s trying to steal my thunder.”

He turned abruptly, his red velvet cape billowing behind him. “Guards!” Three griffons in gold-plated armor entered the room and snapped to attention. “The pieces are in place. If this all goes to plan, we get to kill two birds with one stone.”