A Twixie Love Story

Chapters

A Twixie Case Of Pony Pox
A Twixie Birthday
A Twixie Cruise - Day 1
A Twixie Cruise - Day 2
A Twixie Cruise - Night 2
(BONUS) - A Twixie Christmas
A Twixie Vacation
Trixie Moves In
A Twixie Day In Ponyville
How It All Started
When Egos Collide
The Farmer And The Showmare
A Twixie Fight
A Twixie Date
A Twixie Family Visit
Recurring Nightmare
Trixie's First Nightmare
A Twixie Finale
Epilogue - A Twixie Future
Extra - A Twixie Family
A Twixie Love Story
Seperate Worlds
Trixie's Final Nightmare
(BONUS) A Twixie Coronation (April Fool's)

A Twixie Case Of Pony Pox

Trixie felt terrible. Her body was burning up, her head was killing her, and she felt like she was going to throw up. To make matters worse, her entire body was itching all over, and she was unable to scratch herself, because Twilight Sparkle had tied her hooves together.

Twilight pulled the thermometer from Trixie’s mouth, and her eyes widened at the high temperature reading. She looked worriedly at her poor marefriend, who was obviously suffering, and levitated an icepack onto her forehead, to cool her down. “Well, looks like we won’t be travelling today…” Twilight said, scratching the back of her head.

“I’m sorry, Twilight,” Trixie said weakly, panting heavily as she turned to face Twilight, or the blurry image that she assumed was Twilight. Her eyes were watering, and she couldn’t see things very well.

Twilight shook her head, and pulled the covers over Trixie, tucking her into bed. “Don’t worry about it. We can leave it for another day. For now, we need to focus on you getting better.” Twilight scratched her neck as she looked down at Trixie, and then looked around the trailer. “Do you have any medicine around here to ease the pain?”

Trixie shook her head, too weak to answer verbally. She let out a series of coughs, and her eyes started twitching from the itching that had spread to her nose. “Can you please undo these ropes?” Trixie begged.

“No,” Twilight replied sternly. “You can’t scratch, Trixie, or it could cause scarring.” Twilight didn’t like seeing her marefriend suffering more than she already was, but it was for her own good. Twilight scratched her neck again, and then levitated her saddlebag over to her. “I’m going to get some medicine. I’ll be right back. Will you be ok on your own for a little bit?”

Trixie wanted to reach out and grab Twilight’s tail, to stop her from leaving, but she was unable to move her legs, and couldn’t say anything to stop her. She watched as Twilight left the trailer, pleading silently for her to say.

Twilight left the pharmacy with some medicine recommended for somepony with pony pox. She had pills to help against headaches, some medicinal cream to help against the itching, some pills to help sore throats, and a herbal remedy to help prevent throwing up.

On her way out of the store, Twilight heard a familiar voice call out from behind: “Twilight?” Twilight flinched and slowly turned around to see who was there. A look of relief crossed her face as she saw Cheerilee, one of her friends from Ponyville who she hadn’t been worried about revealing her relationship to, approaching.

“Oh, hi there, Cheerilee! Small world, huh?” Twilight asked, before remembering that there was no time for small talk. “Um, I’d love to stay and chat, but I really have to get going.”

Cheerilee looked at the store that Twilight had just exited, and then turned back to Twilight. “Are you alright? You just came out of a pharmacy. I hope you’re feeling well.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Twilight said, scratching her left forehoof with her right one. She looked down at her legs, and her eyes widened in horror at what she saw.

“So is there somepony else not feeling well? If you want, I can help you,” Cheerilee offered, a warm smile on her face.

Twilight looked back up at Cheerilee, still scratching one leg with the other. “Really? I mean, I don’t want to take too much time out of your day.”

“Well, I had nothing planned for today, anyway. And if somepony’s not feeling well, I-” Cheerilee stopped when she noticed Twilight scratching the side of her body, and then leaned in closer to examine her. She gasped when she saw a rash running down Twilight’s body and legs. “Twilight! Is that…”

Twilight nodded slowly, a frown forming on her face. “Pony pox, yeah…I guess I never got it as a foal…”

Cheerilee watched as Twilight continued scratching herself, and then grabbed a hold of Twilight’s forelegs to make her stop. “Stop that, Twilight! You’ll scar yourself!” Cheerilee scolded, as if she were yelling at one of her students who had misbehaved.

Twilight’s left eye started twitching as she felt her body itching all over, and was unable to do anything about it. “B-But…” she started, before remembering that Trixie was still in the trailer by herself. “Oh no! I really have to go! Trixie’s waiting for me!”

Cheerilee looked at the librarian with a confused look on her face. “Trixie?” she asked.

“Yeah, she’s got the pony pox really bad, and I came out here to get some medicine for her!”

“You left a sick patient all alone!?” Cheerilee asked, her eyes wide with horror.

“I didn’t have a choice!” Twilight defended. “I had to get some medicine, but there was nopony around who I could ask to get it for me!”

Cheerilee released Twilight’s legs. “In any case, you’d better lead the way. You’re in no condition to be nursing somepony back to health, so I’ll take care of the both of you.”

Twilight nodded, and led the way back to Trixie’s trailer, just around the corner to the pharmacy.

Cheerilee sat Trixie up and slipped a pill into her mouth, and then washed it down with some water. Trixie struggled to swallow it, and then let out a moan as her headache grew worse for a second. Meanwhile, Twilight was rubbing some medicinal cream onto Trixie’s legs.

“She looks pretty bad. She has quite a high fever, too,” Cheerilee said, replacing the icepack that was on Trixie’s forehead. “You say she seemed fine yesterday?”

Twilight nodded, moving up to Trixie’s chest as she continued administering the cream. “Yeah, and she said she doesn’t usually get sick. I’m really worried.”

Cheerilee opened Trixie’s left eye and examined it. “Her eyes are pretty red. I think we should probably have a doctor take a look at her, just to be safe.” Cheerilee saw Twilight taking a moment to scratch her sides, and frowned at the purple Unicorn. “Twilight! I told you not to scratch!” she shouted.

Twilight immediately placed her hooves down on the bed, and put on the best innocent face that she could manage. “S-Sorry! It just…Kind of happened…”

Cheerilee sighed, and made her way to the trailer door. “You seem well enough to look after Trixie for a while. I’ll go and find a doctor for Trixie.” She narrowed her eyes at Twilight one last time before leaving. “No scratching, ok?”

“I get it!” Twilight shouted, applying some of the cream to herself. It helped for a second, but she still felt the terrible itching all over her body. She brought a hoof up to her neck, but stopped it just short of her coat, shaking as she resisted the urge to scratch.

She looked around the trailer to try and find something to take her mind off of the itching. She found a few books in Trixie’s closet on the top shelf, and walked over to check them out. She attempted to levitate them down, but that only resulted in a painful headache. She held her hooves against her temples, trying to shake off the pain.

“That’s right…Using magic when you’re sick is a bad idea,” Twilight said to herself. She pulled out a stool from inside the closet, and used it to reach the top. She looked at the cover of each book, hoping that one of them was one she hadn’t read before.

The first book was “Illusionary Magic for Advanced Unicorns, vol. 2”, a book that Twilight had read already. She wasn’t able to pull off many of the spells inside, but she still found it quite interesting. The second book was a Daring Do book. Twilight’s favourite one, too.

The final book had no title on its cover, and was covered in dust. It was obvious nopony had read it for quite a while. Curious, Twilight opened it up and looked inside. She saw that it was a photo album, and on the first page, there were a few pictures of a blue filly, who looked to be about Pipsqueak’s age, trying out various magic tricks from a foal’s magic set.

She recognised the filly as Trixie fairly easily, even without her Cutie Mark being there. ‘Wow, she was one cute filly,’ Twilight thought to herself, giggling at one photo of her seemingly yelling at a top hat. Twilight guessed it was because a spell she was trying to perform didn’t work.

Her curiosity took over, and she flipped the page over to see more photos on the next pages. They were more photos of Trixie, each one showcasing her development as a showmare. Every now and then, there would be a photo of her and some other foals, but in those photos Trixie was usually off to the side, looking annoyed.

It didn’t take Twilight long to notice that Trixie was, for the most part, alone in these photos. And she couldn’t help but notice the poor conditions in which she apparently lived. Behind her was a rather filthy bed which didn’t even have a cover, and the wall behind that was badly damaged, too.

Twilight heard a moan coming from Trixie, and snapped back to reality. “Twilight?” Trixie asked, opening her eyes and turning her head to her side. “Are you there?”

Twilight placed the photo album down and rushed over to Trixie’s side. “I’m here, Trixie,” she said, placing her face directly in front of Trixie’s. “Are you ok? Is there anything I can get for you?”

Trixie tried to sit herself up, but was unable to find the strength to do so. “Trixie would like some water…”

Twilight smiled and nodded. She moved over to the sink and poured a glass of water for Trixie. Twilight took note of Trixie’s third-pony speak returning, and took it as a sign that she was feeling better. She also noticed how Trixie’s voice was sounding a lot better than earlier. ‘That medicine must really be working great,’ she thought, bringing over some water to Trixie.

Trixie’s hooves were still bound, so she wasn’t able to reach for the water herself. Instead, Twilight lifted Trixie’s head up, and put the glass to Trixie’s lips. As she assisted Trixie with drinking the water, Twilight put a hoof to Trixie’s forehead. ‘Yikes! Her temperature’s gone way down! That medicine really is good!’

Once Trixie was finished with the water, Twilight pulled the glass away and gently lay Trixie down. “Anything else I can get you?” Twilight asked.

Trixie shook her head, and shifted to the side a bit. “Just…Stay by Trixie’s side…Please?” Trixie asked, her face red from both her fever, and now from her embarrassment.

Twilight set the glass down on a nearby counter, and lay down on the bed next to Trixie. “Ok. Just let me know if you need something,” Twilight said, wrapping her forelegs around Trixie, who rested her head against Twilight’s shoulder.

The two remained like that for a while, Trixie’s breathing calming down as she rested in Twilight’s legs. Twilight felt herself growing tired, and slowly shut her eyes as she fell into a peaceful slumber next to Trixie.

Twilight woke up in her bed back at the Ponyville library, to the sounds of knocking at the library door. She groaned and tumbled out of bed, and then lazily made her way to the front door. The knocking continued, and grew louder with each passing second.

She finally made her way to the door, and flung it open quickly with her magic, scowling at the pony who had the nerve to bother her at such an hour. “Yes? Can I help you?” Twilight asked, obviously annoyed.

Her eyes widened when she saw the Great and Powerful Trixie standing outside, wearing a seductive maid outfit. “Good morning, mistress. How may I service you today?”

Twilight was taken aback by this. “M-Mistress?” she asked, backing away as Trixie approached her. She felt her face heating up, and then felt a hoof on her shoulder from somepony behind her. She quickly spun around to see Trixie, this time dressed in a very short nurse’s outfit. “W-What? But you-”

Trixie put her forehead up against Twilight’s, their lips so very close, but just not quite touching. “Oh my. It seems you have a fever, Miss Sparkle.” Trixie moved forward as Twilight moved back, keeping their lips a close distance together. “I think I have some medicine for you. Perhaps you’d like to receive it mouth-to-mouth?”

Twilight pushed nurse-Trixie away, and saw maid-Trixie approaching. “What’s going on!? How are there two of you!?”

“Hey, darling,” a voice from behind Twilight said. Twilight turned around to see that her bookshelves had been replaced with another Trixie, this one dressed in a wedding dress. “Should we go upstairs, or should we start our honeymoon here?”

“Honeymoon!?” Twilight shrieked, backing away from bride-Trixie until she bumped into nurse-Trixie again, who wrapped her forelegs around Twilight’s neck. “W-Wait! What is this!?”

“Poor dear, you’re under so much stress,” nurse-Trixie whispered into Twilight’s ear.

“Perhaps I can help?” another Trixie asked. This one wasn’t dressed in anything special, but had her mane tied back into a bun, and was wearing a pair of thick black glasses that Twilight for some reason found absolutely adorable. “Why don’t you sit down and tell me what’s troubling you?”

Twilight looked around at the various Trixie’s, each one staring at her with half-close eyelids, and slowly drawing closer to her. “W-Why are there so many of you?”

“I’m disappointed, Sparkle!” shouted a voice from upstairs. Twilight looked up and, sure enough, there was another Trixie there. This one had her mane tied the same way as therapist-Trixie, and had the same glasses, but was also dressed in a white buttoned shirt and a black miniskirt. She held up a piece of paper for Twilight to read. “0% on your last test! I expected better from you!”

Twilight looked at the test paper before her with a shocked look on her face. “What!? T-That’s impossible!” Twilight protested. She found it odd that she was more concerned about the test than all of the Trixie’s around her, but it was too late to question that now.

“Not at all. You forgot to write your name on the paper,” Trixie said, pointing at the blank name section at the top. Twilight facehooved, shocked that she would make such an amateurish mistake. “But, a 0 is still a 0. And now, it’s time for some strict discipline.” Trixie grinned, and the paper turned into a long cane and a pair of hoof cuffs.

Twilight let out a loud shriek, and tried to run away, but yet another Trixie blocked her path. This one was dressed as a member of the Royal Guard, and told Twilight that she was under arrest, and that she would be taken down to police headquarters for “special interrogation”.

Twilight continuously tried to escape, but each time, she was interrupted by another Trixie. There was a stewardess-Trixie, a cowpony-Trixie, a Princess-Trixie, and even a futa-Trixie, this Trixie being the most shocking and unnerving of them all to Twilight, but also the one she was most curious about.

Eventually, she was completely surrounded by Trixies, each one obviously trying to have their way with her. She held her head in her hooves, and kept her eyes shut tight, wishing for them all to just go away. ‘So many Trixies…So many, but…They’re not my Trixie!’

Twilight woke up again, this time in the familiar surroundings of Trixie’s trailer. She looked over to her side, and saw Cheerilee sitting next to her, reading a book. She slowly sat up, gaining Cheerilee’s attention. “Oh, Twilight! You’re awake,” Cheerilee said, closing her book and reaching over to put a hoof against Twilight’s forehead. “How are you feeling?”

Twilight groaned as she felt a headache rising. “Not too good…” Twilight remembered the dream she had just had, and quickly turned around to check on Trixie. Her colour drained when she saw that Trixie was not there. “W-Where’s Trixie?”

Cheerilee turned Twilight to face her, giving her a calm, reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. Trixie is just fine. She’s just visiting the little filly’s room, that’s all.”

As if just on cue, Trixie entered the trailer from outside. Twilight turned to Trixie, and looked her up and down. She was dressed in her purple cape, and she was surrounded by the same aura of self-confidence that she always carried around with her. Trixie approached Twilight, asking if she was ok. Twilight’s eyes teared up, and she quickly threw her forelegs around Trixie.

Trixie blushed, not expecting the sudden hug, and tried to pull away, but Twilight’s grip on her was too much. “T-Twilight? What’s going on?”

“Trixie…You really are Trixie, aren’t you?” she asked, rubbing her cheek against Trixie’s. “Please don’t change…Just stay as you are…”

Trixie was confused by Twilight’s words, and turned to Cheerilee for an explanation, but only received a shrug from the equally confused teacher. “Twilight…What happened?”

Twilight held Trixie tighter as she remembered her dream. “I…I had a nightmare. There were so many of you, and you were all trying to take me away, and do Celestia knows what. I was so scared,” she said, barely holding back a few sobs. “I thought I was gonna be taken away by some fake images of you. I was afraid…That I’d lose the real you.”

Trixie let out a sigh, and stroked the purple Unicorn’s mane with one of her free hooves. “Honestly, you worry over the silliest things,” she said, returning Twilight’s hug. “Trixie would never change. She’s already perfect, so there’s no need to. And if a fake Trixie comes along, the real one will protect you. Ok?”

Twilight smiled as Trixie’s words calmed her down somewhat. ‘That’s right,’ she thought. ‘You’re perfect Trixie. So don’t change…Just stay as you are.’

The two continued hugging each other for a few minutes, before Cheerilee, who had been politely (and uncomfortably) remaining silent, cleared her throat to gain their attention. The two turned to her, and then quickly separated themselves from each other, their faces turning bright shades of red.

“While this is all very sweet,” Cheerilee started. “The doctor recommended that Twilight get as much rest as possible.”

Twilight suddenly remembered her condition, and checked her body. Sure enough, her rash was still there, and now that she was thinking about it, the itching had returned, too. She unconsciously started scratching various parts of her body, until her hooves were held in place by somepony’s magic.

“What the?” Twilight turned towards Trixie, who grinning deviously at the purple Unicorn, whilst holding her hooves still with her magic. “Wait, what gives?” Twilight asked, noticing that Trixie was suddenly feeling a lot better. She even noticed that Trixie’s rashes had gone. “How are you better already? How long was I out?”

“Only a few hours,” Cheerilee answered, shocking Twilight. “I was amazed too. Usually, ponies have the pony pox for a few days at least, but Trixie somehow made a full recovery in just a few hours.”

Trixie simply shrugged and lay Twilight down on the bed. “What can Trixie say? Her immune system must be every bit as great and powerful as she is.”

Twilight stared at Trixie with wide-eyed amazement. Either the medicine Twilight had gotten for Trixie was super potent, or Trixie had the most powerful immune system ever. “That’s impossible…Nopony’s immune system should be that good.”

Cheerilee laughed, leaning over and tucking Twilight into bed. “That’s exactly what the doctor said. He insisted that Trixie must have developed some superpony immune system, and told her that she should donate her body to medical research.”

“Trixie declined, of course,” Trixie said. “Trixie’s body is a work of art. And one does not simply allow somepony to deface works of art because they are curious. Besides, Trixie would feel uncomfortable being tested on like some lab rat.”

Twilight could understand where the doctor was coming from. If Trixie truly did have the ability to recover from illness at such a fast rate, then researching her could bring about great things for medical science.

“Well, how about if you let me do some tests on you?” Twilight asked, her eyelids half-closed as she rested her head on Trixie’s pillow.

Trixie looked down at Twilight in surprise, and then let out a small laugh. “Yes, Twilight, it’s cute when you try to seduce Trixie. But maybe you should wait until after you’re better?”

Twilight looked up at Trixie in shock. ‘Seduce? What does she mean? Did my voice sound seductive because of my condition? And what does she mean “cute”? Is she saying I’m terrible at seduction? I’ll show her! When I’m better, I’ll-’

A thought crossed Twilight’s mind, cutting off her previous train of thought. She turned her head to face Cheerilee, who was once again reading her book. “Cheerilee?” she called out. Cheerilee turned to face the sick Twilight. “C-Can I ask you to send a letter to Ponyville, explaining that I won’t be able to return for a few days?”

Cheerilee nodded. “Of course, Twilight. I’d be happy to.” She grabbed a quill pen from Trixie’s desk, and Trixie handed her a piece of paper to write on and an envelope for when she was finished.

“Stamps are in the top drawer,” Trixie said, keeping her attention on Twilight.

“Oh, and don’t mention anything about Trixie,” Twilight said. Trixie frowned at this, so Twilight wasted no time following up. “I want them to find out about us by introducing her to them, face-to-face. Not through a letter.”

Cheerilee nodded, scrunching up the first piece of paper and writing on a new one. “You two must be very close. How long have you been together?”

“A few months,” Twilight answered, not able to give a more precise answer, like she usually would, in her current condition.

“You should have told me,” Cheerilee complained, pouting as she continued writing the letter. “You know I love romance stories.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Twilight apologised, followed by a series of coughs. “By the way, Trixie, what are you going to do about tomorrow?”

“What do you-” Trixie gasped in sudden realization. Tomorrow, she was supposed to make her way to Canterlot to give a performance. But now, with Twilight here and not feeling well, she wasn’t sure if going was a good idea. “…It’s a shame, but Trixie will just have to cancel…Even though she was looking forward to performing to the Princess.”

“The Princess!?” Twilight asked, shooting her head up in surprise.

“Yes, Princess Celestia herself was going to attend Trixie’s show. According to the rumours, anyway.”

Twilight felt herself becoming dizzy, and quickly lay her head back down on the pillow again. “The Princess…” Twilight turned to Trixie, who was obviously upset with having to cancel tomorrow’s plans. “…Trixie? I think you should go.”

Trixie’s eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. “No, Twilight! I couldn’t leave you here knowing that you’re not well!”

“Who said anything about me staying?” Twilight asked, confusing Trixie. “I won’t be able to go back to Ponyville like this, since Cheerilee will be staying here for a few days, and I have nopony else to go with. And I don’t want to hold you back or inconvenience you in any way.”

“You won’t inconvenience me! All that matters is you get better!”

Twilight smiled at Trixie’s sweetness, and then continued. “I’ll be fine travelling as long as I stay in bed, right? You should go to Canterlot…And then I can introduce you to the Princess, and my family.”

Trixie was once again surprised by Twilight’s words, and then took some time to consider them. She remembered Twilight explaining that Celestia was her mentor, a fact that at first annoyed Trixie, but that she eventually got over. And now Twilight was thinking about introducing Trixie to her family and mentor.

The family thing alone made Trixie nervous to the point that she was starting to feel sick again, but the Princess was even worse. Trixie shook her head rapidly, waving her hooves in front of her face. “Nononono! Impossible! Absolutely no way!”

Twilight frowned at Trixie’s rejection. “Why?”

“She’s the Princess!” Trixie shouted, panic clear on her face. “And your mentor! What if she doesn’t approve of Trixie? She might banish her! Or imprison her! Or…Or…”

“Banish you and then imprison you where she banished you to?”

Trixie nodded. “Exactly! So you understand, right?”

Twilight rolled her eyes at Trixie’s paranoia. “Come on, Trixie. You’re overreacting.” ‘Not like I have any right to say that…’

“How can you be sure?”

“Because she’s my teacher,” Twilight said. “She would never do something like that. And even if she would, if I’m there to protect you, you’ll be safe. She’ll never harm me just to get to you.”

This didn’t help to calm Trixie’s nerves. In fact, it made them even worse. “So you’ll be putting your life at risk to protect Trixie? That doesn’t exactly make Trixie feel better.”

‘Ok, maybe that was the wrong thing to say,’ Twilight thought, and tried to think of something better to say. “Alright then, how about this? Let me go to Canterlot with you, and let me introduce you to the Princess. That can be your favour.”

Trixie winced, and fell silent. Twilight didn’t like using this card, since she never considered Trixie as being in debt to her anyway. Basically, Twilight stuck up for Trixie back before they confessed their feelings to each other, and Trixie insisted on paying Twilight back somehow. Twilight already asked Trixie to take part in a DDR game with her, but Trixie didn’t consider that enough, and had since been pestering Twilight to let her pay back the debt.

Twilight considered that, this way, she’d be killing two birds with one stone. She’d finally get to introduce Trixie the Princess Celestia, somepony who she’d wanted to introduce Trixie to for a while, but even as her star pupil, arranging an audience was difficult, especially if your reason was simply to introduce your marefriend. Twilight would also be able to get Trixie to stop feeling indebted to her by doing this.

Twilight looked over at Trixie, who seemed to have given in. “Alright…Trixie will take you with her to Canterlot…”

“Oh? You’re going to Canterlot?” asked Cheerilee, who had just returned from mailing her letter to Ponyville.

Trixie nodded, still looking unsure about going with Twilight. Twilight smiled and closed her eyes as she fell into a peaceful sleep.

The following day, Trixie set off for Canterlot with Twilight Sparkle still resting in her bed. Cheerilee remained in Manehatten, but wish them good luck.

Trixie had been moving her trailer with her magic for two straight hours, and eventually had to stop to take a break. She moved her trailer off the road, and rested it by a small lake, where a few foals were playing. They stopped to check out her trailer, and while she would usually put on a small show to entertain them, right now, she had a more important matter on her mind.

She headed back inside her trailer to check up on Twilight. At some point, she must have awoken, and was reading a book. Trixie tried to see what book it was, but there was no title on the cover. She titled her head to see Twilight’s face, and giggled. ‘She’s so cute when she’s absorbed in reading. I wonder if I can startle her?’

Trixie walked past Twilight, trying to suppress her giggling, and lowered her head so that her mouth was close to Twilight’s ear. She was about to whisper something that even an engrossed Twilight wouldn’t be able to ignore, but her gaze shifted to the book that Twilight was reading, and she let out a loud gasp. “W-Why are you looking at this!?” she shouted as she grabbed the book from Twilight with her magic.

Twilight jumped at Trixie’s raised voice, and flinched when the book was suddenly snatched from her hooves. She examined her hooves to see that her right forehoof had been cut, and a small trail of blood was starting to run down it.

Trixie also noticed the cut, and immediately threw the book to the floor and moved closer to examine the wound. “Oh no! Trixie’s sorry, Twilight! S-She was just surprised, and wasn’t thinking, and-”

Twilight shook her head. “No, I shouldn’t have been looking through your things without permission,” she said, covering her cut with her other hoof. “I just got curious, and when I start reading something good, I can’t stop…Sorry.” Twilight turned her head away to hide her embarrassment.

Trixie swallowed hard, and had to resist the urge to pounce on the adorable mare in front of her. ‘She’s ill, Trixie. She needs rest.’ Trixie took a deep, calming breath, and then turned her attention to Twilight’s cut hoof. “Let Trixie see it,” she said. Twilight reluctantly obeyed, and moved her hooves so that Trixie could see the cut clearly. “Trixie will get a bandage. Hold on one second.”

Twilight nodded, and sat patiently whilst Trixie searched her kitchen for her first aid kit. She thought about the photo album of Trixie’s, and wanted to ask her some questions about it, but wasn’t sure if she should pry too much into Trixie’s life. Eventually, though, her curiosity and desire to know as much about Trixie as possible proved to be too strong.

“Um, Trixie?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, Twilight?” Trixie responded, bringing the first aid kit over to Twilight. She used her magic to levitate a plaster, and placed it over Trixie’s cut.

“That photo album…Why were you mostly be yourself?” Trixie hesitated for a moment. “Oh, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine,” Twilight said, suddenly regretting asking Trixie something that was obviously a sensitive topic.

“No, it’s fine. You did say that you wanted to hear more of Trixie’s life, right?” Twilight nodded, and Trixie took a moment to decide where to begin. “As you know, Trixie also attended Celestia’s School, just like you.

“But Trixie’s life wasn’t always so great. Trixie’s earliest memory was of being found by the Matron of the Canterlot orphanage.” Twilight’s eyes widened, not liking where this was going. “An orphanage of 31 foals, and only one adult. The government had given up on us, and whatever resources we did get were by no means plentiful. We literally had to fight for our survival.

“That’s why Trixie was, for the most part, by herself. It wasn’t until Trixie was about seven that her magic drew the attention of…Some special ponies that would eventually become her first friends.”

Twilight recalled the first picture she saw of Trixie smiling. It was a picture of a filly Trixie, and around her, a bunch of teenage ponies whose appearances screamed “delinquents”. She gulped, and dared to ask her next question: “You mean those dangerous looking ponies you were smiling with?”

Trixie’s winced, and turned her head away from Twilight, mostly in shame. “…I was poor. And dying. I didn’t know it at the time, but using magic consumes a lot of energy. So since I used it so recklessly, I had pretty much assured an early death for myself. But I was saved, by them.

“A group of ponies witnessed one of my illusions that I used to fend off some of the older foals from the orphanage, who were trying to take my food. They were impressed, and recruited me to help them with some…Questionable deals.”

“Help them…How?” Twilight asked, a look of horror on her face.

Trixie turned to Twilight, and saw the look of horror that she wore. Her eyes widened, and she immediately shook her head rapidly. “No! I didn’t do anything really bad! I would never bring serious harm to somepony!” Twilight’s anxiety seemed to have calmed down, and Twilight felt disgusted at herself for even suspecting Trixie would do something so horrible. “I merely used my magic to assist their escapes after some illegal transactions.”

Twilight’s frown returned, and Trixie turned her head away again. “It’s not a part of my life I was proud of,” Trixie explained. “But I was afraid…Afraid of dying. They offered food and money for my services. And in one year, I was able to enrol into a public school with the money that I had saved.”

“They let you leave? Just like that?” Twilight asked. She quickly put her hooves to her mouth, mentally cursing herself for potentially bringing back more painful memories for Trixie. ‘Stupid! You couldn’t just leave it alone, could you!?’

“Actually…” Trixie started, levitating the photo album over to herself and opening it up to a certain page. “Even though our relations started as mere accomplices, truthfully, that year was the most enjoyable year in Trixie’s life up to that point.” Trixie smiled as she looked through the photos, and felt Twilight looking over her shoulder at the photos.

“They committed plenty of illegal deals, but they weren’t so bad. They always did their best to avoid dangerous cases, because they didn’t want to resort to violence.” Trixie stopped at one photo of herself holding a hoof to her mouth, looking like she was about to throw up. Next to her was a glass floating in the air, and underneath the photo were the words: “Trixie becomes an adult!”

“So, they let you go because they trusted you?” Twilight asked, suddenly feeling a lot less frantic about the whole situation, after hearing that Trixie wasn’t involved in anything too vile.

“Not just that. They actually supported me. They wished me the best of luck, and slipped me a little extra money to start off my new life.” Trixie closed the book, and turned back to Twilight, a smile on her face as tears rolled down.

Twilight leaned over pulled Trixie into a hug. “Two years of public school later, and I finally found my Cutie Mark. I told you about that, right?”

Twilight nodded, not letting go of Trixie. “Yeah. You put on a show and recreated the Sonic Rainboom with your illusions, right?”

“Yeah…Turns out that was the turning point in my life,” Trixie started. “Because at the time, there were some teachers from Celestia’s School watching the performance, and they were so impressed with my performance, that they offered me a scholarship at their school.”

Twilight pulled away from the hug, and looked at Trixie with her eyes wide open. “Really? Wow, that must have been a good show! Those teachers aren’t easy to impress!”

Trixie laughed, and nodded in agreement with Twilight. “Well, it helped that my talent was in illusions. Illusionists are a rarity to come by, especially ones who specialise in the skill.”

Twilight nodded, smiling now that Trixie seemed to have cheered up a bit. “Yeah, it’s not easy to create illusions. Even if you have plenty of raw magic, illusionary magic is just in a class of its own.”

Twilight hated to admit it, but illusionary magic was the one magic type that she couldn’t perform. She knew it shouldn’t bother her, but for some reason, it did. The first thing they teach you at Celestia’s School is that illusionary magic is something you can either do, or you can’t, and no amount of training will change that. It was thought that the ability to perform illusions was genetic, since even the most powerful of Unicorns were sometimes completely incapable of pulling them off.

A sudden realisation hit Twilight as she recalled Trixie’s story. “Wait, you say that you entered Celestia’s School shortly after the Sonic Rainboom incident, right?” Trixie nodded, and Twilight’s face lit up in excitement. “No way! That means…We started at the same time!”

Trixie’s eyes widened, and she looked at Twilight disbelievingly. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because, I passed the entrance exam on the same day as the Sonic Rainboom,” Twilight explained, and then shifted the bed covers to reveal her flank. “In fact, it was thanks to that Rainboom that I got my Cutie Mark.”

“Really?” Trixie asked. “Wow! That’s…Amazing! It must be a sign that we’re destined for each other!”

Twilight giggled at Trixie’s sudden enthusiasm. She considered telling Trixie that her friends were connected in the same way, but decided not to ruin the mood right now. Trixie was happy thinking the two shared a special connection, and Twilight didn’t want to take that away from her.

A few sudden coughs from Twilight reminded the two of them that she was still ill, and Trixie placed the covers back onver Twilight. “Anyway, Trixie will continue moving soon. Would you like something to eat, or do you want to wait?”

“I’ll wait,” Twilight answered. “I think I’ll just get some sleep for now.”

Trixie nodded. “Ok…Twilight?”

“Yeah?”

“Can you…Not tell anypony of Trixie’s dark past?” Trixie asked with a worried look on her face.

Twilight smiled warmly at Trixie. “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me.”

Trixie’s smile returned, but fell back to a frown when she saw Twilight’s hooves moving about under her covers. Twilight realised that she was scratching herself, and quickly stopped, smiling innocently at Trixie. “Too late,” Trixie said, grinning as she levitated the same rope that Twilight had used on Trixie when she was ill.

“And now, for Trixie’s last trick, she will end on something simple. Something you are all probably familiar with.” Trixie pulled off her hat, and flipped it upside down. “Watch in awe as Trixie’s hat will transcends dimensions, and Trixie will pull a rabbit from within!”

The foals at the front watched with anticipation. Most of the older ponies were disappointed; they had expected something grand after how big the rest of her tricks were. Especially with the Princess of the Sun watching.

Trixie reached into her hat, but then looked confused. She continued shifting her hoof, and then pulled it back, staring at her hat. Something had obviously gone wrong, and the foals at the front were starting to look disappointed. “How odd…Trixie apologises, it seems she has blundered a bit.”

Before the crowd could react at all, a scream was heard, followed by another, and another. The ponies looked around them as they saw rabbits emerging from the hats of various members of the crowd. Trixie ginned and used her magic to levitate the rabbits towards her.

“Trixie would like to thank you all for coming to her performance today! Make sure to tell your friends about the wondrous talents of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” she shouted, connecting her hooves with two rabbit paws. The other rabbits connected their paws, eventually forming a line of rabbits, with Trixie in the middle. They all bowed towards the audience, receiving high applause from the crowds.

Once the curtain closed, and nopony could see her, Trixie undid the illusion, and the rabbits all disappeared. It was so easy to make the rabbits seem real; just seek out some ponies with hats (there were plenty in Canterlot), and cast a levitation spell to raise them up. Then, create the images of rabbits. Since the hats physically moved, nopony would consider the rabbits to be fakes. Well, most ponies wouldn’t, at least.

Trixie moved back into her trailer, using her magic to fold her stage back up. Once inside, Twilight greeted Trixie with some clapping of her hooves. “That was great, Trixie! I especially liked when you set your tail on fire and dumped water onto yourself to put it out. I almost thought it was real!”

Trixie blushed and turned her head away. “It…Was real,” she muttered. There was an awkward silence between the two.

Twilight decided to end the silence before it was too late. “W-Well…Maybe you should make an act based on it? Everypony loves a good comedy act, after all,” she said, laughing nervously.

“Indeed they do,” a voice that didn’t belong to either of them said. They turned around and were both very surprised to see Princess Celestia standing before them. She had just entered the trailer through the front door, and her smile turned to a frown when she saw her student. “Are you ok, Twilight? I felt your magic nearby, but it was…Weak, and uneven. So I got concerned.”

Trixie wanted to scold the Princess for just barging into somepony’s home, and without even knocking, too. But, she knew better than that. That would surely be a one-way trip to the moon. And there was nopony to amaze with her talents up there.

Twilight nodded at her mentor, still surprised to see her all of a sudden. “I-I’m fine, Princess!” Twilight said. She saw the Princess examining her hooves closely, and then checked them herself. There were still rope marks there from when Trixie restrained her hooves. She had undone them just before her performance so that Twilight could cheer for her properly. “Ah, these! It’s not what it looks like! You see, I have the pony pox, and Trixie was just making sure I didn’t scratch myself! She only did it to help me, and-”

Celestia silenced her pupil the same way she always did whenever she started rambling. She placed a hoof up into the air, and Twilight slowly started to calm down. “Yes, yes, I can see quite well what your condition is.” Celestia turned to Trixie, who flinched and immediately hid her face under her hat, as if doing so would make her invisible. “Trixie, thank you so much for taking care of my student. I am most grateful.”

Trixie blinked in surprise, even more so when the Princess bowed to her. Now she wasn’t sure what to do. Having the Princess thank you was one thing, but having her bow to you was completely unheard of. “W-Well…O-Of course I took care of her! S-She took care of me when I had the pony pox, after all.”

“Except you got over them faster,” Twilight moaned, pouting.

“Trixie can’t help it if her immune system is stronger than yours!” Trixie said, turning to Twilight. “Besides, you should be thankful! It means you got to see one of Trixie’s shows from backstage!”

“You mean you wouldn’t let me see your shows backstage if I were healthy?” Twilight asked, putting on the best puppy dog face she could muster.

Trixie was taken aback by this, and started flustering. “O-Of course Trixie would! You know that’s not what Trixie meant!” Twilight couldn’t hold back her laughter. Trixie grinned at the laughing Unicorn, and was about to walk over and punish her for her little trick, before she remembered that the Princess was still in the trailer with them.

“You two seem to be getting along well,” Celestia observed, smiling at her pupil. “I’m glad you seem to have made another great friend, Twilight.”

Twilight and Trixie exchanged glances, and Trixie walked over to Twilight, with a determined look on her face. She nodded to Twilight, and Twilight turned to Celestia. “Actually…Princess…”

“Hm?”

“The truth is…Trixie and I are…Well, that is…We’re…” Twilight felt so resolved a moment ago, but suddenly, she was finding it really hard to bring out the words. What if Trixie’s fears weren’t entirely unfounded? What if the Princess truly does reject their relationship? She’s the ruler of Equestria. So she can literally make it forbidden for them to see each other.

Trixie saw Twilight’s determination fading, and gathered the courage to finish what Twilight was saying. “Trixie loves Twilight Sparkle!” she shouted, startling both Twilight and Celestia. “A-And, regardless of what you say, Trixie wants to spend her life by Twilight’s side!” she finished, wrapping her front legs around Twilight, causing the purple mare’s face to turn a deep shade of red.

Celestia stared at the two wide-eyed for a few seconds, and then turned to Twilight, with a serious look on her face. “And you, Twilight?” Twilight gulped under Celestia’s gaze. “Do you feel the same way towards Trixie?”

“I-I do,” Twilight said, bringing her hooves up and grabbing a hold of Trixie’s with them. “I love Trixie, and I want to spend my entire life with her!”

Celestia looked at the two ponies for a few seconds, and then her face turned into a warm smile. “I see,” she said, approaching the two, who braced themselves for whatever would happen next. “I can’t tell you how happy I am!”

The two blinked in surprise, and Celestia pulled them both into a hug. “I was always worried that Twilight would never find a special somepony! She was always so obsessed with books. At one point, I even thought she would marry a book.”

Celestia and Trixie shared a laugh. Twilight, on the other hoof, was un-amused. ‘Oh, come ON! There’s nothing wrong with being well-read, right?’

Celestia released the two ponies, and then turned to Trixie. “Trixie, please take good care of Twilight. She can be quite a handful, as I’m sure you know.”

Trixie laughed again, as Twilight turned away and pouted. “Yes, Trixie knows all too well,” she said. “But, she’s also the kindest, sweetest pony Trixie knows…Evidenced by how well she cared for Trixie yesterday.”

“Yesterday? Didn’t you have the pony pox?” Celestia asked.

Trixie turned back to Celestia with a look of confusion. “Yeah…”

“…When did the symptoms start?”

“Yesterday, why?”

Celestia put a hoof to her chin as she processed her thoughts. ‘She recovered from the pony pox on the same day that she caught them?…Well, it’s rare, but it’s not impossible for a Unicorn’s immune system to be enhanced by magic…Maybe I should run a background check on this filly.’ Celestia shook her head, clearing the thought from her mind. ‘No, I’m just being silly. She’s Twilight’s marefriend, and she’s clearly a very kind pony. There’s no reason to go digging into her past.’

Celestia’s smile returned to her face. “It’s nothing. I was just curious,” she said as she turned around and began leaving. She stopped to mention on final thing to Twilight. “Oh, Twilight, I assume you were going to tell your family about your relationship?” Twilight nodded, and Celestia continued. “That will have to wait. Your parents are out of town on their anniversary, and your brother’s currently out of town on a very important mission.”

Twilight’s ears dropped, and a frown formed on her face. “Oh…Is that right?” Trixie’s hold on Twilight tightened, returning the smile to Twilight’s face. “Oh well, I guess it can’t be helped.”

“Maybe I could drop them a message for you?” Celestia offered, but Twilight declined.

“I’d rather tell them myself, face-to-face.”

Celestia nodded in understanding, and left the trailer. The two were once again alone, and sat together in a peaceful silence, until a sneeze from Twilight broke said silence. Trixie tucked Twilight back into bed, and fetched some of the medicine that Twilight had bought the previous day.

“So, um, Trixie…” Twilight paused to take the medicine that Trixie had brought over. She scrunched up her face, as she always did when she had to take some medicine, which Trixie found too adorable to resist hugging her. “Uh, about coming to Ponyville…”

Trixie released Twilight and moved away to pour some water for her. “Sorry, Twilight, but it will have to wait. Trixie’s schedule is full for this week.”

“Then, this weekend?” Twilight asked hopefully. “The truth is, this Saturday is my birthday.”

Trixie almost lost her magical hold over the glass of water, and turned quickly to Twilight. “What!? Why did you not tell Trixie of this sooner! Oh, this isn’t good! Trixie has to get you a present!” Twilight tried to calm Trixie down, but it wasn’t quite working. “What would you like? Tell Trixie! She has to make sure she gets you the perfect gift!”

“No, really, it’s fine,” she insisted, but Trixie would have none of it. “Uh, then…How about you surprise me?” Twilight suggested. “Honestly, anything would be great, as long as it comes from your heart.”

Trixie stared into Twilight’s eyes for a few seconds, and then turned away to let out a muffled laugh through her hooves. “That was so cheesy, Twilight,” she said.

Twilight frowned, and lay back down, throwing the covers over herself. “Fine, then forget I said anything!” she said. “Good night, Trixie!”

“…In any case, perhaps Trixie shouldn’t go to Ponyville this weekend,” Trixie said, causing Twilight to poke her head out from under the covers and look at her quizzically. “Trixie knows you hope for the best, but if things don’t go as we hope…Well, Trixie doesn’t want to ruin your birthday.”

Twilight looked at Trixie with a sad expression on her face. “But…I want you to be there, Trixie. It’s my birthday, after all.”

Trixie grinned at Twilight with that same grin she always wore right before a big show. “Oh, don’t you worry, Twilight. Trixie has a plan…Yes, she’ll make this the greatest birthday of your life.”

Twilight didn’t like the way Trixie was chuckling to herself, and ducked back under the covers. ‘Oh Celestia, she’s planning something…Please let everything be ok.’

A Twixie Birthday

Twilight finished waving goodbye to her friends as she reached her library. They had just returned from Canterlot, where they all celebrated Twilight’s birthday party, since Rarity had wrote to them saying that she wouldn’t be able to make it back to Ponyville in time.

As her friends parted and headed towards their own homes, Twilight let out a quiet sigh. The party was certainly fun, but it was also pretty tiring. Also, Twilight had been on edge all day. She was worried that suddenly, a certain blue mare would pop out of nowhere to wish her a happy birthday in her own, grand way, embarrassing Twilight in front of her friends, and possibly breaking into a conflict with them.

But, despite the blue mare’s claims to make Twilight’s birthday the greatest birthday of her entire life, Twilight saw no signs of Trixie anywhere, and didn’t receive any presents from her, either.

Twilight wondered if Trixie got cold hooves from the thought of appearing in front of her friends, and let out another sigh. ‘Trixie didn’t seem so afraid of meeting my friends…Could she be holding back because she thinks I’m worried? I should ask her when I see her next week…’

Twilight opened the door to the library and stepped inside. “Spike,” she called out, but received no response. She tried again. “Spike?” Still no response. Twilight looked around the library with a confused look, and reached for the light switch beside the door.

Once the room was lit up, Twilight’s attention was drawn to the centre of the room, where a big box in blue wrapping paper with a purple ribbon was sitting quietly.

Twilight closed the door behind her as she walked further into the room, examining the box closely. There was a tag attached to the side. Twilight lifted it with her magic, and narrowed her eyes to read it: “To Twilight, happy birthday, love Trixie?”

Twilight looked at the present excitedly, but also nervously. “Wait, does this mean…Does Spike know about me and Trixie? And where is she, anyway? Did she just deliver this and go home?”

As Twilight unleashed a series of questions to herself out loud, the box suddenly shook, startling the purple Unicorn and breaking her chain of questions. “D-Did the box just…Move?” This only increased Twilight’s nervousness. What in Equestria had Trixie gotten her?

Twilight swallowed hard as she braced herself, and then used her magic to slowly undo the ribbon, making sure to take it off neatly, so as not to tear it. It would be a shame to waste it, after all, since it could be used again in the future.

Once the ribbon was off, Twilight used her magic to slowly rip open the wrapping paper. As soon as it was off, the box underneath suddenly burst open, and from within came a blue mare covered in sweat, wearing an angry face despite her best attempts to smile at the startled Unicorn who was now on her back, staring wide-eyed at Trixie.

“H-Happy birthday, T-Twilight!” Trixie shouted, panting heavily as she leaned over the edge of the box. “T-Trixie…Did not think this through…”

Twilight stared at her marefriend completely dumbstruck. After a few seconds to collect herself, Twilight rose to her hooves and helped Trixie climb out of the box. “Um…Trixie? You ok?”

Trixie, who was still panting, and was now wiping the sweat off of her head, simply nodded and asked Twilight for a glass of water. Twilight fetched a glass from her kitchen and poured some water into it, and then brought it back out to Trixie, who gulped it down rather quickly.

Trixie took a moment to catch her breath, and then turned to Twilight, eyes half open as she grinned at the still confused librarian. “So, surprised?”

Twilight nodded, and then remembered that Spike was still nowhere in sight. “Um…Did you…Set this up with Spike?”

Trixie shook her head. “No, Trixie simply sent your friend away on business, using an illusionary image of you.” Trixie leaned in closer to Twilight, and added a seductive tone to her voice. “He won’t be back for a few hours, which gives you plenty of time to enjoy your present.”

Twilight’s ears perked up and her eyes sparkled, as she bobbed her head to look over Trixie’s shoulder at the box, a big smile crossing her face. “What did you get me? Is it a book? Or a collection of books?”

Trixie rolled her eyes, and tapped Twilight’s nose, drawing Twilight’s attention back to her. “Twilight, what came out of that box?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow in confusion, but answered anyway. “You.”

Trixie waited for a few seconds for Twilight to get it, and when a streak of red crossed Twilight’s face, Trixie leaned in to kiss her marefriend on the lips.

The two mares closed their eyes as they enjoyed each other’s lips. Trixie’s tongue against Twilight’s mouth caused her to open up, and allow the showmare’s tongue to taste her own. Twilight’s own tongue fought back, and a full minute passed before the two mares pulled back, a thick strand of saliva between their tongues breaking as Trixie’s face moved away from Twilight’s.

“Tonight, Twilight, Trixie will do whatever. You. Want,” Trixie said seductively, smiling as the redness across Twilight’s face grew more intense.

About an hour later, Twilight and Trixie decided to take a break from their lovemaking to take a hot bath together. Twilight’s bathtub was small, but neither of them minded. Or, at least, Twilight didn’t mind. Trixie preferred to have plenty of space when she bathed, and was mentally complaining about the size of the tub, but she wasn’t going to voice those complaints to her marefriend.

Trixie let out a sigh as she looked back on the past hour. Despite giving Twilight the lead tonight, Trixie still somehow ended up on top. ‘Of course Twilight’s fantasy involves her being a bad student,’ Trixie laughed in her mind. More accurately, Twilight’s fantasy involved her being a student who handed her homework in late, and had to be punished by “Miss Lulamoon.” ‘Well, whatever makes her happy…’

“Trixie?” Twilight asked, breaking Trixie out of her daze. “Were you even listening to me?”

Trixie froze as she stared at Twilight, trying not to show her nervousness. ‘Uh-oh…This isn’t good…Think, Trixie, what should you say?’ Trixie leaned forward and wrapped her forehooves around Twilight. “You’re so cute, Twilight!”

Twilight sighed and pushed Trixie away. “So, no, you weren’t listening,” she said, turning away from Trixie and pouting. “You were off in your own little world again, huh?”

Trixie’s ears drooped as a guilty look crossed her face. “S-Sorry, Twi…I was just-”

Trixie was cut off by the sound of Twilight’s laughter, and the purple librarian turned to face Trixie again. “Wow, I was only kidding, Trixie,” Twilight said, wiping a tear from her eye. “Come on, like I’d try talking to you during a bath. I know better than that; you’re too relaxed to hear anything.”

Trixie blinked at Twilight a few times in disbelief, and then narrowed her eyes at the librarian. “You dare to trick Trixie?” she asked with somewhat feigned annoyance. “Trixie will get you for that!” she shouted as she reached forward for Twilight with her forehooves.

Before Twilight could respond, Trixie began tickling Twilight’s sides, the purple mare breaking out into a series of giggles. “AHAHAHAHAHA! T-TRIXIE! STOP! AHAHA!”

Trixie stopped and allowed Twilight to catch her breath, grinning at her with a victorious look on her face. “Oh, that’s right,” Trixie said, before climbing out of the bath and starting to dry herself off with the towel that Twilight prepared beforehoof. Twilight followed suit. “Trixie has another present for you. She almost forgot.”

“Trixie, you didn’t have to do that,” Twilight said. “Just being here with me tonight is enough.”

“Too late, Twilight,” Trixie responded. “The tickets are non-refundable, so we might as well use them now.”

“Tickets?” Twilight asked, raising her eyebrow in confusion. “…Let me guess. You got me tickets to your next show?”

Trixie frowned at Twilight’s accusation. “Honestly, Twilight, does Trixie seem like the kind to do that? Get you a cheap, simple present for your birthday?”

“…”

Twilight’s silence spoke volumes, and Trixie felt insulted by it. “Besides, Trixie already gives you special VIP tickets to all of her shows, so it wouldn’t exactly be a special present.” Trixie folded her towel into a nearby basket, and started to leave the bathroom. Twilight followed, curious as to what Trixie had got her. “Just you wait, Twilight. You’re going to love it.”

“If you say so,” Twilight said, not entirely convinced.

“OH MY CELESTIA!” Twilight exclaimed, staring at the ticket in her hooves. “Trixie, how did you get these!?”

“Not important,” Trixie said quickly. “So, judging from your reaction, can Trixie safely assume that you like it?”

Twilight answered Trixie with a very tight hug, which Trixie returned after momentarily being stunned by Twilight’s sudden attack. “Trixie, this is…This is…I don’t even know how to describe it!”

Twilight locked her lips against Trixie’s, the showmare once again being startled by the sudden boldness of Twilight’s actions. Trixie returned the passionate kiss, and fell down onto her back as Twilight pushed forward. ‘Twilight must really love her present’, Trixie thought, running a hoof slowly down Twilight’s back and towards Twilight’s flank. She was stopped by a sudden voice behind her.

Spike mumbled to himself as he walked down dirt road leading to Ponyville, carrying a handful of herbs in his paw. “Stupid Twilight, asking me to go out and get this herb this late at night…What could she even need them for, anyway?”

Usually, the task would have taken him much longer, since, unbeknownst to the baby dragon, the particular herb he was asked to retrieve was a rare one that only grew in a field quite a trek from Ponyville. Luckily for Spike, he ran into Zecora on his way there, who was just returning from harvesting a variety of herbs, and she was kind enough to offer some to him, since it was dark out.

“And what was up with her voice, anyway? Well, I suppose she did just come from a party, so she was probably tired…Which reminds me, why couldn’t I go? That’s just not fair. She better have saved me some cake, at least.”

Spike continued his mumbling until he reached the front door to the library. He opened the door and walked inside, taking a look around the room before closing the door behind him. “Twilight?” he called out, seeing no sign of the purple Unicorn. He turned his attention to the box in the middle of the room, surrounded by torn wrapping paper and with a neatly folded ribbon sitting beside it.

He raised his eyebrow as he turned his head towards the staircase leading upstairs. “Maybe she’s upstairs?” he asked himself as he made his way towards the stairs. He laid the herbs down on Twilight’s work desk on his way, and then made his way upstairs.

He reached the top of the stairs when he heard something strange, causing him to stop momentarily, wondering what the sound was. It sounded like Twilight, but he wasn’t sure what kind of sound it was. He waited to see if he heard it again, but when he heard nothing, he shrugged and continued on.

As soon as he started walking again, though, he heard another sound from upstairs, only this time, he recognised the sound. It was a sound he sometimes heard in the morning, whenever he insisted on lying in. He had no idea what the sound meant, but he was too tired to care right now.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Spike’s eyes immediately widened at the sight before him. Twilight was in the middle of the room, lying on top of somepony whilst making out with her. He let out a loud gasp as he realised who the other pony was. “What the!?”

Twilight waited for Spike to calm down before she began to explain things to him. Once Spike was calm, he sat down on his basket, while Twilight and Trixie sat down together on Twilight’s bed.

“Um…Let’s see…Where to begin?” Twilight asked, scratching the back of her head nervously.

“How about you start by explaining why she’s here?” Spike asked, pointing a finger at Trixie, who responded by glaring at the baby dragon with a look of annoyance matching the one coming from him.

“Well…” Twilight said, but was having trouble finding the right words.

“Trixie’s here for Twilight’s birthday,” Trixie said, seeing that Twilight was having trouble. “Why are you here? Trixie sent you away for a reason.”

Spike blinked a few times, and then his eyes widened in realization. “Wait, don’t tell me that Twilight I saw earlier…Was you!?”

Trixie grinned at the baby dragon. “Took you long enough.”

“…Well, that explains the whole “Amazing and Beautiful Twilight Sparkle” thing,” Spike said, rubbing a paw against his chin.

Twilight raised an eyebrow at Trixie, who simply shrugged at the confused mare. “What? You needed a title. One that lets the whole world know how great you are. Unfortunately, ‘Great and Powerful’ is already reserved for Trixie.”

Twilight facehooved. ‘It’s not trademarked, you kn-…Actually, knowing Trixie, it probably is…’ Twilight dismissed the thought, and turned back to Spike. “I’m sorry, Spike. I didn’t know she would be coming over tonight, and I certainly didn’t know she would send you off to find Golden Basil,” she said, emphasising the last two words as she turned to Trixie with a crossed look on her face.

“But why would she be here anyway?” Spike asked. “And what were two doing earlier…I mean, y’know, on the floor…”

Twilight blushed and refused to face Spike. Trixie grinned again, and placed her hooves on Twilight’s cheeks, holding her in place as she moved her face close to Twilight’s. “Oh? Would you like us to show you, young dragon?”

Spike turned his head away with a look of disgust on his face. “EW! Gross! Twilight, I thought you had better taste than that! I mean, really? Trixie?”

Trixie released Twilight and moved closer to Spike. “And just what is that supposed to mean, insolent reptile?”

“Trixie!” Twilight scolded. “Just let me do the talking, ok?” Trixie shrugged and lay down on her back, pouting at the ceiling. “And Spike, can you please just let me explain, and save your questions until the end?”

“Oh, fine,” Spike said with a sigh. “Just leave out any mushy stuff, ‘kay?”

And so, after taking a moment to put together the story in her head, Twilight explained to Spike about how she and Trixie were seeing each other, and had been doing so for a few months now. She told him that Trixie’s visit here was a surprise visit for Twilight’s birthday, making sure to leave out all of the details not suitable for a dragon of his age.

“Wow,” Spike said once Twilight was finished, genuinely amazed. “How did you…I mean, I can understand how you kept it a secret from everypony else, but how’d you keep it a secret from me for so long?”

Twilight let out a nervous chuckle. “It wasn’t easy, let me tell you,” she said. “And I’m sorry for not telling you all this time, Spike. It’s just…You weren’t exactly fond of Trixie the last time she was here.”

“Well…” Spike looked over at Trixie, who was still lying on her back lazily. “To be honest, I just didn’t like that she was calling herself the “most powerful Unicorn” when that honour clearly belongs to you.” Trixie sat up to say something, but Twilight anticipated this, and put a hoof to Trixie’s mouth before she could say anything. “But I guess if she makes you happy…Then I can’t really do anything but accept it, right?”

Twilight looked at Spike with a surprised look on her face. “Spike…I’m impressed. That’s very mature of you.”

Spike shrugged and lay down in his basket. “I’m too tired to argue about it right now. And it’s not like I have to get along with her myself, right?”

Trixie moved Twilight’s hoof away from her mouth, and grinned at the baby dragon. “Unless Trixie one day moves in with Twilight.” Spike’s eyes widened, but closed again shortly afterward. Just as he said, he was too tired to argue. “But Trixie must admit that she is impressed. Usually, dragons are known to be quite stubborn. It’s in their nature.”

“Well, Spike’s different from most dragons,” Twilight told Trixie, and then leaned over to whisper into her ear. “Besides, he’s in love with a pony, so I don’t think he could bring himself to keep two ponies apart when they’re in love with each other.”

“Ugh, can you two keep it down? I’m trying to sleep,” Spike said, pulling the covers over his face to hide the blush he gained from overhearing Twilight’s whispering.

Trixie looked out of the window and frowned. “Trixie should get going, actually. She has a show tomorrow, and can’t be late.”

Twilight nuzzled Trixie’s cheek lovingly, who returned it with equal love. “So, I’ll see you next week then?”

Trixie nodded, and then the two made their way downstairs. As Trixie neared the door, she suddenly remembered something important that she wanted to tell Twilight. “Oh, Twilight, Trixie almost forgot. She needs to ask a favour.”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Do you think you can ask your friend Fluttershy to look after Leon for Trixie next week?” Trixie paused for a moment to think. “She is the one who’s good with animals, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. But…Chameleons don’t live around here. I don’t know if she’ll know what to do with him…”

“That’s ok. Trixie can give you some instructions to give to her. It’s a lot easier than you think.”

Twilight nodded and moved closer to Trixie to kiss her farewell. However, as she neared Trixie, she suddenly realized something. “Say, Trixie, where did you get those tickets?”

Trixie froze in place, and smiled nervously at Twilight. “T-That’s not important, Twilight.”

“But these are tickets to the S.S. Blueblood’s maiden voyage. They sold out so quickly because it’s going to be the most romantic cruise this year. They’re not something you'd just find lying around, and I know you don’t have enough money for something like this.”

Beads of sweat ran down Trixie’s body, which did not go unnoticed by Twilight Sparkle. “Trixie?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at Trixie.

Trixie let out a defeated sigh, knowing she wouldn’t be able to lie her way out of this. “Trixie…Got them from a friend…”

“A friend?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow. “Who?”

“…Boss,” she answered. Seeing that Twilight was still confused, she explained further. “Boss is the one who gave Trixie her…Job…As a filly.”

Twilight’s eyes widened as she thought back to Trixie’s story of how she was once part of a criminal gang, using her illusions to aid in their transactions and escapes. “You…Still hang out with them?” she asked, a hint of disappointment present in her voice.

“They’re not criminals anymore!” Trixie quickly tried to explain. “The Royal Guard caught up to them about a year ago, and they’ve been in hiding ever since.”

“Then they’re fugitives!” Twilight shouted as quietly as she could manage, not wanting Spike to overhear their conversation. “That’s just as bad! We’ve got to…Were these tickets stolen!?”

“No!” Trixie shouted, and then put her hoof over her mouth. Once she had calmed down a little bit, she explained more quietly to Twilight. “No. Boss’ father is a member of the Royal Guard. It’s how Boss was able to stay ahead of them for so long, and how he’s able to stay ahead of them even whilst in hiding. He had access to inside information.

“Anyway, Boss’ father gave him those tickets, so that he could take his marefriend. But, naturally, he can’t go. The Royal Guard will be on the ship, after all. So, he gave them to Trixie, so she can take you…”

Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, taking in all the information that Trixie had given her, and then reopened her eyes. “Trixie…I can’t…I can’t stand by and do nothing whilst you hide with these fugitives,” Twilight said sternly. “I’m the Princess’ pupil. If you have information on where to find them…You need to tell her. And I need to make sure that you do.”

Trixie shook her head rapidly. “I can’t!” she shouted. “I’d be betraying them! I just can’t do that!”

“Would you rather betray me?”

Trixie shut her eyes as tight as she could, and took a few steps back. “Twilight…Please…” Tears flowed down Trixie’s cheeks as she continued backing away from Twilight. “Please don’t make me chose between you and my family!”

Twilight’s eyes shot wide open at Trixie’s pleas, and she struggled to find the right words to say. On one hoof, Trixie was involved with a group of criminals who were being tracked down by her mentor’s Royal Guard, and it was Twilight’s duty not just as Celestia’s pupil, but as a citizen of Equestria in general, to report this information to Celestia.

But on the other hoof, these fugitive ponies were Trixie’s friends. And not just that, but the only family she had ever known. They saved Trixie when she was a filly, and if it wasn’t for them, the two mares wouldn’t be together right now. It was clear how much they meant to Trixie, from the way she was holding her head in her hooves, sobbing into them as quietly as she could, which was still not very quiet.

Also, if Trixie reported any information she had on them, it might be revealed that Trixie was involved with them. And then what? Twilight would lose Trixie. Trixie would be locked away for a good number of years, or exiled from Equestria. The thought of losing Trixie made Twilight feel cold, and scared, and…It made tears fall from Twilight’s eyes.

‘Is this what’s she feeling right now?’ Twilight thought to herself. ‘It’s not that she doesn’t want to betray them…Well, not entirely…She doesn’t want to lose them. They’re like family to her…Family…How would I feel if I lost my family?

‘…It’s painful to even think about never being to see them again. As painful as it is to think I’d never see Trixie again…Oh no…’ Twilight put a hoof to her mouth as she realised what she was doing. She was forcing Trixie to abandon either her marefriend, or her “family.” If Trixie was feeling the same for her family as Twilight was feeling towards her own, then it was no wonder Trixie was breaking down into tears. She couldn’t stand the thought of losing either Twilight or her family, and yet Twilight was…

Twilight walked up to Trixie slowly, and pulled the mare into a warm, comforting embrace. “I’m sorry, Trixie,” Twilight said softly as the other mare shook in Twilight’s hold, sobbing into the librarian’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. I…You don’t have to…Choose between us…”

There was a long silence between the two, before Trixie’s sobbing finally calmed down to the point where she was able to speak again. “Really?” she squeaked, looking up into her lover’s eyes.

“Really,” Twilight confirmed with a friendly smile. “It’s not right to force somepony to make a choice like that…I know I certainly wouldn’t be able to choose between you or my family.”

“But…What about the Princess?”

“…Weeeeeell…I guess I don’t have to tell her…She has enough on her plate already.” Twilight used a hoof to wipe the tears away from Trixie’s face, and then leaned in to nuzzle her lover’s cheek. “Besides, I kept Fluttershy’s theft of her pet a secret…I’m sure I can keep this a secret, too.”

“…Wait, what?” Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow at the librarian.

“Long story,” Twilight said. “I’ll tell you some other time. But for now…Didn’t you say you had to get going?”

Trixie blinked a few times, and then let out a loud gasp as she remembered that she was on a tight schedule. She quickly broke free of Twilight’s embrace, and headed towards the door. She stopped once it was open, and turned to face Twilight. “Um…Thanks…”

Twilight smiled at Trixie, and responded: “No problem.” Her face suddenly became more serious, though, as she continued. “But, I’m only going to keep it a secret as long as they stop committing crimes. If I find out they’ve started up again…”

Trixie smiled reassuringly at the purple Unicorn. “Don’t worry. Trixie’s already convinced them to clean up their act. Besides, they’ve got enough to live off of now, which was the main reason most of us joined that group in the first place.” Trixie shuffled her hoof nervously on the floor, before asking Twilight: “Are we…Still going, next week?”

It took Twilight a moment to realise that Trixie was referring to the cruise, and then put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Hmmm…Well, the tickets were obtained legally…And I do want to go super bad…” Twilight winked at Trixie, a big smile spread across her face. “Of course we’re still going! I can’t wait!”

Trixie took off her hat and bowed theatrically to Twilight. “Then, Trixie will make sure it is a weekend you remember for your entire life.”

“You say that about all our dates,” Twilight laughed, with Trixie joining her afterwards.

“Goodbye, Twilight.”

“Bye, Trixie.”

Once the door to the library was closed again, Twilight waited a few minutes before heading back upstairs. She fell down onto her bed, and starting to think about the wonderful weekend the two would have together next week. The S.S. Blueblood had it all. A ballroom, a swimming pool, luxurious rooms designed for couples, a library…Twilight let out a dreamy sigh as she hugged her pillow close to her, before giggling into it like an excited schoolfilly thinking about her first date.

Meanwhile, Spike had to bury his head under his pillow to drown out Twilight’s silly little giggles, and rolled his eyes as she began imitating a conversation to Trixie, impersonating Trixie’s voice (quite badly, in Spike’s opinion).

“Oh, Trixie, it’s so romantic!”

“Only the best for you, my dear Twilight.”

“Come on! Let’s go look at the library on the lower deck!”

“Indeed! And then later we can sample some the snacks in the dining hall, or maybe…”

Twilight buried her head into her pillow and let out a small, embarrassed squeal as her mind wandered into places she would never consciously admit existed in her brain.

Spike let out a quiet sigh. ‘And she says I’m bad when I think about Rarity.’

Author's Note: I'd like to thank TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter. And of course, I'd like to thank everypony who's favourited/liked this story, and patiently awaited for the arrival of this chapter. Hopefully it didn't dissapoint.

A Twixie Cruise - Day 1

The sound of the arriving train interrupted Twilight’s conversation with her friends, and prompted her to quickly say her goodbyes to the five ponies and one dragon gathered. With Spike’s help (brought about by a hoofful of sapphires and rubies), Twilight had managed to make her friends believe that she was visiting the Princess for “important magic-related business” for the next three days.

Rarity and Applejack were sceptical, and tried to press Twilight for details, but Twilight had managed to lose them both by reciting complex magical formulae that, whilst completely unrelated to each other, were able to throw the two off, since neither of them actually understood what she was talking about.

Rainbow Dash didn’t really care where Twilight was going, but still dropped by the station to say goodbye to her. Fluttershy had suspected that Twilight wasn’t being honest, but decided not to say anything about it, not wanting to offend Twilight. And Pinkie Pie was being…Well, Pinkie Pie.

“And say “hi” to the Princess for me, and while you’re there, d’you think you could stop by that store we visited last time and get some of that chocolate that I thought was soooo tasty that I ate like 5 bars on the train ride home? Ooh! And make sure to…”

Pinkie Pie continued rambling as Twilight boarded the train bound for Canterlot (she would then be taking a train from Canterlot to Fillydelphia), waving goodbye to her friends one more time. “I’ll be back in three days! Take good care of the library, Spike!”

Spike saluted the librarian mare. “No problem, Twilight! Just leave it to me!” Inside, Spike was still sulking about this whole thing. ‘She’s serious about this, isn’t she?…Well, at least Trixie isn’t coming here, and I got some gems out of it, too!’

“Later, Twilight!”

“See y’all in three days!”

“Um, have a safe trip.”

“Do say hello to the Princess for us, darling.”

“And bring back lots of souvenirs!”

The train left, and Twilight poked her head out of her window to see her friends waving to her, growing smaller as the train moved further and further away from the station, until eventually they disappeared from sight.

Once she could no longer see Ponyville in the distance, Twilight pulled her head back into the train, opened up her saddlebag, and levitated out a manepin, shaped in the style of her marefriend’s Cutie Mark. Letting out a small excited giggle, Twilight applied the manepin to her mane. “Three days on the most romantic cruise with Trixie…I can’t wait!”

Trixie parked her trailer just outside of Fillydelphia, and prepared her bags for the upcoming cruise. She made sure to pack plenty of props to impress Twilight with, along with some snacks, some books, and a few “toys” for the bedroom.

Once her bags were packed, she donned her usual hat and cape, and reached for her manepin, styled in the shape of Twilight’s Cutie Mark. Instead of applying it to her mane, she stashed it inside one of her cape’s secret pockets. She had a much better idea for it; she was going to use it as a prop in a magic trick to impress Twilight.

Once she was set, Trixie departed from her trailer, locked it up with a magical spell, and made her way into Fillydelphia.

The city was very much like Canterlot today; ponies of the upper class walked the streets, their heads upturned as if merely looking at a common pony would be an insult to their eyes.

Trixie gathered that all of the noble-looking ponies currently present were here for the cruise. She could tell from the bags they were carrying, and the fact that they were all flocking towards the same location, that they were.

Trixie made no stops along the way, and soon arrived at the dock from which the ship would be departing later that evening. Since she couldn’t see any sign of Twilight, she assumed that she must have arrived before her, and decided to kill some time by walking around the docks.

As she looked around, she spotted something that caught her eye. Her eyes widened as she recognised one of the ponies standing around, next to a pile of luggage, and wearing the tackiest shirt that Trixie had ever seen. “No way,” she said to herself, and then approached the familiar stallion.

The stallion seemed to be waiting for someone, looking around nervously as he tapped his forehooves on the ground. “Where is she?” he asked himself out loud.

“Hey there, it’s been a while,” Trixie called out, startling the blue maned Unicorn. “Lieutenant Shining Armour, right?”

The stallion, Shining Armour, stared wide-eyed at the blue showmare, and then a sly grin crossed his face. “Well, well…If it isn’t ‘the Great and Powerful Trixie!’ How’ve you been?” Shining picked up on what Trixie had called him, and decided to correct her. “And it’s not Lieutenant anymore, Trixie.”

A look of feigned pity formed on Trixie’s face. “Oh, so you were demoted then? What is it now? Private?”

Shining narrowed his eyes at Trixie. “Why d’you assume I’ve been demoted? I’ll have you know I’m now a Captain!” he declared proudly, a smug grin appearing on his face. He noticed Trixie’s bags, and deduced that she was here for the cruise. “So, Trixie, by your presence here, can I assume you have a special somepony you’ll be spending the weekend with?”

Trixie’s face beamed with the same pride that Shining had seen on her the last time they had met. Actually, probably more so than last time. “Indeed. Trixie will have you know that she has once again outdone everypony in Equestria, this time by securing the most perfect mare in the whole land.”

“Impossible,” Shining protested. “I’ve already done that.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, and then looked over at the luggage. Most of it was pink, with pretty flower stickers all over the casings. In fact, there was only one bag that seemed to belong to Shining Armour: a small blue bag with a picture of his Cutie Mark on the side.

“You’ve got a marefriend too?” Trixie asked, turning her attention back to Shining Armour. “What poor mare have you suckered into dating you?”

“Hey now, there’s no need for that,” Shining said. “And for your information, she’s the one who approached me.”

Trixie let out a small snicker as Shining Armour quickly covered his mouth with his hooves. “Is that so? And you think your mare is better than Trixie’s?”

Shining was about to respond, when a female voice interrupted them. “Shining! Sorry I took so long!” Trixie and Shining turned their heads towards the voice, and saw a pink pony approaching. Trixie couldn’t get a good look at her, since her eyes were covered by a pair of shades. Her mane, if she had one, was hidden under a pink cap, which was flipped backwards.

The pink pony’s Cutie Mark and tail were hidden by a very nice looking dress, which was beautiful enough to impress a noble’s eyes, but not so beautiful as to attract attention from passersby.

Trixie noted the Unicorn horn on the pony’s head. ‘A Unicorn, huh? Well, she’s clearly nothing compared to Twilight.’

“Trixie,” Shining Armour said once the pink pony was by his side. “This is my marefriend, Cadance.” He wrapped a foreleg around Cadance’s shoulder, who responded by moving close to him and nuzzling his neck. “And Cadance, this is Trixie. She’s…Hmmm, I’m not sure what she is…A business partner?”

“Business partner?” Cadance asked, looking at Shining, and then to Trixie.

“Trixie got caught up in a trafficking case a few years back, in Los Pegasus,” Trixie began explaining. “Some scoundrels attempted to use Trixie’s trailer to transport their drugs across Equestria. The Royal Guard told Trixie of this, and Trixie decided to lend a hoof in capturing the criminals.”

Shining Armour nodded, scratching his head and laughing nervously as he thought back to the incident. “Actually, we told you to stay put and not to do anything. And then you used your magic to eavesdrop on our meetings, and did your own investigating…Which almost got you killed.” The last five words were said in a scolding tone, with a stern look from Shining Armour.

Trixie simply shrugged at this. “Trixie was in no danger. Trixie could have rescued herself, even if you guys hadn’t shown up.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever you say,” Shining said sarcastically.

Cadance smiled at Trixie and extended a hoof at the smaller Unicorn. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Trixie. Any friend of Shining Armour’s is a welcome friend of mine.”

“Well, Trixie wouldn’t really say we are ‘friends’…Although Trixie admits that, compared to most ponies in Canterlot, Shining Armour is definitely among the easiest to get along with.”

Shining blushed slightly and scratched his head again. “So, have you been getting into any more trouble lately?”

Trixie shook Cadance’s hoof, and then turned back to Shining. “Not really. After that last incident, Trixie’s life has been pretty much the same: travelling from town to town and having to put up with the occasional disrespectful pony or two.”

“After that last incident?” Cadance asked, parting her hoof from Trixie’s. “How many have you been in?”

“Just two,” Trixie answered. “A year after the trafficking case, Trixie was a witness in a foalnapping case in Canterlot. And, once again, the Royal Guard were hopelessly lost without Trixie’s help.”

Shining rolled his eyes, and leaned in closer to Cadance. “And by that, she means that she tagged along to the crime scene and stuck her nose into our business yet again.” Shining noticed Trixie glaring at him, and smiled back at the showmare. “Well, I’ll admit I was impressed. She even helped us save those two foals with that neat little trick.”

“Trick?” Cadance asked.

“‘A magician never reveals their secrets,’” Shining said in a fake Trixie voice. “After that case, I visited a few of her shows in Canterlot.” Shining turned to face Trixie. “It’s a shame your shows keep overlapping with my work. I’ve been wanting to take Cadance to see one of them one day.”

Trixie placed a hoof to her chin, and then grinned at Shining Armour. “Well then, how about after this cruise is over, you tell Trixie what your schedule is like. Trixie will try to find some time so that you two can enjoy one of Trixie’s great shows.”

“That sounds great!” Cadance shouted excitedly. She quickly covered her mouth with her hooves, looking around embarrassed, and then removed her hooves and spoke in a lower volume. “Um, that’s sounds like it would be fun. Right, Shining Armour?”

Shining nodded his head in agreement, and then noticed something. “Hey, Cadance, where’s the necklace I got you earlier?”

Cadance blinked, and then looked down at her body, to find that the necklace she was wearing earlier that day was no longer there. “Oh no!” she shouted as she realised where it was. “I took it off when I fixed my makeup so that it wouldn’t get messy! It must still be in that restroom!”

Shining tried to tell Cadance to calm down, but she had already begun dashing off towards in the same direction that she had come from earlier. “Hey, wait!”

“Don’t worry! I’ll be right back!”

Shining sighed and looked down at their luggage. “I wonder if she did that on purpose, to make me carry all of this by myself?”

Trixie moved closer to Shining, and spoke in a low whisper. “So, there isn’t anything dangerous going on right now, is there?”

Shining raised an eyebrow as he turned to face Trixie. “Why would you think that? Just ‘cause I’m a Royal Guard? I’m off duty right now.”

Trixie shook her head, and pointed to Shining Armour’s shirt, where a small bulge was barely visible if one paid close attention. “You have a weapon with you, so Trixie thought maybe-”

“I was undercover?” Shining asked, and then laughed. He placed a hoof on Trixie’s head, much to her annoyance, and roughed up her mane a little bit. “Don’t worry. This is just for my own protection. Being a Captain makes me a prime target for enemies, so even when I’m off duty I make sure to carry something along with me.”

Trixie nodded. That made sense, and she noticed that the number of Royal Guards and the way they were spread out seemed about right. Just a casual guard, with a little extra security than usual, since there was a Prince onboard, and they didn’t seem to be scouring the crowd, attempting to single out suspicious ponies.

“Now, about that marefriend of yours,” Shining Armour started, but was interrupted by Cadance calling out to him. “Oh, it’s time for us to board.” Trixie looked at him confused, and he winked at her and explained. “We get to board early. We’re VIPs.”

Trixie’s eyes widened as Shining Armour levitated all of the bags around him, let out a loud grunt, and slowly made his way towards Cadance. ‘VIPs? Why? Sure, he’s a Captain, but unless he’s on duty on the ship, that shouldn’t grant him early access…That mare!’ Trixie turned her attention towards Cadance, who took a few bags from Shining Armour with her own magic. “So, your mare has connections, huh?” Trixie asked nopony in particular, before a grin crossed her face. “Well Trixie’s mare is the student of Princess Celestia! How’d you like that!?”

Twilight arrived in Fillydelphia at 16:51, two hours and nine minutes before the ship was set to sail. She agreed to meet Trixie at the dock when she arrived, so that’s where she headed after departing the train.

Making her way through the street, she saw many pony couples making their way towards various restaurants. Today was certainly a good day for business in Fillydelphia. It was easy for Twilight to distinguish between the noble ponies from Canterlot, and the lower class ponies who had the right connections for the tickets, and she was pleasantly surprised to see an about even ratio. ‘Hey, maybe we will get to make some new friends on this cruise,’ she thought to herself as she walked happily through the streets of Fillydelphia.

Once she arrived at the docks, she wandered around, looking for Trixie. She eventually found the blue mare sitting under a tree in a quiet grassy area, holding a book in her forehooves.

Twilight smiled and made her way towards Trixie, picking up her pace a little bit. “Trixie!” she called out when she was close to her. She didn’t receive a response, and so just continued moving towards the showmare. When she reached Trixie’s location, she noticed that Trixie’s eyes were closed. She was sleeping peacefully under the tree, her book’s pages being flipped by the wind.

Twilight wanted to wake Trixie up, but she looked so peaceful sitting there, and so adorable, that Twilight decided instead to just sit down next to Trixie, and lean her marefriend’s head against her shoulder.

Twilight levitated the book out of Trixie’s hooves and read the title on the cover. “Another detective novel? She sure does love these…Pinkie Pie’s collection would be put to shame against Trixie’s.”

A half-hour passed with Trixie sleeping against Twilight’s shoulder, and Twilight looking down at the blue mare sleeping peacefully, occasionally muttering “thank you”s to a crowd that didn’t exist. When Twilight’s stomach started to growl, Twilight decided that they should grab something to eat before the cruise set off.

Twilight gently nudged Trixie with a hoof. “Trixie. Hey, Trixie. Wake up.” Trixie slowly opened her eyes, let out a loud yawn, and then stared at Twilight with half open eyes as she waited for her brain to properly wake up. “You have a good nap?” Twilight asked with a slight giggle.

Trixie waited for her eyes to adjust to the light, and then processed the scene before her. Her head was leaning on Twilight’s shoulder, who was looking down at her with that wonderful smile that made Trixie’s face turn red. “Twilight? What time is it?” she asked, noticing that the sky was much darker than she last remembered it to be.

“About 5:50, Trix,” Twilight said, nuzzling Trixie’s cheek lovingly. “The ship will be leaving in about an hour. We should get some dinner soon.” Twilight stood up and helped Trixie to her hooves. “Sorry I took a while to get here. I had to take a detour to Canterlot. You haven’t been waiting long, have you?”

“…Not too long,” Trixie lied, rubbing her eyes and yawning one final time. “Well, luckily Trixie packed a few books, so she definitely wasn’t bored.” Trixie opened her bag and placed the book back inside. “Oh, and Trixie ran into somepony she knows, so she had somepony to talk to for a little while.”

“Oh? Who?” Twilight asked, excited with the idea of meeting one of Trixie’s friends.

“Somepony who works in the Royal Guard. He’s here with his marefriend and-” Trixie stopped when she recalled Shining Armour’s marefriend, Cadance. Trixie looked Twilight up and down, who looked at Trixie with a confused look on her face. “…Definitely no contest.”

Twilight tilted her head to her side, raising an eyebrow. “Huh?”

Trixie grinned and leaned forward to kiss Twilight on the lips, the sudden action surprising the now blushing librarian, but she certainly wasn’t against it. The two parted after half a minute, and Trixie gazed into Twilight’s eyes with a seductive gaze. “Just thinking that Twilight is definitely the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria.”

Twilight’s blush intensified, and she smiled nervously at Trixie, her eyes moving around, trying to avoid eye contact with the blue mare. “W-Wrong…You are, Trixie,” Twilight said, turning her face away immediately afterwards.

Trixie was tempted to argue back that Twilight was, but had a much better idea in mind. “…Yes, you’re right,” Trixie said, surprising Twilight and causing the librarian to face her once more. “Then you’re second under Trixie.”

Twilight’s ears drooped and her lower lip curled up as she pouted. “Hey! That’s not what you’re supposed to say next!” Twilight complained. ‘At least not according to those books I got from Rarity.’

Trixie let out a small chuckle and held her hooves against either side of Twilight’s face, ensuring she wouldn’t be able to turn away again. “Then what do you want Trixie to say, Twilight?” Trixie asked in a teasing tone.

Twilight closed her eyes, since she couldn’t turn her head away, and her face was more red than purple by this point. “Well…You could…Maybe say…”

Trixie saw Twilight shaking and her hooves shuffling against the ground, and, although she found the sight totally adorable, she was starting to feel a little sorry for Twilight. Coupled with the fact that her hunger had started to set in, Trixie decided to stop her teasing there. Trixie removed her hooves from Twilight’s face, and pulled Twilight into a hug. Twilight hugged Trixie back, calming down in Trixie’s embrace.

“So, where should we go?” Trixie asked. Upon seeing Twilight’s look of confusion, she decided to clarify. “To eat?”

“Oh!” Twilight said, snapping back to reality. “Right! Uh…There were a few nice looking restaurants over that way.” Twilight pointed a hoof in the direction behind Trixie. “But, you should know what’s good around here, right?”

Trixie tapped a hoof against her chin, and then turned to face the direction where Twilight was pointing. “If it’s still open, Trixie knows a place that does delicious daffodil sandwiches,” Trixie said.

Twilight moved to Trixie’s side and leaned against her. “Well then, lead the way.” Trixie started moving down the dock, with Twilight staying by her side, her head leaning against Trixie’s as they moved. ‘Best weekend ever starts right now.’

An hour later, ponies from all over Equestria, as well as other beings such as griffins, zebras, and donkeys, were all gathered at the S.S. Blueblood, lining up to board the ship.

Twilight and Trixie managed to get to the dock fairly early compared to most of the other guests, due mostly to Twilight’s eagerness and pressing Trixie to go to the dock 30 minutes early. Thanks to this, they were among the first to board, and whilst they waited for the rest of the guests to board, the two looked out to the distant ocean scenery over the edge of the ship.

“Trixie needs to use the restroom,” Trixie suddenly announced. She gently nuzzled Twilight’s cheek, who nuzzled Trixie back. “Trixie will be back soon.”

“Alright, don’t take too long,” Twilight said as Trixie began to leave. Twilight turned back to face the ocean, and rested her chin on the railing in front of her. She was lost in thought as she stared out at the beautiful scenery before her, daydreaming about all the things she and Trixie would be doing this weekend.

‘We’ve been going out for a few months now…And I can’t stand the thought of being away from her even for a single second. I feel so happy when we’re together, like there’s nothing in Equestria that could possibly go wrong…Should I…Should I ask her to move into the library with me?’ Twilight blushed as the thought crossed her mind, and she quickly shook it off. ‘No, that would be moving things too fast, right? Or…Maybe things aren’t moving fast enough?’

Twilight gasped. ‘What if she’s getting bored of me? What if she gets fed up with us only being able to spend such short amounts of time together? Ooh, if only books were more clear about these things! Rarity! She knows a lot about love! But…How can I ask her without her finding out about-” Twilight let out a deep sigh, and closed her eyes. ‘Why am I so worried about them finding out? Sure, they didn’t get along with her at first, but they’re good ponies, right? After all, they gave Zecora a chance when Apple Bloom vouched for her, so surely they’ll be ok with Trixie if I-’

“Twilight?” Twilight snapped out of her thoughts and turned around, her eyes widening at the sight before her. “Oh my gosh! It is you, Twilight!”

Trixie exited the restroom feeling refreshed, and began to make her way back to Twilight Sparkle. She spotted Shining Armour talking to one of the Royal Guards, with that serious look on his face that he wore the other two times they worked together.

The guard saluted Shining, and then ran off down the corridor, passing Trixie along the way. Shining noticed Trixie, and smiled at her, his serious look suddenly gone from his face. “What was that all about?” Trixie asked. “Trixie thought you were off duty, Captain Armour.”

Shining Armour hesitated for a moment, and then stepped forward to block Trixie’s path. “… Trixie…I hate to ask this of you, but…Do you think you could lend us a hoof?”

Trixie raised an eyebrow and stopped moving. “Why? Trixie thought you said nothing was going on.”

Shining Armour bit his lower lip, and scratched his head nervously. “Well…You see, there’s a slight chance we may have kinda…Let a terrorist on board…”

Trixie’s eyes widened, before narrowing into a glare that pierced Shining’s eyes. “What!? Are you serious!?”

Shining took a step back, and tried to calm Trixie down. “N-Now now, it’s just the one! We’re sure of it! And we know what his intentions are! We just…Don’t know how to find him.”

“Why’s that?”

“He’s a master of disguise. That’s how he got on in the first place.” Shining scratched the back of his head nervously, and shuffled a hoof against the ground. “We know what he’s planning, but we can’t make a move to stop his plan without endangering the other guests. And if we call for an evacuation of the ship, the Prince will be in danger.”

“…So what do you need Trixie for, then?”

“We were hoping you could help us set up a trap for him. Trickery is what you do best.”

Trixie smirked and let out a soft chuckle. “Are you sure it’s ok to be asking a civilian to get involved?”

Shining narrowed his eyes at Trixie, and spoke a little more sternly. “Trixie, you’re an Honorary Royal Guard. And we need your help. Please.”

Trixie stared into Shining Armour’s eyes for a few seconds, before letting out a defeated sigh. ‘Strange…They look kind of like Twilight’s eyes,’ Trixie thought, before shaking it off. “Alright, fine. Trixie can hardly refuse a request from such a huge fan.”

Shining’s smile returned, and he moved closer to whisper into Trixie’s ear. “Then come to room B-16 tomorrow at 13:15. We’ll begin the strategy meeting then.”

Trixie nodded, and watched Shining Armour walk down the hallway in the same direction as the guard from earlier, before leaving in the opposite direction, back to where Twilight was waiting for her. ‘…Oh Celestia. Now Trixie’s got to find a way to distract Twilight tomorrow.’

Twilight gasped as she turned around to see…“Bon Bon?” Bon Bon approached Twilight with an equally confused look on her face, but still smiled to her friend from Ponyville. “W-What are you doing here?”

“Well that’s a silly question, Twilight,” Bon Bon said. “It’s her anniversary present to me.”

“‘Her?’” Twilight asked. As if on cue, an excited green Unicorn popped up from behind Bon Bon, swinging her hooves around the cream pony’s neck, a huge grin on her face as she loudly greeted Twilight. “L-Lyra! Right, I guess that makes sense.” ‘Well, duh! They are a couple, after all!’

“But what are you doing here, Twilight?” Bon Bon asked, reaching behind her and pushing Lyra off of her. “Did the Princess give you a ticket? It must be nice being the Princess’ pupil.” There was a hint of jealousy in Bon Bon’s voice, but Twilight decided to ignore it.

“Actually, I’ve specifically asked the Princess not to do me favours like that. I don’t like using my status to get better treatment than other ponies.”

“Then why-”

Lyra jumped in-between Bon Bon and Twilight, interrupting Bon Bon’s question. “C’mon! Isn’t it obvious?” Lyra asked coyly, poking Twilight with a forehoof. “Twilight here is on a date with somepony. And you refused to tell us! How dare you!”

Twilight’s ears drooped as she turned her head away, feeling both guilty and nervous at the same time.

“Is that true?” Bon Bon asked, looking somewhat more excited than she was moments ago. “That’s great news! So, who is it, Twilight?”

Twilight wanted to tell them, but she was afraid to let the words escape her mouth. Luckily, she wouldn’t have to. Because at that moment, she heard a voice calling out from behind Lyra and Bon Bon. “Twiliiight! Trixie’s baaack!”

Trixie zoomed past the two confused mares, not even noticing them, and stopped just in front of Twilight, pulling her marefriend into a great and powerful hug. One which she had to stop shortly afterwards, lest the love of her life suffocate from its tight hold.

“Trixie’s sorry she made you wait so long. Did you miss Trixie?” Trixie asked, smiling as she saw the cute pony’s face turning red as she tried to shrink away from Trixie. “Oh no, don’t tell Trixie you’re getting embarrassed already. The ship hasn’t even set sail yet, and Trixie has many things in store this weekend,” she said, trailing off into a seductive tone at the last part of her speech.

Twilight shook her head weakly, and then pointed a hoof behind Trixie. Trixie turned around, and noticed the two mares standing behind her, watching with wide eyes and open mouths. “Who are they?” Trixie asked, turning back to Twilight.

Twilight sighed, and decided to introduce her friends. ‘Well, might as well get this over with… Surely they’ll understand, right? Right. They’re good ponies. Well, Lyra at least. I haven’t known Bon Bon that long. But I’m sure she’s a good pony, too!’

Twilight cleared her throat, and pointed a hoof at the cream pony. “Trixie, this is Bon Bon, a friend from Ponyville.” Trixie and Bon Bon stared at each other for a moment, before Bon Bon offered a hoof towards Trixie. Trixie accepted the hoof shake, and Twilight, now feeling a little more at ease, pointed to Lyra…Or where Lyra was a second ago. “Huh?”

“OHMYCELESTIA!” Lyra shouted suddenly, startling Twilight, who turned to see Lyra standing right in front of Trixie, with the biggest smile she had ever seen since Twilight found some books on humans and showed them to the hyperactive green Unicorn. “You’re the Great and Powerful Trixie, right!? I’m such a fan! I’ve been to all of your Canterlot shows, and many of your shows outside of Canterlot!”

Trixie was about to say something, when Lyra suddenly dashed over to Twilight. “Twi, you are so lucky! Trixie is your marefriend? You have to be the luckiest mare in the world!” An annoyed grunt from Bon Bon caused Lyra to suddenly break into a panicked sweat. “I-I mean, besides me, of course…Hehehe…”

Bon Bon grabbed Lyra’s ear with her hoof, and pulled Lyra away. “You’ll have to forgive Lyra,” Bon Bon said to Trixie. “She can be such a fangirl. She has posters of you in her room, and even collects the tickets from your shows…But, she’s a good pony…Kinda.”

Trixie blinked a few times, and then waved off Bon Bon’s apology. “No need to apologise. Trixie has dealt with fans before. And this “Lyra” certainly seems more…Tame…Than some fans Trixie would hope to never see again.”

Lyra, after somehow escaping Bon Bon’s hold, suddenly bolted up in front of Trixie, startling the showmare yet again. “So how’d you two meet? Was it romantic? Who approached who? Are you gonna do another show in Ponyville? I’ll try to keep the hecklers out! Can you sign my Humie doll?”

Bon Bon pulled Lyra back by her tail before she could overload Trixie’s brain with a thousand questions. “C’mon, Lyra, let’s go to the main hall. The party’s going to start soon,” she said as she dragged Lyra away from the two mares with her tail in her mouth. “You two coming?” she asked as she looked over her shoulder.

Twilight and Trixie exchanged glances, smiled at each other, and then, together, followed the unusual couple from Ponyville.

“Well, that seemed to go alright,” Twilight said, very much relieved that neither Bon Bon nor Lyra seemed to dislike Trixie.

“You were surprised?” Trixie asked. “You were there. Trixie received much applause during her show.”

Twilight thought back to the incident, and remembered that Trixie’s show did go over well with most of Ponyville. In fact, the only part that didn’t receive applause was the incident with Rarity’s mane, and Twilight suspected that was mostly due to the ponies of Ponyville knowing better than to laugh at Rarity on a bad mane day. “Well, they’re close friends with Applejack, one of the ponies you…Challenged.”

“Ah, you were worried they would hold a grudge over that?” Trixie asked, receiving a nervous nod from Twilight in response. “Well, all’s well that ends well, right?”

Twilight smiled and nuzzled her lover’s neck as they continued walking, ignoring the “d’awww” that escaped from Lyra’s lips (who was still being dragged by her tail by Bon Bon).

“…Hey! You know what this means?” Twilight asked, and answered before Trixie could venture a guess. “We can go on a double date!” Twilight shouted, her eyes lighting up as a huge smile formed on her face. “I think I have a book about double dating in the library. Ooh, if only I’d brought it with me! Still, this is so exciting! We finally have another couple to hang out with!”

“That sounds great, Twi!” Lyra shouted, laughing as Twilight blushed when she realised that Lyra (and many other ponies nearby) could hear her very clearly. “What d’you think, Bon Bon?”

“Sounds fine,” Bon Bon replied, sounding neutral about the idea, though inside she was just as excited as Twilight was.

The rest of the trip to the main hall was spent by Lyra and Twilight exchanging ideas about what they could do on their double date, both of them shouting with great excitement and giggling like schoolfillies talking about what ponies they liked.

Trixie and Bon Bon exchanged glances every now and then, laughing silently at the two Unicorns’ excitement. “She looks like a hoofful,” Trixie mouthed to Bon Bon.

“She makes life more interesting,” Bon Bon mouthed back.

Trixie nodded in agreement. “Not as much as Twilight makes Trixie’s life more interesting.”

“You wanna bet?” Bon Bon asked jokingly.

Trixie and Bon Bon exchanged a slightly louder laugh, and this time it was picked up on by their marefriends.

“What’s so funny?” Twilight asked Trixie, who looked away and whistled innocently.

A/N: Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Cruise - Day 2

Twilight walked up the mountain near Ponyville with barely-contained enthusiasm. She turned around and laughed out loud. “C’mon, Trixie! You can move faster than that, right?”

Trixie panted heavily as she followed Twilight, taking each step slowly, wincing as if each step she took caused her incredible pain. “This isn’t fair! You failed Physical Education, too! Why is Trixie the only one falling behind?!”

Twilight let out another giggle, and ran up to Trixie, nuzzling her lover once she reached her. “Because I read lots of books on how to increase my endurance, remember?” She allowed Trixie to prop a foreleg around her, and supported the blue Unicorn as they continued up the mountain. “We’ve got to hurry! The meteor shower will be starting soon!”

“Trixie can’t wait,” Trixie said, before planting a soft kiss on Twilight’s cheek. She giggled playfully as the purple Unicorn’s face turned red. “Just you, Trixie, and the most beautiful display that is Star Blaze’s meteor shower.”

Twilight nodded, and turned her head around to check the equipment that she was carrying…Was carrying, but it was no longer there. “Trixie? What happened to the stargazing gear I brought along?” Twilight’s question went unanswered, and she turned her head to face her companion. “Trixie?”

Twilight then noticed the lack of weight around her shoulders, and stopped dead in her tracks when she could no longer see Trixie walking next to her. “Trixie? W-Where did you go?”

“Right here, Twilight.” Twilight turned around instantly, a hopeful smile on her face, though it only lasted a second, before turning into a look of fear. “Something wrong, Twilight?”

“…You’re not Trixie,” Twilight said, backing away from the being in front of her. Sure, it looked like Trixie, but…For some reason, Twilight could tell that it wasn’t. “What have you done with her? Where’s Trixie?!”

“Trixie is right over here, Twi,” another voice called out, and Twilight turned her head to once again see another fake Trixie. This one was more obvious; her eyes were dark green, instead of purple.

“No…Not again…” Twilight continued looking around her at the various Trixies that called out and appeared. There were many different kinds. There was a Royal Guard Trixie, an Alicorn Trixie, a Chimera Trixie, a male Trixie… “Please stop…” The various Trixies continued approaching Twilight, and she noticed that, unlike the other dreams, not all of them were trying to seduce her; some were trying to hurt her. “STOOOOOOP!”

“Twilight! Wake up! Please wake up!”

Twilight’s eyes shot open, and she just lay still on her bed for a few minutes, panting and sweating heavily. “Twilight? Are you okay now?”

Twilight turned around to find Trixie lying beside her, her foreleg wrapped around her, and looking down at her with a look of concern. “Trixie?” Twilight examined Trixie for a few seconds, and then threw her forelegs around her. ‘This is the real Trixie. No doubt about it.’

“Twilight, were you having a nightmare?” Twilight nodded whilst still holding on to Trixie. “You called out my name…Was it a nightmare about me?”

Twilight quickly shook her head. She didn’t like lying to Trixie, but she didn’t want to make her worry, either. She should have known better; Trixie has seen through her lies before, and ones constructed on the spot were even easier for her to see through.

“Twilight, please don’t lie to me like that,” Trixie said, sitting up. Twilight followed suit, and Trixie put a forehoof to Twilight’s chin, directing Twilight’s eyes to meet her own. “You told me to be more open with you, and to not bottle up my worries so much anymore. I shared my past with you, despite how painful the memories are to bring up sometimes…Now I want you to do the same.”

Twilight wanted to insist that Trixie drop it, but she knew that she couldn’t. She had scolded Trixie before for not being so open with her, and had pressured Trixie into sharing her problems with her. She also noticed the lack of third pony in Trixie’s speech, which showed that Trixie was very concerned right now.

Twilight let out a sigh, and reluctantly began explaining her nightmare to Trixie. “As you know, this isn’t the first time…Or the second…I think…This was the seventh one I’ve had now.” Twilight tightened her grip around Trixie, who responded by holding Twilight closer and gently stroking her mane. “It’s slightly different each time, but it’s basically the same thing. You appear, but it’s not you. It’s a fake…Along with a whole bunch of other fakes.”

“And you’re afraid they might take you away?”

Twilight nodded, and choked back a sob. “Only, this time…” Twilight buried her face into Trixie’s shoulder, trying to hold back her tears. “This time, they were trying to hurt me…It was like they hated me…Despised me…If it was just one or two times, it wouldn’t be so bad, but…Why do I keep having these nightmares, Trixie?”

Trixie shushed Twilight, and tried to calm her down by holding her as tightly as she could. Once Twilight seemed to have calmed down a little bit, Trixie began speaking. “In my experience, nightmares often happen because you fear something in real life. You have to conquer this fear in order to vanquish the nightmare.”

“…That’s from Dream Weaver’s book, isn’t it?” Twilight asked, her head still planted into Trixie’s shoulder.

Trixie cleared her throat, and continued. “A-Anyway, the point is, maybe you’re afraid Trixie will actually leave you? And that’s why you’re having these nightmares?” Twilight moved back from Trixie, and stared into her eyes. Trixie could tell that Twilight was still fighting back her tears, and was terrified of the idea that she had just proposed. “W-Well, Trixie isn’t a psychologist, so don’t put too much faith into it…But it makes sense, right?”

Twilight thought about it for a few minutes, running each dream through her mind, and trying to remember the various psychology books that she had read, particularly the parts related to dreams. “Is…Is that it? I’m…”

“There’s no need to be afraid, Twilight,” Trixie said, breaking Twilight out of her train of thought. “Trixie would never leave you. She’d have to be an idiot to do something like that.”

Twilight almost smiled at that, but then another thought passed through her mind. ‘What if I’m afraid Trixie will leave me because of how slow things have been moving? Does that mean I should ask her to move in with me? But what if it’s the opposite? What if I’m afraid she’ll leave me if I try to move things too fast?’

Trixie suddenly embraced Twilight, startling her and causing her face to turn a deep shade of red. “This is Trixie’s fault, isn’t it? Because Trixie ran away from you back in Ponyville…You’re afraid she’ll do the same now. But Trixie won’t! That was one of Trixie’s biggest mistakes, and she won’t repeat it!”

Twilight quickly shook her head. “No, Trixie! That was my fault! I should have gone after you! I was stupid to let you run off like that…” The two gazed into each others’ eyes for a bit, before Twilight suddenly found some courage and decided to take action. She threw her forelegs around Trixie, and drew her in for a passionate kiss. Their lips met suddenly, surprising Trixie, and the two stayed like that for a few moments, before Twilight pulled away. “Well, I’m certainly not going to repeat that mistake. It’s just a dumb dream, and I have no intention of letting you get away from me again!”

It was Trixie’s turn to blush now, as she stared at Twilight in amazement. She leaned forward and kissed Twilight gently on the forehead. “Don’t worry. Trixie has no intention of running away, either.”

The two shared another passionate kiss, before Trixie parted their lips and attempted to push Twilight down. However, to her surprise, it was the other way around; Twilight pushed Trixie down onto her back, and planted a kiss on Trixie’s neck. Trixie’s eyes widened as she realised what Twilight was doing, and tried to stop her, but was too late.

“There. Now, even when we’re apart, everypony will know you’re already taken,” Twilight said, admiring her work as she stared at the small mark left on Trixie’s neck.

Trixie levitated a small mirror from the nearby table, and examined the mark for herself. “…Geez, that really wasn’t necessary. Trixie’s cape might not cover this so well, y’know?” Twilight ignored her, and leaned down to kiss Trixie on the lips again, this time with much more force. ‘Wow, Twilight’s never been this forceful before…I kind of like it.’

After their little love session, Twilight and Trixie both washed up together, and then decided to explore the ship together. Although Trixie wasn’t paying that much attention; she wasn’t that interested in the ship itself, just the time she spent with Twilight. But she saw how happy it made Twilight to tour the ship, so she decided to play along and pretend to be interested.

‘Still, I’m kind of worried…Twilight does tend to overreact, but to be worried to the point of experiencing recurring nightmares? Maybe I should push the relationship forward a bit…But how exactly do I do that? “Hey Twilight, wanna live in Trixie’s trailer with her?”? She gave up her life in Canterlot for Ponyville, like hay she’ll give up Ponyville for my cramped little trailer…’

“Trixie?” Twilight called out, breaking Trixie’s train of thought. “Well?”

‘…Oh buck, she asked something! Quick, Trixie, say something…’ “Uh, sure…” ‘Say something better!’

Twilight frowned at Trixie. Not a good sign. “You weren’t paying attention, were you?” Twilight asked, her eyes narrowing as Trixie quickly denied it. “Don’t lie to me, Trixie! I asked what you thought about the menu, and you said: ‘Uh, sure’.” Trixie resisted the urge to laugh at Twilight’s terrible impersonation of her voice. “What were you doing a thousand miles away?”

Trixie’s brain ran as fast as it could. She needed to say something to calm Twilight down, and fast. “…Trixie was thinking about what we could do tonight?” Trixie wanted to facehoof herself, but knew that would fix nothing. ‘Whatever, better just roll with it,’ Trixie thought to herself, as she half lidded her eyes and stared at Twilight with a seductive gaze.

Twilight blushed, turned around, and began walking away. “C-Can’t you turn off your sex drive for just a little bit?”

Trixie followed Twilight. “Sorry. Trixie will try to pay better attention,” she said, and when Twilight didn’t respond, she breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Ok, she seems to have dropped it. I’m safe. Now, what was I thinking abou- Oh yeah! How to push the relationship forward…Basically, we need to see each other more often…But Trixie couldn’t possibly ask Twilight to move in with her, so…’

“Hey Trixie, where should we go first?” Twilight asked as the two reached a fork in their path.

Trixie examined their options. There was a set of stairs, which would lead to the recreational area, equipped with a library, and arcade, and other entertainment facilities. The other path continued down the corridor, and would eventually lead to the outdoor swimming pool.

Trixie would have to leave Twilight in an hour, so swimming now would be a bad idea. On the other hoof, Trixie had learned that, if you wanted to distract Twilight, a library was always a good way to go. “Trixie thinks we should check upstairs first.”

Twilight nodded her head in agreement. “Alright! Let’s go!”

Trixie allowed Twilight to lead the way, and followed after her, taking a moment to admire Twilight’s flanks as they walked up the stairs. ‘The only logical option would be for me to buy a house in Ponyville, and live there! That way, we can see each other much more often! …It’ll be expensive, though…I’m going to miss being able to eat, but it’ll be worth it, if it eases Twilight’s worries.’

“Trixie is impressed with the selection of books in here,” Trixie said as she read through one of the books, titled Advanced Explosives and Pyrotechnics. “You find anything interesting, Twilight?”

Twilight didn’t answer, as she was too busy reading through a book on a nearby table, with about fifty books stacked next to it, and was completely oblivious to the world around her. Trixie smiled, happy that her plan worked better than she thought it would. ‘Excellent. I can kill some time here for a bit, and then go and meet up with Shining Armour, and Twilight will never have to know a thing.’

“Heya, Trixie!” a voice called out from behind the showmare, followed by a collection of shushes as Trixie turned to face whoever was there. She noticed Lyra approaching her, a cheerful smile on her face, similar to the one she wore the previous night. “How ya doing? Last night was pretty great, wasn’t it?”

Trixie nodded her head. Last night, after the opening party, Lyra and Bon Bon invited Twilight and Trixie to their room, so that they could continue talking. The four ponies stayed up well past midnight, sharing stories and, somehow, getting into a series of games of Twister.

It was because of this that Twilight and Trixie woke up so late this morning, but she couldn’t deny that it was fun hanging out with another couple like that. “Yes, it was. Maybe we could meet up again later today, say, for dinner?”

“Sounds like a plan!” Lyra received some more shushes, and tried to calm herself down. “Then should we arrange somewhere to meet up later?”

Trixie put a hoof to her chin. “How about if Trixie and Twilight stop by your room on the way to the restaurant. We know where it is, and it won’t be so crowded.” Trixie looked around the room behind Lyra. “By the way, where is Bon Bon? Trixie can’t help but notice that she isn’t here.”

Lyra blinked a few times, before suddenly gasping rather loudly. “Oh crap! Sorry, Trix, I gotta run! Catch ya later!” Lyra turned tail and galloped back out of the library, ignoring the angry looks she received from all around her as she did so.

Trixie laughed at the spectacle for a bit, before turning her attention back to her book. “…Oh! That’s why she’s so familiar…” Trixie mumbled to herself, as she suddenly remembered a green Unicorn filly from her childhood. “Lyra Heartstrings…If memory serves, she was in some of Trixie’s classes during her years at that public school.”

Trixie turned to face Twilight, who was already on the third book in her pile. Trixie would have been impressed by her ability to read so fast, had she not already seen and been impressed by it before. Trixie looked over to the clock, and decided to head over to room B-16.

“Twilight?” she whispered into Twilight’s ear. As expected, the only response was a nod of her head. “Trixie has to take care of something. She’ll be right back. Is that ok?”

“Mhm,” Twilight said with a nod, not really paying attention to anything around her.

“Well then, see you later,” Trixie said, gently planting a kiss on Twilight’s forehead, before leaving the library. She sighed to herself, feeling guilty for taking advantage of Twilight’s love of books like that. But she didn’t want to drag Twilight into a dangerous situation, and she had no doubt that Shining Armour would scold her if she got a civilian involved.

Shining Armour sighed as he tried to convince Cadance to let go of his foreleg. “C’mon, I’m only gonna be gone for a little while. I already told you it won’t take long.”

Cadance pouted up at Shining, not caring that she was making a scene in front of other ponies. “But…Where are you going, anyway? You’re supposed to be off duty!”

“There was a slight mix-up in security, and they just want my help in resolving it quickly and efficiently.” Shining finally managed to get Cadance to let go of him. “Really, it won’t take long. Why don’t you go enjoy the spa or something whilst you wait?”

Cadance narrowed her eyes at Shining Armour, before leaning over to him and whispering into his ear: “Fine, but you’d better be prepared to make up for this tonight.”

Shining blushed and quickly trotted away, mumbling unintelligible stuff under his breath. Cadance giggled to herself, and walked off in the opposite direction. ‘Now, I wonder how I should punish him for this…Cheerleader or schoolfilly outfit?’

Cadance sighed as she looked at the map of the ship. She had to hand it to her cousin, he certainly knew how to make an impressive cruise ship for couples…But that was just it, most of the things on the ship required you to be with somepony in order to enjoy them fully. And the things she could enjoy on her own didn’t really appeal to her that much.

“Maybe I will go to the spa… Ah, but in that case, I’d better ask Blueblood to make arrangements for a private room,” she said to herself, before walking off towards the accommodation area of the ship. As an Alicorn, and a Princess, she would attract a lot of unwanted attention if she didn’t walk around undercover, hence the shades and the cap, and the dress to hide her wings. Celestia practically insisted that she be careful not to reveal herself to other ponies.

She made her way to the accommodation area, and started to make her way through the B floor, to find her cousin’s room. If she recalled correctly, his room was B-1. ‘B for Blueblood, and 1 because he’s “Celestia’s number 1 nephew”,’ Cadance recited in her head, laughing at how childish Blueblood could be at times. She found it cute herself, but it became a problem whenever it slipped out in public.

She stopped when she saw Trixie approaching a room down the corridor, and knocking on it with her hoof. Cadance was about to call out to her, when the door opened and from inside came…‘S-Shining Armour?’

She quickly ducked behind a nearby food cart that was conveniently lying around, and watched as Trixie and Shining conversed a little bit. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, and was shocked when she saw Trixie walk into the room, and Shining Armour close the door behind her.

“N-No way…What’s going on? He said he was going to help the security detail of the ship…Shining Armour…Lied to me?” She didn’t want to jump to any conclusions, and she certainly didn’t want to think anything bad about her coltfriend, but she had to know what was going on. She quietly crept over to the door, and planted an ear against it. Inside, she could just about hear vaguely what was being said.

“So, that’s the current situation,” Shining Armour said to Trixie, after briefly telling her what they were up against. Along with the two Unicorns, there were three Royal Guard Pegasi, and one Royal Guard Earth Pony, all of which were gathered around a table, eagerly awaiting Trixie’s “expert opinion”.

Trixie let out a small chuckle, and flicked her mane back. ‘Here it comes,’ Shining thought to himself.

“Well, you were right to come to the Great and Powerful Trixie for this,” she said, drawing in the attention of everypony in the room. “Trixie can see how you were all baffled by this trickster, but rest assured that I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, shall take charge of this whole situation, and have this criminal captured in no time flat.”

“So, you already have a plan?” Shining asked.

“Trixie is still working on the details,” she said, causing Shining to facehoof.

‘Then don’t brag when you aren’t even prepared!’

“But, there is little- No, there is no doubt, given that it is Trixie’s plan, that whatever she comes up with will definitely work.”

Shining could see the annoyed looks on the faces of the Royal Guards around the table, and tried to calm them down whilst Trixie wrote some things down on a blank sheet of paper. “D-Don’t worry, guys, I’m sure everything will turn out fine.” A sheet of paper levitated itself in front of the Captain’s face, and he stared at it blankly, before grabbing it with a hoof. “What’s this?”

“A list of items that Trixie will need.”

Shining Armour read through the list in his mind. He frowned before he even made it halfway down the page. “And what, pray tell, do we need all of this useless stuff for?”

Trixie glared at Shining Armour, almost like she was ready to bite his head off. “Captain, please remind everypony who the expert that you called in is?”

“…That would be you,” he said, though truthfully he wasn’t so sure now.

“Then don’t question Trixie, just do what she says!” Trixie shouted, before turning her attention to the Earth Pony in the room. “You will assist Trixie in carrying some magic ingredients!” She then turned to the three Pegasi. “You will wait for Trixie in cargo bay #2! Trixie will need you to help her set the stage.”

“Trixie,” Shining said, gaining Trixie’s attention, “What exactly is your plan?”

Trixie held her head up high. “A simple trap, with simple bait…Don’t worry, Trixie has no doubts that this will work.”

Shining Armour examined Trixie for a bit, before nodding and turning to his companions. “Right, you heard her. Let’s get to work!”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

Fifteen minutes later, Trixie arrived at the cargo bay alongside the Earth Pony, each of them carrying a bag of materials with them. The rest of the small group was already waiting for them when they got there.

Trixie checked the items collected by Shining Armour, and to his relief, she approved of their quality. She then directed her attention to the three Pegasi, who were bored out of their minds from just standing around and waiting for something to do. She instructed each of them on what to do with each item, and how to set the stage for her act.

Shining Armour agreed to help Trixie prepare the spell that he assumed would be used to capture their target. The Earth Pony Royal Guard was tasked with being on lookout duty, to make sure that nopony walked in on the group.

“So, Trixie, what exactly is your plan?” Shining Armour asked, carrying a bunch of materials over towards Trixie, as per her request.

“Trixie told you. A simple trap, with simple bait.” As if to elaborate, Trixie’s horn lit up, and an image of a Royal Guard pony and Prince Blueblood appeared, both of which began talking to each other. “Trixie doubts this terrorist will pass up the chance to take out the Prince when said Prince is offered to him on a silver platter.”

Shining frowned, disappointed in Trixie. “That’s your big plan? Sorry, Trixie, but it’s kind of…”

“Simple?” Trixie asked, smirking at Shining Armour. “Ah, but that’s exactly what he’ll be expecting.”

Shining’s eyebrow raised, and he looked at Trixie quizzically. “What do you mean?”

“Well, the security detail on this ship is quite laughable, from what you showed Trixie.” Shining nodded his head, though he clearly didn’t approve of the way that Trixie described the ship’s security. “This criminal certainly won’t be expecting you to be involved in this, nor Trixie, either.”

Shining put a hoof to his chin in thought. “So basically, he’ll be expecting a simple trap, so that’s what we’ll give him…But with something more complex hidden within it.”

“Just like one of Trixie’s shows.” Trixie sprinkled some dust on the floor, which quickly became invisible to the naked eye. “Always give the audience what they want…But a little more never hurts, either.”

“I see…And since there aren’t any guards on this ship of notable renown…” Shining quickly turned to the three Pegasi nearby, “No offence.”

“None taken,” one of them said, before continuing with the task he was given.

“Then that means that he won’t be expecting a second trap within the first…At least, not one with powerful magic.”

“Precisely,” Trixie said, “We’ll catch him off guard. A simple strategy, yet an effective one.”

“In that case, you could probably just leave the binding spell to me,” Shining said, “After all, I am trained in it. Barrier magic is my forté, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Trixie needs you to jump out and attempt to restrain him physically,” Trixie responded.

“Why?”

“To make extra sure that his attention is drawn away from any potential hidden traps. If he sees a Unicorn clad in Captain-class Royal Guard armour attacking, it’s only natural that all of his attention will be drawn to said Unicorn.”

“But I don’t have that armour with me, remember? I’m only here on vacation.”

“Trixie can take care of that. He only needs to see it for a second, so she’ll just conjure up a quick illusion.”

“And you can do all of this magic stuff at once?” one of the Pegasi, who had finished their assigned tasks, asked as he approached Trixie. “All by yourself?”

Trixie tutted and shook her head, before facing the Pegasus with a grin on her face. “Of course, for I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!” ‘Sorry, Twilight. I don’t think I’ll have the energy to keep up with you tonight.’

The group waited silently behind some boxes of cargo for the pony that they were targeting to show up. They knew it wouldn’t be long now; he was after something in this cargo bay, and he could only collect it around this time, when the guard on duty outside was scheduled to swap over with another.

As expected, using his masterful arts of disguise, the cream-coloured Earth Pony stallion managed to infiltrate the cargo bay by taking the form of the guard who was supposed to be on duty at this point.

Everypony got ready to ambush the pony, just as soon as the trap was sprung. The pony was noticeably surprised to see Prince Blueblood talking with a member of the Royal Guard in the cargo bay, and even more surprised when the two ponies moved closer and began to kiss…Followed by a full on make out session between the two.

Shining Armour and the other guards were just as surprised, and turned to Trixie with questioning glances. “What?” Trixie whispered, not seeing anything wrong with it. “Why else would the Prince be sneaking around down here?”

For a moment, they weren’t sure the stallion was going to take the bait; he was just standing there, staring at the scene with a confused look on his face. Finally, he began to move forward, pulling out a small knife from his jacket. He charged at the unsuspecting Prince, and aimed his knife right at the side of his neck.

The two ponies that were previously kissing turned around suddenly, just in time to see the stallion pierce the Prince’s neck with his knife…Only for both ponies to suddenly disappear moments later.

The stallion was unfazed by this, and turned his attention to the three guards that were currently approaching him from his side. “I thought so. A simple trick like that won’t work on-” His eyes widened, as he realised that, in order for that illusion to have been possible, a Unicorn must have been nearby.

As if on cue, a white Unicorn stallion suddenly started to charge towards him, levitating a spear beside him. The stallion attempted to move back to avoid the incoming attack, but a bright light suddenly surrounding him threw off his guard. “What?!” He watched in horror as a series of chains appeared around him and attempted to hold him down.

Fortunately for the cream-coloured pony, he was no stranger to binding spells, and was prepared to deal with them. He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a potion that would cancel out the spell and, whilst dodging Shining Armour’s attack, threw it to the ground. He expected the chains to disappear instantly, but they didn’t. Instead, they turned into giant black snakes, and continued to close in on the frightened stallion.

“W-What?! But how?!” Before the stallion could react any further, he was pinned down by Shining Armour, who levitated his spear to the stallion’s neck. “Damnit!”

“Don’t move!” Shining Armour ordered. Around him, the illusion created by Trixie faded. “You’re under arrest! Come quietly, or we will have to use force!”

Trixie approached Shining Armour as soon as the stallion was safely restrained, and was being led away by two of the Pegasus guards. “Well, that went well,” Trixie said, “But then, with the Great and Powerful Trixie assisting you, that’s only to be expected.”

Shining Armour smiled at Trixie, who undid her illusion, causing the armour and spear that he was supposedly carrying to vanish. “I have to say, that really did work out a lot better than I thought.” Shining placed a hoof on Trixie’s head, and roughed up her mane a little bit. “Good work, kid!”

Trixie batted the hoof away and straightened out her mane, her face turning a shade of red as she glared at Shining Armour. “How dare you! Treating Trixie as if she were some foal, and after all she’s done for you today! It’s because of you that Trixie’s date was-” Trixie gasped as she remembered that Twilight was probably still waiting at the library. Hopefully, she was still caught up in her reading, but Trixie knew that, with Twilight, that might not be enough of a distraction.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Shining said. “Speaking of which, how about we get together for dinner tonight? We can make it a double date.”

Trixie placed her hat back on her head once her mane was sorted out, and shook her head. “Trixie will have to decline. She has already made plans with another couple for tonight Unless Well, we could make it a triple date, or maybe that will just make things too complicated?”

Before Shining Armour could respond, he was called over by the Earth Pony guard, who was checking the terrorist’s belongings alongside the remaining Pegasus. “Hold that thought, Trixie,” Shining said as he walked over to see what was up. Trixie watched for a moment, before Shining turned to face her, his face suddenly serious. “Trixie…You go on ahead. I’ll take care of things here.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, eyeing Shining Armour suspiciously. “What do you mean? What did you-”

“Just go,” Shining said, turning his attention away from Trixie and back to whatever it was he found. “Your marefriend’s waiting, right?”

Trixie wanted to press the issue further, but decided not to. He was right; Twilight was still waiting, and she had to hurry back to her, quickly. Besides, whatever he had found, it didn’t have anything to do with her. She had already been dragged into his business enough, she didn’t want to get dragged further into it.

“Well then, until next time, Captain Armour,” Trixie said, bowing theatrically before turning around and leaving.

As soon as Trixie left the room, Shining Armour levitated the badge that was found in the victim’s belongings. The badge which had painted on it a black Unicorn head with black wings behind it – the emblem of Nightmare Moon. “Trixie…I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t hide this from you…But for now, I think you deserve to just enjoy this peaceful moment with your special somepony.”

“Captain!” one of the Pegasus guards yelled as he ran into the room, stopping just in front of Shining Armour and saluting him. “My deepest apologies, Captain! The prisoner…He’s dead, Captain!”

“What?!” Shining Armour yelled as he jumped to his hooves. “How?!”

“Poison, Captain! It seems he injected himself with a slow acting poison, and without the antidote, he…” Shining turned his attention to the victim’s belongings, and rummaged through them. Sure enough, inside there were a bunch of needles. Some contained a blue liquid, and others contained a green liquid. “Captain?”

Shining sighed and planted a hoof to his forehead. “Yeah,” he mumbled to himself, “There’s no doubt. He’s connected to him.” ‘The one responsible for killing the Lulamoon family…’

Trixie couldn’t recall the number of times that she had apologised to Twilight since meeting back up with her. When she got back to the library, Twilight had apparently finished all of the books that she was reading, and had gone off to find Trixie.

Trixie found Twilight searching for her in the arcade, and she clearly wasn’t happy with the showmare. In hindsight, Trixie probably should have thought of some kind of story to tell Twilight when she got back. The fact that she was stuttering and obviously trying to make up a story on the spot did nothing the calm down the angry librarian.

“This was supposed to be our special weekend together, Trixie. And then you go off and do your own thing, and won’t even tell me what you were doing?”

‘Damn you, Shining Armour! That’s the last time I do a favour for you!’ Trixie realised that she wouldn’t be able to lie her way out of this, so she did the next best thing: she tried to use her charm to win Twilight’s forgiveness. “Come on, Twi. Isn’t there anything that Trixie can do to make this up to you?” Trixie asked, rubbing her head against Twilight’s neck as she did so.

Twilight moved away from Trixie, refusing to look at her as they continued through the ship. Trixie frowned, and moved herself in front of Twilight to make her stop. “Come on! We’re supposed to be enjoying ourselves here! This is your birthday gift, can’t you just let this go?”

“You’re the one who left me there all alone!”

“Trixie had something important to take care of!”

“Like what?!”

“Like-” Trixie stopped herself. She was about to reveal that she was working with the Royal Guard, but managed to catch herself before she did. Twilight sighed and walked around Trixie. This was going badly. Trixie had to do something to make Twilight forgive her. Something drastic…“Trixie had an upset stomach!” she shouted, blushing as Twilight turned around and stared at her wide-eyed. “Trixie…Wasn’t feeling so well, and she didn’t want to bother you whilst you were reading…”

“…That’s a lie,” Twilight said, narrowing her eyes at Trixie. “I can tell. You just made that up, didn’t you?”

‘Darn it! She’s getting good at seeing through me!’ Trixie looked around nervously as she tried desperately to think up a new excuse. “Well…You see, that is…Uh…”

Twilight noticed Trixie looking distressed, and started to feel bad for being hard on her. She quickly shook that off, reminding herself that it was Trixie who left her all alone. She took another look at Trixie, who was shuffling the ground with her hooves, and let out a deep sigh. She approached Trixie, who took a step back cautiously. “Trixie…Were you doing anything…Shameful?” she asked hesitantly.

Trixie quickly shook her head, looking offended that Twilight would even suggest such a thing. “No, of course not, Twilight! Trixie would never-”

Trixie was cut off by Twilight leaning in and planting a kiss on her cheek. Trixie muttered something under her breath and blushed deeply. When Twilight pulled away, Trixie tried to speak, but Twilight’s sudden action left her temporarily mute.

Twilight smiled and levitated Trixie’s hat off of her head, and onto her own. “Ok, Trixie. I’ll forgive you…Just don’t leave me alone like that again. Or at least tell me if you do.”

Trixie smiled back at Twilight, and was about to tell her that, technically, she did tell her. But something just didn’t feel right…She suddenly remembered the events that took place that morning, with Twilight telling Trixie about her nightmare. Suddenly, Trixie’s smile faded, and she felt doubly guilty. ‘Oh no…Trixie, you moron! She’s been having nightmares about you leaving her all alone, and then you go and do exactly that, when we’re supposed to be spending the weekend together!’

Twilight noticed that Trixie was still feeling down, and leaned in to gently nuzzle her cheek. “Hey, what’s wrong? I said I forgive you, so-”

“Twilight,” Trixie interrupted, “Trixie’s been thinking…We…Don’t see each other that much, do we?” Twilight nodded. “Well, how about…Trixie was thinking about moving to Ponyville…So that we could spend more time together…”

Twilight’s face lit up, and she excitedly stared into Trixie’s eyes. “Really? You mean-”

“Do you know if there are any houses for sale in Ponyville?”

Twilight stared at Trixie blankly for a moment, and then responded with: “Eh?” She took a step back, and Trixie turned her head to the side, avoiding eye contact with Twilight. ‘Is she blushing?’ Twilight cleared her throat, and thought for a second. “What about…” Trixie turned her head to face Twilight, and now, Twilight found that she was blushing. ‘Come on! Just say it already!’ “How about…Moving in with…Me?” Twilight’s voice cracked at that last word, and she immediately felt her heart rate increase as it left her mouth. There was no going back now.

Trixie felt a smile forming on her face, and she had to stop herself from jumping at Twilight and latching onto her. “Twilight…You want Trixie…You want us to live together?” Twilight nodded. “In the same house?” Another nod. “…Together?”

“Yes!” Twilight shouted, starting to grow impatient. “Well? Yes or no?”

Twilight’s question was answered by a very loud “YES!” as Trixie finally lost her self-control and pounced Twilight all of a sudden. Twilight fell to her back and tried to push Trixie off of her, but she was too heavy, and was pinning Twilight to the floor, hugging her very tightly.

“Um…Girls?” Twilight stopped flailing about under Trixie, and the two turned their heads to look ahead of them, and saw a cream-coloured mare looking down at them with a concerned look. Next to her was a green mare giggling at the scene in front of her. “Are you two…Okay?”

The two Unicorns looked at each other, and then quickly shot up to their hooves, Twilight adjusting the hat on her head and Trixie adjusting her cape, both trying to look nonchalant. “We’re fine,” Twilight said, before turning to face Trixie, “Right?”

Trixie nodded, and placed a hoof around Twilight’s shoulder. “Never better,” she said, nuzzling Twilight’s cheek.

“Uh, ok,” Bon Bon said, “It’s just that…You were kind of…Acting strange.”

“Oh, come on, Bons,” Lyra said, wrapping her forehooves around Bon Bon’s neck, “They’re a young couple in love. Don’t you remember when we started dating?”

Bon Bon let out a deep sigh. “Yeah…It was around the same time we received countless noise complaints and charges for disturbing the peace,” she said, recalling all the times that Lyra would get just a little too enthusiastic.

Lyra simply shrugged this off, and faced the two Unicorns in front of her. “So, we still good for tonight?”

Twilight looked at Lyra quizzically, and then to Trixie, who took a moment to realise what Lyra was talking about. “Oh, that. Yes, plans haven’t changed on our end.”

“Cool,” Lyra said.

“Uh,” Twilight started, feeling like the only one left out of the loop, “What plans, exactly?”

“You haven’t told her?” Bon Bon asked.

Trixie’s ears drooped, and she backed up a little bit. “There were some…Complications,” she said, before turning to Twilight. “Basically, we’re going to be having dinner with Lyra and Bon Bon tonight.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, though she wasn’t against the idea. On the contrary, this was exactly the kind of thing she was looking forward to since meeting up with them yesterday. She was just surprised by the sudden revelation, and somewhat disappointed that Trixie seemed to have made the decision without telling her about it. “And when were you going to tell me this?”

“You were there when we discussed it,” Lyra said, quickly jumping to Trixie’s defence.

Trixie smiled and nodded, and Twilight looked at the two Unicorns with a look of disbelief on her face. “W-What? How? When was-”

“It was when you were reading,” Trixie explained, barely being able to suppress her laughter.

“Then that doesn’t count!” Twilight insisted, knowing full well how she tended to zone out when she was reading.

“So is that a no, then?” Bon Bon asked, looking somewhat disappointed.

Twilight quickly shook her head. “No, nothing like that.” Twilight turned her attention to Trixie, who flinched at her sudden glare. “I would just appreciate it if somepony would keep me informed of such things, and not make decisions like this by herself.”

“So you’re cool with it, then?” Lyra asked, to which she received a nod from Twilight. “Great! We’ll get out of your mane, then.” Lyra and Bon Bon said their goodbyes to the two Unicorns, and started to walk down the corridor. Lyra waited until they were around a corner, and then giggled to herself. “Something tells me Trixie’s in a bit of a jam right now.”

Bon Bon chuckled and agreed with Lyra. “Well, it’s none of our business,” she said, before turning to Lyra and narrowing her eyes at her. “Anyway, don’t think you’re out of the doghouse, either.”

Lyra laughed nervously, and tried to move away from Bon Bon, but the cream-coloured Earth Pony pulled her back with her hoof. “C-Come on, Bons…I said I was sorry.”

Cadance sat up and waved to Shining Armour, who had arrived at the spa to see if his marefriend was there. She was waiting for him in the lobby, reading one of the complimentary magazines. Or pretending to, at least. “So, are you done with your work now?” she asked, gazing into his eyes as she approached him.

“Yeah,” he responded, nuzzling her as she got close. He pulled back, and the two stared into each others’ eyes for a bit. “Sorry it took so long. But we can enjoy the rest of our trip for now…Except for tonight…”

Cadance frowned at this. “What do you mean?”

Shining Armour bit his lower lip, trying to think of something to say. “Well…I’ve got something important to take care of…It’s kind of hard to explain – real technical stuff – but nothing big.”

‘Oh, come on. That’s such an obvious lie,’ Cadance thought to herself, before smiling and planting a gentle kiss on her lover’s lips. ‘But, I know that look. He just doesn’t want me to worry. And I trust him…Maybe I’ll just go easy on him.’

“Alright,” Cadance said, pulling away for a second, before leaning forward to whisper into Shining’s ear. “Then, if tonight’s no good, how about we go back to our room now?” she said in a seductive tone, laughing as she saw Shining’s cheeks light up.

Shining Armour watched as Cadance led the way out of the spa, shaking her tail provocatively as she did so, before following her, letting out a silent sigh. ‘I wonder if Trixie has to put up with this…’

A/N: Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Cruise - Night 2

Twilight hummed to herself quietly as she washed the shampoo out of her mane before moving on to her tail. Next to her, Trixie poured some soap into her hooves, and began to rub it onto Twilight’s body. Twilight didn’t mind at first, but when Trixie spent way more time than necessary on her thighs, she had to nudge the mare away to make her stop.

“Trixie, you know we don’t have time for that.”

Trixie pouted and resumed applying soap to Twilight’s body, though this time focusing on different areas.

“Can you really blame Trixie? What’s that tune you were humming, anyway?”

Twilight, after finishing with her tail, put the shower head aside and began to apply soap to Trixie’s body as the showmare continued with hers. It was slightly awkward, but since they could only have a quick shower (thus invoking a “no fooling around” rule), she had to at least let Trixie have this, lest the clingy Unicorn spend the rest of the night sulking.

“It’s just a little something I came up with. It doesn’t really have a name…”

“Oh? Trixie didn’t know you were a songstress.”

Twilight blushed, and turned her head to avoid looking into Trixie’s eyes.

“It’s nothing great, really… I just came up with it as I was reading this book called Egghead’s Guide to Trolling.”

“‘Trolling?’” Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why would you want to be a troll? They’re stupid, they smell, and they’re so barbaric… Trixie has defeated many of them, of course. One particular troll that was a worthy opponent for Trixie was-”

Twilight stopped Trixie by handing her the shower head before she could go off into one of her stories. As much as she liked to hear them, she had no idea how long it would be, and if it was too long there was a chance that they would miss their appointment with Lyra and Bon Bon.

Trixie, now finished applying soap to Twilight, began to wash her marefriend off. Twilight took this chance to explain the book to her.

“Not that kind of troll, Trixie. It means somepony who says something hateful or completely meaningless, with the intention of annoying others and provoking an emotional response.”

“Oh… Like the hecklers at Trixie’s shows?”

Twilight nodded slowly.

“Yeah, something like that.”

Once the two mares were finished with their showers and had dried themselves off, Trixie took a moment to apply some makeup to her face. Twilight didn’t care much for makeup personally, but according to her book Dating – An Introduction, it was customary to wear at least a little when you go out with your date, and she assumed it worked the same for double dates. To that end, she applied just a little makeup, and then lounged on the bed whilst she waited for Trixie.

She finished blow-drying her hair, and placed her manepin into her mane. It was then she realised that Trixie hadn’t actually been wearing her manepin during the cruise, and started to look around the room for it, hoping that Trixie had just been so excited that she simply forgot to wear it.

“Trixie?” she asked when she couldn’t find it anywhere.

“Hm?” Trixie responded, backing away from the mirror to admire her work. She nodded to her reflection, and began to blow-dry her mane.

“Where’s your manepin?” Trixie turned the blow-dryer off and remained silent for a bit, before putting the appliance down. “Trixie?”

“Finally!” Trixie exclaimed, turning around and smiling at a confused-looking Twilight. “Trixie’s been waiting for you to ask, so that she could perform this trick she’s been practicing.”

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. “It’s not going to be like when you made that bouquet of flowers appear in my saddlebag, is it?”

Trixie’s ear twitched, and she turned away, frowning at the memory.

“Well… Not exactly…”

“‘Cause it took me forever to clean those petals out, y’know? And let’s not forget when you froze my mane that time you tried to-”

“Yes, yes, Trixie remembers! But don’t worry. This one won’t be quite as… Destructive towards your property or your body.”

Twilight, against her better judgement, gave in, and let Trixie perform her trick. Providing it wouldn’t take too long. “Alright. Let’s see it.”

“Well, first, the Great and Powerful Trixie will need a volunteer from the audience!” Trixie declared, donning her cape and her hat as she entered ‘the zone’.

Twilight rolled her eyes and raised her hoof, seeing Trixie pretending to look across an audience for a volunteer. Inwardly, she admired how serious Trixie seemed to be about her job, and giggled at how cute she was being. Some part of her was also happy that Trixie was giving Twilight a private show, though it was nothing new for the librarian.

“You!” Trixie shouted, pointing towards Twilight. “The purple mare with the cute bangs. What is your name?”

Twilight smiled and played along. “Twilight Sparkle.”

“Well, Twilight, would you like to come up and assist the Great and Powerful Trixie?” Not a second passed after Trixie had said that before Twilight teleported to Trixie’s side. “Impressive. Trixie sees your special talent is magic,” Trixie said, leaning her head and admiring Twilight’s Cutie Mark.

“It is… And your special talent must be ogling,” Twilight said in a mocking tone while grinning at Trixie, who pulled her head back to glare into Twilight’s eyes. “You can look, but ya can’t touch!” Twilight said in a playful tone.

Trixie harrumphed and raised her head up, before levitating two objects from her nearby saddlebags. One was a small blue box, and the other was a small pink wand with a star shaped tip, the kind anypony could get from a one-bit store.

“It is fairly simple, even you might be able to do it,” Trixie said, grinning as she opened the lid of the box, and continuing before Twilight could come up with a witty retort. “First, can you confirm that this is indeed an ordinary box?”

Twilight placed a hoof in the box, and nodded to Trixie. After spending so much time with her, Twilight knew that Trixie had probably already started casting illusions, using her hat to hide that from her audience. But even if Trixie had, there was no way Twilight could know for sure, short of lifting the hat up to check for a glow. There was really no point in sabotaging her performance like that, so she just played along. Most ponies wouldn’t even consider that an illusion was at work here, anyway.

“Now, place the wand in the box, and hold it in your magic.”

Now Twilight was interested. If Twilight held the box in her magic, then she would be able to sense if, and when, Trixie used her own. ‘What could Trixie be up to?’ Twilight wondered to herself, but followed Trixie’s instructions nonetheless.

“Now, watch in awe as Trixie replaces the box’s contents, without even touching said box at all!”

Trixie closed her eyes and sat on her haunches, pointing her forehooves to the box as though she were meditating. Twilight waited for some sign that Trixie was using her magic, focusing all of her attention on the box. She waited, and waited, but nothing happened.

“Twilight?” Twilight looked up to face Trixie, who was now standing once again, and smirking towards her fake crowd. “Would you care to check the box’s contents?”

“Uh… Sure…” Twilight opened the box up, and her eyes widened when she saw that the wand had gone, and in its place was the manepin that she had made for Trixie, along with a piece of paper. Curious, she picked up the paper in her magic, flipping it over and reading what was written on the other side. “… Trixie?”

Trixie was blushing heavily from the moment Twilight began reading, and lowered her hat to hide her eyes.

“… It’s a… Little corny, Trixie knows. Poetry isn’t Trixie’s strong suit.”

Twilight read over the poem in front of her, her eyes wide as saucers and her face growing redder with each line. Trixie was right; the poem was far from being a masterpiece, and there were one or two areas where the grammar actually made Twilight want to cringe.

But overall, the poem conveyed Trixie’s feelings to Twilight very clearly, and the fact that Trixie went to so much effort to write it… Twilight was at a complete loss for words.

“W-Well, maybe we should get going now,” Trixie said, reaching over for the box. She stopped when Twilight levitated the box, along with the poem, to the side, and moved forward to push Trixie down onto the bed beside them. Before Trixie could even try to get up, Twilight planted herself on top of her, pinning her down.

“W-What are you-”

Trixie was cut off when Twilight leaned down and forcibly planted a kiss on Trixie’s lips.

“So, what was that about us not having enough time?” Trixie asked coyly as she walked down the hallway. Twilight was following closely behind, slowly turning red.

“W-Well, when you write something like that…” Twilight’s ears drooped and she turned her head away in embarrassment.

Trixie slowed down a bit to allow Twilight to catch up to her, and then gently nuzzled Twilight’s cheek.

“If Trixie had known it would have that effect on you, she would have started writing poetry long ago. Heck, she would have even attended a creative writing class or two.”

The two mares stopped at Lyra and Bon Bon’s room. Twilight began to raise her hoof, but stopped when Trixie surprised her with a sudden kiss on her cheek. Turning to Trixie with a blush on her face, she found the showmare looking back at her with a grin on her face.

“Problem, Twilight?” she asked with feigned ignorance.

Twilight sighed, and raised her hoof to the door, keeping her gaze on Trixie as she did so. She knocked on the door twice, and it soon opened to reveal Bon Bon and Lyra, the latter looking at Twilight with… Worry?

“Twilight! Are you ok?! You’re not hurt, are you? You know you don’t have to force yourself to come if you’re feeling ill!”

Twilight and Trixie shared startled looks at Lyra’s sudden outburst. Trixie felt her head heating up as Lyra jumped at Twilight, placing her face against the librarian’s as if she were checking her temperature.

“A-hem!” Trixie used her magic to put some distance between the two other Unicorns, placing herself in front of Twilight for good measure. “Perhaps you wouldn’t mind explaining what this is all about?”

Bon Bon pulled Lyra back, took a moment to shoot a glare the green Unicorn’s way, and then turned back to Twilight and Trixie with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about that. I tried to convince her that you were fine, Twilight, but…”

“Twilight’s never late for an appointment! Something serious must have happened for this to have happened!”

Bon Bon rolled her eyes, and turned to Lyra, who seemed to be performing some sort of exorcism. “Honestly, Lyra, it’s only been ten minutes.”

“You don’t know Twilight like I do! Back in school, she considered ten minutes early to be late!”

“Oh now that’s just ridiculous.”

“Um,” Twilight started, “Actually… It’s true…”

An awkward silence passed between the four mares, which was broken a few moments later by Trixie’s giggling. Twilight, her face now as red as a tomato, glared at Trixie, though it did nothing more than aid Trixie’s laughter.

Bon Bon scratched her head nervously, trying to control her own laughter, and then cleared her throat to gain the group’s attention. “Anyway, my point is that she seems fine. And now that we’re all here, perhaps we should get going.”

Lyra, having finished her strange ritual, hopped into the hallway excitedly.

“Good point! We have ta get there before it fills up!” The four ponies moved down the hallway, following Twilight, who seemed to have memorized the layout of the entire ship. “So, why were you guys late?”

Twilight winced and remained silent, having no intention of answering. Trixie, on the other hoof, was grinning from ear to ear, and was more than willing to answer her ‘number-one fan’.

“Would you like the short version, or the long version?”

“Long, please!” Lyra responded.

Trixie began to speak up, but Twilight cut her off before she could begin. “The long version is that Trixie told a story she was never meant to tell, and had to spend every night for the next three months sleeping in the library basement by herself.”

Trixie gulped at Twilight’s not-so-subtle warning, and smiled nervously at Lyra. “Eheheh… Trixie prefers the short version herself, where we just lost track of time, and that’s all.”

Lyra looked at the two ponies with a confused expression on her face, and then turned to Bon Bon, who obviously knew something, but wasn’t telling her. After contemplating the situation in her head for five minutes, she broke the conversation between the other three ponies by suddenly shouting out.

“Oh! You two were having sex!”

The four mares finally made it to the front of the queue at the ship’s restaurant. That’s one complaint they’ll be making: having only one restaurant on a ship this vast was a rather big design flaw.

Once they were at the front, Twilight was about to request a table for four, but the waiter, upon seeing Trixie, spoke up first.

“Ah, Miss Lulamoon and party?” he asked, causing the other three to face a confused-looking Trixie. “Your table is ready. If you would please come this way?”

The waiter began to walk off, and was followed by the four mares.

“Trixie, what’s going on?” Lyra asked. Trixie thought about it for a moment.

“Did you reserve a table for us?” Twilight asked. “Is that where you’d gone off to earlier?”

“Hm? Uh… Yeah,” Trixie answered, still wondering what was going on. When the group reached their table, they began taking their seats – Lyra and Bon Bon on one side, and Twilight and Trixie on the other. The waiter gave each pony a menu, and whispered something to Trixie.

“Captain Armour sends his regards, and wishes you a good meal.”

Trixie grinned and dismissed the waiter with a wave of her hoof. ‘I see…So he’s responsible for this. I guess I shouldn’t be too hard on him, then.’

“Um, Trixie?” Trixie turned her head to face Twilight, who was looking at her with a look of guilt on her face. “Sorry for being so hard on you earlier… I guess you were just trying to surprise me, huh?”

Trixie’s grin faded, and she quickly hid her face behind her menu. “No, it’s fine, Twilight. Trixie shouldn’t have kept it from you, since it clearly meant so much to you.” Trixie was fine accepting praise for this, but she did not want to make Twilight feel guilty about anything. That was the last thing she wanted.

“How did you even manage this, anyway?” Bon Bon asked, though her attention was fixed on the menu. “This is the only restaurant on the ship, and this is the VIP area! How did you manage to reserve us a table here?”

“Well… Let’s just say that Trixie has her ways,” she said nonchalantly, turning to the wine section on the menu. ‘So this is what being Captain of the Royal Guard can get you.’

The two couples had placed their orders, and decided to tell each other how they got together whilst waiting for their meals. Lyra and Bon Bon told the story of how they met during summer break one year when they were in High School, and how Bon Bon became enraptured with Lyra’s music.

Lyra stated that she was drawn to Bon Bon’s “sweet candy flanks”, and neither Twilight nor Trixie were sure if she was joking or not. Bon Bon simply facehooved, as if it wasn’t anything new to her.

“So how about you guys?” Lyra asked. “How did you two get together?”

Twilight and Trixie exchanged looks, and then smiled and turned back to the other couple.

“Well,” Twilight said, “That’s actually an… Interesting story.”

“‘Interesting’ is one word for it,” Trixie said, turning away and snickering. “Looking back on it now, Trixie acted rather petty back then, didn’t she?”

Twilight leaned over and nuzzled Trixie’s neck lovingly. “Well, it all worked out in the end, right?”

Lyra leaned closer and asked: “So, what happened, exactly?” Bon Bon also leaned closer, curious as to what their story was.

“Well…” Twilight sat up straight as she remembered the event that essentially set things in motion. “You guys remember the ursa minor incident in Ponyville, right?”

The other couple nodded.

“How could we forget? It’s like the parasprite incident… It’s just not something you forget.”

Trixie’s eyes widened, and she shuddered a little, at the mention of parasprites. “Twilight, you never told Trixie that you’d dealt with parasprites before.”

“Oh, didn’t I?” Twilight asked innocently. “Eheheh… I guess it just slipped my mind.”

“Trixie would personally prefer to never deal with those accursed creatures again. Even basilisks are better than those things.”

“Anyway,” Twilight said, continuing the story, “A few months ago, Trixie and I ran into each other, completely by chance, at the Manehatten Sci-Fi Convention, or MSFC.”

“And you fell in love at first sight?” Lyra asked, hoping for a romantic story.

Twilight laughed nervously, and Trixie turned around with a look of… Guilt? “Not exactly,” Twilight said. “You see, Trixie was still a little upset about the ursa minor incident, and wasn’t exactly my biggest fan…”

“Trixie held resentment for Twilight, even before the ursa minor incident,” Trixie said, her voice shaking as she did so. Twilight reached over and pulled Trixie into a hug, but Trixie remained facing away. “Trixie was jealous of everything that Twilight had, and angry that Twilight took it all for granted. So when Trixie saw Twilight, and remembered how she had shown Trixie up in Ponyville… Trixie kind of…”

“She kicked me,” Twilight said, seeing that Trixie was having trouble finishing the story. Both Lyra and Bon Bon stared at the two in shock, and Lyra regretted her decision to start drinking water during the story, almost choking on it after what she had just heard. “In the face. Hard.”

Twilight felt Trixie shaking, and tightened her hold on her.

“Yeah…” was all that Trixie could say.

“I already told you, it’s ok,” Twilight said, nuzzling the back of Trixie’s head, trying to get her marefriend to calm down. “Besides, you weren’t the only one. I fought back, remember?”

This news shocked Lyra even more than the initial news. “You fought back?”

Twilight blushed. Now it was her turn to look away, out of both embarrassment and guilt.

“I know, I still don’t know why I did it. I guess… I was kinda stressed that day, and the convention wasn’t going as great as I had hoped… But it was still no reason to take it out on Trixie like that…”

Trixie heard Twilight’s voice getting weaker, and turned around to see Twilight looking down at the floor. Trixie raised her forelegs, and returned the hug that Twilight was giving her.

“It wasn’t the best meeting we’d ever had, but without it, we might not be together right now.”

“So… What happened next?” Lyra asked, now entirely captivated with the other couple’s story. “I mean, you guys obviously made up. Did one of you seek the other out or something?”

Twilight laughed, and looked back up at the green Unicorn opposite her. “Sorry, Lyra. Nothing like that.” Lyra pouted, and Twilight continued. “You see, that night, I decided to go stargazing to clear my mind. I asked somepony at the convention, and they told me the best place in the city to go stargazing.”

“Trixie loves stargazing, and already knew the best place to view the night sky in Manehatten. So you can probably guess what happened next.” Lyra and Bon Bon nodded, both certain of where this was going. “Twilight happened to stumble upon Trixie whilst she was getting ready to stargaze.”

“If we hadn’t have had that fight earlier,” Twilight began, “Then I probably would’ve just left her alone, or we probably would’ve had that fight there and then. But because of our earlier fight, I felt it was only right to go and apologize to her.”

“And then?” Bon Bon asked. “She didn’t hit you again, did she?”

Trixie smiled, and shook her head. “No,” she said. “Thankfully, Trixie had managed to calm down enough to think clearly. Besides, Trixie wasn’t about to let anything ruin what had so far been a wonderful night of stargazing.”

“She didn’t accept my apology immediately,” Twilight said, “But we did manage to make peace, and we talked all throughout the night. As it turned out, we had a lot of common interests. It started out as just a friendship between us, but… After spending more time together…”

“You fell in love?” Lyra asked with a big, toothy grin. The two mares opposite her nodded, and leaned their heads against each other. “Wow… That’s awesome! Right, Bons?”

Bon Bon simply nodded in agreement, her heart melting as she watched the other couple in front of her. She was snapped from her thoughts when the waiter returned with their meals, and the two couples continued exchanging stories, with Twilight and Bon Bon stepping in to silence their respective marefriends when the stories started to get a little too personal.

After their meal, the four mares made their way to the ballroom, where a party was being held. Upon walking in, they were greeted with the sounds of romantic music, and the sight of many couples dancing on the dance floor, or talking to other ponies around the sides of the room.

“C’mon, Bons!” Lyra shouted, grabbing Bon Bon’s forehoof with her own and dragging her off towards the dance floor. “Let’s go show these ponies how to really dance!”

“Wait, Lyra!” Bon Bon protested, but it fell on deaf ears. She was dragged off by her marefriend, leaving Twilight and Trixie by themselves.

Trixie offered a hoof to Twilight, and looked at her with a playful grin.

“May Trixie have this dance?”

Twilight giggled, but wasn’t sure.

“I dunno… I’m good at dancing solo, but I’ve never danced with a partner before.”

“Don’t worry. Trixie is an expert, so just follow her lead.” Twilight smiled and accepted Trixie’s invitation, and followed her to the dance floor. They found a space with a lot of room, and Trixie helped Twilight get into position. “Ok, Trixie will lead, you just follow. It’s not actually all that difficult.”

“Ok… I’ll try…” The two started dancing slowly, and then gradually built up their speed as Twilight got into the rhythm… And within half a minute, they already had their first collision with another couple.

“Sorry!” Twilight apologised, flustering as she got back into position.

After a few more collisions, the ponies around them began to distance themselves a bit further away, and Twilight could feel the eyes of all the couples around her glaring at them.

“Wow… Are you sure you can dance solo?” Trixie teased. “Honestly, Trixie’s never seen anypony dance so poorly in her entire life.”

Twilight instantly forgot about all the glares directed their way, and shot her own glare at Trixie.

“Oh really?” she asked, getting back into position once again. Her first idea was to poke fun at Trixie’s singing in return, but she decided to be the bigger mare, and not initiate a fight in front of all these ponies. There would be time for that later, in the privacy of their bedroom. “Maybe it’s because my teacher’s not teaching me right?”

Trixie’s grin turned into a frown, and she narrowed her eyes at Twilight.

“Oh, it is ON, Twilight Sparkle!”

Trixie used her skill, and the extra space that was now available to the two of them, to help guide Twilight as they danced, acting quickly to correct themselves whenever Twilight made a wrong move, and helping to guide Twilight into making the correct moves.

Soon they were dancing at a reasonably safe level, and the ponies around them were a little more at ease now. The two continued to dance for the duration of the current song. Twilight gazed into Trixie’s eyes, and found herself caught by Trixie’s stare. The two stopped at the end of the song, and closed in on each others’ lips.

After parting, Twilight leaned her head against Trixie’s shoulder, and Trixie wrapped her forelegs around Twilight’s neck, holding her lover close to her body.

“Thanks, Trixie,” Twilight said, returning the hug. “This is the best birthday present I could have ever asked for. Being here with you, it’s just… I don’t know how I could ever repay you for this.”

Trixie looked down at Twilight with a questioning gaze.

“It’s a birthday present. You’re not supposed to repay it, right?”

Twilight giggled, and pulled her head back.

“I meant for your birthday.” Soon after saying that, she let out a terrified gasp of realisation. “Oh no! I don’t even know when your birthday is! We didn’t pass it already, did we?”

Trixie shrugged, which confused Twilight.

“Don’t know. Trixie doesn’t know when her birthday is, either.” Twilight continued to stare at Trixie as if there was something on her face. Just in case, Trixie checked with a small mirror that she pulled out of her cape, but found nothing. “… What?” she asked, looking back at Twilight.

“Um… How can you… Not know when your birthday is?” Twilight asked, completely dumbfounded.

“Well, you see, the only ponies that Trixie is aware of who would know when Trixie’s birthday is all died when Trixie was only two years old.” Twilight gasped, but Trixie continued before she could say anything. “Don’t worry. Trixie’s already made her peace with it… It was a long time ago, after all.”

Trixie had to try hard to not let Twilight see through her lie this time. Although it’s true that it happened a long time ago, Trixie had far from gotten over it. But she didn’t want Twilight pitying her for it, or feeling sad in any way.

“But… What about your birth certificate? Surely it’s still in one of the hospitals near where you were born, right?”

Trixie shook her head. “The Lulamoon family – Trixie’s family – used to all live together in a mansion, just outside of Canterlot. It was that same mansion, that was the Great and Powerful Trixie’s birthplace.” Trixie added in some of her usual cheer and theatrics to make sure Twilight didn’t pick up on her true feelings.

“According to a doctor at one of the hospitals in Canterlot, Trixie’s mother went into labour during a terrible snowstorm, and couldn’t make it to the hospital for delivery. The delivery was performed by one of Trixie’s uncles, who, at the time, was a medical student in training.

“The delivery was performed at the mansion, and as such, no official record of Trixie’s birth was ever made. In fact, legally speaking, Trixie didn’t exist until she enrolled at that public school at age ten. When it was discovered that Trixie had no records of being born, they had to take Trixie through a lot of legal mumbo-jumbo to have her officially recorded as being alive. But no matter how hard they searched, they couldn’t find Trixie’s date of birth.

“When Trixie started living at the orphanage, she had only her name, and her age. So she kept a tight hold of both of them. That’s the only reason Trixie knows how old she is, and from that, we can deduce what year she was born in, but nothing more specific.”

When Trixie had finished her story, it took Twilight a few moments to fully piece together everything that she had heard, and when she was done, a small tear fell down her face. She didn’t even realize it until Trixie looked at her with a look of concern, and asked: “What’s wrong?”

“Huh?” Twilight asked, snapping out of her thoughts. Finally, she noticed the tear, and quickly wiped it away. “Oh! It’s just… That’s so sad, Trixie. What did you do for your birthday each year?”

Trixie smiled warmly, and nuzzled Twilight’s cheek, hoping to calm her marefriend down.

“Don’t worry. Trixie wasn’t sad.” ‘Not about that, at least.’ “There were a lot worse things weighing on Trixie’s mind than her birthday.”

“So… You’ve never once celebrated your birthday?” Trixie shook her head, still smiling, and Twilight could tell that it was a genuine smile. Earlier, she could sense that Trixie was hiding some kind of deeper sorrow when she talked about her family’s deaths, but this time, there was nothing. Trixie honestly had no problems not knowing the day she was born, and not being able to celebrate it every year.

‘Not gathering around with friends, and partying like there’s no tomorrow? No gathering around to open presents, or play games, or tell stories, or anything?’

Twilight leaned forward and kissed Trixie on the lips suddenly, catching the showmare by surprise.

‘No way! Even if you’re ok with it, I’m not! Everypony deserves to celebrate the day they were born with the ones they love, and you’re no exception!’

Twilight pulled away from Trixie, her tears now halted, and smiled.

‘I’m definitely gonna help you, Trixie! I won’t let you go through life without experiencing at least one birthday party!’

“What was that for, Twilight?” Trixie asked, grinning at Twilight.

Twilight shrugged, and returned Trixie’s grin. “Just felt like it,” she said, leaning forward for another kiss. She was stopped by the sound of somepony behind her clearing his throat, and the two lovers turned to see a bunch of couples once again staring at them. Some out of annoyance towards the two ponies that were about to start making out on the dance floor, and some just trying to enjoy the show.

Twilight’s face turned red quickly, as did Trixie’s, though not quite as much as Twilight’s. Trixie grabbed Twilight’s hoof with her own, and tugged at it. “Maybe we should continue this somewhere more… Private.”

Twilight agreed, and allowed Trixie to lead her away by her hoof.

Once they were out of the ballroom, they made their way around the corner to a seemingly unpopulated part of the ship where they were able to get a good view of the ocean, with the moon shining brightly in the distance.

“This seems like a good spot,” Trixie said, stopping and turning to face an unsure-looking Twilight.

“I don’t know… What if somepony happens to come by?”

Trixie grinned mischievously, and closed in on the blushing librarian. “Doesn’t that make it more exciting?”

Twilight was about to answer, but stopped when her ears picked up a strange sound nearby. Trixie picked up on this, too, and the two mares rounded the next corner to see what it was. They both gasped in shock and surprise at what they saw.

Octavia (who they were sure was playing her cello in the ballroom not too long ago), and another pony, who Twilight recognised as the resident DJ in Ponyville. Vinyl something-or-other. Both mares wrapped in each others’ forelegs, their bodies pressed against each other, and were making out against a wall, filling the air with moans and sighs every now and then.

“Wow…” Trixie said, unable to look away. “Trixie had no idea that Octavia was so… So… What’s the word Trixie is looking for?”

She turned to face Twilight, hoping that her bookworm-marefriend would have the answer. Unfortunately, Twilight’s brain seemed to have crashed, and she was having trouble getting any words out at all.

Half of Trixie felt sorry for Twilight, and wanted to help her by leading her away from the scene. The other half was angry that their own make out session was interrupted by stumbling across these two mares. Ultimately, the two halves worked together, and Trixie used her magic to pull Twilight away by the tail, until they were far enough away from the scene that Twilight was able to regain her senses.

“T-That was…”

Trixie released her grip on Twilight’s tail, and tried to work a different kind of magic on the purple Unicorn.

“Did that turn you on, Twilight?” she asked, once again shooting a mischievous grin at Twilight.

Twilight stumbled over her words as Trixie drew closer, and was saved (or interrupted, she wasn’t sure) by the sound of a familiar voice coming their way.

“HEY! There you guys are!” Lyra shouted, walking towards the two with Bon Bon at her side. “Why’d you run off like that?”

Trixie shot a glare at the two interrupters, who flinched slightly. They were sure they could see flames in the showmare’s eyes. ‘Damnit! I was so close, too!’

Shining Armour sighed as he lowered his head into his forehooves. “Man, this is killing me… So much for a relaxing getaway with Cadance.” He looked over the files in front of him one more time, and felt his eyelids growing heavy. He shook his head to wake himself up, and rose to his hooves. “I think I need more coffee…”

He moved towards the coffee machine sitting on a nearby cabinet, and switched it on. As the coffee poured into his mug, he allowed himself to get lost in thought.

‘Trixie has no intention of joining us. I know that, and the only reason she agreed to be an honorary guard was so that she could get information on that stallion. She even made it one of her conditions that we let her in on any missions that directly concern him. I should tell her about what we’ve found, but…

The aroma of coffee broke Shining Armour free from his thoughts, and he levitated his mug to his mouth, blowing gently before drinking. He cringed at the horrible taste, but continued anyway. He had to stay awake, so he sucked it up and drank the disgusting beverage.

“No. For now, I want her to enjoy herself, with her special somepony… Technically, as long as she doesn’t ask me for the information, I’m not under any obligation to share it with her.” Shining sighed at his poor logic, and lowered his now empty mug down onto the cabinet. “I just hope we don’t find any leads from this case… I want Trixie to give up on revenge, and maybe some time spent with this marefriend of hers will do the trick. I just need more time… More time before we confront him…”

Shining was about to go back to the table to continue his work, when suddenly the entire room started to shake, accompanied by a large crashing sound from outside.

“W-What the hay was that?!”

Twilight and Trixie rushed to the front of the ship, along with many other ponies, to see what was going on. Lyra and Bon Bon were among the rest of the ponies running across the ship. When they arrived, more worn out than the other ponies around them, Twilight and Trixie joined the series of shocked gasps at what they saw: a giant squid, just slightly taller than the cruise ship (which itself was fairly tall), wearing what appeared to be shell-like armour.

“T-That’s… Trixie… That’s a… A…” Twilight was struggling to get the words out, so Trixie helped her along.

“A kraken!” Trixie shouted, staring in awe at the monstrous creature before them… Until it lowered a tentacle onto the ship, shaking it once again. The ponies around them began to scream and run around in a panic. “What is a kraken doing here?! Krakens don’t live in Equestrian waters!”

“Actually, Aqua Marine theorised that there may be a small group of krakens in the eastern sea, and there have been reports of kraken being sighted in Equestrian seas.”

“Yeah, but weren’t all of the ponies who made those reports nut jobs, or just ponies looking to make a quick bit?”

“Well, most were, but some of them were somewhat credible. They just lacked the evidence to back up their claims.”

“Uh, girls?” Bon Bon asked, not taking her gaping face off the monster-sized squid before her. “Shouldn’t we be more worried about… You know, getting out of here?”

Twilight and Trixie exchanged knowing glances, and then turned back to Bon Bon. “Trixie wouldn’t worry too much,” Trixie said.

“Yeah,” Twilight agreed, “Kraken are known to be fairly peaceful creatures, and by now, it should know that there are living creatures on this ship.”

“Chances are, it’s just passing through,” Trixie continued. “So long as we don’t provoke it, we should be-”

“FIRE!”

The group turned around just in time to see Prince Blueblood giving the order to a number of guards to fire their harpoons at the kraken. Twilight and Trixie suddenly turned pale, and could only watch in horror as a number of sharp projectiles flew through the air, and found their way towards the kraken.

Most of the harpoons bounced harmlessly off the kraken’s body, while some pierced it, eliciting a pained roar, and causing it to stop in its path, and turn to face the ship.

Lyra turned to Trixie and asked: “So… What now?”

Trixie turned back to Lyra, her eyes still wide as dinner plates. “Now… We panic.”

The ship shook violently again, this time from an intentional attack from the kraken. The screaming of the ponies around them started up again, and the crowd of ponies began to make their way towards the other end of the ship.

“Everypony, evacuate now!” Blueblood shouted, using a voice amplification spell to make sure that everypony could hear him. “The lifeboats are located in the middle of the ship, and at the back! Mares and foals fir- Wait, there wouldn’t be any foals here anyway… Mares and Princes first!”

“C’mon! We should go, too!” Lyra shouted, and the others wasted no time arguing with her. They began to move quickly, but had to stop momentarily to grab a hold of something as the ship shook once again. “Whoa! Bons, you okay?!”

“I’m fine!” Bon Bon shouted, holding onto the rail next to her for dear life. Once the shaking stopped, the group began to run down the ship again, amongst the crowd of fleeing passengers.

“Trixie! What are you doing?!” Twilight shouted, prompting both Lyra and Bon Bon to stop and check to see what was wrong. “Run!”

Trixie stared forward in horror as Twilight shouted to her to run. ‘Don’t you think I want to?!’ Trixie wanted to shout, but her mouth wouldn’t move. If she could, she would be shaking in absolute fear right now. However, she couldn’t. She couldn’t speak, or shake, or blink, or do anything. She was frozen in place, completely unable to move.

‘What the hell’s going on?! Move, body! MOVE!’

No matter how much Trixie demanded her body to move, it simply wouldn’t obey her. She’d been held by binding spells before, but that wasn’t what this was. She could tell that magic wasn’t at work here, and there was nothing physically restraining her, as far as she could tell. Her body was just refusing to listen to her.

“TRIXIE!”

Trixie quickly stumbled forward, and quickly realised that she was able to move once again. She wanted to contemplate what had just happened, but there was a more pressing matter at hoof at that moment.

“LOOK OUT!” Twilight shouted.

Trixie wondered what she meant by that. Curiosity taking over her, she turned around to see something moving towards her quickly. She didn’t have enough time to wonder what it was, though. The next thing she knew, she was looking up at Twilight Sparkle, who was leaning over some kind of railing, shouting something that she couldn’t make out.

“TRIXIE!”

Twilight tried to run over to her marefriend, but another violent shake caused her to fall to the ground. She rose to her hooves, and looked over at Trixie, who had stumbled forward from the shaking. Behind her, Twilight could see pieces of debris falling from the upper levels, some of which were flying towards Trixie.

“LOOK OUT!” Twilight shouted, and immediately regretted it. She saw Trixie turn around, only for a sharp piece of metal to fly right into her face. Twilight gasped, and galloped to Trixie as quickly as she could. Trixie stumbled around for a bit, before tripping over her own hooves, and falling over the railing next to her. “TRIXIE!”

Twilight reached out for the showmare, but was unable to reach her in time. “NO! TRIXIE!” Twilight leaned over the railing, and tried to extend her reach, only to be stopped by something tugging on her tail. She turned around to see Bon Bon, who was holding Twilight’s tail in her mouth and pulling it back. “LET ME GO! I HAVE TO SAVE HER!”

“It’s too late!” Lyra shouted, looking over the side of the ship. Twilight turned just in time to see Trixie fall into the sea below them. She tried to jump after her, but was stopped by a violent tug at her tail from Bon Bon. “You can’t! It’s too late now!” Lyra shouted, trying to sound, but she was struggling to hold back her tears.

“No… It can’t… It can’t end like this…” Twilight fell to her haunches, and just stared at the floor with a blank expression on her face for a few seconds, before bringing her forehooves to her face, and letting her tears flow as she wept.

Trixie opened her eyes slowly, and tried to remember what had happened. The last thing she could remember was Twilight looking down at her, shouting… Something. She felt pain running through her body, and suddenly realised that she wasn’t breathing. ‘What’s that… That red colour?’

Trixie stared at the stream of red mist in front of her, and found that it seemed to be coming from her.

‘Blood? Is that blood? Why? And why does my body hurt? … Am I underwater? Oh, that makes sense. I’m drowning…’

Trixie closed her eyes, too tired to even attempt swimming back up to the surface.

‘Sorry, Twilight. I was really looking forward to spending more of our time together… I’m so sorry…’

“Shoop-bee-doo-shoop-shoop-bee-doo!”

‘… What the hay is that?’

Many ponies watched from their lifeboats as the S.S. Blueblood sank. In one boat – which stood out quite distinctly from the rest, with it being three times the size of the other boats, having a much nicer paintjob, and equipped with tools that were priotised to help one relax, rather than to ensure survival – Princess Cadance was giving her cousin a long lecture about his rash decision to attack the kraken.

“This is what aunt Celestia is always warning you about! You never stop to think about things, you just act irrationally and then run away at the first sign of trouble!”

“Cadance,” Shining said quietly, trying to calm down his marefriend.

“You endangered everypony on the ship, and now we’re stranded out here, waiting for help to come! It’s not like we can send for help; we’re too far from the mainland to swim or fly there!”

“Well how was I supposed to know it was just passing by?!” Blueblood responded. “I thought it was attacking the ship, so I acted how any Prince would: I tried to protect the lives of everypony onboard!”

“Yeah, nice job with that, by the way, storing your own private lifeboat in a separate location, and prioritising your own escape before anypony else’s!”

“I’m a Prince! They’re mere commoners! It’s obvious which has higher standing!”

“Guys,” Shining tried, but was ignored once again.

“When will you grow up and start taking responsibility already?! It’s because you’re a Prince that your first duty is to your subjects! A Prince has to be selfless! A Prince has to be-”

“GUYS!” Shining shouted, earning glares from the two arguing cousins. He suddenly remembered that they were both Royalty, and started to regret yelling at them like that. However, at least now he had their attention. “Can we talk about this later? We need to figure out a way to get back to the mainland.”

“By the way, Cadance,” Blueblood said, ignoring Shining Armour, “Would you mind explaining what this commoner is doing aboard our lifeboat? This is for Royalty only!”

Cadance turned her glare back to her cousin, making him flinch, before flying up and over Shining Armour, landing behind him and wrapping her forelegs around him.

“He’s here because I say so! If you don’t like it, then we’ll both leave!”

Blueblood groaned, and turned away so that his back was facing the other two ponies.

“Fine, he can stay… But only this one time! Be grateful, Captain.” He finished with a pout as he continued staring towards the wreckage of his ship. He sighed and buried his head into his hooves.

“Auntie’s going to kill me…”

Elsewhere, Twilight, now completely out of fresh tears, simply stared forward into the distance, her eyes completely out of focus, and her face void of any expression. Lyra and Bon Bon attempted to cheer her up, but found that words were unable to get through to her. They decided to give Twilight some space, and remained completely silent out of respect for the purple Unicorn and her lost mare.

“Shoop-bee-doo-shoop-shoop-bee-doo!”

“You say something, Bons?” Lyra asked, breaking the silence that seemed to have dragged on for an eternity.

“I didn’t say anything… Wait, what’s that?” The two mares looked over the side of the lifeboat, where they saw a faint glow in the water. It slowly started to get brighter, and after staring at it for a few seconds, something burst out from under the water, sending the two ponies tumbling back into their boat. “Aah! W-What was that?!”

Lyra looked up at what had just come out of the water. It was a white, transparent sphere, floating in the air and slowly lowering itself down onto the boat. Lyra’s eyes widened as she saw what was inside.

“T-Trixie!”

Suddenly, life returned to Twilight Sparkle, who slowly lifted her head up, focused her eyes, and then quickly spun around with desperate hope upon hearing her lover’s name. Lying down behind her, breathing heavily, was indeed the blue Unicorn mare that she thought she had lost. Twilight did a double-take, and ran her eyes over Trixie’s body once more.

Trixie was fine for the most part. She was soaking wet from head-to-hoof, and breathing more heavily than she should have been. Also, there was a rather nasty bruise on her flank. Other than that, there was only one thing that caught Twilight’s attention: the alarming amount of blood running down the left side of her face, from her left eye down to her chin.

“We’ve stopped the bleeding for now,” a voice to the side of Twilight said. The three conscious ponies in the boat turned around to see somepony treading water just next to the boat. “But you need to take her to a doctor, and fast. She needs proper treatment.”

Lyra arched an eyebrow and stared dumbfounded at the pony in the water.

“Um… Thanks? But… Who are you?”

“We’re the Sea Ponies!” another voice called out, and the three mares, along with many of the ponies in the boats around them, turned to see many different ponies popping out from the water. There were also a few more spheres being lifted up and lowered onto lifeboats, each one containing somepony who had apparently fallen off the ship, or wasn’t able to make it out in time.

Ponies all around the group rejoiced and shared tearful reunions with their loved ones, whom they thought they had lost.

“It’s strange that a kraken is all the way out here,” one of these ‘Sea Ponies’ said to her friend. “And even stranger for it to be acting so on edge. Even if it was provoked, it shouldn’t react this violently.”

The other Sea Pony, a red one, nodded and turned to one of the lifeboats, facing a Royal Guard. “We’ll handle things here. You should all get away from here while you still can.”

“We’d like to,” the guard grunted, looking out over all of the lifeboats, “But we can’t. We’re stuck here until somepony comes along.”

“In that case,” a pink Sea Pony shouted, after appearing from nowhere and startling the guard, “Us Sea Ponies will help! We’re always happy to lend a fin to anypony in need! Right, guys?”

The other Sea Ponies nodded – some reluctantly, and some happily. The Sea Ponies split into two groups: those who would attempt to calm down the kraken, and those who would tow the stranded passengers back to land.

Twilight would have been more fascinated by these strange ponies, and in the back of her mind, she even had a whole range of questions that she wanted to ask them, but right now, she was far more concerned with Trixie’s well-being. She cast a spell that she had memorised from one of her books to help Trixie’s breathing, hoping to ease her pain.

“Amazing… Simply amazing…” Trixie scratched her hoof nervously as she watched the doctor in front of her mumbling to himself, apparently deep in thought. He turned to her and shone a light into her injured eye… Again. “This is… Impeccable.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Trixie moaned, sinking into her seat. She wished that Twilight was with her to help her feel more relaxed, but there were a lot of ponies that needed treatment, and she had been asked by one of the doctors to lend a hoof.

The doctor turned off his light, and shook his head. “No, no… Quite the contrary. You see, your eye was pretty badly damaged by the piece debris that hit you. However… Even though the damage, both internal and external, should have left you blind in that eye, these tests have shown that you can not only see through that eye, but that you still retain your 20/10 vision!”

“Trixie has a 20/10 vision?” Trixie asked. “Trixie doesn’t remember that. Last she checked, it was the standard 20/20.”

“Well, it’s definitely 20/10 now. Honestly, this is nothing less than a miracle!”

“So… Trixie is ok, then?” Trixie looked hopeful for a second, but that soon faded as the doctor shook his head. “There’s more?”

“I’m afraid so. Although your vision is fine, you did suffer a rather nasty wound. It’s been taken care off for now, but because of where it is, we’ve only been able to do so much. I’m afraid you’ll have to stay in Fillydelphia for about a week, until we can be sure that your wound won’t open up again, or get any worse.”

“But-”

“Also,” the doctor said sternly, “There’s always the chance that you suffered an infection, and we can’t let you leave until we can be absolutely positive that your health is in no danger.”

“But Trixie had plans! Important plans!” Trixie shouted frantically, flailing her hooves for emphasis.

The doctor responded by levitating some bandages up to her head, and wrapping them around her eye. “Well, reschedule them. When it comes to your health, you can’t be too safe.”

“Can’t Trixie just use another doctor?” Trixie yelped as a stinging pain passed through her head, and calmed down a bit so that the wrapping wouldn’t hurt so much.

“You could, but then I’d have to take the time to explain to them how I’ve treated you so far, and what I’ve already discovered from examining your injury. And right now, there are a lot of other ponies who also need my help.”

He sighed, and finished wrapping bandages around the top left part of Trixie’s face. “Look, you were lucky that you didn’t die. If I were you, I’d count my blessings, and just take a week off to ensure that everything is alright.”

Trixie groaned, but she couldn’t argue with that logic. She quietly thanked the doctor for his help, and left the first aid tent, sulking as she walked.

“Well, I agree with him, Trixie,” Twilight said as she ran a brush through her mane. She had just arrived at Trixie’s trailer, after spending the whole evening assisting the doctors and nurses with injured ponies. “You can’t be too careful when it comes to your health.”

“But what about moving into the library?” Trixie asked, lying down on her bed with the covers over her face.

Twilight thought she was being silly, but also found it adorable. “Well, obviously that’s a bummer… Oh great, now I’m starting to talk like you…” Twilight giggled, trying to get a similar response from Trixie. When Trixie stayed silent, she walked over to her and pulled the covers away with her magic. “Look, Trixie, I was looking forward to us living together, too. But I don’t want to rush it if it means putting you in danger.”

Trixie didn’t answer, so Twilight continued after climbing into bed next to Trixie. “I thought I lost you today. I thought I’d never get to see or hear from you ever again.” Twilight tried to hold her tears back as best she could. She had to be strong right now. “So please, Trixie. Just do what the doctor says, and take a week to make perfectly sure that you’re fine. For me?”

The two stayed silent for about a minute, before Trixie turned around and rubbed her nose against Twilight’s. “Okay… For you, Twilight.”

“Good. Then let’s go to sleep,” Twilight said, reaching over to turn the lamp off, before remembering something. “Do you need help with your bandage?” she asked.

“W-What d’you mean?”

“The doctor said it would be a good idea to take your bandage off at night, to let the wound breathe.” Trixie shuddered, and lifted a hoof up, as if to guard her bandage. “… Trixie?”

“I… Trixie doesn’t want to remove it.”

Twilight frowned, and sat up, soon followed by Trixie. “And why not?”

“Because… Because I don’t want you to see it…”

Twilight rolled her eyes, and gently lowered Trixie’s hoof, despite some resistance on Trixie’s end. “Trixie, come on now. Don’t be silly.”

“I’m not being silly!” Trixie shouted, startling Twilight. “T-Trixie’s a showpony… That means that Trixie’s appearance is everything! And not just that, but as a mare… Trixie doesn’t want anypony to see this. Least of all you.”

Twilight leaned over to hug Trixie, though Trixie didn’t return it. She was too busy shaking and feeling distressed. “Trixie, it’s fine. I won’t think any less of you. I promise.” She pulled back, and stared pleadingly into Trixie’s eye. “Please?”

Trixie thought it over many times in her head, but after looking into those beautiful eyes in front of her, and that saddened expression that Twilight was wearing, she just couldn’t say no anymore. “… You won’t… You won’t tell anypony else about this?”

“I won’t.”

“… Alright, then.” Trixie allowed Twilight to undo the bandage neatly for her, even though it was unnecessary, since it would just be thrown away and replaced with a new one tomorrow anyway. Still, Twilight liked to do things neatly, and Trixie liked that part of her.

Once the bandage was off, Twilight looked at Trixie’s face, and, despite her best efforts not to, couldn’t help but let a tiny gasp escape her mouth. Trixie’s left eye had the nastiest-looking wound that she had ever seen. It was obvious that this would leave a scar, but it wasn’t just that. The wound ran from diagonally down Trixie’s left eye – and slightly past it on both ends, too – from the top right to the bottom left.

But rather than going across her eyelid, the wound was actually across the eye itself. Trixie’s left eye was now just a solid purple colour, with a mark across it that made Twilight shiver upon seeing it. ‘She can still see through that eye?’ Twilight asked herself mentally.

Trixie’s face fell when she saw Twilight’s reaction. “I look ugly, don’t I?”

Twilight immediately shook her head, and threw the bandage carelessly behind her. She reached out and placed both of her forehooves on Trixie’s shoulders. “No. You’re not. I was just… A little surprised, that’s all. I simply didn’t expect it to look like… That, I guess.”

This didn’t help Trixie at all. “You’re lying,” she insisted, not looking up at Twilight. Not until Twilight placed a hoof under Trixie’s chin, and lifted the showmare’s head up herself.

“I’m not lying, Trixie. It doesn’t matter what happens, or how many wounds you receive. You’re the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria… No, in the whole world!”

Trixie looked into Twilight’s eyes, a slight smile starting to form on her face. “Really?”

Twilight smirked and leaned closer to Trixie. “Was there ever any doubt?” Twilight pushed Trixie down onto the bed, and fell down next to her. “Anyway, I like to look into your eyes at night. It helps me relax, and sleep peacefully… And I also like to look into them in the morning, just after waking up. So please don’t try to hide them from me, Trixie.”

Trixie wrapped her forelegs around Twilight, snuggling up closely to the other mare. “… Alright… The Great and Powerful Trixie will allow you this privilege, Twilight.” Trixie let out a loud yawn, and nestled her head against Twilight’s chest. She felt Twilight’s forelegs wrap around her, and heard a click from the lamp as Twilight shut it off.

“Goodnight, Twilight.”

“Goodnight, Trixie.”

A/N: Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

(BONUS) - A Twixie Christmas

A/N: This is a special, non-canonical chapter. The events here do not relate to the events in the main storyline, other than it taking place in the same Universe.

I hope you enjoy. Thank you all for the support throughout this story, and I hope you all have a merry Christmas! (Providing the world didn't end on the 21st. If it did, I apologize that you never got to see this story end. If there's an afterlife, I hope they have Fimfiction.net.)

Christmas – a season of joy, of love, of togetherness, and of generally enjoying the company of your family and friends. A time of great happiness for many ponies, and a time that many young fillies and colts get very excited about.

For one Twilight Sparkle, it was no different; she was just as excited about this season as a certain pink mare who had spent the last week making sure the entire town was the most festive town in all of Equestria. Said effort resulted in a total lack of sleep for the town’s residents, and an enormous drain on the town’s electricity. Mayor Mare was currently in the process of passing a new bill, which would limit the number of lights and noise-making decorations allowed in the streets of Ponyville for future Christmases.

However, back to Twilight Sparkle – the mare was excited, but not in the same way as a young foal eagerly waiting to open their presents next to a warm fire. Nor was she excited in the same way as a parent watching their child join their friends in Christmas carols. No, Twilight Sparkle was excited because she was sure that Pinkie Pie was going to love the present that she got for her.

“This will be great!” Twilight shouted cheerfully as she levitated the present onto her back. “I’ve received presents before, but I’ve never given them to anypony. Well, except for you and Shiny, but that doesn’t really count.”

Spike, who was walking alongside Twilight, carrying two presents in his claws, rolled his eyes at Twilight’s enthusiasm over something he considered mundane. “Those don’t really count, since you always got us books-”

“What’s wrong with books?!” Twilight shouted defensively. Nopony disses books with Twilight Sparkle around.

“-that we already knew the endings to because you always read them out loud to us, or near us.”

Twilight turned her head away in embarrassment, and let out a small laugh. “Well… This time, I did all the calculations, went through all the scenarios, and consulted fifteen different books, to make sure I got the perfect present!”

“I don’t really think all that was necessary.”

“True. Usually, it would be around five books. But with it being Pinkie Pie, I was having trouble making the math come out.”

“That’s not what I- … Math? Wait, you actually calculated the perfect present for her?” Twilight nodded, looking very proud of herself. “How do you even calculate something like that?”

“Don’t underestimate the power of math, my good friend.” Twilight examined the two presents being carried by her ‘number one assistant’, and started to grow curious. “Are both of those for Rarity?” she asked, arching her eyebrow.

“Nah, just one of them. But it’s a good one!” He stopped for a moment to catch his breath, and reaffirm his grip on the presents. “The other’s for Sweetie Belle.”

“Sweetie Belle? Why?”

Spike shrugged. “Why not?” he asked nonchalantly.

“No, I mean, why just her? Why not any of the other foals you’re friends with, like Snips and Snails?”

“Well… I read this interesting thing online that said, if you wanna get in somepony’s good books – that is, somepony you like – then befriending their siblings is a sure-fire method!”

Twilight frowned, and stopped in her tracks, causing Spike to stop too. “Spike, I can’t believe you!” she shouted, disappointment clear in her voice. “You’re using Sweetie Belle to get closer to Rarity?!”

Spike looked at Twilight, clearly confused as to why she was suddenly so upset. “What’s the big deal? I get closer to Rarity, Sweetie Belle gets a present or two, and also, both me and Sweetie Belle become good friends! You of all ponies should know how great it is to be friends with somepony.”

“Well, yeah,” Twilight said, but not backing down, “But only when your heart is in the right place! You’re trying to befriend her for all the wrong reasons!”

Spike sighed, and mumbled something to himself. He then repeated himself, but louder, so that Twilight could hear him. “Alright, already. I won’t use Sweetie Belle to get closer to Rarity. Happy?”

Twilight smiled, and continued walking. “Very,” she responded, before Spike continued following her.

“Merry Christmas, Twi!” Rainbow Dash shouted, presenting a gift to her friend. “I’m your Secret Santa, so here!”

“Oh! Thanks, Rainbow,” Twilight said as she happily levitated the present into the air.

“Open it up! I know you’ll like it!”

Twilight giggled a little at Rainbow’s excitement, and then slowly opened her present from Rainbow Dash. She levitated a book from inside, and her eyes lit up with excitement. She eagerly read the title, and felt her spirits drop when she saw that it was one she already owned. Of course, she didn’t visibly show this to her friend, and just kept smiling.

“Thanks, Rainbow Dash. I, er… Love it, really!”

“Look inside the cover.”

Twilight raised her eyebrow, and then opened the book up and looked at the back of the cover. Inside was the author, Pen Stroke’s, autograph. Twilight’s eyes widened, and she struggled to let out any coherent words.

“So, I take it you like it?” Rainbow asked smugly.

“I… I… I LOVE it!” Twilight exclaimed, placing the book onto the table next to her, and wrapping her forelegs around Rainbow Dash tightly. “How did you even get that? It is real, isn’t it?”

“Remember that pony I saved from a burning building last week?” Twilight nodded. “That was him.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, and she backed up to stare at the Pegasus, as if waiting for the punch line.

“So, he offered me his autograph, and I thought: “Hey, I bet Twi would love this!””

“Well… You were certainly right about that!” Twilight turned to the book, smiled widely, and then back to Rainbow Dash. “Thanks, Rainbow.”

“HA! That’s nothing, compared to what I-” Twilight’s ears drooped, and she sighed heavily as she knew what was coming. “-The Great and Powerful Trixie, have got for you!”

Twilight counted to three in her head, and then stepped slightly to the left, just in time for a cloud of smoke to appear behind her, and a blue blur to jump out and attempt to grab onto the librarian. Instead, Trixie ended up hug-tackling the air, and falling to the ground.

“Ow…” Trixie rose to her hooves and rubbed her head. “What’s the big idea?! Why did you step aside like that?!”

“Because it took me forever to make this outfit,” Twilight said, pointing to her Santa costume, “And I don’t want it to get messed up or damaged.”

Trixie pouted, and brushed the dust off of her body. She lifted her hat off the ground and placed it on her head. “You could have at least used your magic to cushion Trixie’s fall.”

Twilight smirked and leaned over to Trixie. “What? Is the ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie afraid of a little pain?” she teased, nuzzling Trixie’s cheek. “Perhaps you’d like Twilight to kiss your owie to make it all better?”

Trixie grinned wickedly at Twilight, which was not the reaction she was hoping for. “Yes. That would please Trixie greatly, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight backed up and stared dumbfounded at Trixie, who had shifted her cape aside to reveal her flank to Twilight, and was staring back expectantly. “Well, Twilight?”

“A-hem.” The two unicorns turned to face Applejack, who was approaching them with a sly grin on her face. “Ah know Christmas is a time when couples show their love for each other, but d’ya think you could at least wait ‘til after the party?”

Pinkie Pie shot up from out of nowhere in between Applejack and Trixie. “Yeah! We can’t have any of that here! This story’s meant to be PG-13!”

“… Come again?” Trixie asked, lowering her cape to once more cover her flank.

“That’s right, Trixie,” Shining Armour said as he approached the group. “Also, I kinda feel a little uncomfortable with seeing you and my sister… Acting like that…”

Trixie chuckled at Shining as he turned red. “Very well then. We’ll save it for later… How long is this party going to last, again?”

“All night, Trixie,” Twilight answered, furrowing her brow at Trixie. “And no, we can’t borrow Pinkie’s room.”

Trixie let out a defeated moan, and began walking over to one of the refreshment tables. “Trixie is feeling rather parched, after her long journey to Ponyville. Trixie will be right back.”

“Please tell me you’re not going to get drunk,” Twilight said, practically begging. “‘Cause you remember what happened last time, right?”

“… Actually, no,” Trixie answered.

“And it’s probably for the best,” Twilight said, shivering at the memory. “Just… Stick to the juice, please?”

Trixie rolled her eyes, and walked away without a word.

“So, Twi,” Applejack started, “Ah reckon ye’re the last one now. So ah guess that means ye’re Pinkie Pie’s Secret Santa.”

“Yep,” Twilight said, her smile returning to her face as she levitated her present over towards Pinkie Pie. “I hope you like it. I had to look through a lot of books to find out what would be the perfect gift for you. I was a little surprised with the outcome, but, hey, who am I to argue with the experts?”

Pinkie excitedly took the present from Twilight magical hold, and in one lightning movement, removed it from its wrapping… Without tearing or making any openings in the wrapping paper whatsoever. The intact wrapping paper collapsed to the floor soon afterwards.

Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp when she saw her present: a ‘drinking bird’ toy, which she quickly laid down on the floor, before dashing off to fetch a glass of water.

Shining Armour raised an eyebrow, and turned to his sister. “Um… Are you sure this is the ‘perfect present’ for her?”

Twilight looked over at Shining Armour quizzically. “Are you doubting my calculations?”

Before he could answer, Pinkie Pie rushed back into the room, and placed a glass of water in front of her new toy. She tapped it to get it started, and began giggling as she watched the plastic bird dipping its beak into the water, before moving back up, and then dipping down again.

“Well… I guess she does look like she’s enjoying it…”

“I love it! Thank you, Twilight!” Pinkie shouted, grabbing Twilight into a tight hug for a few seconds, before letting go and turning her attention back to her new toy. “Hehehe! He’s going back for more!”

“Simple minds are so easily entertained,” a voice announced. The group turned to see a cloaked pony approaching them. “It must be nice to live in such bliss, with not a care in the world.”

Shining Armour’s face suddenly took on a serious expression, and he lowered himself into an attacking stance, as if ready to pounce this newcomer. “W-What?! What are you doing here?!”

“I was invited,” the pony answered, turning to Pinkie Pie. “She said the readers might want to get to know me, before I make my big entrance.”

“The…” Shining Armour stood up straight again, and now looked at the cloaked pony with confusion. “The what?”

The pony shrugged, and levitated a glass of punch up to his lips. “Anyway, I’m just here to enjoy myself. So don’t get too bent out of shape about it…” He looked to his side, staring at something nearby for a moment, and then turned back to Shining Armour. “Oh, and perhaps you shouldn’t tell Trixie about me, either.”

Shining scowled at the pony, still ready to attack at any moment. “I think she’ll have an easy time recognising you. After all, you are-”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie has returned!” Trixie declared, approaching the group. She noticed the cloaked pony, and took a moment to examine him. Shining Armour channelled some magic into his horn, ready to back Trixie up, but this seemed to go unnoticed by the showmare. “Who are you?” she asked, causing Shining to lose his concentration as he suddenly snapped his head to her, looking at her with an incredulous look.

“My name is Goodguy Smileshine,” the cloaked pony said. “Nice to meet you.”

Trixie didn’t say anything back, but instead simply tilted her hat to ‘Goodguy’. She noticed Pinkie Pie giggling over a drinking bird toy, and walked past her, over to Twilight. “Twilight, could you come with Trixie for a moment?”

“What for?” Twilight asked.

“Trixie wants to give you her present… In private.”

Twilight blushed, and looked around at all of her friends, who were giggling and making excuses to get out of the couple’s way.

“Um… Sure,” Twilight said. Trixie walked past her and headed outside, and after a few moments, Twilight followed after her.

“Ah, to be young and in love,” Goodguy said, pulling down his hood to reveal his yellow-coated face and spiky brown mane. “It’s a shame that it’s a love that can never be.”

Shining Armour glared at Goodguy, growling angrily as he thought about how much he wanted to kick him in the face right now. “I won’t let you ruin what they have!”

“Now, now,” Goodguy said, casually lifting his drink up to his mouth and taking a sip. “Don’t go making a scene, Captain Armour. It is Christmas, after all. And I’m sure you wouldn’t want to ruin this joyous party, now would you?”

Shining continued glaring in silence for a few moments, before backing down, and picking up his own drink from the nearby table. “… By the way, your name sounds stupid.”

“Yeah, well, it did the job. Though it wasn’t necessary; she doesn’t even know my real name yet, does she?”

“No… I don’t, either, now that I think about it.”

“Hey, Shining Armour!” Shining turned his head to face Twilight’s friends, and saw Rainbow Dash calling out to him. “Come over here for a sec!”

Shining turned his gaze back to Goodguy, and lowered his drink back down to the table. “I’ll let you go, for now. But next time we meet, I will stop you.”

Shining Armour walked past the cloaked stallion, and over to where Rainbow Dash and the others were, to see what she wanted.

Twilight continued to follow Trixie through the town of Ponyville. After asking her five times where they were going, and receiving no answer each time, she eventually gave up, and simply continued to follow the blue Unicorn through the town.

The two eventually arrived at a cliff top, just outside of Ponyville. They could see the entire town before them, all lit up brightly (very brightly, thanks to Pinkie Pie). Trixie stopped in her tracks, and was soon joined by Twilight. “So, have we walked far enough now?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, this is the right spot,” Trixie responded, turning around to look over the edge of the cliff, and sitting on her haunches. She motioned for Twilight to sit beside her. “Come, Twilight. The show will be starting soon.”

Twilight arched an eyebrow, and looked at Trixie quizzically. “What show?”

Trixie only responded by patting the spot on the ground next to her with her hoof. Twilight walked over and sat down on her haunches next to Trixie. “Are you ready for the most spectacular show you’ve ever seen in your entire life?”

“Uh… Sure?” Twilight asked, not completely sure.

Trixie’s horn glowed for a second, and then, two seconds later, fireworks started to shoot up in the distance. Twilight turned around suddenly, startled by the loud explosions nearby, and stared in awe at the beautiful display in front of her.

Fireworks exploded into a variety of different shapes. Trixie noticed that Twilight was entranced by the display, and mentally praised herself before reaching a foreleg around Twilight’s shoulders to hold her closer. Twilight responded to this by leaning her head against Trixie, both mares smiling as they enjoyed this moment together.

“Merry Christmas, Twilight,” Trixie said, planting a kiss on Twilight’s forehead. “Do you like Trixie’s present to you?”

Twilight nodded, still not taking her eyes off of the display of fireworks before her. “It’s beautiful. I love it, Trixie.”

Trixie pushed Twilight back a little bit, so that she could turn the purple Unicorn to face her, and plant a gentle kiss on her lover’s lips. Twilight returned it, and the two continued to kiss for a good few minutes, the fireworks display still taking place in front of them.

When the two pulled back for some air, Twilight suddenly remembered that she still hadn’t given Trixie her present yet. “I’ve got something for you, too, Trixie.”

Trixie’s face lit up, with both joy and anticipation. “This news pleases the Great and Powerful Trixie,” she said, using her onstage voice.

Twilight opened her saddlebag with her magic, and levitated out a present from inside it. She passed it to Trixie, who grasped it with her own magic. “I hope you like it,” she said, smiling at her marefriend with that adorable smile that Trixie just couldn’t resist.

Trixie felt her heart beating faster as she opened her present. Any present from Twilight would make her happy, but she couldn’t help but be extremely excited by the idea of getting a real Christmas present for once, as opposed to just being invited to drink along with the rest of her gang members.

“It’s a wonderful read! I think you and the main character really have a lot in common!”

Trixie stared at her present for a few moments. It was a book. One that she didn’t recognise.

“It was actually written by my mother. She’s a really good writer, and this is one of her most famous books… Do you like it?”

Truth be told, Trixie was hoping for something more exciting than a book. Not that she didn’t enjoy a good read, it just wasn’t what she was expecting. Still, it was a present from Twilight. To Trixie, that meant it was something more valuable than most of the things in her trailer. This wasn’t just any old book anymore; it was something that she needed to treasure.

She smiled at Twilight, and leaned forward. Twilight expected a kiss, and prepared herself, but instead simply received a hug. “Thank you, Twilight. Trixie will treasure it, always.”

Twilight hugged Trixie back, happy that she seemed to like her present. The fireworks display ended soon after, but the two remained on the cliff top for a while, leaning against each other, forehooves connected, staring out at the stars.

“Merry Christmas, Twilight.”

“Merry Christmas, Trixie.”

A/N: Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Vacation

“Spike! Do you know where I left that book I was reading?!” Twilight called from her room to the baby dragon downstairs.

“You mean The Ballad of Glitter Dawn? You took it with you on that cruise, remember?”

Twilight facehooved, and sat down on her haunches, staring into space for a few minutes. That book was a rarity, and it had taken Twilight forever to secure a copy. “Great. I’m never gonna figure out how that ends,” she sighed, just before a loud crash behind her caught her attention.

“Hey, Twilight!”

“Nice of you to drop by, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said with equal parts annoyance and amusement. “New trick?”

Rainbow got up and dusted herself off. “Nah, I just got some pretty exciting news, and couldn’t wait ta tell ya!”

“Oh? What is it? Did you get accepted into the Wonderbolts?”

Rainbow Dash waved a hoof dismissively. “Pfft! Yeah right! You’ll be lucky to only get away with a hole in the ceiling when that happens.” This made Twilight feel uneasy, and she made a mental note to look into reinforcing the library.

“Well, what is it?”

Rainbow Dash grinned, and wrapped a foreleg around Twilight’s neck. “What’re ya doing two days from now?”

Twilight struggled against Rainbow’s friendly headlock, but found herself unable to break free. “Two days from now? Well, I guess I could reshelve the library’s inventory…”

Rainbow released her friend, and floated up into the air. “Yeah, you could… Buuuut, I was thinking that maybe the seven of us could go to Horseshoe Bay together!”

Before Twilight could question her, Rainbow Dash held up seven slips of paper in her hooves. Twilight levitated one of them towards her, and saw that it was a ticket to the luxurious tourist resort at Horseshoe Bay.

“Rainbow Dash… Where did you get these?”

Rainbow folded her forelegs and held her head up as a proud grin appeared on her face… One which reminded Twilight of a certain somepony, and caused her to blush slightly as that pony’s face entered her mind.

“Won ‘em in the FFL, down at the marketplace!”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “The what?”

“‘Flim Flam Lottery’. The new lottery that everypony’s been talking about? It’s only second prize, but hey, it’s not bad, right?”

Twilight nodded, and looked back at the ticket.

“So, you in?” Rainbow asked.

“Yeah… It sounds like fun, and it’s been awhile since we all got together last.”

Rainbow nodded, and ascended higher, through the hole in Twilight’s ceiling. “Great! I’ll go invite the rest of the gang! Oh!” she dropped a second ticket down to Twilight. “That one’s for Spike! Later!”

Twilight waved as Rainbow Dash sped off through the air. ‘A visit to the luxurious resort at Horseshoe Bay… No doubt Trixie will be jealous when she finds out,’ Twilight thought to herself with an excited giggle.

“Level with me, Trixie,” the doctor said as he examined Trixie’s eye. “Have you been using forbidden magic?”

Trixie scowled at the doctor. “And why are you asking something like that? Of course Trixie hasn’t!” ‘Not through lack of trying, mind you.’

“Well, your eye is recovering much faster than I would have thought possible! In fact, at this rate, it should be fully healed by tomorrow!”

Trixie smiled widely, before composing herself and returning to her neutral expression. “So that means that Trixie can leave early?”

The doctor took a moment to think about it, which annoyed Trixie. “Well… I guess so, if nothing bad happens tomorrow…”

Trixie cheered loudly inside her head whilst the doctor wrote something down, until she remembered the other thing that she wanted to talk to him about. She cleared her throat to get his attention. “Actually, there was something else that Trixie wanted to bring to your attention.”

The doctor turned to her with a look of concern. “And that is?”

Trixie told him about what happened during the cruise, about how her body had suddenly froze up, and refused to move when she told it to.

“Hmm… Very unusual. We’ve already performed a full-body physical on you, and we didn’t notice anything out of place.” The doctor leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. “The only things I can think of… Are that you were literally scared stiff-”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie does not get scared!”

“… Or that there’s some psychological reason behind it.” He turned his attention back to her. “I’m no psychiatrist, but maybe there’s been some recent event in your life that’s been causing you grief? Maybe a family matter, or something concerning that marefriend of yours?”

Trixie shook her head. “Trixie’s family has been dead since she was two years old, and this has never happened to her before. And Trixie has never been happier in her entire life, than during the time that she has spent with Twilight!”

“Just ‘cause you’re happy, doesn’t mean you aren’t stressed. Relationships are always stressful, no matter how well they’re going. Especially if you’re the type to worry about every little thing going wrong.”

“Well that certainly isn’t Trixie,” she said confidently. “The Great and Powerful Trixie knows how to treat Twilight Sparkle properly, and is very confident in her abilities to make her happy!”

“Then maybe you’re overworked?” Trixie looked to actually be considering that option. “Whatever the case, if you are stressed, then the only thing that I can recommend is that you take some time off. Have a little you time, and just free yourself from the worries and hardships of the world.”

Trixie put a hoof to her chin. “That does sound nice.”

“Actually, this is perfect!” the doctor said as he turned to his computer screen. “I’m still worried about that eye of yours, and want to keep watch over you for at least a day after it recovers. At the same time, I myself have been so overworked that I haven’t been able to spend much time with my wife.”

“Trixie doesn’t see what you’re getting at.”

“Well, how would you like to spend some time at the luxurious resort at Horseshoe Bay?”

Trixie’s eyes widened. “A-Are you kidding?! That place is harder to book a place for than the Canterlot Royal Hotel!”

The doctor grinned and winked at Trixie. “That’s why I need your ability to act. If you can pass yourself off as a pony suffering from heavy trauma, we can pass it off as a medical venture, and get in for free.”

Trixie grinned and leaned closer to whisper. “That’s rather naughty, abusing your power like that.”

“Well, technically it won’t be a lie. You will be there to relieve your stress, and you could have suffered trauma from your recent… Incident. We’ll just be exaggerating things a little bit is all.”

“Hmm… The Great and Powerful Trixie could do with a little vacation… Very well then, Trixie will play along.”

The doctor clapped his forehooves together. “Great! I’ll get everything all sorted out! You can go now, if you wish.”

Trixie rose to her hooves and bid the doctor farewell, before floating the eye patch that he had given her up to her face, applying it, and then leaving his office.

“Rarity?”

“Mhm?”

Twilight looked at herself in the mirror nervously, her face red as she looked over her body. “I appreciate you making me a new swimsuit…”

“Oh, it’s nothing, darling.”

“But isn’t it… A little revealing?” Twilight asked as she looked over her flank in her reflection, which was barely concealed.

“Oh, come now. It’s accentuating, not ‘revealing’.”

“‘Sides, we don’ normally wear clothes, anyway,” Applejack said, viewing her own figure in a separate mirror.

“It’s just… Kind of embarrassing, is all,” Twilight said. She used her magic to levitate a blue one-piece swimsuit into view. “And what’s wrong with the swimsuit I already have?”

“You mean besides it being your swimsuit from school?” Rarity asked.

Twilight used her magic to take off the pieces of cloth she was currently wearing, and slipped on her old swimsuit. “So? It still fits me perfectly! See?”

An audible tear brought about an awkward silence, and Twilight was too afraid to turn around and confirm what she knew had just happened. Luckily, she wouldn’t have to; Rainbow Dash was already in hysterics about it.

“T-That can’t be!” she shouted. “I couldn’t have gained that much weight!”

“N-Now now, Twi,” Applejack said, “I’m sure it’s just ‘cause you’ve grown so much since then.”

Twilight looked at the floor and shook her head in despair. “No… I… I haven’t,” she said. “My last growth spurt… Was before I bought this swimsuit.”

Rainbow’s laughter increased, and it was clear that she was trying to throw a fat joke or two at Twilight.

“Okay, Dash. Ah think it’s time we leave now,” Applejack said, grabbing Rainbow’s tail in her mouth and dragging her off. Applejack signalled to Rarity to comfort Twilight, and left the store with a still laughing Rainbow Dash.

Once the door was closed, Rarity placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder and smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Twilight. You have a terrific figure, and with my designs, you’ll be the talk of the entire beach!” Rarity wasn’t sure if it was working or not, but continued anyway. “Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had stallions just fighting over the chance to court you! They won’t be able to take their eyes off of you, I guarantee it!”

Twilight blushed and rose her head, smiling at Rarity. Her friend smiled back even wider, pleased to see that her attempts at cheering Twilight up seemed to have worked.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Twilight said. “But… Just a one-piece swimsuit, please.” Rarity’s expression fell. “And one that doesn’t show off too much. If my Cutie Mark’s even slightly visible, it’s too much.”

“B-But Twilight!” Rarity protested, but stopped when she saw Twilight’s stern face. “… Oh, fine! But honestly, there’s nothing for you to be embarrassed about. You should be proud of your figure! I know a lot of mares who would just die to look as stunning as you.”

Twilight’s ears fell back and she turned her head away. “I just… Have my reasons, okay?” ‘Trixie would flip if she found out anypony had hit on me.’

Two days later, Trixie set off for Horseshoe Bay with her doctor, and his lovely wife, Lemon-Lime. Trixie had to admit that she was surprised by the doctor’s wife, who was not at all what she was expecting. She wore an elegant white dress with jewels embedded into the seams, which made her look like somepony you’d find following Fancy Pants around. She had a look that showed off her maturity, yet made her appear younger than she actually was.

“Now remember, Trixie,” her doctor said as they approached the resort entrance, “You’re here to resolve your trauma, so try to look like you’ve just undergone some dark, horrible tragedy.”

Trixie’s face immediately fell into a grimace, and the doctor nearly jumped out of his skin when he thought he saw a heavy black fog appear around her.

“How’s this?” she asked. Her tone was completely even, with no sign of happiness or regret. It sounded like she was just a golem, speaking words as it was programmed to.

“My, you told me she was a showmare, but you didn’t tell me she was this good,” Lemon-Lime said.

The doctor cleared his throat, and told Trixie to follow him. “Okay…” Trixie said, slowly trudging behind him and his wife as she looked ahead of her, seemingly into nothing. A few ponies passing by asked if she was okay, but she simply passed by them, as if they didn’t even exist… As if she didn’t even notice them at all.

‘Talk about overdoing it,’ the doctor thought to himself.

‘It feels good to be back in the zone!’ Trixie thought to herself as she entered the resort.

She bumped into somepony as she entered, and stopped to see who it was.

“Oh! I’m terribly sorry about that!” a yellow Pegasus said, getting up and checking to see if Trixie was alright. She yelped when she made eye contact, but then examined her more closely. “Are you… Okay?”

Trixie didn’t answer, but instead continued staring into this pony’s eyes, as if she were dead inside. ‘Hmm… Might as well have some fun! This pony looks like she’s easy to creep out.’

“Um… I don’t know what your reasoning is,” the Pegasus said, shifting nervously on the spot, “But you shouldn’t scare ponies like that… Somepony might honestly worry about you, and it’s not nice to make somepony worry unnecessarily.”

Trixie froze up, and continued staring into the Pegasus’ eyes, this time genuinely staring blankly at her. ‘… W-What?! D-Does she know I’m faking it? How?! That’s impossible!’

“Trixie!” Trixie snapped out of it when she heard the doctor calling out to her. He walked over and started to lead her away, apologizing to the Pegasus for any trouble she may have caused. “Come on, we have to get checked in.”

Trixie turned her attention away from the Pegasus, and continued playing the part of a victim of tragedy. However, no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t get that yellow Pegasus out of her mind. Just how did she see through her flawless acting like that? Trixie was glad she was incognito at the moment.

“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she approached her friend. “C’mon! What’re ya standing around here for?”

Fluttershy turned her attention to Rainbow Dash, and remembered where she was going before bumping into that pony. “Oh, Rainbow Dash. I’m sorry, I got a little distracted.”

“With what?” Rainbow shook her head and flew over Fluttershy, then picked her up. “Never mind! C’mon, let’s go! Everypony else is already at the beach!”

“Oh, oka-AH!” Rainbow took off into the air, carrying Fluttershy with her. “W-Wait! C-Can’t we just walk there?”

“Oh, don’t worry so much! Besides, you wouldn’t want to make everypony wait for ya, now would you?”

Fluttershy whimpered and nodded. “I… I guess not…”

“Right! Then let’s go!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she flew even faster, causing Fluttershy to scream louder as a result.

After putting on her swimsuit (which was a purple two-piece swimsuit, designed with the same star-shaped patterns as her cloak and a shape to accentuate what Trixie believed to be her best features), Trixie made her way to the beach right away.

Her doctor and his wife decided to try out the spa on the ground floor, leaving Trixie alone for the time being.

‘Hmm… I wonder how many stallions I can entice today?’ Trixie thought to herself as she strutted down the beach. She caught a few whistles as she passed by what appeared to be a group of teenage colts, and heard a few mares telling their coltfriends to “stop staring”. ‘Yep! I’ve still got it.’

“Hey there, Miss,” a stallion said as he approached Trixie. “You all alone out here? I was wondering if you wanted to come join me and my buddies for a bit of fun.”

Trixie looked over to a group of three stallions, and two mares. ‘Well, that didn’t take long,’ Trixie thought, feeling pride that she was able to get hit on in just a few minutes. ‘Now… Let him down gently? Since he’s the first, I think I’ll be a little bit merciful.’

“Sorry, but Trixie is just here for some alone time. She just got out of a rough relationship, and needs to spend some time by herself.”

The stallion looked upset, but not exactly heartbroken.

“Aww, too bad man!”

“Better luck next time!”

He shook off his friends’ comments. “I see. Sorry to bother you then. I hope you feel better soon.”

Trixie waved him goodbye as he went off to join his friends. ‘… How boring. I hope the next one tries a little harder. It’s no fun when they give up so easily.’ For a moment, Trixie wondered what would happen if Twilight were to find out about this, and told herself to calm down a little bit. ‘Actually, maybe I shouldn’t… Nah, it’s all in good fun. Besides, I’m sure Twilight gets hit on all the time. She’d understand… Right?’

After finding a nice, empty spot near the ocean, Trixie decided to rest her legs for a bit. She saw some foals nearby building a sandcastle, and suddenly felt nostalgic.

”Stupid castle! Stop falling apart!”

“Trixie…”

“WHAT?!”

“Er, you’ve gotta use wet sand. Otherwise, it’ll just crumble… Like it’s been doing for the past five minutes.”

“… O-Of course Trixie knew that! Are you saying that Trixie is a fool?!”

“I’m not saying anything of the sort. Here, let me help you.”

“Hmph! What, are you some kind of expert now all of a sudden, Feathermay?”

“Actually, I am! Boss taught me everything he knows, and I’m proud to say that I’m the ten-time World Champion of Extreme Sandcastle Building!”

“S-Seriously?! Amazing! Er, not that I’m impressed or anything! Trixie could take that title from you in a second!”

“Prove it! Build a better sandcastle than me, right here, right now!”

“… Fine! There’s nothing that the Great and Powerful Trixie can’t do!”

Trixie saw the foals run over to their parents, and leave the beach area with them. She noticed that the buckets and spades they were using had been left behind, and slowly approached them.

“… Oh, what the hay. It’s been a long time, after all.”

“There! A sandcastle that even Feathermay can’t beat!” Trixie said proudly as she admired her work. Before her was a miniature replica of Midnight Castle, as depicted in many history books, with just a few parts here and there looking a little unstable.

She wiped the sweat from her brow, and saw a young couple nearby sharing an ice cream together. “Ice cream doesn’t sound like such a bad idea,” Trixie said to herself as she got up. She dusted some of the sand off of her coat, and walked over to a nearby ice cream stand, leaving her work for all to see and admire.

“Heads up RD!” Applejack shouted as she bucked the ball into the air.

“I got it!” Rainbow shouted as she used her wings to soar into the air and hit the ball back down.

“Rarity, it’s headin’ yer way!”

“I can see that,” Rarity responded as she watched the ball approaching. She successfully managed to headbutt the ball over the net, but it was quickly returned by Pinkie Pie, who was hovering in the air just in front of the net.

“Fluttershy!” Applejack shouted.

“Oh… Oh my…” Fluttershy nervously flailed her forehooves about, just hoping for the best. She felt a hoof connect with something, and opened her eyes to see the ball flying up into the air.

“Nice save Fluttershy!” Applejack said as she rushed to where the ball would be landing. She bucked it a little too hard, and sent it flying across the beach.

“OUT!” Twilight declared.

“Aw, shucks!” Applejack said disappointedly, stomping her hooves in frustration.

“Heh, better luck next time!” Rainbow Dash said as she went to recover the ball, which she found lying on what looked like the remains of a sandcastle. “Uh-oh… Hope whoever made this doesn’t get too upset.”

Meanwhile, Twilight took this moment to suggest to her friends that they go and get drinks to cool down. She offered to go fetch them, and asked Pinkie to help her out, who agreed enthusiastically.

“So Twi, you having fun? ‘Cause I know I am. Being here with all my friends is like the funnest thing ever! But it’s not because we’re here at the beach, or the resort, but because we’re all here together! Heeey, maybe after this we should all-”

“Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said, cutting off Pinkie’s rambling. “I wanna ask you to help me with something. But before I do, I need you to promise me that you won’t speak a word of it to anypony.”

“Why?”

“I’ll tell you, but first, do you promise?”

Pinkie nodded, and stopped to perform a series of gestures.

“Uh… A simple ‘yes’ would have sufficed.”

“Sooooo… What did you want to ask me to help you with?”

“… Well, you see… I need help setting up a party for somepony.”

Pinkie gasped, looked around for a moment, and then pulled Twilight close to whisper to her.

“Well, I can help you with that. But why can’t I tell anypony? How would anypony show up if they don’t know about it?”

Twilight, for reasons beyond her (considering how far away she was from her friends), joined Pinkie in her whispering. “Actually, I just want it to be small party… Just me and the guest.”

Pinkie looked disheartened at that. “Not even me?”

“It’s a special party, between me and…” Twilight saw Pinkie looking at her expectantly, patiently waiting for her to finish her sentence. “… My marefriend.”

If Pinkie’s swimsuit, decorated with balloons and cannons that shot confetti whenever she was surprised or excited, hadn’t attracted the attention of nearby ponies yet, then her jumping twenty feet into the air with what must have been the most over-the-top surprise gasp of all time did.

“… You done?” Twilight asked, once Pinkie gently floated back down to the ground.

“Yep!” Pinkie said, as if nothing strange had happened. “Twilight, I didn’t know you had a marefriend! Who is it? Somepony I know?” Pinkie gasped again, and leaned forward to whisper: “Is it Discord?”

Twilight blinked three times in rapid succession, before quickly shaking her head. “W-Why would you think it’s him?! For starters, he’s trapped in stone! Second, I said marefriend! And third, who in their right mind would even consider going out with him?!”

Pinkie giggled nervously, and scratched the back of her head. “Y-Yeah… You’d have to be a real nutjob, huh?”

Twilight breathed to relax, and continued walking, soon followed by Pinkie Pie. “Anyway, I can’t tell you who just yet. I just want to throw them the most special birthday party ever. I want it to be something romantic, and something that she’ll remember for the rest of her life… But, I’m not even sure where to begin… So, do you think you can help me?”

Pinkie nodded, and saluted. “You can count on me! Helping a friend in trouble is what I do best!”

Twilight smiled. “Thanks, Pinkie. And don’t worry, you’ll all find out who my marefriend is soon enough.”

“Can’t wait! By the way, how long have you and this mystery marefriend of yours been going out?”

Twilight bit her lower lip before answering. “A… Few months…”

“A-ha!” Pinkie shouted, causing Twilight to jump. “I knew it!”

“W-What?”

“Me and Rainbow Dash had a bet with Applejack and Rarity. We thought that all of those trips to Manehatten were you meeting with your secret lover and having an affair, but AJ and Rarity trusted that you weren’t lying to them!” Pinkie’s smile grew even wider as her skip became more merry. “Ooh, I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they see that we were right!”

Twilight rolled her eyes, and looked away from the pink pony. “Honestly, I expected that of Rainbow Dash, but the rest of you? Was Fluttershy in on this too?”

Pinkie Pie shook her head, giving Twilight a temporary smile that at least one of her friends wasn’t making bets about her behind her back. “Fluttershy thought you were living a double life as a teacher in Manehatten!”

Twilight sighed, and made a mental note to have a word with her friends after introducing them to Trixie.

Trixie returned to her spot on the beach, only to see the most horrific scene that she could ever imagine.

Before her, where her sandcastle once stood, was now a pile of sand and the crumbling ruins of a few towers. Next to them, drawn into the sand were the words: “Sorry, total accident! Please don’t get too mad!”

Trixie sighed and sat down in the sand. “Great, just great! Trixie leaves for a few minutes, and this happens! Honestly, some ponies are just so inconsiderate.”

“Heeeeeeey, sexy lady!”

Trixie turned her head up to see three stallions approaching, the one who appeared to be their leader flexing his muscles when he stopped in front of her. “You by yourself? That can’t be fun. Why don’t you come hang with us for a bit? We’ll show you a good time.”

Trixie yawned and waved her hoof dismissively at the stallion. “No thanks. The Great and Powerful Trixie is already having plenty of fun here, all by herself.”

The lead stallion took a step forward, putting Trixie on her guard. “That won’t do. When I invite a mare to hang out with us, she doesn’t say no.”

“Well there’s a first time for everything! Now leave, before Trixie loses her patience.” The stallion grabbed Trixie’s foreleg and pulled her up to her hooves. “Unhoof me at once!”

“Ooh, she’s got quite an attitude, huh?” one of the stallions said.

“C’mon, babe. Just come with us and we’ll show you how to really have fun!”

Trixie’s horn lit up, but her spell was interrupted by a sudden shout. “Hey!”

The four turned around to see a yellow Pegasus with a pink mane and tail. Trixie recognised her as the Pegasus from before, the one who had apparently seen through her acting.

“Oh, um… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout. But, she said “no”, so I really think you should just leave her alone.”

The stallion released Trixie’s arm, and walked towards the Pegasus.

“Oh yeah? And what’s it to ya? You her friend? That’s cool, you should join us too.”

The stallion’s eyes met the Pegasus’, and he suddenly froze up.

“No. Means. No. You got that?”

The stallion took a few steps back. “Y-You…” The Pegasus’ stare grew more intense, and he couldn’t stand it anymore. “F-Fine! We’ll go already! C’mon guys, they’re not worth the hassle.”

Trixie blinked as she watched the stallions leave, and then turned her attention towards the Pegasus.

“Um… Are you okay?”

“That was completely unnecessary,” Trixie said, glaring at the Pegasus, who suddenly flinched and ducked beneath her mane.

“I-I’m sorry… It’s just, I saw that they were bothering you, and…”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie could have easily dealt with those buffoons, all on her own!”

“Oh, I’m sure you could.” Trixie raised an eyebrow, not sure if that was sarcasm or not. “But, well… I… I didn’t want you to hurt them… I don’t like seeing ponies get hurt…”

Trixie studied the Pegasus for a bit, who was nervously shifting her gaze between the ground and the showmare. ‘What’s going on? Why is she so shy all of a sudden? Tough one minute, meek the next? It almost sounds like…’

“What’s your name?” Trixie asked.

“Huh? O-Oh… It’s Fluttershy,” she mumbled, though Trixie heard it well enough.

‘Fluttershy! Twilight’s friend who likes animals! Well, well… This is quite a coincidence…’

“Um, I’m sorry if I offended you… I just-”

“It’s fine,” Trixie said. She motioned with her hoof for Fluttershy to come closer, an offer the Pegasus hesitantly accepted. “Well, Trixie supposes it was for the best. Otherwise, some innocent ponies might have been hurt by Trixie’s magic.”

Fluttershy didn’t respond, and not just because Trixie continued talking too quickly. She really didn’t know what to say. ‘Oh my, I should really get back to the others… I hope they aren’t worried about me… I should really say something. Something like: “I’m sorry, Miss Trixie, but I really have to be going now”. Yeah, that’s it. I should just say that… Oh, but after she’s finished talking.’

“Indeed, such kindness and thoughtfulness towards total strangers, and consideration for those around you, are surprisingly rare qualities in ponies these days. The Great and Powerful Trixie respects you, so she shall tell you a story of her greatness! Feel honoured, because this story is of Trixie’s latest achievement, one which the Great and Powerful Trixie has not shared with anypony before. It is:

“The story of how the Great and Powerful Trixie saved the ponies of the S.S. Blueblood from the terrifying kraken!”

“Hey, Fluttershy sure is taking her time,” Rainbow Dash said. “Seriously, how long does it take to get ice cream?”

“Oh, I do hope she isn’t being pushed around again by other ponies,” Rarity said, concern for her friend clear in her voice. “Maybe we should go check up on her.”

“Ah, ah’m sure she’ll be fine! Ah’m more worried ‘bout Twilight and Pinkie. It’s not like Twilight to get sidetracked, but something must be delayin’ her.”

“Hey, since it’s just the three of us, how ‘bout we have a little contest!” Rainbow Dash suggested, bringing confusion to her friends’ faces. “Unicorn versus Pegasus versus Earth Pony! One-on-one-on-one competition!”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Do you really think I’d lower myself to silly little contests against you and Applejack?”

“Alright. Unicorns are in last place, ‘cause Rarity’s too chicken to take part,” Rainbow Dash declared.

Rarity’s eye twitched, but she kept her composure. “No. I shan’t be tricked into such a-”

“How ‘bout this then,” Applejack started. “Winner gets ta make the losers do whatever dare she comes up with. Like, say, makin’ ‘em dress in those frilly lil’ dresses of yours?”

Rarity’s ear twitched, and a smile graced her lips as she looked up at Rainbow Dash, who was suddenly regretting her earlier suggestion. “Well, when you put it that way…”

“… Uh… Or, we could do something else?”

“Too late, Dash,” Applejack said, already stretching her legs.

“Ah, horseapples.”

“And that is how the Great and Powerful Trixie defeated the mighty kraken!”

Fluttershy clapped slowly, smiling at Trixie as she concluded her story. “My, that sounded… Intense,” she said. “Is that how you got that eye patch?”

Trixie flinched, making Fluttershy immediately apologize for bringing it up. “This is… Just a minor infection, nothing to worry about.”

“Oh… I see. I’m glad that it’s nothing serious.”

“… Fluttershy, now that the Great and Powerful Trixie has rewarded you, she wishes to ask you a question.”

“Um… Okay, I’ll try to answer it if I can.”

“How were you able to see through Trixie’s acting earlier?”

Fluttershy wondered what she meant by that, before remembering he earlier encounter with Trixie that day. “Oh, that? I’m used to animals always pretending to be sad or sick to get sympathy from me, and I know how to see through it.”

“Is that so?” Trixie asked. “That’s quite impressive.”

Fluttershy blushed and hid behind her mane again. “No, it’s not really… Um, if it’s not too much trouble, I was wondering… Why were you acting that way earlier?”

Trixie motioned for Fluttershy to lean closer. Once Fluttershy moved forward, Trixie whispered into her ear: “So that Trixie could get into this place for free.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened, and she reeled back quickly as she let out a gasp. “You… You stole a free entry to the resort?”

Trixie flicked her mane and turned her head, looking bored. “Trixie doesn’t know what you mean. She did nothing of the sort!”

“B-But you just said…” Fluttershy realised that they were in a public area, and that Trixie was playing innocent, to avoid being caught. “… Why do you act like that?”

“Hm?”

“Stealing a free entry to this resort, and what you did during your show in Ponyville… I can tell you’re not a bad pony, so why did you…”

“This resort makes so much money they don’t even know what to do with it. Have you seen the size of their fountains? Or their golden pillars? Seriously, what’s one… Or three, ponies stealing free entries gonna do?”

“Well… Stealing is still wrong…”

“So sue Trixie, if you can. Trixie assures you, she won’t make it easy for you.” Fluttershy frowned as she looked down at the sand. “As for the incident in Ponyville, just because they’re your friends, that doesn’t put them in the right.”

Fluttershy looked up at Trixie quizzically. “To Trixie, they were rude strangers who had interrupted her show, and had to be dealt with in order for the show to go on. Trixie challenges you to find a reason why she should have held back.”

“I understand that you had to continue your show, but couldn’t you have done it a bit more… Gently?”

“Maybe if Trixie was any other type of performer, but you forget that Trixie is the ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie!” Fireworks shot up behind Trixie, startling many ponies around them. “Even if being a doormat somehow works, and the ponies stop bothering Trixie, nopony would believe her claims if they see her being so submissive.”

“… And the lie you told? About vanquishing an Ursa Major?”

“Trixie challenges you to find at least five great stories that aren’t works of fiction, or at least exaggerated in some way.”

“Well… I guess…”

“You see, Fluttershy, it is easy to judge somepony you don’t know, and cast them in a bad light, but what you have to realise is that the world isn’t quite so black and white. It’s very complex. Everything occurs for a reason, and everypony has their reasons for doing something. Trixie isn’t saying that her reasons are right, nor is she saying that your friends’ reasons for interrupting her show are wrong. But because they interrupted Trixie’s show, she had to take action.”

“To you, they were in the wrong. But to them, you were in the wrong… Because they didn’t like your attitude, and you challenged and beat them.”

“Pretty much. And anypony who is friends with them will be more likely to side with them, and anypony who is friends with Trixie would be more likely to side with her.”

“That’s how wars start,” Fluttershy said. “Both sides believe they’re right, and refuse to listen to the other side’s story. Eventually, they start fighting to resolve their issues, deciding that the winner would be ‘right’. But if they just talked out their differences, and listened to each other, they could reach a compromise.”

Trixie grinned with realisation at the yellow Pegasus. “Like you just did with Trixie, and she didn’t even realise it!”

Fluttershy smiled, and emerged from behind her mane a little bit. “Rainbow Dash spent such a long time trying to convince me that you were a bad pony, and that there was no forgiving you, but I couldn’t believe it until I found out for myself. And when you started talking to me, I realised that you aren’t such a bad pony, and I wanted to find out your reasons for your actions in Ponyville.

“Now that I know, I feel like we can be friends… That is, if you want to be.”

Trixie thought about it for a second, and then extended a hoof forward, which was met by a yellow one soon after. “Sure. That sounds good to Trixie.” Trixie noted the position of the sun, and decided to get going. “There’s more to you than meets the eye. But be warned: peace may be the best outcome, but it isn’t always a viable option.”

Fluttershy frowned as she rose to her hooves. “Even if that’s the case, I’d rather take a chance at mutual understanding, than just separate ponies into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ without even giving them a chance.” Fluttershy kicked the sand nervously.

“There’s a zebra, who lives near Ponyville… We used to shun her, because she was different. We never even gave her the chance to earn our trust… I still feel bad about it, to this very day. All that time that she spent by herself, all alone in the Everfree forest, with the hatred of an entire town focused upon her…”

Fluttershy looked into Trixie’s eyes with a look of determination. “I’m never going to let that happen again. If my friends give you trouble, I’ll help you however I can… But, if a repeat of what happened last time occurs, then I’m afraid that I can only offer an ear for you to talk you problems out. I can’t do anything more.”

“Trixie respects that. In fact, you’ve given Trixie an idea for a new story…” Trixie turned around and started to walk away. “Well then, may we meet again, Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy waved happily as Trixie walked off. ‘I’m glad she’s doing okay. I was so worried after she left last ti-’ Fluttershy suddenly realised something, and tilted her head in confusion. “Wait, how did she know that they were my friends?”

“Hmm… Sounds a touch dramatic, don’t you think?” Lemon-Lime said as soon as Trixie was done reciting her new story to her. “Also, I don’t think many ponies will believe that you wounded a kraken with your bare hooves, let alone beat one into submission.”

“Maybe you’re right…” Trixie put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Okay, then Trixie took one of the Royal Guard’s lances.”

Lemon-Lime offered a glass of cider to Trixie, who accepted it and drank it quickly, feeling rather parched. “It’s a shame that we could only book one day at this place.”

Trixie nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Trixie rather enjoyed her time here. Though she imagines your husband didn’t quite enjoy it as much.”

Lemon-Lime laughed as she poured another drink for Trixie. “Poor dear never saw that low pipe coming.” She downed her own drink, and turned to look at the clock. “So, what are your plans for tomorrow? Since you’re now released from my husband’s care.”

“Trixie thought that she’d go to Ponyville, to surprise her marefriend.”

“I thought she was going to meet you at the Ponyville train station this weekend?”

“Exactly. That’s why it’ll be a surprise.”

Lemon-Lime chuckled, and patted Trixie on the back. “Ah, young love is always so nice to see! You’ll have to let me know how it goes, darling!”

Trixie nodded, and placed her glass down on the cabinet next to her. “In fact, Trixie should probably be getting to sleep now. It’s rather late, and she’ll have to leave early tomorrow to get there by evening.”

Lemon-Lime nodded, and the two made their way towards separate beds, before turning the lights off and wishing each other a good night’s sleep.

Trixie let out a loud yawn as she exited the resort. “Do we really have to leave so early?” she complained as she rubbed her good eye.

“Of course,” the doctor said, lugging his bags behind him. “I have to get back to the office, and make up for a lot of work that I missed yesterday. They only gave me the day off on the condition that I make up for all of my missed work today.”

“Oh!” Lemon-Lime exclaimed. “I forgot to hand in our room key! You two wait here, I’ll be right back!”

“Please hurry!” her husband said, before receiving a quick peck on the cheek from his wife.

“Don’t you worry, I’ll be right back!”

Lemon-Lime entered the resort’s reception area, and walked towards the brochure stand. “Let’s see…”

A tall, slim stallion in a grey trench coat approach the stand, and stood next to her as he levitated one of the brochures. “Well? What do you think?”

“… There’s little doubt in my mind. I’m almost certain that the process has started. By the way, my condolences for Laurestine’s death.”

“It couldn’t be helped. Unfortunately, he happened to run into Captain Armour. Now, I have to try and shake off the Royal Guard.” The stallion flipped a page in his brochure. “I take it you gave her the drug?”

“I slipped it into her cider last night, Amaranth.”

The stallion grinned. “Excellent work, Lemon Blossom. Now, we wait. I shall have some of our Winged Seeds watch over her, for now.”

“And me?”

“You are on standby. Do not make any moves until you receive new orders.”

“Understood… It’s a shame though.”

“Hm?”

“I liked that young mare. I almost hate to do this to her… But, we really have no choice, do we?”

Amaranth put the brochure away, and turned around. “Don’t forgot, the Lulamoons are our enemy. The only reason that one still lives is-”

“I know,” Lemon-Lime interrupted. “I know, and don’t worry. My loyalties still lie with the Order.” Lemon-Lime turned around and left the resort. She smiled as she approached her husband and Trixie, and waved at them happily.

Back inside, Amaranth sighed as he made his way through a fire exit door, and deposited a syringe in a trash can as he passed it. He used a quick spell to light the contents of the trash can on fire, and made his way through the alleyway. “Sorry, Lemon Blossom, but now that they’ve possibly seen me with you, I can’t take any chances. When you return to Fillydelphia, you’ll be able to enjoy eternal rest…

“And child of Lulamoon… I pray that we meet again, very soon.”

A/N: Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

Trixie Moves In

Twilight and Pinkie Pie sat together in the Golden Oaks Library, going through a bunch of ideas for the party that Twilight wanted to throw for her marefriend. Twilight currently wasn’t sure whether she was thankful for the help, or regretting having asked Pinkie of all ponies to help her plan something so important.

‘Well, she may be random and… A little peculiar, but she does throw great parties,’ Twilight thought as she looked over the mess of parchments that just seemed to have random words scribbled all over them, with no clear organization whatsoever. ‘I’m sure it’ll be fine…’

“And then maybe over here we could have ‘pin the tail on the pony’, and over there-”

“Pinkie,” Twilight said, cutting her off. “Are you sure about all of this? I mean, I want this to be romantic…”

Pinkie looked at Twilight with a serious look on her face. “Twilight, what does my Cutie Mark say?” she asked, lifting her flank to show off her Cutie Mark.

“… It doesn’t say anything.”

“EX-ACTLY!” Pinkie shouted, getting back to her party planning. “Now, as I was saying!”

Twilight sighed and rested her head on her hooves. She raised her head again when she heard Pinkie suddenly gasp, and saw her ear twitching, her mane fringe shifting left and right, and her left eye winking three times in quick succession. “… Pinkie sense?”

Pinkie smiled and nodded. “Yep!”

“So, what does that one mean?”

“Hmm… Oh! It means a rumble is gonna happen soon!”

“A rumble?” Twilight asked, looking a little concerned. “As in… A fight?”

Pinkie nodded again. “I wouldn’t worry too much. I get this one a lot, because Applejack and Rainbow Dash are always at each other’s throats.”

Twilight sighed in relief, and the two got back to their planning.

Trixie sipped her juice as she admired the beautiful lake before her. “It’s a nice day today, isn’t it, Leon?”

Leon, sitting on Trixie’s shoulder, simply blinked in response.

“Quite right! Trixie should continue on her way soon, if she wants to get there by evening… And, from how beautiful the weather has been today, Trixie has a feeling that things will go very well.”

After finishing her drink, Trixie hopped back into her trailer and continued on her way to Ponyville, using her magic to move her trailer along the road. As she started moving again, she felt a familiar feeling passing through her body.

‘Huh, that’s strange… Am I getting a cold?’

As Trixie made her way closer to Ponyville, two figures crept behind her trailer in the shadows never, getting too close, but never letting her get too far ahead of them.

Trixie parked her trailer just outside of the entrance to Ponyville, and approached it slowly. She had been through this scenario many times in her head: she would simply enter, knowing full well that she had no reason to hesitate, and ignore any strange looks that were sent her way.

But now, Trixie found herself unsure of just how easy such a task would actually be. She lifted a hoof off of the ground, and just stayed in that position for about a minute, contemplating whether or not to take a step forward.

‘Stop being so afraid! You are the Great and Powerful Trixie! Do you want to be with Twilight or not?!’

Shutting her eye tight, Trixie lowered her hoof down, and entered Ponyville.

“Welcome to Ponyville!”

Trixie jumped and opened her eye, to find a grey Pegasus mare hovering in the air in front of her.

“You’re in luck! I was just on my way home from the bakery with some muffins, when I saw you enter just now!” The mare pulled out a muffin from the box she was holding, and offered it to Trixie. “Here! A complimentary muffin to welcome you to Ponyville!”

Trixie nodded, and accepted the muffin. She wanted to thank the mare, but her attention was drawn to something else… The mare’s eyes were… Trixie wasn’t quite sure how to describe it, other than ‘derped’, a word she had come across graffitied on some city walls, with an image of somepony with these same eyes to go with it.

‘Better not say anything. It might be a sensitive subject.’

“Wow, cool patch!” The Pegasus said, admiring Trixie’s eye patch, which was now decorated with a silver image of her Cutie Mark. “Is there something wrong with your eye?”

Trixie wasn’t sure how to respond, so she just looked at the Pegasus in bewilderment. ‘Uh… I guess, it’s okay to ask her, if I also have an eye problem? Is that how it works?’ Trixie cleared her throat and fixed her expression, to give off an air of superiority. “Just a minor infection. It’ll be right as rain in just a few days. And how about you? Trixie noticed your… Condition… She’s curious about it.”

The Pegasus’s wings stopped flapping, and she landed on the ground, looking shocked. Trixie immediately felt uneasy, and it didn’t help when she saw tears start to form in the Pegasus’s eyes.

“W-What?! Y-You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to!”

But it was too late; the Pegasus had already flown away, crying into her foreleg, and the nearby ponies quickly turned their attention to Trixie.

‘W-What the hay?! So she can bring up my eye, but hers are off-limits?!’ Trixie brought a hoof up to her eye patch, shaking as she recalled what her eye now looked like. She swore never to take it off in public, even if it did come at the cost of half of her vision.

With a huff, Trixie took off down the street, feeling the heated gazes of some of the ponies around her, and hearing them mumble about how she made somepony named ‘Derpy’ cry. Today was looking pretty bad, but she knew that seeing Twilight would make it all worth it.

“HEY!”

Trixie looked around her to search for the source of the loud voice, but when she didn’t see anything, she just assumed that it wasn’t directed towards her, and continued moving.

“Not so fast!”

Trixie this time turned her head skywards, and saw a blue Pegasus charging down towards her at an insane speed.

“W-Watch it, you moron!” Trixie shouted as she moved out of the way just as the Pegasus crashed down to the ground. Trixie quickly recognized the Pegasus as Rainbow Dash, one of Twilight friends… And one of the ponies that Trixie challenged the last time that she was here.

“So, you’re back, and you’re already up to no good?!” Rainbow shouted, pushing her face right into Trixie’s. “I knew I should’ve kicked your flank last time! Somepony really needs to put you in your place!”

Trixie, offended by the invasion of her personal space, pushed Rainbow Dash away. “Oh? And you think you can ‘put Trixie in her place’?”

“That’s right! Nopony makes my friends cry!”

Trixie scoffed and turned away. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has no time to waste with the likes of you! Leave, whilst you still have a somewhat presentable face!”

Rainbow’s anger rose, and she charged forward. “Oh, you are so dead!”

Trixie quickly turned around and was knocked to the ground by Rainbow’s charge. She gritted her teeth as she tried to force the brute off of her, and eventually had to summon her magic to push Rainbow Dash into the air.

Rainbow quickly used her wings to regain herself, and charged towards Trixie for a second attack. Trixie nimbly dodged the assault, and swung a hind leg at Rainbow Dash, which came up just short of her face.

‘Darn! Having only one eye is harder than I thought!’ Trixie thought as she awkwardly rotated her head, making sure that her opponent never entered her blind spot. ‘Twilight would hate this! But I can’t let this insult go! She attacked me, so I have to defeat her.’

Trixie’s horn lit up, and she fired a blast at Rainbow Dash, who avoided it by jumping into the air. Trixie didn’t stop there, though; she conjured up a cloud behind Rainbow Dash, and used it to jolt the Pegasus’s wings.

Rainbow yelped and fell to the ground. She tried to extend her wings, but found that she was unable to. “W-What did you do?!”

“Hmph! What do you think of that? The Great and Powerful Trixie has attacked the nerve endings in your wings! You’ll find that flight will prove impossible for the next two to three hours!”

That was the last straw for Rainbow, and she charged directly at Trixie, with every intent of breaking something once she reached the showmare.

Trixie looked un-amused as she conjured up a spell, but her casting was interrupted by a sudden blow to the head. She looked to her side and saw an orange blur in front of her. After teleporting to avoid Rainbow’s attack, and regaining her vision, Trixie found the blur to be another of Twilight’s friends: Applejack, and she was holding an apple in her hoof.

“So, another pony wishes to challenge the Great and Powerful Trixie?! So be it!”

“AJ! She made Derpy cry!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she stopped her charging.

“Ah know! Ah heard! An’ I also saw what she did tah yer wings!”

“So, we gonna get her?”

“Oh yeah, we’re gonna get her alright!”

Trixie yawned and summoned a whip of fire from thin air. “How amusing,” she said, “But Trixie has already stated that she is in a hurry, so we shall have to hurry this along.”

“What, you need a weapon to fight?” Rainbow taunted. “C’mon! Let’s settle this hoof-to-hoof! At least have some dignity!”

Trixie scowled at Rainbow Dash. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has more dignity in her horn than you do in your entire body!” Rainbow stomped a hoof on the ground, preparing to charge. Trixie flicked her whip into the air, causing little sparks to fall down towards the two ponies. “Careful. Play with Trixie, and you’ll get burned!”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack moved quickly to avoid the flames, all the while drawing closer to Trixie. Trixie flicked her whip again, this time to summon a wall of fire in front of them. This stopped them for a moment, but then the flaming barrier disappeared suddenly, along with the flames from earlier, and the whip that was just in her hooves.

“W-What?!” Trixie shouted, as she found herself unable to move. 'No! Not again! What’s going on here?! Move, body! Move!’

Trixie saw Applejack rushing up to her, and was finally able to move just as she attacked. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in time to avoid the devastating buck to her chest, which sent the showmare flying quite a distance.

Trixie panted heavily, and slowly rose to her hooves.

“Now, are ya gonna behave yerself? Or do we have tah go through that again?”

Trixie’s anger rose to levels she had never experienced since she was a foal, and her magic exploded, illuminating the area with an intense purple aura. “NO. MORE. GAMES!” Trixie shouted as she ran forward. She charged right past Applejack, and delivered a series of kicks towards Rainbow Dash, who managed to dodge or block most of them. But one finally managed to get through, sending her flying into a nearby market stall.

“Rainbow!” Applejack called out in concern. Rainbow confirmed that she was okay by getting up, but she was clearly disoriented. Applejack growled and charged at Trixie, attempting to buck the showmare again. This time, Trixie was able to block Applejack’s kick, and used her magic to hold the farmer in the air.

Applejack struggled against the hold, and glared down at Trixie, who was looking up at her with burning anger in her uncovered eye.

“Do you surrender?” Trixie asked. Applejack spit down on Trixie’s face, angering her even more. She began to tighten her magical grip on Applejack.

“STOP!” a voice called out. Trixie turned to the source, only to be greeted by a tomato to the face. The sudden attack was enough to make Trixie lose her grip, dropping Applejack to the ground.

After wiping the offending produce away, Trixie found the hateful gaze of a white Unicorn being sent her way. ‘And there’s Rarity. Great, now I’ve got all three of them to deal with…’

“How dare you?! You come to our town, make our friend cry, and then cause such a disturbance as this?! Not to mention the injuries that you have caused those two!”

“They approached Trixie!” Trixie shouted. “Trixie gave them the chance to stop, but they refused! They deserve what they get!”

“And so do you!” Rarity shouted as she used her magic to fling more tomatoes at Trixie. A blast of purple light appeared between the tomatoes and their target, and everypony in the area fell silent when they saw what had been hit instead of Trixie.

With a deep breath, Twilight shouted as loud as she could: “WHAT DO THINK YOU’RE DOING TO MY MAREFRIEND?!”

In her bedroom, Luna stirred in her sleep as she chewed her pillow, mumbling something about ‘the greatest sundae in the world’. Suddenly, her eyes shot open, and she turned her attention to a mirror by her bed, which had a large crack running down the centre.

“Oh dear… A bad omen…” she said as she slowly lay back down and drifted off to sleep once again.

Nopony in Ponyville had ever experienced a deadly quiet quite like this. In the middle, Trixie was staring at the back of Twilight’s head, both fearful for what Twilight will say to her, and happy that Twilight had stood up for her.

Twilight was glaring at her friend Rarity, who still had a bunch of tomatoes in her magic. After realising why Twilight was glaring, Rarity quickly put the tomatoes down.

Around the two mares, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity were staring at them, completely stunned by what they had just heard. And then, forming a final circle around the whole fiasco, a large crowd of ponies, originally drawn to the fight between Rainbow Dash and Trixie, were now waiting in anticipation to see what would happen next. They were all too afraid to say anything, but at the same time, none wished to leave just yet.

Trixie decided to break the silence by walking past Twilight, drawing the attention of everypony around. “Sorry about this. I guess I really shouldn’t have come here.”

Twilight’s anger faded, and was replaced with a sad frown as she approached Trixie. “Why are you here? I thought you had to stay in Fillydelphia until this weekend.”

“I got released early, so I thought I’d come and surprise you.” Trixie turned her face to the ground, and pulled her hat down to cover her eyes in its shadow. “But I’m just gonna cause a mess if I stay here, so I’ll be on my way.”

“No!” Twilight shouted, reaching forward and grabbing Trixie’s tail with her magic. “Please… Don’t go. I’m sorry about this. I-I’ll sort it out. So please…”

Trixie turned to Twilight to see tears falling down her face, and bit her lower lip as she tried to decide what to do. ‘Great! Just great! First, I get into a fight with these ruffians, then I get bucked so hard I think a rib broke, and then I get pelted by a tomato! And now, I’m making Twilight cry!’

Trixie sighed and leaned forward to nuzzle Twilight’s cheek. “Please don’t cry, Twilight.”

Twilight wiped a tear away with her hoof, and whispered into Trixie’s ear: “So will you stay?”

Trixie hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. Twilight smiled and kissed Trixie’s cheek, after wiping away some of the tomato that was there. “Wait for me at the library. I’ll be there soon.” Trixie nodded, and began to walk away. “And Trixie… Feel free to use my shower while you wait,” Twilight said, grinning at Trixie as she left.

Trixie returned Twilight’s smile, and made her way down a random street. The crowd parted as Trixie passed by, and then she stopped for a moment once she was past them.

“Trix!” a familiar voice shouted. Trixie turned her head to see Lyra waving at her from the crowd. “Library’s that way!” she shouted as she pointed a hoof in the direction of the library.

Trixie nodded and silently thanked her, and then made her way towards the library.

“Hold your fire!”

“What? Why?”

“Lulamoon is still alive! We don’t need to kill those ponies anymore.”

“But what if they attack her again? C’mon, I’ve already got my bowstring pulled back!”

“No! It’s not worth the risk! Besides, she’s leaving. We need to follow her.”

“Alright! Everypony just get back to your business!” Lyra shouted as she and Bon Bon tried to disperse the crowd of ponies. “Nothing to see here! Move along!”

Whilst Lyra’s attempts were rather unsuccessful, one hard glare from Bon Bon was enough to make the ponies quickly canter off and return to their daily lives. Once the crowd was gone, Lyra and Bon Bon decided to give Twilight and her friends some privacy.

“Girls… I think we need to talk,” Twilight said uneasily as she approached her three friends.

“It seems we do,” Rarity said, trying to remain civil. “But first, perhaps a little clarification is in order?”

Rainbow stepped in front of Rarity and shot a glare at Twilight, opting out of the civil approach. “Yeah! Like, what did you mean when you said ‘marefriend’? Were you serious?”

Twilight nodded, and Rainbow looked like she was about to explode. “You’ve gotta be kidding me! You, and Trixie?! That loud, arrogant, self-centred-”

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight shouted, clearly annoyed at her friend. “I know you don’t like her, and you’re my friend… But I won’t just stand here and let you say whatever you like about her!”

“C’mon, Twi! You can do better than her! What’s the deal?!”

“She’s not as bad as you make her out to be, and maybe if you just talked to her, instead of challenging her and getting annoyed so easily, you’d see that!”

Rainbow shook her head and turned around. “No way! That pony’s nothing but an arrogant show-off, who gets thrills from humiliating other ponies! In other words, a jerk!”

“That’s not true!” Twilight argued, but Rainbow wasn’t listening.

“Forget it! I’m outta here! When you’re finally ready to see reason, come find me!”

Before Twilight could stop her, Rainbow Dash took off through Ponyville. ‘That could’ve gone better,' she thought to herself. ’And there are still two more left.’

She turned around and looked at her friends, Applejack and Rarity, who seemed to be a lot calmer than Rainbow Dash was.

“So… That’s how it is between me and Trixie,” she said, shuffling a hoof on the ground.

“You love her?” Applejack asked, receiving a nod from Twilight. “… Dang, this’s quite a mess we’ve got ourselves into…” Applejack wandered off to the side. For a moment, Twilight was afraid that she was leaving, but then she saw that the farmer was just thinking the situation over, mumbling to herself as she did.

Rarity moved closer to Twilight, to speak more quietly, as there were still a few curious onlookers. “Twilight, how long has this been going on for?”

“… Months.”

“I see…” Rarity closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened them up again, replacing her look of unease with a strong look of determination. “And?”

Twilight looked at Rarity in confusion. “And… What?”

“Well… Does she make you happy?”

Twilight stared blankly for a second, and then nodded.

“I see.” Rarity smiled and put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Well, if that’s the case, then I’m happy for you, Twilight.”

Twilight’s face lit up in hope, and she returned Rarity’s smile. “You mean-”

“Do not misunderstand,” Rarity said, breaking Twilight’s smile. “I’m happy that you’ve found that special somepony to make your life complete,” Rarity explained, swooning slightly as she said it. She regained her serious expression, and continued. “However, I’m sure you’ll agree that Trixie and I don’t exactly have the best relationship in all of Equestria.”

Twilight’s ears drooped, and her face fell, causing Rarity to frown and mutter a word of apology. “Can’t you… At least give her a chance?”

Rarity looked over at Applejack, who was still mulling the situation over. “That depends,” Rarity whispered, before turning back to Twilight. “I don’t know, Twilight. I shall have to think it over. However, for now, I shall do my best to avoid getting into any more fights with Trixie… Provided she returns the same courtesy, of course.”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll have a talk with Trixie later. Thanks, Rarity.”

“But of course. What are friends for, after all?”

The two shared a quick hug, happy that they were still on good terms with each other, and then Rarity began to make her way back to her shop, leaving Twilight with just one more friend to confront.

Applejack, now finished thinking things through, approached Twilight with her decision.

“Ah don’t like it,” she said, which was much worse than what Twilight was fearing she’d hear. Rather than ‘ah don’t like her’, referring to Trixie, it was ‘ah don’t like it’, referring to the situation itself.

“You… You don’t like that I’m dating Trixie?”

Applejack shook her head quickly. “No, ah meant this mess we’re in!” she said, clarifying her previous statement, and bringing out a sigh of relief from Twilight. “Ah can’t say ah really like Trixie very much, and ah don’t think ah ever will. But ye’re mah friend, and ah want ya tah be happy, but…”

Twilight reached forward to place a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, but the other pony pulled away. “Applejack, please… I don’t want things to be difficult between us…”

“Twilight, what d’ya even see in her?”

“… She’s charming, and smart, and kind,” Twilight said. “Easily provoked, but still kind at heart.”

“She’s loud and arrogant,” Applejack countered.

“And Rainbow Dash is Miss Modest?” Twilight asked jokingly.

“She lies, just to make herself look better!”

“And I hear Rarity knows the trainer of the Wonderbolts.” Twilight cringed slightly at the idea of using her friends as tools for defending Trixie, but she couldn’t stand to hear somepony badmouth her marefriend like this, and it’s not like she was trying to insult her friends or anything… “What I mean is, she’s not as bad as you make her out to be. She’s actually got a lot in common with you guys.”

“She’s nothing like us!” Applejack argued. “We have the decency not to rub our talents in everypony’s faces!” Twilight bit her lip, resisting the urge to bring up the Iron Pony competition. That would probably be going too far. “She’s nothing but a self-centred, arrogant little show-off! Defend her all you want, but ah can’t stand ponies who parade their talents around like she does!”

Twilight clenched her eyes shut tightly, and took a deep breath. ‘… I shouldn’t say it… I shouldn’t say it…’

“You can do better than her, Twi! You should just throw her away and find somepony else!”

Something inside of Twilight snapped, and she looked up at Applejack with anger in her eyes. “So that’s it? You hate her ‘cause she shows off?” Twilight asked.

Applejack nodded. “Ah said it before, an’ ah’ll say it again: ah have no problem with ponies that are talented, but when they go showin’ it off, that’s where ah draw the line.”

A moment of silence passed between the two, and was broken by two words from Twilight: “Cutie Pox.”

Applejack looked at her quizzically. “Beg pardon?”

“… When Apple Bloom had the Cutie Pox, do you remember what happened?” Twilight didn’t give Applejack enough time to think, and just continued. “She got a Cutie Mark in hoop-de-hoop, and went over to her school to show it off.” Applejack’s eyes widened as she realised where this was going. “And then, she got another Cutie Mark in plate spinning, and started to show off both talents, around the town.

“Oh, but there’s more. I recall a certain big sister watching her with such pride in her eyes, cheering her on, and even helping her to show those talents off… Encouraging her to show off.”

“Now hold on, Twi!” Applejack shouted, stomping a hoof. “There’s a world of difference there! Apple Bloom just earned her Cutie Mark! Of course she’d be excited!”

“It’s the same thing!” Twilight argued. “Trixie’s talent is magic, and she’s so proud of it that she wants to show it off to everypony! It doesn’t matter if she only just got it or not, what she and Apple Bloom did were the same thing!”

“Apple Bloom’s only a filly! What d’ya expect her ta do?!”

“Her showing off isn’t the point of the story! It’s that you encouraged her to show off!” Applejack reeled back and flinched. “If you hate showing off as much as you claim, then one would expect you to not only dislike your sister showing off, but to try and convince her to stop showing off!”

Applejack didn’t say anything, because she wasn’t sure what to say. “I don’t know why you specifically target Trixie, but it’s clear that there’s some other reason for it, beyond her being a show-off.”

Twilight walked past Applejack, who was staring at the ground in complete silence. “Applejack, I don’t want our friendship to end, but at the same time, I love Trixie with all my heart. I’m not asking you to get along, but at the very least, please try to put up with her. If you two start fighting… I don’t know who I should side with, but I guess it’d be whoever didn’t throw the first kick.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a marefriend who’s upset, and needs me to be with her,” she said, her tone making it sound more like a boast than it was meant to. ‘Wow, she really is rubbing off on me.’

Once Twilight was gone, Applejack stomped the ground in frustration. “Darn it… Ah knew ah should’ve bucked her when ah first saw her…”

Twilight entered the library, only to be greeted by the most depressing sight in the world… Trixie was sitting in the corner, her head resting on her foreleg as made circles on the desk in front of her with her hoof.

In the centre of the room, Spike was sitting in an uneasy silence, apparently not even daring to breathe too loudly, and Pinkie Pie was in much the same state, with her usually curly hair now in straight bangs.

“Sorry, Spike, Pinkie Pie, but do you two think I could have some alone time with her?” Twilight asked as she walked in.

The two nodded, and quickly got up, all too happy with the thought of leaving. As soon as they were outside, Pinkie’s hair re-inflated, and she grabbed Spike off the ground and took off down the street, cheering something about cupcakes.

Twilight closed the door, and made her way over to Trixie. “Trixie… Are you okay?”

“… Are you?” Trixie asked.

“Well, of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“… Your friends didn’t yell at you? You didn’t get into a fight with them?”

Twilight sighed and sat down next to Trixie, wrapping her forelegs around her marefriend. “Well, Rarity seems to be okay… Applejack and Rainbow Dash on the other hoof…” She practically felt the gloom seeping out of Trixie’s body, and quickly tried to fix it. “W-What I mean is, they’ll be fine, after a few days! They just… Need some time to get used to it, is all! I’m sure everything will be okay, so don’t worry about it.”

Trixie nodded slowly, and lifted her head up to look Twilight in the eyes. Twilight noticed the tomato still on Trixie’s face, and frowned. “You didn’t wash up?”

Trixie shook her head slowly. “Couldn’t get the hot water to work.”

Twilight laughed nervously, and rose to her hooves. “Oh, right. Our shower’s kinda awkward. Sorry about that,” she said, before making her way to the kitchen.

Trixie heard the sound of running water, and was suddenly curious as to what Twilight was up to. When Twilight returned, she was carrying a wet hoofkerchief in her magic.

“Alright, hold still,” she said as she began rubbing the hoofkerchief against Trixie’s face, causing Trixie to squirm a little in the process. “Now, how about you tell me what happened? And I want the full truth… Okay?”

Trixie refused to answer at first, but a stern look from Twilight was all she needed to start recounting the events that transpired from her entering Ponyville, up to when Twilight interrupted her fight with the three ponies.

“I see,” Twilight said once the story was over. “And you didn’t mean Derpy any harm?”

Trixie shook her head quickly. “Of course not! Trixie doesn’t know what her deal is, but since she seemed so cheerful, Trixie assumed it would be okay to ask!”

Twilight nodded. “I see. Well, I think the first order of business is to apologize to Derpy. She’s very sensitive about her eyes.”

Trixie hung her head low at that news. “Well how was Trixie supposed to know that?… Trixie will apologize tomorrow, as long as you help Trixie find her.”

Twilight smiled and pulled Trixie into a hug. The hug was short though, and Twilight had to push Trixie away and brace herself for the next part of their talk.

“Also… Trixie, I’m sorry, but I can’t side with you completely on this whole situation.”

Trixie must have looked completely shocked, because Twilight quickly began to explain. “While it was indeed Rainbow Dash that approached you first, you also provoked her with your taunts. And while you could have easily avoided the situation and walked away, you fought back!”

“But-”

“‘There was no call for them interrupting Trixie’s show! If they did not like it, they should have simply walked away!’”

Trixie stared at Twilight incredulously. “That’s what Trixie said to you once, before we started dating… And you got it word for word. Trixie loves it when you do that.”

Twilight spared a moment to blush and smile at Trixie’s praise, but shook it off, not wanting to get sidetracked right now. “That’s right, but it also works both ways. If somepony is bothering you offstage, you shouldn’t let it get to you! You should be the bigger mare, and simply walk away.”

Trixie turned her head and mumbled: “That’s easier said than done.” She turned back to see Twilight looking at her as if she were waiting for an explanation, and lay her head back down on her forelegs. “It’s nothing. Forget it.”

“Trixie-” Twilight began, but stopped when an idea passed through her mind. “… Trixie, wait right here. I’ll be right back.”

Twilight got up and trotted off upstairs. Trixie didn’t bother raising her head, and just stared off into space until Twilight returned.

“Trixie?” Trixie lifted her head up and looked up at Twilight, who was now wearing a pair of thick glasses, and had her hair tied up in a bun. She was sitting on the floor in front of Trixie, and was patting her lap with a forehoof. “Come here. Tell me what’s troubling you.”

Despite the current situation, Trixie couldn’t help gawking at Twilight, all kinds of thoughts running through her mind as she admired Twilight’s new appearance. “… It’s not something Trixie likes to talk about,” she said, still unable to take her eyes off of Twilight.

“Even to your marefriend?” Twilight asked in a sulky tone, her lower lip curling into a pout. “Please, Trixie. I want you to share whatever’s bothering you with me.”

Trixie swallowed the lump in her throat, and ultimately gave in to Twilight’s demands. “Fine… I’ll talk…”

Trixie was about to start, when Twilight patted her lap once more. Trixie moved closer and rested her head on Twilight’s lap, looking up at Twilight with an uneasy frown on her face. Twilight looked down with a reassuring smile, and asked her to begin.

“… You know I grew up on the streets, right?” Twilight nodded. “Well, it’s because of that that I couldn’t simply walk away from Rainbow Dash’s taunts.”

Twilight must have been missing some key detail, because what seemed to be very clear to Trixie was lost on her. “Um… Perhaps you could elaborate a little bit?”

“… On the streets, it’s survival of the fittest.” Twilight now understood a little better, but still let Trixie continue. “I had to fight to protect myself, and to get food and water. But more so than that, it was a matter of pride. For those who have nothing, our pride is our most valuable treasure. It’s the only thing that keeps us going.

“When our pride is insulted, we have to stand strong, and make the offending party pay. And when we’re provoked… Well, let’s just say I learned the hard way that walking away isn’t always an option, and that softness has no place on the streets.”

Twilight leaned down hugged Trixie gently. “I think I understand a little better now… Still, you’re not on the streets anymore. Not everypony is out for your blood, and you can’t just get into fights with everypony who offends you.”

“I know that,” Trixie said, though she sounded uncertain. “It’s just that, old habits are kind of hard to break. I’m afraid that, if I become too soft, I’ll only end up failing to protect myself… And you, too.”

Twilight smiled and stroked Trixie’s mane. “So you find it hard to find the right point between ‘too rough’ and ‘too soft’?” Trixie nodded. “I see… Personally, I think that you just have a hard time trusting others, and don’t give them enough benefit of the doubt.”

Trixie thought about it for a moment. She remembered having a similar conversation with Fluttershy the previous day, about how, if ponies could just trust each other a bit more, and open themselves up to each other, then there’d be less violence in the world. ‘Heh, I’m such a hypocrite,’ Trixie thought to herself as she sat up, and looked Twilight in the eyes.

“I don’t know… If I can trust ponies as easily as you do. It’s not easy, when your whole life you’ve been fighting against the world by yourself.”

Twilight leaned forward and kissed Trixie on the lips. It was a soft, gentle kiss, and it brought a peaceful harmony to the room. When she pulled back, she shot Trixie a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”

Trixie smiled back, and leaned forward to rub her forehead against Twilight’s. “The Great and Powerful Trixie would appreciate that.”

After a few more kisses between the two, Twilight noted the time, and saw that it was starting to get dark outside. “Maybe we should get you settled in, before it gets too dark.”

Trixie nodded, and rose to her hooves. “Trixie’s trailer is just outside of Ponyville.”

Twilight wrapped her hoof around Trixie’s, and gestured for her to lead. “Lead the way, Great and Powerful Trixie.”

Once the two reached Trixie’s trailer, they found rather crude drawings and messages painted all over it, in a variety of different colours. They were things like threats to get out of town, warnings, and insults. Twilight had a pretty good idea who was behind this, and made a mental note to have a talk with a certain rainbow-maned Pegasus the following day.

For now, though, they had to get the trailer to the library. On the way back, they passed Cheerilee, Lyra, and Bon Bon, who were concerned about the two, and wanted to make sure that they were okay. After finding out that they were okay, they offered to help move some of Trixie’s things into the library.

Cheerilee and Bon Bon were very helpful, and asked Trixie to tell them some stories, hoping that it would help cheer her up. A gesture that Twilight appreciated very much. Lyra, on the other hoof, spent most of her time ‘fangasming’, as Bon Bon put it, over Trixie’s various props, and the idea of actually being inside the Great and Powerful Trixie’s trailer.

The five mares continued talking to each other for a while, even after they had finished with the moving, and Twilight was happy to see Trixie back to her cheery and boastful self.

‘Wouldn’t have it any other way,’ Twilight thought to herself.

Once their guests left, Twilight and Trixie retreated into what was now their home, together, and started to focus on their next, probably more challenging task: how to break the news to Spike.

A/N: Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Day In Ponyville

Twilight woke up with a groan. She had lost track of how many times that same nightmare played itself in her mind, only to be escalated each time. ‘This time, there was never any real Trixie to begin with.’

She rolled over and stared at the sleeping face of the blue pony next to her. ‘Well, they’re just nightmares. I’ve got the real one right here,’ she thought to herself as she gently wrapped her forelegs around Trixie, attempting to hold her close without waking her up.

She failed, however, and Trixie started to stir and wake up. “… Good morning, Twilight,” Trixie said, smiling at the sight of Twilight’s face first thing in the morning. The best part was, she could look forward to this every day, from now on.

“Sorry,” Twilight apologized, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Trixie responded by leaning forward and planting a kiss on Twilight’s forehead. “It’s fine,” she said, though truthfully she was a little annoyed at being awoken slightly earlier than she would have liked. “Trixie’s just surprised you’re able to wake up so early… We did go all out, last night. Where do you find all this energy?”

Twilight blushed at Trixie’s reminder of last night’s events, and tried to bury her head under the covers, only for Trixie to put her hoof to Twilight’s chin and lift it back out.

“I sure hope Spike is feeling better,” Twilight said, trying to shift the topic.

“He seemed okay last night,” she said, grinning seductively into Twilight’s eyes. “More importantly-”

“Only because I finally gave him permission to have his own room,” Twilight said.

“Twilight-”

“But when I told him you’d be living here, he seemed a little… well, it’s hard to explain, but I’m sure he was just trying to not make me worry.”

“Twilight-”

“Oh, maybe I should have spoken to him right after coming back from Fillydelphia. I just hope he isn’t bottling his true feelings up.”

“Twilight!” Twilight flinched, and turned her attention back to Trixie. “You’re overreacting. Trixie can tell that Spike is a lot stronger than you give him credit for.”

Twilight looked at her with pleading eyes. “You sure?”

Trixie nodded, and Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. “Anyway,” Trixie said, leaning closer to Twilight. “Trixie believes this is the point where you give her your morning kiss?”

Twilight smiled, and moved forward to kiss Trixie on the lips. She was expecting it, but was still surprised when Trixie suddenly held her tightly, and rolled her onto her back. The blue showmare was now on top of the purple librarian, and was looking down at her with a menacing grin on her face.

“Really? So early?” Twilight asked, pretending to be too tired.

“That’s right, and you can get used to it, too,” Trixie said, leaning down and planting a few kisses on Twilight’s neck.

“Oh no, I think I made a mistake,” Twilight joked as she sent her hooves down to Trixie’s flank. She stopped her exploring though, when she saw a pair of wide, green eyes staring right at her.

She let out a loud squeal and pushed Trixie off of her, sending the showmare crashing down to the floor. “S-Spike! W-What’s up?!” she asked, trying to act calm and casual… and failing.

Spike still continued staring straight ahead of him for a few seconds, before shaking his head and trying to purge the image he had just seen from his thoughts. “Um… A letter from the Princess,” he said, holding up a scroll.

Twilight smiled and levitated the scroll over to herself. She stared at it for a bit, and then back at Spike, who seemed to be unsure of how to proceed next. “Thanks, Spike. You can go back downstairs now, if you want,” she said, adding the last part so as to not make it sound like she wanted him gone.

Spike nodded, and began to walk downstairs, before stopping and fiddling with his tail as a certain thought crossed his mind. He turned back to Twilight, his face completely red. “Um… Twilight?”

“Yes, Spike?” Twilight asked, still smiling at her assistant.

“Um… About the basement… You asked if there was anything else I wanted for it?”

Twilight nodded. “Is there something you have in mind?”

“… It’s… not soundproof,” he said, and then ran downstairs, leaving that thought in the air for Twilight to work out for herself.

“… Oh Celestia,” Twilight said, her own face blushing now.

“‘Oh Celestia’ is right!” Trixie shouted, getting up from the floor and rubbing her back. “Oh, and Trixie is fine, by the way! Thanks for asking!”

Twilight giggled sheepishly at Trixie as she climbed back onto the bed, and lay down next to Twilight. The mood was gone now, but she still didn’t feel like getting up just yet. Unfortunately for Trixie, Twilight had other plans in mind.

“C’mon, we have to start early today,” Twilight said, nuzzling Trixie’s cheek.

Trixie shifted a little bit, and then rolled over to face Twilight. “Why?”

“We’ve got a lot to do today. We’ve got to move some things around in the basement, decorate it a bit so it doesn’t look so gloomy, patch things up with Derpy…” Trixie’s face cringed a little at that, but Twilight sent her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, you’re not the first. Derpy’s sensitive about her eyes, but also has a bad habit of bringing up things that may be touchy subjects. She means well, she just… doesn’t really realize what she’s doing.

“Anyway, she’ll forgive you if you apologize. Take it from somepony who’s experienced it personally.”

Trixie smiled at the fortunate news. It was sort of her thing to badmouth somepony to assert her dominance, but there were certain lines that even she never dared to cross, even in the most grim situations. Bringing up a disorder is one of them, and she couldn’t believe she did just that yesterday, even when under the impression that this ‘Derpy Hooves’ was okay with it.

“We’ve also got to get you settled into Ponyville,” Twilight said.

Trixie shot her a confused look. “We moved all of Trixie’s things in last night, remember? Or did Trixie just dream all of that up?”

Twilight giggled and stroked Trixie’s mane, eliciting a soft purr from the other mare. “No, no. I mean, stuff like getting your citizenship officially signed by the mayor, filling out your ‘change of address’ forms, getting you a library card-”

“Is that necessary when Trixie lives in the library?” Trixie asked, receiving a look from Twilight as if to tell her that was a stupid question. “Erm… Go on?”

“… Spa points card, since I know how much you love spas, finding you a job… Oh, and of course paying a visit to the Ponyville Adoption Centre.”

Trixie nodded at each item listed, and then the last one clicked in her mind. She bolted up quickly and looked at Twilight with a panicked look on her face. “W-What?!”

Twilight giggled and pressed a hoof to Trixie’s nose. “Gotcha,” she said playfully, giggling even more.

Trixie’s panic died down, and she breathed a sigh of relief, before looking at Twilight with an un-amused look on her face. “That wasn’t very funny, Sparkle.”

Twilight pretended to be upset, though it didn’t help that she was still giggling. “Oh, no! What have I done? Now you’re last-naming me!” She leaned forward and rested her head on Trixie’s shoulder.

Trixie sighed and returned the hug. Then, something else clicked in her mind. “Wait,” she said, pushing Twilight away. “What do you mean, ‘finding Trixie a job’?”

“Oh, well, y’know… since you’re living in Ponyville now…”

Trixie shook her head. “Trixie thinks you misunderstand, Twilight,” she said, causing worry to spread throughout Twilight’s body. “Trixie is living here now, that is true. But, she has no intention of giving up her travelling performance.”

“What? But… I… You…”

“Oh, but don’t worry,” Trixie said reassuringly. “Trixie will still spend as much time here as possible. Most likely, Trixie will just stick to weekends for her performances.”

Twilight let out a relieved sigh. For a moment, she was worried that her nightmares of Trixie leaving her were coming true.

“I see… Well, that’s one item we can cross off for today,” Twilight said, before climbing out of bed. “Now, let’s go. We have about forty-five minutes to eat breakfast, and there’s something I want to talk about with you and Spike.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “And that is?”

“We clearly need some new house rules,” Twilight declared, confusing the other two sitting at the table. “After all, we can’t have Spike constantly walking in on us like that!” Twilight said, blushing a little as she recalled the incident this morning. Spike was also blushing.

“Trixie wouldn’t mind it so much if it didn’t result in a broken coccyx,” Trixie said, still rubbing her back in pain.

“And it’s not just that,” Twilight said, ignoring Trixie’s complaint. “We can’t just expect Spike to stay down in the basement whenever we want to… get close,” she said, her blush intensifying and her voice growing quiet as she tried to describe the act of lovemaking without actually describing it.

“Yeah!” Spike agreed. “This is my home too, y’know? I should get fair warning, a soundproof door for my new room, and you two should space out your make out sessions so that I’m not confined to the basement all day!”

Twilight nodded and turned to Spike. “All reasonable demands. The door goes without saying, and whilst I can’t speak for both of us…” she shot a quick glance at Trixie, who was whistling innocently to herself, “… I can assure you that I for one have plenty of self-control, and don’t have to spend every second of my life clinging onto my marefriend.”

“Trixie’s not clinging to you right now,” Trixie argued.

“Trixie, your hooves are touching mine under the table,” Twilight said, causing Spike to make a gagging expression. “And stop rubbing them like that!”

“… Fine, so Trixie likes to be close to you! Is that such a crime?”

“There’s a difference between being intimate, and just denying me any personal space!”

“Says the pony who tried to seduce Trixie first thing in the morning.”

“That was you! Seducing me!”

“Too much information!” Spike shouted, breaking up the argument between the two.

Twilight cleared her throat, embarrassed by the side of her that she had hoped Spike would never see, and tried to maintain her composure. “Sorry, Spike. Anyway, the ‘giving you fair warning’ bit shouldn’t be too difficult. I could probably write up a timetable in, oh, five minutes?”

Trixie rolled her eyes and snorted. “Great. We’re gonna have the most organized sex life in all of Equestria,” she said sarcastically. “Whatever happened to good old ‘spur of the moment’ romance?”

Twilight was about to scold Trixie for making fun of the wondrous system that is proper organization, but found that the showmare had actually raised a good point. One of the things she had learned from Trixie was that spontaneous romance was much more enjoyable than dates where everything goes according to plan. Maybe it’s her neat and well planned-out side that finds the idea of doing things randomly, rather than by the book, rather endearing.

Trixie took a bite into her cereal, and scrunched her face up. Twilight frowned and looked over at Spike, who was eating the same cereal just fine. “Something wrong, Trixie?”

Trixie swallowed, and shook her head. “N-No?” she said as she lifted up another spoonful, and put it in her mouth. It was clear to Twilight that Trixie was going through so much trouble to eat her breakfast on the other side of her mouth, and when Twilight leaned over and poked Trixie’s right cheek, the showmare let out a loud yelp, spitting cereal in Twilight’s face.

“… Trixie,” Twilight said, levitating a hoofkerchief and wiping the cereal from her face. “Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

“I-It’s nothing,” Trixie said, putting her spoon down and helping to clean up the mess by levitating her own hoofkerchief over. “It’s just a little pain that comes and goes. Nothing major.”

Twilight didn’t buy it though, and walked around the table over to Trixie. “Open,” she ordered. Trixie obeyed, and Twilight’s horn lit up so that she could see inside Trixie’s mouth more clearly. “… Trixie, when was the last time you went to the dentist?”

Trixie closed her mouth and thought about it. “Um… Trixie had to go once or twice whilst she was in Celestia’s School, so… back then?”

Twilight’s mouth hung open in shock. “That long?!”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie takes good care of her teeth, she’ll have you know!”

Twilight groaned and held a hoof to her forehead. She remained silent for a time, her mouth moving but no words coming out. Finally, she removed her hoof and looked over at the clock. “Alright, so we’ve now got ‘soundproof basement’ and ‘take Trixie to the dentist’ added to the list,” she said. “It’ll be difficult, but if all goes well, we should be able to fit it all into today’s schedule.”

“Now hold on a second!” Trixie shouted. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has no intention of visiting any dentists!”

Twilight frowned, and used her magic to lift a spoonful of cereal up to Trixie’s mouth. “Eat this,” she said. Trixie hesitantly obeyed, making sure to keep the food in the left side of her mouth at all times. “With your other side.” Trixie stopped, and then slowly moved the food over…

“MMM!” She kept her mouth closed, but tears began to run down her face as she slowly chewed the food. Eventually, it became too much, and she simply swallowed it all in one go. When she was done, she began panting heavily, before looking up at Twilight with a smug grin on her face. “T-There!”

Twilight, however, was not convinced. “You’re going,” she said flatly.

Trixie wasn’t finished complaining. “Trixie hates dentists! They’re merciless, cold-hearted monsters who enjoy watching foals squirm in pain!”

“Well then, good thing you’re not a foal,” Twilight said, smiling as she leaned down to nuzzle Trixie’s cheek… Naturally, her good cheek. “C’mon, it’ll be fine. I promise you.”

Trixie’s tail began wagging from the affectionate nuzzling from Twilight, but she wouldn’t allow herself to be manipulated so easily. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will not-”

“I’ll wear that saddle you like to bed tonight,” Twilight whispered, cutting off Trixie’s outburst.

Trixie swallowed the lump in her throat, and found herself unable to resist any longer. “… Fine,” she said.

Twilight almost let out a small cheer for her victory, but instead simply pulled away and turned to Spike. “Sorry, Spike. It seems we’re going to have to get to work on your new room later than we originally planned.”

Spike sighed and shook his head. “It’s fine. You two have fun… I’ll just… sit here and read, or something. I’ll be fine…”

Twilight looked guilty at the thought of leaving Spike all on his own like that, and was about to say something. To her surprise, it was Trixie who spoke up first.

“Y’know, Trixie will be gone this weekend,” she said, causing Spike to look her way. “Trixie hears the weather will be simply wonderful on Saturday. Perhaps a picnic would be a good idea?”

Spike’s face lit up, and he turned to Twilight with a hopeful smile on his face. Twilight smiled back, and nodded her head. “That sounds like a good idea,” she said.

“Then, maybe you could spend the time alone today organizing said picnic?”

Spike immediately jumped to his feet, and turned to Trixie. “You got it!” he said excitedly. He spun around made his way towards his new room, before stopping for a moment and turning back around to face Trixie. “Um… Thanks,” he said, before rushing down into the basement before she could respond.

Twilight gave Trixie a sly smile. “What?” Trixie asked.

“That was very nice of you,” Twilight said, before planting a gentle kiss on Trixie’s cheek.

“You sound surprised.”

“I just… didn’t think you two would get along so easily.”

“Well, he has his uses,” Trixie said, bringing a confused look to Twilight’s face. “Trixie needs him to make sure you don’t go insane whilst Trixie is away.”

Twilight frowned at Trixie’s comment. Trixie, meanwhile, was grinning and barely suppressing a chuckle. “Alright, let’s go,” Twilight said, pulling Trixie’s ear via her magic. “Derpy’s house is on the way to the dentist’s office. You can apologize on the way.”

“Not so rough!” Trixie shouted, making sure it was loud enough that Spike, and maybe anypony outside, could hear. “No, Twilight! Not there!”

Twilight’s face blushed furiously, and she quickly let go of Trixie’s ear. “S-Stop that!” she shouted, looking towards the window to see if anypony was outside. “Otherwise, I won’t tell the dentist to be gentle with you!”

Trixie and Twilight glared at each other for a few seconds. “Touché,” Trixie said. She walked past Twilight and levitated her hat and cape onto her body. “Well then, let’s get this over with. Any tips?”

It didn’t take Twilight long at all to answer that question. “Muffins,” she said.

“Muffins?”

“MUFFINS!”

Derpy reached out and grabbed the box of muffins in Trixie’s magical aura. She picked one up and gazed at it lovingly, before taking a big bite out of it and chewing it slowly. She gave Trixie an approving nod, before proceeding to eat the rest of the muffin in one bite.

Trixie stared at her in bewilderment, until she received a nudge from Twilight. Trixie waited for Derpy to finish her muffin, but frowned when Derpy simply moved on to the next straight away. “Um…”

Derpy stopped eating and turned her attention to the two mares still at her door. She realised what she was doing, and put the muffins down on the floor beside her, blushing as she shot them a nervous smile. “Eheheh… Sorry about that,” she said. “I just really like muffins, you see…”

‘No kidding,’ Trixie thought to herself, but restrained herself from saying it out loud. “It’s perfectly fine,” she said. “Anyway, Trixie’s here today to apologize for the event that happened yesterday.” Trixie removed her hat and bowed her head.

“Yesterday…” Derpy mumbled to herself. She suddenly remembered, and her blush from moments ago returned. “Oh, no! I should be the one to apologize! I didn’t mean to make such a big deal out of it, I just… can’t help it when somepony asks me about my eyes…”

Trixie shook her head. “Trixie shouldn’t have brought it up, without knowing whether it was okay or not.”

“I brought up your eye,” Derpy argued.

“That doesn’t mean it was okay for Trixie to bring up yours.”

“Really, I overreacted. And then Rainbow Dash tried to get you back for it, right? I’m sorry.”

“No, that was Trixie’s fault, too. Trixie antagonized Rainbow Tr-Dash, instead of walking away. Really, you’re not to blame.”

“But I am! I shouldn’t have expected you to know any better!”

“Don’t take Trixie for a fool! She knows there are boundaries not to cross, and she crossed one yesterday! Trixie is sorry!”

“I’m sorry!”

“But you don’t need to be!”

“No, you don’t-”

“UGH! Will you two cut it out already?!” Twilight shouted, breaking up the two ponies’ argument. “Look, Derpy, Trixie feels she did something wrong yesterday, and feels terrible about it.” She turned her attention to Trixie. “Don’t you, Trixie?”

Trixie nodded, and Twilight continued. “And it seems you feel bad for causing the misunderstanding between Trixie and Rainbow Dash, is that correct?”

“Yeah…” Derpy said, her expression sinking a little bit.

“Then, I’m sure it would mean a lot to Trixie if you accepted her apology… and Trixie, I think Derpy would probably feel better if you did the same.”

The two looked at each other for a moment, before both speaking at the same time. They stopped, and tried again, only to get the same result. Twilight facehooved.

“Um…” Derpy said, managing to get a word in first the third time round. “I’m sorry about yesterday… and I accept your apology, too.”

Trixie blushed, and turned to Twilight for a moment. After receiving an encouraging nod, she turned back to Derpy. “T-Trixie is sorry, too. She will accept your apology, and hopes that we can be on good terms from now on.”

Derpy’s smile came back to life, and she hovered into the air… and hit her head on the ceiling. “Ow…” she moaned as she rubbed her head. “… Yeah, I’d like that!”

Trixie and Derpy smiled and shook hooves, and beside them, Twilight had a smile of her own, both from seeing the two mares make up, and also from seeing Trixie make another new friend.

The two new friends wanted to stay and chat for a while, but Twilight told Derpy that Trixie had to go make an appointment with the dentist. Derpy bid them farewell, and Twilight had to drag Trixie out of the house, the other mare trying everything she could to delay the inevitable.

“Trixie hates all dentists,” Trixie said bitterly, pouting as she stood outside the Ponyville dentistry.

“You’ll love Minuette, or ‘Colgate’, as the foals call her.”

“That’s what that teacher said about Trixie’s first, and what she had hoped to be her last dentist.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, and connected her hoof with Trixie’s. “C’mon, it’ll be fine. I’ll even stay there with you, okay?”

“You’d better,” Trixie said, giving Twilight the most adorable look the librarian had ever seen. Whether it was intentional, or just an effect of knowing she was about to visit a dentist, Twilight didn’t know.

‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’s fears – Ursa minors, upsetting me, and, apparently, dentists…’

The two entered the giant tooth-shaped building, to be greeted with an empty waiting room. There was a glass table in the middle, with a pile of magazines that visitors could help themselves to, and benches on either side of the room.

Minuette was sitting at the reception counter, looking bored out of her skull, but she suddenly perked up upon hearing the door open.

“Welcome! Here to make an appointment?” she asked cheerfully, with a hint of desperation in her voice. She lost her smile, and immediately frowned at the two visitors. “Or are you just here for directions?”

Twilight shook her head, and approached the counter with a reluctant Trixie, who was glaring at the dentist on the other side. “We’re here for an appointment,” Twilight said, immediately being graced by Minuette’s sparkling white teeth as a response.

“Great! Name?”

Twilight motioned for Trixie to move forward and introduce herself. “… The Great and Powerful Trixie.”

“Uh, that won’t quite fit,” Minuette said, looking down at her form. “Can I just shorten it to ‘Great’?”

Twilight was about to speak up, but Trixie beat her to it. “Fine, if you must. It’s not like one can expect much from a mere dentist.”

Twilight bit her lip, and looked over at Minuette. Thankfully, she didn’t seem so insulted. In fact, she was still smiling, and humming a tune as she filled out the form. Business must have been going slowly lately.

“And what exactly is the problem, Ms. Great?”

Trixie pointed her nose into the air. “Absolutely nothing!” she declared.

The room was silent, save for the sound of the ceiling fan spinning above them. Twilight sighed and slammed a hoof into her face. “The right side of her mouth hurts whenever she tries to eat. I think it might be a cavity.”

“A cavity?!” Minuette exclaimed, her smile turning into a wide, toothy grin. Yep, business must have been very slow lately indeed. “And when would you like to see me? I’m free now, or you can come back later, if you wish.”

Trixie was about to suggest ‘never’. “Now would be great,” Twilight said, receiving a glare and a hiss from Trixie.

“Traitor!” Trixie said.

“Look, we’ll just get this over and done with, okay? Trust me, Minuette is a great dentist.”

“Trixie demands to see reviews from actual patients!”

“A-hem.” The two turned around to see Minuette standing outside of her office, motioning for Trixie to follow her. “If you’re ready, could you come this way please?”

Twilight led Trixie by her hoof towards the office. “She’s a little nervous. You don’t mind me sitting in with her, do you?”

Minuette shook her head. “Not at all. I know us dentists aren’t exactly the most liked bunch in the world…” She shot Trixie a grin, that Twilight saw as reassuring, but that Trixie saw as demonic. “… But trust me, I’ll be gentle.”

“Trixie, stop squirming!” Twilight said, five minutes into the appointment, with nothing accomplished.

“Tell her to stop putting her hooves into Trixie’s mouth, then!”

“She’s supposed to put her hooves in your mouth, so that she can get a good look at your teeth!”

“Well Trixie doesn’t like it!”

“Do you want this to end, or not?”

“Of course Trixie does!”

“Then let her do her job!”

“Um, girls?” The arguing couple turned to Minuette, both with furious looks on their faces. “Uh, if I may make a suggestion?”

Twilight sighed and took a seat in the chair behind her. “Go ahead. Right now, I’m willing to try anything.” ‘Even forbidden magic is a pretty tempting option right now.’

“Well, how about you let me demonstrate on you how safe it is?” The two looked at her with strange looks. “I mean, it always works on rowdy foals, so I thought-”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is no foal!” Trixie shouted.

“Certainly acting like it, though,” Twilight said quietly.

“What was that?!”

“Nothing at all.”

“Don’t lie to Trixie! You said something about her, didn’t you?!”

“No, I didn’t!”

“Did so! Trixie can see it in your eyes!”

Twilight groaned, and stood up suddenly. “I have a better idea,” she said, her horn lighting up. The chair became engulfed in a purple light, and suddenly, seemed to come to life. It stretched and contorted, and the armrests and backrest stretched themselves, holding Trixie in place.

“There! She’s all yours, Minuette!”

Minuette cringed at her chair being used to restrain her patient, but had to admit that it did help. “T-Thank you, Ms. Sparkle.”

Trixie struggled against her restraints, but found that they held her down quite nicely. “Darn it! You will pay for this, Twilight Sparkle!”

Minuette smiled innocently at Trixie, and leaned closer to her. “Say ‘aah’, Ms. Trixie!”

Trixie rubbed her mouth as she and Twilight left the dentist’s office. “Thank you, Minuette,” Twilight said, before turning to Trixie. “Say ‘thank you’, Trixie.”

“… My mouth feels weird…” the showmare mumbled, staring down at the floor rather angrily.

“She sends her appreciations,” Twilight said to Minuette. After paying the dentist for her services, the two ponies left the dentistry, and started to walk towards the town hall. “Would you stop moping already?” Twilight said after just ten seconds of walking.

“Why does my mouth feel like this? How long will this last?”

“It’ll be numb for a while. Just bear with it. At least now you can eat without feeling any pain.” Trixie huffed, prompting Twilight to place a reassuring hoof around her marefriend, pulling her closer. “And, for being on such… okay behaviour, I’ll treat you to some ice-cream when your mouth feels better.”

Trixie perked up at the offer of free ice-cream, but she still couldn’t help but focus most of her attention on her numb mouth. “Trixie won’t hold back.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You eat too much, and you’ll get another cavity.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie will be fine. This one was just a fluke.”

“If you say so… Ah, we’re here,” Twilight said, pointing at the town hall that stood before them. “Alright, I’ll leave it up to you.”

Trixie watched Twilight begin to leave. “What? Where are you going?”

“I’ve got other things I need to attend to. Just get all the necessary paperwork filled out and filed, and then meet me at the spa.” Twilight gave Trixie a wink, before heading off down the street.

“… My mouth feels weird,” Trixie said to herself as she brought a hoof up to rub her mouth. She turned towards the town hall, and shrugged. “Well, might as well get this over with.”

“And initials here…” Trixie wrote her initials on the dotted line. “Signature here.” Trixie signed where indicated. “And, congratulations! You’re now officially a citizen of Ponyville, and your ‘change of address’ shall take effect starting tomorrow at noon.”

Trixie thanked the mayor, and left the room. That went easier than she thought, though it did take a lot longer than she thought, too. Thirty whole minutes of boring, tedious paperwork. The change of address hardly even seemed necessary to her; she never really got that much mail in the first place.

“She wanted Trixie to meet her at the spa, right?” Trixie asked herself as she walked through the town hall’s lobby. Whilst she was lost in thought, and as she approached the door, she didn’t notice it opening towards her until it smacked her in the face.

“Ow!” she cried out, rubbing the top of her head. ‘Great! Now the top half hurts, and the bottom half’s numb! And I’m sure I’m gonna feel the pain from this impact on my lower half later…’

“Whoa! Sorry about that,” a familiar voice called out. “Wait, never mind. Not sorry at all.”

Trixie raised her head, and indeed saw that the owner of that voice was Rainbow Dash. Of all the ponies for her to run into…

“So, I take it you’re here to get your citizenship?” Rainbow asked, glaring bitterly at Trixie.

“Was. Just got it,” Trixie said, returning the glare. “And now Trixie is on her way to meet with Twilight, so she doesn’t have time to stay and chat.”

“… If you even dare make her cry, I’ll make sure you’re never welcome in Ponyville ever again. You got that?”

Trixie scoffed, and walked past Rainbow Dash without saying a word. ‘Fool. I don’t need to promise anything to you… Of course I’ll never make her cry.’

Trixie entered the spa lobby, and found Twilight sitting down, waiting for her. She smiled and approached the purple mare, who was caught up reading one of the complementary magazines that were available for visitors.

“Did you wait long?” she asked once she was closer to Twilight.

Twilight didn’t look up from her magazine. Whatever she was reading, it must have been interesting. “Twilight?” Trixie tried again, but still nothing. ‘Alright then, I’ll accept your challenge.’

Trixie crept up on Twilight, and leaned down to nibble on the mare’s ear. This caused Twilight to jump up and toss her magazine forward, yelping in the process. “T-Trixie?!” she asked when she turned to face the grinning showmare. “W-What’re you doing?”

“You back to reality, Twilight Sparkle?” Trixie teased, leaning forward to kiss Twilight’s cheek. “Trixie’s citizenship and change of address have been approved.”

Twilight smiled, and planted a kiss of her own on Trixie’s cheek in return. “That’s good. I have something here for you.” Trixie backed off, and let Twilight pull something out of her bag. It was two cards, both of which she offered to Trixie. “These are the cards I was talking about this morning, remember?”

Trixie thought back, and recalled her talking about a library card and a spa points card. These must have been them. Upon closer inspection, Trixie saw that these were indeed the cards in question. But, something seemed strange somehow… She examined both cards again, trying to put her hoof on what was wrong with them…

Was it the colour schemes? Blue and pink for the spa points card, and blue and white for the library card… No, that wasn’t it. Was the information on either incorrect? Her name was typed correctly onto each card. Naturally, there was no date of birth present on the library card.

Was it the picture on the library card? Beautiful blue coat, fine silver hair, graceful smile that showed she was not only great and powerful, but also smart and sophisticated. Seemed fine to her…

Wait.

“How did you get this picture?” Trixie asked, holding the library card up in her magic.

Twilight wagged her hoof in the air, in a manner familiar to the showmare. “Ah-ah-aah, Trixie. A magician never reveals her secrets,” Twilight said, using her magic to levitate Trixie’s hat off of the showmare’s head, and onto her own.

Trixie scowled at the poor impersonation of her Great and Powerful self, and stowed the two cards away into her own bag. “Trixie hopes you haven’t been taking too many secret pictures of her.”

Twilight smiled innocently as she tilted her hat downwards a bit. “Who, me? Why, of course not.”

Trixie took a step forward, still frowning, but Twilight didn’t budge. “My mouth is starting to feel better now,” Trixie said.

“Oh?”

“Trixie believes she vowed revenge for you betraying her in the dentistry?”

Twilight leaned forward, eyes half lidded. “What have ya got in mind?”

Trixie leaned forward, ready to kiss Twilight on the lips. Twilight was ready to receive it. But it never happened. Just as Trixie puckered her lips, a sharp pain passed through her left cheek, and she clutched it quickly in pain. “OWWWW!”

Twilight looked at her incredulously. “Really? Another cavity, so soon?”

Trixie shook her head. “No, this must be from when Rainbow Dash slammed a door into Trixie’s face…”

Twilight’s eyes widened, and she quickly grabbed a hold of Trixie’s shoulders. “Wait, are you serious?! She did that?!” Trixie nodded. “Ugh, just great… I was hoping to have a word with her today, but there was so much that needed to be done, and then the whole dentist thing happened… I’m sorry, Trixie. I didn’t expect she’d-”

Trixie rose a hoof to cut her off, the pain in her cheek subsiding a little bit. “No, don’t misunderstand. This time, it wasn’t on purpose.”

Twilight felt a pang of hope. “It wasn’t?”

“No, though Trixie can’t say that it improves her opinion of her any…”

Twilight sighed, and wrapped her forelegs around Trixie. “Well, as long as you’re okay.”

“Oh! Good morning, Twilight.” Twilight ended the hug, and she and Trixie turned their heads to the source of the new, quiet voice that had presented itself to them. Walking towards them was a yellow Pegasus pony who, upon seeing Trixie, proceeded to hide herself behind her pink mane.

“Oh, good morning, Trixie…”

Trixie smiled and bowed her head a little. “Good afternoon, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy squeaked, and ducked further behind her mane. “Oh, yes, afternoon. S-Sorry…”

“Why are you hiding behind your mane like that?” Twilight asked. “Oh, wait… let me guess, Rainbow Dash told you about yesterday, didn’t she?” Fluttershy nodded, and Twilight felt a headache starting to form. It was a good thing she was about to book a relaxing soak in one of the spa’s baths. “Look, Fluttershy, I don’t know what Rainbow may have told you, but-”

“I-I’m sure it’s not as bad as she said it was,” Fluttershy said. “That’s not why I’m hiding, I’m just… not sure if Rainbow Dash would react well if she found out I was talking to Trixie…”

Behind Fluttershy, Rarity approached the group and greeted the yellow Pegasus. “Fluttershy, darling, I’m sorry for moving our appointment up a bit! I just-” Rarity stopped when she noticed the two Unicorns before her, and bit her lower lip. “Twilight,” she greeted with a nod of her head.

“Hi, Rarity,” Twilight answered back, trying not to show her nervousness.

“… Trixie,” Rarity mumbled, managing to turn her head to face the blue showmare.

“Good afternoon, Miss Rarity,” Trixie said, without even the slightest hint of tension in her voice. “Well then, Twilight, perhaps we should get going?”

“Get going?” Twilight asked, looking confused. “Trixie, you do know why I asked you to meet me here, right?”

“… So that you didn’t have to walk back to town hall after you were done with your tasks?”

Twilight shook her head, looking mildly offended at the implications that she was very lazy. “I booked us for a spa treatment, to help you unwind after yesterday’s… Well, you know.” She turned her head towards her two friends. “I don’t suppose you two wanna…”

Rarity looked between Twilight, who had a hopeful, almost pleading look on her face, and Fluttershy, who, despite trying to give a look of indifference to Rarity, was quite clearly hoping to spend some time with all three of them.

Rarity looked around, as if to make sure she wasn’t being watched, and then let out a sigh. “Personally, I would prefer not to,” she said.

Twilight’s face fell, and she turned to walk away. “Oh, right. Sorry…”

“Indeed. Come, Fluttershy. Let us be off to our own appointments.” Fluttershy nodded. “I’ll let you lead, Fluttershy. If we happen to end up sharing our slot with another two ponies by any chance, I suppose I shall just have to bear with it.” To make sure her friend caught the hint, Rarity gave Fluttershy a very noticeable wink.

The Pegasus smiled, and nodded her head in understanding. “Um, Twilight?” Fluttershy called out, stopping the two Unicorns on their way further into the spa. “Um, I was wondering… if I could tag along with you? You know, if that’s okay with you…”

Twilight smiled, as did Trixie, and told the Pegasus that that would be okay. “Oh well then,” Rarity said. “I suppose, since I’ll be following Fluttershy, that I will just happen to be joining you today.”

Twilight giggled, and Trixie rolled her eyes. “You need acting lessons,” Trixie said. “If you were living on the streets, you’d be dead in a week.”

Rarity scoffed and turn her head, flicking her mane at the showmare in the process. “Please, darling. If I were living on the streets, I wouldn’t need to resort to acting to survive. I would use grace, charm…” Rarity stomped a hoof on the floor, causing the tile beneath her to start cracking. “… And a little tough love goes a long way, too.”

Trixie gulped at the crack formed on the tile, whilst Twilight quickly used her magic to start fixing it.

“Anyway,” Rarity said, turning her attention back to the group. “Shall we?”

“Trixie doesn’t remember much else about that night, but when she woke up, she had her head inside a wheel, and a goat was chewing on her tail… To this day, none of us remember where we even got that goat from!”

As Trixie finished her story, she lowered herself into the mud bath before her, the other three doing the same with their own mud baths. “Well, that was… certainly interesting,” Rarity said.

“Yeah,” Twilight agreed. “You know, when I asked you to tell a story you hadn’t told me before, it didn’t have to be one quite so… personal.”

Trixie titled her head at the unexpected reactions to her story. “Personal? That was one of the proudest moments in Trixie’s life!”

Rarity looked at Trixie questioningly. “How so?”

“Trixie’s first time drinking, and she won her first drinking contest? What’s not to be proud of?”

“Well, you were nine,” Rarity said. “I’m sure your parents didn’t think much of it the next morning.”

Twilight quickly turned to Rarity and held up her forelegs in an ‘X’ shape, shaking her head quickly.

“Trixie’s parents were dead,” Trixie said. Rarity immediately sank down a little into her mud bath, muttering words of apology. “It’s fine,” Trixie insisted. “It happened a long time ago, and besides…” Trixie reached over to Twilight, and pulled her as close as she could without either of them leaving their mud baths. “Trixie has Twilight now!”

Twilight blushed, and tried to avoid eye contact with anypony.

“But still,” Fluttershy started, flinching a little when the other three focused their attentions on her. “What responsible adults let a small child drink any amount of alcohol, let alone enough to get them drunk?”

Trixie rolled her eyes and released Twilight Sparkle. “Well, maybe in Ponyville it doesn’t happen, but in big cities, like Canterlot and Manehatten, children get drunk all the time.” The three looked at her with faces that showed they were in absolute shock at the news. “It helps ease the pain,” Trixie explained.

“But, it’s still not right,” Fluttershy insisted, her voice picking up as she and Trixie began a heated debate on the ethics of letting children drink alcohol.

Meanwhile, Twilight leaned over to speak to Rarity more quietly. “Hey, thanks for giving her a chance.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Rarity said with a sly grin. “I’m just here with Fluttershy, who just happened to want to join you and Trixie.”

Twilight nodded and let out a small laugh. “Well, thanks anyway.” She shifted a little uncomfortably, and looked over at the clock. 13:45… She needed to delay Trixie for another three hours and forty-five minutes, at most. “Hey, what do you think I should say to Rainbow Dash and Applejack? You know, to help them understand?”

Rarity sighed, and leaned closer to Twilight. “Well, as far as Rainbow Dash is concerned, I would talk to Fluttershy rather than me. But even then, Rainbow Dash seems the type to make decisions on her own, rather than from the word of others. Remember Daring Do?”

Twilight giggled. “Yeah, you’re right there.”

“As for Applejack…” Rarity sighed again, and looked at Twilight with a serious look on her face. “I’m sorry, darling, but I honestly think you should just keep Trixie and Applejack as far away from each other as you possibly can.”

Whatever answer Twilight may have been expecting to hear, it certainly wasn’t this. “What do you mean? I know they got off on the wrong hoof, but Applejack is-”

“Kind, forgiving, generous, loyal, a good pony at heart… I know, but trust me, none of that applies when it comes to Trixie.”

Twilight scowled, and Rarity made sure to mention that this was from Applejack’s point of view, not her own. “Why not?”

“… It’s, not really my place to say. All I can tell you, is that Applejack has a… personal problem, that extends not just to Trixie, but to all showponies.”

“She seems fine with Flim and Flam.”

“Those two don’t really count… They’re salesponies who make a show of their products, but not showponies by trade… No, she hates ponies who make a living off of putting on shows for others. Magicians, storytellers, animal tamers, comedians… Why, even actors to a certain degree.”

Twilight shook her head in disbelief. “That can’t be true… Applejack, prejudiced against any kind of group?”

“I can’t say any more. But, if you really want answers, I think her brother may be willing to talk.”

Twilight, seeing that Rarity was intent on keeping whatever deep secret Applejack had a secret, decided to end the conversation there. “I’ll do just that… Thanks, Rarity.”

“You’re quite welcome, darling,” Rarity said.

“NO!” Fluttershy shouted, startling Rarity and Twilight, who turned around to see an angry Fluttershy, hovering above her mud bath. “It doesn’t matter what a child has been through! We, as responsible adults, have to set a good example for them to follow!”

She noticed the three ponies staring at her with wide eyes, and realised her little outburst. With a deep blush, she lowered herself back down into her mud bath. “Um… At least, that’s what I believe…”

Trixie shuddered, and Twilight leaned over to whisper into her ear: “By the way, that wasn’t even her mad state.”

For the rest of the spa treatment, Trixie shared a few tales of her days on the streets, making sure to cut out anything that would put her gang at risk. She had to stop many times to receive a hug from a sympathetic Fluttershy. She would have told her to stop, but after the previous performance, she preferred a huggy Fluttershy to a cross Fluttershy any day.

As Twilight and Trixie approached the library, Twilight felt her nerves starting to get the better of her. Her body tensed up, and she began fretting over whether the evening would go as she had planned.

“Twilight,” Trixie said, causing said pony to jump. “Be honest with Trixie. You’re planning something, aren’t you?”

Twilight silently cursed the other pony for apparently being so observant. “W-What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb with Trixie,” Trixie said. “After the spa treatment and lunch, you insisted on dragging Trixie all around the town, showing off every single building to her. Even the houses.”

“Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew where everything was.”

“Twice.” Twilight had no answer this time. “Trixie knows what’s going on.”

Twilight gulped. “Y-You do?” Trixie nodded. ‘Darn it! How does she know?!’

“You’re trying to make Trixie forget about the dentist appointment this morning, aren’t you?”

Twilight blinked, and remained silent for a few seconds. “Uh…” When she realised that a chance to recover had presented itself, she quickly took it. “Uh, yeah! That’s it! That’s totally what I was trying to do!”

Trixie smiled, and nuzzled Twilight’s cheek lovingly. “It seems you’re not so bad after all,” she said, causing Twilight to breath out a sigh of relief. “But Trixie still expects the ice-cream you promised her.”

Twilight laughed, and turned around to open the library door. “Yeah, yeah… But first…”

The door opened, and Twilight walked inside without turning the lights on. Trixie followed, wondering why Twilight had left it so dark. The curtains were drawn, too, making it even darker than it should have been. ‘Wait. Did we draw the curtains when we left? Ah, it must have been Spike…’

Trixie reached for the light switch, remembering vaguely where it was, and flipped on the lights, just as the door behind her closed.

“Surprise!” Twilight exclaimed, indeed taking Trixie by surprise. Trixie looked around and found the room dimly lit (she noticed that Twilight was magically altering the lights), and in the centre of the room, a very nice looking meal was being placed on a clothed table, with a single candle in the middle, along with a bottle of wine and some wine glasses.

“Happy birthday, Trixie,” Twilight said as she walked up to Trixie. “What do you think?”

Trixie looked at her with a mix of boredom, and confusion. “Didn’t Trixie tell you that she doesn’t have a birthday?”

“Well, yeah,” Twilight said. “But, I felt bad for you. Everypony deserves to celebrate their birthday after all. So I decided to throw you a party myself!” She levitated a small box that was sitting on her back, and gave it to Trixie. “Here. Sorry it’s not much, but you kinda forced me to step up my plans a bit, so I didn’t have much time to get you anything.”

Trixie grinned sheepishly at Twilight, and took the present into her magic. “Trixie’s sure she will like whatever you give her.” She opened it up to find a small chocolate cake inside, with frosting spelling out: ‘To Trixie, Love Twilight’ inside of a love heart.

Trixie felt her eyes watering up, and quickly leaned in to kiss Twilight before the other pony noticed her tears. She kept the kiss going long enough for her tears to stop, and then pulled away to thank Twilight. “Thank you… This is just…”

“There’s no need to thank me, silly,” Twilight said, using her magic to place the box to one side, and to turn on a nearby CD player. Romantic music started to play, and Twilight stood up on her hind legs, spreading her forelegs wide. “Dance with me?”

Trixie looked around the room, and then grinned at Twilight. “Dunno… Are you sure there’s enough space?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Come on, Trixie. You’re not that bad a dancer.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes, trying to determine whether that was a joke or not. “No, Trixie isn’t. You are, though.”

“Am not! And I’ll prove it, too!”

Trixie laughed, and stood up on her hind legs. “Something tells Trixie that she is going to regret this…” She and Twilight embraced, and started slow dancing to the music in the background. “Love you, Twilight…”

Twilight rested her head on Trixie’s shoulder. “I love you too, Trixie.” The music changed suddenly from romantic, to rather fast-paced party music. “Alright, Trixie! This is how we party in Ponyville! Try to keep up.”

Trixie watched as Twilight suddenly started thrashing around like a lunatic, almost kicking various objects here and there, if it weren’t for Trixie’s magic moving them out of the way in time. Twilight beckoned Trixie to join in, and the showmare let out a reluctant sigh. ‘Aaaand, the mood’s gone… Also, I hope she’s drunk right now, otherwise she really needs dance lessons…’

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

How It All Started

Twilight strolled down the road leading up to Sweet Apple Acres, yawning loudly as she did so. She didn’t get that much sleep last night, and decided to wake up early to get this possibly ugly task out of the way as quickly as possible.

As she walked past the field of trees, she noticed Big Macintosh already hard at work, bucking trees with so much force that she was surprised they didn’t topple over. Apples fell into the baskets at the base of the tree, and the red stallion lifted his head up when he noticed Twilight walking by.

“Mornin’ there, Twilight,” he said, causing her to stop momentarily to greet him back.

“Good morning, Big Macintosh. I see you’re working rather early again.”

“So are you,” he pointed out. “Ye’re here for AJ, ah reckon?”

“Yeah,” she answered. “Though I don’t know if she’d be willing to talk.”

“Ah don’t think she is,” Big Mac said. “She’s been mighty angry these past few days, about… Well, you know what.”

“But that’s why I need to talk with her,” Twilight said. “I need to get this whole ugly chapter out of our lives, as soon as possible. We’re friends, after all, and I can’t stand the thought of losing even one of my friends.”

Big Mac smiled, and pointed his head into the field. “AJ’s buckin’ some trees over in that direction. Ah don’t know if ya’ll be able tah do anythin’, but ah wish you luck.”

“Thanks,” Twilight said, before taking off in the direction given by Big Macintosh.

Today was looking up for Trixie. Twilight said that she had some important business to attend to, and left early (after giving Trixie a rather long, rather passionate goodbye kiss), leaving Trixie to tend to the library in her absence. Spike was busy decorating his new room. Twilight asked Trixie to help him, but a few ‘accidents’ to prove she was incapable prompted the baby dragon to insist she “leave it to the professionals”.”

So now, she was able to enjoy the rest of the morning in peace and quiet, laying back lazily on the couch on the ground floor of the library, reading a copy of Out in the Cold, and enjoying a rather large helping of ice-cream with chocolate sprinkles (Twilight did say to help herself to whatever was in the kitchen).

On her first day of living in the library with Twilight, Trixie had found a corner in the library that she particularly liked, and reserved it for herself as her ‘chill-out’ zone. She had a comfortable beanbag chair there, along with a desk filled with papers and quills for her own personal use, and a purple wax lava lamp on top.

And indeed, the Great and Powerful Trixie was spending the morning simply relaxing, listening to the soothing sounds of the birds outside, and occasionally helping out the ponies that came to the library by saying “over there”, and waving her hoof in a random direction. Not the most helpful advice, but then she didn’t really know the layout of the library, either, so it’s not like she could do any better.

Whenever a book was borrowed, she would have to get up and mark it down in the logbook. If she didn’t she would get an earful from Twilight later. And so, it was with great laziness that she would sit up, levitate a quill, and record the title of each book that was checked out, by whom, and the date and time that they were checked out.

Other than that, a fairly relaxing morning-

BANG!

“What the?!” Trixie exclaimed as the sudden banging against the door caused her to bolt upright. Okay, so it was a fairly relaxing morning, but that was apparently about to change.

For a moment, Trixie considered simply ignoring it, and getting back to her book. However, if Twilight came home and found an unconscious pony (or a brick, or whatever had caused the loud bang) lying outside her door, she might not be happy.

Sighing, Trixie put down her book, and got up to investigate. She opened to door slowly, and found that there was indeed a brick outside, with a piece of paper attached to it. Trixie levitated the brick, pull the paper from under the elastic band wrapped around it, and opened it up to find a letter addressed to her, from Twilight.

Trixie,

Come and meet us me in the clubhouse in 15 minutes. There’s a map below, in case you don’t know where it is.

Sinseerlee,
Miss Sparkle

Ignoring the foalish hoofwriting, and the word that had been crossed out, and the spelling error at the bottom of the page, and the strange way that ‘Twilight’ addressed herself, Trixie could tell straight away that this was not sent by Twilight Sparkle. Why?

Because there were no kiss marks at the bottom, and no cutely-doodled love heart in the corner. If those weren’t present, that would mean that either Twilight didn’t love her anymore, or that it wasn’t sent by Twilight, and she knew that the former was impossible, so it had to be the latter.

That, and she doubted that Twilight would deliver a letter to her own house by throwing a brick at the front door. Trixie smiled proudly. Her deductive skills were working overtime today.

“Let’s see… Go see who this amateur is and teach them a lesson, or stay here and finish that book…”

”Oh, and Trixie?”

“Yes Twilight?”

“Could you handle the grocery shopping for me this afternoon if I’m still not back? I don’t know how long I’ll take.”

“… Sure.”

“Thanks, Trix.”

“… Well, Trixie can hardly do the grocery shopping if she’s off meeting her marefriend,” she reasoned to herself, grabbing her hat and cape and putting them on. She folded the paper and stashed it away inside her cape. “Spike, Trixie will be heading out for a bit! If Twilight comes back, tell her that Trixie has gone to meet with Twilight!”

“Will do!” Spike shouted back. Trixie left the library, closing the door behind her. A few seconds later, Spike popped his head around the corner of the basement door, his face covered in a variety of different coloured paints. “Wait, wha?”

Trixie followed the map (which she had to admit worked really well, considering it appeared to be a quick little doodle drawn up in a rush at first glance), and found her way to the ‘clubhouse’.

“Twilight? Are you in there?”

“In here, Trixie!” a voice that was certainly not Twilight’s answered. Still, Trixie played along, and walked up the stairs towards the clubhouse.

Trixie felt something behind her, and quickly turned around, charging magic into her horn. “… Nothing?” she asked herself as she scanned the area. “Huh…” She shrugged off the strange feeling, and continued on into the clubhouse.

“GOTCHA!” a voice shouted above Trixie. She quickly turned her attention up to see an orange Pegasus filly jumping down towards her. “Huh? Hey!”

Trixie held the filly in place with her magic, and lowered her down to look at her at eye level.

“Put me down!” the filly ordered.

“Or else what?” Trixie challenged.

“Or else this!” another voice shouted. Trixie quickly turned around, only to be suddenly lifted up into the air, letting out a yelp and accidentally releasing her magical hold on the Pegasus filly in the process.

“We did it!” a third voice shouted, this one belonging to a white Unicorn filly who looked very familiar to Trixie.

A yellow Earth Pony filly lifted the Pegasus onto her hooves, and they high-hooved each other. “Cutie Mark Crusader Pest Catchers!”

“YAY!” the three fillies screamed in unison.

Trixie sat dumbfounded in the net that was now suspending her above the ground. “… You have got to be kidding Trixie.”

Twilight slowed down as she heard the sounds of grunting and loud bangs in the distance. She neared an orange Earth Pony, who was violently bucking a tree not too far in front of her.

The farmer noticed Twilight approaching, and acknowledged the librarian with a tilt of her hat. “Mornin’, Twilight,” she said, with no hint of malice in her voice.

“Good morning, Applejack,” Twilight said back, not sure if she was sounding nervous or not. She put on a smile, and tried to act like nothing was wrong. “Are you busy? I was hoping we could talk for a bit.”

“Ah don’t mind, so long as it’s not about her,” Applejack said, her voice letting out a hint of her loathing as her mind brought up Trixie’s face. That arrogant, cocky, self-absorbed-

“It is about Trixie,” Twilight said, cutting off Applejack’s thoughts.

Applejack shot her friend a glare, before turning around and getting back to bucking. “Then ah don’t wanna hear it.”

“Please, Applejack,” Twilight pleaded. “Rarity told me you have ‘issues’ with showponies.”

“Did she now?” Applejack asked un-amused. “Ah told her that in confidence,” she mumbled angrily.

“Applejack, I don’t want things to get complicated between the two of us.”

“An’ they won’t, just as long as that pony stays away from me.” Another hard buck into the apple tree behind her. “An’ the farm, too, for that matter. She ain’t welcome here.”

“Applejack-”

“No, Twilight. Ah ain’t gonna accept that pony being anywhere near the Apple family.”

“So, what, I should spend the rest of my life choosing between you and her whenever your paths cross?”

“… Looks like it.”

“… Can you at least tell me why you’re acting this way towards Trixie?”

Another, even harder buck, on the tree that didn’t even have any apples hanging off of its branches anymore. “You wanna know why?” Applejack asked, receiving a nod from Twilight. “… Ah can never accept showponies like her, Twi. Because… Because showponies like her are the reason our family broke apart!”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders stared up at Trixie, examining her with curious looks on their faces, not sure what to do now that they had captured her.

Trixie stared back at them, with an equally curious look on her face. She could have easily broken out of her imprisonment, but she first wanted to find out who these fillies were, and why they had captured her. So far, she had learned their names from the conversations they had with each other.

“Could you at least explain to the Great and Powerful Trixie why you set up this trap for her?” Trixie asked, starting to grow annoyed by the silence.

“Quiet!” Scootaloo shouted. “You will speak only when spoken to!”

Trixie rolled her eyes, and her horn lit up underneath her hat. ‘This’ll show the brat,’ she thought to herself as she lifted up a few pillows behind the fillies. The pillows levitated over to Scootaloo, and exploded into a cloud of feathers as they made contact.

When the fillies could see again, Scootaloo heard Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle giggling, and quickly looked over herself to find out why. “Hey!” Scootaloo shouted, after seeing her entire body covered in feathers. “What was that for?!”

“Sorry, did you say something?” Trixie asked mockingly. “All Trixie heard was “bwak bwak, BWAAAK!””

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle laughed harder, and Scootaloo’s face started to turn red from rage. “Why you-”

“Now, if you’re quite done with these games,” Trixie interrupted, “An explanation, please?”

Sweetie Belle managed to get Scootaloo to sit down, though the Pegasus started mumbling something to herself as she did so. Apple Bloom stepped forward to explain things to Trixie.

“We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” she started, “An’ we are hereby bringing you to trial, for your crimes against Miss Applejack, Miss Rarity, and Miss Rainbow Dash!”

“And what crimes are those?” Trixie asked.

“You dyed my sister’s mane green!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

“You made Rainbow Dash look totally uncool!” Scootaloo added.

“You hogtied mah sister!” Apple Bloom finished.

Trixie rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help but snigger at the memories of her triumphs over those three during her first visit to Ponyville. “Yes, those were good times,” she said in a dreamy tone.

“For you, maybe,” Apple Bloom said. “But they didn’t like it so much.”

Trixie looked at the ‘crusaders’ with a fearful expression on her face. “So, what are you three little judges going to do now?” she asked. “Timeout for fifteen minutes? No cookies for a week?” Trixie gasped. “Oh, please don’t ground Trixie, whatever you do!”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchanged confused faces. “Is she… mocking us?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo nodded. “I think she is! And I don’t like it!”

“Ah jus’ don’t get what Twilight sees in a pony like you,” Apple Bloom said.

Trixie’s eyes lit up, and she dropped her fearful expression for a more genuine grin. “Oh? You wish to hear the story of how the Great and Powerful Trixie and Twilight Sparkle found each other?”

Sweetie Belle tilted her head to the side. “Why would we want to hear that?” she asked.

“Your friend seemed curious,” Trixie explained, pointing to Apple Bloom. “But, if you don’t want to hear it… It’s a shame. It’s such a good story, too.”

“Actually,” Apple Bloom said, “Ah do wanna hear it.”

Scootaloo made a gagging expression. “Blech, are you serious?”

“Yeah. AJ an’ the others spoke so badly of her, but if Twilight likes her, there must be a reason.”

“Well, I suppose a story might be good, since we don’t really know what to do next,” Sweetie Belle said.

Scootaloo gave in. “Ugh, fine. But it better not be some sappy romance story!”

Trixie grinned, and summoned her magic to create an illusionary image of herself.

Trixie pushed through the crowd of ponies gathered around a stall that was selling comic books.

“Out of the way! The Great and Powerful Trixie demands that you grant her access!” Trixie shouted, using her magic to push a few ponies here and there aside. She finally managed to get through to the front, and purchased a few books that she had had her eye on for a while.

“Success!” Trixie shouted as she made her way back through the crowd of ponies, taking in a heavy breath of air as soon as she could. “Now let’s see, what next… Ah, voice actor John de Prancie is signing autographs in thirty minutes!”

She quickly made her way through the convention hall, leaving the dealers’ area and heading towards the conference room, where the voice actors held their panels. As she feared, there was already a long line. A very long line, that extended down the stairs, and outside of the convention hall.

Still, the Great and Powerful Trixie was not about to be defeated by a mere line! Begrudgingly, she made her way to the back of the line. At least she had some new books to read, and she brought her Pony Station Portable (or ‘PSP’, for short) along too.

“Excuse me?” a voice asked behind Trixie. “Is this the line for the John de Prancie autographs?”

Trixie nodded her head. “Sure is,” she said, not taking her eyes off of her hoofheld console. “It’s a long wait, though.”

“Yeah, but I’m not about to let that stop me!”

Trixie fully understood, and continued playing her game. However, something was nagging her in the back of her head. She knew this voice from somewhere. She recognised it, but she couldn’t quite put her hoof on it. She put her console into her bag, and turned around.

Her eyes widened as they met a pair of equally shocked and surprised eyes staring back at her. “T-T-T-T-”

“Trixie?” the purple Unicorn mare before her asked. “You’re Trixie, aren’t you? The ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie?”

Trixie grit her teeth together. ‘How dare she?!’ Trixie thought to herself. ‘How dare she, after what she did to me last time! She made such a fool out of me! She humiliated me in front of so many ponies! And now, she dares to mock me by calling me by that title!’

“It’s been so long!” the mare asked, smiling at Trixie. “How have you been? Have things been okay since you left Ponyville? I was so worried about you.”

‘More mocking?! How dare you… How dare you look down on me with those eyes! You… You…’ “SPOILED NOBLE BRAT!” Trixie shouted, pouncing forwards and smacking Twilight across the face with a forehoof.

Twilight fell to the ground, not even realizing she had been struck until Trixie grabbed her by the collar and started to shake her back-and-forth. “W-What are you-” she managed to say, before Trixie raised her forehoof and began to bring it down. Twilight reacted purely on instinct, rearing up her back legs, and pushing them forward into Trixie’s stomach.

The showmare was sent flying onto her back, and Twilight quickly scrambled up to her hooves, very shaken up by the whole experience. “W-What is the matter with you?!” Twilight shouted, glaring at Trixie as the showmare rose to her hooves.

“SHUT UP!” Trixie shouted, her horn glowing intensely all of a sudden.

“HEY!”

The two fighting ponies turned to see two of the convention’s security guards charging towards them.

“What do you two think you’re doing?!”

“Whoa!” Scootaloo said as she watched the scene unfold. “An action scene in a romance story! You make romance look cool!”

“I hope the two manage to patch things up,” Sweetie Belle said sadly.

Apple Bloom shot her a strange look. “They, uh… did?”

Sweetie Belle remembered that the story was about Twilight and Trixie, who were now a couple, and smiled brightly. “Oh yeah!”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, and turned her attention back to the images being conjured up by Trixie’s magic, now a lot more interested in the story than she was initially. “So? What happened next?”

“Well,” Trixie said. “We didn’t get kicked out of the convention. Thanks to Trixie’s quick thinking, and ability to act, we managed to make it seem as though it was all a performance we put on to pass the time in that dreadfully long queue.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “An’ then you two made out?” She quickly blushed, and put her forehooves to her mouth. “I mean up! You made up!”

Sweetie Belle was giggling at Apple Bloom’s slip up, whilst Scootaloo was more interested in the story, hoping for another fight scene between the two main characters.

“Not yet,” Trixie said. “But we agreed, for the sake of enjoying the convention, that we would hold back on all of our hostilities towards each other for now… Of course, it didn’t help that we were constantly running into each other.”

As Trixie said this, numerous scenarios involving Trixie bumping into Twilight at different parts of the convention were being played out by her magic. The image of Trixie would always do whatever it could to provoke Twilight, and made sure to give at least one insult whenever they passed each other, whereas the image of Twilight was doing its best to outright ignore Trixie’s existence.

Twilight sulked as she trudged through the field of trees, her head hung low as she grumbled to herself. In her despair, she failed to notice Big Macintosh as she passed by him.

“Everythin’ alright, Twilight?”

“AH!” Twilight shouted as she jumped. She turned to face Big Macintosh, her heart beating quickly, and her breathing heavy. “Oh Celestia… Don’t scare me like that.”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “Ah take it ya didn’t have much luck with AJ?”

Twilight’s head lowered again. “Not… exactly…”

Big Mac examined the depressed mare closely, and let out a deep sigh. “… Come with me,” he said. Twilight’s ear twitched, and she turned her head up to see Big Mac walking away. He stopped to turn back, and motioned for her to follow. “Ah’ll explain everythin’. Ah wager Applejack wouldn’t talk.”

“… She said that showponies… ruined your family.”

Big Mac nodded. “Ah figured as much.” He motioned for her to follow again, and she did.

Trixie stretched her hooves as she lay down on the soft grass beneath her, staring up at the night sky with a content smile on her face.

“This is nice,” she said to herself. “After such a stressful day, a nice night admiring the stars is just what the Great and Powerful Trixie needs.”

Trixie looked across the sky, pointing out and naming all of the constellations to herself as she used her magic to pour herself a glass of wine. She brought the wine to her lips and took a sip, but stopped when she heard hoofsteps approaching.

“Wha-”

Trixie turned her head to see Twilight Sparkle staring at her, a strange look on her face. At first, she thought it was anger. Then she noticed that there was… disappointment? Confusion, maybe?

“What?” Trixie asked bitterly. “Here to ruin Trixie’s night, too?”

“What?!” Twilight shouted. “You’re the one who suddenly attacked me like that!”

“You deserved it!” Trixie said, sitting up straight, and then clutching her stomach in pain.

Twilight noticed the look of pain on Trixie’s face, and started to grow concerned, despite their feuding. “Um… Are you okay?”

“What do you care?” Trixie asked. She lay back down again, and stared up at the sky. “Since when did spoiled nobles start caring for anypony without social standing?”

Twilight frowned, and walked over to Trixie. “Look, I don’t know what your problem with me is, but I’m sorry if I offended you somehow… And, I’m sorry for kicking you like that…”

Trixie turned her head to the side, to face away from Twilight. “Hmph… Just go. The Great and Powerful Trixie is trying to enjoy the night sky.”

“Yeah? Well, so am I,” Twilight said, taking a seat besides Trixie. “And I was told that this was the best spot for stargazing in Manehatten.”

“… Well, you heard right,” Trixie said. “Trixie isn’t moving, you know?”

“Don’t care,” Twilight said. “In fact, I’d prefer if you didn’t move. It’s rare to have somepony to talk to when I stargaze.”

Trixie scoffed. “And why should the Great and Powerful Trixie waste her time on the likes of you?”

“No reason. But you did hit me. I’d at least like an explanation as to why.” Twilight turned her head and looked down at Trixie expectantly. “… Well?”

“… Trixie hates ponies like you,” Trixie said. “Ponies who are born into prestigious families, practically groomed for success, and given everything they could ever want on a silver platter.”

“So in other words-” Twilight began, but was cut off by Trixie.

“And even more so than that, Trixie despises ponies that are blessed with such good fortune, and then throw it away, as if it is meaningless to them. As if they can get along just fine without it…” Trixie turned her head, and found Twilight listening to her intently. “You have no idea, of just how many ponies would do anything, to get even a sliver of your good fortune. But you just throw it aside, without a single care.

“You may as well be spitting on our faces,” Trixie added, directing a heated glare at Twilight.

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Trixie, waiting to make sure that Trixie was actually finished this time. “… I’m sorry you feel that way,” she said. “Because I really wanted us to be friends, you know?”

Trixie’s eyes widened, and she got up – slowly, this time – to look at Twilight at eye level. “Friends? You wanted us to be friends, even after what happened last time?”

“Because of what happened last time,” Twilight corrected. “You left so suddenly last time, and my friend Rainbow Dash made it a point to make sure your loss against the ursa minor was spread to other towns. I wanted to make sure you were okay…”

Twilight tried to place a hoof on Trixie’s shoulder, but the other mare simply huffed and turned her back on the librarian.

“Trixie, I never asked to be born into nobility, you know?” Trixie didn’t turn around, but did let out a disgruntled grunt. “But, maybe you could look past that? Give me a chance, and not just judge me based on my status?”

“…”

Twilight knew that this wasn’t working, but she wasn’t ready to give up any time soon. She decided to try a different approach. “That show you put on in Ponyville was pretty good.” Trixie’s ear twitched. Twilight hoped that that was a good sign. “It’s a shame I couldn’t see the rest… You know, I’ve actually been wondering how your show would have gone if it wasn’t interrupted.”

“… Is that so?”

“Yes. Would you mind showing me?”

“Well…” Trixie mumbled to herself for a few seconds. “Maybe one or two tricks…”

Trixie turned around, and her horn lit up. Twilight watched as nothing seemed to happen for a few seconds, before a snowflake fell onto her nose. “Snow? It’s not winter…”

She looked up to see snow falling from out of nowhere, and turned her attention back the ground to see it covered in snow. She started to shiver a bit, but then realised that it actually wasn’t cold at all.

Trixie’s horn lit up brighter, and the snow piled around them started to rise, and shape itself into various sculptures. Clover the Clever, Starswirl the Bearded, Hoofdini…

“Oh!” Twilight exclaimed upon reaching the realization that this was an illusion. Trixie’s horn flashed again, and the sculptures suddenly exploded in a bright flash of light. Twilight had to shut her eyes to prevent being blinded, and when she opened them up again, the snow had been replaced with a field of flowers. “Trixie, this is beautiful…”

Trixie shut off her magic, and the field disappeared, returning the scenery to its true form. “Well of course,” Trixie said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie only uses beautiful magic, after all.”

Twilight smiled, but was a little disappointed that the show had been ended so soon. “Can I see another trick, please?”

Trixie examined Twilight for a bit, and then sighed. “Why can’t Trixie ever refuse a fan’s request?” she asked herself quietly, before lighting her horn up again.

“We spent the whole night comparing our magical talents, looking up at the stars, and sharing stories of our past,” Trixie said. “Twilight told Trixie all about her life in Ponyville, her friends there, and even a few things about you three.”

“She did?” Sweetie Belle asked. “What did she say about us?”

“That you’re troublemakers,” Trixie said flatly. “That you go around town causing mayhem and chaos, and that you’re always making messes wherever you go.” The crusaders looked shocked and appalled at what they were hearing. Trixie grinned, and placed a reassuring hoof on Apple Bloom’s shoulder. “But, she says you always mean well, and that you’re very good fillies at heart.”

The three smiled at that, but then widened their eyes as they noticed something. “Wait,” Apple Bloom said, “How long have you been free from our net?”

Trixie laughed and flicked her mane. “The Great and Powerful Trixie was feeling uncomfortable, so she freed herself.” The crusaders looked like they were about to say something, but she continued before they could. “Anyway, Trixie told Twilight a lot of stories that night, like how she defeated the basilisk Queen, and how she destroyed an entire anti-Celestia organization all by herself.”

“You did?” Sweetie Belle asked skeptically.

“Indeed,” Trixie answered, waving her hoof. “But that’s a story for another day.”

“So what happened next?” Scootaloo asked. “Another fight?”

Trixie shook her head. “By morning, we had become friends… Though Trixie wouldn’t realize it for a few weeks, she enjoyed having Twilight’s company. She enjoyed talking with Twilight, reading with her, playing with her… We had a lot of fun, and she started to visit Trixie every weekend.

“It was during our time together that Trixie began to feel things that she had never felt previously. She felt happy whenever she was with Twilight, and even found herself getting excited for the coming weekends.

“Trixie also found herself growing jealous whenever Twilight was hit on by other ponies, and feeling disappointed whenever Twilight left her at the end of our weekend get-togethers. These feelings were new to Trixie, and it wasn’t until one date in particular that Trixie finally understood what they were… Love.” Trixie found her tone involuntarily turning to dreamy as she said that final word, and quickly composed herself, clearing her throat and sitting up straight with a neutral expression on her face.

“Awwww,” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said.

“Ewwww,” Scootaloo said. “What the hay? This story started great, but then you went and made it all sappy!”

Trixie put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Too bad,” Trixie said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t offer refunds.”

“TRIX-IIIIIIE!”

Trixie quickly turned around to see Twilight at the entrance to the clubhouse, her face red and her eyes fixed on her with an intense glare.

“Um… hi, Twilight,” Trixie said in a panicky tone. “W-What’s up?”

“Trixie, I believe I asked you to do the grocery shopping for me?”

“W-Well, Trixie got called here all of a sudden, so-”

Twilight sighed, and used her magic to pull Trixie out of the clubhouse by her ear. “Sorry, girls,” she said to the crusaders, “But Trixie can’t play with you any longer. She has work to do.”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle giggled at the sight of Trixie flailing as Twilight pulled her away.

“Goodbye, Trixie!” Sweetie Belle said, waving her hoof. “Thanks for the story!”

“You ain’t so bad!” Apple Bloom added. “If ya survive, come tell us another story sometime!”

Twilight looked back at the clubhouse and smiled. “It seems you made a few new friends today,” she said to Trixie, who was now walking by her side, rubbing her ear. “But that still doesn’t excuse you skipping out on your chores.”

“It’s not like Trixie could help it. They ponynapped her.”

“Oh please. You’re saying a bunch of fillies managed to restrain the Great and Powerful Trixie?”

“… Yes?”

Twilight grinned and placed a hoof around Trixie. “Nice try. We’ll decide your punishment later.” Trixie moaned and kicked the ground with a hoof. “Oh, and I also asked you to help Spike with his new room.”

Trixie rolled her eyes and turned her head away. “By the way, what were you up to today?” Trixie asked, trying to change the subject.

“… Just, stuff,” she said, removing her hoof and continuing her walk in silence, thinking about what Big Macintosh had told her earlier.

Trixie, on the other hoof, was thinking back to the day that she and Twilight first confessed their feelings to each other.

Twilight and Trixie walked side-by-side down the streets of Manehatten. There was a fair going on nearby, and they decided to check it out. They had gotten some ice-cream, and were now chatting to each other about the recent Discord incident.

“Discord got to you, too?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, it seems so,” Trixie said, confusing Twilight. “It’s strange. Trixie remembers that she met with Discord, but does not remember anything that happened to her… Just, blank.” Trixie thought for a moment. “Maybe that was what Discord did?”

“But if it was, it should have disappeared when Discord was sealed away,” Twilight said. “Hmm… maybe I should use the memory spell?”

Trixie shrugged her shoulders as she finished off her ice-cream. “Trixie supposes it’s worth a shot.”

Twilight finished her own ice-cream, and the two Unicorns stopped in the street. Twilight’s horn lit up, and she lowered it down to Trixie’s forehead… Only for nothing to happen. “Huh?” She pulled back, and examined Trixie carefully. “That’s strange…”

“What happened?” Trixie asked, slightly concerned that the spell had no effect.

“Who knows? Maybe it’s because I never really perfected the spell… When I used it on my friends, I awoke memories that I shared with them, to give the rest of their memories a push. But with you… all of the memories we share together are already there, so…”

“Hey! Move it already!” a pony shouted as she shoved Twilight aside, walking past the two mares.

“Oh! Sorry!” Twilight called after the pony. Trixie, however, had other plans.

“Hey!” Trixie shouted, using her magic to stop the pony and turn him around. “Has nopony ever taught you any manners? Apologize to her at once!”

“Why should I?! You shouldn’t have been standing in the way like that!”

“Trixie, just let it go,” Twilight whispered, but Trixie ignored her.

“Do you not know who I am? I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Fireworks shot out behind Trixie. “You would do well to apologize now, before the Great and Powerful Trixie loses her patience!”

“Great and… Ah, I recognize you!” the stallion said. “You’re that lying show-off that got humiliated in Ponyville!” Trixie’s ears flattened, and she took an uneasy step backwards. “You think I’m afraid of some loudmouth who can’t put her money where her mouth is? Why don’t you go slay some imaginary ursas or something?”

“H-How dare you?!” Trixie shouted, stomping a hoof on the ground. “The Great and Powerful Trixie-”

The stallion cut her off before she could finish her rant. “There’s nothing ‘Great and Powerful’ about you!” Ponies from the crowd started to agree with the stallion, telling Trixie to ‘take a hike’ or ‘get lost’, and tossing a few insults her way, like ‘phony’, ‘liar’, ‘pathetic’, and more.

Trixie looked around, unable to keep up with the torrent of hateful comments being thrown her way, and looked as if she was about to break down any second now. Twilight saw this, and quickly stepped forward to defend her.

“For your information,” she shouted, silencing most of the ponies around her, “The Great and Powerful Trixie suffered no such humiliation! An ursa minor is nothing to somepony who defeated an ursa major all on her own!”

The stallion scoffed, and moved closer to Twilight. “And who are you? Some crazed fangirl?”

“Actually, my name is Twilight Sparkle.” The stallion’s eyes widened. “That’s right, the Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia, and the Great and Powerful Trixie’s apprentice.”

The crowd gasped, and the ponies within started mumbling to each other.

“Hah! That’s the biggest load I’ve ever heard!” the stallion scoffed.

“Actually,” a pony from the crowd said, “I recognise her from a newspaper article. There’s no mistaking it. That’s her, alright.”

Twilight grinned as the stallion started to sweat. “Yes, and as for the whole ursa minor thing… I don’t know how those false rumours spread, but if you want to know the truth, the Great and Powerful Trixie allowed me to deal with it because I asked her to, so that I could prove myself!”

Twilight turned around to see Trixie looking at her with her mouth wide open. She winked at Trixie, and the showmare seemed to get the signal. Trixie cleared her throat, and stepped forward. “That’s enough, dear Twilight,” she said, stopping by Twilight’s side. “The Great and Powerful Trixie can handle her own fights.”

Twilight nodded, and moved back. The stallion stood his ground as Trixie walked up to his face, but he wasn’t as confident as he was moments ago.

“Now then,” Trixie said, her hat lifting up to reveal her lit up horn. “This is your last chance. Apologize, or the Great and Powerful Trixie will make you apologize.”

The stallion grit his teeth, and looked between the two magical mares. Trixie aside, the other one was the student to Princess Celestia herself! He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I-I’m sorry…”

Trixie grinned, and turned around. “Well, Twilight?”

Twilight smiled. “Apology accepted.”

Trixie turned back to the stallion. “You may go now.” The stallion nodded, and quickly took off down the street. The crowd stayed for a bit, but a sharp glare from Trixie quickly solved that.

Twilight and Trixie continued down the street, and decided to take a break on a nearby bench.

“… Why did you do that?” Trixie asked as soon as both mares were sitting down.

“Why?” Twilight asked. “Well… I guess, I was sticking up for my friend?” Trixie didn’t seem to buy it. “… That stupid story about the ursa minor. It hasn’t made your life any easier, has it?”

Trixie shook her head. “That’s an understatement.”

“Right… I guess… I just couldn’t stand it anymore.” Twilight sighed, and leaned over to rest her head on Trixie’s shoulder. Trixie blushed, and looked away from Twilight. “I never wanted that story to spread. I was only trying to defend Ponyville. I never intended to humiliate you, or put your career in jeopardy.”

“…”

“This way, that stupid story might finally stop weighing you down, at least a little. And, now you have something else to brag about, too.” Twilight sat up straight, and turned Trixie’s head to face her with a hoof. “That you have the Princess’ pupil as an apprentice. That should bring in the crowds, don’t you think?”

“And you don’t mind?” Trixie asked. “You don’t mind somepony using your accomplishments, and your name, to their own advantage?”

Twilight shook her head. “I don’t really care about getting fame or any of that. It doesn’t matter at all to me. But to you… It’s your job to entertain ponies with your stories, and your magic act. Your passion. Just as long as you don’t cast me in a bad light, I’ll be fine.”

Trixie smiled, and reached her forelegs around Twilight. “… Thank you,” she said. “… Oh, Celestia. Trixie never thought she’d ever be thanking somepony like this, or feeling such gratitude towards another pony. What is your secret, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight pushed Trixie back, and shook her head. “A magician never tells their secrets,” Twilight said with a wink. She and Trixie started laughing together, and continued for a full minute. When they had stopped, Twilight felt it necessary to point something out. “Hey, you didn’t take offence to me calling you my friend.”

Trixie looked into Twilight’s eyes. “You’re right. I didn’t.” Trixie shifted about uncomfortably on the bench. “Um… Twilight, if there’s any way that Trixie can pay you back for this…”

“Forget it,” Twilight said. “There’s no need to do that. We’re friends, and friends stick up for their friends when they’re in trouble.”

Trixie smiled as she gazed into Twilight’s eyes, whilst Twilight herself started to feel uneasy. “Twilight… you’ve done so much… You come by to visit me every weekend. We have so much fun together, talk all through the nights, style each other’s manes… All of this, even though we got off on the wrong hoof.”

Twilight smiled back, though it was a little nervous, due to the way that Trixie was staring at her. “Well, a wise mare once told me: “Sometimes, we all need to be shown a little kindness”. And something told me that you were long overdue for that treatment.”

The two sat together in silence for about half-a-minute, and when Twilight tried to suggest that they move on, Trixie suddenly leaned forward, and locked her lips with Twilight’s.

Twilight couldn’t react at all. She didn’t make any effort to push Trixie away, and she wasn’t entirely sure if she understood what was happening. This was all so sudden, and just as suddenly as it started, Trixie had pulled back.

Now Trixie looked like more of a nervous wreck than their first meet up together, and was constantly shifting her gaze between the ground and Twilight, looking unsure of what to say or do next.

“… Why?” Twilight asked after taking a minute to collect her thoughts.

Trixie’s ears dropped, and she stared down at the floor with a guilty look on her face. “I-I’m sorry. I-”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Trixie flicked her head up quickly, and saw tears rolling down the sides of Twilight’s face. “You dummy… You should have told me sooner… I would have been able to prepare myself.”

“T-Twilight, does that mean-” Trixie’s question was answered before it could even be completed, when Twilight suddenly moved forward and connected their lips once again. Trixie joined Twilight in letting out tears of joy as she embraced the other mare, pushing her own lips against Twilight’s as the two continued to wordlessly express their feelings towards each other.

Twilight pulled back after what seemed like an eternity of making out, and stared pleadingly into Trixie’s eyes. Trixie knew what she wanted. She wanted to hear the words themselves, coming out of Trixie’s mouth. Trixie had no problem complying.

“I love you, Twilight.”

Twilight couldn’t help it. The tears just seemed to flow out of her eyes uncontrollably, and she quickly reached forward to embrace the other mare tightly. “I love you, too,” she said, smiling widely as she nuzzled against Trixie’s neck.

Trixie held Twilight lightly, gently stroking her mane as she enjoyed this moment. This moment that, many years ago, she would have doubted could ever happen.

Trixie turned to Twilight, who seemed to be mulling something over in her mind. She smiled, and leaned over to kiss Twilight on the cheek, breaking the pony from her thoughts.

“T-Trixie,” Twilight said, before suddenly receiving another kiss, this one on the lips. When Trixie backed away, Twilight was as red as some of the apples on the trees around them. “… W-Will you stop doing that in public?” Twilight asked, looking around to make sure that nopony could see them. “Or at least… give me some warning.”

“Trixie’s afraid she can’t do that, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie said, grinning at the flustered face that Twilight was making.

“And why not?” Twilight asked, visibly less amused than Trixie.

‘Because,’ Trixie thought to herself, ‘It was a spontaneous kiss like that that started everything between us… That’s why I love surprising you like that.’

Twilight was still waiting for an explanation, and Trixie turned her head up, her nose pointed high. “Not telling,” she said, before picking up her pace.

“What?” Twilight asked, increasing her own speed to catch up to Trixie. “Why not?”

“Just drop it,” Trixie said, starting to walk faster. Whenever she increased her speed, Twilight would too, demanding that Trixie tell her whatever she wasn’t telling her. “Trixie will never tell you!” Trixie shouted playfully as she broke out into a full gallop.

Twilight followed, and the two began racing together back to the library, each one laughing and using their magic to try and trip the other one up.

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

When Egos Collide

“I set my Malefic Dragon to attacking stance, and lead an attack on your Moonlight Sorceress!” Spike flipped his three monster cards laid out on the table in the library’s main room so that they were facing vertically up from him. Trixie mumbled angrily under her breath as she took two of her cards in her magic and placed them in the ‘discard pile’. “And then I reinforce my keep’s defence, and end my turn.”

Trixie drew two cards, as per her Commander’s ability, and studied them closely. She spent about a minute reading each of their effects, making sure she understood them properly, and formulating about ten thousand strategies in her head. “Come on, grandma,” Spike said impatiently. “You gonna move or not? Heh, not that there’s any way you can come back after that last attack.”

Trixie shot a glare at Spike, and used her magic to lift up his Minion cards. “Trixie needs to reread their abilities!” she declared as she brought them close to her face. She scooped up some cereal and ate it as she read the cards over once more. “Ugh! Trixie remembers when this game was simple, and only had two types of Minions: those with effects, and those without! Now, we’ve got all this ‘Combi!’, ‘Special Event’, and ‘Chain-Link’ nonsense!”

“If you wanna give up, you gotta put your hoof on your deck and say so,” Spike said, taunting his opponent with what would be his seventh consecutive win. “Maybe afterwards, I can help you improve your ridiculously outdated deck.”

A glint appeared in Trixie’s eye, and she put Spike’s cards back down. She summoned a Minion from her hand. “Phantom Holmes, which allows Trixie to see your hoof!” Spike revealed the cards in his claw to Trixie. Nothing to be afraid of. “Next, Trixie activates Call of Calamity! All Trixie needs to do is to sacrifice one Minion, and discard two effect cards in her hoof! Then, another Minion on the field can no longer lead troops into battle… and Trixie chooses your Malefic Dragon!”

“Uh, Trixie?” Spike asked, pointing towards a wheel to the side of the board. Its four sides were decorated with a different pattern, one for each season of the year. They were currently in winter. “It’s gotta be Autumn to use that card.”

Trixie read the card’s effect once again, and noticed in tiny, un-bolded font: “Autumn”. She tossed the cards in her hoof into the air, and turned to her bowl of cereal. “UGH! This game is stupid! Not at all like it was five years ago!”

“So does that mean you give up?” Spike asked in a mocking tone, gathering up his cards. “‘Cause you’ve gotta say it clearly, y’know?”

“Shut it! The Great and Powerful Trixie simply refuses to play such a needlessly complex and overrated game any longer!”

“Come on, Spike,” Twilight said, pulling her nose out of her book to give her number one assistant a pat on the back. “I think you should give her a break,” she whispered. “She looks like she’s about to burst.”

“Yeah,” Spike chuckled, “She looks like you did whenever somepony tried to drag you away from the library to take part in P.E.”

Twilight’s face turned into a disapproving frown. “P.E. isn’t even a real subject, and they expected me to take time away from my precious reading to go outside and just run around, make a fool of myself, and wear out my poor muscles?!”

“Well, you could have done with a little exercise,” Spike said. “Considering you ran out of breath from like, what, ten seconds of running?”

“Not to mention,” Trixie added, her tantrum apparently over just as quickly as it started, “You’re going to end up really chubby if you just stay in here all day and do no working out.”

“Like you’re one to talk, the way you scoff those cheesecakes down, it’s like you’re poisoned and they contain the only antidote.”

Trixie, ignoring Twilight’s retort, circled around the table and stopped just short of her beloved. She reached out and poked the mare’s stomach playfully with a hoof, causing Twilight to bat it away with a blush on her face. “Hmmm… Seems you’re already halfway there, Twilight,” she teased, moving her hooves down to Twilight’s flanks. “But then, Trixie could probably get used to ‘Chubby Twilight’… It’d be like loving two Twilights at once.”

Twilight backed away from Trixie, blushing furiously and sending her a stern glare. “Do you mind? Spike is right there!” Twilight pointed to where the baby dragon was previously sitting, but turned around to see no one there. She lifted her head to the sound of a door closing behind her, and saw a trail of cards leading to the basement door.

“Any more complaints?” Trixie asked, closing in on Twilight once more and nibbling at the librarian’s ear.

“A-Actually,” Twilight said, trying to resist the allure of the showmare currently wrapping her forelegs around her body. “How about first, you finish your breakfast?” Twilight used her magic to scoop some cereal from Trixie’s bowl onto her spoon, and floated it over to Trixie. “C’mon, say ‘aaah’.”

Trixie stared at the spoon un-amusedly. “Don’t treat Trixie as if she is a child. Trixie is perfectly capable of feeding herself. Furthermore-” Trixie’s rant was cut short by the spoon suddenly being lunged into her mouth. When it came out, all of the cereal was gone.

Twilight scooped up another spoonful of cereal, and floated it over to Trixie, staring at her with a devious grin on her face. “Really? ‘Cause you were hanging out with three little fillies yesterday, instead of doing the chores I assigned for you… Sounds like something a kid would do, if you ask me.”

Trixie swallowed the cereal in her mouth, and used her magic to snatch the spoon from Twilight’s. “You can’t use that, Twilight. You already punished Trixie for that.”

“That wasn’t a punishment, and you know it,” she said, thanking Celestia, Luna, and Faust that they had soundproofed Spike’s door earlier that week. The last thing she wanted was for him to know more of her ‘bedroom side’. “A punishment isn’t supposed to leave you demanding more.”

“Trixie can’t help it if your choice of punishment agrees with her,” Trixie responded, turning around to walk back to her cereal, making sure her tail brushed against Twilight’s nose in the process.

Twilight heard the clock ‘ding’, which indicated that it was the start of a new hour. She looked up to confirm this, and found that it was indeed 10:00. She got up and ran over to her work desk in a hurry, and when she got there, she pulled out a stack of papers from its drawer.

“What’s that?” Trixie asked, putting another spoonful of cereal in her mouth. “The thing you were working on after Trixie fell asleep?”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Twilight said, almost automatically. “And yes. It’s-Wait! How’d you know about that?!”

“You woke Trixie up with your giggling, and your excited cheering.” Twilight blushed, and tried to hide her face behind her papers. “It was cute,” Trixie added with a smirk.

Twilight cleared her throat, and stacked the papers up neatly. “A-Anyway, I’m going to be heading out soon,” Twilight said.

“Another early day?” Trixie asked, almost groaning.

“I’m going to see if I can find Rainbow Dash. She has the evening shift today, so I’ve got to talk to her before then.” Twilight turned around and gave Trixie an apologetic smile. “Sorry, but I want to get this all cleared up and out of the way as quickly as possible. And I figured it’d be best if I talked to Rainbow first. Y’know, to calm her down a bit.”

Trixie simply shrugged, and turned her attention back to her cereal, which was almost finished now. “Well, whatever… Trixie has some new spells she wants to practice, anyway.”

“Oh? Like what?” Twilight asked, approaching Trixie and leaning down to nuzzle her cheek from behind.

“Trixie can’t tell you that; it would ruin the surprise.” Trixie finished her cereal, and got up to take the used bowl and spoon into the kitchen. “That’s why Trixie is going to the Everfree to practice it. Nopony must see it until it’s ready.”

Twilight felt an uneasy feeling pass through her body at the mention of the Everfree forest. “Really? You’re going to such a dangerous place?”

“It’s not that dangerous. No more so than the slums of Canterlot. At least during the day.”

“I suppose,” Twilight said, still uncertain. “… You’re not working on temporal illusions again, are you?”

Trixie shuddered at the mere mention of the type of spell that had been the cause of a two-week hiatus from her shows. “Of course not! At least not yet…”

Temporal illusion spells were the strongest spells in Trixie’s arsenal. She had mastered them not too long ago, with some help from Twilight… The problem was that they required so much magic that just one cast left her magically drained for two whole weeks, something which Trixie never wanted to experience again. ‘And after I put all that work into mastering them…’

“Well, alright then,” Twilight said, following Trixie into the kitchen and planting a kiss on the showpony’s cheek as she washed her bowl and spoon. “Well, just be careful, okay?”

Trixie nodded, and returned the kiss with one on Twilight’s cheek. “Please. If anything tries to attack the Great and Powerful Trixie, it should be their safety that you should worry about.”

Twilight giggled, and walked back into the main room of the library. Meanwhile, Trixie raised an unsteady hoof up to her eye patch, holding it there for a few moments as she contemplated removing it. “… No,” she said finally, lowering her hoof back down. ‘It should be fine. Even with just one eye, I should be able to fend off any creatures in there that would come out during the day.’

Later that day, just after Trixie had eaten her lunch, she sought out a nice, peaceful spot in the Everfree Forest, where she was sure nopony would stumble upon her practicing. It took her a while, but she eventually found just the right spot to practice in: a large clearing, with plenty of space for her spells, surrounded by dense trees (so that, even if somepony should happen to pass by, they wouldn’t see her), and with a refreshing spring nearby that she could relax by when she took breaks from her practicing.

Trixie set her saddlebags down beside the spring, and opened one of them up to pull out the three books resting inside. Trixie decided to start off with something that seemed simple, and easy to perform. ‘I’ve been meaning to look into artificial wing spells for a while now… The ones I make can’t be used for flight. Who would’ve thought the spell could be found just lying around in a small-time library like the one in Ponyville?

‘Well, if the author’s goal was to hide the spell from ponies that would abuse it, it would make sense to hide it in the last place ponies would think to look for it, I guess…’ Trixie read over the spell one last time, making sure she hadn’t missed anything during her previous reading of it.

“Okay, the ingredients are here,” Trixie said as she opened her other bag and pulled out the ingredient listed in the book: gossamer and morning dew. “Now, safety first,” Trixie reminded herself as she cast a spell on the books, creating a small barrier around them. “Twilight would kill Trixie if the books got caught in a magical misfire.”

Trixie stepped into the centre of the clearing, carrying the ingredients behind her in her magic, and closed her eye as she recited the spell in her head. She formed a mental picture of herself with artificial wings, and slowly started to go over the wings’ composition. A small purple light flashed on the tip of her horn, and a wind started to whirl around her.

The glow of her horn grew brighter as Trixie began mumbling to herself, reciting out loud the process that she needed to go through to make the spell work. “Step one…” Her body began to glow purple, and she felt herself becoming lighter. “Step two…” Her body lifted itself off the ground, and she felt a tingling sensation pass through her spine. She prepared herself for step three, when a sharp pain passed through her abdomen. “AGH!”

Trixie quickly cancelled the spell, and fell down to the ground, panting heavily as she waited for the magic coursing through her body to die down. When she opened her eye, she had to wait for the haziness of her vision to subside, before she could see three small spots of something red on the ground. Upon seeing the stains, Trixie realised that there was the familiar taste of iron in her mouth, and she rose to her hooves slowly.

‘A bit too much power… or maybe I messed up the order? Perhaps my body rejected the spell subconsciously?’ Trixie listed in her mind the various reasons as to why the spell had backfired whilst she made her way towards the spring, to gather some water to wash out the taste of blood in her mouth.

Deciding that she would need to do some more research into the wing spell, she decided to instead move on to practicing her next show’s schedule. She started off with a new spell she adapted from Twilight’s recently completed rocks-to-clothes spell: rocks-to-fruit. Obviously not edible fruit, but just as long as the audience didn’t try to eat any of it, it should be fine.

The spell produced mixed results; whilst sometimes the spell would go off without a hitch, and the rock would stay in fruit form until she broke her focus, at other times the rocks were just plain rude, and refused to do what Trixie told them to do.

“Dumb rock!” Trixie reprimanded as she kicked the offending inanimate object, which simply stared back at her, its expression never changing. “Just you wait! Trixie will turn you into a paperweight or something…”

Next, Trixie began using a few illusionary spells that she was sure would drive the audience wild. As it was nearing summer, she decided that a nice, refreshing water-based illusion was in order. Naturally, she nailed it. A little too well, perhaps; Trixie’s spell shot out well beyond the clearing, and she was worried that somepony might notice it if they were walking through the forest.

Taking a moment to make sure nopony was approaching, Trixie would have been relieved that she couldn’t hear hoofsteps approaching… had she not instead heard the sounds of howling in the distance.

Quickly, Trixie rushed over to a nearby tree in the direction of the howling, and peeked around it to see if anything was approaching her. It seemed that her last spell had reached quite far and hit a timberwolf nesting ground, because Trixie could see a pack of very disgruntled timberwolves heading her way, and she knew that timberwolves only hunted at night.

“Well then, it seems that Trixie must be on her way now,” she said to herself as she ran over to her bags, packing everything away quickly before placing them on her back. When she turned around, she was startled to see that the timberwolves had already entered the clearing, and were beginning to close in on her. ‘Darn magical creatures… Out of all the types of animal I could have ticked off, it just had to be the one that can smell magic, didn’t it?’

One of the timberwolves – which Trixie assumed to be the leader of the pack, given its size, and that it was in front of all of the others – let out a loud howl, before lowering in an attacking stance, and charging towards the blue showpony in front of it.

Trixie dropped a smoke bomb from her cloak to make them stop for a second, and teleported past the wolves. She started to run away, before she heard the wolves behind her giving chase. No way was she going to outrun them, so her only option now was to fight. ‘Oh well,’ Trixie thought. ‘I at least tried to let them off easy.’

Stopping suddenly and turning around, Trixie’s horn glowed a bright purple as she shot a grin at the approaching wolf pack. The leader pounced towards Trixie, only to pass right through her and crash into the ground. The rest of the pack stopped, and then turned around to see Trixie sitting on a nearby rock.

“Over here!” she sang, jumping off the rock and using her magic to levitate a few of the wolves. The rest charged for her, but stopped when fireworks suddenly started to go off in their paths. Trixie was thoroughly enjoying herself, and could continue this all day, had her horn not suddenly stopped glowing all on its own.

“Wait, what?” Trixie’s eye shifted up, and indeed, her horn was no longer glowing. The wolves that were previously being held in the air fell down to the ground, and the illusionary fireworks had stopped going off. Trixie tried to reactive her magic, but nothing happened. “Again?” she asked herself, but when she tried to take a step back, her body complied.

‘So this time, it’s just my magic,’ she concluded, feeling slightly relieved, but not much, as she was still in a pretty bad situation. She now started shivering and sweating on the spot, and she was certain that the timberwolves could sense her newfound fear.

One of the wolves ran forward, and pounced at Trixie, forcing her down to the ground beneath it. As it lashed its jaw towards her, attempting to take a big bite out of whatever it could, Trixie used her forehooves to keep it at a distance. It wouldn’t last long, though; Trixie’s physical prowess was nothing to brag about, so without her magic, there was nothing that she could do, and on the ground like this, her stage props were inaccessible to her.

“GET OFF OF HER!”

Suddenly, the timberwolf was knocked off of Trixie by a fast (very fast) blue blur, and she wasted no time in getting up and standing back-to-back with her unknown saviour. She could worry about their identity later. For now, the two of them had but one goal in front of them: getting the hay out of this place as fast as they could!

Rarity ground her teeth together and grumbled in frustration as she ran the blow-dryer through Pinkie Pie’s mane. The pink mare simply smiled and stared forward as she allowed Rarity to fix up her hair. As soon as Rarity was done, she let out a sigh of relief, and levitated a mirror in front of Pinkie Pie, so that her patient could view her work.

As soon as Pinkie Pie looked into the mirror, her mane began to shake, and then poofed into its usual curly state. Rarity’s left eye twitched, and she almost dropped the mirror. “See?” Pinkie Pie said, still smiling. “I told you it can’t be fixed!”

Rarity slowly levitated the mirror back down to where she had found it, and her lower lip began quivering as a few strands of her mane stuck up. “H-How? I just… How?!” Pinkie Pie simply shrugged, and the bell to Rarity’s shop rang, prompting Rarity to turn around and address her customer. “YE-ESSS?!”

Twilight jumped and stared at Rarity with concern. Rarity looked terrible; her eyes were wide, one of them twitching, her ears were flapping up-and-down repeatedly, and she seemed to be forcing a big smile on her face whilst her teeth ground together. “A-Are you alright?” she asked cautiously.

“I’m fine!” Rarity insisted, though the tone of her voice didn’t inspire confidence. “I was simply giving Pinkie Pie here a new manedo, that’s all!”

Twilight looked over at Pinkie Pie, who was sitting behind Rarity, fiddling with her curly bangs. She noticed Twilight looking over at her, and waved to the purple unicorn. Twilight felt a pang of sympathy for her fellow unicorn friend; Pinkie Pie’s impossibleness was enough to drive anypony mad. Twilight considered how Trixie would react to her, and then remembered her original reason for being here.

“Rarity, I was wondering if you’ve seen Rainbow Dash about,” Twilight said. “I’ve been looking all over Ponyville for her, but I can’t seem to find her anywhere.”

Rarity, now calming down a little bit, shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, dear. I can’t say that I have. Why do you as-Oh. You want to have a word with her about…” Rarity trailed off, and Twilight nodded.

“Ooh, ooh!” Pinkie Pie cut in, jumping up and down excitedly. “If you’re looking for Dashie, she said she’d be practicing her super-duper uber-awesome epic new flying trick that’s gonna blow you all away, but I’m not supposed to tell you that because she doesn’t want to you seeing it before it’s finished!”

Twilight and Rarity stared at the happy Pinkie Pie for a few seconds. “Uh…” Twilight began, but Rarity cut her off by holding her hoof up.

“Let her get there herself…” A few more seconds passed, and Pinkie Pie jumped up into the air, and let out a horrified gasp. “There it is.”

“Oh nonononononoooooo! I wasn’t supposed to tell you thaaaaaat!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, before running up to Twilight and grabbing her by the shoulders, shaking her back and forth. “Twilight, you have to forget everything I just told you! EVERYTHING!”

Twilight tried to stop Pinkie’s violent shaking, and eventually had to use her magic to teleport herself out. “Okay, okay! I’ll forget what you just told me!” she lied. Obviously she couldn’t just pass up useful information like that, and besides, memory spells hurt…

Pinkie Pie bought it, however, and let out a sigh of relief as she wiped the sweat from her brow. “Phew! Thanks, Twilight! You’re the best.” Pinkie Pie began happily skipping out of the store. “La, la la, la la.”

Shaking the dumbfounded look off of her face, Twilight turned to Rarity to see the other unicorn just as confused as she was. Deciding to break the awkward silence, Twilight remembered her talk with Big Macintosh yesterday, and wondered if she should talk to Rarity about Applejack’s… issues.

“Is there anything else I can help you with, Twilight?”

Twilight hesitated, and then nodded slowly. “I… talked with Big Macintosh yesterday.” Rarity tensed up. She must have known where this was going. “Tell me, how much do you know about Applejack’s parents?”

“Only what she’s told me,” Rarity answered. “I didn’t want to pry, so I never asked anypony else about it…”

“Well, according to Big Macintosh, there’s more to the story than what Applejack may have told you.”

Rarity scratched one of her forelegs with her other and bit down on her lower lip. “I don’t really know much about it,” she admitted, before looking up at Twilight with a serious look on her face.

“Applejack, darling, you’ve been out here for hours now. Your family is getting worried… and so am I.”

“Rarity… It just ain’t fair, y’know? We were all so happy together. Me, Apple Bloom, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, ma, and pa… All one big happy family, who all loved each other so much…”

Rarity leaned over and nuzzled Applejack. “It’s not fair, I know. But you have to be strong, for Apple Bloom’s sake. And for your own.”

“It’s all ‘cause of that damn mare from Las Pegasus!” Applejack exclaimed, startling Rarity with her language. “Why did she have tah come and ruin our family?! If it weren’t for her, ma wouldn’t have suffered so much, and pa-”

Rarity embraced the shaking Applejack, causing her to stop her rant, and instead fall to pieces in her friend’s hooves, letting out all of the tears that she had bravely held back during the funeral.

“We were gonna have a lil’ brother, too,” Applejack finally said after a few minutes of crying. “It’s all that darned showpony’s fault… She did this. She took father away, and then mother just…”

“”Applejack, darling…”

“… I don’t know all of the details, but I promised Applejack that I would always be there for her. I can’t betray her, Twilight. Even if…” Rarity let out a reluctant sigh. “Even if Trixie doesn’t seem to be so bad.”

Twilight looked at Rarity sadly, a frown forming on her face, but she didn’t say anything else. She simply nodded, told Rarity that it was okay, and turned to leave the shop. After taking a minute to sit down on a bench outside, and collect her thoughts, Twilight remembered what Pinkie Pie said, and her head perked up immediately.

Rainbow Dash was in the Everfree Forest… and Trixie said that that’s where she’d be practising her spells…

“Oh horseapples.”

“What the hay is your problem?!” Trixie yelled as Rainbow Dash, for the umpteenth time, insisted on ripping Trixie’s foreleg from her body. Or, that’s what Trixie assumed she was doing. In reality, the concerned pegasus was trying to make sure that Trixie’s hoof was okay. Of course, Rainbow’s pride would never allow her to visibly show this concern, thus creating the lack of proper understanding between the two.

“What were you thinking, coming out here all on your own?!”

“And what about you? Could it be that you were following Trixie, to catch her off guard?”

“Get real! I don’t attack ponies when their backs are turned! I was just out here practising my moves, when I saw you about to be eaten!”

Trixie huffed and turned away, limping on her hoof as she walked beside Rainbow Dash through the forest. Rainbow Dash had given up on helping the stubborn mare by this point, much to Trixie’s satisfaction… Though, she did have to admit that she would prefer it if her hoof wasn’t hurting so much as she walked…

“And?” Trixie asked, receiving no answer from Rainbow Dash. “Why did you help Trixie? Since when did you care whether she lives or dies?” She turned to give Rainbow Dash the coldest look the pegasus had seen since her high school days with Gilda… No, even colder than that. It sent shivers down Rainbow’s spine. “If Trixie had been eaten by those timberwolves, she would be out of your hair, and you wouldn’t have had to dirty your own hooves. Twilight would have no reason to be mad at you.”

Rainbow wasn’t sure what look she should be giving Trixie right now: shocked that the showmare would even suggest such a thing, or disgusted that she thought Rainbow Dash would be capable of doing that to anypony. So she just settled for the classic look of unrivalled rage. “Who the hay would do something like that?!”

Trixie scoffed. “Obviously you’ve never been to Manehatten,” she said. “Anyway, Trixie’s point still stands. We’re enemies, last Trixie checked. So why did you help her?”

“… And what would you have done, if it were me about to be eaten?”

Trixie thought about it for a bit. On one hoof, she wouldn’t be putting herself in danger by fighting the wolves (or at least, in theory, she shouldn’t), and, no matter how hard she tried, she could never bring herself to end another pony’s life… or to allow one to end before her eyes, for that matter. Maybe it was a side effect of seeing her parents die, and knowing the pain that it brought out of ponies close to the victim.

“… Well, Trixie would save you, but-”

“Exactly!” Rainbow Dash said, relieved more than she would have thought possible that that was the answer that Trixie had given. “Nopony deserves to die in such an uncool way, and I’m not gonna just sit back and do nothing, when I have the power to do something!”

‘I know that feeling.’ Trixie thought to herself. ‘Or rather, the feeling of not wanting to sit back, but unsure if you have the power to accomplish anything at all…’

“You’re just lucky that you’re important to Twilight! Otherwise, I’d make you walk back on your own!” Rainbow Dash added, folding her forelegs and flying in front of Trixie. ‘Yeah right… Like I could do that, even to her.’

It wasn’t much longer until the two were outside of the Everfree Forest, and were walking through the vast fields heading towards Ponyville. Rainbow Dash realised that Trixie never answered her question earlier, and wasn’t about to let the showpony go without an answer.

“Hey! You still haven’t told me what you were doing in the Everfree Forest, all by yourself!”

Trixie rolled her eye and stopped for a second. She wondered if her magic was still… No, it was working now. When she tried to focus her magic her horn lit up a nice, gentle purple, and she could feel no abnormalities in her magical energy. She was thankful that she could at least move her body this time, but… she was still growing increasingly worried. ‘Best not to tell Twilight. She’s got enough on her plate right now.’

“The Great and Powerful Trixie was, if you must know, practising her magic for her next spectacular performance. Which, by the way, you are not invited to!”

“Pfft! Like I’d even want to go in the first place! Your shows are just… Stupid.”

“Your face is stupid,” Trixie muttered.

“What was that?!”

“Trixie said that you wouldn’t know talent if it zapped your flank!”

“Oh yeah?”

“Indeed! Unless you think you can prove the Great and Powerful Trixie wrong?”

“Oh, just you watch! Can your talent do this?!” Rainbow Dash bolted upwards into the air at a high speed, and circled around a few of the clouds, shaping them into various patterns: a lightning bolt, a skull, and a diamond. She started flying back down very quickly, and pulled herself to a stop just short of crashing into the ground. “Well?” she said with a smug grin on her face, confident that that would put the showmare in her place.

Instead, Trixie simply yawned, and began charging her magic. Rainbow Dash looked up to see the clouds break apart, and then begin to rearrange themselves. ‘LAME, WHAT ELSE YOU GO’ was spelled out in the sky. Trixie grunted, and broke off a part of the ‘O’ at the end to finish the sentence. ‘LAME, WHAT ELSE YOU Got?’

Rainbow Dash gaped at the sight of the unicorn using her magic to manipulate weather yet again, and then turned her attention down to Trixie, who was giving her the same smug expression that Rainbow was wearing moment ago. “Your move, Trashie,” Trixie said, causing Rainbow Dash to furrow her brow.

“Oh, it’s ON!”

The competition between the two ponies escalated rather quickly. It started off with the two ponies taking turns – Rainbow Dash using her wings, and Trixie using her magic – to try and outdo each other. Of course, with the judges being themselves, the results were always the same: stalemate.

It didn’t take long for curious ponies passing by to come and watch the show being put on by the two, and to start making betting pools on who would win once they found out it was a competition. Word spread quickly around Ponyville that Rainbow Dash and ‘that arrogant show-off’ were duking it out, and soon, more and more ponies began to gather to witness the event with their own eyes.

As the audience grew, so did Trixie’s ego, and she was now through with waiting her turn. Rainbow Dash felt much the same way, and the two began performing at the same time, often trying to trip each other up on purpose. For example, Rainbow Dash would use the clouds to distract Trixie when she was focusing, by causing whether effects to hit her, or by simply throwing the clouds her way. Trixie, on the other hoof, would use illusions to startle Rainbow Dash mid flight, causing the pegasus to lose her momentum halfway through a trick.

Needless to say, the two caught on to each other’s antics fairly quickly, and soon began to pay more attention to what the other mare was up to, and make sure that she wouldn’t get the upper hoof.

Applejack watched from the crowd, glaring at where the two ponies were performing. “Oh my, she’s at it again?” Rarity asked from beside Applejack. “I tell you, Twilight certainly isn’t going to be happy with this.”

Applejack simply nodded, but her attention was drawn entirely to Trixie, who was loudly boasting of her skills as she performed trick after trick. “Showponies are nothin’ but trouble,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Ah just hope Twilight realises that, before it’s too late.”

Trixie used her magic to summon small black clouds above Rainbow Dash, which soon gave off bolts of lightning, all directed at the flying pegasus. ‘That won’t work on me again!’ Rainbow thought as she nimbly avoided each lightning bolt, using them to add some style to her movements, before she performed her next move uninterrupted.

The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves, and Rainbow took a break from her performance to stick her tongue out at Trixie, who was not amused.

‘Gotta regain the upper hoof.’ Trixie activated her trusty fireworks spell to create a series of beautiful shapes and pattern in the air, earning ‘ooh’s and ‘aah’s from her audience, who had now seemed to have forgotten all about Rainbow Dash… That is, until Rainbow Dash landed next to one of the big launchers. The crowd watched as Rainbow Dash sped up into the air with insane speed, and then…

BOOM!

The crowd watched with absolute awe as they witnessed it: the Sonic Rainboom. They wanted to cheer, but they were too awestruck by the amazing display, complemented by the fireworks that were still going off, to do so.

‘Aaaaand, it’s over,’ Rainbow thought to herself confidently. ‘Nothing can beat my awesome Sonic Rain-’

BOOM!

“OOOOOH!”

“WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash hovered in the air, looking down at Trixie in disbelief. ‘Did she just… She did! B-But how?! Only I can perform the Sonic Rainboom! It’s my thing!’

Admittedly, Trixie’s Sonic Rainboom paled in comparison to Rainbow Dash’s. However, Trixie was more than ready for Rainbow’s ‘secret weapon’, By releasing it at just the right time, she was able to make it compliment the original Rainboom by following its trail. It appeared to be an afterimage of the first, and the crowd went positively wild. More so than Trixie had ever seen any crowd go… Ever!

Rarity let out a loud cheer when she saw Rainbow Dash perform some flying cartwheels, which were accompanied by Trixie’s fireworks spell. The two worked together so well, and when Rainbow Dash landed on the ground, with that multi-coloured spotlight shining on her from seemingly nowhere, it was just too much for her to hold it in any longer.

But she quickly regained herself, and tried to act as if nothing had happened. Applejack saw it though, and shot her a disappointed frown. “S-Sorry, Applejack,” Rarity said. Applejack shook her head softly and apologetically. “It’s just… Those two seem to be… awfully in sync with each other, don’t you think?”

“They’re in perfect harmony,” Applejack said, turning her attention back to the two performers. In particular, she focused on Rainbow Dash. “… Loyalty ma hoof,” she said with a huff, before turning around and walking away.

“Applejack!” Rarity called out, chasing after the disgruntled farm pony. “Applejack, darling. Please tell me you aren’t angry at Rainbow Dash because of this…”

“… Ah always knew Rainbow wasn’t exactly the most modest pony on the planet. She never could resist showing off her talents whenever the opportunity presented itself. It’s just… Ah thought she was different, y’know?”

“She is, Applejack,” Rarity insisted. “Come, now. You know that Rainbow Dash would never put herself, or her image, above her friends. Especially not after that whole Mare Do Well fiasco.”

“Ah… Ah guess ye’re right, Rarity…” Rarity walked up to Applejack and nuzzled her gently. “Ah hope ye’re right,” Applejack mumbled under her breath.

Rarity sighed, and offered to accompany Applejack back to the farm. ‘I guess that, sometimes, honesty can be a burden.’

After the show was over, Rainbow Dash and Trixie, who had now completely forgotten about their previous hostilities towards each other earlier, were basking in the self-felt well-earned praise that they were receiving from the townsponies. Once the crowd began to dissipate, Trixie began limping her way back to the town, a large smile on her face and a great feeling of satisfaction within her.

“Wait,” Rainbow Dash called out, stopping Trixie in her tracks. “Um… You know…”

“You have some pretty good moves,” Trixie said, turning to face Rainbow Dash with a neutral expression. “… Just not as good as the Great and Powerful Trixie’s.”

Rainbow Dash frowned, and landed on the ground in front of Trixie. “Oh yeah? The crowd was totally rooting for me more than you, and you know it!”

“Only because Trixie’s spells made your performance look better. If they were separate performances, the Great and Powerful Trixie would win hooves down.”

“Pfft! In your dreams!” Rainbow Dash responded, the two mares glaring at each other once again. After a few moments, Rainbow’s face softened, and she let out a quiet sigh. “… We did work kinda well together, huh?” Rainbow Dash kicked the ground with a hoof, and looked around to make sure that the last of the crowd had indeed gone. “… Um… I just wanted to tell you… You’re pretty good with that thing,” Rainbow said, pointing at Trixie’s horn.

“Well, duh,” Trixie said, moving her cape to show off her flank. “Magic is Trixie’s special talent. Of course she’s good at it.” She let her cape fall back down again. “Though it usually doesn’t take two shows for ponies to realise that.”

Rainbow Dash bit her lower lip, and looked around again, this time more thoroughly. “To tell you the truth…” Rainbow leaned forward, and began speaking more quietly. “I never really had a problem with your magic or your showing off or anything…”

“Oh?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “It’s just, my friends didn’t really approve of you, and… I dunno, I guess I just didn’t want them to feel like I was betraying them.” Rainbow Dash shuddered as a familiar feeling passed through her body. “Actually, the week before you came into town, I… lost a friend from my foalhood.

“The worst part was, it was either her, or my Ponyville friends… I couldn’t have them both, and… It just felt so wrong, betraying her like that, even if it seemed like the right thing to do.”

“How can that ever seem right?”

“She turned on my other friends, when they were just trying to make her feel welcome.”

“Ah.”

“Yeah… So, I guess I just didn’t want to relive that feeling again… I didn’t know you, so I didn’t have a problem giving you a hard time, and trying to drive you out of town, for the sake of my friends. I guess sometimes, loyalty can be a bit of a burden, huh?”

“… Whatever,” Trixie said, turning her head away from Rainbow Dash. “Look, the Great and Powerful Trixie deals with hecklers all the time. And, as far as hecklers go, you three were actually kind of pleasant.” She smirked as she faced Rainbow Dash again. “Like a teacher scolding you for being late to class. Compared to the big bullies that use physical violence, it’s actually a breath of fresh air.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled, fully understanding where Trixie was coming from. “So, we cool?”

“… If the Great and Powerful Trixie were to hold a grudge against everypony that had ever wronged her, she would never have any time to put on a show,” she said, reaching her hoof forward.

“A simple nod would have sufficed,” Rainbow Dash said, extending her own hoof and bumping it against Trixie’s. “And I’m sorry for giving you such a hard time before.”

Trixie’s eyes widened, and she took a step back, running Rainbow’s last words through her mind once more. “… Did… Did you just apologise?”

Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure why, but she had the feeling that she had just messed up big-time. Regardless, she felt that honesty was the best policy right now. “Uh… Yeah?”

Trixie closed her eye and put a forehoof to her chin. “Nopony’s ever apologised to Trixie before… She’s not sure how to respond…”

Rainbow Dash stared at the mare in disbelief for a second, and then cracked up with laughter when she saw that she was being serious. “N-No way! You can’t be serious!”

Trixie frowned, not at all amused by this situation. “One hundred percent,” she said.

Rainbow Dash calmed down a little bit, and wiped a few tears from her eyes. “Well, what do you think you should do?”

Trixie thought about it seriously for a second. She had never encountered this problem in books before… Books? Twilight! Twilight was an expert in friendship. What would she say to do in this situation?

“… Twilight would say to apologise, as well,” Trixie said. She opened her eye again, and tensed up as she stared at Rainbow Dash, trying to find the right words to say. ‘Why is this so hard? Just… Say that you’re sorry for giving her her just desserts!… Maybe a little rephrasing is in order, first…’

“S-Sorry,” Trixie muttered, so quietly that she was sure that Rainbow Dash hadn’t heard it. “Trixie’s sorry… For how she responded to your heckling!” she finally managed to say, taking heavy breaths after she was done, as if she had just been holding her breath for a while.

Rainbow Dash found Trixie’s difficulty with apologising absolutely priceless, and a little adorable. “Ah, don’t worry about it,” she said, stifling her laughter as best she could. “I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your position back then.

“More importantly, how did you perform that Sonic Rainboom earlier?”

Trixie hesitated, but then decided to give Rainbow Dash an abridged version of her Cutie Mark story. “Well… It’s actually how Trixie got her Cutie Mark. It’s an illusory image, based off of the real thing. Trixie witnessed it, when she was just a filly. It was by the second pegasus ever to perform the Sonic Rainboom. Your predecessor, in a sense.”

“Hold on,” Rainbow Dash said, “When you were just a filly? About nine years ago?” Trixie nodded. “Dude, that was me!” Rainbow exclaimed, her voice full of pride.

Trixie’s eye widened. “I-Impossible!” she protested. “If it was, then why did it take you nine whole years to perform it again?! Trixie thought that the pegasus that performed back then had died or something!”

“Weeeeell… The first time was only a fluke. It took nine whole years of intense training to finally get it right again.”

“N-No way…” Trixie quickly grabbed Rainbow’s shoulders, and began shaking the pegasus roughly. “You must tell Trixie everything! The entire story of the Sonic Rainboom! That way, Trixie can use it in her shows!” A glint appeared in Trixie’s eye. “You will become famous, Rainbow Dash! With Trixie’s shows, your name will become a legend across Equestria!”

Twilight trudged her way out of the Everfree Forest, her mane and tail a complete mess, with leaves and twigs sticking out of them, scratches all over her sweaty body, and mud all over her hooves. She had been searching for Rainbow Dash in the forest, when she saw a Sonic Rainboom (two, actually), and began following it back in the direction of the town.

Taking deep breaths, Twilight looked around to see if she could find the blue pegasus. She did. She found Rainbow Dash sitting in the middle of a field, with what appeared to be Trixie sitting in front of her, choking the pegasus to death with her hooves…

“WHAT?!”

Twilight ran forward as fast as she could, determined to break up the fight before somepony got seriously hurt… or worse. “STOOOOOP!” she shouted, teleporting in between the two mares. “Don’t do it! You two don’t have to fight each other!”

Twilight opened her saddlebag up, and levitated out a large stack of papers. “I was going to bring you both back to the library first, but I guess here is fine. I have here a lecture that I spent all night putting together, on why the two of you should be friends!” She walked forwards a bit and turned around, so that she could see both of them at the same time. “You’re gonna love this! Especially the pop quiz at the end.

“Right, let’s begi-” Twilight was cut off by the sounds of laughter coming from her audience, and glanced up from her paper with a disapproving frown. “Yes? Is there something you would like to share with the class?”

Trixie and Rainbow Dash exchanged glances, and then looked back at Twilight. “Actually,” Rainbow Dash began, “There’s really no need for that, Twi.”

“We’ve already worked everything out,” Trixie finished. Twilight gaped at the two mares, not sure if this was some kind of elaborate hoax that they were playing on her… or if maybe Rainbow Dash was actually just an illusion that Trixie had conjured up. It wouldn’t surprise her. “It seems we needed to work our hostilities towards each other out of our systems,” Trixie added.

“And what better way that a little healthy competition?” Rainbow Dash jumped into the air and did a quick somersault, quickly accompanied by two sparkles going off behind her, courtesy of Trixie’s magic. Twilight continued gaping at them, and the two were beginning to grow worried. “Uh… Twi?”

“No,” Twilight said, confusing the other two mares. “No, no, NO, NO!” Twilight threw her papers on the floor, her left eye and the hairs in her mane twitching as she did so. “NO! I spent all night working on this lecture! I’ve had trouble sleeping because you two got into that huge fight together! You can’t just… resolve things, just like that!”

Trixie looked at Twilight as if the librarian was going insane… And she feared that that was probably the case. She simply shrugged, and leaned forward to nuzzle Twilight’s cheek. “Sorry, but we just did.”

“Well, I refuse to accept it!” Twilight responded. “You two! Start fighting again, right now!”

Trixie looked over at Rainbow Dash, who, much like the showmare, was holding back the urge to collapse on the floor in a bout of laughter. “Um… Sorry, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said, looking up at the sky, “But, I should really get going now. My shift’s about to start, y’know?”

Rainbow Dash waved the two farewell, and dashed off into the sky, leaving behind a rainbow trail in her wake. Trixie waved goodbye as well, before realising that Rainbow hadn’t told her about the Sonic Rainboom. She heard a loud groan from behind her, and turned to see Twilight kneeling down, picking up her papers with a sad expression on her face. ‘… Ah well. I can ask about that later. First, my mare looks like she needs me.’

“Twilight?” Twilight responded simply with a nod. “… Would you like to come home with Trixie, and we can take a nice, hot bath together?”

Twilight finished gathering her papers, and let out a depressed sigh. “… Sure,” she said, slowly rising to her hooves and stowing her papers into her bag. She began following Trixie, her head hanging low as she walked.

“And maybe later,” Trixie continued, “You can give Trixie your lecture. Trixie will listen to all of it intently.” Trixie immediately felt her movement stopping, and her body becoming light. She looked down to see that she was floating, and looked behind her to see Twilight staring back at her, her eyes wide and sparkling, and her mouth stretched into a very wide smile.

“Well, what are we waiting for?!” she shouted enthusiastically as she immediately began running back towards the library, dragging Trixie behind her in her magic. “You have plenty of paper for note-taking, right? Don’t worry if you don’t. I’ve got plenty that you can use! I know it won’t be much fun taking the quiz on your own, but maybe I can reward you if you get a perfect score! Oh, and just wait until we get to part sixty-five! You’re gonna love it!”

Trixie sighed as she allowed herself to be carried away by the other mare’s magic. ‘Well, that certainly did the trick… Unfortunately, I think I’m going to regret this later.’

“Oh, just FYI, the lecture will be a full three hours long with no break, and if I catch you falling asleep, I will not be happy!”

‘… Something tells me that I should be more nervous than this, but that appearance, and that attitude… Why couldn’t the teachers at Celestia’s School be this hot?’

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

The Farmer And The Showmare

“Lyra, are you sure the store is this way?”

Lyra turned to give Trixie a strange look as she halted in the middle of street. “What? I was following you.”

“… Why would Trixie know the way to Quills and Sofas? She’s only been living in this town for a few days.”

“Well Bons and I have been using the same sofa for years now, and Bons buys all the quills we use, so I have no idea where it is either.”

Trixie facehooved and shook her head whilst the other Unicorn simply laughed it off. “So basically, we’ve just spent the last ten minutes walking aimlessly through the streets of Ponyville, correct?”

“Pretty much. Hey, since we’ve got no idea where we’re going, how ‘bout we just go hang out at the park or something?”

“Trixie has to leave in one hour, and she needs some quills for the road!” Trixie sighed and looked around the area for somepony she recognised. “What about Bon Bon? Do you at least know where Trixie can find her?”

“No idea. Wait, how come Twilight didn’t just tell you where to go?”

Trixie shook her head and reached into her cape with a forehoof, pulling it back a moment later to reveal a piece of paper. “She wrote down the directions, since both of us had to leave to do some shopping, but…”

Lyra took the paper into her magic, and unfolded it to read the instructions written inside. “… What the?”

“Yeah, it seems that Twilight accidentally sent her directions to the Princess, leaving Trixie with…”

“A magic report to the Princess,” Lyra finished, reading over the letter, causing her eyes to suddenly start dancing and her head to feel dizzy. “I don’t get it…”

“Basically, she’s saying that she’s mastered the voice manipulation spell, in one thousand words.” Trixie took the paper back, folded it back up, and stowed it away in her cape. “Why she was asked to learn that, Trixie has no idea. The Princess must be running out of lessons for her top student.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Lyra said with a light-hearted chuckle. “Back in school, she was actually offered to skip a few grades because she always finished assignments so quickly. The only reason she didn’t was because she was too shy.”

“Twilight never told Trixie about that.” ‘So while I was slaving away 24/7 trying to both catch up on work I missed, and complete my current work, Twilight was happily sailing through everything like it was no problem… That almost pisses me off.’

“Trixie?” Lyra asked, bringing Trixie back to reality. “I was just wondering: when are you gonna perform here in Ponyville?” Lyra looked into Trixie’s eye with a hopeful expression. “You are gonna perform here again, aren’t you?”

“Hm? Ah, yes… But after things have calmed down somewhat.” Trixie motioned around her with her head, and Lyra looked around to see that some ponies were giving the two strange looks. “It seems that, while that farmer seems to be the only hostile pony left, if Trixie were to perform too soon, she might not be met with such a kind reception.”

“I can help with that!” Lyra assured her, putting a hoof on Trixie’s shoulder. “Anypony tries something, then they’ll have to answer to me! I’m sure Bons will be willing to help out, too. And Cheerilee! You keep forgetting you have some friends here, don’t you?”

Trixie smiled and gently pushed the hoof off of her shoulder. “Are you really Trixie’s friends?” she asked. “Or is it simply for Twilight’s sake?”

“What are you saying?” Lyra responded in shock. “What, can’t you tell the difference between real friends and fake friends?” To her surprise, Trixie answered honestly, by shaking her head at the rhetorical question. “Oh… Well… give us a chance, and we’ll show you the difference! At the very least, Twilight will kick our flanks if we try to hurt you, so you have that as insurance, right?”

“… Well, while you may be right, Trixie doesn’t like what you’re implying.” Trixie flicked her mane and turned away. “You seem to think that the Great and Powerful Trixie can’t defend herself in a fight.”

“Even Starswirl the Bearded and the Great Hoofdini had partners that fought beside them, remember?” Lyra laughed and placed a foreleg around Trixie’s shoulders. “Face it, Trix, life is a multiplayer game! Fight it all you want, but sooner or later, you’re gonna have to submit and let others help you!”

Trixie used her magic to teleport out of Lyra’s headlock, and shot a confident grin at the green Unicorn. “Maybe, but until then, playing solo is more Trixie’s style. Though she has to admit, living with Twilight is much more satisfying than those lonely nights in her trailer, but Trixie would still prefer to handle life’s challenges on her own.”

“Well, enjoy being a loner while you can,” Lyra said in a teasing tone. “‘Cause now that you’re living with Twilight, you better believe she’s gonna butt into your life like crazy until you’re finally able to trust ponies again.”

‘Implying Trixie was ever able to do that,’ Trixie thought to herself, but kept her grin plastered to her face and didn’t speak the thought out loud. “Yes, Trixie has noticed that. Well, it may take some time, but if Twilight says that the ponies of this town are good ponies, then that’s all that Trixie needs to give them a chance.”

“Great! Oh, by the way, Quills and Sofas is over there,” Lyra said, pointing towards a shop in the distance with a sign that had a picture of a quill above a sofa, with a plus sign in-between the two.

“… So you did know where the store was,” Trixie accused, turning slightly red from having not noticed the store directly in her line of sight before.

“Not at all,” Lyra responded, a sheepish grin on her face. “It was totally a fluke that I noticed it just now. Honest!”

“Uh-huh,” Trixie said, not believing the Unicorn one bit.

“Well, I better go, before I forget whatever it was Bons wanted me buy for her. Some ingredients for her sweets, I think… Later!”

Trixie watched the carefree pony run off into the nearby marketplace, a huge smile on her face as she stopped to greet a group of ponies in the distance. “It’s a shame Trixie had to spend so much time at school catching up on previous years of work. Otherwise, she probably would have been able to get along with that pony, crazy as she is.”

“It’s all the sugar, I tell ya,” a voice said behind Trixie, startling the showmare and causing her to jump up with a yelp. Trixie turned around to the sounds of laughter, and found Rainbow Dash hovering behind her, clutching her stomach as she laughed at the startled pony.

“Very funny,” Trixie said sarcastically, glaring at the blue Pegasus. “What do you mean by ‘it’s all the sugar’?”

Rainbow calmed down, wiping a tear from her eye, and landed on the ground in front of Trixie. “Bon Bon makes lots of sweets, right? Well, she also forces Lyra to eat a lot of them. Leftovers from the store, new types she comes up with that need testing, and special ones that she makes just for Lyra on her days off.

“She’s like a schoolfilly making lunches for a colt she likes, and Lyra has to eat every sweet offered to her. The last time she didn’t… Well, let’s just say monsters aren’t the only things that disturb the peace here in Ponyville.”

“Trixie isn’t sure she follows,” Trixie said, raising an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash, “But essentially, it would be like if Trixie told Twilight that…” Trixie leaned closer to whisper the next part, for fear that Twilight, despite being nowhere around, might still somehow hear it. “… That books are stupid and should be banished to Tartarus?”

Twilight’s left eye twitched, and she looked around the inside of Sugarcube Corner with a puzzled look on her face, not quite sure what she was looking for.

“Is something the matter, deary?” Mrs. Cake asked, returning with a box of cupcakes, which Twilight picked up in her magic.

“Oh, no,” Twilight said, levitating some bits onto the counter. ‘Why do I suddenly feel like somepony needs to have a good, long lecture?’

“Anyway, I’d better not keep ya!” Rainbow said as she ascended into the air. “You’re leaving in an hour, right? That means Ponyville will finally be peaceful again!”

“Why? Are you going somewhere, too?” Trixie replied, causing Rainbow to mouth something to her before flying off. “… Now there’s no call for that kind of language,” Trixie said with a grin, before turning her attention to the store that she had spent ten minutes searching for.

Upon reaching the store, Trixie opened the door and attempted to walk in, but found her path barred by an orange Earth Pony that was attempting to leave.

An uncomfortable silence filled the air, and Applejack’s smile instantaneously disappeared, being replaced with a frown and a hard glare. “… Miss Trixie,” she said with feigned politeness, making sure the venom in her voice was noticeable by the showmare.

Trixie’s self-defence protocol kicked in, and she wasted no time returning the glare to Applejack. “Hayseed,” she said, causing Applejack’s glare to harden. “Not tending to the fields this morning?”

“… Not that it’s any of your business, but ah came here tah sell an old sofa that’s been sittin’ in our barn fer too long.”

“Thrilling,” Trixie said with a yawn, lifting a forehoof up to examine it with a bored look on her face. “Now can we get to the part where you move out of Trixie’s way, so that she can enter the store?”

“Ah don’t see why ah should, ‘specially since ya didn’t say ‘please’.”

“Oh, you seem to not understand. Trixie saves her manners for ponies that use them on her.” Trixie pulled her cape aside to reveal the large bruises on her stomach. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has yet to hear any words of apology for that time you bucked her in town, save for Twilight’s apology on your behalf. But that doesn’t really count, now does it?”

“Ah ain’t wasting an apology on you! If ya didn’t wanna get hurt, ya shouldn’t have done that to ma friends!”

“What, you’ve never seen a performer before? We get heckled all the time, and the only way to deal with it is to stand up for ourselves. Sort of like a pantomime… kind of.”

“There’s such a thing as going too far, y’know?” Trixie once again pointed out the bruises on her stomach, causing Applejack to flinch and turn her head to the side. “Yeah, well, y’all need a good buckin’, before ya go an’ break Twilight’s heart.”

Trixie dropped her cape, allowing it to fall back into position, and shot a glare at the farm pony. “And why, pray tell, would Trixie do anything to break Twilight’s heart?”

“‘Cause that’s what you showponies do! Especially you travellin’ ones! Ah’ve done ma research, and ah’ve seen it firsthoof, too!”

“Trixie’s met farmers that have chased her with pitchforks because she used magic on their crops to help them grow! Does that mean Trixie should count herself lucky you weren’t armed back when we fought each other?!”

“Sure ya have! Jus’ like when ya vanquished that ursa major all on yer own, or how ya saved Canterlot from a parasprite invasion! Obviously ah should trust anythin’ you say!”

‘How dare you?! Okay, so it was actually some small coal-mining town that nopony knows about that I saved, but still!’

“Look, ah don’t know what ye’re up to,” Applejack said, taking a few threatening steps towards Trixie. “But ah’m warnin’ you: step out of line even once, and ah’ll make sure you never show yer face here ever again. Got that?”

Sweat ran down Trixie’s face, but her facial expression didn’t change. She continued to glare back into the farmer’s eyes, not willing to back down to the other mare. “Trixie isn’t moving,” she said, closing her eyes and pointing her nose into the air. “Unless you want to stay here all day, Trixie suggests you move to the side and let her through.”

Applejack grit her teeth together, and was about to respond, when a purple aura suddenly enveloped Trixie and pulled her away from the store.

“Trixie! Applejack!” a very nervous looking Twilight shouted, wrapping her forelegs around Trixie’s waist and staring at Applejack with a big, clearly forced smile on her face. “What a coincidence! You two doing some shopping together?!”

“…” Applejack walked out of the store, and tipped her hat towards Twilight. “Mornin’, Twi,” she said, before continuing to walk down the street. ‘Just forget about her, AJ. Apple Bloom’s been lookin’ forward tah tonight, and ah can’t let that mare ruin it…’

As soon as Applejack was out of sight, Twilight released Trixie and shot her a stern glare. For a moment, Trixie was afraid that Twilight had heard what she said about books a few minutes ago. “You two were fighting, weren’t you?” Twilight asked, with disappointment in her voice. “Well?”

“Um… maybe a little bit,” Trixie replied, forcing a smile on her face as she looked back at Twilight. “It was just a silly misunderstanding, nothing serious.”

“… You sure?” Twilight asked, leaning closer to Trixie’s face. Trixie nodded, and Twilight sighed. “You’re lying,” she mumbled, kicking the ground with a hoof. “… Trixie, please… I know you feel that Applejack isn’t treating you fairly, and maybe you’re right… But believe me when I say that she has a good reason for it. Something that can’t be resolved as easily as your differences with Rainbow Dash can be.”

“What reasons, exactly?” Trixie asked, and when she saw Twilight bite her lower lip and hesitate, she knew that it must have been serious. “If you don’t think you should tell me, then don’t. Trixie was merely curious, is all.”

“… No, you should know,” Twilight said, pointing a hoof towards a nearby bench. “It’s kind of a long story, though. I think we should sit down.”

With a nod, Trixie followed Twilight towards the bench, and the two mares sat next to each other in silence for about a minute as Twilight tried to find the right place to start.

“Twi-”

“It all started when Applejack’s parents went on a trip to Las Pegasus,” Twilight said, cutting Trixie off as the showmare was about to speak. “At the time, Applejack was still just a filly in school… so I think-No, maybe you can’t…” Twilight trailed off, remembering that Trixie had never really known her family.

“So basically, it’s a family issue?” Trixie guessed, receiving a nod from Twilight. “… Then no. Trixie can’t relate to that.”

Twilight squeezed Trixie’s hoof, and the other mare pressed her to continue the story. “Well… basically, when her parents came back, they were… no longer a couple.” Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat, and continued. “They had filed for divorce, and Applejack’s dad had announced that he had a new marefriend… A showmare that he met in Las Pegasus.”

Trixie nodded, starting to understand where Applejack’s hatred for showmares seemed to stem from. “But parents splitting isn’t exactly rare, right?”

“Here, it is,” Twilight said. “And besides, the Apple family isn’t like your regular family. Their family values are much more traditional, and their bonds are very deeply rooted.

“Anyway, there’s more to the story than that. As it turns out, Applejack’s mother still loved her husband, or former husband, rather, and spent weeks locked away in her room, grieving over losing him to somepony else. During that time, she fell ill.” Tears began to form in Twilight’s eyes, and the purple mare looked up into Trixie’s eye as she whispered the next part: “She died.”

Applejack bucked the tree behind her as hard as she could, not even trying to harvest any apples from it. She just needed to do something to calm herself down before meeting up with Rarity and the Crusaders. “Darn it! Ah’m not gonna let no stinkin’ showmare mess up ma family anymore!”

She bucked again, and again, causing the tree behind her to shake violently as the leaves fell from its branches. “First they took pa… then ma died because of it…” Another, much more powerful buck, and the tree almost threatened to topple over. “Then, as if that wasn’t enough, that mare throws pa aside and leaves him wallowing in guilt, and then he-”

Applejack let out a furious scream as she delivered the most powerful buck she had ever unleashed on the tree, and the unfortunate target of her stress suddenly split into two, and the top half fell down onto the ground with a loud crash!

“Twilight, the Great and Powerful Trixie is leaving now,” Trixie said as she made her way down the library stairs, carrying a pair of saddlebags on her back. Twilight put down her book and trotted over to Trixie.

“Alright. Take care, Trixie,” she said, planting a soft kiss on her lover’s cheek, before moving back over to her book.

Trixie simply look at Twilight confused for a moment. “That’s it?” she asked, receiving a puzzled look from Twilight. “Just ‘take care’?”

“Well, what else were you expecting?”

“How about: ‘No, Trixie! Please don’t go! I can’t bear to be apart from you for a full weekend!’ Something like that?”

Twilight rolled her eyes and focused her attention back on her book. “I think I’ll manage, Trixie.”

“…”

“… I thought you were leaving?”

With a grunt, Trixie made her way over to Twilight, stomping her hoof on the floor with each step. When she reached the reading Unicorn, she wrapped her forelegs around her tightly, causing Twilight to almost lose her magical hold on her book.

“Don’t worry, Twi. The Great and Powerful Trixie will be back before you know it,” Trixie said reassuringly, rubbing the side of her face against Twilight’s mane.

“I’m not worrying,” Twilight said.

“No need to act strong for Trixie. She knows you’re just trying to put on a tough act for Trixie’s sake, but this is her job, Twilight! Trixie cannot refuse her adoring fans that want to see her perform so badly!”

“Again, I’m not-”

“Very well! If it will help ease your pain…” Trixie used her magic to undo her cape, and wrap it around Twilight as she backed away. Twilight sat there in stunned silence as she felt the warm fabric envelope her, and then turned to Trixie for an explanation. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will just have to do without her cape for this performance! It’s a small price to pay, if it will soothe your aching heart.”

Despite Trixie’s over-the-top behaviour, Twilight couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the feeling of Trixie’s cape wrapped around her body, and even lifted it up to her nuzzle to take in its scent. With a smile and a soft sigh, Twilight turned around and pulled Trixie into a loving hug.

“Alright, Trixie. I understand. I’ll miss you, but I’ll be brave, and wait for your return.”

With a victorious grin on her face, Trixie returned the hug for a moment, and then parted from it so that she could leave. “Trixie will be back tomorrow evening. See you, Spike.”

“Later,” Spike said from atop a pile of books as he looked through one book in particular, entitled The Steadfast Sky.

Trixie knelt down in front of the green lizard sitting in his cage beside the library’s front door. “You be good, Leon. And try not to tease Owlowiscious too much.” She grinned and turned to face the owl in question, whose cheeks turned red as he rotated his head 180 degrees to face away from her. She still found it amusing that the bird was so timid around Leon, but then, chameleons are a rare breed in Equestria, and even some ponies are afraid of them sometimes.

As Trixie left the library, Twilight sighed and lowered her head onto the table in front of her. ‘Maybe I should have told her the rest of the story… No, the last thing she needs right before a performance is that kind of thing on her mind. I’ll tell her when she returns, but right now, I think it’s best if she just takes some time to unwind and clear her mind a bit…’

“Man, this story’s good,” Spike said, flipping the page over and reading it intently. “I’ve gotta show this to Rarity when she gets back.”

Twilight’s ear perked up, and the purple mare turned around to give Spike an inquisitive look. “‘When she gets back?’”

“Oh, you didn’t know?” Spike asked, causing Twilight to shake her head. “Rarity and Applejack are taking the Crusaders camping over the weekend. They’re leaving later today… Actually, I think they’re leaving in about thirty minutes.”

“Oh? Well that’s nice.” ‘Good. That means Applejack can unwind a bit, too. And in the meantime, I’ll think about how exactly I should tell her that-’

“Well, for those three, maybe,” Spike said, referring to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “But Applejack and Rarity have to put up with them all the way to Canterlot! And for the whole weekend!” Spike shuddered, and Twilight giggled before returning to her book.

She dropped the book, however, when what Spike had just said registered with her. “… Where… did you say they were going?”

“Hm? Oh, to Canterlot. Hey, maybe they’ll see Trixie ther-… Uh-oh…” Spike remembered Twilight telling him that Applejack and Trixie still had ‘issues’ that they needed to work through, and suddenly realised why Twilight looked so nervous right now. “B-But they’re only going to the falls, not to the city. W-Who knows? They might not even meet.”

“But there’s a chance, and if Applejack happens to stumble upon Trixie performing her show…” Twilight hurriedly rose to her hooves, and dashed towards the front door, hoping she wasn’t too late… She was. Trixie’s trailer was nowhere in sight, and there was no way she could catch up to it on hoof; even if she broke out into a full gallop, she would run out of breath long before catching up to the thing.

“Not good…”

Trixie hummed peacefully to herself as she lay on her back on the front of her trailer, her horn glowing purple as her magic moved the trailer at a leisurely speed along the road. On the way, she passed by a few merchant ponies and a couple of travellers, but didn’t really pay them much notice.

As she reached a fork in the road, she stopped for a moment to remember the correct path to take, and then continued on her way. As she did, she thought back to what Twilight had told her about Applejack’s family. At first, Trixie thought that she couldn’t relate to Applejack on a family issue… But now that she had had some time to think about it, she thought that maybe she could.

‘After all,’ she thought to herself, ‘We have both lost our parents at the hooves of another pony. I, of all ponies, know what it’s like to hold a grudge, and to lose faith in others as a means of self-defence. But she still has a family, so she’s not just defending herself, but her remaining family too…’

‘But it’s because she still has a family, that I-’

“STOOOOOP!” Trixie suddenly noticed the roadblock ahead of her, and quickly halted her magic, grabbing onto her trailer’s door so that she didn’t go flying off of the front of the trailer.

“What the?” Trixie asked as she watched a parade of ducks crossing the road in front of her. A familiar yellow Pegasus approached her trailer, looking as meek and timid as ever. “Fluttershy? What’s going on here?”

“Um, s-sorry to delay you, Trixie. It’s just, I promised that I would help my friends here find a new home, after their last one was attacked by a pack of wolves.”

Trixie smiled, and nodded as she lay back against her trailer. “Well, whatever. The Great and Powerful Trixie left earlier than necessary in case of disturbances on the road, so it’s fine.”

Fluttershy smiled, and went back to gently herding the huge family of ducks across the road. As she did so, Trixie watched with mild interest, when a thought crossed her mind. ‘Just like me, they lost their home… But unlike me, they held onto each other.’ A grin formed on her face, and as soon as Fluttershy gave the all clear, the showmare continued on her way.

“First aid kit?”

“Check.”

“Water?”

“Check.”

“And sleeping bags?”

“Check.”

“Great!” Twilight smiled and rolled up her checklist, bringing a relieved sigh out of each of the other five ponies in the room. “Now to double-check the checklist, to make sure we didn’t miss anything the first time through.”

The three fillies groaned as Twilight unrolled her checklist, and started going through the items once again.

Rarity pulled Applejack away to whisper to her. “Why did she want to come with us all of a sudden, again?”

“Ah don’t know, but she seemed mighty desperate. Maybe she’s never gone campin’ before? Y’all remember how excited she was for her first sleepover, right?”

“You don’t think she’s going to try and talk to you about you-know-who?”

“The thought had crossed ma mind, but ah made her promise that she wouldn’t. Pinkie promise, at that.”

“Well, I guess there’s no harm in letting her come along with us…”

“OH, COME ON!” Sweetie Belle shouted impatiently when Twilight began to triple-check the checklist.

“No harm at all…” Rarity said with a nervous giggle.

As Trixie navigated her way through the streets of Canterlot, she noticed how different everything looked with only one eye. Having spent so much time in this city, Trixie had grown accustomed to its various streets and landmarks. But now, looking at them with only one eye, instead of two, it all just seemed so off.

Shrugging it off, Trixie made her way towards the park on 5th Street, where she would park her trailer whilst she had quick dinner, before beginning her performance. Once her trailer was parked, Trixie jumped off and thought about where she would eat at that evening.

“Don’t move, and give me all of your bits,” a voice behind her said, the owner of the voice poking something into the back of Trixie’s head.

Trixie’s horn lit up, hidden away beneath her hat, and she quickly spun around to confront her assailant. She didn’t cast her spell, though, when she saw who it was. “F-Feathermay?!”

“Hiya!” the cheerful Pegasus shouted as she fluttered into the air, dropping the twig she had poked Trixie with onto the ground. “You should’ve said you were coming. I would’ve come to greet you at the gate!”

“Y-You idiot!” Trixie shouted in a hushed voice. She looked around, and was relieved to see that nopony was around. “You’re a wanted fugitive! What’re you doing out here in the open?”

“Relax,” Feathermay said, bringing her wings to Trixie’s nose to tickle it with her feathers. Trixie backed up quickly, and barely contained her sneeze, before shooting a harsh glare at the grinning Pegasus. “While the rest of the gang have to remain in hiding, you and I are the only two who the Royal Guard don’t know about. So in other words, I can still freely walk around the city, with nothing to worry about!”

Trixie relaxed a little at that news, but was still a little on edge for a different reason. “And? Now that you’ve run into Trixie, you want to know what she’s been up to since we last met, right?”

“Yep!” Feathermay responded, grinning at the showmare as she lowered down to the ground. “In particular, I hear Boss got you some tickets to that ship that went down last week, and that you took some mare named Twilight Sparkle with you. So? How’d it go? What’s she like? And what in Equestria happened to your eye?”

Trixie frowned at the mention of her eye, but knew that Feathermay had no ill intentions when she asked about it. What annoyed her most was that Feathermay seemed to have no idea who Twilight was. ‘Seriously, am I the only one who reads the papers?! She saved Equestria, TWICE!’

Clearing her throat, Trixie decided to answer the questions in order. “It went fine. Twilight is amazing. And it’s just a minor infection.”

Feathermay blinked a few times, and went after Trixie as the showmare began to leave. “Hey, wait! Is that all?”

“Trixie’s hungry, and doesn’t feel like standing here giving an interview about her date. Knowing you, that would take a very long time.”

“Well then, how about we discuss it over dinner?” Feathermay suggested, fluttering into the air again and lifting Trixie up. “I know this neat little place that’s going out of business, which is a shame ‘cause they have the best hay fries ever!”

“Well, Trixie can hardly refuse such an offer as that, now can she?” Trixie asked sarcastically as she watched the ground moving further and further away from her. ‘Not when I’m being dragged along against my will, that is.’

Twilight shifted her gaze about her nervously as the six campers approached the entrance to the city of Canterlot, biting her lower lip and hoping to Celestia that they didn’t run into Trixie. “H-Hey, I thought we were going to camp out by the falls?”

“We are,” Applejack said, “But first, we need tah get some bug spray.”

“But we brought some. We checked, remember?”

“Yeah,” Applejack replied, frowning at the memory of going over that checklist three full times in a row. “But there are some bugs out here that we don’t get ‘round Ponyville, and we need a special spray that they don’t sell back home.”

“Oh, right,” Twilight said, chiding herself for forgetting something so obvious. “So, we’re just gonna get the spray, then head over to the falls to roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories, and all that other stuff my books say you should do on camping trips, right?”

“Actually,” Rarity cut in, “If it’s alright with the rest of you, Sweetie Belle wanted to go to and try on some of the fabulous Canterlot designs.”

“I did?” Sweetie Belle asked from atop her sister’s back.

“Eheheh… Okay, I did, but don’t you think that would be a fun sisterly activity?”

“I guess…”

Rarity leaned her head back to whisper into Sweetie Belle’s ear: “I’ll buy you some of that famous Canterlot fudge you like so much.”

Sweetie Belle’s face immediately lit up, and she swung her forelegs around her sister’s neck, causing Rarity to choke as she crushed her in a affectionate sisterly hug. “You’re the best sister ever!”

Applejack laughed as Rarity tried to get Sweetie Belle to loosen her grip, and then looked over to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to see how they were doing. Both fillies were still discussing ways of getting their Cutie Marks over the weekend. She then looked over to Twilight, who was still looking like a nervous wreck as they neared the city.

“Twilight, what’s going on?” she asked, causing Twilight to jump up and face her quickly.

“N-Nothing! Nothing at all! I’m just… so excited about my first ever camping trip, that’s all!”

“Y’sure?” Applejack asked, not fully believing her. “Ya seem a might jumpy there, Twilight.”

“I-I’m fine, really!” Twilight insisted, and then turned her face away from Applejack quickly as she continued to panic. Her panic worsened when, in the distance, Twilight saw the blue Unicorn she was hoping they wouldn’t run it to just yet. ‘Not good, not good!’

Thinking quickly, Twilight quickly pointed a hoof at the nearest building. “T-There!” she shouted, drawing everypony’s attention to a large public restroom. She blushed slightly, but continued anyway. “I-I don’t know about you guys, but after all that walking, I really need to visit the little filly’s room.”

“Actually, I kind of need to go, too,” Sweetie Belle said, followed by nods from the other two fillies.

“Well, ah guess we should all go now, before we leave tah set up camp,” Applejack said, and with all six ponies in agreement, the group decided to stop at the restroom before going any further into the city.

Twilight gave one final glance in Trixie’s direction, and noticed that she was being carried by a Pegasus she didn’t recognise. ‘Who’s that?’ she asked herself, her brow furrowing as she watched Trixie willingly being carried about by this not-so-unattractive mare.

Twilight quickly wrapped a hoof around Applejack’s shoulders before the Earth Pony could cast her gaze over at the shop that Trixie was just walking out of. “Hey, Applejack! You’ve got to try the chocolate cakes here!” she said as she directed Applejack’s eyes towards a nearby bakery.

“Uh, sure…” Applejack replied nervously, giving Twilight a suspicious look as she followed her into the bakery.

“Guys, help!” Twilight shouted as she lay down on her stomach in the middle of the street. “I think I sprained my ankles! I can’t get up!”

“My goodness, Twilight Sparkle!” Rarity said as she galloped to her friend’s aid. “You simply must stop spending so much time cooped up in that library of yours! A little exercise now-and-then does a pony a world of good!”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Twilight said, forcing a smile onto her face as she looked around for Trixie. When she saw that the showmare was out of sight, she let out a relieved sigh and continued to walk down the street with her friends.

Twilight stowed the can of bug spray that she had just purchased into her bag, and left the store to find Apple Bloom and Scootaloo waiting for her outside. She knew that Rarity had taken Sweetie Belle to a nearby dress shop, but she had no idea where Applejack was. “Where’s Applejack?”

“She said she dropped something when you suddenly pulled her into that mane salon,” Scootaloo explained. “She went back to get it, and told us to wait here for you.”

“Oh, okay,” Twilight said, sitting down beside the two Crusaders. “Soooo… you guys go camping much?”

“Well, not much,” Apple Bloom answered, “But this will be our fifth time, right Scootaloo?”

“Yeah. Every other time, we had ta stay inside Ponyville. But this time, we got to come all the way to Canterlot! There’s so much to do here, we’ll be sure to find our Cutie Marks!”

“Well, I hope you do,” Twilight said, looking up at the clock tower in the distance. “The others better hurry if we want to set up camp before nightfall…”

“Great show, Trix!” Feathermay shouted, offering her hoof to Trixie. Trixie batted it away and took a drink of her hay smoothie. “You’re performing again tomorrow, right? I’ll bring my camera along and record it, so Boss and the others can see too!”

“… Do what you want, but if you’re going to take photographs again, please remember to turn the flash off,” Trixie said, glaring at Feathermay with her one good eye, which was still seeing spots dancing around in front of her.

“Ah, yeah… Sorry ‘bout that, but, hey! At least you’re still fine!”

“Honestly… Anyway, the Great and Powerful Trixie has something she needs to do now, so if you wouldn’t mind…”

“Aw, come on! The night’s still young!”

“We’ll hang out longer tomorrow,” Trixie assured her, finishing off her hay smoothie and throwing it in the trash can beside her. “So for now, go home. Okay?”

Feathermay wanted to protest further, but decided against it. She was sure that Trixie wasn’t going to back down, and she didn’t really want to spend the whole night arguing with her. “Fiiiiine, but you’d better keep to your word!”

“Yeah, yeah…” After forcing Trixie to shake on it, Feathermay bid farewell to the showmare, and flew away from the park, leaving Trixie on her own beside her trailer. After waiting for a little bit, Trixie got up and began to walk through the park. “… Now then, time to go find that flower.”

As she left the park and rounded a corner, an orange shape entered her vision, and she quickly backed away when she realised that she was about to bump into somepony… and then backed away further when she realised which pony in particular she almost bumped into.

“Y-You!” she shouted, raising her guard immediately and sending a hard glare at the orange mare before her.

“Trixie?! Darn it, what’re you doin’ here?! Lemme guess: ye’re tryin’ tah force Twilight back to Ponyville, ‘cause ya don’t like her hangin’ out with anypony but yerself! Isn’t that right?”

“Twilight? Wait, Twilight’s here?!” Trixie asked, somewhere between excited and annoyed.

“Listen, we’re all just tryin’ to enjoy a nice, peaceful campin’ trip here, so why don’t you do us a favour and jus’ stay away? Got it?”

“How dare you?!” Trixie shouted, stomping a hoof on the ground. “Nopony tells the Great and Powerful Trixie what to do! Besides, Trixie doesn’t much appreciate your animosity towards her!”

“Well too bad! Ah’m only gonna ask nicely once: get lost. Now.”

“That’s not asking,” Trixie pointed out in a dismissive tone, “And no. Trixie will not.” Trixie’s hat levitated off of her head, and fell down by her side onto the road.

“… So, we really gonna do this?” Applejack asked, lowering into a fighting stance, ready to pounce the showmare and beat that smug grin off of her face.

“Indeed. The Great and Powerful Trixie knows you won’t listen to reason.” Trixie’s horn lit up, and her hooves became enveloped in a purple aura. “Not until she beats you into submission.”

As Applejack followed Trixie outside of the entrance to Canterlot, her mind was awash with many conflicting thoughts and emotions. On one hoof, she had been wanting to put the arrogant showmare in her place ever since she first set hoof in Ponyville. And tearing her friends away from her? That only stirred up the anger in Applejack’s heart even more. Especially since the farm pony knew for a fact that Trixie was just using them.

That’s what showponies do, after all; they lure in good, respectable ponies, destroy their relationships with their friends and family, and then toss their unfortunate victims away before moving on to their next target. But not this time. This time, Applejack would protect her friends, no matter what.

“We’re here,” Trixie said as she stopped in the middle of a vast, empty field some distance outside of Canterlot. Applejack could see an old burned down building past the showmare, but didn’t pay it much mind. “Now then, Applejack… If you hate Trixie as much as you seem to let on, then Trixie expects you not to hold anything back.”

“Naturally. An’ when ah’m finished, y’all will know better than tah mess with ma friends.”

Trixie scoffed and turned around to face Applejack, rearing up on her hind legs and stretching her forelegs wide open. “Oh please. The Great and Powerful Trixie is so confident that you cannot defeat her, that she will give you one free shot at her.” Applejack’s eyes shot open, and Trixie simply shot the farm pony a confident grin. “Use as much force as you’d like.”

Applejack looked at Trixie disbelievingly, trying to assess whether this was some sort of trick. It had to be; no way would anypony in their right minds allow somepony – an Earth Pony who bucks trees for a living, no less – to have a free shot at them without some kind of plan.

“Alright, but just remember, you asked fer this,” Applejack said as she readied herself to charge towards Trixie, her glare intensifying when the cocky showmare closed her eyes and beckoned for the farmer to ‘bring it’. Charging forward, various images began to flash in Applejack’s mind. Images of the showmare that ruined her life. That arrogant, pompous grin she wore when she tore her father away from her. That hollow, empty laugh when she tossed him aside for a richer stallion.

Just as she reached Trixie and turned around to buck her, another image entered Applejack’s mind: Apple Bloom, seeking shelter in her bedroom on a dark, stormy night. Big Macintosh, sick in bed and insisting he help out around the house, despite not being able to even sit up properly. And Granny Smith, scolding Applejack for trying to harvest the entire farm all by herself.

Applejack’s legs kicked backwards, and connected with Trixie’s stomach. To her surprise, the showmare was sent flying backwards, and didn’t seem to make any attempt to soften the landing with her magic. She seemed to actually be accepting the hard kick. But why?

“I knew it,” Trixie said, though her voice was weak. The Unicorn slowly climbed to her hooves, her legs shaking as she tried not to fall to the ground again. She still wore that same, confident grin on her face, and Applejack’s own features hardened once more. “I knew… you’d soften up right at the end.”

Applejack stared at Trixie with her mouth agape, completely shocked by what she had just heard. “Soften up? Don’t try an’ act all high-and-mighty, Trixie! Ah see what ye’re doin’: yer’re tryin’ tah scare me with a bluff, ain’tcha? Well it ain’t gonna work, y’hear?!”

“Not at all,” Trixie said, standing a little taller now that the pain in her stomach was starting to subside a little bit. “I just had to confirm it, is all. Whether or not you truly hated me… and whether or not revenge was your style.”

“An’ what’s that supposed tah mean? Don’t talk as if you know anythin’!”

“Your father was taken in by a showmare when you were just a little child, right?” Applejack was taken aback by this, and looked shocked and appalled as Trixie continued. “Your mother fell ill in her grief, and died while she was in labour. After returning to the farm, your father revealed that he had been dumped by his new marefriend, and when he discovered that your mother was dead, killed himself in his guilt.

“A tragic tale. One that Trixie has read many, many times. The classic follow-up to such a story is for the child to naturally take revenge on the mare that ruined their family. To hunt down, and kill that mare, no matter what… Yet, you haven’t done that. And there’s a very simple reason why.”

“Ah ain’t no murderer,” Applejack said firmly, her face still showing her shock at just how much Trixie knew about her family. Somepony must have told her, but who? ‘Certainly not Rarity… Could it have been Twilight? I can’t believe she would-’

“No, you’re not,” Trixie said, interrupting Applejack’s thoughts. “Neither is Trixie. But the two of us have very different reasons. Would you like to know what they are?”

“… Enlighten me.”

“For me, it’s likely due to the fact that I’ve seen ponies murdered before my eyes at a young age. I know the pain that it causes, and my own body refuses to bestow that pain unto others. But for you, it’s simply because your family is holding you back.”

“My family?”

“Yes. The Apple family is quite large, and spread all throughout Equestria. And, from what I’ve heard, you live at the farm with your little sister, big brother, and your grandmother, correct? You still have ponies that need you to be strong. That need you to smile. And, you have ponies to make you smile. That’s why, you can’t bring yourself to abandon them, for the sake of revenge.

“Up until a week ago, that was the difference between you and I. Part of my travelling around the world was to seek out the target of my revenge, even if it cost me everything, and that was precisely because I had nothing to lose. But last week, I almost lost Twilight… and suddenly, my resolve wavered. I realised that I actually had something of value in my life, and now, I don’t want to lose it, no matter what.”

Trixie’s horn lit up, and her hooves began to glow with a purple aura. “So come at me, Applejack. You can’t carry out your revenge, but you can’t simply dismiss that burning hatred in your heart. So take it all out on me, right now, and be done with it. But, I have no intention of making it easy for you!” With a grin, Trixie began to gallop towards the farm pony. “I’ll make you feel what life is like for those who can’t let go!”

Applejack deflected Trixie’s kick with her foreleg, and delivered a kick of her own into Trixie’s side. Trixie charged her head forward, colliding her forehead with Applejack’s, and causing the other mare to stumble backwards in a daze.

“You think this’s just about revenge? It’s not! Showponies can’t be trusted! Ye’re all the same, all of ya! If ah don’t put you in yer place right now, you’ll hurt even more of the ponies ah care about!”

“You sound just like me, when I was a filly!” Trixie shouted, swinging a roundhouse kick towards Applejack, who dodged it and backed up a bit. “Casting the entire world in a bad light based on the experiences I had in that one city. Blaming everypony for my problems, and deciding that everypony was my enemy because I couldn’t find him!

“At least in my case, I had nopony to tell me who I could or not! I was all alone, and had to fend for myself ever since I was two years old! What about you, huh?!” Trixie, her grin now replaced with a burning look of anger, charged once more towards Applejack. Applejack charged back, and the two kicked simultaneously, their hooves meeting in mid-swing. “You had a whole family backing you up! You had your siblings and your grandparent, and yet you still just couldn’t let go of your hatred, not even for their sakes!

“If you’re going to hold a grudge, then fine! But hold it for the right reasons! Don’t go attacking every showpony you see, just because one caused a little family tragedy! And don’t you dare pretend you’re some kind of tragic victim, because you have no idea just how great you really have it!”

“Shut up! What do you know?! Have you ever had tah lie to your lil’ sister, tellin’ her that her parents had gone away on a business trip so that she wouldn’t learn the truth?! So that she wouldn’t learn that the lil’ brother she was lookin’ forward to so much was actually…” A choked sob cut Applejack off, and went in for another kick, which connected with Trixie’s face.

Trixie stumbled back and quickly recovered. “I wish I even had the chance to do that!” she shouted. “Instead, I had to wonder if my parents would have even considered having another child! If they even loved me, and whether there was still another Lulamoon out there!

“You keep talking about protecting Twilight! About making sure that nopony would ever hurt her…” Trixie’s horn lit up, and a purple aura stretched itself in front of Applejack, startling her before revealing the farm pony’s reflection. “And how? By becoming consumed by your own hatred? By just shunning and driving away anything that gets close to her, without giving them a chance?! Is that how you want your sister to see you?!”

Applejack glared at her own reflection, teeth bared as she growled and got ready to charge once more towards the showmare… Then, she took a good, real look at her reflection, and let out a terrified gasp. ‘Do ah… Do ah really look like that? No, she’s just tryin’ ta throw me off guard! Ah have tah put her in her place, tah make sure she doesn’t harm anypony close tah me-’ Applejack caught something in the reflection, and turned around to see the panting form of Twilight Sparkle standing behind her. “T-Twilight…”

Trixie’s ear twitched, and she dispelled the reflection spell to see Applejack looking behind herself, at a purple Unicorn that was watching the two with a desperate look on her face. ‘Uh-oh…’

“Applejack, Trixie… W-What are you two doing?!” Twilight asked as she turned her attention to Trixie. “Well?!”

“T-Twilight, calm down,” Trixie pleaded, taking a few steps towards her.

“How can I calm down, when my best friend and my marefriend are beating each other up?!”

“… Twilight, this is something that we need to do,” Trixie said, turning to Applejack with a serious look on her face. “Or rather, something she needs to do, right here and now.”

“Trixie, you can’t-” Trixie cut Twilight off with a harsh glare, before turning her attention back to Applejack.

“You can’t deny that Applejack has a legitimate reason to be angry, and all the hatred bottled up inside of her needs to be released, before she can make the all-important decision: her past, or her present?” Trixie stopped just short of Applejack, and raised a hoof to tell Twilight to stay put. “I know, because I had to make that decision myself, not too long ago.”

Applejack grit her teeth, and exchanged glances between Trixie and Twilight. She wanted nothing more than to knock Trixie to the ground right now, but with Twilight standing there, she couldn’t move. And not to mention… ‘Did ah really make such a horrible face before? A-Ah’ve told Apple Bloom to be kind tah everypony, and tah never let her anger get out of hoof… and then ah go and do the exact opposite of all that…’

“You’re wrong!” Twilight shouted, getting Trixie’s attention. She turned to Applejack, who still looked very conflicted. “Applejack, you have to listen! Your mother and father, they loved each other, sure… but the divorce was decided before they went to Las Pegasus!” Applejack flinched, and cast her gaze down to the ground. “That’s why they went in the first place! They both decided together to separate! Big Macintosh even has the papers to prove it!”

“It’s a lie!” Applejack shouted. “It’s all a lie! Ma and pa loved each other, and they loved us, too! T-There’s no way…” Applejack had to choke back a few sobs as she continued to speak. “They wouldn’t… do that to us… That mare, she had to have done somethin’ to them. Ah just know it!”

“But that’s not true,” Twilight said, walking over to Applejack to put a foreleg around the trembling mare’s shoulders. “Big Macintosh explained everything to me. Your parents did love you. They loved you all so much… and that’s why it was so hard for them to go through that divorce together. Your father dating that showmare wasn’t out of love, it was a rebound. He dated her as a way of coping, because deep down, he still loved his wife very much!”

“No! That’s not it! She seduced him, and forced them to separate!”

“Stop it!” Twilight shouted, putting her hoof underneath Applejack’s chin and forcing the farmer to look her in the eyes. “Both Big Macintosh and Granny Smith have the evidence to prove it! Your parents’ journals, which they even showed you, too! Yet you still refuse to believe it? I know you want to believe your parents were so close, that they would never separate of their own accord… You really treasure your family values, don’t you?

“But, Applejack, the truth is the truth. And you can’t go casting the blame on others, just because you don’t want to accept it. That the ones who were really at fault-”

“Don’t say it!”

“-Were your parents.” Applejack, consumed with rage, raised her hoof into the air, and thrust it towards Twilight’s face at lightning speed. Trixie’s horn quickly lit up, but nothing happened when she saw Applejack’s hoof stopping just short of Twilight’s muzzle. “… A-Applejack…”

“… Darn it… DARN IT!” Applejack fell to her knees, and covered her eyes with her forehooves. “It can’t be true… It just can’t be. Pa loved us so much, so why didn’t he visit us until a year after he left ma? If he had just come back sooner… she may not have died…”

“… Maybe… Maybe he thought your mother was happy. Maybe he thought she was getting on with life really well, and so, he decided to only visit every now and then.” Twilight knelt down and began to stroke Applejack’s mane. She motioned for Trixie to help her, but all the showmare could do was remain silent as she watched. “And then, when he learned the truth, he must have been really hurt… But, Applejack, do you really think, that this is what they would have wanted?”

“W-What d’ya mean?”

“Do you really think your parents, either of them, would have wanted you to end up like… well, this? Mourning their deaths is fine, but you have to stop crying at some point.”

Trixie put a hoof to her chin, and tried to think of something helpful to say. “You know, when Trixie was poor, and living on the streets, she tried to place the blame on Princess Celestia.” Applejack and Twilight both looked at Trixie, Applejack’s expression blank for the most part, and Twilight’s completely shocked. “To Trixie, it seemed fairly reasonable, but to the rest of the world, it was just a filly who refused to accept that, sometimes, life can just be harsh.”

“Trixie, I don’t think you’re helping,” Twilight whispered.

Trixie groaned and tried to reword what she was saying. “… Basically, you shouldn’t waste time blaming others when things go wrong, when you can instead use that time to enjoy life, and make sure that nothing bad ever happens again… That’s one of the lessons that Trixie learned from her time with Twilight Sparkle, at least.”

“… But… What’m ah supposed tah tell Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked, looking to Twilight for guidance. “That our parents didn’t really love each other? That her ma died because pa left us?”

“Tell her the truth,” Twilight said firmly, holding Applejack’s forehoof with her own. “And make sure she understands that her parents did love each other, and their children, and that, more importantly, you still love her.”

The three mares sat together in silence for several minutes, Applejack letting her tears out as she slowly began to accept the truth behind her parents’ death, Twilight offering comfort for the farmer-in-mourning, and Trixie sitting awkwardly off to the side.

“Well,” Trixie finally said, breaking the silence and rising to her hooves. “It seems that you have it from here… Trixie should probably go now, and let you make your decision.” Before Trixie could leave, Applejack turned her attention to the showmare, and stood up to block her path. Twilight looked between the two nervously, hoping that another fight wouldn’t break out.

“… Ah’m… sorry,” Applejack said, her eyes cast downwards as she did so. “For hittin’ you an’ everythin’… Ah shouldn’t have done that…”

“Oh, well…” Trixie blushed as she tried to think of what to say next. She really didn’t like awkward situations like this. “… I suppose I kind of encouraged you, didn’t I? S-Sorry about that, it’s just-”

“No, it’s fine. You were right; ah couldn’t let go of the past, an’ if ah kept it inside any longer…” Applejack cast her gaze towards Twilight and flinched at the recent memory of almost breaking her friend’s teeth with that fierce kick. “… Ah only would’ve regretted it later.”

“Well, it’s because Trixie knows a thing or two about bottling up your anger, and placing blame on others to protect your own emotions. That’s why Trixie knew that, in order to talk to you calmly, she would have to let you get it all out of your system, first.”

Applejack kicked the ground with a hoof, and slowly raised her head to face Trixie. “Y’should come an’ lemme take a look at that,” she said, pointing to Trixie’s hoof, which had a big cut that the showmare didn’t even notice earlier. “It’s the least ah could do… An’, ah guess, if ye’re gonna be spendin’ more time ‘round Twilight, ah should probably get tah know ya. The real Trixie, not just the arrogant showmare ah’ve seen you as up ‘til now.”

Trixie looked to Twilight, who looked as if she had just been put in charge of researching the ruins of an ancient civilization – that is, very ecstatic, with a smile so wide it threatened to split her face in two.

With a smile of her own, Trixie nodded her head, and pushed her good forehoof forward to shake Applejack’s. “So… that’s it? You’re done trying to buck Trixie out of Ponyville now?”

“Only fer now,” Applejack said with a grin. “You hurt Twi, though, an’ that’s it! Got it?”

“This is great!” Twilight shouted, pulling the other two mares into a big group hug. “Finally, we can just hang out and talk about all sorts of things together! And we can give each other makeovers, we can go to the spa together, we can-”

“We can share embarrassing stories about Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie offered.

“We can share-” Twilight’s eyes widened, and she quickly backed out of the hug. “W-What?!”

“Ah bet ya have a lot of those stories tah tell!” Applejack said, walking down the field beside Trixie.

“Indeed. But Trixie will only tell them in exchange for stories you have.”

“H-How about we just start with makeovers?” Twilight asked, chasing after the two. “Twenty questions? Pillow fights?”

Trixie and Applejack laughed as Twilight chased them down the field, desperately trying to shift the topic to something else. As they did, Trixie cast one final glance at the ruins behind her, and frowned as she turned her attention back to where she was walking. ’Yeah, I know what it’s like to hold a grudge… And I also know that it’s pointless to take it out on somepony else. That’s why I had to stop her.

‘I suppose it’s a good thing that everything was able to be resolved so peacefully. Because if Applejack’s anger against showmares wasn’t resolved, then things could have gotten really ugly between us. And then Twilight would have been the one to suffer the most…’

As she was walking, Trixie could have sworn that she noticed movement in the distance, and narrowed her eye as she tried to see if anypony was there.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.

Trixie looked to her marefriend, and shook her head. “Nothing, just tired…”

“Well, we’ll be at the campsite soon,” Twilight said. “Rarity and the girls are waiting there for us. I’m sure they won’t mind one more.”

“That’s good,” Trixie said, not really paying much attention. ‘Why do I get this uneasy feeling… Everything turned out okay, so why do I feel like this? The same feeling I got the last time I confronted him…’

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Fight

Three days later, after Applejack and Trixie had resolved their differences and reached an understanding, things in Ponyville were a lot calmer than they were when Trixie first moved in. Tension between ponies not sure about who to side with between Trixie and their local Ponyville heroes disappeared, and those who lived close to the library were starting to warm up to their new neighbour.

Though not all was entirely peaceful… Now that she was fully settled into Ponyville, and her previous disputes had been solved, Trixie decided to try putting on her show in the Ponyville town square. There were still hecklers present, as the showmare had expected, and she didn’t hesitate in using whatever methods she could to silence them.

What Twilight gave as simple advice to Trixie about holding back, and not being so aggressive towards hecklers, Trixie saw as a lecture from Twilight about how she should let those disrespectful ponies walk all over her. That night, the two slept in separate beds, and the following morning…

“Look Trixie, I’m sorry if you took what I said the wrong way, but I was trying to help you.” Trixie continued to focus her eyes anywhere in the room except on Twilight, who was constantly shifting her head to try and meet Trixie’s gaze. “I understand that, when you’re being heckled, you can’t simply ignore it. But you can’t be too over-the-top, either. You have to find the right point in-between. Have I ever told you about when Fluttershy met this minotaur called Iron Will?”

“Yes, you did. And Trixie does not see how she was ‘over-the-top’ at all,” Trixie said, biting down hard on her piece of toast.

“Well, you did make that one stallion throw up…”

“Is it Trixie’s fault he had such a weak stomach? Think of how Trixie felt when she had to clean that stuff off of her trailer!”

“Then you did that barber pony’s mane up in pigtails with little pink bows…”

“Oh, yes. Trixie can see how she ruined his life with something that would take one or two minutes to easily fix up.”

“And let’s not forget what you did to Caramel.”

“… You can’t deny that that was just plain funny.”

Twilight scowled at Trixie, and raised her voice. “It doesn’t matter! My point is, it’s one thing to put hecklers in their places, it’s another to just give them a reason to hate your guts! What if they simply come back, angrier than before, and try to ruin your show again?”

Trixie, with her hooves over her ears, waited until Twilight was finished before responding. “Twilight, you sure seem eager to defend these ponies.”

“Well, of course I am! They’re my friends, after all! … Some of them, at least.”

“Oh, so you’d sooner defend them than Trixie, is that it?”

“Trixie,” Twilight said is a stern tone, “You know that isn’t true. I just want you to be more tame with your approach to hecklers, that’s all.”

“Like you would understand,” Trixie mumbled.

“What was that?” Twilight asked, having not heard Trixie clearly.

“Nothing.”

“… Trixie, if there’s something on your mind-”

“It’s nothing. Just drop it.”

“Trixie-”

“I said drop it!”

Twilight rose to her hooves and stomped the ground, causing a loud sound to echo through the library. “Ugh! Why are you so stubborn?! I’m trying to help you, and you’re just throwing it in my face! And you’re keeping secrets from me!”

“What, is Trixie not allowed to keep secrets or something?!” Trixie shouted, also rising to her hooves.

“Don’t yell at me!”

“You yelled first!”

“I’m not yelling! I’m being very calm, thank you very much.”

“‘Calm’? You?” Trixie scoffed. “You who fusses over every last detail? You who always has to know everything before she’s satisfied?”

“What’s wrong with me wanting to know more about my marefriend?”

“There are some things you don’t need to know.”

Twilight stomped her hoof again. “See? Stubborn! You’re always like this! I try to help, but you’re all: ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie can do anything all on her own! Even if she’s always grabbing Twilight in her sleep, she totally doesn’t need her.’”

“How dare you?! So what if Trixie wants to be close to you?! You should try it sometimes, Twilight! Maybe if you weren’t so afraid of being close to me, we’d be further along in our relationship by now!”

“W-What are you-Where did that come from?! I was just concerned about how my friends would see us!”

“Trixie’s point proven! You care more about your friends than you do us!”

“How can you even suggest such a thing?!”

“Trixie doesn’t hear you denying it!”

“Uh, girls?”

“I can’t believe you would think something like that, after all we’ve been through together!”

“Trixie can’t believe you would side with her enemies over her!”

“I told you, it’s not like that! Why don’t you ever listen?! Why do you have to act so stupid?!”

“Girls?”

“Stay out of this Spike! And don’t call the Great and Powerful Trixie stupid!”

“Don’t yell at him! And I can’t think of anything better to call you right now, stupid!”

Spike backed into the kitchen as he watched the two mares continue to argue. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but it was sure escalating quickly. It went from petty insults, to insulting each other’s abilities, to pointing out what each mare considered the other’s flaws, and then back to petty insults, but with a lot more disdain planted into them. By this point, he wasn’t even sure if they remembered why they were arguing.

“EGGHEAD!”

“LOUDMOUTH!”

“NERD!”

“IDIOT!”

“THAT’S IT!” Trixie shouted with finality, turning around and putting on her hat and her cloak with her magic. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is out of here! Enjoy eating your lunch all alone, Sparkle!”

Trixie pushed open the library door and marched outside, making a point of not closing the door behind her. Twilight followed her as far as the doorway so that she could shout out to her: “Oh, I won’t be alone! Unlike somepony, who can forget all about sleeping in the same room as me tonight!”

“Like Trixie would want to anyway!” Trixie shouted back.

“FINE!” Twilight shouted, absolutely refusing Trixie the final word. She huffed as she watched Trixie walk away, steam coming out of her nostrils as she kept her glare on the showmare, until she was out of sight. “Stupid Trixie…” she said quietly to herself.

“Twilight,” a familiar voice said, “What’n tarnation was that all about?”

Twilight raised her head to see Applejack and Rarity walking towards her. “Oh, good morning, you two. Nothing to worry about… Just Trixie being a big, dumb, stupid-head.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Stupid-head?”

“Oh my. Trouble in paradise, dear?” Rarity asked, giggling with excitement. “Oh, I do love a good lover’s spat every now and then. They’re always so exciting, and intense, and… Oh, um, sorry darling… I shouldn’t have-”

Twilight shook her head. “It’s fine. It’s just… We’ve never really gotten into a fight this big before. Well, not since we resolved our differences in Manehatten… I’m not quite sure what to do now…”

“I think that, for now, you should give Trixie some space,” Rarity said, placing a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “And avoid her for a while, until you can calm down and talk to each other in a civil manner.”

“What were you two fightin’ about, anyway?” Applejack asked. Twilight thought for a second, and then furrowed her brow as she remembered. She explained to her friends that she was just trying to convince Trixie to be more gentle with her hecklers, and that Trixie took it the wrong way, and started an argument with her. “That’s it? That’s what got her so worked up?”

Twilight nodded, and Rarity let out a sigh. “It all seems rather childish, doesn’t it?”

“Childish ain’t the word ah’d use,” Applejack said, turning her attention down the street. “More like, she’s just being a huge idiot. She really has some nerve…” Applejack felt something itching in the back of her mind, and turned her attention back to Twilight, who was now sending her a heated glare. “T-Twilight?”

“Trixie is not an idiot! And I’ll thank you not to insult her in front of me!”

Applejack quickly nodded her head, backing off from Twilight’s literally-fiery gaze. “A-Alright, sugarcube! No need ta get so worked up over it!”

“Oh, Twilight, darling,” Rarity said, calming Twilight down and gaining her attention, “We were just on our way to the market, to do some early grocery shopping, when we happened to bump into each other. If you’re not busy, perhaps you’d like to join us?”

Twilight smiled, and nodded her head. “I’d love to. Just give me a second to get ready, okay?”

“Sure thing,” Applejack said. Twilight re-entered her library, and began rummaging around for a few items. “… What was that all about? Weren’t they fighting just a minute ago?”

Rarity laughed, and playfully nudged Applejack’s side. “Oh, Applejack. You really know nothing when it comes to romance, do you?”

“If it’s this weird, I don’t really think I wanna know.”

“Okay! I’m ready!” Twilight shouted, emerging from the library with two saddlebags and a roll of parchment in her magic. “What’s so funny?” she asked upon seeing Rarity still giggling.

“Oh, nothing, darling. Shall we?”

Trixie kicked a stone in frustration as she stomped her way through Ponyville, glaring at the ground whilst thinking about the events that morning. ‘Stupid Twilight Sparkle… I thought you were on my side!’

“Great and Powerful Trixie!” a voice called out. Trixie stopped to see two colts running towards her. One was a short, chubby, blue colt, and the other was a slightly taller, slim, yellow colt. She recognised both of them, and their presence didn’t do anything to lift her mood. “Great and Powerful Trixie, that show you put on yesterday was awesome! Are you gonna put on another one soon?”

“You two… Clips and Nails, correct?”

“Uh, my name’s actually Snails,” the yellow colt corrected.

“And I’m Snips, but that’s okay! You can call us whatever you want!”

‘Say that in Canterlot, and you’ll regret it later,’ Trixie thought to herself. “And what do the two of you want? Can’t you see that the Great and Powerful Trixie is busy?”

“You are? With what?” Snails asked.

Trixie looked around, and then pointed to a nearby flower stand. “Trixie is out doing some shopping, and was just about to check out this florist’s shop.”

“Oh, hey! Can we help, Trixie?” Snips asked, jumping up and down excitedly. Trixie shot him a glare, and he quickly corrected himself. “I-I mean, Great and Powerful Trixie?”

Trixie was about to blow them off. And not politely, either. After all, it was these two that almost got her killed that night. These two that destroyed her home and her possessions, and forced her to break into her savings account, which had remained untouched ever since she graduated from Celestia’s School. It was these two that almost destroyed her career.

However, thinking back to her earlier fight with Twilight, Trixie had to wonder what her marefriend would say if she discovered that Trixie had been rude to her fans. And children, at that.

Furthermore, the looks in their eyes… For some reason, Trixie just couldn’t find it in her to simply turn them away. They wanted to help her. They wanted to spend time with her, and to be praised by her. And something inside of Trixie couldn’t refuse them that. ‘Ugh, stupid colts with their stupid puppy dog eyes…’

“Fine!” Trixie said, pulling a small pouch of bits out of her cloak and dropping a few onto the ground in front of the two colts. “You may start off by buying Trixie a newspaper. Make sure it is Equestria Daily. Got it?”

“Yes, Great and Powerful Trixie!” Snips said, bowing along with Snails as he picked up the bits with his mouth. The two colts ran off down the street quickly, leaving Trixie behind.

Trixie grinned as she watched the colts run away, and turned around to leave before they had a chance to return. However, a tug at her cape stopped her, and she quickly spun back around to find…

“Here’s your paper, Great and Powerful Trixie!” Snips said, dropping the newspaper at Trixie’s hooves. “And your change!”

Trixie levitated two bits and the newspaper into the air, and stared at them in astonishment. “T-That was… rather fast work.”

“Aw, it was nothing,” Snails said, a tinge of red spreading across his face.

“So, what’s our next job?”

‘… Maybe I can actually use these colts…’

Applejack and Rarity chatted and laughed together as they walked from stall to stall in the market area, with Twilight following close behind her two friends as she buried her muzzle into a book.

“Can ya still believe Apple Bloom actually tried ta bungee jump off of Canterlot Falls ta get her Cutie Mark?”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Sweetie Belle managed to procure a crossbow.” Rarity looked over her shoulder when she realised that Twilight was being very quiet. “Twilight, darling, are you okay? You haven’t said much since we left the library.”

“What’s that book called, anyway?” Applejack asked, seeing how interested Twilight was in whatever book that was.

Twilight smiled and held up the book for them to see. They both stopped and leaned in closer to read the title: Relationships & You – How To Deal With Your Marefriend.

Applejack let out a small chuckle, whilst Rarity facehooved and shook her head in disappointment. “It’s a fantastic reference guide!” Twilight said, turning her attention back to the inside of the book. “It’s meant for stallions, but the same theories should be applicable for mares, too. Right?”

“Ah guess so,” Applejack said.

“Let me get this straight. You’ve been learning all about relationships from… a book?” Rarity asked with concern.

“Of course not!” Twilight answered, drawing a sigh of relief from Rarity. “Several books! Who only looks at one source and thinks that that’s enough?”

“Duh,” Applejack said sarcastically. Rarity shot a glare at Applejack, who just turned her head away and whistled innocently.

“Twilight, you can’t be serious. Dating isn’t something you can just learn from reading books!”

“Well…” Twilight began, bringing her book up to her face to hide her blush, “Actually, Trixie helped me out, for the most part… She was new to dating, too, but had a better grasp on things than me. Stuff like, just letting things flow their natural course, and how to not be so nervous when we talk to each other…”

“And how to perform in bed?” Applejack asked. Twilight’s blush intensified, and Rarity gave the farm pony a sharp jab with her elbow. “Ow! Ah was just kiddin’! Sheesh…”

Rarity shook her head, and turned back to Twilight. “So Trixie gave you a fresh perspective, one that you can’t find in books.”

Twilight nodded, and for a second, just stared in front of her with a dreamy look on her face… before the book in her magical grip began to shake, and her dreamy expression became one of rage. “Yeah… but then, she dared to insult not just me, but my books, too!” Twilight’s mane caught fire, startling her friends and the other ponies around them. “Who needs her?! I’ll show her my books aren’t useless! I’ll become the kind of marefriend she could only dream of having, then she’ll be begging for my forgiveness!”

“A-Alright, Twi. Calm down, now,” Applejack said, slowly backing away from the enraged mare as the fire in her mane grew larger.

“Indeed. Just as Applejack said, you should approach this calmly, or else you may slip up, and then you can’t prove yourself to Trixie.”

Twilight stared at her friends for a second, and then let out a slow, steady breath. The fire died down, eventually reverting back to her mane’s usual appearance, albeit a little more frizzy, and with smoke rising from the top. She smiled at her two gaping friends. “You’re right. Come on, let’s go!”

“G-Go where?” Rarity asked.

“To get ice-cream,” Twilight answered, turning around and walking away.

“Ice-cream?”

Twilight nodded. “It says in the book that, when your marefriend is angry, she’ll eat lots of ice-cream to calm herself down. And since I’m Trixie’s marefriend, I guess I should follow that rule, too.”

Rarity and Applejack exchanged questioning looks as they began to follow Twilight. “Is that true?” Applejack asked Rarity quietly.

“Of course not,” Rarity answered. “While it’s true that ice-cream is a good way to calm down after suffering heart-break, it doesn’t mean that it applies to every mare in all of Equestria. That book was probably written by some ignorant stallion who has no idea what he’s talking about.”

“A-CHOO!”

“Goodness, Blueblood. You certainly don’t sound very well.”

“It’s nothing, Cadie.” Blueblood raised his cup of tea to his mouth and drank it slowly, in an elegant manner, before setting back down just as elegantly. “I imagine it’s just some love struck mare who can’t get me out of her head. Such is the curse of one so handsome as moi.”

Cadance giggled, and levitated the nearby teapot to refill her own cup. “It could be a stallion, y’know?”

“Come now, Cadie. That idea is simply preposterous.”

“Great and Powerful Trixie!” Trixie lowered her shades from her face and looked down at the two colts bowing before her. “We got the cupcakes you wanted!”

Trixie sat up and levitated the box from Snails’ back. She opened it up, and took in the pleasant scent from within. “And the change?”

“Right here,” Snips said, dropping some coins by Trixie’s hooves.

“Very good. Why don’t you two take a break for now? Trixie will call upon you if she has another task for you.”

“Um, well, actually… we were wondering if you could… y’know…”

“Teach us magic?” Snails finished.

Trixie raised her eyebrow at the two. “You wish to become the Great and Powerful Trixie’s apprentices?” she asked, receiving two very enthusiastic nods. “… The Great and Powerful Trixie will think about it. For now, though, she wishes to have her lunch in peace! You two should go and have your lunch, too.”

“Y-Yes, Great and Powerful Trixie!” Snips said, bowing as he backed away. “We’ll leave you to enjoy your lunch, then!”

Trixie watched the two colts leave her. She didn’t have any more jobs for them to do, so she decided to dismiss them for now. Although, she had to admit, for two idiot colts that almost ruined her career… ‘They aren’t so bad.’

Trixie levitated a cupcake to her mouth and took a bite. It was a delicious strawberry-flavoured cupcake, and her taste buds felt like they were dancing upon taking the first bite. “This is good…”

“Aren’t they?” a voice above her asked. Trixie looked up to see something blue in the tree behind her. “Sugarcube Corner makes the most awesome cupcakes in all of Equestria! Well, ‘cept maybe for the ones made in that one bakery in Canterlot…”

“Rainbow Dash?” Trixie asked, seeing a blue feather fall down from the tree.

“The one and only,” Rainbow answered. “So what’s up? How come you’re eating lunch out here, by yourself? Is Twilight busy or something?”

Trixie frowned upon hearing that name, and turned her attention back to her half-eaten cupcake. “… Like Trixie cares what she’s doing,” Trixie said, wolfing down the rest of the cupcake in one final bite.

Rainbow jumped down from the tree and gracefully fluttered down to the ground. “What’s up? You two have a fight or something?”

“We did nothing of the sort. Trixie was being the most reasonable pony ever, and Twilight was being an immature filly.”

‘Sounds like a fight to me,’ Rainbow Dash thought as she watched Trixie levitate another cupcake out from her box. “Is that what you’re eating for lunch?”

Trixie nodded. “Twilight thinks that Trixie eats too many sweet foods, but since Trixie does not care what she thinks today…”

Rainbow Dash shrugged and sat down beside Trixie. “So you’re gonna eat all of ‘em? By yourself?”

“… You want one?” Rainbow smiled and nodded. “Too bad. These are all Trixie’s cupcakes.”

“Tch. Stingy.” Trixie took a bite of her next cupcake, this one apparently being so delicious that it actually brought a smile to the showmare’s face. “So what’s up? Between you and Twilight, I mean.”

“… Don’t wanna talk about it,” Trixie said with a pout.

“Oh, come on! What, you can’t trust me or something?”

“It’s not like you’d be able to help anyway.”

“Try me,” Rainbow challenged, pressing a hoof to her chest. “I may not be as smart as Rarity or Twilight, but when it comes to my friends, I always try my best!”

“Then go talk to Twilight directly,” Trixie said, waving her hoof dismissively.

“I was referring to you,” Rainbow responded. Trixie’s eye grew wide, and she nearly choked on her cupcake after hearing what Rainbow had just said. She turned her gaze to the rainbow-maned Pegasus, staring in shock with her mouth wide open. “What?”

“You just said… we’re friends?”

Rainbow placed her forehooves behind her head and leaned back against the tree behind her. “Yeah, so?”

“When did that happen?” Trixie asked, completely bewildered by what the other pony seemed to think was just common sense.

“Well, we’re not enemies anymore, right?” Trixie nodded. “That’s really all the reason I need. If we’re not fighting, we might as well get along.”

Trixie thought about it for a second. “That sounds like something the pink one would say.”

“Pinkie Pie? … Yeah, I guess so. Darn it, she must be rubbin’ off on me.”

The two remained silent for a while, with Trixie simply eating her cupcakes whilst she thought about what Rainbow Dash had said to her, and Rainbow Dash constantly shifting her gaze between the Unicorn and the fountain in the distance. She was awkwardly waiting for the other mare to say something.

Instead of responding verbally, though, Trixie instead used her magic to levitate a cupcake in front of Rainbow Dash. Rainbow looked at it confused for a moment, and then looked at Trixie, who had turned her head away. “That for me?”

“… Trixie is full, so you may have the last one,” Trixie answered, quickly shutting the box before Rainbow Dash could see the last three cupcakes inside. “It would be a shame to waste it, after all.”

Rainbow Dash grinned, and grabbed the cupcake with her right forehoof. “Yeah. It would be a shame to waste the time Snips and Snails took to get it.”

“… So you saw that.”

“Yeah. You’ve got those two eating outta your hooves, haven’t ya?”

Trixie grinned and flicked her mane as she turned back to face Rainbow Dash. “Well, at first, Trixie simply wanted to make them pay for what happened last time. But, Trixie must admit, those two are very hard workers.”

“To you, maybe. But from what I’ve heard, those two are terrible in school. Low grades, homework never in on time… Y’know, if you were their teacher, I’d bet their grades would shoot up very quickly.”

“You’re referring to the apprenticeship that they want?” Rainbow Dash nodded. “Trixie would love to take on an apprentice. Somepony to pass her secrets onto. There’s no telling how long she may live, after all.” ‘Especially with him out there.’ “But… Trixie’s not sure about those two.”

“Because of the ursa minor?” Trixie nodded, and Rainbow scratched the back of her head. “I get that they’re not exactly your favourite ponies after that, but… they’re only colts, y’know? And they definitely learned their lesson after that event. I mean, did you see any behemoths flocking into town after yesterday’s show?” Rainbow asked jokingly, giving Trixie a sly grin.

“Very funny. Trixie must have been distracted by the rain that wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“So I slept in! It happens! Anyway, don’t dodge the issue here. Those two kids look up to you. Probably even see you as kind of a big sister. I think you should at least humour them. Even if you don’t make them your full apprentices, you could maybe spare a few days now and then to teach them something.”

Trixie could tell that Rainbow Dash wasn’t just making this up on the spot, or reciting it from a book or something. “You’ve experienced this before?”

“Well, let’s just say there’s a certain orange filly that looks up to me, the way Snips and Snails look up to you. And let me tell ya, it’s awesome having somepony like that! Even on days when I’m feeling down, sometimes I find that having even one fan backing me up is more than enough reason to keep giving it my all!”

“… Indeed… There may be some truth to what you say. Trixie will think about it.”

“Great! Now, about you and Twilight…”

Trixie sighed, and brought a forehoof to her face, but then stopped when she formed an idea in her head. “Very well then,” she said, grinning at Rainbow Dash. “Trixie will tell you, under one condition. Tell her the story of the Sonic Rainboom.”

“Now, isn’t this simply relaxing?” Rarity asked, sitting down in one of the spa’s steam rooms with Applejack and Twilight. Applejack looked a little uncomfortable being there, and insisted on wearing her Stetson hat even inside the hot room, despite Rarity’s suggestion to leave it outside. Now the farm pony understood why.

Twilight, however, was anything but relaxed. “Why should I apologise?!” she shouted. “She’s the one at fault! She started it, by completely blowing things out of proportion! And then she had the nerve to say such things!”

“Nopony said ya had ta apologise,” Applejack said, taking off her hat and fanning herself with it. “We just asked if ye’re ready ta talk ta her calmly yet, which ah guess ya ain’t.”

Twilight blushed, and sat back down on the bench. “I’m always ready to talk to her calmly. It’s just a matter of whether or not Trixie is willing to be reasonable, instead of being such a stupid blockhead!”

“Twilight, darling, please try to remember that there are other patrons here,” Rarity said, desperately trying to calm Twilight down before they got kicked out by Aloe and Lotus.

“S-Sorry, I just… She called my books useless!” Rarity facehooved and gave up on trying to get Twilight to calm down. “Useless, can you believe it?! And she said I was being petty! She’s the one who overreacted! How am I the petty one?!”

“We get it, Twi,” Applejack said. “Now sit down an’ try ta think about somethin’ other than Trixie.”

“Yes, what did your book say you should do at this point?” Rarity asked.

Twilight thought about it, trying to remember what she had read before entering the spa. She left her book in her locker, so that it wouldn’t get damaged during their spa treatments. “I think… something about flirting with other ponies to get your mind off of your marefriend, and also to make her jealous and come crawling back to you.”

Applejack and Rarity remained silent. Even if she didn’t know much about relationships, even Applejack knew that that was not the way to go.

“… So, Rarity…”

‘Oh Celestia, tell me she isn’t-’

“Your mane is, uh… pretty good today! Very shiny and… purple! My favourite colour, you know?”

Rarity laughed nervously as she backed away from Twilight, who was gazing at her with half-lidded eyes. “Eheheh… Y-You don’t say…”

Applejack was struggling to suppress her giggling, but that ended as soon as she saw Twilight turning her attention towards her. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable under Twilight’s gaze, and like Rarity, tried to seek shelter in one of the corners of the steam room.

“Applejack, have I ever told you that, uh… you have… very fine leg muscles?”

Rarity facehooved, and Applejack, whose face was now red from more than the heat of the steam room, looked around nervously, trying not to make eye contact with Twilight. “That’s, uh, mighty nice of ya ta say, Twilight. Y’know, ya don’t have ta do everythin’ that book says.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked incredulously. “What else could I turn to?”

“Well, how about one of your friends?” Rarity suggested, pointing a hood towards herself.

“But, nopony I know is in a relationship.”

Rarity’s right eye twitched, and her hoof dropped to her side as Twilight’s words rang through her head. “Y-Yes… Quite right… We’re all still single, aren’t we? Single… Single… Forever single…”

As Rarity continued to trace circles on the steam room bench with her hoof, whilst muttering the word ‘single’ over and over again, Applejack sighed upon realising that she was on her own now. “Twi, why don’t ya try jus’ not thinkin’ so hard?” Twilight looked at her confusedly. “Ah mean, whenever there’s something on mah mind, ah find that, no matter how hard ah think about it, ah can never get anywhere while it’s still mah number one concern.

“Maybe you should just stop thinkin’ ‘bout Trixie for now, and just do whatever you would normally do. Then, when ya’ve had the chance ta calm down, that’s when ya can think about what ya wanna do. Not what some book tells you ta do. The heart ain’t somethin’ that can be understood from just books.”

Rarity stopped muttering to herself and was now staring at Applejack in bewilderment. That was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard from the usually clueless farm pony. Sure, Applejack had her moments where her simplistic views on life would provide great wisdom to others, but this was something Rarity certainly wasn’t expecting.

Unfortunately, Twilight didn’t seem to share that view. “What do you mean? Of course it can! I learned everything there is to know about the heart from books when I was in fifth grade! A wave of excitation passes through the tissue wall to start off a heartbeat, causing the…”

As Twilight continued her lecture on the mechanics of the pony heart (which had lost her captive audience about five seconds in), Applejack and Rarity shared an exhausted sigh together. However, a moment later, Applejack figured that this wasn’t so bad, in its own way. ‘Lecturin’ is somethin’ she really loves ta do, so… ah guess ah could let her continue for a while, if it helps her take her mind off of Trixie.’

“Another glass!” Trixie shouted, sliding her third empty glass across the table.

“I think you’ve had enough chocolate milk, Trixie,” Rainbow Dash said, watching as the StarBucks waitress brought Trixie her fourth glass.

“Trixie will tell you when she’s had enough chocolate milk!” Trixie downed the drink quickly, licking her lips afterwards to make sure she got all of it. “Eheheh… This is great! Twilight would flip if she caught Trixie having this much sugar!”

“You should probably cut back,” Rainbow suggested, watching as Trixie shook in her seat, her head shifting and her gaze moving all over the place. “I think only Pinkie Pie could handle the amount of sugar you’ve had today.”

“Nonsense!” Trixie shouted, jolting up suddenly out of her seat and wrapping a forehoof around Rainbow’s neck. “You said that Trixie should calm down by doing things she likes, and she likes sweet things! Cakes and chocolate and muffins and more cakes and sugar sticks and candies and-”

“Okay, okay! I get it.” Rainbow Dash managed to force her way out of Trixie’s hold, rubbing her neck from how hard the showmare had held it. “Just don’t blame me when you have a sugar crash.”

Trixie’s eye winked a few times, with her ear twitching in synchronisation with it. She looked over to the third pony at their table, who hadn’t yet ordered anything other than a glass of water. “What’s wrong? Do you not like StarBucks or something?”

“Oh, no, it’s not that,” Fluttershy said, nervously looking at Rainbow Dash. “I just…”

“Yeah, yeah?” Trixie asked quickly, leaning in with her eye wide open, and an excited look on her face.

“Well…” Fluttershy mumbled something inaudible to Trixie.

“Fluttershy and coffee don’t really get along very well,” Rainbow explained with a sly grin. “Not after the incident sixteen years ago.”

“Sixteen years ago?” Trixie asked, still leaning a little too close to Fluttershy for the shy Pegasus’ liking. “Trixie was about five then!”

“Me too. But Fluttershy was seven.”

“… NO WAY!” Trixie shouted, startling many ponies around her as she jumped back out of her seat, forelegs flailing wildly in the air, and then landed on her back with a loud thud!

Before anypony could ask if she was alright, she was immediately back on her hooves via a teleportation spell, and was standing next to Rainbow Dash, giving the pony a disbelieving look. “You mean to tell Trixie that she’s two years older than us?! Impossible!”

“I-I know it’s hard to believe,” Rainbow said, caught off guard by Trixie’s sudden teleportation next to her, “But it’s true. She’s actually twenty-three years old.”

“It’s rude to go around giving out a mare’s age without her permission,” Fluttershy said sternly, but immediately yelped and fell back into ‘shy Fluttershy’ as soon as the two other mares were looking at her once more.

“So? What was this incident that happened back then?” Trixie asked, her ear twitches becoming more regular by the second.

“Well, like I said, I was only five at the time, so I don’t really remember it. But according to Fluttershy’s mom, Fluttershy got curious about how coffee tasted, and decided to try a cup. Though, because this was during a New Year’s party, the only empty glass she could find was a pint glass… meaning she drank a whole pint of coffee.”

Fluttershy blushed and sank a little into her seat. “And because she liked it so much, she drank another. And another, and-”

“C-Can we please talk about something else?” Fluttershy asked, her face now a full-on red.

Rainbow Dash let out a snicker, and then patted her friend’s back. “Fine, fine… but basically, she’s never trusted coffee again after that night.”

No response came from Trixie, so the two Pegasi turned to see what was up with her. They were both shocked to see Trixie standing with a blank look on her face, and tears streaming out of her eyes, even coming from underneath her eye patch.

“She never trusts coffee again…” Trixie suddenly leaned forward quickly, banging her head on the table, shocking her friends even more. “Just like how Twilight will never trust Trixie again! Argh, why am I so stupid?!”

Trixie continued to bang her head on the table, shouting ‘stupid’ over and over. Fluttershy tried to calm her down, pleading her to stop before she ended up hurting herself, while Rainbow Dash grabbed the glasses and lifted them off the table before they fell off.

“Twilight’s totally gonna end things with me, and then I’ll have to move out and be all alone again, and then she’ll find somepony new and rub it in my face and… What should I do?!” Trixie stopped banging her head on the table, and just settled for resting it on there instead. “I need another drink…”

“Something’s not right here…” Rainbow Dash caught a familiar scent in the air, and noticed that it was coming from the glasses she was holding. The glasses that should have just contained chocolate milk, but… “Is that… gin?”

Trixie nodded. “Trixie noticed there was alcohol in the first two glasses, but she didn’t say anything ‘cause she felt like she could use a driiiiink.” A hiccup followed, and Trixie quickly brought her forehooves to her head. “Trixie forgot that Trixie is a lightweight… and now all Trixie can think about is how Twilight Sparkle will never forgive her… Why did I have to ruin something so great with my big mouth?”

Rainbow Dash put the glasses back down on the table. “Hey, aren’t you just overreacting? I mean, I know Twilight can be a bit… sensitive, but c’mon, she’s not the type to hold a grudge, and she certainly isn’t gonna break up with you just because you got a little carried away in your argument.”

Trixie raised her head to reveal her large puppy dog eye. “Really?” she asked, in a pleading tone that brought a blush to Rainbow’s face.

“O-Of course! I mean, having fights is natural in relationships. What, is this the first fight you two have had?” Trixie nodded. “Well, then, I think you two should hurry up and resolve it. Trust me, I’m sure she’s feeling just as bad as you are right now… Except, maybe not quite as drunk.”

Fluttershy nodded in agreement, walking around the table and running a hoof across Trixie’s mane. “She’s right, Trixie,” she said in a gentle, soothing tone. “If you’re feeling worried about what Twilight thinks of you now, then that’s all the more reason to go and talk to her, and get everything sorted out. The longer you hold on to this feeling, the more painful it will be.”

Trixie smiled at feeling of having her mane stroked, and also from the comforting words from her two friends. However, when she pictured in her mind one of the many ways a conversation with Twilight could go (a negative way, at that), she started feeling doubtful again. “I don’t know…”

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy exchanged glances, both wondering what more they could say to convince her. Suddenly, Rainbow had an idea, and leaned down to whisper into Trixie’s ear: “Y’know, Lyra and Bon Bon fight all the time. And I hear the make-up sex is, like, twenty percent more awesome than usual.”

Trixie’s ears shot up, and she immediately rose to her hooves. “Well why didn’t you say so?!” she shouted, before turning on the spot and galloping off away from the restaurant, shouting for Twilight to wait for her.

Rainbow Dash laughed as she watched Trixie running away with newfound resolve, whereas Fluttershy was simply confused, and wondering what Rainbow had said to her to suddenly lift her spirits. “Oh, I just reminded her of what she would be missing if she didn’t make up with Twilight. Anyway, more importantly…” She motioned towards the glasses on the table. “Who the hay was responsible for this?”

From a distance, Caramel grinned and laughed wickedly as he watched Trixie running off through Ponyville, tripping over things and crashing into ponies on the way.

“Well, I’d say that just about makes up for yesterday,” he said, placing the bottle of gin back into his saddlebag and lifting a cup of coffee up to his lips.

Twilight turned her attention towards the clock, which showed that it was nearing 18:00. “Ooh, where could she be?” she asked worriedly as she continued to pace around the library.

“I dunno,” Spike said from his seat at the bottom of the stairs as he watched Twilight with a bored look on his face. “Why don’t you just go and look for her?”

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin. And what if she comes back while I’m looking, and thinks that I left so that I wouldn’t see her, and then she leaves too, and this time doesn’t come back?!” Twilight stopped and gasped loudly. “Or maybe… maybe she’s out there waiting for me to find her! Maybe she’s testing our love by seeing if I’ll track her down to patch things up! Meaning that, if I remain here, I’ll only end up destroying our relationship!”

Spike quickly produced a paper bag from a nearby cabinet, and rushed over to Twilight, who was beginning to hyperventilate. “Easy, Twilight. Remember: slow, steady breaths.”

“This is serious, Spike!” Twilight shouted, batting away the paper bag with a hoof. “I have to think: what would Trixie do in this situation? Is she out there waiting for me, or should I wait here for her to return on her own?”

“Well, Trixie’s kind of a hardhead, right? So she probably wouldn’t come back on her own. At least not for a few days.”

Twilight shook her head. “She’s like that in public, but it’s different when she’s alone or with me. You’ve noticed how clingy she is with me in the library, right?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “How could I not? Whenever I wanted to speak to you, Trixie would be hanging off of your leg or something…”

“She’s afraid of losing me. Probably because she’s had such a harsh upbringing, so she doesn’t want to lose the happiness she’s found in her adulthood…”

“Makes sense. Then, if she doesn’t want to lose you, she’ll definitely come here, right?”

“But she’s also pretty silly at times. She may think it’s over between us already, and not risk coming back here to see if it’s true or not…”

“Who did you just call silly?” Twilight and Spike jumped at the sudden voice behind them. They turned around to see Trixie standing in the library, breathing heavily and… wobbling as she stood. She was staring at Twilight with a worried look on her face. “Trixie was on her way to apologise, and then you go and call her silly behind her back!”

Twilight wanted to argue that she was silly, but decided not to, given the current situation. She looked down at Spike, and didn’t need to say anything for him to get her message. “I’ll leave you two alone,” he said as he walked past Trixie and outside of the library. He closed the door and began to walk off, before seeing a familiar purple tail poking out from behind the bush next to the library door.

“Rarity?” Spike asked as he approached the bush. He was instantly shushed by Rarity, who jumped out alongside Applejack. “What’re you two doing here?”

“We’re here to make sure everything works out between them,” Rarity said quietly as she approached the door.

“We gotta make sure Trixie doesn’t make Twilight cry or nothin’,” Applejack added, joining Rarity by the door as the two mares pressed their ears against the wood. She could just about hear the voices inside.

“Well, you two do that,” Spike said as he turned around and began walking away. “I think I’m just gonna go see what Pinkie Pie’s up to.”

Back inside the library, Twilight and Trixie stood together in an awkward silence, occasionally making eye contact with each other, but for the most part just looking around uncomfortably as they waited for the other to speak up first.

“I-” they both said simultaneously.

“Um, you first,” Twilight said.

“Trixie is… sorry for overreacting earlier… and calling you names and stuff…” Trixie looked up at Twilight, who seemed to be waiting for something more. “… Oh, and for insulting your books.”

Twilight smiled and kicked a hoof against the floor. “Well… I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that, and I shouldn’t have called you things like stubborn, or stupid…”

“Even if it is true,” Trixie said with a giggle. Twilight joined her, and Trixie took a few steps forward. “I am sorry, Twilight. I just… I’ve been dealing with hecklers the same way ever since I started putting on shows with my magic, and it’s always been a system that works for me. I didn’t like it when you suggested I change suddenly, but I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.”

“I shouldn’t have yelled either. It was clear there was something bothering you, but I just assumed you were simply being immature for the sake of it.”

“So… are we good?” Trixie asked timidly, turning her gaze towards the floor. “To tell you the truth, I was afraid that this may be it. That you wouldn’t ever forgive me for this, and that you’d kick me out of your life… Please tell me that isn’t true.”

Twilight reached forward and hugged her shaking marefriend. “Of course it isn’t true. I would never leave you, or kick you out, Trixie. Because I… I love you, with all my heart.”

“Twilight…” Twilight pulled back, and gazed lovingly into Trixie’s eyes, silently beckoning her towards her. Trixie read the message loud and clear, and leaned forward slowly, inching towards Twilight’s lips little by little…

BANG!

Trixie leaned forward more, only to fall forward onto her face. “Ow!” She rubbed her nose and looked up at Twilight. Or at least, at where Twilight should have been. Instead, there was nothing. Nothing but a small piece of paper, with some writing on it:

Come to Sugarcube Corner at once! Twilight will be there!

Trixie raised an eyebrow at the strange note, and rose to her hooves. She turned around to see the library door wide open, and figured that that must have been the loud noise that she had just heard.

“Now Trixie’s got to go all the way to Sugarcube Corner? This making up stuff is hard…”

Trixie opened the door to Sugarcube Corner slowly. She peeked inside to find that all of the lights were off. ‘Rule thirty-five of living on the streets: if you can’t see what’s ahead of you, don’t go forward.’ Trixie’s horn lit up, and she closed her eyes as she focused her magic through the walls of the building. It was a little harder to pull off with the alcohol running through her system, but eventually, she managed to find what she was looking for.

When she opened her eyes, and her horn stopped glowing, the lights inside began to flicker, before turning completely on. Looking inside again, Trixie found several ponies that she recognised. Lyra, Bon Bon, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie… who looked very angry.

“Hey! What did you do that for?!” Pinkie Pie shouted, suddenly appearing behind Trixie.

Trixie jumped and spun around. “W-What?!” she asked, turning back to look inside Sugarcube Corner. Sure enough, Pinkie Pie was no longer in there, and the ponies who were standing next to her looked just as confused. “How did you-”

“Don’t try to change the subject! I set this surprise party up for you, and you ruined it, ya big party pooper!”

“S-Surprise party?” Trixie asked, backing away from the furious Pinkie and into the bakery behind her. Looking around, Trixie could see many streamers and decorations around her, along with tables with food and punch scattered about. “Well, how was Trixie supposed to know that it was a surprise party?”

“You weren’t! That’s the whole point, duh!”

“Um… Sorry?”

Pinkie Pie’s angry glare suddenly turned into a huge smile, and she reached over towards a random table and grabbed two cupcakes with her forehoof. “Okay, I forgive you! After all, a party should be a place to have fun, not to fight!” Before Trixie could say anything, Pinkie Pie shoved a cupcake into the showmare’s mouth, and then threw the other cupcake into her own mouth, before skipping away merrily to another part of the room.

Trixie struggled to swallow the cupcake whole for a few seconds, and then panted heavily as soon as the baked good had made its way down her throat. “W-What the… What is going on here?”

A familiar laughter entered her ears, and she turned around to see Twilight approaching her. “Sorry about that. It’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie.”

“Trixie meant the party, but your friend’s disrespect for the natural laws is also a concern to her.”

“Oh, right, the party.” Twilight pointed a hoof up to the ceiling above her. Looking up, Trixie could see a banner that read: ‘Welcome, Trixie Lulamoon! And congratulations Twilight and Trixie!’ “It’s a dual party. One for your welcoming to Ponyville, now that you’ve settled in, and one for the two of us getting together.”

“That’s… Trixie knows you’ve told her about this, but she never thought a Pinkie Pie party would be so…”

“Random?” Twilight offered.

Trixie nodded, and then realised something. “Did you tell Pinkie Pie Trixie’s last name?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. Maybe she heard it from somepony else? Maybe Lyra?”

“… Maybe. Trixie honestly doesn’t think she should question this particular friend of yours.” Trixie lowered her head and gave Twilight a sultry look as she stepped forward. “Anyway, we were interrupted earlier, in the library. Should we continue?”

“H-Here? Right now?” Twilight asked, her face turning red as she backed away. “I don’t think we should-”

“Don’t hold back on our account, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“C’mon you two! This’s your party, after all!” Applejack added, hoof bumping the blue Pegasus next to her.

Twilight tried to protest, but anything she said was drowned out by the ponies around Trixie and her cheering for the two of them to kiss. She turned back to Trixie, who had already puckered up and was leaning forward. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Twilight resigned herself to her fate, and leaned forward to meet Trixie’s lips.

As soon as she made contact, the embarrassment from kissing her marefriend in front of all her cheering friends died down somewhat, and the idea that she had fought with Trixie earlier and essentially lost a whole day with her made her feel completely stupid. She swore to herself that she would never do anything like that agai-

‘Wait…’

Twilight backed away as soon as Trixie began opening her mouth, and a strange taste entered her own. “Trixie… have you been drinking?”

Trixie gulped, and grinned sheepishly at Twilight. “Um… No?”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Really? Then you won’t mind if I use a quick spell to check?” Before Trixie could answer, Twilight’s horn lit up, and she leaned forward to cast a quick analyse spell on Trixie’s mouth. “… W-What the? What is this?”

“Okay! So Trixie had two gins! So what?”

“Trixie, just how many sweets have you had today?!” Twilight shouted, startling Trixie and silencing all of the ponies around them.

“O-Oh, that.”

“Answer the question!”

“Well, Trixie was upset! Sweet stuff helps her to relax!”

“I thought we agreed that you would cut back on sweet food after a certain sugar rush got you in trouble with the Las Pegasus police!”

“No, you agreed that Trixie would cut back! Trixie believes her exact words were: ‘No way! Meanie!’”

“Just how many other things have you been doing behind my back?!”

“How dare you?! Accusing Trixie like that! And you call yourself her marefriend?!”

“Marefriends aren’t supposed to lie to each other, you-”

“Okay! Time out!” Rainbow Dash shouted, placing herself between the two mares and extending her hooves to keep them at bay. “C’mon, guys! Didn’t you two just resolve a previous argument?”

“Yeah! Besides, this is a party!” Pinkie Pie shouted, motioning her hoof around the room. “You’re totally lowering the mood!”

“But she-” Twilight began, but was cut off by Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah, yeah. Listen, maybe we can resolve this in a better way than raised voices and name-calling, don’t ya think?” Rainbow moved closer to Twilight. “I think the only fair thing to do is to…” She leaned forward and whispered into Twilight’s ear. When she finished, a demonic grin spread on Twilight’s face. “Since she likes sweets so much, right?”

“Right,” Twilight said, turning towards a now worried-looking Trixie. “Okay, Trixie. I’ll forgive you… just as long as you take your just desserts like a mare.”

Trixie gulped, and looked around to see everypony looking at her expectantly. “Fine,” she sighed. “Let’s get this over with, whatever it i-” Before she could finish, a large cake collided with her face, and was accompanied by the sounds of laughter from many of the ponies around her. She used her magic to wipe the cake off of her face, and glared at the laughing purple Unicorn in front of her. “Oh, it is on, Sparkle!”

Trixie grabbed a piece of the cake from the floor with her magic, and threw it at her target. Twilight, acting on instinct, grabbed the nearest thing she could with her own magic and used it as a shield. Everypony gasped when the piece of cake collided with a certain rainbow-maned Pegasus, and the entire room froze as they awaited her reaction.

“… FOOD FIGHT!” Rainbow Dash shouted, grabbing a cake off of a nearby table and throwing it at Twilight. It missed, and hit Rarity instead, causing Applejack to laugh, which prompted Rarity to grab the cake and shove it into Applejack’s face.

Before long, the entire room became a full-out war zone, with everypony throwing food at some specific target, but with their attacks flying all over the room, hitting anypony unfortunate enough to be in the line of fire.

“Well, that was certainly different than most of the parties Trixie has previously been to,” Trixie said as she and Twilight walked together through the streets of Ponyville, both of them completely covered in bits of cake and frosting. “Well, except for one or two kids parties that Trixie once performed for, but even then, the adults never did anything like that.”

“I know what you mean,” Twilight giggled. “I was taken by surprise myself during Pinkie’s first ‘food fight party’. This kind of thing is just more common in Ponyville than it is in Canterlot.”

Trixie nodded, and then took a good look at Twilight as the moonlight lit her up. There was frosting all over her body. At first, Trixie suppressed her laughter as she looked at the frosting on her face and dripping from her coat, but then her face turned red and her heart started to beat faster as she moved her gaze down Twilight’s body, eventually reaching her flank, which was also coated in the sweet dessert.

“… It’s a shame we couldn’t actually eat any of that cake,” Trixie said, moving closer to Twilight and giving her a sly grin.

“I think you’ve had enough sweets for today. But we did miss dinner, so if you’re hungry, I guess I could fix something up when we get back.” Twilight looked herself over. “After a shower, of course. I really need to clean myself up.”

Trixie leaned towards Twilight, and said a low whisper: “Trixie was actually thinking of eating and cleaning up at the same time.”

“What do you-” Twilight turned to face Trixie, and stopped when she saw that look in Trixie’s eye. That same look she had seen many nights before with the showmare. That half-lidded, lust-filled gaze that told Twilight that there would be no sleep tonight. “Oh… Trixie,” she said in a sultry tone. “I don’t know… I was thinking of taking a morning jog tomorrow.”

“Cancel it,” Trixie said, reaching towards Twilight’s face and licking up some of the frosting on her face. Her lips then met with Twilight’s, and the two mares began kissing passionately in the middle of the street, not even caring who may happen to walk by.

Passing by the two mares with an exasperated sigh, Spike rolled his eyes and decided to leave them be, since he knew there’d be no getting through to them for a while now. “Great, more grossness… Why do adults like that kind of stuff so much?”

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Date

Rarity hummed as she walked through the streets of Ponyville with a bag of jewels at her side. Today had been especially kind to Rarity; she had intended to spend the entire afternoon looking for enough jewels for her latest project, but, as luck would have it, she struck the mother lode of rare gems, and was able to finish up early. Even if she didn’t have as many as she originally planned to have, with this kind of gem on her outfit, quantity wouldn’t matter.

“Just a quick stop to Ruby Necklace’s store to pick up my order, and then perhaps I could pay Fluttershy a friendly visit. Oh, wait, I believe she’s already made plans with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie today…”

“Thank you, ma’am. Please visit again!”

“Trixie will consider it.” Rarity stopped and stared as Trixie exited the store that she was about to enter. Trixie also stopped upon noticing the white Unicorn, and quickly hid the box she was holding in her magic behind her back. “Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon, Trixie. I thought you had a date with Twilight today?”

“Trixie does, but Twilight’s busy sorting out her inventory, and Trixie had to pick up… something.”

“Something?” Rarity asked with interest, leaning her head to the side to try and look at the box behind Trixie’s back.

“Yes, something. Anyway, Trixie should be getting back to the library now. The train will be leaving in-” Trixie looked up to see a clock in the distance. “-Twenty minutes! Oh, Trixie really should get moving! It will take about ten minutes just to get Twilight out of her tidiness frenzy.”

“I understand darling. Please tell Twilight I said ‘hello.’” Trixie nodded, and bolted off down the street. Rarity took a good look at the box on Trixie’s back. A small, purple velvet box, probably big enough to hold a ring, or a bracelet.

Shrugging it off, Rarity entered the store and greeted the owner, Ruby Necklace, who was also a good friend of hers. “Nice to see you again, Rarity,” Ruby said with a smile on her face. She stepped from behind her counter to give Rarity a friendly hug. “We really have to get together more often. Outside of work.”

“I couldn’t agree more. What would you say to dinner this Saturday? We can catch up with each other, share gossip stories we’ve heard… It’ll be just like old times!”

“Sounds great! I’m guessing you’re here right now for your order?” Rarity nodded, and Ruby walked over to her counter, motioning the Unicorn to follow her. “I tell you, you’re half the reason this place is still in business. The ponies of this town just aren’t that into fashion. The only customers I get besides you are those two rich fillies, but I can hardly pay off my debts on just their allowances.”

“I’m sorry to hear that business hasn’t been going so well. Have you not considered advertising to neighbouring towns and villages?”

Ruby sighed and shook her head. “You kidding? I’m barely getting by as it is, there’s no way I’d be able to afford something like that!” Ruby pulled a small blue velvet box out from under her counter, and presented it to Rarity. “Here you go. Your payment’s already been received.”

“Thank you, darling,” Rarity said as she opened the box up. She looked at the necklace inside with a smile on her face. Once again, Ruby had really outdone herself. Who said you could only find skilled jewellers in places like Canterlot, or Manehatten? Still, she felt sorry for her friend’s predicament, and her smile faded as she closed the box and slipped inside her bag. ‘If only there was something I could… A-ha!’

“Well, have a nice-”

“Ruby, dear, I have an idea!” Rarity suddenly declared. “I know where you can find a sponsor for your store!”

Ruby sighed. “I told you, I don’t have the money for something like that.”

Rarity smiled reassuringly at her friend. “Not to worry. The pony I’m thinking of is a friend of mine. If I ask her, I’m sure she’d be willing to do it for free! She does put on free shows, after all.”

“Well… that does sound tempting…”

“Trust me, my friend travels across all of Equestria, putting on her shows! She can advertise your jewellery in her shows, and even model them as she just walks around! I’m sure everypony will be asking her where she got such magnificent jewellery!”

Ruby blushed and turned away from Rarity. “You think so?”

“I do! Just leave it to me. Trixie is Twilight’s marefriend, after all, so even if I can’t reason with her, I’m sure I can get Twilight to help me out.”

“Wait, Trixie? As in, that pony who was just in here before you?”

“Oh, so you know each other then? Even better!”

Ruby shook her head. “No, I just know her name because she goes around announcing it all the time…” A giggle escaped Ruby’s lips. “Yeah, I guess she’d be pretty good at advertising. She’s certainly able to draw ponies’ attentions towards herself.”

Rarity suddenly remembered the small box she had seen Trixie carrying earlier, and her curiosity returned to her. “By the way, if it’s not too much trouble, what exactly did Trixie buy from here? Just out of curiosity.”

“It was a ring,” Ruby said. “A ring with a diamond on it. I guess she’s planning to propose to that marefriend of hers. How nice,” she added with a sigh. “I wish I had somepony like that…”

Rarity didn’t register her last comment. She was too busy hanging her jaw open, gaping at the air in front of her as she tried to convince herself that she had misheard. “D-Did you say… that Trixie bought an engagement ring?”

Ruby nodded. “Yeah, that’s ri-”

Rarity quickly turned around and bolted towards the door. “Sorry, I have to go! I’ll see you this Saturday, right?”

Before Ruby could answer, Rarity was out of the door so fast that she left a trail of dust behind her. Ruby blinked a few times, but then shrugged it off. “That mare never changes. Always so excited about even the slightest bit of gossip…”

Fifteen minutes later, Rarity was hanging outside of the library, peeking into the window along with Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, who she had happened to run into on the way there. Applejack spotted them halfway through their spying, and when she shared the news of Trixie’s proposal, she quickly dropped what she was doing to join them.

Inside the library, the ponies could see Trixie open the box and levitate the ring from inside. “Oh my gosh!” Pinkie Pie shouted, quickly being shushed by her friends. “It’s… It’s…”

“It’s gorgeous,” Rarity said.

Applejack whistled in appreciation of the ring that Trixie had picked up. “Twilight’s gonna have a hard time saying ‘no’ ta that, that’s fer sure.”

“If she does, I call dibs on it!” Rarity said, her eyes sparkling as she pressed her face against the glass window in a vain attempt to get closer to the magnificent ring, and the diamond sitting on top.

“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Rainbow Dash said. “It’s just a rock on a ring.”

Rarity and Fluttershy both gasped in shock. “How could you say that?” Rarity asked.

“Relax, Rarity,” Applejack said, placing a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “Rainbow’s not the type that’s interested in jewellery. Not unless it’s a collector’s ring from a box of Wonderbolts cereal.”

Rainbow Dash turned her head away and scoffed. “I just don’t see what the big deal is. You find diamonds all the time with that spell of yours. What’s so special about this one in particular?”

“Well for starters, it is of the highest quality diamond!” Rarity started.

“Here we go,” Applejack said, rolling her eyes. “Nice goin’, Rainbow.”

“So, when do you think she’s going to ask her?” Fluttershy asked.

“Maybe it’ll be on their date today?” Pinkie Pie suggested.

“She’s gonna propose at a theme park? Doesn’t seem very romantic if’n ya ask me.”

Something clicked in Rainbow Dash’s mind, and she quickly turned her attention back to her friends. “Hey, wait. Isn’t today supposed to be the opening of that new attraction? The romantic thingy?”

“You mean the seven-star restaurant that will hold a play of the romance story ‘Titanic’, with famous actors from all over Equestria, such as Theatric Flare, Glamour Model, and Nightshade?” Everypony gave Fluttershy odd looks at just how much she knew about this restaurant. Even Rarity, who had stopped ranting about diamonds sometime whilst Fluttershy was speaking. “I, uh… read brochures,” she timidly explained, a blush creeping onto her face. She gave her friends a nervous smile, and they quickly focused their attentions back on Trixie.

“Looks like Twilight’s comin’,” Applejack said as a purple Unicorn made their way down the stairs inside the library. Trixie quickly put the ring back inside the box, and hid the box underneath the table.

The two ponies inside began speaking to each other, but those outside couldn’t hear a word that was being said. Soon afterwards, Twilight wandered off to another part of the room, where she began packing some lunches into her saddlebags. Trixie got up and walked off to grab her cape. She left her hat on the stand next to the door, and instead put a manepin in her mane, the one which had the pattern on Twilight Sparkle’s Cutie Mark.

Twilight herself was wearing her ‘Trixie manepin’, and as soon as she was done packing, she made her way to the door and opened it up. The five friends quickly ducked down into the bush.

“You ready to go?” Twilight asked.

“One second,” they heard Trixie say back to her. They heard hoofsteps inside the library, which grew more distant at first, but then soon grew louder again, telling them that Trixie was now approaching Twilight. “Okay, all ready.”

“Great! Then let’s go!”

The five ponies in hiding waited until they were sure that Twilight was gone before they re-emerged from the bushes, with Pinkie Pie smacking the left side of her head to force leaves out of her right ear.

“Soooo… we’re followin’ ‘em, right?” Applejack asked, receiving nods from the other mares, minus Fluttershy.

“Duh!” Pinkie Pie said. “We have to follow them! This is gonna be huge! Trixie’s going to propose to her, and Twilight’s gonna say ‘yes’, and they’ll both be so happy! And then, we’ll jump out and shout: ‘SURPRISE!’” The other mares winced at Pinkie’s unusually high-pitched voice. “And then they’ll be even more happy ‘cause they’ll have all their friends there to celebrate with them!”

“Now hold on, everypony,” Fluttershy said. “I don’t think it’s right to go around following our friend without her permission like that.”

“I agree with Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said, earning surprised looks from her friends, with the exception of Fluttershy, who was giving her a proud smile. “On the other hoof, I’ve got the day off today… and it’s been a while since I’ve been to a theme park before.” She gave a wink and a sly grin to her friends, who acknowledged with their own grins. Fluttershy sighed and frowned at the ground.

“C’mon, Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie said, wrapping a foreleg around her friend’s shoulders. “Aren’t you totally-super-curious to see how it will go?”

“Well… maybe a little bit,” she said. She saw the unconvinced looks from her friends, and let out a small whimper. “Okay, more than a little… Okay, I’m really, really, really, really curious, but I… Oh, what the hay! Let’s do it!”

“Al-right!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, jumping into the air and doing a flip. “You heard her! Let’s get going!”

“Going where?” The ponies turned around to see Spike, giving them strange looks, which wasn’t surprising considering that they were in a bush.

Rainbow Dash grinned, and flew down to Spike to wrap a wing around him. “Hey Spike, guess who’s getting a new sister-in-law.”

Twilight looked at the map in front of her with great excitement showing clearly on her face. “According to the map, the nearest attraction is the Journey to Flutter Valley roller coaster, but that has a waiting time of seventy minutes. In contrast, the Sea Pony Adventure log flume, though a little out of the way, has a wait time of only fifteen minutes, and we can dry off on the other rides afterwards.”

Twilight folded the map up and placed it into her bag. “Well? What do you think, Trixie?”

Trixie bit into her churro and looked up at the larger map on display in front of the two Unicorns, which Twilight had apparently missed. “Trixie thinks it would be logical to ride the flume first, but on the other hoof, waiting in line doesn’t sound all that bad either… if it’s with you.” She gave Twilight a wink, and the other mare giggled in response.

“Well, you say that now, but I know how you get bored very easily, and I’d rather not risk getting kicked out because somepony can’t keep her hooves to herself after half an hour of doing nothing.”

“That was one time, and it’s not like we were the only ones! Who said it was a crime to make out with your marefriend whilst waiting in line, anyway?”

“Nopony, but when you’re running your hooves along your marefriend’s flanks, it’s called indecent conduct.”

Trixie finished off her snack and tossed the paper wrapping it came with into a nearby bin. “Well then, it seems we are riding the water ride first. And then afterwards, we can dry off on the Haunted Paradise Estate attraction.” Trixie pointed to said ride on the map, showing that it was practically right next to the log flume. She heard giggling beside her, and wondered what Twilight found so amusing.

“You got a little something on your face,” Twilight said, opening her bag and pulling out a hoofkerchief. “Here, let me handle it.” She ran it across Trixie’s muzzle before the blue mare could say anything, and ignored the muffled protests as she wiped the crumbs away from Trixie’s face. Once she was done, she removed the hoofkerchief to check her work. “There, all better!”

“A mirror would have been just fine, you know?” Trixie asked as she turned her head away to hide her blush.

“What, are you getting shy now?” Twilight teased as she moved closer to Trixie, who simply back away in response. “Ooh, I see. It’s okay if I’m the one getting embarrassed, but if it’s just you, you don’t like it.”

“Glad we have an understanding. Now let’s go.” Trixie began walking away on her own, but soon slowed down when she felt something tugging her right forehoof. She turned to see Twilight smiling at her, locking hooves with Trixie.

“Why the rush? Let’s take our time.”

Trixie returned Twilight’s smile, and the two continued to walk at a leisurely pace as they talked about all manner of things.

“Looks like they’re headin’ for the flume,” Rainbow Dash announced into her walkie-talkie. Beside her, Rarity, Lyra, and Bon Bon began to follow the two mares. “We’ll keep on their tails, and we’ll swap after they get on a ride.”

“Okey-dokey-lokey!” Pinkie Pie’s voice boomed out from the communications device. “Ooh, it’s our turn to ride the teacups! BRB!”

Rainbow Dash put the device away into her bag, and ran to catch up with the other members of her group. “You two sure you wanna be spending your days off with us?” she asked Lyra and Bon Bon once she had caught up to them.

“If you recall,” Bon Bon started, “I insisted on letting the two have their privacy.” She shot a sideways glare at her marefriend walking beside her. “But somepony apparently had the final say in my decision.”

Lyra laughed and wrapped her foreleg around Bon Bon. “C’mon, it’ll be fun! ‘Sides, weren’t you saying it would be nice to go out and do something together today?”

“I meant something that wouldn’t be such a burden on my wallet! The candy store hasn’t been doing so well lately. Not since Minuette scared every single foal in town with that stupid cavity video.” The cream mare let out a disgruntled growl at the image of the dentist pony. “On the other hoof, I hear her business has been booming these past few days, with foals wanting checkups, just to be safe.”

“Eh, can’t win ‘em all,” Lyra said, planting a soft kiss on Bon Bon’s cheek.

“It’s easy for you to say that! You’re the only pony who plays the lyre in all of Ponyville! You’ve got no rival businesses to deal with-” She stopped for a moment to scowl at the image of a certain pink pony and her two employers. “-And it’s not like anypony can find a reason to hate lyre playing. It’s quiet and soothing, after all.”

“Hey, looks like they’re getting in line,” Rainbow Dash said as she lowered down to the ground. “What should we do?”

“We’ll blow our cover if we follow them,” Rarity said. “And we can’t wait for them at the exit, either. Most troublesome.”

Lyra turned her attention towards a nearby gift shop, where she noticed bright yellow ponchos being sold. She noticed that a lot of ponies in the line for the log flume were wearing these. “I got an idea.”

After about ten minutes of waiting in line, Trixie was beginning to get bored. Along the line, there was a series of boards, each one containing a question for foals to have a go at, and an answer to the previous board’s question. But they were simple questions, such as: ‘What is the chemical formula for water?’, or ‘how many Sea Pony characters can you name from cartoons?’.

Trixie tried to pass the time by poking Twilight repeatedly, but after the hundredth poke (she counted, that’s how bored she was), Twilight used her magic to form a protective shield around herself. After that, she tried to just walk around in circles for a bit, but that only made her dizzy, and didn’t pass the time at all.

Naturally, Twilight tried to engage Trixie in conversation, but even then, something about just standing in line for long periods of time seemed to really rile the showmare up.

“Trixie, can’t you calm down a bit? Why don’t you tell me what you and Sweetie Belle have been up to for the past few days?”

“She thinks her special talent may include magic, so she’s been asking Trixie to train her,” Trixie said, tapping her forehooves against the ground repeatedly. “Can’t this line move any faster?!”

“What is it with you and lines, anyway? And why would Sweetie Belle be asking you to teach her magic? She already came to me before, after all.”

“She said that you’re dull, and use too many big words that she doesn’t understand, and that you give her tests and are a strict teacher.” Trixie bucked the post behind her, startling a few of the ponies nearby. “And Trixie doesn’t know, she just hates waiting in line! Ponies are supposed to line up for Trixie, not the other way around!”

“Just calm down!” Twilight turned around and apologised to the ponies around her on Trixie’s behalf. “And what is Sweetie Belle talking about? I’m not strict! I just want to make sure that if I’m teaching somepony something, they’re actually paying attention! The tests are just to make sure she’s learning, and the ‘big words’ are necessary if she wants to graduate with honours and move on to earn a degree!”

“Trixie doesn’t think Sweetie Belle wants that,” Trixie deadpanned, causing Twilight to blush. “She just wants to learn the basics, to see if it’s her talent. She may not be far off, but she’s practicing the wrong kinds of magic. Trixie tried to explain this to her, but…”

“She said you were being dull and hard to understand?” Twilight guessed, and Trixie nodded. There was a hint of sadness in Trixie’s face, and Twilight leaned forward to hug her. “There, there. Nopony ever said being a teacher is easy. Just ask Cheerilee.”

“Well, it got worse when Snips and Snails found out. Now Trixie has three students, who all want her to teach them magic that they’re just not suited for! Trixie doesn’t even know how to teach them. Magic just comes naturally to Trixie.”

“What about your lessons from school? Can’t you just repeat them?”

“Trixie never paid much attention. The lecturers were so boring, and Trixie always found teaching herself magic to be a more effective method. The school just gave Trixie access to more material, and helped her with the few areas she had trouble grasping on her own.”

“The line’s moving,” Twilight pointed out, and the two Unicorns began to move down the line. “If you don’t want to teach them, why don’t you just say no?”

“Could you say no to this?” Trixie’s ear flattened against the sides of her head, and her eye began to tear up as her lips curled into a pout. She gave Twilight the most adorably pleading face she could, making sure their eyes always maintained contact.

“O-Okay, I see your point.” Trixie undid the face, and allowed Twilight some time to recover. ‘I need to find some way to combat that. It’s just too cute!’

“Oh, it looks like it’s our turn!” Trixie said excitedly as she began to move forward with the line.

“See? That wasn’t so bad, was-” Twilight was cut off as the rope at the end of the queue was hooked back onto its post, stopping the two mares from entering.

“Sorry, you’ll be on the next one,” the stallion on the other side of the rope said.

Twilight noticed Trixie’s ears beginning to fume, and acted quickly to make sure the blue mare didn’t lash out. She wrapped her forelegs around Trixie’s neck and started nuzzling quickly. ‘Please don’t get us kicked out, please don’t get us kicked out!’ It seemed to work; Trixie slowly began to calm down, and managed to keep her emotions in check as the log flume completed its round. Finally, the two were able to take her turn.

The two approached the log, and Twilight decided to let Trixie sit in the front, for two reasons: one, to use her as a shield against splashing water, and two, to make sure that Trixie didn’t try anything risky during the ride.

Trixie took her seat in the front, and suddenly felt an uneasy feeling wash over her body. Twilight noticed that Trixie was shivering, and gave her a concerned look. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Trixie nodded. “Just cold, that’s all.”

Twilight smiled and snuggled up close to Trixie from behind her. “Does this help?”

“Yeah,” Trixie said, though it was a lie. For some reason, as the ride set in motion, her heart began to thump quickly in her chest, and she felt a terrible chill run down her spine. ‘What’s going on? Why am I feeling like this?’

As the ride progressed, she soon understood what this uneasy feeling was. This feeling that she hadn’t felt since a certain incident weeks ago. An incident that cost her her left eye. The ride was a journey through a wrecked ship, with automated sea ponies popping up every now and then to spray the ponies riding with water.

Whilst Twilight simply giggle and wrapped her forelegs tighter around Trixie’s chest, Trixie’s breathing steadily increased, and her face twisted in fear as several images flashed through her brain. Images of the kraken attacking the ship, and of her body freezing up as debris began to fly everywhere.

When the big drop came, the worst memory of all sank in. The memory of her sinking down into the ocean depths, her body freezing, and her vision blurry as she watched a trail of red mist moving up in front of her.

‘No…’ Trixie leaned her head down and covered it with her forelegs. “NOOOOOO!”

“Trixie?! What’s wrong?!”

As the log dropped down, Trixie continued to scream, not from excitement, but from fear. Even after it was over, and they were returning to the start, Trixie continued to tremble and scream. Many ponies looked at the scene with concern, some wondering if the pony was okay, and others more worried about the ride itself, wondering if she had hurt herself because of it.

It took two stallions and Twilight to get Trixie out and escort her to a bench outside of the ride area. Twilight assured the park staff that they were just fine, and that she could take it from there. As soon as Trixie had calmed down and was finished crying, Twilight asked her if she could explain what had happened to her. Trixie only responded by bringing her hoof up to her eye patch.

“I see,” Twilight said, holding Trixie close to her. “You were reminded of… that, weren’t you?” Trixie nodded silently. “Well, don’t worry! You’re safe now, and I won’t let anything bad happen to you ever again!”

Trixie let out a few sniffles, before finally speaking up again. “Thank you. And I’m sorry I ruined our day together.”

“What are you talking about? We’ve still got plenty of time left!” Twilight jumped off of the bench and pulled Trixie up onto her hooves. “C’mon, let’s go to the Haunted Paradise Estate attraction! Last pony there pays for dinner!”

Trixie quickly perked up, and began to chase after the running Twilight. “No fair! You had a head start!”

“I need a handicap, against the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

Trixie pouted at Twilight’s pitiful attempt of an excuse… but knew that she couldn’t dispute it; she was great and powerful, after all.

“Oh my. What do you think could have happened to her?” Rarity asked as she watched the two mares running away together.

“Who knows? But she looks fine now,” Rainbow Dash responded. “Well, they’re Pinkie’s group’s problem now. Let’s go try out this ride!”

“And ruin my beautiful mane?!” Rarity exclaimed in shock. “There is a reason I refused to stand in the splash zone with you three!”

“Alright, fine. Suit yourself. Lyra, Bon Bon, you coming?” Rainbow Dash looked over at the two mares, who were still standing the splash zone of the ride. Lyra was jumping up-and-down in excitement every time the log dropped down and caused a huge splash, whilst Bon Bon had a look that clearly showed she didn’t want to be there at all.

“I’ll be right there, Rainbow Dash,” Bon Bon said as she turned around and walked away from her marefriend.

“I’ll just stay here!” Lyra said. “I’ll cheer for you two when you come down!”

‘Cheer in what way? And why?’ Bon Bon shook her head, and walked with Rainbow Dash to the start of the ride’s queue. ‘Whatever, at least I’m not stuck with that crazy pink pony.’

“Tonight, the night shall last FOREVER!” A cackling laughter followed the terrifying proclamation, along with flashes of light and roaring thunder. In the small, cramped room, foals began to cling to their parents or guardians, and mares to their special someponies… and one teenage colt also wrapped his forelegs around another colt, letting out a whimper at the ghastly figure lingering above them.

“You don’t seem to be so scared, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie whispered to the purple Unicorn, a little disappointed that she wasn’t grabbing onto her for protection. “Y’know, you don’t have to hold back on Trixie’s account.”

Twilight shook her head. “When you’ve seen the real thing, a fake just isn’t that scary.”

“True,” Trixie responded. Twilight looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“You’ve seen her before?”

“Hm? Oh, no…” Trixie hesitated for a second, but then shook her head. “No, Trixie hasn’t. But she’s seen scarier things than this. That was what Trixie was referring to.”

“Oh, right…” ‘I guess eternal night doesn’t seem so scary, when you’ve lived your life all alone.’ Twilight held Trixie’s hoof tightly, and shot her a smile. “Don’t let go, okay?”

Trixie gave Twilight a grin. “Scared of the dark, Twilight? At you age?”

“Not with you around,” Twilight responded playfully.

The image of Nightmare Moon began to scream in agony as she was blasted by a blinding light. The image of a regal white Alicorn took her place, and the room started to light up. The sound of a mare’s voice could then be heard from the speaker on the walls.

“As Princess Celestia locked Nightmare Moon away, saving all of Equestria from eternal night, the messenger of darkness lay one final curse on the land: Paradise Estate, the former home of Princess Celestia and her sister, Princess Luna, became warped and twisted by darkness. Under Royal decree, the house was to be locked away forever, lest all of the terrifying apparitions of the dark be unleashed upon the land.

“For one thousand years, nopony has stepped even one hoof into Paradise Estate… until now.” The doors at the front of the room creaked open, and the temperature suddenly dropped, causing everypony to shiver as a chill filled the room. “Now, we step into a world similar to Tartarus. Now, we brave the terrors of Paradise Estate. MWUHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“The laugh was kind of overkill,” Trixie said as she stepped forward, Twilight following right next to her. “Of course, nopony knows what the inside of Paradise Estate really looks like. Well, maybe the Princesses…”

“Still, I’ve heard good things about this attraction. Who knows, it may even be able to scare you.”

“Hmph! Not a chance!” Trixie proclaimed proudly, holding her head up high as the two mares continued to walk together. Suddenly, the lights went out all at once, and the ponies around them began to scream. “Wait, is the floor moving?!”

Suddenly, the sounds of doors slamming shut could be heard, and the lights turned back on. Twilight and Trixie looked around to find that they were still in the same corridor as before, but with one difference: there were two closed doors where there was previously nothing. Now, they were trapped, and before Trixie could try either of the doors, she noticed that the floor was also moving downwards, as If they were on an elevator.

DING!

One of the doors opened slowly, creaking as it did so. Trixie walked outside cautiously, with Twilight following closely behind her. “Hello?” Trixie called out, wondering if anypony else was down there with them.

“Hi!” a loud, cheery voice called out. The two mares looked up to see a white Pegasus pony with a curly blonde mane floating above them, with a huge smile on her face. A floating Pegasus would have been nothing unusual, had it also not been completely transparent. The Pegasus reached forward, and her hoof ran right through Trixie’s face, causing the blue mare to suddenly back up a bit. “I’m Surprise! What’s your name?”

“T-T-Trixie…” Trixie cleared her throat, and stood her ground bravely. ‘Twilight’s watching. I have to look good!’ “Nice try, but the Great and Powerful Trixie isn’t surprised by such foalish trickery. Honestly, a ghost in a haunted house… Who wouldn’t be expecting that?”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “Sorry, ‘Surprise’, but you’re going to have to try harder than that to scare us.”

Surprise looked down at them with a confused look on her face. “Haunted house? Why does everypony keep thinking that this is a haunted house?”

“Uh, ‘cause it is?” Trixie said.

Surprise shook her head. “Nuh-huh! I’ve been living down here for one thousand years, ever since that meany pants Nightmare… whatever, took away my old home, Paradise Estate! Seriously, even a ghost can’t live there anymore.”

“Uh-huh. Nice story, but we should probably just get going now,” Twilight said, taking a look around the room. “… Where’s the exit?”

“Look,” Trixie said, pointing towards a door in the distance. “That must be it. C’mon, let’s go see what ‘horrors’ await us further ahead.”

Twilight giggled, and then followed Trixie towards the door. Suddenly, Surprise shouted over to them: “Good luck! Nopony else has ever made it out of this place alive before!”

Trixie rolled her eyes, and then opened the door. Her face suddenly paled, however, and then she slammed the door shut. ‘Was that-No, it’s just another trick. Deep breath, Trixie. Twilight’s still watching you, after all.’

“Trixie? What’s wrong?” Twilight asked. After receiving no answer, she opened the door herself… and immediately jumped back and screamed at what she saw. It was one of the ponies that they had seen in the elevator earlier, only he was lying on the floor, with a knife pierced into his back, and blood pouring out of the wound. “T-T-That’s…”

“Oh dear, not another one,” Surprise said, startling the purple Unicorn. “Ponies are always coming down here, and then they die in under an hour.”

Twilight stepped back quickly. This wasn’t a prop, there was just no way. After all, this was just a random park attendee, that just so happened to enter the attraction with the rest of the group.

“Twilight,” Trixie called out, but it was too late now. Twilight was freaked out, and she immediately turned tail and ran full gallop back towards the elevator that had brought them down here, screaming at the top of her lungs. “Wait, Twilight, it’s just an illusion! Watch!” Trixie turned back to the corpse and lit up her horn. She waited for a few seconds for the illusion to disappear… Any second now… “Uh…”

Suddenly, the showmare heard a scream from above, and looked up to see something falling down. It landed on a large stalagmite, sticking up from the ground, and the screaming stopped, instead replaced by a gurgling sound as the pony that was impaled by the sharp rock began to squirm and pant for breath. Trixie recognised it as another one of the ponies from the elevator.

“T-They’re not illusions?” A cold wind blew through the room, chilling Trixie down to her core. As if to finish her off, the ghostly hooves of Surprise wrapped around her neck, and the apparition leaned in to whisper into Trixie’s ear.

“Boo.”

“KYAAAAAAAAAAA!” Trixie immediately pulled off her best impression of Twilight turning tail and running away, screaming as she passed straight through the ghost of Surprise. As she entered the elevator, where Twilight was waiting, she immediately flew into the other mare’s embrace, and the elevator began to move up once again. Below them, the sounds of Surprise’s laughter could be heard echoing, until they were finally high enough up that the sounds couldn’t reach them.

“We were completely fooled, huh?” Trixie said as she held her forehoof to her face. Twilight sat beside her, frowning at the picture that was offered to them at the end of their journey through the haunted house. A picture of herself running away, screaming at the top of her lungs. Trixie had a similar one, which featured herself, instead of Twilight. Apparently, these were complimentary gifts to everypony that had ‘survived’ the journey through Haunted Paradise Estate.

“How did they do it?” Twilight asked, looking over at the stallion that she had seen lying on the floor, dead. “Was he in on this? What about the other one?”

“The stallion most likely works for the park, yes. That would explain why Trixie’s illusion detection spell failed to work on him. Of course, they could see that Trixie was a little less eager to jump to conclusions than you-” Twilight shot Trixie a glare, but she nonetheless continued her explanation. “-Hence they had to do something to prevent Trixie from examining the ‘corpse’. The mare that came crashing down earlier was simply an illusion of one of the random visitors to the attraction that we saw in the elevator. Since Trixie had already checked for illusions, it didn’t cross her mind that the only the second one was one. At least not until she had some time to calm down and think about it rationally.”

“Makes sense,” Twilight said, sighing as she folded her picture up and put it away into her bag. “I’ve got to admit, they really deserve the reputation they’ve got.”

“For the record, Twilight, the Great and Powerful Trixie was not scared one bit, and was simply humouring these foals and their childish games.”

Twilight looked up into Trixie’s eye. “Got it, and I didn’t cry into your shoulder on the elevator ride up.”

“Deal.”

The two shook hooves, and then left the gift shop at the end of the attraction. As they walked through the park, discussing where to go next as Twilight pulled out her map, Trixie dropped the picture of her running away with fear on her face, and used her magic to set it ablaze.

“Look, lady, we gave full warning to all ponies that this attraction isn’t for the faint-hearted! If your friend got scared, that just means we did a good job!”

“Now you list’n here!” Applejack shouted back. “Scaring ponies is one thing, but our friend passed out from yer stupid haunted house thingy! And then she had nightmares, and-” Applejack decided to withhold information about Fluttershy’s ‘accident’. “Anyway, ya went too far! What if she had had a heart attack or somethin’?!”

“Listen, we’re sorry about your friend, but it’s a haunted house! What did you expect, foals frolicking together under a nice, beautiful rainbow?”

“A-Applejack,” Fluttershy timidly said, “I-It’s fine, I don’t want to be the cause of any trouble.”

“See? She’s fine! There’s no problem whatsoever!”

“Why you-”

Fluttershy put her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, and cut her off. “Applejack, maybe we should just leave. Pinkie Pie and Spike are still waiting for us outside, and we might lose Twilight and Trixie.”

Applejack scowled at the businesspony in front of her, before sighing and turning around. “Fine, let’s go.”

The two mares left the office, Fluttershy offering a polite bow on her way out.

“Man, I’ve seen some strange mares in my time, but… And what was with those cloaks, anyway?”

“Hey Twilight, let’s get some cotton candy!” Twilight narrowed her eyes at Trixie, who flinched in response. “W-What? Surely one stick won’t hurt. C’mon…”

“Ugh, fine. But just one! And only a small one.”

“Stingy,” Trixie muttered as she and Twilight walked over to a nearby cotton candy stand. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will have the biggest size cotton candy you have!”

“The smallest size,” Twilight correct, nudging Trixie’s side.

“… Fine, the smallest size, then.”

“Coming right up, my dear!” the stallion at the stand said. He lifted a stick up with his magic and ran it into some strange machine.

“Wait a minute… Flim?!”

“Flam, actually,” the stallion corrected. “Flim’s taking a break right now. Here’s your cotton candy! That’ll be three bits.”

Trixie levitated some money over to Flam, and took the delicious sugary treat into her magic. She bit into it almost immediately, and her entire face lit up.

“What are you doing here?” Twilight asked. “I thought you were running a lottery now.”

“We do lots of things!” Flam responded. “Apple cider, lottery, cotton candy, you name it, and Flim and Flam are selling it!”

“Wow… Sounds like you two get around a lot.”

“Sure do! By the way, would you like some wipes for when your marefriend’s finished eating? They only cost a bit more.”

Twilight looked to her side, and saw Trixie finishing off her snack. Bits of cotton candy were stuck to her coat around her mouth, making her muzzle a sticky mess. “Uh… yes please,” she said, trying hard not to giggle at the state that Trixie was in.

“Here you go, my dear! And make sure you tell your other friends to stop by too!”

“My other friends?” Twilight asked as she exchanged a one bit for a wet wipe. She levitated the wipe over to Trixie’s mouth, and began to clean it vigorously. “What do you mean?”

“Oh? Didn’t they come with you? I noticed them following you around earlier, so I just assumed you came as a group, and they were simply giving you two lovebirds some space.”

Twilight blushed at the term ‘lovebirds’, but was paying more attention to what he had said before that. “Our friends have been following us around?” Twilight looked around cautiously, and then turned her attention back to Trixie, who was just finishing up her cotton candy treat. “… C’mon, Trixie. Let’s go.”

Twilight grabbed Trixie’s hoof and began to lead her away. “Wha-Wait. Where are we going?”

“We’re gonna lose ‘em! Get ready to run!”

“What? Wait, TwiLIIIIIIIGHT!”

Rainbow Dash landed on the ground in front of Applejack, and shook her head with a frown on her face.

“Darn it! How in Equestria did they manage to lose us?” Applejack asked, looking over the other ponies with them. Actually, it seemed rather easy… Spike was too busy buying things left and right, and at one point had run off with Pinkie Pie to just go and ride all of the rides around them. Lyra and Bon Bon were in the middle of a lover’s spat, and Fluttershy had been feeling down ever since the entire haunted house fiasco.

The only ones who had been properly paying attention to their targets were Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. Applejack let out a defeated sigh, and shook her head. “Ah guess that’s it, then. We’ll just have ta call it a day, ah guess.”

“Not quite, Applejack darling,” Rarity said, grinning at the orange Earth Pony. “Let’s not forget where Trixie is going to propose to Twilight. We’ll just have to meet back up with them there.”

“But we don’t have reservations. How can we-”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.” Rarity levitated a small mirror out of her saddlebag, and made sure that her mane was adequately pretty. “Just leave it to me,” she said with a wink. “You’ll be surprised at what a little feminine touch can accomplish.”

“Can’t believe that worked,” Applejack said as she took her seat at one of the tables in the restaurant. From where they were sitting, they could easily get a good view of Twilight and Trixie at their table, but were at no risk of being spotted themselves. Just as long as a certain hyperactive pink pony could remain calm for a short while, and not draw attention to herself.

“Oh, Applejack. You do continue to underestimate me, don’t you?” Rarity took a sip of her wine as she wore a proud smile on her face.

“By ‘feminine touch’, ah didn’t think ya meant trickin’ security into leaving their post so we could sneak in. Ye’re jus’ full of surprises, ain’tcha?”

“Well naturally, my original plan was to make them fall head-over-heels in love with me, to acquire free admission inside… but did you see the clothes they were wearing? Absolutely hideous! An insult to fashion everywhere! I couldn’t possibly flirt with somepony who dresses so… so… Ugh! I don’t even have a word for it.”

Rainbow Dash poked her head out to check on Twilight and Trixie. “So, when do you think she’s gonna pop the question?” she asked.

“Hopefully soon,” Rarity said. “The play doesn’t exactly end on a happy note, so proposing at the end of it just wouldn’t be good timing.”

“Ooh! Maybe she hid the ring in the cake they’re eating!” Pinkie Pie suggested as she watched a waiter pony bring over a chocolate cake to their table. Everyone watched in anticipation as Twilight sliced through the cake and began to eat a slice of it… and then another. And another. And…

“No, it doesn’t look like it,” Lyra said, frowning as she turned her attention back to her menu. “Man, she sure is taking her time with it.”

“Maybe she’s feeling nervous?” Fluttershy suggested.

“You mean she has cold hooves?” Rainbow Dash asked, receiving a nod from the other Pegasus. “She’d better not have! We paid good money to come and see her propose to our friend! That… kinda sounds creepy, doesn’t it?”

“Just a tad,” Rarity said, but then immediately perked up as she saw Trixie getting down on one knee. “Oh my gosh! This is it!”

Everyone stared at the two mares again, waiting for Trixie to pull out the ring and pop the question… only to instead see the mare picking something up off of the floor – a cherry that seemed to have fallen off of the cake – and then climb back into her seat.

“UGH!” Bon Bon slammed her hooves onto her table in frustration. “What is she doing?! Just ask the stupid question already!”

“Hey, Bons,” Lyra said, trying to calm the Earth Pony down, “Just relax. I’m sure she’s just waiting for the mood to be just perfect.”

“Well, she’d better hurry up,” Spike said. “The show’s gonna start soon, and she can’t ask in the middle of it, right?”

“What about during one of the intermissions?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Rarity shook her head. “There won’t be any intermissions. It’s not exactly a long show, after all.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me! Then, when is she going to-”

“Twilight, wait!” Trixie shouted, prompting everyone to turn around to see what was wrong. They saw Twilight running through the restaurant with a foreleg covering her eyes, and Trixie chasing after her.

“W-What happened?” Fluttershy asked.

“I don’t know,” Rarity answered. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

Rainbow Dash got up out of her seat, followed by Applejack. “We’ll go see what’s going on. You guys wait here.” The rest of the group nodded, and the two mares quickly ran out of the restaurant to chase after their friends.

Applejack’s face hardened as she follow Rainbow Dash through the corridor outside. ‘Twilight… was she cryin’?’

The two saw Trixie entering a restroom, and quickly followed her inside. They didn’t know what was going on, but they had both seen their friend running out of the restaurant with tears in her eyes. And they weren’t going to let anypony get away with that.

“TWILIGHT!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she burst inside the restroom.

“Yes?” was the calm response she received from the purple Unicorn inside, who was smiling at her Pegasus friend with tears in her eyes.

“T-Twilight? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Of course she is,” a voice said from behind the two concerned mares. Rainbow Dash and Applejack turned around to see Trixie standing before them, wearing that same cocky grin on her face that they saw during her performances. “Just a little tear powder, that’s all.”

“Tear powder?” Applejack questioned. She put two and two together in her mind, and slapped a hoof against her face. “… Ya knew we were watchin’ you, didn’tcha?

“Yes, we did,” Twilight said, frowning at her two friends. “And quite frankly, I’m rather disappointed in all of you. Not to mention shocked! I would expect this from Rarity and Lyra, and maybe from Pinkie Pie, but not from you girls!”

“Twilight, we can explain,” Applejack started, but was cut off by Twilight.

“Hold on. Let’s hear it when all of you are present, okay?”

Trixie couldn’t stop laughing. Twilight, on the other hoof, was doing a much better job at holding herself back. The seven ponies and one dragon around them were bright-red, having just admitted to Twilight and Trixie why they had been following them.

“You thought… that Trixie was going to propose to me?” Twilight asked in a stunned tone.

“Oh Celestia, that is too rich!” Trixie said, still having a laughing fit on the table in front of her. “What made you think that Trixie would propose to Twilight in a place like this?”

“W-Well,” Rarity started, wondering in the back of her mind what problems Trixie could have had proposing in this restaurant, “We saw the ring, darling. The engagement ring you bought from Ruby’s shop.”

“That wasn’t an engagement ring,” Twilight said. “That was a present for my mother, who we’ll be visiting together next week. She lost her favourite ring, so I asked Ruby to make a replica of it, and then asked Trixie to pick it up.” Twilight turned her attention to Trixie and gave the showmare a hard glare. “I also asked her not to take the ring out of the box. So how did they know about it?”

Trixie stopped laughing, and quickly tried to think of something to say in response. When nothing came to her, she simply leaned over onto Twilight’s shoulder, and began nuzzling the purple mare. “Trixie’s sorry, Twiliiiiight. Can you forgive her?”

Twilight sighed, and pushed Trixie away from her. “Honestly, girls. Even if it did look like Trixie was going to propose to me, you shouldn’t have invaded our privacy like that.”

“Ah know, and ah’m sorry Twilight. It’s just… ah wanted ta make sure everythin’ went alright with you two,” Applejack said, taking her hat off and bowing in apology.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout all this,” Rainbow Dash added, and the rest of the groups joined in with their own apologies.

“Sorry guys. Oh, and don’t be mad at Bons… I kind dragged her here against her will a little bit.”

“Sorry! I just wanted to throw you both a super-duper party after you said yes!”

“I actually just came here for the free rides,” Spike admitted with a sheepish grin on his face.

“I, um… I hope this doesn’t ruin anything between us.”

Twilight smiled reassuringly at Fluttershy. “Of course it doesn’t, Fluttershy. And hey, this works out great! We were just about to leave, so now we have our friends to talk to on the train ride home.”

“You were just about to leave?” Rarity asked. “But the show hasn’t started yet.”

“I know, but…”

“T-Twilight… about the show tonight… you know what it’s about, right?”

“Of course I do! The story of Titanic takes place on a ship that sails north, and hits an iceberg! It’s a romantic story, that ends in tragedy as the ship… Oh.”

“… I-If you want to see it so badly, that’s fine… But…”

“Trixie, if you feel uncomfortable, we don’t have to stay. I’ve read the book enough times that I can recite it all in my head from memory!”

“Are you sure? Trixie doesn’t want to-”

“And I don’t want to put you through any more pain than you’ve already gone through. That won’t make me happy.”

“… Thank you, Twilight.”

Twilight sighed, and wrapped a foreleg around Trixie, who was still nuzzling her in an attempt to avoid a scolding. “I’m just tired, that’s all. I don’t think I’d be able to properly concentrate on the show anyway.” Twilight shot Trixie a smile, who returned it with equal parts love and gratitude.

‘Thank you, Twilight… Proposing, huh?’

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Family Visit

It was still dark outside when Trixie awoke. Beside her, Twilight Sparkle was still sleeping away peacefully, her forelegs wrapped around Trixie’s waist and her head resting on the showmare’s chest. Apparently, the Great and Powerful Trixie was more comfortable than her pillow. Trixie wouldn’t have minded it so much, if Twilight wasn’t currently drooling in her sleep.

“Trixie… doing that here, in the castle library, is so…”

Trixie suppressed a chuckle, and sat up to check the time. She had to use a basic lighting spell in order to see the clock. “Ten past three… For some reason, I don’t feel so sleepy. Maybe I’ll go make some warm milk.”

However, a dilemma presented itself when Trixie tried to get up, and Twilight began to stir in her sleep. Trixie, being the creative genius that she is, came up with a crafty solution, though. “Twilight,” she whispered into her lover’s ear, earning a low moan in return. “The Princess is behind you. I think she wants to give you a test.”

Twilight immediately released Trixie, and rolled over to face the non-existent Princess in her dream. Trixie wasn’t sure whether to be offended or not that tests were apparently more appealing than her, but since it helped in this situation, she decided to let it slide.

She slipped out of their bed, and began to make her way down the stairs of the library. The walk down seemed longer than usual, but that could possibly just be due to her drowsiness. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard a noise coming from the front door. She turned to see what it was, but she couldn’t see anything there. Deciding that it was just her mind playing tricks on her, Trixie continued her journey to the kitchen.

She flicked on the kitchen light, allowing her to shut off her lighting spell, and poured herself a glass of milk, which she quickly heated up in the microwave. ‘Aah, that’s good. Maybe now I can get back to slee-’

Knock.

Trixie turned her attention to the kitchen door, which was slightly open. ‘Did I leave that open?’ Shrugging, Trixie put her glass down on the cabinet. She couldn’t be bothered to wash it now, so she decided to just do it in the morning.

She then made her way to the kitchen door, and opened it completely to leave. Suddenly, a hoof pressed itself against her mouth, and forced her back into the kitchen, the door slamming shut behind her.

“It’s been a while, Trixie.”

Trixie’s eyes widened, and her body froze as she stared in horror at the pony in front of her. That black trench coat… That menacing grin… That cold, unfeeling look in his eyes!

‘It’s him! B-But how? And why?! Why now?’

“To think… the filly that I neglected to kill nineteen years ago, would still be alive, and living a nice, peaceful life, here in this quiet little town. But you messed up, Trixie Lulamoon.” The stallion leaned closer, and pressed his free hoof to Trixie’s horn. “I hear you’re quite an accomplished magician. I think I’ll just shut off your magic for now.”

Trixie flinched, and then tried to charge up a spell. But to her surprise, nothing happened. “You shouldn’t have come after me. Even though Lieutenant Armour kept your identity safe, by getting involved with that case, you allowed me to find you.”

‘That case…’ Trixie remembered well which case the stallion was referring to. It was shortly after Trixie’s second encounter with Shining Armour. Shining revealed that they had a strong lead on ‘Shadow’, which was the codename that they had given to the stallion that had killed the Lulamoon family. And, even though he allowed Trixie to tag along, it was under the condition that she remain on the backlines. She had always suspected that he noticed her there, though, but wasn’t sure… until now.

“Now, I can do what I should have done all those years ago. With this, the Lulamoon family will come to an end.”

“Trixie? Where are you?”

Trixie’s breathing stopped for a split-second, and her attention immediately shifted to the kitchen door. ‘No! Twilight, don’t come this way!’

“Oh, that’s right… You have a marefriend now, don’t you?” Shadow let out a low chuckle, and used a spell to pin Trixie to the kitchen wall. She struggled against its hold, but he was simply too powerful. “I can’t have anypony witness me and live. You stay there for now. I’ll take care of our little pest.”

‘N-No!’ Trixie tried to shout out, but the words wouldn’t leave her mouth. She struggled harder, trying with all her might to break free.

“Trixie? Are you in the there?”

‘Twilight, run!’

Shadow approached the kitchen door, and pulled something out of his cloak. As the door opened, a purple Unicorn walked in, an innocent smile on her face.

‘Twilight, get out of here! Hurry!’

Shadow aimed his crossbow at Twilight’s forehead, and, with a wicked grin spread across his muzzle, pulled the trigger.

“TWILIIIIIIGHT!” Trixie shouted as she bolted up in her bed. A cold sweat ran down her body, and she panted heavily as she stared ahead into space. It took her a few moments to realise that it was a dream, and then jumped when she felt something press against her side.

She turned to find that it was Twilight Sparkle, who was still sleeping away peacefully, mumbling something about wanting more cookies. Trixie laughed lightly, and brushed a hoof against Twilight’s cheek. ‘How stupid of me, having nightmares with somepony like this sleeping next to me.’

Twilight stirred as she felt Trixie’s hoof stroking her, and, with a moan, slowly opened her eyes. “Ngh… Trixie?”

“Sorry. Did Trixie wake you?” Trixie gave Twilight a big smile. She didn’t want to worry the other Unicorn.

Twilight rolled onto her back and rubbed her eyes. “You interrupted my dream. And it was going so well, too.”

Trixie rolled over so that she was on top of Twilight, and gave the mare beneath her a sultry grin. “Then, how about if Trixie one-ups your silly little dream?”

Trixie kissed Twilight before she could respond, and the other mare returned the kiss eagerly. The two spent a good few minutes lying in bed together, exploring each other’s mouths and enjoying each other’s tastes. Eventually, though, Twilight had to stop it.

“Trixie,” she said, trying to push Trixie away. Trixie simply settled for planting kisses on Twilight’s neck. “Trixie, we have to get ready. We’re meeting my parents today, remember?”

Trixie suddenly stopped, but then continued again just as suddenly. “We can’t… take… a later… train?” she asked in-between kisses.

Twilight, as much as she was enjoying the feel of Trixie’s lips along her neck, eventually pushed the other mare away. “My brother has evening duty today. He’s been very busy lately, and you won’t have another chance to meet him for a while if we don’t leave early.”

Trixie pouted, and then climbed out of bed. “Fiiiiine. But tonight, the Great and Powerful Trixie expects your full attention.”

Twilight nodded, and wrapped her forelegs around Trixie’s neck. “If you’re a good girl, and are ready to leave before me, I’ll close the library early tonight, and convince Rarity to let Spike sleep over at her place.”

That was all the motivation that Trixie needed to suddenly bolt into the upstairs bathroom and begin her morning routine of brushing her hair and cleaning her teeth. Twilight, no longer having anything to support her, fell forward off of the bed, her face slamming onto the hard wooden floor beneath her.

“… I guess I’d better break into my gem stash,” she said with a sigh as she picked herself up. She then looked over at the bathroom door, and an uneasy smile grew on her face. ‘I just hope mum and dad will like her… And Shiny, too.’

Trixie adjusted the eye patch on her face, using her reflection in the train’s window to assist her. She then brought her hooves down to her seat and began to tap it for a bit, and began to look around the train car as she fidgeted in her seat.

“Trixie, I’m sure my parents will love you, just like I do.” Twilight blushed at her own statement, and began to fiddle with her forehooves. “Well, not quite the way I do, but if you just be yourself, I’m sure you’ll get along great with them.”

“How should Trixie address them?” Trixie asked, bringing a confused look to Twilight’s face. “Trixie has never dealt with a friend or marefriend’s parents before. Should she address them as Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle? Or by their names?” A thought crossed Trixie’s mind. “What are their names, by the way?”

“I didn’t tell you?” Trixie shook head. “Well, my dad is called Night Light, and he’s an astrologist. My mother’s name is Twilight Velvet, and she’s a famous author. She mostly writes epic adventure stories, but she also writes a little romance on the side.”

“Your mother is a storyteller?” Trixie enquired, her ears perking up.

“Oh, no no no no… She writes good stories, but she’s way too shy to actually recite them to a crowd. Maybe that’s where I get it from,” Twilight added bashfully, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof.

Trixie put a hoof to her chin. “So your dad is an astrologist… Trixie might be able to use that. Trixie does like stargazing, after all.”

“That’s the spirit!” Twilight encouraged. “Like I said, just be yourself! Though maybe we should refrain from mentioning our little… incident, in Manehatten.” Trixie nodded in agreement. “And try to keep your hooves to yourself when we’re in their company.”

“Ugh! Why does meeting your parents have to be such a chore?!” Trixie joked, causing the purple mare sitting next to her to laugh. “So, your mother and father… And what about your brother?”

“Well, my brother’s-” The train suddenly began to shake, and then came to a complete stop. “W-What the?”

“You okay?” Trixie asked, holding Twilight in her hooves. During the shaking, Twilight had fallen off of her seat, and Trixie had quickly come to her rescue.

“Y-Yeah,” Twilight said, blushing at how close her face was to Trixie’s.

Ding-dong!

“We apologise for the sudden stop. Rest assured that everything is just fine, and that the train will continue moving momentarily.”

Ding-dong!

“What could it be?” Twilight wondered. Trixie got up from her seat, opened one of the nearby windows, and stuck her head outside to check. “Well? Do you see anything?”

“Looks like there’s something on the tracks, though Trixie can’t make it out from here. A chariot, perhaps?”

“Huh, well that’s certainly strange. Who would leave a chariot on a train track like that?”

“There are a lot of crazies out there, Twilight Sparkle.” Trixie pulled her head back in and gave her marefriend a grin. “Well, it seems we have a little extra time… What d’you think we should do with it?”

“Ooh! I did bring along a puzzle book! We could do a crossword together!”

Trixie shook her head, and leaned closer.

“… Or, we could find somewhere private and make out?”

“That’s better,” Trixie said, licking her lips as she approached Twilight with a hungry look in her eyes.

“O-Okay… but this better keep you satisfied until we return to Ponyville!”

Trixie nodded, and Twilight managed to keep her at bay long enough for the two of them to search the train for a private area.

Ten minutes later, the train began to move again, and thirty minutes after that, the two arrived at Canterlot.

The town of Canterlot was absolutely buzzing with activity. Stallions and mares were running all over the place, relaying instructions to each other and setting up decorations. Little fillies and colts were also on the streets, handing out fliers, which Twilight found strange, considering it was a school day.

“What’s going on?” Trixie asked Twilight, who shrugged in response.

“I don’t know… Let’s go find out. Whatever it is, it looks exciting.”

“Trixie has never seen the ponies of Canterlot acting like this,” Trixie said as she followed Twilight into town. “Could the ponies have been made aware of the Great and Powerful Trixie’s arrival?”

Twilight giggled along with Trixie. “Or maybe they’re here to greet Princess Celestia’s star pupil?”

Trixie whistled appreciatively at Twilight’s response. “You’re getting better, Twilight. Though still a little modest,” she quickly added, noticing Twilight’s intense blush. “Still, keep it up, and you’ll be a regular showmare.”

“I… I don’t know. Joking about something like that to you is one thing, but I would never be caught saying that to a crowd of ponies.”

“You should take more pride in your status. Most ponies would do anything to have what you have.”

“I do take pride in it… I just don’t feel comfortable showing off in front of so many ponies. I’ve always been one to get stage fright. That’s also why I almost blew my chance to enter Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.”

“Excuse me, miss?” Twilight stopped when a small Unicorn filly intercepted her path. “Can you please spare a moment to donate some bits for the victims of the recent cave-in at the Colton Mines?”

“Cave-ins?” Twilight asked, leaning forward to read the flier being held by the filly’s magic. “‘A concert to help raise money for the victims and their families of the recent Colton Mines disaster’? Oh my gosh, when did that happen?”

“It was a few days ago. Princess Luna has dispatched many soldiers to search the mines for survivors, and Prince Blueblood has arranged for a charity concert, to help raise money to help the town.”

“Prince Blueblood did?” Twilight asked disbelievingly.

“Why is that so surprising?” Trixie asked. “From what the Great and Powerful Trixie has heard, that Prince will do just about anything to improve his public image. Well, anything that doesn’t involve hard labour on his part.”

“That sure sounds like him,” Twilight said. She opened her saddlebag and pulled out small bag of bits. “I’m sorry, I only have fifteen bits on me right now.”

“Every bit will be greatly appreciated, ma’am!” the filly exclaimed happily. She then turned to Trixie with an expectant look on her face.

Trixie eyed the filly suspiciously. “How do we know this isn’t just some elaborate con to take our money?”

The filly tilted her head in confusion. “Trixie!” Twilight hissed. “What are you-”

Trixie leaned in to whisper into Twilight’s ear. “Trixie’s seen this before. Heck, Trixie’s done this before! And events like these are the perfect cover for pretending to be a pony collecting money for charity.”

“Don’t you think you’re being just a little bit paranoid? Look around! There are dozens of foals collecting money!” Twilight whispered back.

“Exactly! That’s what makes it the perfect cover! With all these foals collecting money, who would suspect any of them of trying to steal money?”

“Trixie.” Twilight gave Trixie a disapproving look.

“D-Don’t look at me like that! Trixie is just being cautious, that’s all!” Twilight’s look didn’t soften any. “Haven’t you ever heard the saying: ‘Better safe than sorry’?!” Twilight’s eyes narrowed further. “Ugh! Fine!” Trixie opened her saddlebag, and pulled out three coins. She placed them into the tin hanging around the filly’s neck. “That’s all that Trixie has to give right now. The rest is for a train ticket home.”

The filly thanked both mares, and then ran off to ask a group of stallions for some donations. Twilight and Trixie continued to walk down the street, looking around at all of the decorations around them.

“Wow. Looks like they’re going all out with this concert, huh?” Trixie said. “Better watch yourself. Trixie can guarantee that thieves will be resting up for this event.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “By the way,” she started, moving closer to Trixie, “I get that your past has left you a little wary about other ponies, but don’t you think you could have donated just a little bit more than three bits?”

Trixie shook her head. “Like Trixie said, the rest of her money is for a train ticket home.”

“Can’t you just go to the bank and make a withdrawal? Don’t tell me you left your card at home.”

“The money in Trixie’s saving account is not to be touched. It’s bad enough she had to use it to buy a new trailer. She is not going to withdraw it for anything else, not even for charity.”

Twilight frowned at Trixie. “Why not? What are you saving up for, exactly?”

Trixie stopped in her tracks, causing Twilight to stop too. The purple mare looked at Trixie expectantly. “… You’ll think it’s stupid,” Trixie muttered.

“Maybe, but I’d like to know,” Twilight responded. “I mean, if it’s so important to you, I think that, as your marefriend, I should know.”

“… It’s for when Trixie… has a child…” Of all the things Twilight was expecting to hear, that was not one of them. “Trixie has been saving the money that goes into her account ever since she opened it, which was when she first joined Celestia’s school. In other words, since she was twelve years old. Trixie has been saving for nine years, so that, when the time comes, she would be ready.”

Twilight wasn’t sure what to say. “… You’ve been… thinking about having a foal… since you were twelve?”

Trixie shook her head. “It’s not that. It’s just that, Trixie definitely wants to have a child someday, you know? Since Trixie has grown up without ever knowing her family… without knowing what it’s like to have a mother, a father, an uncle, an aunt, or anything like that… she at least wants to know what it’s like to have a son or a daughter.

“But she doesn’t want to bring a life into this world, only for it to suffer the same way that Trixie has. When Trixie has a child, she will give it everything that it could ever need! A roof over its head, a warm bed, all the food and water that it will need to survive… Trixie wants to give her child all of the things that she never got.”

Twilight was speechless. She simply stared at Trixie, her mouth hanging open as she tried to find the right words. “Trixie… you’ve put that much thought into it…” Twilight moved closer to Trixie, and hugged her. “Well, you don’t have to worry. When we have a foal, we’ll raise it together. You won’t have to be alone, and you won’t have to worry about our child being alone, either.”

Trixie smiled, and returned Twilight’s hug… before realising what Twilight was saying. “T-Twilight, do you realise what you just said?”

Twilight nodded. “I did… It’s funny. We’re not even married yet, but I’m already talking about us having children one day… and it doesn’t feel strange at all. Not one bit.”

Trixie let out a nervous laugh, and after a few more moments in each other’s embraces, the two separated. After a quick kiss, Twilight continued leading the way down the streets of Canterlot, towards her parents’ house.

“We’d better hurry. Mum hates when ponies aren’t on time.”

“Is that where you get it from?” Trixie giggled.

Twilight nudged her marefriend. “If you think I’m bad, just wait. Mum’s so much worse.”

Trixie scoffed. ‘I find that hard to believe.’

“Well, here we are,” Twilight said, her legs starting to shake as she and Trixie stopped just outside of the gates to her parents’ house. She rolled her eyes. She couldn’t believe that she was getting nervous now of all times, when they had already arrived at their destination. “Sooo… Let’s go.”

“Y-Yeah.” For a while, the two just stood outside of the gates, shuffling their hooves on the ground and giving each other nervous grins as they each tried to muster up the courage to take the first step.

Finally, with a gulp, Twilight opened the gate, and began to move forward. Trixie followed, staying as close as possible to Twilight as she moved, and taking deep breaths to calm herself. ‘I’m probably just being silly. If it’s Twilight’s parents, I’m sure they’ll accept me. Just as long as I don’t let them know I grew up on the streets… or that I committed thefts in my youth… or that I was once a member of a gang wanted by the Royal Guard… Oh crap, why did I not think of these things before coming here?’

“Get ready, Trixie,” Twilight said, allowing Trixie to fully brace herself as she brought a hoof up to the front door of the house.

Knock, knock.

…

Click!

Trixie’s left ear twitched as she heard the sounds of movement on the other side of the door, and she tensed up as soon as the door began to open. However, what she saw next was not at all what she was expecting.

“Twiley!” the white Unicorn stallion on the other side of the door cried out as he reached forward to hug the purple mare before him. “I’m glad you could make it! It’s been so long since I last saw you!”

“Too long,” Twilight added, returning the stallion’s hug. They parted, and Twilight directed the stallion’s attention to Trixie. “Shiny, there’s somepony I want you to meet. This is my marefriend, Trixie Lulamoon.” Both Trixie and Shining Armour stared at each other with wide, disbelieving eyes. “And Trixie, this is my B.B.B.F.F., Shining Armour.”

“… B.B.B.F.F.?” Trixie asked, not taking her eyes off of Shining Armour.

“‘Big brother best friend forever’,” Twilight explained with a happy smile.

Trixie nodded, and continued to stare at the stallion before her. Shining decided to break the silence before it grew too awkward. He cleared his throat, and then gave Trixie a cold, hard glare. “Well, I can’t say that I approve of this,” he said, his voice stern.

Twilight gave her brother a shocked look, and was about to speak up, before Trixie cut her off.

“That’s fine,” she said, returning his cold look. “The Great and Powerful Trixie can date whomever she wants. She certainly doesn’t need your approval!” She pointed a hoof towards the stallion, who simply scoffed in response.

“Twiley, you can do better.”

“Twilight, your brother’s an ass.”

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was hearing. They hadn’t even known each other for a full minute yet, and they were already attacking each other verbally. She was about to ask Trixie to calm down, when she saw the telltale grin on her face.

“Shining,” she said, lowering her hoof and suppressing the laughter building up within her. “I think we’ve teased her enough.”

Shining wasn’t holding up as well as Trixie, and allowed his own laughter to escape before responding. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Twilight was once again in shock at what she was hearing. She shifted her glance between the two ponies, who were both laughing at their apparent joke together and talking as if they were childhood friends. “W-What’s going on?” she asked, looking at Trixie, but directing her question at either of them.

“Sorry, Twilight,” Trixie said, walking over to the perplexed mare and nuzzling her cheek. “Trixie just couldn’t resist playing along.”

“Still, your language was a little harsh, don’t you think?” Shining asked, raising a hoof and rubbing it against the top of Twilight’s head, messing up her mane a little bit.

“What, the Captain of the Royal Guard hasn’t heard worse?”

“Trust me, those rumours about the Royal Guard being gentlecolts are completely unfounded.”

Twilight moved back from Trixie’s nuzzling and Shining’s noogying, and gave them the same confused look as before. “Wait wait wait wait… You two know each other?”

“Well, kinda…” Shining Armour answered. “I didn’t know that Trixie was your marefriend, though. I’ve gotta say, that rather took me by surprise.”

“And Trixie had no idea that this hopeless romantic was your brother,” Trixie added.

Twilight raised her eyebrow at Trixie’s description of her brother, whilst Shining Armour quickly moved aside to invite the two in, suddenly seeming a lot more nervous. “A-Anyway, mum and dad are in the kitchen! And I think mum’s baked some cookies for you, Twiley.”

Twilight’s face suddenly lit up, and she quickly rushed inside, making her way quickly towards the kitchen. Trixie laughed and began to follow, but was blocked by Shining Armour.

“Trixie, wait. Before you go in, I have a favour to ask of you.”

“Oh? Well, since you are Twilight’s ‘B.B.B.F.F.’, you are in luck! The Great and Powerful Trixie will offer her assistance free of charge!”

Shining rolled his eyes, and motioned for her to lean closer. As she did, he leaned forward to whisper into her ear. “Listen, none of my family knows about me and Cadance yet, and I would appreciate it if they didn’t find out. At least not until I’m ready to tell them.”

“So basically, you want Trixie to keep your relationship a secret?”

“Pretty much.”

Trixie nodded, and then walked around Shining Armour to enter the house. “Do not worry. Trixie will not utter a word of it to Twilight Sparkle or your parents.” Trixie hesitated for a bit, and then turned back to face the stallion once more, this time with a serious look on her face. “Hey, about Shadow…”

Shining’s smile fell into a frown. “Oh, right… I guess… this makes things a little more awkward, huh?”

Trixie shook her head. “You need not fear. Trixie has decided not to pursue this case any further. Not when she has Twilight in her life… Trixie finally has something to lose, and the risks are simply too great.”

Shining Armour smiled once more, and he offered a silent thank you to Trixie. “So, what’s the problem then?”

“… Is there any chance… that Shadow knows that I’m still alive?”

Shining Armour put a hoof to his chin. “Well, you were never officially marked off as dead, but then, your birth itself was never officially recorded, so I can’t imagine he was able to keep track of you after you escaped from him the first time around…”

“But what if he knows that I was there in Manechester? Is that possible?”

“… I would like to say no.” Shining Armour sighed, and walked closer to Trixie. “But with him, we can’t be too careful. He’s been evading us for over thirty years now… But, if you haven’t been attacked yet, then I can’t imagine that he’ll suddenly come after you now.”

Trixie smiled at that. That was very reassuring for her. “Yes… Yes, that makes sense.” With a relieved sigh, Trixie turned around and walked a little further into the house. Shining Armour followed her, and then offered to lead her to the kitchen. “Don’t worry,” she said, “Trixie will take good care of your sister, Shining Armour.”

Shining shot her a confident smile. “I know you will. Though you’ll have to get past our parents, first…”

Trixie frowned at that. “Trixie knew it. They’re not going to like her, are they?”

“Well, that depends… on whether or not you pass their ‘test’.”

“‘Test’?”

Trixie entered the kitchen after Shining Armour. She was amazed by how big it was. Sure, she had heard that the nobles of Canterlot had big rooms in their houses, but she never imagined they would be this big. The kitchen itself was as big as the Golden Oaks Library’s main room!

“There you are!” Twilight said excitedly, running over to Trixie with a half-eaten cookie engulfed in her magical aura. “What took you two so long?”

Trixie grinned at the sight of cookie crumbs all around Twilight’s mouth, and motioned to them with her hoof. Twilight seemed to get the message, and, with a blush, quickly wiped them away.

“We were just catching up a bit,” Trixie said, receiving a wink from Shining Armour. She then noticed the two older ponies behind Twilight, walking up to the two of them.

“So, this is the mare that’s after our daughter’s hoof in marriage?” the blue stallion asked.

Twilight spun around quickly. “Daaaad, I told you, we’re not engaged yet!”

The white mare shook her head. “Well? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

Twilight nodded, and then waved a hoof across her two parents. “Trixie, these are my parents, Night Light, and Twilight Velvet.” They both bowed their heads, but kept their faces neutral. “Mum, dad, this is Trixie. We’ve been going out for some time now-”

“And you never once thought to tell us about it?” Velvet asked, cutting off her daughter. “Honestly, Twilight. How could you leave us in the dark about something as big as this?”

Shining Armour bit his lower lip, and casually walked away from the conversation. Trixie noticed that Twilight was having trouble thinking up a response, so she decided to step forward and come to her rescue.

“It’s nice to meet you, um… Mr. and Mrs. Sparkle?” She extended a forehoof, and the two parents accepted her hoofshake with uninterested looks.

“Just Night Light, if you don’t mind,” the father said.

Velvet nodded in agreement. “And you can just call me Velvet. ‘Mrs. Sparkle’ just makes me sound so old.”

An awkward silence filled the air for a bit, which Twilight sought to end quickly. “So, uh… Mum, guess what! Trixie is a professional storyteller!” Velvet raised an eyebrow at the showmare, who gave a proud grin in return. “Maybe you could show her some of the books you’ve written?”

“Is that right?” Velvet asked. “Is that what you do for a living?”

Trixie nodded. “Well, that, and Trixie is also a travelling magician.”

“And how much does that earn you?” Night Light asked, surprising Twilight. “Enough to support a family?”

“D-Dad!”

“Well… it depends. Sometimes, Trixie earns a lot. But then there are times when…”

“What are you two doing?” Twilight asked her parents. “Why are you asking her something like that?”

“We’re just concerned, Twilight,” Velvet said, smiling at her daughter. “We want to make sure our daughter is in good hooves.”

“Well I’ll be the judge of that, thank you very much,” Twilight said back, giving both of her parents a stern look.

Night Light didn’t back off, however, and shifted his gaze back to Trixie. “You know, I’ve actually heard an interesting rumour about you.” Trixie swallowed the lump in her throat, and took a step back under Night Light’s glare. “About how you have a rather short fuse, and use your magic rather aggressively in a fight.”

“Stop it!” Twilight shouted. “I can’t believe this! I come here to introduce you to the mare I love, and you two are just-”

“Please, Twilight,” Velvet started. “You must understand, we just want to make sure that you don’t get involved in something that you’ll later regret. You deserve only the best, and quite frankly, we don’t think that this mare is it.”

Trixie huffed at that, and took a hard step forward, her nervousness from earlier now replaced with resolve. “Yeah, so what?” she asked, startling both parents. “So Trixie needs your approval to be with your daughter? Is that it? Well news flash: the two of us have been happily dating for months now, and we will continue to do so because we love each other!” Trixie pulled Twilight towards her, into a hug. “Trixie doesn’t care if you approve or disapprove, she’s not going to let Twilight go, so you’re just going to have to deal with it!”

Night Light and Twilight Velvet returned Trixie’s glare with equal levels of ferocity. Behind them, Shining Armour was nervously nibbling on a piece of toast as he watched the scene unfold. Twilight was sweating and silently pleading for everypony to calm down.

“You have some nerve to speak to us like that!” Night Light said. This set Twilight off, and the purple mare wormed her way out of Trixie’s hold to confront her dad.

“No, you have some nerve speaking to my marefriend like that! I don’t get it! Why can’t you be happy that I’ve found somepony I love and want to spend the rest of my life with? Why are you purposely trying to find faults with her, without even giving her a chance?” Twilight took a step back so that she was standing next to Trixie, and leaned her head onto her lover’s shoulder. “It’s as she said: we love each other, and I’m not going to give her up, no matter what you say!”

The two parents looked taken aback by Twilight’s words, before returning their glares to Trixie, who simply returned their glares with a smug, confident look on her face. After a few more moments of silence, Night Light and Twilight Velvet exchanged looks, and nodded to each other.

They then turned back to the happy couple, this time with smiles on their faces. “Well then, I guess that’s it!” Night Light said, walking up to Trixie and placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You certainly do care for our daughter, don’t you?” Trixie, not quite sure what was going on, simply nodded in confusion. “Thank Celestia! You’ll make a wonderful wife for Twilight! And you most certainly have my blessing!”

Velvet walked by her husband’s side and gave the showmare a quick nod. “Mine too. And it seems that Twilight cares just as deeply for you as you do for her! I wish the two of you a lifetime of happiness!”

Twilight and Trixie simply gaped as the two now-cheerful parents turned around and walked over to their son, engaging him in conversation about his own current love-life, as if nothing weird had just happened at all between them.

“Wait… dad?”

“Hm?” Night Light asked, turning to his daughter.

“W-What was that?” Twilight was now even more confused than before.

“Oh, that little act? We just wanted to see how the two of you would react to disapproving parents.” Night Light turned back to his son and continued their conversation, as if that answer alone was satisfactory.

“Wait wait wait WAIT!” The two parents and Shining Armour turned back to the young couple, each one smiling as they waited for her to continue. “You mean… you were testing us?!”

Trixie placed a hoof to her forehead. “So this is what he meant…”

Velvet laughed, and then shook her head. “Oh, no. Not at all, dear. We were already certain of your relationship from the letters that you sent us.” She gave her daughter a disappointed frown. “I would have thought you’d have a little more faith in us. Of course we’d trust you if you tell us you’ve found the mare of your dreams.”

“‘The mare of your dreams’?” Trixie asked with an amused look on her face.

Twilight ignored it, though still blushed quite noticeably, and turned to her father. “Then, why did you-”

“Like I said: we just wanted to see what would have happened if we didn’t approve. You know, like in all of those family dramas! We wanted to see how accurate they were.”

“We considered being the type of parents that would disapprove of you two both being mares in love,” Velvet said, “But we thought that that may have been in too poor of taste. Not to mention, you already know that I have friends that are… that way,” she added, trying to delicately phrase it without using the term ‘filly foolers’, which some ponies were fine with, whilst others found it offensive.

Twilight simply couldn’t believe it, and it was evident in the way that she was gaping at her parents. Finally, Shining Armour decided to add something to the conversation. “Come on, Twiley, don’t be so surprised. These are the same parents that pretended to forget your sixteenth birthday, and that pretended to be worshippers of Tirek for April Foals Day.”

Night Light shivered at the memory, and reached out for a cookie, only for his hoof to be slapped away by Velvet. “I still say the Royal Guard needs to lighten up a bit, and not take everything so seriously.”

Whilst Twilight was busy blushing and hiding her face from Trixie as she approached her family, the showmare was happily laughing along with Twilight’s parents, not showing any signs of unease in her facial expression. Though inside her mind, she was thinking: ‘So this is where she gets her crazy from. No wonder she was a recluse before moving to Ponyville.’

“Now then, Trixie dear, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?” Velvet asked, levitating a cookie towards Trixie.

Trixie happily accepted the offer. “Well, let’s see… where should Trixie began?” She leaned over to Twilight, and whispered: “Should Trixie tell them the truth?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Of course,” she whispered back, but then considered her answer for a bit. “… Well, just whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Trixie nodded, and, after taking a moment to think, decided to start her stories from her time in Celestia’s School.

“And this is our family trip to Zebrica,” Velvet said as she flipped a page in her photo album, revealing a set of photographs starring herself, her husband, and two much smaller versions of Shining Armour and Twilight Sparkle. Shining Armour still hadn’t gotten his Cutie Mark by that point, and Twilight was still in diapers. “Twilight was probably too young to remember it, but I bet Shining remembers our trip there just fine,” she added in a teasing tone, giving her son a wicked grin.

Shining Armour turned his head away to hide his blush. “I… don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Velvet laughed and leaned closer to Trixie. “Shining met some young zebra filly there, and the two really became close during our stay. You should have seen them when we had to leave. He was practically in tears, and he made such a fuss on the chariot ride back.”

Both mares giggled as they produced the image in their minds, whilst Shining Armour continued to turn his head away so that they couldn’t see his face.

Twilight Sparkle entered the room at that point, having just returned from the bathroom. She noticed Trixie and her mother giggling together like schoolfillies, and Shining Armour refusing to face either of them. “… Did I miss something?” she dared to ask as she sat down next to Trixie.

Trixie pulled Twilight closer, so that she was practically leaning against the showmare. Whilst Trixie didn’t mind it one bit, Twilight wasn’t quite so comfortable being in such a position in front of her parents. Even if they didn’t seem to react to it… in fact, that probably made it even worse, since it meant that she had no idea how they felt about it!

“Your mother was just going over some family photos,” Trixie said, before reaching a hoof out and pointing to one photograph in particular. “Who’s this? The colt that Twilight is hanging off of?”

Twilight also looked over at the photo album, at the picture in question. It was a photograph of herself as a baby, and her brother as a young colt, both hugging a colt just a little older than Shining Armour.

“Aah, that would be Knight Guard,” Velvet answered. “He was their favourite uncle. Isn’t that right?”

Twilight and Shining both nodded silently. “He was only a little bit older than us,” Twilight explained. “So we got along with him better than our other uncles, who were…”

Night Light cut Twilight off with a laugh. “All of their other uncles were about our age,” he continued for his daughter. “And back then, they were both so shy around grown-ups. Even relatives.”

“Is that right?” Trixie asked with a grin. “Well, she’s still pretty shy today, too.”

Twilight playfully nudged Trixie with her hoof, who nudged back in response.

“Hey, you two. No roughhousing indoors,” Night Light said, chuckling as he saw the two mares turn red.

Velvet laughed along too, before flipping over to the next page of the photo album. “Oh, now this is a fun page!” she said, motioning for Trixie to take a look. Trixie complied, and immediately pressed her hooves to her mouth to stifle her laughter.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, trying to look too, but being prevented by Velvet as she moved the album away from her. “Mum? What photos are you showing her?” She was beginning to grow worried now, and tried harder to take a look. “Trixie! Stop laughing and help me out!”

“Trixie is sorry, Twilight,” Trixie said, confusing the purple mare. “Trixie had no idea she was breaking up such a beautiful relationship. Maybe she should just leave.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, as she had a pretty good idea of what Trixie had just seen. She turned to her mother with a look of horror on her face. “… You didn’t…”

“Now, now, Twilight,” Velvet said, turning the photo album around to reveal the page to her daughter. “I thought it was a beautiful wedding.”

Twilight’s fears were confirmed: it was a collection photos from when Twilight was seven years old, and performed a mock wedding with her favourite doll, Smarty Pants. She had even ‘borrowed’ her parents’ wedding rings for the occasion.

“Trixie sure hopes you two are divorced. Bigamy isn’t exactly looked well upon in Equestria.”

Twilight picked up one of the cushions on the couch she was sitting on, and buried her face into it. “I can’t believe you took pictures of that!”

“It’s a mother’s job to capture her child’s embarrassing moments,” Velvet responded. “Speaking of which, I think I have a fair few of Shining’s coming up soon.”

Shining Armour, who had also been laughing along with Trixie, suddenly gasped and rose to his hooves, a serious look on his face. “It’s getting late. I should really be heading back now. What with all of my Royal Guard duties and all.”

“Are you sure, son?” Night Light asked. “You know it’s been a while since we all last got together like this.”

Shining Armour nodded. “I know, but the case I’m working on now is really big. Some joker is spraying anti-Luna graffiti all over Canterlot, and the only witnesses we’ve got so far are rather… exhausting.”

Velvet closed her photo album, and looked over at the grandfather clock behind her husband. “Actually, I think I should probably be making a start of dinner soon, anyway.” She turned to Trixie. “Trixie dear, would you like to lend me a hoof in the kitchen? Twilight tells me you’re a pretty good cook.”

“Trixie wouldn’t mind at all,” Trixie responded.

Night Light got up from his seat, and approached his son. “I’ll see you out,” he said, using his magic to levitate Shining’s coat from a nearby coat rack.

Velvet also got up, and followed her husband and son outside. She asked Trixie if she’d like to accompany her to the kitchen, to which the showmare told her that she would be there in a moment.

Once they were the only two left in the room, Trixie leaned closer to Twilight. “Trixie is confused. Trixie thought that it was rude to ask guests to cook dinner.”

Twilight shrugged. “I think that only applies to asking guests to cook on their own. And the books I have say that this is a great way to get in-laws to bond with your partner.”

“Trixie sees…” Trixie rubbed a hoof against her chin, staring off into space as she thought about something.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.

“Trixie was just thinking… Hypothetically, if you and Trixie were to get married, then your parents would become Trixie’s mother and father-in-law, correct?” Twilight nodded. “… Wouldn’t that make us sisters-in-law?”

The two stared at each other in silence for a bit, before quickly shaking their heads to disperse the idea. “L-Let’s not read too far into that,” Twilight said, her body shivering a little bit.

“Agreed. So, Trixie should just go and assist your mother in the kitchen… and use it as an opportunity to get closer?” Twilight nodded. “Any advice?”

Twilight thought about it for a second. “Hmmm… Oh, don’t tell her that you like Daring Do. Her ‘rival’ wrote those,” she explained, using her hooves to air quote the word ‘rival’. “Also, don’t bring up her romance novels. Otherwise, you’ll be there for hours listening to her pitching new ideas to you.”

“That doesn’t sound so ba-”

“They’re erotic romance novels,” Twilight added, causing Trixie to blush. “And trust me, once she’s in the zone, she has no grasp of how uncomfortable she’s making somepony feel.”

“N-Noted.” With a deep breath, Trixie turned around and prepared herself. “Wish Trixie luck.”

Forty-five minutes later, Twilight Sparkle and Night Light, who had been passing the time catching up with each other, were called into the kitchen by Twilight Velvet. As they entered, Trixie was just finishing up setting the table for everypony.

The dinner looked delicious, and from the reactions it received from Twilight and Night Light, tasted just as good, too.

“Wow, this is great, honey!” Night Light said to his wife, before taking another bite of the potatoes on his plate.

“Don’t forget Trixie, dear,” Velvet said back. “She was a big help.”

Twilight smiled at her marefriend. “So, what did you two talk about while you were in here?”

“Oh, Trixie told me about how the two of you first met, and how you both started dating.”

“How we met?” Twilight gulped.

“Yes. She told me all about the show she performed in Ponyville, and how you and your friends simply adored it.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Trixie, who was whistling innocently as she turned her head to the side. “I see… And that’s all you talked about?”

“Oh, heavens no. I also told her some stories about your foalhood.” Twilight suddenly felt uneasy. “She’s a curious one, much like you. She asked so many questions about what you were like as a young filly.”

Trixie turned her attention back to Twilight. “You’ve had a pretty interesting childhood, apparently… Trixie finds it hard to believe that you, of all ponies, could have caused so much trouble in your youth.”

Twilight’s ears flattened against her head. “Mum… what exactly did you tell her?”

Trixie decided to answer in Velvet’s place. “Well, first of all, she told Trixie about how you once ripped your doll’s leg off, and since your mother was in the shower, you went out to the hospital all by yourself to have him ‘treated’.”

Twilight’s face turned red, and she suddenly wanted to hide under the table. “I-I was five.”

“And then she told Trixie about the time you tried to turn yourself in to the Royal Guard for spilling ink into a library book.”

“… I was nine then, I think…”

“And then the time that you had a fever, but refused to get any rest because you wanted to do your homework.”

“Okay, I get it! You two talked, you two bonded!” Twilight picked up her glass of water and took a huge drink. “How about we talk about something else? Like bowling! Dad, how’s your bowling team going?”

“We’re still blowing away the competition, if that’s what you mean,” Night Light answered. “Speaking of bowling, I seem to recall an incident where Twilight was curious as to where the ball and the pins go at the end of the lane, and got scared when the machinery tried to sweep her away.”

Twilight brought both of her forehooves to her face, and peeked through them to see Trixie giving her a sly grin. ‘Why couldn’t they have been the types of parents that are against our relationship?’

“Well, as much as Trixie loves to see Twilight doing her impression of a Red Delicious, perhaps we should talk about something else. Before she buries herself in a fortress of books.”

Velvet almost choked on her water. She calmly set her glass down, and faced Trixie. “She still does that?”

“Hey mum! Trixie was wondering if she could help you with your newest romance novel!” Trixie’s eye widened, and she quickly turned her head to Twilight. Twilight simply gave a victorious grin back. ‘If I’m going down, I’m taking you with me!’

“Why, that would be simply wonderful!” Velvet said, suddenly starting to pick up the pace with her eating. “Then, after dinner, come up to my room and I’ll pitch you my ideas! Oh, this is going to be such a fun evening!”

“Eheh… yeah… great…” Twilight stuck out her tongue at Trixie, and then continued eating at a leisurely pace, whilst Trixie’s eating slowed down a lot.

Later that evening, after Trixie had spent a rather extended session with Twilight Velvet, where she learned things about Twilight’s mother that would continue to haunt her for the rest of her days, the young couple decided that they had better leave, so that they could make it back to Ponyville before sundown.

“So, what did you think?” Twilight asked as the two walked through the streets together. “My family’s pretty… interesting, don’t you think?”

“… Trixie thought that you were ‘interesting’. Your family is just plain crazy,” Trixie responded, a grin spreading across her muzzle. “Well, except for Shining. He’s just hopeless.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask… how exactly do the two of you know each other?”

“A long story, but basically, we met by chance during a drug trafficking case in Las Pegasus.” Trixie sighed as she remembered that first meeting. “At first, Trixie thought that he was rather handsome…”

Twilight noticed the look in Trixie’s eyes, and started to feel uncomfortable. “You don’t mean… that you and he…”

Trixie shook her head. “No, don’t worry. That thought only lasted until Trixie discovered how much of a bumbling buffoon he is. Certainly not a dependable stallion, by any means.” She turned to Twilight and gave her a sultry look. “And he certainly doesn’t carry the same… ‘charm’, that his sister does.”

“I see,” Twilight said, leaning over to rest her head on Trixie’s shoulders. “… I’m glad that you and my family were able to get along so well… Hey, Trixie?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“… I… You know that ‘gang’ you told me about before?” Trixie stopped, soon followed by Twilight. “You told me before, that you consider them to be like the family you never had.”

“… Well, in a way. They did save me from a life of poverty.”

“Well… do you think, I could meet them?” Trixie didn’t answer, so Twilight continued. “I’d like to meet the ponies that you consider family, and maybe, to become friends with them? It would really mean a lot to me…”

Trixie looked around cautiously, and then took a few moments to think about it. “… Well, Trixie could ask them if that would be alright… but if they say ‘no’-”

“If they do, I’ll understand.”

Trixie nodded. “Then… how about if Trixie goes and asks them right now?” Trixie pointed to a nearby clock in the street. “We have plenty of time to catch the train, and it’s been a while since Trixie has last dropped in on them.”

“Could I come with you?” Twilight asked, but Trixie shook her head in response.

“If they agree to meet you, it would not be at their hideout. After all, they want to keep it a secret to everypony, including you.”

Twilight thought about it, and then nodded. “I understand… Then, I’ll wait for you at the station, and you go pay your ‘family’ a quick visit.”

With a smile, Trixie opened up her saddlebag and pulled out a pouch full of bits. “Here’s the money that Trixie set aside for a ticket back to Ponyville.”

Twilight nodded in understanding as she took the pouch from Trixie. “Got it. I’ll make sure to get your ticket for you.”

With a quick peck on the lips, the two Unicorns went their separate ways, Twilight heading towards the station, and Trixie ducking into an alleyway in the opposite direction.

‘Left here… avoid the broken glass all over the ground… scale this fence here… sneak through here…’ As Trixie ducked through the alleyways of Canterlot, drawing closer and closer to the slums with each and every step, a sense of nostalgia washed over her. She felt like she was a foal again, running through the alleyways in an attempt to shake off pursuers. Only this time, it was simply because she didn’t want to miss her train.

‘Here it is! And with plenty of time, too.’

Trixie cleared her throat, and adjusted her hat. She noticed her reflection in a nearby broken mirror lying on the floor, quickly tidying up her mane a little bit.

“Well, here goes nothing,” she said as she rose a hoof to the rusty door in front of her. She banged on it three times, and waited for a response. However, none came. What was even more surprising to Trixie, was that the door was slightly ajar.

Trixie grew worried at that point, and slowly pressed her hoof to the door. Bracing herself, she pushed the door open carefully, and peered inside…

She gasped at what she saw.

Twilight shuffled her hooves nervously on the train station platform as she looked around for any sign of Trixie. The train was going to be leaving soon, and the blue mare still hadn’t shown up yet.

Twilight was growing more worried by the second, wondering if something bad could have possibly happened to Trixie, or if Trixie had gotten lost, and had no idea where she was.

“… I’m going to go look for her,” Twilight told herself, getting ready to leave the train station, when a familiar blue figure caught her eye. She sighed with relief, and gave Trixie a disapproving frown as she drew closer. “Sheesh, talk about scaring me half to death! What took you so long?”

“Sorry,” Trixie said with a smile. Twilight felt that something was wrong… Something about Trixie’s smile just felt off to her, but before she could question it, Trixie spoke up. “We should get on; the train’s about to leave.”

Twilight gasped when she heard the final call for passengers to board the train, and quickly galloped on to the train, Trixie following her up to a point. But when the blue mare stopped just outside of the train, Twilight was sure now that something was wrong.

“Twilight,” Trixie said first, her smiling disappearing, and instead being replaced by a look of boredom. “This isn’t working out.”

Those four words seemed to make time freeze, and Twilight had to run them through her head multiple times before she could properly grasp them. She tried to leave the train to ask Trixie what she meant, but a purple barrier prevented her from doing so. “T-Trixie?!”

“This is getting boring, Twilight. I think I can do better.” Twilight’s eyes widened, and her mouth hung wide open as she saw Trixie turn her back to her. “I’ll come by later to pick up my stuff, but I want nothing more to do with you… Ciao.”

“Wait! Trixie, what are you saying!?” Twilight began to bang on the barrier, and charged up her magic, ready to tear it down. However, before she could do so, the train doors closed, and the train itself began to move, pulling away from the station. Twilight quickly rushed over to the nearest window, opened it up, and stuck her head out. She could see Trixie in the distance, slowly growing smaller and smaller as the train moved further away from the station.

“TRIXIE! TRIXIIIIIIIE!”

Back at the station, Trixie removed her hat and her cape, and threw them onto the ground. Her eye patch followed, and raised a hoof up to her face to wipe away her tears. ‘Twilight… you’ll be happier this way.’ A spark from Trixie’s horn set the pile of clothing and the eye patch on fire, startling a few of the ponies around her.

As the last remnants of the Great and Powerful Trixie burned away, the former showmare jumped off of the train station platform, and began to follow the tracks out of Canterlot, a hard look of resolve on her face. ‘You and I can never be together. You are the light that is the shining centre of you and your friends… whereas I am the dark that hides the blood I am about to spill.’

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

Recurring Nightmare

It was afternoon, and at this time every day, either Spike, Twilight, or Trixie would be preparing lunch, depending on whether or not the two Unicorns were busy. Today, though, Twilight Sparkle was in no mood for doing anything other than lying in her bed, her head buried into her wet pillow, as she reminisced about the past. Her past with Trixie.

Spike had offered to make her some dinner, but Twilight only responded with a weak nod of acknowledgment, and even when he had brought her her favourite meal – a daisy-daffodil sandwich with extra daisies – she simply ignored it and continued to stare blankly into her pillow, her tears drying up as the seconds ticked by.

Later that afternoon, Applejack and Rarity stopped by to see how the Unicorn was doing. They entered her room with Spike, and found that she hadn’t moved from her spot even once, save for one moment when she needed to answer nature’s call. The sandwich by her bed was untouched, and the bread had hardened over time.

Spike also noticed that the glass of water that he had poured for her that morning was still full. He couldn’t stand to see Twilight, the pony he respected more than anything, looking like this, but he put on a brave face and approached her side, the two mares following him.

“Twilight? Applejack and Rarity are here,” he said, not sure if she was actually aware of their presences.

“Oh? Tell them I’m not in the mood to talk right now,” she responded, not lifting her face from her pillow.

“Too late,” Applejack said, startling Twilight. “We’re already here, an’ we’re certainly not gonna leave ya alone. Not until we’re sure ye’re okay.”

“… I’m fine,” Twilight insisted.

“Really?” Rarity asked. “You haven’t eaten anything today, have you darling? And I can tell by the sound of your voice that you’re parched.”

“I’m just tired. I want to get some sleep.”

“Ah understand,” Applejack said, walking over to Twilight’s bed and sitting beside the purple Unicorn, placing a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “But jus’ ‘cause ye’re… ‘tired’, doesn’t mean ya should skip out on eatin’. Ya need ta get some grub in yer belly, Twilight, otherwise, you’ll regret it later.”

“I don’t feel like eating right now.”

Spike hopped up onto Twilight’s bed and gave her a little nudge. “C’mon, Twilight. I’m worried about you. Just ‘cause Trixie dumped you-”

Rarity immediately placed a hoof over Spike’s mouth, and the three waited in silence for a bit, until they could hear Twilight’s sobbing starting up again. Applejack sighed, and shot the baby dragon a glare. Spike tried to apologise, but it was muffled by Rarity’s hoof.

“How could she do that to me?” Twilight asked. “After all we’ve been through… Everything was going so well. I thought she loved me. I thought she wanted to be with me, so why did she say that all of a sudden?!”

Applejack reached down and pulled Twilight into a hug. The purple mare buried her face into her friend’s chest, bawling her eyes out once more as she remembered Trixie’s parting words.

Applejack and Rarity exchanged glances, and then nodded to each other. Whilst Applejack continued to comfort Twilight by holding her, and stroking her mane, Rarity asked Spike if he could bring some tea and a new sandwich. After she released him, the baby dragon grabbed the current sandwich and the glass of water, and sped off towards the kitchen.

Rarity approached her two friends, and sat down beside Twilight, so that the librarian was in-between the other two mares. “Twilight darling, we’ve been talking about… this whole incident, ever since you came back yesterday, completely in tears.”

Twilight sniffled a few times as her crying slowed down. “‘We’?”

Applejack nodded. “Us two, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, an’ Pinkie Pie.”

“That’s right. We were so worried about you, and we want to help you in any way that we can. Therefore, we all met up at Sugarcube Corner to discuss the situation.”

“… And?” Twilight asked weakly. “Let me guess: you’re just going to tell me to forget about Trixie. That she isn’t worth my time. That there are other mares out there.” Twilight sat up and turned to Rarity, her eyes burning with anger as she faced the white mare. “Well you’re wrong! Trixie was the only pony who ever made me feel that way! She was the pony I loved more than anything! I felt so many new things with her! We had fun together, and whenever I was with her, it just felt… right! Like there was nothing in this world that could have ever hurt the two of us!

“… And… I was certain that she would be the mare I ended up marrying…” Twilight’s glare softened, and new tears began to form in her eyes again. “Why did she do it? Why doesn’t she love me anymore? What changed?”

“That’s actually what we were discussing, Twilight,” Rarity said, leaning forward and pulling her friend into a hug. “Something about this just doesn’t seem right.”

“Ah can’t believe she’d do somethin’ like that! Ah can’t believe ah trusted her!”

“I guess it really was all just an act, huh?” Rainbow Dash said. “That little… Well you can believe she’s not gonna get away with this!”

“Darn right, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack agreed. “Ah warned that mare what would happen if she hurt Twilight, and ah intend ta live up ta that warning.”

“Hey, guys?” Pinkie Pie interjected, her voice lacking its usual cheer. “I think we should focus more on cheering up Twilight. She’s super sad right now, and I…” Everypony looked at her expectantly, and Pinkie let out a deep sigh. “I don’t think my parties will help.”

Everypony at the table gasped, and exchanged serious glances. Clearly, the situation was far worse than they had realised.

“She’s right,” Rainbow said. “Trixie can be dealt with later, but first, we need to make sure Twilight’s okay.”

Rarity nodded, and let out a depressed sigh. “Still, I wonder what could have happened? I was sure that Trixie’s love for Twilight was genuine.”

“I find it hard to believe that Trixie would go to so much just to hurt somepony,” Fluttershy said. She then added in a much quieter voice: “I’m worried about her.”

“Don’t worry, sugarcube,” Applejack said, giving the down Pegasus a smile. “We’ll go over there later an’ make sure she’s alright.”

“Not Twilight,” Fluttershy corrected. “Well, her too, but I was actually talking about Trixie.”

Rainbow Dash jumped up out of her seat and slammed her hooves on the table, startling the ponies both sitting there, and sitting around them. “You’re worried about her?! Fluttershy, what’s wrong with you?! There’s a limit to kindness, you know?!”

Fluttershy ducked back behind her mane, and Rarity quickly wrapped her forelegs around the frightened Pegasus to calm her down. “Now now, Rainbow Dash. I understand that you’re angry, but there’s no need to take it out on poor Fluttershy.”

Pinkie Pie and Applejack nodded in agreement, and Rainbow Dash, after letting out an annoyed groan, sat back down. “And besides,” Rarity added, “I agree with her.”

“WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash shouted, bolting up out of her seat again. Rarity, however, did not flinch.

“It’s highly unusual for somepony to just suddenly change so drastically like that. Something must have happened to her. Something dreadful. I just know it!”

“Like what?” Applejack asked. “What kind of ‘something’ could justify what she did to Twilight?”

“Who knows? But I think we should find out, before we just jump to conclusions.” Fluttershy eased her way out of Rarity’s hold, and nodded in agreement.

The five ponies just remained silent for a while, and the atmosphere around them grew tense. Eventually, Rainbow Dash couldn’t take it anymore, and turned around to leave. “Where’re ya goin’?” Applejack asked.

“To find Trixie, of course!” Rainbow Dash answered. “I don’t know about any ‘reasons’ for dumping Twilight like that, but I’m gonna find out! And if she isn’t willing to talk… well, I’ll make her if I have to!”

“Wait-” But it was too late; Rainbow Dash had already left the bakery, and was on her way to gather whatever information she could about Trixie’s current location. She was on her way to Canterlot.

“… For now, let’s go make sure that Twilight’s okay,” Applejack said, and the other three mares nodded in agreement.

“And that’s basically it,” Applejack said after she finished her story. “Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie are already packin’ their bags. We’ve decided ta go after Trixie too, and find out why she did what she did.”

“You know Trixie better than any of us, darling,” Rarity said to Twilight, who was still staring blankly at Applejack. “You know that there has to be a reason for her sudden change in attitude. Surely you aren’t just going to lay around here all day, when you could be out there, finding the answer.”

Twilight turned her attention to Rarity, and then lowered her head. “But, what can I do? She said that she didn’t want anything more to do with me… Besides, she said that she would come to pick up her stuff later. So if I just wait-”

“Twilight, no offence, but how stupid can ya be?” Applejack asked, surprising both Twilight and Rarity. “If she wanted nothin’ more ta do with ya, but still wanted her stuff, surely she would have packed it all up before breaking up with you, right?”

“B-But-”

“And besides, are ya really willing to just sit around an’ wait for somepony who might or might not show up? Ah thought you loved that mare more than anythin’ else in all of Equestria! Surely ya aren’t just gonna give up and let her get away without at least getting’ some answers!”

Twilight stared into the space in front of her. She could recall a conversation that she had had with Trixie during their time together on the S.S. Blueblood.

“Trixie ran away from you back in Ponyville… You’re afraid she’ll do the same now. But Trixie won’t! That was one of Trixie’s biggest mistakes, and she won’t repeat it!”

“No, Trixie! That was my fault! I should have gone after you! I was stupid to let you run off like that…”

Twilight’s eyes widened as she remembered the next thing that she had said to Trixie.

“Well, I’m certainly not going to repeat that mistake. It’s just a dumb dream, and I have no intention of letting you get away from me again!”

Steeling herself, Twilight raised her head up, and slowly turned to face Applejack. “… Screw getting answers,” she said. Applejack and Rarity were both very surprised to hear such a thing coming from the purple Unicorn, but she continued before they could say anything. “She’s my marefriend, and if she thinks she’s getting away from that, she’s got another thing coming! I’m not going to let her get away from me again!”

At that moment, Spike re-entered the room, carrying a tray with three cups of hot tea, and a brand-new sandwich for Twilight. “Uh, did I miss something?” he asked, excited to see Twilight looking much livelier than earlier, but a little concerned with the fire in her eyes.

Applejack simply smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Twilight’s back! And soon, Trixie will be, too!” She turned back to her newly-revived friend, who reached out for the sandwich brought to her with her magic. ‘At least, ah hope so… for Twilight’s sake.’

Trixie stared up at the sky above her, as she felt the cart that she was in beginning to slow down. She felt the frigid temperature of the surrounding area, and knew that she was close to her destination.

“Miss, we’re here,” the stallion pulling the cart said.

Taking a moment to ready herself, Trixie adjusted the clasp on her cloak, tightening it around her neck, and pulled her hood up over her head. She then jumped off of the cart, and circled around towards the owner. “Here,” she said, handing over a few bits to the stallion for the lift.

“Thank ye kindly, miss.” The stallion began to unhook himself from his cart, but was stopped by Trixie.

“I think you should leave this area, quickly.”

The stallion shook his head. “I know it’s cold here, but I can take it! ‘Sides, I’ve been walking for hours now without a break, and my legs feel like they’re made of jelly!”

Trixie sighed, and reached into her cloak. What she withdrew took the stallion by surprise. It was a pouch, absolutely filled with bits. There must have been at least a hundred there, and to his even greater surprise, she placed the pouch into his saddlebag!

“Go,” was all that Trixie said, in a harsh, cold tone.

The stallion quickly hooked himself back into his cart. “Yes, ma’am!” he said cheerfully, before continuing his journey along the dirt path before him.

As soon as the stallion and his cart were out of sight, Trixie turned around and began to venture north, towards the snowy mountains in front of her.

“That was rather kind of you,” a voice said. Trixie stopped immediately, and began looking around for the source of the voice. “You don’t even know that stallion, yet you’re worried he might get caught up in our affairs.”

“That’s because you kill anypony who happens to have the misfortune of witnessing your crimes,” Trixie said, turning her attention to a tree not too far in front of her. “Which makes me wonder: why did you wait all this time to kill me?”

From behind the tree that was receiving Trixie’s full attention, a cloaked figure emerged. He looked directly at the blue Unicorn, and shook his head. “You are correct, little Trixie Lulamoon. I should have killed you back then. And naturally, it was my intention… But something happened. Something which warranted me ensuring your survival.

“Unfortunately, the Royal Guard arrived sooner than I expected, along with that cursed Captain… The one that trained Captain Armour, who I believe is a dear friend of yours?”

“He is an acquaintance, nothing more,” Trixie responded in a stern voice.

“I see. Anyway, because of them, I had to flee quickly, leaving you behind. And then, when I had finally managed to find out what they had done with you, I found that you had already left that orphanage.”

“You visited the orphanage?” Trixie asked, feeling even more relieved that she had fled when she did. But then, a horrible thought crossed her mind. “… When did you visit the orphanage?”

“Well, let’s see… I believe it was twelve years ago? No, eleven years ago. My, how time flies.”

Trixie’s glare hardened, and she was finding it hard to restrain herself. Her horn began to emit sparks, and her right forehoof was lifting off the ground, and moving towards the inside of her cloak. “… Eleven years ago,” she started, gritting her teeth as she continued to glare daggers at the stallion before her. “The Matron in charge of that orphanage died. I had gone back to take the camera she had, not wanting anypony to find out that I used to live there, and that’s when I heard… that she had suffered an ‘unusual death’. To this day, her death has never been explained…”

“That Matron… knew that I was interested in you. I couldn’t let her live, after I had asked her all of those questions.”

Trixie’s forehoof shook, and she grasped a firm hold of something inside of her cloak. “… So it was you! You killed my family, then you killed the Matron, who had saved my life! And now…”

The stallion removed his hood, revealing his face to Trixie. His yellow-coated face, that spiked-back, brown mane, and those deep blue eyes. All of the features of the Unicorn stallion that had haunted Trixie’s memories for as long as she had memories. And, to top it all off, that sadistic grin as he revelled in the pleasure of taking what was most precious to the blue Unicorn mare.

Trixie walked into the small building that acted as her former gang’s current hideout. She was expecting to see the usual setup: Boss and the gang sitting around, drinking and playing cards or some kind of game, whilst ponies took turns watching through the window.

What she instead saw made her blood freeze, and her body shake. The first thing that caught her eye was the green Pegasus that she knew as Sly Swift, lying in a pool of red liquid by the door. She then shifted her gaze further up into the room, and found Boss lying on the table, and then Haze sitting against the wall behind him.

She recognised the scent that filled the room. The room was full of bodies, painted with red, and filled with the scent of blood.

“W-What?” was all that she could say as she stepped inside. She looked around, trying to find something to make sense of the situation. “… Feathermay?” she asked, noticing that the Pegasus wasn’t there. “Where is she?”

“… Trixie?” a voice called out. Trixie jumped, and turned her attention to the wall beside her. The wall popped out of place, and then slid open. A purple Pegasus mare sat inside the small, hidden room behind the fake wall. “Trixie, it’s you,” she said in a relieved tone. However, her face showed that she was anything but relieved. Her eyes were wide and shaking, and she shook about on the spot as if she were absolutely terrified.

“Feathermay, what happened here?!” Trixie asked, running up to the frightened mare and placing her hooves on her shoulders.

“I… There was… somepony here… A yellow coat, a brown mane… He killed them all, and I… I…” Feathermay dove her head into Trixie’s shoulders and began to weep, begging Trixie to tell her that everypony was fine. That it was just a horrible dream.

Trixie put a hoof on the back of Feathermay’s head, keeping her from looking past and seeing all of the bodies littered around. She then took another look around, and found a note resting on the table in the room, underneath Boss’ hoof. She took it with her magic, and her eye widened as she saw the symbol on it – the emblem of Nightmare Moon. She then read the wording underneath.

Trixie Lulamoon, your presence is requested at the Northern Mountains as soon as possible. I will be waiting for you there, but please do not keep me waiting for too long. Otherwise, another tragedy may take place.

Below the message, was a collection of photographs. The first one was of Boss, and had a red ‘X’ over it. The next seven were of the rest of the gang members, minus Feathermay, all crossed out in the same way. She was expecting the last one to be of Feathermay, but not crossed out, since she had managed to hide herself. However, she was wrong.

The last photograph was of a purple Unicorn mare, walking through a street with a saddlebag full of books, looking up at a bird flying just above her head, with a most beautiful smile on her face. “Twilight…”

The photograph didn’t have a red ‘X’ over it… yet. Trixie gritted her teeth together, and unknowingly began to put more pressure on her hold over the crying Pegasus in her forelegs.

“T-Trixie,” Feathermay said, trying to pull away. “That hurts…”

Trixie immediately loosened her grip, and allowed Feathermay to pull back and begin coughing. She then turned back to the photograph of her marefriend, and she felt her blood boiling and her eyes burning as she thought about the stallion she knew had to be responsible for all of this.

“How did you even know I was going to visit them?!” Trixie asked, resisting the urge to charge the stallion for two reasons: the first being that she still wanted some answers, and the second being that this was somepony who had bested Shining Armour in combat. He was not to be taken lightly. “You did all of that on the chance that I would have dropped by to see them?!”

“Not at all. We were actually going to send you a message, with forged hoofwriting similar to Boss’, summoning you to the hideout. It was just a stroke of luck that you happened to go there all on your own.”

“And you couldn’t have just sent the message you left there? You had to kill everypony, and leave their rotting corpses for me to find?”

Shadow began to walk closer to Trixie, causing the showmare to raise her guard and light up her horn threateningly. He stopped just a short distance in front of her. “I had to make sure you had a reason to come and visit me. Besides, a peaceful lifestyle doesn’t really suit you.”

“… I was finally happy,” Trixie said. “I was finally with somepony that I cared for, and who cared for me! My shows were starting to pick up, Boss and the others were doing well, I had found a nice little town to settle into, and I was making friends left and right!”

“Like I said, it doesn’t suit you. Alone and isolated is more your style.”

“WHY?! Why did you leave me alive back then?! Why did you kill my entire family?! Why are you always tormenting me?! Answer me, Shadow!”

The stallion looked puzzled for a second. “Shadow? Oh, that’s right… That’s the codename that Shining Armour gave me, isn’t it? I would prefer you use my real name: Amaranth.”

‘‘Amaranth’…’

“And to answer your questions… it became necessary to leave you alive, as I said earlier. To be honest, when we lost track of you thanks to the Royal Guard, we were all but convinced that we would never find you again. We figured the Royal Guard was keeping you safe somewhere, under a fake name. Imagine our surprise to find you not only using you real name, but performing shows all over Equestria, drawing attention to yourself, and practically revealing yourself to us.”

Trixie growled, angered by her own stupidity for not using a fake name. “Then why did you not come to me sooner?”

“The time was not right. But we did keep a watchful eye on you. We needed to make sure you didn’t get yourself killed before we were ready. That’s why we’ve been protecting you ever since we found you.

“But now, the time is just about right… Yes. I’d say you’re ready to undergo the transformation. You just need a little push now…”

“The ‘transformation’?” Trixie asked. “What’s-”

“Sorry, but I’d like to end our little Q&A session here. I have a rather busy schedule, after all.”

Trixie gulped, and looked around herself. ‘It’s a wide-open area. There are few places to hide… No, he’s alone right now. I can tell. Therefore, if I can just-’

Trixie’s thoughts were interrupted as she heard the stallion moving towards her. She quickly pulled the knife out from under her cloak and turned her attention back to the other pony, but was shocked to see that he was already right in front of her. Before she could react, he swung a forehoof across her face, sending her flying backwards and crashing onto the ground behind her, dropping her knife in the process.

“Like I said, I won’t kill you. So you can relax… But I will need to cause you some pain, so bear with it for a bit.” Amaranth charged magic into his horn, and fired a yellow beam of energy towards the downed Trixie.

Trixie quickly charged her own magic, and put together a teleportation spell before the beam could hit her. Unfortunately, she landed a little closer to her opponent than she had intended, and was immediately assaulted by his forehoof again.

This time, however, she was able to raise her own forehoof to defend herself. “I’ll make you pay for taking my family away from me!” she shouted, reaching out with her magic to the knife lying nearby. She teleported back a bit away from Amaranth, and grabbed the knife with her right forehoof. She gasped as she saw Amaranth aiming a loaded crossbow at her, grinning as he pulled the trigger.

“And that’s all you know?” Twilight asked, sounding more desperate than she intended to. The mare she was talking to nodded, looking like she was feeling uncomfortable with the Unicorn’s questioning, and Twilight simply sighed. “Alright, thanks for your help.” Her voice completely lacked any cheer, and her head hung low as she slowly made her way over to Rarity and Fluttershy, who were both sitting outside of a nearby café.

“That was the last one,” Rarity said, looking not quite as depressed as Twilight, but still rather upset. “And all we know is that Trixie was sighted walking along the train tracks yesterday, not wearing her cape and hat, before entering this town…”

Fluttershy looked up at the sky above her. “Oh, Rainbow Dash.” Said rainbow-maned pony arrived from behind Twilight, and landed next to the purple mare. She was followed by Applejack, who was panting and sweating from chasing the Pegasus, and Pinkie Pie, who was skipping after the Pegasus merrily.

“Did ya find anythin’?” Applejack asked, quickly sitting down with her friends and wiping the sweat off of her brow. Fluttershy offered her a drink of her juice, which Applejack quickly downed, before returning the empty carton to the yellow Pegasus. “Phew! Thanks, Fluttershy.”

“Um… I-It’s okay,” Fluttershy said, carrying the empty juice box away to a nearby bin, and entering the café to buy a new one.

“And to answer your question: no. We have not,” Rarity said, before turning her attention to Rainbow Dash, who looked like she was ready to pounce somepony and beat them up at any moment. “Dare I ask?”

“All we found out is that she paid somepony to let her ride in his cart, and that they left town to the north, but that’s it!” Rainbow Dash slammed her face down onto the table in front of her. “… Oh yeah, and she was apparently wearing a black cloak when she left.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at that. “A black cloak? What for?”

“How should I know?!” Rainbow snapped, causing Twilight to flinch. “Uh, sorry… Anyway, I guess she was worried we’d come after her! I swear, when I get my hooves on that mare…”

“Calm down, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie said, a worried look on her face as she held onto Rainbow Dash.

“Um, excuse me.” The five ponies at the table turned around to see a purple mare approaching them. Her face was wrapped in bandages, obscuring it for the most part, and they could just barely make out bulges in the sides of her dress, suggesting that she was a Pegasus. “You… Do you k-know a T… Trixie Lulamoon?”

Twilight’s face immediately came to life, and she practically leapt forward towards the mare, who backed away told the Unicorn to stay back. Rainbow Dash was quickly in this new mare’s face, glaring her down as she moved forward whenever the frightened mare took a step back.

“That’s right! You know her? You’d better tell us everything you know, right now!”

“I-I… I…”

Applejack quickly pulled Rainbow Dash back by her tail, and offered an apology to the mare. Twilight then took Rainbow Dash’s place in front of the mare, but her eyes were more pleading than angry. “Please! If you know anything, please tell me!”

The mare gulped, and slowly took a step back. She was thankful to see that, this time, the other pony allowed her to distance herself a bit. Suddenly, the mare’s eyes widened as a realisation hit her. “Y-You… are Twilight Sparkle, right? Trixie’s marefriend?”

“Well, I was,” Twilight said, a frown forming on her face. Before she could continue, though, the bandaged mare quickly reached forward, and grabbed Twilight’s shoulders.

“Please! You have to help Trixie!” she shouted, sounding desperate, and afraid. She removed one of her hooves from Twilight’s shoulders, and reached into her dress, pulling out a folded up piece of paper. “She’s in trouble! You have to help her!”

An explosion behind Trixie conjured a large cloud of smoke, obscuring her pursuer’s vision. The showmare quickly ducked down behind a nearby rock, and looked down at her stomach, which she was clutching with her right forehoof. She moved her hoof aside, and winced as a sharp pain passed through her body.

“Damnit… I’ve got to get this bolt out,” she said to herself as she reached for said projectile, sticking out of her stomach. She nudged it ever so slightly, and yelped as pain passed through her body once again.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Amaranth said, circling the rock and leering down at Trixie. “You’ll bleed out pretty quickly if you do.”

“Oh yeah?” Trixie asked as she performed a firework spell, aiming it directly at the stallion before her. Amaranth dodged it, and swung his hoof towards the blue mare. Trixie rolled aside to avoid the blow, and reached into her cloak to pull out her knife again. She thrust it forward towards Amaranth’s chest, but the stab was intercepted by his magic.

“You can’t beat me, little Lulamoon. You lack the will to kill anypony, and that’s why you’ll lose.” Amaranth took the knife from Trixie’s hoof, and used it to slash her face, cutting her along her cheek and prompting her to quickly teleport back, twice. He sighed as Trixie once again turned tail and began to flee up the mountain, and promptly gave chase. “You can’t get away, either.”

As Trixie ran, her breathing increased drastically, and she could feel her legs becoming much heavier. In addition, her wound was burning, like it was on fire! She knew that she wouldn’t last much longer. She knew that she would have to turn the tables on him somehow. But how? He was simply too strong for her to take on. There was nothing that she could do…

‘No, wait! There is something that might work, but…’ Stopping for a moment to catch her breath, Trixie quickly turned around as she heard the hoofsteps of her opponent drawing closer. She knew she wouldn’t be able to get away, so there really wasn’t much choice. ‘I hope Twilight’s suggestion works…’

Magic gathered into Trixie’s horn, growing larger and larger as Trixie grunted and groaned under the pressure. ‘Temporal illusion, go!’

Twilight and her friends leapt out of the chariot that had given them a lift, along with their new companion, Feathermay. Fluttershy offered the driver some bits for the ride, whilst Twilight immediately began to look around the area, desperately looking for Trixie.

“Where is she? Where is she?!” she asked, grabbing Rarity’s shoulders and beginning to shake her.

“T-Twilight, darling, please calm down!” Twilight stopped shaking Rarity, and the white mare gently placed a hoof on her shoulder. “That’s better. Now, let’s-”

Before she could continue, the sound of an explosion sounded in the distance, drawing the attentions of the seven mares. In the distance, the seven ponies could see a bright, purple light shining on the mountains.

Twilight wasted no time in racing towards that light, her mind flooded with thoughts of Trixie in danger, and praying that she wasn’t too late.

Trixie lay down on her back, her eyes closed and her breathing slowing down as her horn began to spark wildly out of control. Looming above her, Amaranth shot the showmare a cold, hard glare. “You bitch… How dare you do something like that! Are you trying to kill yourself?! I don’t care about you, but of the Queen-”

A sharp pain suddenly passed through his system, and Amaranth fell down to the ground, passing through the fading form of the downed showmare. Behind him, he could hear hoofsteps approaching, accompanied by the sounds of irregular breathing.

“It seems it worked… Twilight Sparkle, you managed to perfect a safer way to use the temporal illusion spell, as if it was nothing.” Trixie stopped behind Amaranth’s body, and leaned down to pick up the knife that he had dropped after suffering her magical attack. “You really are something else…”

“Y-You used a temporal illusion?!” Amaranth asked, shaking as he tried to right himself. “And then two more illusions during that-”

Trixie extended her hoof forward as soon as the stallion was facing her, knocking him down to the ground. With her other hoof, she pressed the blade of her knife against his throat. He could see the look in her eyes… Cold. Merciless. Filled with hatred… Those eyes… they were perfect.

“Oh, how the tables have turned,” Trixie said as she pressed the knife just a little more against his throat, digging into it a little bit and starting to draw blood. “I lack the will to kill you? Maybe if I had encountered you before yesterday… but you killed my second family, and you also threatened to kill Twilight. There’s no way I can forgive you for that.”

Amaranth glared at the blue mare, and extended one of his hind legs forward, kicking her in the stomach and pushing her back.

Trixie performed a teleport spell before she could hit the ground beneath her, and quickly righted herself. She noticed Amaranth charging towards her, and assumed a defensive stance.

‘Damnit!’ Amaranth thought to himself. ‘She hit me pretty hard! But I should still be able to take her… The question is, can I avoid killing her? My Queen…’

Trixie dodged Amaranth’s kick, and returned with her own. Amaranth grabbed her leg, and attempted to throw her over his head. Instead, though, Trixie fired a beam of magical energy towards the stallion, forcing him to let go and jump back a bit.

He charged forward again, this time pulling his crossbow and loading it. “Just give up already!” he shouted, aiming his crossbow at Trixie’s stomach. “I’d rather not hurt Her Majesty’s body!”

Trixie completely ignored him, and charged another beam of magic into her horn. Amaranth fired, and Trixie released her attack shortly afterwards. The bolt hit Trixie, and her beam hit the crossbow in Amaranth’s hooves, at roughly the same time.

Amaranth grunted as he held his hoof, which suffered some of the damage from Trixie’s attack, and then looked up to see the blue mare teleport to just in front of him. He gasped, and quickly raised his hooves to defend himself… but then lowered them again, when he saw something in Trixie’s eyes.

‘My Queen!’ He could see the lack of life in Trixie’s eyes… The colour that was fading away, the cold, unfeeling look that she gave him. And, to match her eyes, her face had also changed. She was no longer showing any signs of fear. Right now, she was fighting him out of pure, unrestrained anger. And that was the signal he needed, to know that he had won. Right now, she was dangling on the edge of the pit of no return. She simply needed a push to drop down into its dark depths…

Amaranth was determined to give her just that. Lowering his hooves completely, Amaranth’s look of anger faded, and he simply grinned at the blue mare in front of him, who had raised her hoof high into the air, clutching her knife with the blade pointed down.

Trixie didn’t even notice. She didn’t notice the stallion dropping his guard. She didn’t notice the stallion grinning as she raised her weapon. She didn’t notice that her vision was starting to become hazy, or that her breathing was slowing down, or even that her hearing was starting to fade. She didn’t notice, because she didn’t care. Right now, there was only one thing that mattered to her.

With one, swift motion, her hoof came swinging down, travelling quickly towards the side of Amaranth’s neck. She felt her foreleg stop for a second, and heard a loud gasp coming from Amaranth. She quickly resumed her attack, and found that she had to put more effort into thrusting her knife further into the stallion’s neck.

As soon as she could feel the other pony’s neck against her hoof, and his blood running down it, realisation hit her. Her eyes widened, and her vision started to return to her. She hoof shook as she looked at what she was doing. She ran her eyes across her right foreleg, which was getting progressively redder as she eventually reached her hoof. Attached to her hoof, was a small knife, which was currently buried deep into somepony’s neck.

She then turned her focus to Amaranth, expecting to see fear, or anger, coming from him… What she saw instead, was that same grin, from when she had first encountered the stallion.

Amaranth coughed up a little blood, and laughed.

This caused something inside of Trixie to snap. He was laughing… He had pushed Trixie over the edge, and drove her to commit murder, something which she had been determined never to do in her entire life. And now, he was laughing at her… Laughing at her situation… Mocking her, after taking everything she had away from her!

“You basTAAAAAAAAARD!”

As Trixie’s cry echoed throughout the landscape, she withdrew her knife with one lightning motion, causing blood to spurt out from the wound in Amaranth’s neck. The stallion fell to the ground, his body shaking as he let out a few weak pants.

Trixie looked down at his body, and watched as his breathing began to slow down… Slower, and slower, until eventually, it stopped entirely. She then looked over at the knife that had ended his life… No. Not the knife. It was her. She did it. She ended another pony’s life! She had resolved herself to do it, but…

“Why…” Tears began to roll down Trixie’s face, and then fell down to her haunches and dropped the knife in her hoof. She held her head tightly, clenching her eyes shut and screaming as she tried to force the dead pony’s image out of her mind. “NOOOOOO! Why?! Why did you do this to me?! Why can’t I just be allowed to live a normal, happy life with my friends?! WHY?!”

“Because you are merely a tool.”

Trixie gasped, and began to look around for whoever had just said that.

“But you can relax. Now that your job is done, you may rest.”

A warmth began to spread throughout Trixie’s body. A familiar warmth. One that she was sure she had felt somewhere before, but she couldn’t quite place her hooves on it. Soon, the warmth was followed by a shock passing through her system.

“This again?! Your mother was thorough, wasn’t she?!”

“My… mother?” Another shock passed through Trixie’s body, and the blue mare fell down face first onto the ground. Her vision began to fade away, and she felt her body cooling down. The last thing that Trixie heard before passing out was the sound of somepony calling her name. ‘Twi… light…’

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

Trixie's First Nightmare

In the middle of the night, a couple slept peacefully in their bed together, snoring silently as they explored a land of dreams. The mare was held in the stallion’s forelegs, and her head was resting on his chest as she mumbled quietly in her sleep.

“WAAAH! WAAAH!”

Trisha Lulamoon stirred in her sleep, and slowly opened her eyes to the sounds of her daughter crying. She rubbed her tired eyes, and let out a yawn as she nudged her husband. “Dear.”

“Nn?” Maze Lulamoon opened his own eyes, and rolled over to look at the clock on his bedside table. “… It’s three in the morning. What does she want now?”

“Can you take me to her?” Trisha asked.

“I’ll just go myself. You can go back to sleep.”

Trisha shook her head. “I want to be there for her. Please?”

Maze sighed, and gave in to his wife’s demands. “Fine. C’mon.” He climbed out of their bed, and then reached a hoof out to his wife’s outstretched one. She gripped his hoof firmly, and the stallion helped his wife to her hooves.

He then led her across the bedroom, over to the bassinet sitting at the other end, where a crying infant was wailing throughout the night.

“What’s wrong, Trixie?” Trisha asked as she neared her daughter. She slowly moved her hoof towards the sounds of crying, and when she found her daughter, she picked her up and brought the filly close to herself. “Hmmm… it’s not your diaper… Are you hungry?” The baby just continued to cry, but Trisha’s motherly instincts allowed her to understand. “Dear, her bottle?”

Maze looked into Trixie’s bassinet, and found a few milk stains next to where she was lying moments earlier, but no bottle. He then knelt down to look under the bassinet, and smiled as he found what he was looking for. “Here it is. She must have dropped it, I guess.”

Trisha leaned her head towards her husband and nuzzled his neck. “That’s my ace detective.”

Maze blushed, and simply handed the bottle over to his wife. “I’d be hopeless without you, though. I can never understand what Trixie wants.”

Trisha took the bottle into her magic, and levitated it to Trixie, who immediately stopped crying so that she could grab the bottle and start drinking. “You’ll get there, Maze. I’m sure that plenty of parents start out having difficulties. The important thing is that you care for her.” Trisha waited for her daughter to finish drinking, and then held her over her shoulder and began to pat her back, eventually causing the filly to belch.

Trisha then lay Trixie back into her bassinet, and stroked her short mane, eliciting a giggle from her daughter. “That’s right, Trixie. Your father and I love you more than anything, and will always be here for you.” Trisha turned to her husband. “Right, dear?”

Maze nodded, and stared down at his daughter, not sure what exactly to say to her. Trixie looked back up at him with two big, purple pearls for eyes, and stretched out her forehooves towards her father.

“Wuh! Wah?”

Maze felt his heart melting at the sight, and smiled as he reached a hoof towards his daughter. Trixie grabbed his hoof with both of her forehooves, and placed it in her mouth, nibbling it with the few teeth that she had.

“That’s right.”

“Come on, Trixie! Come to mama!” Trisha was sitting on her haunches, in the pleasant summer sunshine, in the midst of the Lulamoon manor’s garden. She held out her forehooves towards her daughter, who was sitting not too far away from her. “You can do it, Trixie!… Is she moving?”

The maid accompanying Trisha placed a cup of tea by her mistress’ side. “Not yet, ma’am. But I’m sure she’ll get there soon.”

Trisha heard the clack of the teacup on the ground, and used her magic to lift the cup to her mouth. She drank her tea quickly, and then lowered the cup back to the ground. “I hope so. The doctor said that Trixie should have already learned by now… Maybe I’m an unfit mother.”

“That couldn’t be any further from the truth, ma’am.”

“But look at me! I’ve been at this for weeks now, and she hasn’t shown any signs of improving! And there’s only so much that I can do for her in my condition…” Trisha frowned as she hung her head low. “I just wish I could do more to help her.”

“Wah!” Trisha’s ears twitched, and she listened closely as she heard the sounds of her daughter slowly getting closer, and closer…

“T-Trixie? Is she…”

The maid nodded excitedly. “Yes, ma’am. She’s walking!”

Trixie stumbled about clumsily on her hooves, and fell a couple of times, but she was determined, and soon enough, she had made it to her mother, who was ready with her open forelegs to congratulate her daughter.

“Trixie! You did it! Well done, Trixie.”

Trixie walked into her mother’s embrace, and continued to walk until she was close enough to nuzzle her mother’s side.

“Trixie?”

“I think she’s trying to tell you that you’re not an unfit mother, ma’am.” The maid smiled as she refilled her mistress’ cup with tea.

Trisha smiled back, and gently stroked a hoof across her daughter’s mane.

“Say it, Trixie. Say ‘papa’. ‘Pa. Pa’.”

Trixie stared at her father with a confused look on her face. She slowly raised a hoof into the air, and extended it forward, pressing it against Maze’s nose. “Wah, wah!”

“… Close enough,” Maze said with a sigh, before walking over to the kitchen cabinet next to him. He took a bowl out, and poured some cereal into it, followed by some milk. He then lifted the bowl with his magic, and placed it down in front of his daughter. “How about ‘mama’? Can you say that?”

Trixie opened her mouth wide when she saw the cereal in front of her, and looked up at her father expectantly.

With an exasperated sigh and a smile, Maze levitated the small spoon by Trixie’s bowl, and scooped up a spoonful of cereal. “Here. You can have some if you can say ‘mama’.”

“A-wah!” Trixie leaned her head forward, her mouth still wide open, attempting to reach the spoon floating in front of her. “Wah?”

“… Here,” he said as he pushed the spoon forwards into his daughter’s mouth. She happily chewed on the cereal, and swallowed it. “Come ooooon. I’ve got twenty bits riding on this! Can you please say something before mommy comes home? Pleeeease?”

Trixie opened her mouth again, waiting for the next spoonful of cereal to be brought to her.

Maze continued to feed his daughter, taking breaks every now and then to try to get Trixie to speak. By the time he was finished, he had given up, and silently took Trixie’s bowl over to the sink to wash it up.

“Well, that’s twenty bits I’ll never see again…”

Behind him, Trixie played with her rattle as she waited for her father to finish the washing up. She laughed to herself as she smacked the object against her highchair, copying the actions of the black-robed pony that she had seen on her father’s ‘magic picture box’ the other day.

However, her laughter soon stopped as she saw something crawling up the side of her chair. She pulled her rattle away, and watched in horror as a small, eight-legged creature made its way up onto the highchair, and started to move towards Trixie.

“Waaaaah…” The creature moved even closer to the frightened foal, and Trixie quickly looked over to her father, who was still washing up her bowl, blissfully unaware of the frightening danger that his daughter was in. “P-PA!”

“Hm?” Maze responded, placing the bowl on the rack beside the sink. Suddenly, realisation hit him, and he quickly turned around to face his daughter.

“PA-PA! PAPA!”

“Trixie! Y-You’re talking!” he shouted excitedly, running over to his daughter to pull her into a big hug. However, the celebration was cut short when he saw the tears streaming down her face, and the frightened look in his daughter’s eyes. He noticed the spider slowly making its way towards Trixie, and acted fast.

“PAPA! PAPA!” Trixie continued to scream as her father turned away and left her. For a moment, the filly had lost all hope, and began to wail loudly as she saw the creature almost reach her.

“Trixie, it’s okay!” Maze assured her as he returned with some tissue paper in his magic. He placed the tissue over the spider, and then picked it up with his hoof, before carrying it away to another room. The sounds of a toilet flushing was heard a moment later, and then Maze returned to the kitchen, a warm smile on his face. “There. The mean spider is gone. Now, can you smile for me, Trixie?”

Trixie stared at her father in awe. In her mind, she had just come into contact with a most terrifying monster, and her father had dealt with it as if it was nothing. And when her father came up to her, and stroked her mane softly, Trixie couldn’t help but smile and laugh as she reached out to him.

Maze moved closer to allow his daughter to hug him. “Papa!” Trixie shouted, and Maze’s smile grew even bigger.

“Don’t worry, Trixie. Papa will always be there to protect you.”

“Momma!” Trixie called out as she approached the blue mare sitting on the couch, not noticing the other mares sitting around her. “Can you read this part to me?” Trixie held out a thin book to her mother, opened up at a specific page.

“Trixie dear,” one of the other mares called out. “You do know your mother can’t read for you, don’t you?”

“But papa isn’t home,” Trixie said, facing the grey mare talking to her.

Trisha laughed, and gently patted Trixie’s head with her hoof. “She doesn’t quite understand what being blind means,” she explained to her friends. “No matter how many times we explain it to her.”

Another mare, this one with a green coat, leaned forward to talk to Trixie. “Trixie, how old are you right now?”

Trixie took a moment to think about it. “Uh… I two years old!”

“My, how times flies! And you’re reaching three soon, if I’m not mistaken?”

Trisha nodded her head in confirmation. “Yes, we’re all getting ready for our daughter’s big day next week. Isn’t that right, Trixie?”

“Yes! Trixie is a big filly next week!” Trixie saluted as she faced her mother. “Trixie has resposi… Resposna…”

“‘Responsibilities’?” one of the mares suggested.

“Yes!” Trixie answered cheerfully, causing the mares around her to giggle amongst themselves. The sound of the front door opening and then closing alerted Trixie, and she quickly turned around and began to run through the parlour. “Papa home!”

Maze removed his coat and hung it on the coat rack by the door. He attempted to make his way further into the house, but was stopped by a small blue Unicorn filly blocking his path. “Welcome home!” Trixie shouted, smiling at her father.

Maze smiled back, and leaned down to pat his daughter on the head. “Thank you, Trixie. It’s good to be home.” He eyed the book that she was holding. “What’s that? Can my big girl already read her first book?”

Trixie shook her head. “I can’t. Sorry…”

“Oh, it’s nothing to apologise for!” Maze said quickly, now panicking at the fact that he had made his daughter feel upset. “It’s okay, Trixie. How about your mother and I read it to you after I take my bath?”

“Not now?” Trixie asked, curling her lower lip as she looked up at her father with two big, sparkling, watery eyes that tore his heart to pieces.

“W-Well, I just got home from work, and I-”

“Pleeeeeeease?” Trixie asked. “Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?”

Maze gulped, and looked behind Trixie to see his wife and her friends watching with amusement, all giggling at his predicament. He looked back down at his daughter’s pleading eyes, and let out a sigh. “… Fine.”

Trixie’s face lit up, and she quickly turned around and ran into the parlour. “Momma! Papa’s gonna read with us!”

“Is he now?” Trisha asked as Trixie leapt up onto her lap. “My, that’s nice of him.”

With a sigh, Maze walked into the parlour, greeting the mares inside as he did so and apologising for his stench, explaining that his bathing schedule had been thrown off by a certain filly.

“Now then, what are we reading?” he asked as he sat down beside his wife.

“Animals!” Trixie answered, holding the book up to her father.

Maze looked at the cover and read the title: The Happy Family. Indeed, all of the characters were various types of animals. There were dogs, cats, sheep, birds, and fish. Since Trixie couldn’t read the title, she must have just made up her own one for it.

“Alright then. Let’s begin… Once upon a time…”

Trixie woke up in the middle of the night, kicking about in her bed as she tried to get comfortable. Her body was sweating, and her throat was parched. She removed the covers from her body, because it was so hot inside her room, but it didn’t help any.

She then sat up in her bed, and heard a loud crashing sound from somewhere inside the manor. “Papa? Momma?”

A faint yell was then heard, momentarily catching the blue filly’s curiosity, before that was replaced with her desire to drink some water. She climbed out of her bed, made her way to the bedroom door at the far end of her room. “Thirsty…”

She opened her bedroom door, which was already slightly open anyway, and was greeted to the sight of a bright orange light outside. It was even hotter now, as she stood out in the hallway that was burning under a huge fire. She watched the flames in awe for a moment, until she heard a scream to her left. She turned around to see a hoof on the ground in the distance.

“M-Miss Trixie… run…”

Trixie tilted her head in confusion, not quite sure what was going on. She turned to her right, and began to make her way slowly down the burning hallway, ignoring the sounds of crashing and screaming around her. She had to reach her parents’ bedroom. They would know what was going on, for sure!

Trixie eventually reach the door that led into her parents’ bedroom, and opened it up. “Momma?” she asked as she walked inside. “Papa?”

“Why are you doing this?!” Trisha shouted, causing Trixie to stop in her tracks. “Who are you?!”

“Trisha!” Maze called out to his wife. “The emblem on his armour! He’s with them!”

“Then, you’re here to-”

“Yes. I am here to free the mare that you have locked away beneath your mansion. And, naturally, to make sure that your family never again becomes a threat to us.” Trixie turned her attention to the stallion standing between his two parents, and took a step back. She stepped on something on the ground, causing a noticeable creak that alerted the stallion to her presence. “Ah, and there’s the last one. Little Trixie Lulamoon, almost three years old… What a shame that her life will have to end too.”

“NO!” Maze shouted, rising to his hooves and charging towards the stallion. Trixie didn’t see clearly what happened next, but what she could see was the wave of red that came from her father. “D-Don’t you dare touch her, you fiend!”

“P-Papa?” Trixie asked, slowly moving closer to her father.

“Trixie! No! Don’t-” Maze was stopped by a sharp pain piercing his chest, and a few seconds later, he fell to the ground, gasping for air.

“PAPA!” Trixie cried as she ran over to her fallen father.

“Trixie, run!” Trisha called out, but it was no use; Trixie was already at her father’s side, nudging him and begging for him to wake up.

“Papa! Papa! Wake up! Momma’s in trouble! Please, papa! PAPAAAAA!”

“And now, there are only two left,” the stallion said as he walked closer to Trixie. “Farewell, Lulamoon.”

Trixie’s vision slowly started to fade into black, and she let out a tortured scream as she gripped the sides of her head with her hooves.

“What?! My Queen! Y-You’re-”

“NO! Not my daughter! You’re not having my daughter, you monster!”

“A sealing spell? I won’t let you!”

…

“Don’t give in. Continue living, free from despair.”

“Momma?” Trixie opened her eyes, expecting to find herself back in the parents’ burning bedroom. However, she instead found herself in a field, all by herself, with the burning manor in the distance in front of her. “Momma? Where did you-”

“Your mother’s dead. Now, surrender your body to me, little one.”

A sharp pain passed through Trixie’s head, and as she heard the voice in her head slowly growing quieter and quieter, Trixie’s consciousness faded away, and the young filly collapsed on the ground.

“I’m… alone?”

Tears ran down Twilight’s cheeks, and she pulled her horn away from Trixie’s head. “… Trixie… I’m… I’m so sorry…” Twilight wrapped her forelegs around Trixie’s neck, and leaned her head into Trixie’s shoulders as she began to cry.

Trixie’s eyes opened slowly as she felt something wet running down her chest, and she turned her attention to the purple mare lying on top of her. “… Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight’s ears twitched, and she immediately shot her head up to look into Trixie’s eyes. “T-Trixie!” Twilight wiped her tears away, and quickly pulled the blue mare into a hug. “It worked! You’re awake! I’m so glad, I-”

“It has been a while, hasn’t it, ‘Spirit of Magic’?”

Twilight felt a cold chill run down her spine, and she slowly, cautiously, pulled away from Trixie. As she did so, she noticed that the mare’s blue fur was darker than it was before. She traced her eyes further up Trixie’s body. ‘Was she this big before?’

Twilight’s eyes finally reached Trixie’s face, and the first thing she noticed was that Trixie’s mane had grown dimmer, and was now flowing, as if it were in the wind. She moved her eyes further up, until they met with Trixie’s. Still the same purple colour as before… but this time, they were shaped differently. Almost like a dragon’s eyes… No, almost like-

“I must thank you, Twilight Sparkle. Thank you for freeing me, and for allowing me to reunite with the rest of my soul.”

Twilight’s eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat. She simply stared in horror at the mare sitting before her. The mare that looked so much like her beloved Trixie Lulamoon, but who was clearly somepony else. The mare that Twilight knew she had fought before.

“N-Nightmare Moon…”

The mare grinned, and leaned closer to the frightened Twilight Sparkle. “However, you’re still an enemy. So instead, I’ll take this opportunity to kill you right now!”

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Finale

“Did you pack your lunch?”

“Yes.”

“Have you got your money?” Trixie pulled out a small pouch from within her cape. “Got your ticket?” Trixie flashed her ticket to Twilight Sparkle. “Got plenty of paper? Some quills? Books to read on the train?”

“Twilight, Trixie is only going to visit Feathermay. Why would she need paper and quills?”

“Well… you never know…” The two mares heard the sound of the train nearing, and picked up the pace towards the Ponyville train station. “You’re sure you’ve got everything?”

Trixie rolled her eyes, and used her magic to undo her saddlebag. “Would you like to check yourself?” she asked sarcastically, though this was apparently lost on the purple mare, who immediately grabbed the bag and began to rummage through the contents. Twilight found something in Trixie’s bag that made her look up at the showmare with her eyes narrowed.

“… Trixie, where did all of these sugar sticks come from?” Trixie turned away and whistled innocently. “I said you could take three! I don’t want to have to travel to Canterlot to bail you out of jail because of some sugar-induced frenzy!”

“But a train ride without you will be so boring that Trixie will need all this sugar to stay awake!” Trixie pleaded as she ran a hoof gently across Twilight’s cheek.

“Nice try,” Twilight said flatly, using her magic to remove a large pile of sugar sticks out of Trixie’s bag. “You can take three. If you feel tired on the train, feel free to go to sleep. You’ll need your energy for tonight, after all.”

Trixie grinned and closed in on Twilight with a sultry look. “Oh? What have you got planned for the Great and Powerful Trixie?”

Twilight’s face reddened, and she quickly pushed Trixie away. “I-Idiot! I meant the Wonderbolts’ show tonight! It goes on until midnight, and Rainbow Dash went through a lot of trouble to get those tickets so that we could all go together!”

Trixie adjusted her hat, and then reached out for her saddlebag, taking it back from Twilight now that her inspection was finished. “Trixie would have preferred just the two of us going…” ‘Although a bigger audience does have its merits, too.’

“I know, but then, it’s been a month since the seven of us really did anything together all as a group…”

“The last time we all got together was before the Royal Wedding, if Trixie recalls correctly.” Twilight nodded in confirmation. “Trixie still can’t believe she got sick and missed that whole thing. She never thought she’d say this, but Trixie misses having Nightmare Moon inside her mind.”

Twilight shuddered at the memory brought on by that comment. “You hardly ever got sick before because her influence was protecting you. It made your body sturdier than most other ponies, and strengthened your immune system.”

“That’s what Luna said,” Trixie confirmed. “Since Nightmare Moon couldn’t break free of the seal binding her, she instead used her power to increase Trixie’s chances of survival. In a way, it is thanks to her that Trixie is alive today. All so that she could take Trixie’s body for herself…” Trixie leaned in to whisper into Twilight’s ear: “But she never stood a chance, ‘cause Trixie’s body belongs to you.”

Twilight’s blush intensified, and she let out a startled yelp as Trixie blew into her ear. “In the end, love triumphed over darkness,” Trixie continued, pulling away from the bright-red librarian. “Just like a fairytale. Only this one is real.”

“… True love will always triumph in the end. This incident, and the incident with the changeling Queen, both showed that quite well…” The sound of the train making its last call for passengers to board interrupted the two mares’ conversation. “It looks like you’d better get on board. Are you sure you have everything?”

“For the last time, Trixie has everything that she-” Trixie was interrupted by a sudden kiss by Twilight, which lasted for a full ten seconds, before the purple mare pulled away. “… Oh yeah. Almost forgot that.”

“Good job I remembered then,” Twilight giggled. “I guess I’ll see you this afternoon then, when you get back. Make sure you say ‘hello’ to Feathermay for me.”

Trixie nodded, and then waved goodbye to her marefriend, before making her way towards the train that had pulled into the station. Twilight waited until the train left three minutes later, taking Trixie away to the city of Canterlot.

Trixie tapped her hoof irritably on the table in front of her, staring up at the clock beside her as her patience steadily left her. “Hey! How long must the Great and Powerful Trixie be expected to wait?!”

“As long as it takes, ma’am. The prisoner was in the middle of her shower when you came in. You’re lucky we’re allowing you to wait here, instead of asking you to come back later.”

“Honestly, wasting Trixie’s valuable time like this. Can’t you move her shower schedule around a bit?”

“… No. We cannot.”

The door on the other side of the glass to Trixie opened up, and a purple Pegasus pony walked inside the room on the other side. “Here she is,” the guard accompanying her announced. “You’ve got fifteen minutes.”

Feathermay sat down opposite Trixie, smiling despite her situation. “Hey there. Glad to see you’re okay.”

“That should be Trixie’s line,” Trixie said, frowning as she faced her friend. “Sorry… You got found out because of Trixie. If you hadn’t been brought in for questioning, your involvement with Boss and the others wouldn’t have been found.”

Feathermay shook her head. “It’s fine. The only connection they found was that I was helping them avoid capture. Therefore, my sentence is much shorter than what it would have been otherwise, and most of my time is spent with a therapist.” Feathermay leaned closer to whisper to Trixie. “I’ve convinced them that my mental state is unstable as a result of witnessing those murders, so that they go easy on me. I get my own cell, and don’t have to do physical labour.”

Trixie grinned, and would have hoof bumped her, if not for the layer of glass in-between them. Instead, they settled for bumping their hooves on the glass itself. “Anyway,” Feathermay continued, “I’m just glad they didn’t discover your connection, too.”

“They did,” Trixie said. “But legally, Trixie didn’t exist during her time with the gang, so the only pony who can testify against her is you. As for harbouring her, there is no evidence regarding that. As for how Trixie knew where to find you, she can just testify that she was investigating a lead, as an honorary member of the Royal Guard.”

“I see… On another topic, how’s your relationship going?”

“It’s going great. Twilight’s friends have, for the most part, forgiven Trixie for scaring them like that, and although Twilight is now a bit more paranoid about Trixie’s actions, she’s still the best marefriend in all of Equestria.”

“That’s great to hear,” Feathermay said, a dreamy look on her face. “When I get out of here, the first thing I’m gonna do is find myself a nice stallion.” Feathermay looked up at the clock beside her, and then back at Trixie. “We still have some time left. I wanted to ask you about that incident… If that’s okay with you, that is.”

Trixie nodded hesitantly. “Yeah, that’s fine. It was difficult, but thanks to all the time that Trixie has spent with Twilight, she has pretty much gotten over it now.” Trixie brought a hoof up to her eye patch. “And even though Trixie’s body isn’t as tough as it once was, serving as a constant reminder of what Trixie has lost… No, it’s thanks to that, that Trixie is able to move on, and leave the past where it belongs.”

“I see,” Feathermay said with a smile. “Give Twilight my thanks, for looking after you.”

“Oh, that reminds Trixie. Twilight says: ‘Hello’.”

“… I’m glad she’s not angry at me, for letting you go off on your own like that… Anyway, what I wanted to ask you, is whether or not that group’s been caught yet.”

“Oh, right. Well, Shining’s lead proved more promising than expected, though the loss of their leader Amaranth was probably quite a lethal blow to them. ‘Nightmare Policy’, as they call themselves, has been disbanded, since the Royal Guard discovered their hideout and raided the place.”

“So nopony will come after you then?”

“Hopefully not. Although, if any remnants still exist, the possibility remains, since Trixie is a Lulamoon, after all. It was the Lulamoons that first defeated Nightmare Moon, by sealing her away. According to Shining Armour, they did it in secret, without even the Princesses knowing about it. Therefore, as long as this blood runs through Trixie’s veins, she is a natural enemy to them.

“But, their first order of business would undoubtedly be to re-establish their order, providing that Nightmare Moon is even still alive.”

“You mean, there’s a chance that that’s possible?!”

“Yes. Nightmare Moon’s past is shrouded in mystery… but she’s very adaptable. She doesn’t need a body to survive, only to be seen.” Trixie let out a heavy sigh. “… Anyway, it seems our time together is almost up.”

Feathermay pouted and turned her head away. “Man, this sucks! I think I preferred my freedom to being locked away like this!”

“Well, duh,” Trixie said with a roll of her eyes. “That’s kind of the whole point.” The two shared a quick laugh together, before a guard came to escort Feathermay back to her cell. “Trixie will come back next week, at the same time.”

Feathermay nodded. “I’ll be waiting. And Trixie, that Twilight’s one fine mare! Don’t do something stupid and end up losing her.”

Trixie harrumphed and flicked her mane. “How dare you? The Great and Powerful Trixie is many things, but an idiot isn’t one of them.”

“Could have fooled me,” Feathermay muttered, receiving a glare from Trixie in response. “Later then, Trixie!”

“… Later.” Trixie watched as Feathermay left the room on the other side of the glass, and then, with a loud yawn, jumped off of her stool and stretched her legs. “Alright, that’s that done. Now, just one quick stop, and then Trixie will make her way back to Ponyville.”

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

“Hey, Seashell, Bubbles! Have you seen Wind Whistler anywhere?”

“We haven’t, but have you tried the library? You know how she likes to coop herself up in there.”

“Hello?”

“Good idea! I’ll try that!”

“Wait up! I’ll come with you.”

“Me too!”

“… Nobody can see me. Nobody can hear me. Am I… alone?”

“Why? Why am I alive? If nobody can even notice me, what is my point of being? Are there more of my kind out there?”

“Fascinating!”

“Little one, can you not sense my presence right beside you? What has you so enthralled? Another one of your ‘books’?”

“This mind control theory is simply fascinating! But it’s far too dangerous. I can understand why this research was halted. I had better hide these notes away, so that the wrong pony does not find them.”

“Mind control… These notes are incomplete. I wonder if I could…”

“It worked. I no longer have to be alone anymore! Amaranth… Amaranth, can you hear me? Can you see me?!”

“I can, my Queen… and I thank you for giving me life.”

“‘Queen’?”

“Yes. If you wish, I could address you in some way else.”

“… No. That is fine. Amaranth, you can interact with the world around you, can’t you?”

“I can.”

“Then, there is something that I wish for you to do for me. There is a certain book that I would like to read, but I cannot touch it myself.”

“Your wish is my command, my Queen.”

“Excuse me, miss.” Trixie groaned, and stirred as she slowly opened her eye. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I need to see your ticket, ma’am.”

“… Here,” Trixie said in a groggy voice as she sat up in her seat. She cleared her throat, and handed the train conductor her ticket. “Here.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” The stallion examined her ticket for a moment, before returning it to the showmare. “This seems to be in order. Please enjoy the rest of your travel.”

“Mm… Will do,” Trixie yawned as she rubbed her eye. ‘About thirty minutes until the train arrives at the Ponyville train station. I can’t go back to sleep now… Guess I’ll go take a walk around the train cars, to wake myself up.’

Trixie rose from her seat and moved through the empty passenger car. As she moved through the train, her mind drifted to her plans for later today. ‘After Pinkie Pie’s party, there should be enough time to ‘play’ with Twilight before we have to leave for the Wonderbolts’ show. I’ll have to find some excuse to move away from the group to confirm-’

“Heading somewhere?” Trixie stopped halfway through yet another empty passenger car (apparently, not many ponies were travelling on this train), and focused her attention on the light-grey-coated, red-maned Pegasus mare standing before. “To the dining car, perhaps?”

“Hm? Well, not that it’s any of your business, but yes.” Trixie titled her head as she examined the mare’s face. “Have we met before? You look familiar.”

“Yes, I imagine I would. After all, I was there that time you investigated Amaranth in Manechester.”

‘Amaranth?!’ Trixie quickly lowered her head and started to charge magic into her horn.

“Ah-ah-ah. If you do that, you might attract unwanted attention, and put innocent ponies in harm’s way.”

“What do you want? Nightmare Policy should be disbanded right now.”

“And it is. But I’m not here as a member of that group…” The mare took a few steps closer to Trixie, prompting the showmare to remove her hat, to give her horn a clear shot at the mare. “I’m here on more personal business.”

“Personal? What, you upset that Trixie defeated your Queen? News flash: killing Trixie will accomplish nothing, other than you revealing yourself. And then, you’ll find it even harder to find your Queen again.”

The mare scoffed. “Please, I couldn’t care less about Nightmare Moon. Truth be told, I was never that loyal to her anyway… No, I’m here to avenge Amaranth, not Nightmare Moon.” The mare motioned to the door behind Trixie. “Let’s take a walk, shall we? Oh, and by the way, my name is Agrimonia.”

“And why should Trixie take a walk with you?”

“Like I said, you don’t want innocent ponies getting involved, do you? I’d also like to avoid that, if at all possible. This battle is just between you and me, but I will have no problem involving unrelated ponies if you refuse to comply.”

“… Very well then. Lead the way.” Trixie followed Agrimonia through the train, back the way she had just come from, cancelling her magic for now, but still keeping a close eye on the mare. “Where are we going?”

“To somewhere where we can be alone, without any interruptions.” Agrimonia looked over her shoulder at Trixie, glaring hard at the showmare. “You don’t remember your father, isn’t that right?”

“… I didn’t, but as a consequence if Nightmare Moon’s seal being broken, my memories of him, even though they were from when I was just a baby, returned to me.”

“I see. You’re lucky; I don’t remember a thing about my father, or of my mother, for that matter. I was abandoned at such a young age, and an injury made me forget everything I once knew about them.”

“Is that so? Join the club. There are ponies like that everywhere.”

“Indeed, but how many of them actually survive more than a few years? And of those that do, how many of them are able to fit back into society?” Trixie didn’t respond to that, because she knew what the answer was, but didn’t want to speak it. “You’re one of the lucky ones, Trixie Lulamoon. By finding Boss, you were able to raise the money to pay for tuition for school. From that point on, you were practically on your way to a perfectly normal life. You could get an education, and with that, a job to support yourself.

“In a way, I am lucky too. Because, just like you, I was saved. Amaranth found me, lying half-dead in a gutter in Manehatten, and took me away.” A tear rolled down the mare’s face, and she stopped for a second to wipe it away. “He fed me, bathed me, gave me a place to sleep… In many ways, I considered him my father. And all he asked in return was my loyalty. Heck, it’s not like I had anything to live for before. I was more than happy to live my life for him, as thanks for saving my life.

“And then you killed him. The one family I had in this world. My one reason for living!” Agrimonia slammed her hoof on the floor beneath her, her nostrils flared and blowing steam in her rage. “I’m sure that you of all ponies knows what it’s like to be all alone, and then to find somepony that makes life worth living.”

The image of Twilight crossed Trixie’s mind right away. “Yeah… I know.”

“Well, Amaranth was the only thing keeping me in this world! And now he’s dead! Dead by your hoof! And I swear, that no matter what it takes, I will have my revenge!” Agrimonia turned around and began to walk again. “I will kill you, Trixie Lulamoon. So prepare yourself… I’ll give you until we get to our arena for you to say your prayers.”

“‘Arena’?” Agrimonia stopped by a ladder in the car that the two mares were currently passing through, and motioned for Trixie to climb up.

“I’ve unlocked the hatch. We’ll fight up there. That way, nopony else will get involved.”

“And if Trixie refuses to fight you?”

“Like I said, this is just for the sake of others. But if you refuse, then I will have no problem carrying out my revenge right here and now, even if it puts innocent ponies at risk.”

The two mares shared a hard glare, before Trixie ultimately gave in and, with a reluctant sigh, began to climb the ladder, up to the top of the train car. She stopped halfway to throw her hat and saddlebag to the floor, and then continued. After opening the hatch, Trixie climbed outside, onto the top of the fast-moving train car.

“What do you think?” Agrimonia asked. “Not a bad place for a duel, huh?”

“… It’s a little cliché. Train top duels are so overdone these days. Trixie would have preferred a fight atop an airship.”

“Those things are way too expensive for ponies like us, and you know it.” Trixie turned around to see Agrimonia standing some distance away from her, carrying a dagger in her hoof. “Oh, you don’t have a weapon? That’s too bad…”

Trixie narrowed her eye, and noticed the green liquid on the end of the dagger. “A poisoned dagger? Really?” she asked in a condescending tone. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is supposed to be intimidated by that? You obviously have no idea just who you’re dealing with, do you?”

“Yeah, talk tough, Trixie… I’ll enjoy very much making you eat those words as you gag for your last breath!” Agrimonia charged forward, dagger pointed towards Trixie, and screaming at the top of her lungs: “DIIIIIIIIE!”

Trixie fired a few spells to try to make her drop the knife, by striking the nerves in her hoof, but they were blocked by Agrimonia’s wings, which began to twitch and spasm as a result of being hit. Before she could charge the spell again, the enraged mare was already in front of her, and had thrust the knife towards her chest.

Trixie pulled her cape in front of it, and the knife deflected back, not being able to pierce the piece of clothing. “What?!”

“Thanks, Twilight!” Trixie shouted as she kicked the mare’s hoof with her hind leg, forcing the knife up into the air. She then fired a spell at the airborne object, sending it flying off into the distance. ‘Hope that doesn’t hit anything… It’s a good job I have that manepin that Twilight made me on the inside of my cape, or I would have been a goner!’

“Who says I need a weapon to fight?!” Agrimonia shouted as she lunged forward, extending her forehooves towards Trixie’s abdomen. Trixie responded by blocking with her forehooves, but underestimated the other mare’s power, and was sent flying back along the train.

‘C-Crap! I can’t teleport on a fast-moving object like this! I’ve gotta grab a hold of something!’ Reaching her hooves out for anything that she could grab onto, Trixie just barely managed to find the railing on the side of the train car’s roof, before she was sent flying off of the fast-moving locomotive.

“Oh no you don’t!” Agrimonia shouted, charging towards Trixie. However, as she ran, the pain in her forehoof from Trixie’s earlier kick caused the mare to stumble over, and roll along the train car’s roof towards the edge. “N-NOOOOO!”

“Gotcha!” Trixie shouted as she reached a forehoof out, grabbing Agrimonia’s hind leg as she fell off the train. “Hang on! I’m gonna try to teleport us, but it’ll take some time!”

“W-What are you doing?! Do you not understand the concept of a duel?!”

“Shut up! I’ve already killed one pony, I’m not gonna kill another! And I’m certainly not going to abandon somepony who’s all alone!”

“Y-You’re insane! I tried to kill you!”

“I know!”

“I’m out for your blood!”

“I know!”

“I’m with the ponies that killed-”

“I. KNOW!” Trixie turned her head and bared her teeth at the mare. “But that’s all in the past! I live in the future, and the future is not built through spilt blood! And besides… I can totally understand where you’re coming from.”

Agrimonia managed to bring her head up to give Trixie a bewildered look. “You… You what?”

“I said that I understand your feelings! As somepony who was also abandoned by the world, I know what it’s like when somepony finally accepts you… And when you find that somepony, I know that you’d be willing to do anything to ensure you don’t ever lose them. But you focus so much on not losing them, that you fail to plan for the day when you do lose them.

“And when I lost Boss and the others, and Amaranth threatened to take Twilight away from me, too, the only thing I could think of, was that Amaranth had to pay! I didn’t know how else to deal with it, so I just came up with something simple: I’m good, and he’s evil. With that, I could bring myself to go after his life.”

Trixie’s horn began to glow, and both mares remained silent as Trixie concentrated hard. Teleportation was a difficult enough spell on its own, but teleporting on a moving surface – especially one as fast-moving as a train – required much more effort than usual. The slightest slipup could cost you your life. Add to the equation the extra pony that she had to teleport along with herself, and it was no surprise that her mind felt like it would explode from trying to pull of this spell.

Suddenly, a bright light exploded where the two were previously hanging, and when it faded away, they were gone.

“Well… that could have gone better,” Trixie commented as she pulled a small mirror out of her cape. “My hair’s all black now…”

“Why the hell did you teleport us into the coal car?!” Agrimonia yelled after pulling her head out from the coal that it was buried in just moments ago.

“It’s not like that was Trixie’s intention! Just count yourself lucky that we wound up on the train at all!”

“You should have just saved yourself, you moron! What was all that crap about understanding me, anyway?! Big deal if we were both alone, we also both grew up under different circumstances; you were able to go to school, whilst I was brought up by a group wanted by the Royal Guard!”

“You know, we’re not all that different,” Trixie said, patting her mane to try and get all of the black out of it. “There was a time that Trixie herself actually wanted to dethrone Princess Celestia. Trixie knows how easy it is to go down a dark path, when there’s nopony to guide you any other way. After all, the darkness offers an irresistible attraction.”

Agrimonia scoffed. “What, so you think I could have been ‘saved’ if things had turned out differently?”

“Trixie never said that. She just said that she understands. However, if our situations were reversed, then Trixie believes that the results would have been reversed, too. Trixie would have joined Nightmare Policy, and you would have been able to integrate into society.”

“…”

“You know, loneliness can force ponies to do all kinds of things out of desperation. And not just ponies, either.”

“What d’you mean?”

“… Before Nightmare Moon left me, her memories came flooding into my brain. I saw Nightmare Moon for what she really was, and how she started down the path that made her the figure of terror she is known as today.”

“Isn’t she just somepony with an insatiable lust for power?”

Trixie shook her head. “No. She’s just… like you and me. Alone.” Agrimonia remained silent, and Trixie continued. “She was tired of being alone, of ponies not even being able to see or hear her, and of being the only one of her kind. So one day, when she learned that she could create a pony that could interact with the world, using her own body as a template, she created Amaranth, and asked him to help her in her quest to interact with ponies.

“In her desperation, she used the possession spell to take over the mind of a pony, so that she could finally have a visible body of her own, so that she could mingle with society, and make friends. However, in her desperation, she overlooked two important things: she can only posses ponies with darkness in their hearts, and when she does possess them, she becomes them.

“In other words, she would possess somepony with the desire to destroy the world, or rule it in a state of eternal night, and then, before she even realised it, she would assume their dream. She would essentially become that pony she possessed, and lose herself in the process.”

Agrimonia looked shocked to hear all of this, and a little sad. “No way… And then, she was sealed away because of this?”

Trixie nodded. “Sad, isn’t it? That’s how the world works. Innocent ponies, who want nothing more than to be accepted, become desperate in their quest to find that place to belong, and if they aren’t saved quickly enough, they find their own twisted way to become recognised. They become murderers, or thieves, or con-artists… So many innocent souls fall victim to despair, simply because the world forsakes them from an early age. And I never want to see that again.”

Agrimonia turned her attention to the pile of coal beneath her hooves, a serious frown on her face as she thought about everything that Trixie had just said. “But… you took him away from me.”

“Taking my life will not bring him back,” Trixie said flatly, rising to her hooves and approaching Agrimonia. “Instead of needlessly taking a life from this world, why don’t you focus your efforts into something different? Something that will make worthwhile the life that you’ve been given?”

“Like what? I’m a wanted criminal. I’ve got nowhere to go…” A blue hoof extended towards the light-grey mare, and she looked up at Trixie’s face, which was staring back at her with strong, confident eyes.

“Well, how about this?”

“Here it comes!” Twilight announced as she jumped excitedly off of the bench she was sitting on. In the distance, she could see the train that should have been carrying Trixie approaching. Next to Twilight, Spike was also waiting, carrying a small, wrapped-up present in his claws.

“Twilight, don’t get so close!” the baby dragon called out as he watched the purple mare running up to the edge of the platform.

“I’m not a child, Spike! And I know not to get too close!” The train pulled into the station, slowing to a stop. The doors opened, and a few ponies departed slowly. However, Trixie didn’t seem to be among them. “Where is she?”

“Where is who?” a female voice asked behind Twilight, startling her. She turned around and glared at the laughing blue Unicorn behind her.

“Trixie! Stop sneaking up on me like that! You’re going to give me a heart attack, and then I won’t be able to finish my research!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Trixie said, moving in to kiss Twilight.

Spike would have been making a gagging expression with his face, had he not been distracted by the light-grey mare accompanying Trixie. He was about to ask who she was, before she shot him a glare that froze him stiff.

“Oh, Twilight,” Trixie said after she pulled back from their kiss, “There’s somepony that Trixie wants you to meet.” She motioned over to the mare standing behind her with a hoof.

“… Berrirose,” the mare said in a bored tone of voice.

“Berrirose?” Twilight asked.

“…”

“Are you sure?” Agrimonia asked as she followed Trixie along the train car rooves. “You really think you can pull something like that off?”

“Who knows? But Trixie wants to at least try. And to do it, she’ll need help.” Trixie stopped in her tracks, and turned to the mare behind her. “Neither of us are the weak fillies we once were. We both have the power to influence this world. Killing each other now would not only be a waste, but it would be an insult, to all those who helped us to get where we are.”

“… And, you really want me to help you? After I tried to kill you?”

“The past is the past. The Great and Powerful Trixie looks toward the future.”

“…”

“If there’s a chance that we can save even one pony from suffering the same fate as us, then it’s worth it. Don’t you think?”

The sound of the train’s whistles told the mares that they were nearing the Ponyville train station. “I… don’t know…”

“That’s fine. Just think about it, and give Trixie your answer later.” Trixie turned around, and was about to continue walking towards the open hatch ahead of her. “Oh, that’s right. You’ll need a new name, to avoid the Royal Guard, right?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah… I guess I will.”

“Then, how about Berrirose?”

“‘Berrirose’?”

“That’s right. In the language of flower, it means…”

‘To chose your own destiny.’ Agrimonia nodded. “That’s right. My name is Berrirose. That a problem?”

Twilight shook her head quickly. “Oh, no! It’s not a problem at all! It’s a very nice name, actually.”

“So, who are you, exactly?” Spike asked. “How do you and Trixie know each other?”

“Well, that’s-”

“A strip club,” Agrimonia said, cutting Trixie off. Twilight, Trixie, and Spike’s eyes all widened simultaneously, and the Pegasus mare grinned at the response. “We both ran into each other in a strip club, and I bought her a drink.”

Twilight shot her marefriend a glare. “Trixiiiiie?”

“N-No! She’s lying!” Trixie turned to Agrimonia with a pleading look. “Tell her you’re lying!”

“Oh, no need to be upset, Miss Sparkle. After all, this was back in our student days together, longbefore she had ever met you/”

“Is that so?” Twilight asked, her glare not softening one bit.

“It is,” Agrimonia confirmed, relishing the murderous gaze being sent her way by Trixie. “I met Trixie by chance on the train, on my way to Ponyville. I’m going to be staying here for a bit, you see.”

“Wait, how do you know my name?”

“Trixie’s told me so much about you.” At that, Twilight gaze softened a little bit, but she still looked rather angry at the showmare.

“Hey, guys?” Spike asked, gaining everypony’s attention. “I think we should probably get going soon. You know how Pinkie Pie hates it when ponies are late to her parties. Especially her surprise ones.”

“Oh, you’re going to a party?” Agrimonia asked, before observing the present in Spike’s claws. “Ah, that would explain that, then.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Twilight said, looking over at the station clock. “We should hurry! It’s almost time!”

“Berrirose, why don’t you come along?” Trixie asked, receiving a quizzical look from the Pegasus.

“Hey, yeah! Pinkie Pie loves meeting new ponies!” Spike said in a cheerful tone. “And her parties are always so fun!”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’d much rather get myself to the inn and-”

“You can do that later,” Trixie interrupted. “There’ll be lots of cake there.”

Agrimonia’s ears twitched at the mention of cake, and she shuffled her hooves about on the station platform a bit. “… Well, I guess I could check it out a little bit.”

“Great! Well then, let’s not dawdle!” Trixie grabbed Twilight’s hoof with her own, and started to walk off into the town, with Spike and Agrimonia following behind. A mischievous grin formed itself on Trixie’s face. ‘This’ll get her back for the train ride, and for just now!’

“SUR-PRIIIIISE!”

The surprise party for Aura, a young Unicorn filly that just turned nine today, was a smashing success. The white Unicorn filly entered Sugarcube Corner with two of her friends, and all three were startled when the lights suddenly turned on, and many ponies jumped out from behind the tables.

As the party progressed, and ponies began to mingle into groups and talk to each other, Trixie decided to introduce ‘Berrirose’ to her friends (and to one pink pony in particular).

“Guys, this is Trixie’s… friend…” The word still felt strange to Trixie to use to describe this mare, and Agrimonia didn’t seem to like it much either, cringing as the word left Trixie’s mouth and entered the Pegasus’ ear. “… Berrirose.”

“Wow,” Rainbow Dash said, sending Trixie a playful grin. “You have friends?”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Oh, very original, Rainbow Crash.”

Rainbow Dash nudged Trixie, prompting the showmare to retaliate in kind. The two mares began to squabble in the background, and so Applejack decided to introduce herself first. “Nice ta meet ya, Miss Berrirose. Mah name’s Applejack, and it’s always a pleasure to make a new pony’s acquaintance.” Applejack offered her hoof to the new mare.

“If you say so,” Agrimonia said, ignoring Applejack’s outstretched hoof. “And what about you?” she asked the white mare beside Applejack.

“My name is Rarity. It is most lovely to-”

Agrimonia cut Rarity off by turning to the yellow Pegasus beside her. “And you?”

Rarity frowned, but decided not to say anything. Applejack moved over to where Rainbow Dash was pinning Trixie to the floor, demanding she say ‘uncle’, with Trixie stubbornly refusing. “Alright, you two. Break it up now.” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings, and hovered up into the air, freeing Trixie. “Trixie? No offence to yer friend or anythin’, but she seems kinda… antisocial.”

Trixie looked over at Agrimonia, who was on her way to a nearby table topped with cupcakes. On her way, Apple Bloom tried to introduce herself, but the Pegasus mare simply walked right past her, not even offering a greeting for the little filly.

“Yeah, seems so,” Trixie said. “But hey, at least she’s not coming at you with a poison-coated dagger.”

“… Wait, wha?”

“Don’t worry. Trixie’s got this.” Trixie, with a mischievous grin on her face, walked past her friends, and over to Agrimonia, who was helping herself to many of the cupcakes before her. “Hey. How’s it going?”

“… Well, the cupcakes are good.”

“And the ponies?”

“… I don’t let ponies get close to me. You never know who you can trust, and I don’t want to give anypony the chance to hurt me.”

“Yeah… Trixie’s been there.” Trixie levitated a cupcake into the air with her magic. “But you know, there is one pony that Trixie recommends you talk to. Somepony that she thinks you should at least introduce yourself to.”

“What, you mean the innkeeper?”

“… Okay, two ponies.” Trixie pointed a hoof behind her, and Agrimonia looked over her shoulder, to see a pink Earth Pony mare standing at the other side of the room. “Her name’s Pinkie Pie. Tell her you’re new here, and that you have no friends.”

“Why?”

“Just trust Trixie. It’ll be worth it.”

“… Alright, whatever.” Agrimonia turned around, but stopped to say something, before leaving. “Oh, and Trixie… I haven’t forgiven you. But I can see what you mean. Killing you wouldn’t solve anything… And I’ll consider your proposal.”

Trixie smiled, and almost felt guilty about her prank as she watched Agrimonia walk off towards her impending doom. Almost.

“Trixie?” Trixie turned around to see Twilight standing behind her. “Is everything okay? I’ve heard that Berrirose isn’t exactly getting along well with everypony.”

“It’s fine. Berrirose has her reasons for being so distant.”

“YOU WHAT?!” Everypony in the room turned to the centre, to see Agrimonia slowly backing away from a teary-eyed Pinkie Pie, only for the pink pony to capture her by grabbing her shoulders with her forehooves, rendering her unable to escape. “That’s so sad! Everypony should have friends! I know! I can’t throw you a party right now, because today is Aura’s birthday party day, but come back here tomorrow and I’ll have sooooo many ponies here and they can all be your friends, and you can tell us about yourself and we can all play fun games together and dance together and tell funny stories to each other and-”

Trixie laughed as Agrimonia constantly tried to get a word in, and struggled against the pink pony’s apparently vice-like grip, only to be forced into submission by Pinkie Pie’s high-speed rambling. ‘Success.’

“Well, looks like making friends might not be such a problem for her,” Twilight said, feeling sorry for the poor mare. “… So… you don’t still go to them, do you?”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Go to what?”

“… Strip clubs,” Twilight whispered. Trixie blushed, and quickly started to shake her head.

“O-Of course I don’t! Why would I?”

“It’s okay if you do.”

“I-Wait, what?”

Twilight shied her eyes away from Trixie. “Y-You’re a grown mare, and you have needs,” she said, keeping her voice down, so as to not be overheard by anypony around them. “And, if I can’t satisfy them…”

Trixie’s bewildered look washed away quickly, and became replaced by a harsh, stern look. “Twilight Sparkle! That is enough of that.” She placed both of her hooves on either side of Twilight’s face, and held her head so that their eyes met. “Of course you can satisfy Trixie. Heck, you do more for Trixie than what even a hundred mares could do. If anything, Trixie should be feeling guilty for keeping you all to herself.”

“Trixie…”

Trixie leaned in, closer to Twilight’s ear. “You don’t believe the Great and Powerful Trixie? Then what say you to leaving this party, so that Trixie can prove that what she says is true, right now?”

A light nibble on her ear was all that Twilight needed, and, summoning up her willpower to push Trixie away, she turned around and walked over to Applejack and Rarity, to let them know that she and Trixie would be leaving early. Though the reason why they were leaving early, she naturally kept to herself.

“Ready to go?” Trixie asked, offering her hoof to Twilight.

With a blush, Twilight took Trixie’s hoof with her own. “Show me what you got, ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie.”

Twilight lay her head down onto her pillow, panting heavily as she watched the ceiling above her seem to spin around. Next to her, Trixie wrapped her forelegs around the purple mare’s waist, holding her close as the two snuggled up close together.

“So, has the Great and Powerful Trixie proven her point?” Twilight simply smiled and nodded. “Good. And we still have some time before we have to hit the shower…”

Twilight wrapped her own forelegs around Trixie’s neck, and nuzzled her marefriend’s cheek softly. “Can we just stay like this until then?”

“You read Trixie’s mind,” Trixie said with a chuckle, before running her hoof through Twilight’s mane as the two lay together peacefully. “… Hey, Twilight?”

“Yes?”

“There’s something that Trixie wants to talk to you about, before we go to the show tonight.”

“Go ahead. You know you can tell me anything, Trixie.”

“… Well… it’s something that Trixie has been thinking about for some time now, ever since the whole Nightmare Moon fiasco.” This caught Twilight’s attention, and the purple mare sat up and faced Trixie with a serious look on her face. “As you know, Trixie’s life hasn’t exactly been the easiest… But all things considered, Trixie has been able to lead a pretty decent life, considering what she had to start with.”

“I think you’ve lead a wonderful life, Trixie.”

Trixie smiled and kissed her marefriend, before pulling back to continue. “But, Trixie isn’t the only pony that has suffered through life, and she is by no means the last one, either. There are ponies still living on their own out there, in a world that they feel has forsaken them.

“… Nightmare Moon felt that way, too. That’s what started this whole thing off. It’s what causes groups like Nightmare Policy to grow so powerful, what causes ponies like Princess Luna to do things they later regret, and…” ‘It’s what caused me to take somepony’s life.’ “It all starts with somepony being on their own, and nopony around them giving them even one shred of love, or kindness. Then, that pony, not knowing any other reason for being alive, makes a reason. And, more often than not, that reason is something along the lines of ‘revenge against those that have abandoned me’.

“Trixie never wants to see that again. She never wants to see another pony feel as if the world doesn’t care about them, or to descend into darkness because it’s the only path open to them.”

Twilight nodded, to show that she was keeping up so far. “So… what do you plan to do?”

“Trixie-I want to… build an orphanage. One that can house all of the fillies and colts that have nowhere else to go, and bring them up to be bright, happy citizens of Equestria.”

“Just the fillies and colts?”

Trixie nodded. “Yes. Naturally, I will still do whatever I can to help those that are older, and also forced to live out on the streets, but I am no fool. I know that I must start small, and work my way up… And I also know, that this will be no easy feat. That’s why, Twilight, I am asking… if you will help me. If you will stay by my side, through this endeavour.”

Twilight didn’t even take a second to think before giving her answer. “Do you even have to ask? Of course I’ll stay by your side!” She pulled Trixie towards her and into a hug. “If that’s what you want to do, then I’ll do whatever I can to make it work! And I’m sure you can count on our friends to help you out, too.”

“… Thank you,” Trixie said, sniffling as she felt a tear form in her eye.

“… Are you crying?”

“Of course not! Why would the Great and Powerful Trixie be crying?” Twilight pushed Trixie forward to confirm this, but Trixie was already one full step ahead of her, and as soon as Twilight had pushed her away, the showmare had closed in on the librarian, and connected their lips together into a deep, passionate kiss.

Twilight suddenly forgot all about her plans of teasing the Great and Powerful showmare, and instead just placed her forehooves onto the back on Trixie’s head, pulling her deeper into the kiss.

That night, Twilight, Trixie, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Spike, all arrived together at the Cloudsdale stadium (the non-Pegasus ponies using the cloud walking spell, so that they wouldn’t plummet to their deaths), and all eight of them were excited for the show, with Rainbow Dash visibly being the most excited.

“C’mon, guys!” Rainbow Dash shouted, flying in the air much further away from the rest of the group. “Pick up the pace already! C’mon!”

“She does realise that the show doesn’t start for another hour, right?” Rarity asked, simply watching in amusement as the rainbow-maned mare continued to motion for them to move faster.

“Anypony else tempted ta slow down, jus’ ta see her reaction?”

“As tempting as that sounds,” Twilight started, “I think we should probably hurry up. She looks like she’s about blow.”

“Hmmm… Guess ye’re right,” Applejack conceded. “C’mon, everypony. Let’s hurry up ‘fore she starts shouting death threats to us.”

After about thirty minutes of queuing, which was made enthralling by Rainbow Dash’s lecture on the history of the Wonderbolts, and on all the things that made them so great, the group was finally inside the stadium. A mere two seconds later, Rainbow Dash was already called out to by a security pony.

“Sorry, ma’am, but there’s no flying in the stadium.”

“What?! Why not?!”

“Because there may be ponies that attempt to sneak in by flying, or try to cause trouble and then make a quick getaway. You’re lucky I just saw you enter, but if you’re caught flying inside, you’ll be pulled aside for inspection, and possibly kicked out.”

“You gotta be kidding me!”

“Rules are rules, ma’am.”

With an annoyed groan, Rainbow Dash landed on the cloud floor beneath her, and folded her wings away. The security pony thanked her, and moved back to her patrol post. Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out at the pony as she walked away.

Trixie looked up at a nearby clock on a wall, and then turned her attention to Twilight. “Trixie is going to visit the restroom before the show starts.”

“Oh, I need to go, too,” Fluttershy said.

‘Of course you do,’ Trixie thought to herself, resisting the urge to slam a hoof to her face. “Very well then. Will the rest of you wait here, or shall we meet you at our seats?”

“Let’s go check out our seats!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, almost dashing off on her own, but being stopped by Applejack as the farm pony clamped her teeth down on her rainbow-coloured tail. “Hey! What gives?”

“Let’s wait here,” Applejack said, spitting the Pegasus’ tail out of her mouth. “We’ll go an’ find our seats together when they’re done.”

“Tch. Fine.”

“We won’t be long,” Fluttershy said.

“Trixie might be,” Trixie corrected, before turning around and walking alongside Fluttershy towards the nearby restrooms. ‘Now let’s see… How should Trixie lose her?’

“How did you manage to lose each other on the way to the bathroom?” Twilight asked as she took her seat in-between Trixie and Spike (who was begrudgingly sitting on a foal’s seat booster, on account of his smaller size). “And how did it take you ten minutes to realise that Trixie was gone?”

“I… I don’t know…” Fluttershy responded meekly.

“It’s quite simple, actually,” Trixie said. “Trixie merely pointed out all of the cute stuffed animals inside of a nearby crane machine, and how lifelike they looked.” ‘Well, I may have said something like: ‘That one moved! I think it’s actually alive!’’ “Fluttershy panicked, and rushed to the poor creature’s aid. Since there was no getting through to her, and since Trixie really needed to go, she left Fluttershy there, thinking she just wanted to get a souvenir or something.”

Fluttershy blushed and sank down into her seat. “S-Sorry…”

“Oh, no!” Twilight said quickly. “It’s fine! Really! I was… just amazed by the fact that you and Trixie somehow managed to lose track of each other-” She turned her gaze to Trixie. “-For fifteen whole minutes! That’s all.”

Trixie shrugged. “It’s a big stadium. We’re lucky we managed to find each other that quickly.”

“Hey, guys!” Rainbow Dash shouted across to her friends. “The show’s starting!”

The sounds of explosions drew everypony’s attention to the centre of the huge stadium, where fireworks were being set off as each member of the Wonderbolts introduced themselves, one-by-one.

Twilight’s suspicions were pushed to the back of her mind, and she simply joined the ponies around her in watching the show with awe and wonder.

After introducing themselves by performing some stunts, the Wonderbolts opened up their show with a quick race around the stadium. After that, Soarin showed his high speed and agility by playing a one-on-three match of wingball against Fleetfoot, Rapidfire, and Misty Fly.

Spitfire then set the stage for a cloud clearing match under extreme weather conditions, which the audience was protected from by the Canterlot Royal Guard’s Special Magic Division.

At the show’s half-way point, the Wonderbolts declared a thirty minute break before their next performance, allowing everypony a chance to use the restrooms and buy some more refreshments.

“This. Is. AWESOME!” Rainbow Dash shouted, flapping her wings excitedly and gaining some lift.

“Rainbow! Yer wings!” Applejack shouted, reminding the Pegasus about the security pony’s warning earlier.

“Oh, right!” Rainbow Dash quickly folded her wings back up again, and looked around to make sure that she was safe. “Man, this is just dumb! I’m gonna give that mare an earful when I finally become one of the Wonderbolts!”

“Hey guys?” Twilight said. “I’m going to go buy some more drinks. Do any of you want anything?”

Trixie’s ears twitched, and she quickly grabbed Twilight’s foreleg and pulled her back into her seat. “T-Trixie thinks you shouldn’t bother! The lines are going to be so big, and-”

“I don’t mind waiting in line. I’m just so thirsty.”

Trixie levitated her bottle of half-finished cola in front of Twilight. “Here. It’s still somewhat cold.”

“Er, thanks, but, I think I’ll just go and get a fresh one from the stand outside.”

‘Oh no you don’t!’ Trixie ran several ideas through her head quickly, and acted on the first one that seemed like it might have a chance of working. “O-Oooh! The Great and Powerful Trixie has such a splitting headache!” Trixie lay head down in Twilight’s lap, preventing the purple mare from standing up. “Twilight, could you stroke Trixie’s mane for her?”

“Trixie?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Why are you acting so weird?” Trixie didn’t answer, but still kept her head on Twilight’s lap. “C’mon, get up… Ponies are looking at us.”

“J-Just a little longer.” ‘Come on already!’

“Trixie, are you up to something?” Twilight asked, looking down at her marefriend suspiciously.

“Why, whatever do you mean?” Trixie asked in feigned innocence. Before Twilight could answer, the sounds of more fireworks going off, followed by the emittance of smoke that filled the arena, drew her, and everypony else’s, attention towards it.

“W-What’s going on?” Twilight asked.

“I dunno,” Rainbow Dash said with a shrug. “This wasn’t in the programme, I don’t think…”

The smoke cleared up, and the lingering trail of the Wonderbolts’ high-speed flying could be seen, soon followed by some clouds, floating in the centre of the arena, high up in the sky. The Wonderbolts could be seen flying around the clouds, breaking them apart piece-by-piece. When the smoke had cleared completely, the clouds could be seen clearly, and they formed a message:

‘TWILIGHT SPARKLE, WILL YOU MARRY ME?’

Before anypony could react, most of the stadium lights went out, and a spotlight turned on in one of the stands, shining on a single blue mare, who was kneeling on the cloud floor beneath her, holding a small velvet box in her magic, and presenting the contents to the wide-eyed, purple mare beside her.

“Twilight Sparkle… you are the most amazing pony I have ever met, even including myself.” Twilight’s face started to turn red, and Trixie was doing her best not to blush, too. “I’m… not too good at this, and the Wonderbolts only allowed me a minute to do this-” This earned a bout of laughter from the audience, who could hear what she was saying through the monitor displaying her proposal. “-So… I’ll make it short. I love you. And I want to spend my entire life with you, raise a family with you, grow old with you, and always have you at my side…

“And so, Twilight Sparkle… will you marry me?”

A hushed silence fell over the stadium, as everypony watched in anticipation of the other mare’s response. There was a slight disturbance on the opposite side from somepony disagreeing with mares marrying each other, but that was settled quickly by the stadium’s security staff, who escorted that group of ponies out.

Twilight looked at the ring presented to her, with a small, but beautiful diamond planted on it. A tear fell down her eyes, and a smile formed on her face. “Yes,” she whispered, before jumping out of her seat to hug Trixie. “Yes yes yes yes yes YEEEES!”

Trixie managed to pry Twilight off of her long enough to place the ring on Twilight’s hoof, and as soon as it was on, Twilight pulled Trixie back, this time to lock lips with the showmare. The stadium erupted in cheers and whistling as the two mares shared this moment together, their lips locked for a full minute before they had to break apart for air.

“I love you, Twilight.”

“I love you, too, Trixie.”

“Oh no oh no oh no OH NO!” Twilight shouted as she ran around her changing room tent, with Rarity and Cadance watching her in mild amusement. “What am I going to do? What if something goes wrong? What if the cake doesn’t arrive on time, or the mayor forgets her lines, or the ice sculpture is in a position in the room that some ponies might feel colder than others, and then they think that we purposefully put them there because we don’t like them as much, and then-”

“Twilight, darling,” Rarity said, placing herself in front of the worrying mare to make her stop her racing about. “Honestly, you worry far too much! Spike has been your assistant ever since he learned how to talk, has he not?”

“Well, not exactly. Even when he could talk, he still couldn’t write, or carry things, or really understand what anypony was saying, or-”

“Okay, okay, I get it. But what I mean is, you should have more faith in him. I’m positive that he will do a spot-on job.”

“She’s right, Twilight,” Cadance interjected. “In fact, I’ve had a look around myself, and everything seems to be going fairly well. I assure you, you have nothing to worry about.”

“… You’re sure?”

“Absolutely,” Fluttershy answered, hovering into the air to place a white veil onto Twilight’s head. “Today is your special day, Twilight. You shouldn’t let your paranoia destroy that for you.”

“… Yeah. Yeah, you’re right!” Twilight straightened up, and faced a nearby mirror as she righted herself. “Today is my wedding day, and I won’t let myself get swept up in the worries of neatness and proper organization!”

“That’s the spirit!” Cadance said, levitating a brush to Twilight’s mane.

“Excuse me,” a voice called from outside. “Is it okay to come in?”

“Of course it is,” Rarity said. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Oh, well, I thought that Twiley was still getting changed.”

“Shining,” Cadance said with a giggle, “You know we don’t normally wear clothes, right?”

“Uh, right…” Shining Armour entered the tent, and stopped as his sister turned around to greet him. “Twiley… you look… great.”

“Great?” Cadance teased. “Is that all you have to say?”

“She looks positively stunning!” Rarity exclaimed, bringing a blush to Twilight’s face. “Why, it almost makes me wish I was the one marrying her.”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Shining said.

“Oh? Why not?”

“Because then Spike would eat all of your gems!”

The four ponies laughed together, before said baby dragon popped his head into the tent. “Hey guys, I-” His eyes widened upon seeing Twilight Sparkle. “T-Twilight…”

“Yes, Spike?” Twilight asked, walking closer to the stunned dragon.

“… I-I just wanted to let you know, that Mayor Mare is ready whenever you are.”

“Thanks Spike. Is Trixie ready yet?”

“I don’t know. I was going to check on her next.”

“Well, we’ll be about another five minutes, okay?” Spike nodded, and remained staring in silence for a few moments. “Was there… something else?”

“… You… You look… great.”

Cadance rolled her eyes. “Why do boys have so much trouble saying what’s on their minds?”

Rarity and Fluttershy giggled together. “I think having trouble expressing your true feelings is the mark of a good person,” Fluttershy said.

“Thank you, Spike,” Twilight said, leaning down to nuzzle the baby dragon’s cheek. “Now, do you think you could go and check on Trixie for me?”

“R-Right! Of course!” Spike said with a salute, before turning around and running outside of the tent.

“I told ya, ya’ve gotta put it on this way!” Applejack shouted.

“Why? It looks cooler this way!” Rainbow Dash argued.

“It’s not about bein’ cool! It’s about it not fallin’ off in the middle of the ceremony!”

“It won’t fall off! Not unless she suddenly decides she wants to run a marathon!”

“You’re both wrong,” Agrimonia said, walking over to the disgruntled Trixie, and adjusting her dress. “It goes on like this. Honestly, and you call yourselves mares?”

Rainbow Dash scoffed at her remark. “Whatever! When I get married, it’ll be in my Wonderbolts uniform!”

“That’s nice an’ all,” Applejack said, “But ya should still know a thing or two about how ta put on dresses.”

“You didn’t know either!”

“Ah was closer than you!”

“By the way,” Agrimonia said to Trixie, ignoring the two arguing mares beside her, “Why don’t you know how to do this?”

“Trixie does know. Those two just wouldn’t give her a chance to tell them…” Trixie used her magic to separate the two mares in the middle of a hoof wrestling match. “Hey, bridesmaids. The Great and Powerful Trixie would like to be married before this day is done, so stop squabbling and get working!”

“Slave driver,” Rainbow Dash muttered as she flew over to Trixie. “I don’t know why you picked us. Besides your bachelorette party, we really don’t know anything about this stuff!”

“Ya gotta admit, though: that was one hay of a party!”

“Well, Trixie was hoping that her best mare would be here by now, but it seems that the train got delayed…”

The tent door suddenly opened, and everypony turned around to see a purple Pegasus pony walking in. “Hey guys! Sorry I’m late!”

“You’re here! Finally!” Trixie shouted.

“Oh my goodness! Trixie, you can’t go out looking like that!”

“Trixie is aware of this! That’s why she wants you to hurry up and fix her, Feathermay!”

“I’m on it!” Feathermay shouted with a salute. “By the way, my parole officer’s kinda invited herself to the wedding.”

“Uh-oh,” Applejack said, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. “That ain’t good. Twi’s not gonna like it if there’s suddenly one more guest on the list.”

“But she’s not the one handling it, this time,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“Still, ah don’t think we should let her know about this. At least not just yet.”

“… Agreed.”

“Hey guys!” Spike shouted as he entered the tent. “Twilight’s gonna be ready in five minutes! How’re things on your end?”

“Not good,” Trixie responded. “At this rate, Trixie predicts that it will take another thirty minutes to prepare.”

Feathermay chuckled menacingly, drawing the group’s attention to her. “Trixie, please don’t insult me…” Feathermay’s wings shot out from her sides, and her feathers wrapped themselves around various grooming instruments. “Dragon boy, you tell Twilight that we’ll be ready in ten minutes!”

“Got it!” Spike answered, running back outside of the tent.

Feathermay began to run a brush through Trixie’s mane, whilst simultaneously instructing Applejack and Rainbow Dash to handle minor jobs for her. Not too long after she had started, she was hit by a sudden realisation, and stopped completely as a thought ran through her mind. “Wait, was that a dragon?”

“And now, by the power vested in me by the Church of Faust, I hereby pronounce you mare, and mare! You may kiss… each other, I suppose.” As the two now-married mares shared their first kiss as a wed couple, Mayor Mare smiled, and considered her first same-sex marriage a smashing success.

Twilight and Trixie walk together, hoof-in-hoof, down the red carpet leading from the altar to their chariot, being showered metaphorically with cheers, and physically with flowers along the way.

Trixie stopped Twilight as they reached the chariot, and opened the door for her new wife. Twilight climbed into the vehicle, and Trixie followed her soon afterwards. “Ready?” Trixie asked.

Twilight nodded. “On three?”

“One… two… THREE!” As they both finished counting down, they threw their bouquet of flowers together blindly through the air behind them.

In the crowd, Rarity was looking up at the incoming bouquet with a sparkle in her eyes. “It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine, it’s MINE!”

“It’s mine!” a voice overhead shouted, as a pair of grey forelegs grabbed the bouquet. “Yay! I got it!”

“Nice one, Derpy!” Lyra shouted.

“Hey, anypony seen Turner?” Roseluck asked, causing her friends around her to giggle.

Rarity pouted, and stomped a hoof on the ground in frustration. “Aw, c’mon now, Rarity,” Applejack said, putting a hoof on her friend’s shoulder to calm her down. “Can’t win all the time!”

“I suppose… But as far as love is concerned, I never seem to win at all!”

“Ye’re a great mare, Rarity! Y’all will be with the perfect pony soon, just you wait an’ see!”

Rarity smiled, and shared a hug with her friend. “Thank you, Applejack.”

“Alright, let’s go!” Trixie shouted from inside the chariot. “To our new life together!”

Twilight nodded. “And, towards new memories!”

As the chariot rode off into the distance, Twilight and Trixie shared the quiet, peaceful ride in each other’s embrace, both mares smiling as they held on to each other, knowing full well that, whatever may happen in the future, they would always have each other. And together, there was nothing that they couldn’t overcome.

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

Epilogue - A Twixie Future

Trixie trudged through the thick snow beneath her hooves as she made her way through the frigid town. She wore her long, blue and light-blue striped scarf, knitted for her by her lovely wife, Twilight Sparkle, and a warm, specially insulated saddle on her back.

“Hmph! This is nothing!” Trixie shouted to herself as she pushed against the strong winds trying to keep her away from the library. “The winters here pale in comparison to those up in Canterlot!”

True to her claims, Trixie managed to persevere through the strong winds, and make her way back to the Golden Oaks Library. She opened the door and rushed inside quickly, slamming it shut behind her to keep the cold out. “Twilight! Trixie’s back!”

“Did you get the blueberry pie?!” Twilight shouted from upstairs.

“… No. Trixie just wandered around town for thirty minutes for no reason, then came straight back!”

“Well, you’ll have to go back out then!” Trixie rolled her eyes, and used her magic to remove her scarf and saddle and place them on the rack by the door. She walked up the stairs to the upper floor of the library, where Twilight Sparkle was lying in bed, and Spike reading to her from a book. He stopped when Trixie entered the room, and Twilight raised her eyebrow up at the blue mare. “Oh, so you do have the pie,” she said with a grin.

“Thank you, Twilight. It is great to be home,” Trixie responded as she levitated the pie over to Twilight, laying it on top of her wife’s bulging stomach. Twilight did not look amused. “Here. One of Ponyville’s finest blueberry pies, fresh from the oven.”

Twilight took a whiff of the pie. “Thanks, Trixie. It smells lovely.”

“Well, it better taste lovely, after what Trixie had to do to get it. Incidentally, you’d better thank Mrs. Cake later. Sugarcube Corner was supposed to be closed today, but she made this special pie, just for you.”

“Will do,” Twilight said, licking her lips as she reached out and brought the pie closer to her mouth. “Hey, could you help me with this, please?”

“I can do that!” Spike said, quickly bolting to his feet by Twilight’s side. “Just lemme go grab a knife from the kitchen!”

Trixie shook her head in amusement as she watched Spike run past her, and down the stairs. “You know, you can still do that by yourself, Twilight.”

“The doctor said not to use my magic in my condition.”

“He said not to overuse it,” Trixie countered. “Teleportations are a no-no, but simple stuff like levitation is fine.”

Spike ran back up the stairs, carrying a knife in his claws. “Spike! Don’t run with knives!” Twilight scolded.

Spike flinched, and slowed down to a simple walk. “S-Sorry.” He reached Twilight’s side again, and began to cut the pie into smaller pieces.

Twilight turned back to Trixie. “Anyway, I don’t want to take any chances. If something bad happens, it’s not just me who suffers for it,” she said as she placed a hoof to her stomach. “We’re two weeks away. I don’t want any complications, and I want our baby to be strong and healthy when he or she comes out.”

Trixie nodded, and approached her wife’s side, resting the side of her head against her stomach. “Trixie still can’t believe that Alicorn magic could do such a thing.” Trixie understood Cadance’s explanation quite well, but still found it hard to comprehend.

Essentially, the two mares were able to fuse their gametes together through the use of a special love-based magic. The spell required both partners to not only harbour feelings of true love for one another, but also, to both have strong enough magic to power the spell. Twilight and Trixie met these criteria.

“She even cast a randomisation spell, so that your gamete could have been either X or Y,” Twilight said, turning her head to Spike when the baby dragon offer her a slice of pie on a plate. “Thanks, Spike.”

Trixie nodded, and smiled when she heard the baby kicking from within Twilight. “Trixie has fifty bits on it being a filly, remember?”

Twilight swallowed the piece of pie in her mouth and giggled. “Just be ready to fork your bits over when your wroOOOOOONG!”

Trixie bolted her head up, and Spike jumped back with a start, as they watched Twilight writhe around in her bed. “T-Twilight? What’s wrong?”

Twilight dropped her plate to the floor, and sat up as she groaned in agony. “… T-Trixie,” she said, breathing heavily, “I think t-the baby’s h-had a change of plans…”

“Y-You mean-” Twilight nodded, and Trixie’s mouth slowly creased into a smile. “I-It’s coming? It’s coming! Spike, the baby’s coming!”

“Y-Yeah, I heard!” Spike shouted, looking worried as he turned to a nearby window. “What do we do? It’s pretty cold outside, and it’ll be snowing soon!”

“We’ve got to get her to the hospital, fast!”

“OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH!”

Trixie quickly held Twilight as the purple mare began to pant from her convulsion. “G-Go and get her wheelchair, and her warm clothing! Quick!”

“On it!” Spike quickly charged out of the room, leaving Trixie to tend to Twilight.

“Twilight, are you alright? Just remember your breathing exercises.” Twilight wrapped her forehoof around Trixie’s hoof. “Trixie is here for you, TwiliIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!” Trixie bit her lip as she felt her wife trying with all of her might to crush the showmare’s hoof. “SPIIIIIIIKE! HURRY UP ALREADYYYYYYY!”

“S-Sorry, Trixie,” Twilight said as she eased her hold on Trixie’s hoof, her own pain subsiding. “Oh man. Mum said it would be painful, but…” Twilight gasped suddenly, and brought her free hoof up to her mouth. “Oh no…”

“W-What?”

“… Trixie… our child is being born two weeks ahead of schedule.” Twilight turned to face Trixie, her eyes wide as tears flowed out of them. “Our child’s going to be a delinqueeeeeent!” she whined as she placed her foreleg to her eyes, sobbing into it.

Trixie quickly pulled the crying mare into a hug, and started to assure her that that was not the case. Twilight’s mood swing didn’t last long, though, before another wave of pain passed through her body, causing her to once again attempt to crush Trixie’s hoof.

“AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!”

“Twilight, breath!” Trixie shouted, trying not to scream herself from the blinding pain of Twilight crushing her hoof. “Doctor, please tell me we don’t have to wait much longer!”

“Sorry, but there’s still a ways to go,” Doctor Stable reported, levitating a clipboard to his face and running a quill along it. “I’ll come back in fifteen minutes to check up on the patient. If you need anything, contact one of the nurses right away.”

“NO!” Twilight shouted. “This child decided that he or she wanted to be born two whole weeks ahead of schedule, and now it’s content on just staying inside, while I have to suffer like this?!”

“Twilight, honey, calm dow-”

“SHUT UP! You get this child out of me right now, or I swear, I will report you to Princess Celestia!”

Doctor Stable simply turned away and began to leave the room. “If you need anything, please contact one of the nurses right away,” he repeated as he left, completely ignoring Twilight’s threat.

“THAT’S IT! Trixie, write a message and have Spike send it to the Princess!”

“Twilight, I think you just need to-”

“TWILIGHT!” The door to the hospital room opened up, and Rarity and Pinkie Pie burst in. “We heard from Spike that the baby was coming!” Rarity said. “He’s on his way to tell the other girls, but it might take some time to reach them with all the snow outside.”

“Snow?” Trixie asked.

“Oh yes. It’s practically a blizzard out there. But, we wouldn’t allow such a thing to stop us from being there for our best friend when she needs us by her side!”

“What I need,” Twilight started, “Is for somepony to GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME!” She squeezed hard on Trixie’s hoof, causing the blue mare to wince and flail about silently in pain.

“Hang in there, darling. We’re all here for you.”

“Yeah! And when the baby’s born we can celebrate its very first birthday together!” Pinkie Pie shouted, pulling her party cannon out of nowhere and firing it. Confetti filled the room a moment later, and a disgruntled Twilight Sparkle growled at the pink mare. “Eheheh… Um, sorry?”

“Pinkie Pie, I know you have good intentions, but right now, I am in pain the likes of which you could never believe, and I am in no mood for your craziness! Now, if you want to be useful, go and find that quack of a doctor, and tell him to TAKE ME TO THE DELIVERY ROOM ALREADY!”

“But you’re not ready yet!” Trixie protested, receiving a deadly glare from Twilight.

“Whose side are you on?! I’m practically dying here!”

“Twilight, please,” Rarity said in a pleading tone. “I know it’s painful, but just a little longer, and-”

“OWWWWWWWW!” Twilight grabbed Trixie’s hoof with both of her forehooves this time, doubling the pain it caused to her wife. “DAMN IT BABY! GET OUT OF ME, RIGHT NOW, OR I SWEAR, YOU WILL GROUNDED FOR LIFE!”

Rarity and Pinkie Pie backed away nervously, and partly out of fear, as Trixie silently pleaded for one of them to take her place. “Uh, on second thought, perhaps we should go and find that doctor.”

Pinkie Pie nodded in agreement. “I agree! And we should totally search together, so there’ll be a better chance of finding him!”

“Right! Well then, Trixie, we’ll leave this to you. Bye!”

Trixie simply gaped as she watched her so-called ‘friends’ running out of the room, and leaving her to deal with Twilight on her own. “Trixiiiiiiie,” Twilight said weakly as she lay on her back, completely exhausted. “I’m thirsty. Can you go get me some more water?”

Trixie nodded her head, but didn’t move from the spot... because there was still something keeping her there, by grabbing onto her hoof. “Twilight, Trixie can’t go with you holding onto her like that.”

“Don’t leave me,” Twilight pleaded.

“Then, how can Trixie get you your wa-” Trixie stopped when she saw Twilight wide, pleading eyes, and let out a soft sigh. “… Trixie will ask the nurse to fetch you a drink.” Trixie pressed the button to call the nurse by the side of Twilight’s bed, and waited with her wife for the nurse to come. ‘I agree. Please hurry up and be born, baby…’

“I-Is it over?” Twilight asked, utterly exhausted and just about ready to fall asleep right there and then.

“It is,” Trixie assured her. “You did great, Twilight.” ‘Sure did a number on my hoof. Should’ve given you my left one, in hindsight.’ “The nurse is just cleaning her up now.”

“Here you go, Mrs. Lulamoon, Mrs. Sparkle,” Nurse Redheart said as she handed the newborn foal to the two mares. “Congratulations. It is a healthy baby colt.”

“A colt…” Twilight reached out to grab the baby, and carefully took it from Nurse Redheart. She was still a little dazed, so Trixie lent a hoof. “Trixie… we have a beautiful baby colt.”

“Yes, Twilight… He’s perfect.” Trixie gently moved the sheet wrapped around her new son, so that she could get a better look at him. A white coat, a short, striped purple and red mane (which told Trixie something about her family’s gene pool, since Twilight insisted that nopony on her side of the family has a red mane), and a small horn protruding from his forehead. His eyes were shut, so she couldn’t see their colour, but she could hear his crying just fine. “He gets his whining from you, I guess.”

Twilight wanted to come up with something witty in response to that, but she was too tired, so she simply settled for leaning her head on Trixie’s shoulder.

“Excuse me,” Nurse Redheart said, approaching the two with a carriage for transporting the baby. “I know that this is a special moment for the two of you, but we’ve been made aware of the special circumstances regarding this child’s birth, and that certain problems may arise as a result. Therefore, just to be safe, Princess Cadance has suggested we run a few quick tests on your child as soon as possible.”

Twilight hesitated for a bit, simply wanting to hold and look at her child forever, but then nodded her head as she offered her child to the nurse. “I understand. Please be careful not to drop him, though.”

Nurse Redheart rolled her eyes. “I’ve handled plenty of babies before, Mrs. Sparkle. I’ll be just fine, trust me. By the way, have you thought of a name for him yet?”

Twilight and Trixie exchanged a quick glance, before turning back to Nurse Redheart. “Yes… We’ve decided to name him after my favourite uncle, Knight.”

“And as for his surname,” Trixie continued, “Since the coin flip was invalidated by Pinkie Pie, we decided on a compromise.” She looked to Twilight, who nodded her head. “… Knight Sparklemoon.”

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

Extra - A Twixie Family

A/N: Below are a few short scenarios that came to me as I was planning the epilogue. I decided to write them up into one chapter, and upload them after the epilogue. Hope you enjoy them ^_^

“WAAAAH! WAAAAH!”

Twilight rolled onto her front and buried her head into her pillow, attempting to drown out the noise around her. “Trixie, Knight’s up again…”

“I’m aware of that. It’s my turn, right?”

“Right… Hurry up. I haven’t slept properly in days.”

With an annoyed groan, Trixie managed to clamber out of their bed, and used a spell to emit a small light from her horn. She then moved over to the crib at the foot of the bed, and reached inside to pick up the crying infant laying within.

“What’s wrong? Are you hungry? Sick? … Broken?” The baby continued to cry, and Trixie began to offer an assortment of items to it, in the hopes that Knight himself would offer some indication of what was wrong. “Twiliiiiight. Heeeeeelp.”

Twilight sighed into her pillow, and then climbed out of her own side of the bed. “You’ve gotta learn to take care of these things on your own, Trixie.”

“How am I supposed to know what’s wrong if he won’t tell me?” She handed Knight over to Twilight, who examined him closely for a second, before gently beginning to rock him back-and-forth.

“He does tell you, in his own little way. You just have to know what to look for in his eyes, and in the way he cries.”

“Then, what does he want?”

“Nothing. He just had a nightmare, that’s all.” Twilight sat down on her bed, and held her son close to her chest. The colt’s crying began to die down, and she started to sing a lullaby, in the hopes of getting him back to sleep.

Hush now, quiet now,
It's time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now, quiet now,
It's time to go to bed.

As Twilight continued to sing, Trixie took Knight back into her hooves, and gently lay him back down inside his crib. Knight’s crying stopped completely, and as she tucked him into his bed, Trixie lay a gentle kiss on her son’s forehead, wishing him a peaceful sleep (and praying he didn’t wake up again until morning).

“You’ll get the hang of it, Trixie,” Twilight said, climbing back into bed along with her wife.

“You’re always bailing me out, Twilight. I can never understand what Knight wants.”

“But you love him, and you’re always able to make him smile.” Twilight snuggled up close to Trixie. “‘Becoming a good parent takes time’ is what my books all said. But I think you’re already a great mother, Trixie.”

“… Not quite as great as you. But thank you. And I’ll definitely do my best for Knight, no matter what.”

4 Years later:

Twilight and Trixie awoke from their slumber to what at first felt like an earthquake, but was soon properly identified as their son rocking them side-to-side. “Mommy! Momma!”

The two mares groaned as they opened their eyes, taking in the morning light and rubbing their temples with their forehooves to rid themselves of the pain it brought. “Knight?” Twilight asked. “What are you-”

“I made you breakfast in bed!” Knight hopped onto his parents’ bed, and began hopping up-and-down excitedly. “Come on! Before it gets cold!”

“Wait, you what?1” Twilight shouted, bolting up immediately and checking her son for injuries. “Knight, are you okay? Wait, how did you even manage to reach the kitchen counter?”

“Spike helped me!” Knight replied. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, glad that her four-year-old son hadn’t been messing around in their kitchen unsupervised. And with electronic devices, according to the smell of burnt toast greeting her nose.

“You made this yourself?” Twilight asked as she eyed the charred remnants of what used to be bread, sitting beside two glasses of juice that obviously came purely from the bottle, with no water added. “It looks great,” she said, nudging Trixie to make the other mare wake up fully. “Trixie, look. Knight made us breakfast in bed.”

“That’s great, just put it with Trixie’s other various trophies and medals…” Trixie mumbled, before what Twilight had actually said registered with her mind, causing her to open her eyes and examine the breakfast by her side. “… Knight made this by himself?”

“Spike helped me!” Knight repeated. “He put the bread in, and I told him when to take it out. I poured the juice by myself, though!”

Trixie sat up, and pulled her son into a light hug with her right foreleg, as she roughed up his mane with her left one. “Looks like Knighty has picked up the Great and Powerful Trixie’s talent for cooking!”

“Mommaaaaaa!” Knight giggled as he struggled against Trixie’s hold over him. He managed to break out, and then looked up at his parents with an expectant look on his face. “Well?”

The two mares examined the breakfast again, and then exchanged worried glances. Thankfully, Trixie had managed to think of a way to safely divert the conversation. “More importantly,” she began, “Knighty, did you forget what today is?”

Knight tilted his head to the side, and Twilight picked up on what Trixie was saying. “Oh, that’s right! You start preschool today!”

Knight suddenly grew panicked, and quickly jumped off the bed and rushed over to his own, at the other side of the room, where he ducked under the covers, in an attempt to hide from his parents. “N-Not feeling well! Can’t go!”

Twilight and Trixie smirked at each other, and then the latter climbed out of bed, and slowly approached Knight’s bed. “Knight, you have to go to preschool, just like everypony else your age. But, you can’t go in the state you’re in now.”

Twilight nodded. “That’s right. You’ve got to have breakfast, then clean your teeth, then we’ve got to brush your mane and make sure you look smart for your first day!”

“And if you aren’t ready by the time we have to leave,” Trixie said, stopping by Knight’s bed, where a shivering lump could be seen under the covers. Using her magic, Trixie flung the covers off of the bed, and then pinned her son down as she ran her hooves across the sides of his stomach. “Then the tickle-monster will come and get you!”

“N-Noooo!” Knight shouted through his laughter as he tried, with minimal success, to push his mother away. “No, stop! I’ll go! I’ll go!”

Trixie stopped her relentless assault, a victorious grin on her face as she watched her son’s laughter die down, before he jumped off of the bed and began to make his way downstairs.

“We’ll be down in a minute to make you breakfast,” Twilight said. Knight nodded, and then continued down the stairs to the lower floor of the library. After he was gone, Twilight turned to Trixie with a curious look. “The ‘tickle-monster’?” she asked in a teasing tone.

Trixie simply turned her attention to the purple mare, the same grin that she uses for telling her stories to an audience on her face. “Nopony can escape its wrath!” she declared, slowly making her way towards Twilight, who was starting to back away under Trixie’s now-mischievous grin. “Nopony.” Trixie tackled Twilight down onto their bed, and began to run her hooves across Twilight’s sides, making the pinned mare break out into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

2 Years later:

“So, how was school today?” Twilight asked, looking down at her six-year-old son by her side.

“Boring,” Knight said, but still with a smile on his face. “Except for lunch. Miss Belle came in to visit us again today.”

“Really?”

Knight nodded. “I wish she could be our music teacher. Miss Cheerilee’s good… but I keep falling asleep in her lessons.” Knight emphasised his point by rubbing his sleepy eyes.

Twilight sighed and shook her head in disbelief. “You must get that from Trixie, because I never fell asleep in class… Well, except for those times where I spent all of the previous night reading… which was quite often…” Knight giggled, and Twilight quickly shook the thought away. “Anyway, from what I hear, Sweetie Belle is planning on becoming a music teacher at your school, just as soon as she graduates from High School.”

“When will that be?”

“Well, she’s in her final year right now, so it should be by the end of this school year.” Twilight stopped in front of a store. “I need to make a stop here. Would you like to come in, or wait out here?”

“I’ll wait here!” Knight answered. Twilight leaned down to give him a peck on the cheek, causing Knight to back away and rub it with his fetlock. “Blech!”

Twilight giggled, and walked inside the store behind her. Whilst he was waiting, Knight noticed Bon Bon nearby, selling sweets from a small marketing stand. Excited, he ran over to the stand to check it out. Bon Bon noticed the colt approaching, and greeted him with a warm smile.

“Why, hello there, Knight. Where’re you parents today?”

“Mommy’s in that store over there!” Knight pointed to the store behind him, where Twilight could be seen arguing with the store owner through the window. “And momma’s at the orph’nage, with Miss Berrirose!”

“I see. Ah, I bet you came over here because you saw all of these sweets, huh?” Knight nodded vigorously. “Well, I think I might have a little something for you here… Ah, how about some chocolate coins?”

“Yes, please!” Knight said, jumping up and down excitedly as Bon Bon lifted up a bag of chocolate coins from her stand. “But, I don’t have any money…”

“That’s okay. They’re on the house.”

“They are? Which house?”

“Eh? Ah, no. I mean, you don’t have to pay for them.”

“… Oooooh. Thanks!” Knight took the bag from Bon Bon, and opened it up quickly. However, before he could take a bite of one of the delicious chocolatey treats, a purple glow enveloped the bag, and lifted it away from him. “Huh?”

Knight turned around to see Twilight looming over him, holding the bag of chocolate coins in her magic. “Knight, remember our rule? No snacks until you finish your homework.”

Knight frowned, and kicked the ground with his hoof. “Aww, come on, Twilight,” Bon Bon said, feeling sorry for the little colt. “Surely just one wouldn’t hurt?”

Knight looked up at Twilight with big, pleading eyes, and the purple mare felt cornered. “… Fine. But just one.” She took out one of the coins, and gave it to her son, who quickly shoved it into his mouth with a big smile on his face. “Manners, Knight.”

Knight nodded, and swallowed the chocolate in his mouth, before turning to Bon Bon. “Thank you, Miss Bon Bon.”

“Don’t mention it. Have a good day, you two. And stop by my store sometime soon.”

Twilight smiled and nodded, and then grabbed Knight’s hoof with her own. “Say goodbye, Knight.”

“Bye-bye!” Knight shouted as he waved goodbye to Bon Bon.

3 Years later:

“Trixie!” Twilight shouted as she walked into the library, with Knight following close behind her. “We need to talk!”

“Welcome home, Twilight,” Trixie said flatly as she looked up from her card game with Spike. “We need to talk? That’s fine. Trixie was tiring of this game, anyway.”

“Only ‘cause you keep losing,” Spike said mockingly, earning a growl from Trixie. “Anyway, what’s up, Twilight? You look like somepony just declared the destruction of all libraries.”

Twilight’s glare hardened on Spike, making the baby dragon feel uneasy. “Spike, go to your room please.”

Spike sighed, and turned his attention to Knight. “Why do I always have to go to my room whenever he does something wrong?” Despite his complaints, Spike got up and moved to his room anyway, knowing full well the consequences of messing with an angry Twilight Sparkle.

“What did he do?” Trixie asked. “Trixie’s sure it couldn’t be that bad.”

“I caught him stealing,” Twilight said, casting an angry glare down on her son. “Go on, Knight. Tell Trixie what you did.”

Knight looked up into Trixie’s eyes, and saw another hard stare, though not quite as bad as Twilight’s. But it was still enough to make Knight stare down at the floor dejectedly as he spoke. “I… used a smokescreen spell I found in mum’s books to distract everypony in the market square, and then swiped a bunch of sweets when I thought that nopony was looking…”

Trixie’s eyes widened as she heard the story. “Wow…” She walked over to her son, who closed his eyes as he awaited a harsh scolding from his mother. Instead, he received a pat on the head, which surprised both himself, and Twilight Sparkle. “You can use a smokescreen at your age? You’re definitely Trixie’s flesh and blood, alright! So talented, Knighty!”

Twilight slammed a hoof into her face as she saw Knight’s frown turn into a smile. “Don’t encourage him, Trixie!”

Trixie flinched, and then pulled back her hoof as she cleared her throat. “R-Right… Stealing is wrong, Knight.” Knight nodded, and then waited for more.

“… Is that it?” Twilight asked, raising her eyebrow at Trixie.

Trixie simply shrugged in response. “What more can Trixie say? Stealing is wrong, and that’s that. Now we just need to punish him, but frankly, Trixie thinks that stealing a few sweets should only warrant a simple grounding over the weekend.”

“What?!” Knight shouted. “But I was gonna go watch the game with Gemstone this weekend! We’ve already bought our tickets! We’ve been saving up for months!”

Trixie turned her gaze to Twilight, who shook her head sternly. “Sorry, Knight,” the purple mare said, “But you have to learn that actions have consequences! I’ll find somepony to buy your tickets if we can’t get a refund.”

“No waaaaaaaay… Momma, please help!”

Trixie backed away from her son’s pleading eyes. “S-Sorry, Knighty, but you know that Trixie’s not going to argue with that.” She pointed a hoof at Twilight, who was absolutely fuming. “Trixie has faced down ursas, basilisks, and even harpies! But even they fail to compare to an enraged Twilight Sparkle.”

“…” Knight bit down on his lower lip as he pushed past the two mares, and up the stairs to the upper floor of the library. A door slammed shut behind him, leaving the two mares in silence at the bottom of the stairs.

“… Twilight, maybe that was a bit too harsh?” Trixie suggested, but Twilight simply shook her head.

“He has to learn, Trixie. And for that, we need to be firm! Now, I’m going to go over to Rarity’s, to tell her that she won’t need to pick up Knight this weekend. Can you deal with Knight while I’m out? I know he’s more willing to talk to you than me when he gets like this.”

“Consider it done,” Trixie said. As soon as Twilight was out of the library, Trixie began her ascent upstairs, towards the bedroom on the upper level. She stopped by the door, and knocked on it a few times with her hoof. “Knight? It’s me, Trixie. Twilight’s gone out for now.” There was no response. “… Trixie’s coming in.”

She opened the door, and found Knight sitting on his bed, curled up with his face in his knees, and his back turned to the door. “Knight, let’s talk. First of all, why don’t you tell Trixie why you did what you did?”

Knight mumbled something that Trixie couldn’t hear, and she asked him to speak up. “I was… trying to find out what my special talent is.” Knight looked over his shoulder, and down at his blank flank.”I’m the only pony in my whole year that doesn’t have a Cutie Mark yet. I’m gonna be ten soon, and everypony else got theirs when they were eight or nine!”

Trixie sympathised with the poor colt. She remembered well what it was like to be the only pony in your class that didn’t have their Cutie Mark. “Still, you didn’t have to steal, right?”

“It was only a few sweets. What’s the big deal?”

Trixie chuckled as she sat down beside Knight, who was doing his best not to look at her. She wrapped a foreleg around her son, and held him close to herself. “Yes, Trixie feels that way, too. The ponies in the market square make more than enough for a living, and they have so many leftovers at the end of the day… so what’s one or two apples, or maybe a hoofful of sweets? What are they really missing out on?

“But, the fact remains that you yourself, don’t exactly need those things more than anypony else. And, since there’s no real reason for you to take them, you shouldn’t. Do you understand?”

“… Yeah…”

Trixie held her son tighter. “And just so we’re clear, Twilight and I both love you, very dearly. We have to be hard on you when we punish you, but no matter what, you’re our son, and we’ll always love you.”

“I know… But I was really looking forward to this. Gemstone was, too.”

“Well, Twilight is on her way to Rarity’s, right now. With any luck, maybe she’ll have a change of heart when she comes back.” Knight smiled at this, but not for long. “Of course, she may not. But if she doesn’t, maybe it’ll be something for you to think about in the future. Before you do something that you know you shouldn’t do, perhaps you should think about the consequences of your actions, first.”

“But, you stole all the time as a child, right?”

Trixie turned her head away and frowned. “Out of necessity, yes. If Trixie had a choice, she wouldn’t have done it, because she was well aware of the consequences.” Trixie turned back to Knight, and nuzzled the top of his head. “Now, are we going to have any more problems with petty theft in the future?”

“… Nah,” Knight said, waving his hoof dismissively as he lay down on his side. “It didn’t earn me my Cutie Mark, anyway.”

Trixie wasn’t sure whether to smile or not at that. It was the desired answer, but the wrong reasoning. “Um… great! Trixie’s sure that Twilight will be pleased to hear that…”

2 Year later:

Twilight placed three cups of tea down onto the table in the library’s main room, and then beside Trixie, and opposite their guests. “I heard about your father’s accident. I hope he’s alright.”

The pink mare sitting opposite the two lifted up her teacup gently, and drank the beverage with the kind of grace one would expect from Rarity. “Yes, he’s doing just fine. Though I doubt he’ll be walking again anytime soon. In the meantime, I will do my best to fill in for him.”

“Well, Trixie’s sure you have what it takes,” Trixie said, lifting up her own drink and slurping it. “And Trixie would like to thank you once again for your continued support. If it wasn’t for you, the orphanage would have gone bankrupt a long time ago.”

“I’d like to thank you, for all the lovely enchanted jewellery that you offer me,” the pink mare said. “Jewellery that sparkles when you’re happy, or turns red when you’re hot, and other such things, are such a hit with foals these days! And your ‘special’ jewellery for couples is selling so fast, we’re struggling to keep up our stock of them.”

Agrimonia, who was sitting next to the pink mare, tapped her hoof on the table impatiently. “And? Why did you call me here, too?”

“Actually,” Twilight started, “I called you here, Berrirose. I wanted you to help me put up some decorations for Knight’s birthday.”

“The brat’s already turning eleven? And he still hasn’t got his Cutie Mark?”

“He’ll get it, in time,” Trixie said sternly, glaring at the Pegasus mare. “These things can’t be rushed.”

“I’m just sayin’. Things aren’t gonna be easy for him if he turns eleven, and still remains a blank flank.”

The pink mare shuddered. “That reminds me of my youth.”

Agrimonia looked at her curiously. “You were a blank flank for a while, huh?”

“No, not that. But I knew three fillies that were, and constantly gave them grief over it. Looking back on it now, I can certainly understand why I enjoyed it so much, seeing their faces. But it also makes me think: ‘Did I really have nothing better to do than torment those three constantly?’.”

“You’ve grown up a lot, Diamond Tiara. Though, you and Apple Bloom are still always arguing about something. You know that Mr. Rich wanted you two to be friends, right?”

Diamond Tiara nodded. “I know. I think that’s why I started getting into fights with her, actually. Daddy wanted me to be friends with her, just so that his own relations with the family would get better. Or at least, that’s the way I saw it. So, I did everything I could to not get along with her.”

“So,” Agrimonia cut in, “Why exactly do you need me, again? If it’s to help with the hard-to-reach places, can’t you just use your magic?”

“Well-” The door opened suddenly, interrupting Twilight’s explanation.

“Mum! Momma! Look! I got my Cutie Mark!” Knight rushed inside, and turned around to display his flank. On it, was an image of a piece of parchment, with a quill running across it, and writing lines. “Isn’t that… great?” He stopped when he noticed Diamond Tiara, who was also examining the new Cutie Mark on his flank.

“See? I told you you’d get it soon, Knight!” Twilight said, walking over to her son and patting him on the head.

“So close to your birthday? This will definitely thrill Pinkie Pie, that’s for sure!” Trixie added. She then noticed Knight’s face beginning to turn red, and followed his gaze to Diamond Tiara, who was praising him for finding his special talent. '… Aaah, I see…’

Diamond Tiara walked up to Knight. “Wow. It hasn’t been that long, but you’ve grown up a lot, huh?”

“He certainly has,” Twilight said. “Hopefully, his growing will stop before he breaks through our roof.”

The two mares laughed over this, whilst Knight continued to redden and slowly shy away from Diamond Tiara, mumbling unintelligibly as he hid behind Trixie. Trixie leaned down, and whispered into his ear: “She’s quite pretty, isn’t she?”

Knight quickly shook his head. “Oh? So you’re saying she’s ugly?” Trixie teased, this time causing him to shake his head even harder. “Then which is it?”

The flustered Knight nudged his mother, and reached for a nearby book to hide his face behind, pretending that he was reading.

“So,” Agrimonia said, “What exactly is your special talent?”

There was a moment of silence, before Knight responded with: “I don’t know.”

“Well, what were you doing when you got it?” Twilight asked.

Knight thought about it for a moment. “Hmmm… I was in class… Oh yeah! We were giving individual presentations on topic that Miss Cheerilee assigned to us, but I completely forgot to study for it.”

“What?” Twilight asked, an edge of disapproval in her. Trixie shook her head, and walked over to the purple mare.

“Let it slide,” she whispered. “Today’s a special day for him. Let’s not ruin it.”

Twilight sighed, and gave in. “Fine… So, you forgot to study… and then what?”

Knight shrugged. “I asked Gemstone to summarise what I needed to know and just… winged it, I guess.”

“… So, you’re special talent is ‘winging it’?” Diamond Tiara asked, earning a nod from Knight.

“A talent in improvisation…” Twilight turned and gave her wife a grin. “It seems he really takes after you, huh?”

“What do you mean?” Agrimonia asked. “Isn’t Trixie’s special talent magic?”

“Yes, but specialised for theatre. Illusions and enchantments are what Trixie’s talent leans towards.”

Trixie gave her son a proud smile. “So, our son is going to be a famous improv star, huh? Hey, maybe one day we’ll see him on ‘Whose Line is it Anywhoof?’.”

Knight shook his head. “I’m not going into theatre. It’s too boring.”

Trixie almost felt her heart shatter into pieces as she heard her son say that. “… Come again?”

“I already know what I wanna be when I grow up!”

Twilight leaned down to meet Knight’s eye level. “And what’s that? A teacher? Researcher? Maybe a librarian, like your mum?”

Knight shook his head again. “All lame choices!”

Now, it was Twilight that felt her heart shattering. “L-Lame?”

“Yep! Lame! Who wants to keep going to school even when they’re an adult, or sit around in a room with a bunch of dusty old books their whole life?” Every word was like a dagger through Twilight’s heart, and Trixie was doing her best not to erupt with laughter. “I wanna be a member of the Royal Guard, just like my uncle!”

“… What?”

5 Years later:

Twilight sniffled as she adjusted Knight’s tie. “I can’t believe this day is finally here… The day our boy leaves home…”

“It seems like just yesterday that you had started preschool,” Trixie said, wrapping a foreleg around Twilight, to comfort her. “And now, you’re leaving for Canterlot… Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Knight rolled his eyes, and got up as he saw the train drawing closer. “I told you, I’ll be fine. It’s not like I’ve never been to Canterlot before, and I’ll be back in a few months for Hearths Warming Eve.”

“But, it’s just too much… seeing our little boy growing up so fast.” Twilight sighed as she handed Knight his train ticket. “Why did it have to happen so suddenly?”

“… Mum, don’t worry. I’ll write to you regularly, and I’ll be back for holidays and special occasions.”

“But…” Twilight sniffled again, and held onto Trixie tightly. “I guess I just… never wanted this day to come…”

Trixie nuzzled Twilight’s cheek softly, and motioned for Spike to say something. Spike scratched the back of his head nervously, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t be too cheesy, yet wouldn’t make it sound like he didn’t care at all. “… Good luck, Knight. I’ll miss ya, bro.”

Knight smiled and hugged the young dragon. “Thanks, Spike. Please take good care of my folks.” The sound of the train pulling into the station drew Knight’s attention. “Well, I guess this is it… Goodbye…”

As Knight boarded the train to leave for his new life, Twilight, Trixie, and Spike all waved him goodbye, tears streaming down his parents’ faces as the train slowly began to pull away from the station.

“… He’s really gone, huh?” Twilight asked, staring off into the distance, where the train had just left. “He’s… no longer our little boy, is he?”

“He’ll always be our little Knighty, Twilight,” Trixie said, pulling her wife into a warm hug. “But, as parents, it is our job to see him off into the world safely, and make way for him to start his own life, and raise his own family.”

“You’re right. I just…”

“You’ve been a fantastic mother, Twilight. Much better than I could ever hope to have been.”

“That’s not true!” Twilight protested. “You were a great mother too, Trixie! I was always so strict with him… If I knew that this day would have been so painful, I would have been easier on him…”

“You were strict because you loved him. Trixie was always being too lenient, or too hard. She could never find the right line. But you always knew exactly where to be… and thanks to that, he’s grown into such a wonderful stallion, and will surely become a fantastic member of the Royal Guard.”

The two remained in silence for a few minutes, content with simply being in each other’s embrace as time passed by silently. When a cold wind blew by, Spike decided to speak up.

“Hey, guys? Maybe we should go home…”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Trixie said. “How about it, Twilight? Let’s go home, and take the rest of the day off. If you like, you can read your latest essay to Trixie.”

Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes, and gave the blue mare a smile. “… Yeah. Let’s go…”

The three of them walked together through Ponyville in silence, and eventually reached the library. As they opened the door and walked inside, however, fresh tears started to form in Twilight’s eyes.

“It just feels so empty without Knight here…”

Trixie sighed, and led Twilight to a nearby couch, where she sat the crying mare down, and began to stroke her mane in an attempt to comfort her. “… Spike. Could you, maybe go and visit Rarity for a bit?”

Spike’s eyes widened, before he let out an exasperated sigh and turned around. “Man, I haven’t heard that in a while…” He shot one last worried glance at Twilight, before moving towards the library’s front door to leave.

Once Spike was out, Trixie placed a hoof under Twilight’s chin, and lifted the purple mare’s head so that their eyes met. “Twilight, I understand that you’re sad. I’m sad, too. But, this day had to come. And crying about it won’t change what’s already happened.”

“I-I know, but, I just can’t help it… I can’t stop thinking abo-” Twilight was interrupted by a sudden kiss from her wife, which lasted for a full minute, before Trixie pulled away. Twilight was absolutely speechless, and could only stare at Trixie in surprise, whilst the blue mare grinned back at her.

“Don’t forget, Trixie is here for you. And Trixie will always be here for you, just like she said in her wedding vows to you.” Trixie planted another kiss on Twilight’s lips, this one a little deeper than the last. “I love you, Twilight Sparkle. And I’ll always be by your side, to help you through tough times such as this.”

“Trixie…” Twilight smiled, and wrapped her forelegs around the blue mare, pulling Trixie’s head to her chest as she lovingly embraced her wife. “Thank you… I love you, too.”

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

A Twixie Love Story

Twilight checked her bags once more to make sure that everything was packed. She held up a checklist with her magic and checked off items as she read them aloud. “Ink, check. “Romecolt and Filliet”, check. Food and water, check.”

“What is this meet-up, anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked as she pulled off one of the Daring Do books from one of the bookshelves.

“It’s some kinda readers meet-up, where ponies get together and discuss books,” Spike explained. “Sounds kind of boring if you ask me.”

“Hm…Maybe I should go, too,” Rarity suggested, causing Twilight to flinch and pause her checking. “I do like a good book, and I’ve read my fair share of romance novels. I may be able to raise some good points.”

“No!” Twilight shouted, startling the other ponies. She shifted her eyes between each pony, trying to think of a reason for Rarity not to go. “Um…We mostly read, er…Sci-fi! That’s right, sci-fi stuff, so I don’t think you’d be interested!”

“Oh, come now, Twilight. I’m nothing if not open to new things.”

“Um…They can get pretty violent! And gory!”

“You make it sound like I’ve never read a gore story before. Trust me, I’ll be fine. I’ve read Pinkie Pie’s stories, so I should be able to handle anything your group may throw at me.”

Twilight paused to think about what kind of stories Pinkie Pie was writing. ‘I think I’ll have to check those out at some point.’ She cleared her head and tried to think of something else. She wracked her brain to think of the one thing Rarity hated more than anything. “Blueblood!” She shouted out, causing Rarity’s eye to twitch.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Blueblood’s gonna be at the meeting! So, you know…I suppose you could come, but…”

“Uh, never mind. I think I’ll just stay here after all.” Twilight sighed as Rarity backed down, and continued packing her bags. “But will you really be alright, staying in Manehatten all by yourself? I mean, won’t you get lonely?”

Twilight smiled and started to blush. She was glad that she was faced away from the others, so they couldn’t see her. “I’ll be fine,” she assured Rarity. ‘I’m not really going to be alone, anyway.’

Twilight arrived at Manehatten a few hours later. The town was as noisy as ever, with ponies filling the streets, moving from one place to another, too busy to spare even a word to another pony.

Twilight moved through the crowded streets, occasionally getting knocked down by ponies in a hurry, and occasionally having to use her magic to get past a huge crowd of ponies. By her fifth teleport, she was starting to feel dizzy, and wanted to take a break and clear her head. Unfortunately, even if she did stop, the town was far too loud for her to get any peace and quiet.

She finally made it through the vast majority of the crowds, and reached the Manehatten public library, where she told her friends that the meeting would be taking place. This, however, wasn’t the truth.

It was merely a little lie that she told her friends so that she could be away from them for the weekend without arousing suspicion. Her true destination was a little further down, and so, after taking a deep breath and preparing to make her way through more crowds, Twilight pushed on down the streets of Manehatten.

Twilight finally managed to reach her target location: a small park that, at this time of day, was mostly empty. There were one or two ponies cutting through, but for the most part it was completely free of any ponies. In particular, Twilight was heading towards a small wooden caravan that was sitting in the park, near the pond.

The caravan wasn’t very big, and along the side of it was a carving of a wisp of smoke and a star-shaped wand. On the front of the caravan was a sign hanging on the door reading: “The G&PT is sleeping! Do not disturb!”

Twilight ignored the sign, raised her hoof, and knocked on the front door of the caravan. She received no response, so she knocked again. This time, she heard a groan and the sound of somepony crashing to the floor from inside the caravan.

“Go away,” said a voice from inside the caravan. Twilight groaned and knocked again, this time putting emphasis into each knock. Finally, the caravan doors opened. “WHAT do you WANT!?” asked the pony who emerged.

It was a Unicorn with a blue coat and purple eyes. Her mane and tail were a beautiful silver colour. Twilight couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at Trixie’s bed mane, which looked like she had just been on the receiving end of a magical misfire.

“Oh, Twilight!” Trixie shouted in surprise. She looked down at the purple Unicorn who was laughing at her, wondering what was so funny. She realised that Twilight was laughing at her mane, and quickly ran back inside with a blush on her face. She grabbed her pointy purple hat which had a starry pattern on it.

Trixie placed the hat on her head and made her way back to the entrance of her caravan, her mane now hidden from view. “You’re here earlier than Trixie expected,” Trixie said, and then let out a quick yawn. “You interrupted her sleep.”

“Sorry,” Twilight said, letting herself into Trixie’s caravan. She wrapped her front legs around Trixie’s neck, and her hug was returned by the blue Unicorn. “I just got so excited that I took an earlier train.”

“Honestly, you’re like a filly excited about going on a field trip.” Trixie let out a snicker as she imagined a filly version of Twilight bouncing around in a circle, chanting “yes!” over and over again. “Trixie thinks she’d like to see that.”

Twilight pulled away from Trixie and lifted her hat up, much to Trixie’s dismay. She levitated a brush from Trixie’s dresser and brought it over to Trixie’s mane. “Here, let me take care of this,” she offered.

Trixie just nodded and turned around, letting Twilight brush her mane for her. “So, did you tell your friends you were going to that meet-up again?” Trixie asked, letting out another yawn and rubbing her eye with her hoof.

“Yeah…Is that…A problem?” Twilight asked, slowing down her brushing as she awaited Trixie’s answer.

“Of course not…Trixie just hates only being able to see you on weekends.”

Twilight let out a deep sigh, and sped up her brushing again. “I know, I hate it too. But they’d get suspicious if I left too often, or if the days of the meets were all over the place. I’m just afraid they won’t accept our relationship if they found out about it.”

Trixie used her magic to prepare a cup of coffee without having to get up. “Surely there’s at least one friend you have that will be ok with it and can help you out.” Trixie brought two cups of coffee over to her, and offered one to Twilight.

Twilight took her cup with her hooves, her magic still busy with brushing Trixie’s mane. “Of course there are. There are Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and maybe Cheerilee, too. But…I can’t ask them to go out of their way just for us.”

Trixie frowned as she brought her cup of coffee up to her mouth. She drank a little of it, and then placed it down next to her. “Yeah…Trixie guesses you have a point. It wouldn’t really be fair.”

Twilight stopped her brushing and put her front legs around Trixie, resting her chin on Trixie’s shoulder. “Come on, now. We didn’t get to see each other last week, so we need to make this week twice as fun.”

A grin formed on Trixie’s face as she raised her front hooves and connected them with Twilight’s. “Yeah, you’re right. We should make the most of the time we have together.” She turned her head so that she was looking into Twilight’s eyes, and then leaned forward to kiss her lover on the lips.

Twilight kissed Trixie back. She felt Trixie’s tongue pushing past her lips, and met it with her own. The two of them continued kissing for a few minutes, before finally breaking for some air. “I’m almost done with your mane,” Twilight said, picking the brush back up and bringing it to Trixie’s mane.

Trixie grabbed the brush with her hoof and lowered it. “Later. It’ll just get messy again anyway.” Trixie pulled Twilight into another kiss, causing Twilight to drop the brush as she lay down on the floor and let Trixie take the lead. “You’ll need to be punished for ruining Trixie’s beauty sleep.”

Twilight and Trixie lost track of how long they had been lying in bed together. They lay down with their legs wrapped around each other, with Trixie’s chin resting on Twilight’s head as Twilight rested her head against Trixie’s chest.

“Trixie hopes you’ve learned your lesson, Twilight.” Trixie stoked her hoof through Twilight’s mane, and took in the scent of her lover. The scent made her heart beat even faster, which Twilight noticed easily.

Twilight giggled and wrapped her legs tighter around Trixie. “Sorry, Trixie. I’m not your student.” Her face turned even redder than it already was when Trixie gave Twilight’s horn a teasing lick. ‘And besides, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that I should wake you up more often.’

A sudden movement up one of Twilight’s back legs made her flinch and let out a small squeal. “Trixie, wait…I don’t think I have enough energy to go again right now,” she said as she turned her head up to Trixie and looked at her with big, pleading eyes.

Trixie looked down at her with a look of confusion. “Trixie didn’t do anything.”

There was a short silence after that, and then, almost immediately, the two of them sat up and looked down at Twilight’s back legs. Lying down on one of them was a small green lizard, looking up at the two.

“Leon! How did you get out of your cage?” Trixie asked as she picked up the small chameleon with her hooves. She looked towards the cage and noticed that the lock had been melted. “How did that…Oh.” Trixie’s face turned red as she remembered the last activity she and Twilight took part in, which involved a fair amount of horn play.

“Did…Did my magic do that?” Twilight asked, blushing as she reached the same realization as Trixie.

“Indeed…Trixie’s glad ponies are immune to raw magic castings.” She placed Leon back in his cage, and used a padlock from one of her stage props as a temporary lock for the cage. “We’ll have to get a new cage. This is beyond repair.”

Twilight’s face turned into a frown when she heard this. Trixie asked her what was wrong, and Twilight used her magic to pull out a scroll from her saddlebag. It unravelled to reveal a very, very long checklist. “I had our whole two days planned out. It was going to be perfect, but now…”

Trixie let out a small giggle at the depressed bookworm, who responded by glaring at Trixie. Trixie put the scroll down and patted Twilight’s head. An act which Twilight’s wasn’t against at all. “Twilight, any date with you will turn out perfect, planned or not.”

“But-”

“Besides, half the fun of going on a date is spontaneity – knowing anything can happen. Sure, we could just stick to the schedule, but…” Trixie leaned in and kissed Twilight on the forehead, and the pulled back to finish what she was saying. “Wouldn’t it be more exciting if we just let things happen naturally, and simply go with the flow?”

Twilight put a hoof to her chin in thought, and then looked back at Trixie. “But…I don’t know how to do that. I’m always so organised, and-”

Trixie silenced Twilight by placing her hoof to Twilight’s mouth. “Don’t worry, Twilight. Just trust in Trixie, ok?”

Twilight nodded slowly, and then noticed the scent on Trixie’s hoof. She looked Trixie up and down, and turned a deep crimson when she noticed that Trixie’s coat was entirely drenched in…“Um, Trixie?”

“Mhm?”

“I think…You should have a bath.”

Trixie didn’t expect that, and looked at Twilight with a surprised look. “Beg pardon?” Twilight held Trixie’s hoof up for her to see, and Trixie realised what Twilight was getting at. Trixie blushed as she examined Twilight, seeing that she was in a similar state. “Looks like we could both do with a bath.”

Twilight looked at her own body, and then looked at Trixie with an annoyed look. “This is your fault, Trixie! I told you we should’ve stopped after the first two rounds!”

Trixie leaned in closer to Twilight with a seductive grin, chuckling under her breath. Twilight moved back until she was against a wall. “Well then, should Trixie clean you up?” Before Twilight could answer, Trixie was busy working her tongue over Twilight’s body, and all Twilight could do was fall to her haunches as she lost herself to Trixie’s teasing.

After Twilight finally manage to convince Trixie to stop, the two wrapped picked up some bits and decided to make their way towards the nearest spa. There was one not too far from the park, but they still wanted to be careful walking there in the states that they were in, so they wrapped towels around themselves to hide their bodies from view.

Once they were at the spa, they paid the entrance fee for a simple bath. They didn’t order anything extra, since they wanted to spend the day walking around Manehatten together and exploring the sites.

Once they were all cleaned up, they made their way back to Trixie’s caravan, although Trixie insisted on making it a race, causing the two to take even longer since they kept using magic to slow each other down. By the time they were back, they felt like they needed another bath; they were covered in sweat, and there was dirt from the ground down their bodies.

“Ha! Beat you…Twilight…” Trixie managed to say between breaths as Twilight approached her.

Twilight wasn’t doing any better than Trixie, herself all worn out and desperate for a drink. “No…Fair…You…You can’t do that…In public…” She said, blushing as she remembered the single trick that assured Trixie her victory: exploiting Twilight’s biggest weakness, by pressing her hooves against Twilight’s horn and licking the tip of it with her tongue.

“All’s fair in…In love and…” Trixie couldn’t finish, as she was too tired from her long run from the spa to her caravan.

The two decided that, since neither was in any condition to argue, they’d just let it slide and take a rest inside the caravan.

Once they were well rested, and were able to breathe properly again, Twilight and Trixie prepared to head out. Trixie levitated her cape into the air and prepared to put it on. Twilight walked up to Trixie and looked at her nervously. “Um…Trixie?” she asked, gaining Trixie’s attention. “Do you think…I could wear your cape again today?” A blush appeared on Twilight’s face, and she had to turn away so that she didn’t look Trixie in the eyes.

Trixie also blushed, remembering the first time Twilight had asked her to wear her cape.

“Twilight, why did you want to wear my cape today?”

“Because…It feels like your always holding onto me if I wear it…And it makes me happy that I’m the only other pony allowed to wear it.”

Trixie levitated the cape over to Twilight, and fastened it around her neck. “Here…Trixie will have to make you your own cape, if you like it so much.”

Twilight’s eyes brightened up at that, and she rubbed her head against Trixie’s neck in a loving manner. “That’d be great! ‘Cause…” Twilight used her magic to levitate her saddlebag over to her, and pulled out something from it. “Actually, I made you something last week, since we couldn’t see each other.”

Trixie looked at the small object floating before her. It was a manepin, styled in the fashion of Twilight’s Cutie Mark. “This is…Lovely,” she said, taking the manepin with her hooves and examining it closely.

“I made one for me, too!” Twilight shouted cheerfully, happy that Trixie liked her present. Twilight pulled out a second manepin. This one was styled in the fashion of Trixie’s Cutie Mark. Twilight put it on, and then stared at Trixie expectantly. “Well?”

Trixie blushed as she looked down at her manepin, and then, slowly, she moved it up to her mane, and attempted to put it on…To no avail. “Trixie has…Never worn a manepin before. She’s not used to putting them on…”

Trixie fumbled with her manepin a bit, and Twilight couldn’t help but laugh at Trixie’s cute clumsiness. Trixie frowned at this and ordered Twilight to stop laughing at her. Twilight took the manepin into her magic, and fixed it onto Trixie’s mane for her. “There, now let’s see…” Twilight examined Trixie with her new manepin attached. She had to turn Trixie to face her, since Trixie had tried to turn away in embarrassment. “Perfect! I knew it’d suit you!”

Trixie was happy at Twilight’s compliment, and happy that Twilight had gone through the effort to make her this nice gift. But neither was the reason why she currently carried a big, stupid grin on her face as she mentally reminded herself of how much she loved Twilight. The reason was because Twilight made both of them manepins, styled after each other’s Cutie Marks. This was a sign, Trixie hoped, that Twilight wanted their relationship to move further, and was less afraid of certain other ponies finding out about them.

“Thank you, Twilight,” Trixie said, levitating a small mirror to look at herself with the manepin. “Trixie will cherish it.” She smiled at Twilight, who smiled back with a blush on her face, and then rose to her hooves. “Let’s go, while it’s still light out.”

Twilight nodded and followed Trixie out of her caravan. Once they were both outside, Trixie locked her caravan with her magic. The two walked side-by-side into the streets of Manehatten, with Twilight resisting the urge to rest her head against Trixie as they walked, simply because navigating Manehatten was difficult enough even when paying full attention to where you were walking.

Their first stop was a new bakery that had become very popular recently. Trixie insisted that Twilight try their famous sponge cake, which was easily their top selling product. The two split the cost and shared a cake together. Twilight took one bite, and immediately fell in love with the delicious snack. While she continued taking more bites with a look of bliss on her face, Trixie stared at Twilight with a big grin, her heart beating faster as she took in the sight of her lover making one of the most adorable faces she had ever seen.

Twilight noticed that Trixie wasn’t eating much, and frowned at the stage magician. “Hey, what gives? Are you trying to make me fat or something?” she asked, putting down the piece that she was about to eat. “If you’re concerned about your figure, you should exercise more, not make others fatter.”

Trixie’s smile faded, and she glared at Twilight as she took a piece of cake and bit into it. “How dare you! Trixie has no need to worry about her figure!”

Twilight grinned devilishly and reached over the table to poke Trixie’s side. “You sure about that? I think you should cut down on the junk food a bit.”

Trixie batted Twilight’s hoof away and looked at her with an annoyed look. “Trixie will have you know that she’s been on a diet for the past few months now!” she shouted, pushing what remained of the cake towards Twilight. “Trixie is done. You can have the rest, Twilight.”

Twilight argued that Trixie should have half since she paid for half of the cake, but Trixie insisted that she had had enough. It eventually ended with the Twilight giving in and taking most of the cake with her to eat later.

The rest of the day passed quickly for the two mares, much to their disappointment, since it meant their time together was drawing closer to the end. After the bakery, the young couple visited the Manehatten tower, where they could get a great view of the entire city, then they visited the Manehatten museum of natural history, as per Twilight’s request, and then they visited a restaurant for a romantic dinner.

On the way back to the park, the two passed by a karaoke box, and Trixie suggested they stop by. Twilight was nervous about singing in front of Trixie, but she really wanted to hear Trixie’s singing voice, so she nodded and followed Trixie inside.

“Trixie would like to rent a booth for the next hour, please,” Trixie said to the stallion at the counter, placing a few bits in front of him.

“Sorry miss, we’re full up,” the stallion replied.

“What!? Seriously?” Trixie asked with a disappointed look. The stallion nodded, and she turned back to Twilight with a frown. “Fine then. We’ll just have to try again tomorrow…”

Twilight also looked disappointed at missing the chance to hear Trixie singing, and the two prepared to leave the building, before a voice called out to Trixie. “Trixie? Is that you?”

Trixie and Twilight turned to a stallion carrying some drinks next to a vending machine. He was just a little taller than Trixie and Twilight, and had an orange coat and a spiked blonde mane and tail. His Cutie Mark was 5 sparkling stars. “Razzle Dazzle!”

Trixie and Razzle approached and hugged each other. They pulled apart when Twilight cleared her throat to get Trixie’s attention. “Oh, who’s your friend? I don’t think we’ve met before…” Razzle noticed the manepin in Twilight’s mane, and the one in Trixie’s, and a sly grin crossed his face. “Ooohhh, I see. I had no idea you were married, Trixie.”

Trixie and Twilight exchanged wide-eyed glances, and then turned back to Razzle. “Nonononono!” Trixie shouted, flailing her front legs in front of her. “We’re not married! Not yet!”

Twilight turned to Trixie, who quickly silenced herself by placing her hooves to her mouth. An awkward silence passed by the three, but was interrupted by a mare’s voice. “Razzle? What’s going on?”

The three turned to see an approaching mare. She had a pink coat, with a yellow mane and tail. “Heather! Sorry, did I make you wait?” Razzle asked as he approached the mare. She looked at Twilight and Trixie with a confused face, and Razzle explained to her that Trixie was a friend of his at school, and that they hadn’t seen each other in a long time.

“I see. Well it’s nice to meet you, Miss Trixie and…”

Trixie shook Heather’s hoof, and then moved aside for Twilight to introduce herself. “Twilight Sparkle. I’m Trixie’s…” A blush passed over Twilight’s face, and Heather giggled.

“So, you two are unable to rent a booth?” Razzle asked. “Then how ‘bout you join us? We could make it like a double date.”

Twilight and Trixie considered the offer, and accepted it. Trixie was excited with the idea of catching up with her old friend, and Twilight still wanted to hear Trixie sing, and was always excited about making more friends.

The four ponies made their way to the karaoke booth, where they spent some time getting to know each other before singing. Trixie and Razzle explained that they were not only friends at school, but were also partners when Trixie started her showmare career.

They used to do duo acts together, but when Trixie wanted to start performing Equestria-wide, Razzle wanted to stay in Canterlot and continue his studies. The two went their separate ways, and hadn’t seen each other since.

Razzle met Heather during a visit to Manehatten, and the two hit it off fairly quickly, and now, they’re engaged to each other. Twilight and Trixie noticed that his story had a lot in common with how their own relationship started; they met by chance at a sci-fi convention in Manehatten, and after talking to each other, they became friends and started arranging secret meetings (since Twilight was afraid of her friends’ reactions to Trixie), and eventually, they became a couple.

At one point, when Razzle was singing onstage, Twilight wanted to ask Trixie something important. “Trixie, earlier, you said we weren’t married yet.” Trixie tried to pretend she was focusing on the music, but Twilight wasn’t buying it. “Are you…Expecting something soon?”

Trixie turned to Twilight and shook her head. “No, Twilight. You misunderstand. Trixie is happy with our relationship now.”

“Then why did you say that?”

“Well…Trixie’s sure that we’ll get married someday, but she didn’t mean soon.”

Twilight stared at Trixie in surprise. “Y-You’re sure that…We’ll get married? I mean, you’re actually thinking that far ahead?”

Trixie looked upset, and leaned in closer to Twilight. “Of course. You’re…Ever since that night, Trixie knew that you were the only one for her. She thought you felt the same way…”

Twilight hesitated, and turned her head to face the floor. “I…Don’t know…I mean, I’ve never felt this way about somepony before…I’m not sure what to expect in the future. And what about my friends? What if they don’t like you?”

“Why should that matter?” Trixie wrapped her front legs around Twilight, pulling her into a warm hug. “What, you can’t be with Trixie unless your friends approve?”

“That’s not it! I just…”

Trixie sighed and released Twilight. She rose to her hooves and approached the stage. “Trixie will not be here next weekend.” Twilight’s eyes widened and she turned to Trixie. “Or the weekend after that, or the weekend after that. Trixie has a new weekend job, which means the only time you can see her is during weekdays…Whenever she has time off.”

“What do you mean? When were you going to tell me about this!?”

“Twilight, please think about what’s more important to you. Your friends, or Trixie.” Trixie grabbed the mic onstage with her magic, and Razzle shot up to his hooves.

“Oh, you’re singing, Trixie?” he asked with a panicked look on his face. “That’s cool! I just, erm…I need to use the bathroom! Don’t bother waiting for me, it’ll probably take a while! Later!” He dashed out of the room, leaving three confused mares staring at the door.

“He always was a strange one…” Trixie remarked, before scrolling through the list of songs. “Now, let’s see here…” Trixie selected the song that she was searching for, and picked up a second mic. “Twilight, this one’s for two ponies. So come sing with Trixie,” she said, levitating the mic over to Twilight.

Twilight looked at the mic, and then to Trixie, who was smiling at the purple Unicorn. Twilight wondered how Trixie could be so happy when this may well be their last weekend together, but then realised that’s why Trixie was doing her best to be happy. If this was to be their last weekend, she wanted it to be enjoyable, and memorable, not filled with sadness.

Twilight nodded and took the mic with her magic, and then approached the stage, where Trixie was waiting. She took a look at the song, and then prepared herself.

The song began with Twilight singing the first part. Trixie was pleasantly surprised at Twilight’s beautiful singing voice, and almost missed the part where she was supposed to join in. Twilight readied herself to hear Trixie singing, but wasn’t prepared enough for what emerged.

Twilight and Heather both covered their ears with their hooves, and cringed at the horrible, tone-deaf singing coming from Trixie’s mouth. Neither of them could say that they were expecting her to be so bad at singing, and they realised that there was still 40 minutes left in the room, where Trixie could suddenly want to sing at any time.

Trixie didn’t seem to notice their reactions to her singing, and seemed to be proud of her singing voice. When she asked Twilight what she thought, with those big puppy dog eyes, Twilight couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. She instead tried to move the topic to something else. “Um…It was…D-Do you sing often? Like, when you perform?”

Trixie folded her front legs and pouted. “No, for some reason the crowds run away whenever Trixie sings. They must jealous of Trixie’s wonderful voice!” Trixie flicked her mane and raised her head up. “Well, Trixie’s more of a storyteller, anyway.”

The rest of the evening went smoothly, for the most part. After Razzle returned, the four ponies continued sharing stories with each other, and took turns singing. Whenever Trixie’s turn came up, Razzle and Heather practically raced to find some kind of excuse to leave. Twilight wanted to think of something too, but she felt bad about leaving Trixie all on her own, and decided to just bear with it.

After their time in the karaoke booth had ended, Twilight and Trixie said goodbye to Razzle and Heather, as each couple went their separate ways. On the way back to the park, Trixie decided to share some of her stories with Twilight.

Most of Trixie’s stories were made up, or the details were greatly exaggerated, and it was obvious to Twilight, but she didn’t mind. Unlike her friends, she didn’t take them so seriously. She simply enjoyed them for what they were: stories, meant to entertain ponies.

“And that’s how Trixie saved the small coalmining town from the Earth Titan.”

Twilight then realised that, despite telling so much of her own past, Trixie had never shared any of her true past to Twilight. That upset Twilight, as she wanted to know more about the stage magician. “Trixie…”

“Next, Trixie will tell you about her 10 day and night training expedition in the deadly Everfree forest.”

“Trixie, I actually want to hear something else about you.”

“Oh, a request? Very well, what would you like to hear?”

“I want to know more about you, Trixie. The real you.” Trixie stopped moving, and Twilight also stopped. The two stared into each other’s eyes, before Trixie turned away so that Twilight couldn’t see her frowning.

“Trixie’s life…Isn’t worth talking about,” she said. “Trixie would rather tell you a story worth hearing. Like how she triumphed over the dreaded-”

“Trixie!” Twilight shouted, stamping her hoof to get Trixie’s attention. “No story about you is not worth hearing. I want to know everything there is to know about you.”

“But…” Trixie looked into Twilight’s pleading eyes, and couldn’t resist her any longer. She finally gave in, and let out a deep sigh. “Fine. What do you want to hear about Trixie?”

Twilight’s face lit up, and she motioned over to a nearby bench for them to sit down on. “How about you tell me how you got your Cutie Mark?”

Trixie hesitated and looked down at her Cutie Mark. “…It’s not really a very interesting story…” She looked into Twilight’s pleading eyes again. “Er…Ok, Trixie will tell you.”

“When I was a filly, I spent a lot of time studying magic, trying to become skilled enough to impress everypony around me. I looked up to Star Swirl the Bearded and, just like him, I wanted to be looked up to. I wanted my name to go down in history.”

Trixie examined the contents of her book closely, making sure she had every detail of the spell down. “Um…Let’s see…” Trixie’s horn lit up, and moments later, a series of fireworks launched from the ground, and exploded in the air. “Yes! Illusionary fireworks: success!”

Trixie jumped about happily at her success, but stopped when she heard the sounds of screaming nearby. “W-What was that?” She moved towards the direction of the screaming, carrying her book with her. She was stopped and knocked down by a sudden explosion up in the sky, and when she looked up, she saw the most amazing site she had ever seen.

“T-That’s…”

“I almost didn’t believe what I saw. I’d only ever seen it in textbooks before. A Sonic Rainboom. A legend passed down through many generations, only ever pulled off by one other Pegasus, thousands of years ago.

“Two months later, a talent show came along at the school I attended. I intended to show off my magic, and finally get noticed by all of my classmates. But it was hopeless. No matter how hard I tried, I could never amount to anything. So…I moved on to the next best thing. If I couldn’t perform great feats myself, I thought I’d share the great feats of others.

“Out of all the magic I had learned, illusionary magic was my strongest point. I decided to tell the story of the amazing Pegasus that pulled off the Sonic Rainboom. Of course, since I didn’t see the whole incident, I had to make up the details about the Pegasus in question, but the important part was recreating the Sonic Rainboom with my magic.

“The show was a smashing success, and that’s when I realised…Telling amazing stories, and bringing them to life with magic and props. That was my talent. And from that, I earned my Cutie Mark. But…It wasn’t my dream. I didn’t want to just retell the feats of others. I wanted to be one of those great ponies myself, whose name went down in history.

“Since there was no hope of that…Since I was so weak and helpless…I had to make up stories that told of my greatness, and use my magic to make ponies believe them.”

Trixie leaned her head against Twilight’s shoulder, and Twilight wrapped one of her front legs around Trixie, holding her close. “I could never be the Great and Powerful Trixie, so I had to make do with a fantasy. With my magic, fantasy and reality are indistinguishable, and I can become whoever I want.

“Ponies had mixed reactions to my stories. Some enjoyed them, some hated them. It was to be expected. In any art, there are always haters and admirers. But the biggest motive for me to continue…What helped me to continue with my stories…Was the foals.”

“The foals?” Twilight asked. Trixie slowly nodded, with a depressed look on her face. Twilight frowned at this, but still listened to Trixie’s story.

“The foals loved my stories, even more so than the adults. And by making myself the central character, it was easier for them to look up to and admire me. It was thanks to them that I was able to continue being “the Great and Powerful Trixie”, and was able to continue making up stories to make myself look better. But…” Trixie wrapped her front legs around Twilight, and pressed her face against Twilight’s shoulder, to hide her crying. “It wasn’t the same. I’m not the Great and Powerful Trixie. I’m just a weak and helpless filly, who can’t accept reality.”

Twilight placed a hoof on Trixie’s head, and slowly ran it up and down Trixie’s mane, stroking it in an attempt to calm her down. “That’s not true, Trixie,” Twilight said, though it didn’t seem to help. “Your magic is amazing, and you’re able to bring happiness to many ponies through the stories you tell. You spread valuable lessons across Equestria, and thanks to you, legends that get swallowed up by the flow of time are reborn, and engraved in the memories of future generations.

“You may not be the same as ponies like Star Swirl, but in your own way, you are most defiantly great and powerful.” Twilight put a hoof to Trixie’s chin, and pulled her head up so that they were looking into each other’s eyes. “After all, you’ve made me the happiest mare in Equestria. How many ponies can boast that?”

Trixie’s tears slowed down, and she looked at Twilight in wide-eyed surprise. “Twilight…” Before Trixie could say anymore, Twilight leaned forward and connected her lips with Trixie’s.

The two shared a passionate kiss together, before Twilight broke it and pulled away. Trixie’s crying had stopped, but there were still tears on her cheeks. Twilight wiped them away with her hoof, and smiled at Trixie. “Trixie, tomorrow…Would you like to come to Ponyville with me?”

Trixie let out a surprised gasp at this. “But…What about-”

“I’ve made up my mind. I want to be with you, Trixie, no matter what. If that means I have to reveal our relationship to my friends, and risk causing a conflict with them, then so be it. I’m sure they’ll come around eventually. They’re good ponies at heart, just…A little overemotional sometimes.”

Trixie smiled back at Twilight, but only for a second, before she started to feel guilty. She turned her head away from Twilight. “Um…Now I feel like a jerk…”

“Hm? Why?”

“Well…You know how I said I wouldn’t be able to visit you on weekends anymore?” Trixie peeked back at Twilight, and saw Twilight looking at her with a stern look on her face. “I’m sorry! I just…I need to know how you felt about me!”

“So…You lied to me!?” Twilight pulled away from Trixie and looked at her with an upset look. “How could you do that!?”

“Because…You didn’t seem so sure about us…I needed to make sure that you truly cared about me. About us…” Trixie stared at the ground and shuffled her hoof against the bench she was on. “I’m sorry.”

Twilight took note of the guilt on Trixie’s face, and let out a soft sigh. She wrapped her front legs around Trixie, who was taken by surprise by this sudden act. “It’s ok, Trixie. I think I can forgive you.” Trixie looked up at Twilight with a puzzled look, but Twilight continued before she could say anything. “But from now on, I want to hear the truth from you. I want you tell me all about your life. Your dreams, your happy memories, your sad memories. Everything.”

Trixie smiled and rested her head against Twilight’s chest. “Trixie will be happy to tell you about herself…Though she can’t guarantee it will be an interesting story.”

“And stop being so hard on yourself. You’re an amazing mare, and I won’t allow anypony to say any different.”

Trixie let out a soft chuckle, and then looked up at Twilight. “My, since when did you take the top role?” Trixie wrapped her front legs around Twilight, and moved her face closer to her. Twilight began to blush as she felt Trixie’s breathing against her neck. “We can’t have that. Trixie is the one who stands at the top, after all.”

Trixie pinned Twilight down to the bench, and stared down at her with a seductive gaze. Twilight felt her body beginning to heat up, and found it hard to find the right words. “Trixie…”

“Hm?”

“Isn’t it…A little risky, doing something like this here?” Twilight pointed out that they were still outside, and Trixie’s face turned red very quickly, especially when she realised that ponies from the restaurant across the street were watching them.

“Um, yeah…Let’s continue this at Trixie’s caravan…” The two mares got up, and began to walk down the street in silence, ignoring the strange looks from passing ponies who happened to see that incident between them. “Tomorrow, Trixie will tell you everything about her…So, make sure you get a good night’s sleep, ok?”

Twilight looked over at Trixie, and rested her head against her lover’s shoulder. “Yeah. With you, I should be able to sleep easily.”

Seperate Worlds

Canterlot – 16 Years ago:

Twilight Sparkle, age five, woke up to the sound of her alarm clock, and reached over to shut it off. She looked at the calendar on the wall next to her bed, and quickly hid under the covers.

“Twilight! Shining! Time to get up!”

When neither Twilight nor her brother responded, the door to their room opened, and in walked a white mare with a striped white and pink mane. Twilight Velvet – Twilight Sparkle’s mother – approached the bunk bed where the two siblings slept, and started with the top bunk.

“Come on, lazy-bones. Time to wake up,” she said, nudging Shining Armour, who stirred in his sleep for a bit, before finally waking up, and letting out a loud yawn. “It’s your first day back to school. Can’t have you being late, now can we?”

“Mm…” Shining responded, too tired to respond any other way. He lazily slipped out of his bed, and slowly made his way out of the room.

“You too, Twilight,” Velvet said, moving down to the bottom bunk. She pulled the covers out of the way, revealing Twilight, who was pretending to be asleep. “Now, Twilight, I know you’re nervous about going back to school, but trust me, you’ll be fine.”

Twilight didn’t listen. As much as she had enjoyed the few months of school she had experienced so far, in her mind, it wasn’t worth it, if it meant she had to spend the day around a bunch of ponies that she didn’t know, without Shining or Cadance to be there for her.

“Twilight,” Velvet said, more sternly this time, as she was starting to lose her patience. “I’m going to count to three, and if you’re not up by the time I’m done, then your father and I will not be taking you to the library this weekend.”

Twilight yelped, and shot out of bed, well before her mother could even begin counting. “I’m up, I’m up!”

Velvet smiled, and began to leave the room. “Good. Now, come on down for breakfast, and then go and brush your teeth. And I promise you: you’ll be fine.”

Twilight frowned, but nodded anyway. She followed her mother out of the room, and passed her brother on the way downstairs. He had fallen asleep, and was swaying on one of the steps, just one nudge away from an accident.

Trixie Lulamoon, age five, awoke to the sounds of approaching hoofsteps. She poked her head out from her hiding place in between two dumpsters, allowing her eyes to adjust to the morning light before looking for the source of the hoofsteps.

It was a stallion that she recognised from a few days ago. She caught him stealing from a fruit stand in the marketplace, and he offered her two apples if she didn’t report him. Naturally, she accepted. After all, all she’d get for reporting him would be a little praise from the guards, if even that.

She ate both of the apples immediately, having not eaten anything for days. Right now, she felt that she was fine for food, but there was a bigger problem at hoof: she hadn’t had a drink in days, either.

She knew that, if she didn’t find some water soon, she wouldn’t last much longer. So she decided that today, she would do something she’d only ever seen done before. She was going to mug somepony. She’d waited too long for a free hand out, and now, this was the last option available to her.

“Hey,” a voice called out to her as she left her hiding spot. She turned to see the stallion speaking to her, and readied what little magic she could into her horn. Being so young, she couldn’t do much, but hopefully this stallion wasn’t aware of that. He was an Earth Pony, after all. “You don’t… Have any food on ya, do ya?”

Trixie shook her head. “If I did, I wouldn’t share any with you,” she said, not personally attacking him, but simply stating that she herself needed whatever she could find.

“I understand. Sorry,” he said, sighing dejectedly, and walking over to the dumpsters. Being much taller than Trixie, he could do something that she couldn’t: he could climb up into the dumpsters, in order to search for anything that might be edible.

Trixie didn’t let this distract her, and made her way towards a nearby alleyway. She passed by many ponies on her way through. Some were sleeping (or pretending to sleep, Trixie couldn’t be sure), some were too weak to move or speak properly… Two were in the state that Trixie referred to as ‘stopped’. Before leaving the orphanage, she was taught by one of the older foals there that ponies ‘stop’ after they lose all of their strength, and that that’s what had happened to her parents.

Trixie growled angrily as she remembered the moment when her parents ‘stopped’. It was the earliest memory that she had, and the only thing that made her keep going. The memory of her parents burning alive, at the hooves of somepony with a sadistic grin on his face. In her final moment, Trixie’s mother said something to her:

“Don’t give in. Continue living, free from despair.”

It was thanks to those words that Trixie hadn’t given up already, and why she had left the orphanage a few weeks ago; if she had stayed, she just knew that the older colts would have ‘stopped’ her. After all, she was the only one brave enough to stand up to them, and they made it perfectly clear that they didn’t like that, at one point bringing a knife into the fight.

Trixie continued with one clear goal in mind: to rid herself of this life of poverty, and find a life where she could be happy, and where she was her own boss. To do that, she would do whatever it took… Well, almost whatever it took. She still couldn’t bring herself to make somepony ‘stop’, but she was sure that one day, she could. ‘Maybe it’s something I just have to grow into,’ she thought to herself.

She reached the end of the alleyway, and looked at all of the foals of various ages passing by. She was surprised at first. A few months ago, the streets were just like this, almost every day. But then, all of a sudden, they had stopped. She was told that this was ‘school’, and that privileged ponies do this to get smarter. How that worked, she had no idea. She tried joining in one or two times before, but found that it had no effect whatsoever.

She saw a purple filly, who looked no older than herself, passing by, with a somewhat taller white colt walking next to her. She saw the bag being carried by the filly, and had an idea. She used her magic to levitate the lid of a nearby dustbin, though her grip on it was a little shaky, and she almost dropped it one or two times.

And then, with some major concentration and a deep breath to ready herself, she jumped out into the street, and threw the bin lid at the purple filly. The startled filly had no time to dodge, and was knocked down onto her back, screaming in pain. Wasting no time, Trixie ran up to the filly, snatched the bag in her magic, and ripped it off of her saddle.

“TWILEY!” Trixie heard from behind her as she dove back into the alleyway. “Why you! Get back here!”

Trixie turned around, only to have her fears confirmed: the white colt from earlier was chasing her. She used whatever magic she had left to topple a few bins and knock a few unconscious ponies into the colt’s path.

After ducking behind a few corners, she had to stop to catch her breath. She turned around once more, and smiled when she found that she was no longer being followed. ‘Yes! My first mugging went well!’ she thought to herself, before she opened the bag to check its contents.

She pulled out a few books, and stared at them blankly for a little bit, wondering what they were, and if they held any value. She tried biting into one, thinking that they may be food, but found that they were too hard to bite through. She put them back inside the saddlebag, deciding that if she couldn’t figure out what they were, then she would just have to try and sell them later.

She then pulled out a pink box, with an image on the front of a green unicorn, wearing a cloak and a pointy hat. She saw some words underneath it, and tried to read them. “St… Stah… Stahswir… El? Stahswirel?”

She gave up when her brain started to hurt, and opened up the box to see what was inside. She almost jumped up and began dancing with joy, before remembering where she was. She quickly slammed the box shut, hiding its contents from view.

She put the box back into the bag, picked it up into her mouth, and started to walk down the alleyway. ‘Food! Food and juice!’ Trixie shouted in her head, overwhelmed with happiness. ‘And so much of it! That filly must have been rich or something.’

She proceeded cautiously down the alleyway, determined to protect the two sandwiches, one bag of potato chips, and one juice box that she was hoping to enjoy later.

Twilight groaned as she sat up in bed, her head still hurting from earlier. Her mother was beside her, as she had been for the past hour, asking if there was anything that she could do for her. “… You said I’d be fine,” Twilight said, turning her head away and trying not to cry.

“I… I didn’t think… Come on, Twi. It was just one unfortunate incident. It won’t happen again, honestly.”

“How can you be so sure?” Twilight asked, with a hint of bitterness in her voice. “All of my books were in that bag. And my Starswirl lunchbox…”

“Well, at least she didn’t get your other bag,” Shining pointed out, picking up Twilight’s ‘Smarty Pants’ doll from the floor and giving it to his sister. Twilight immediately grabbed it, and hugged it tightly.

“Shining, dear, what did the officer say when you reported the pony who did this?”

“He said he’d keep an eye out for her, and pass her description along to other officers in the area.”

“They haven’t found her, then?”

“No, not yet,” Shining said, before stamping his hoof on the floor in a fit of anger. “Honestly, what is this?! That filly looked no older than Twiley! I swear, if I were in charge of the Royal Guard, nothing like this would ever happen again!”

Velvet sighed, and rose to her hooves. “Shining, I’m going to go prepare some lunch for Twilight. Could you keep an eye on her for me?”

Shining nodded, and sat down by Twilight’s bed. “Oh, what about school?”

“Don’t worry about that. I contacted your headmaster after you brought Twilight home. Twilight won’t be missing much… But you, he said that one of your friends will be sent to give you some notes and the homework from your classes.”

Shining moaned, heartbroken that his apparent day off was not to be.

“B.B.B.F.F.?” Twilight asked, getting her brother’s attention. “Why did that pony do that? Are my books really that important?” Shining shook his head. “Then, she was jealous of my lunchbox?”

Shining thought for a moment. Now that he had a chance to think calmly and rationally about the situation, he could recall that the filly from earlier was… Filthy, to put it bluntly. And pale. And she had bags under her eyes, her hair was a mess, he could see her ribs, and from the way she was panting, it was clear that she was parched.

The only conclusion that Shining Armour could come to was that the filly was desperate. He knew that there were homeless ponies in Canterlot, who were too poor to afford any food or drinks, but he never even imagined that a foal would be among them. How many more foals were in her situation? And how many were willing to attack somepony in order to take their stuff?

His thoughts snapped back to Twilight, who was still waiting for an answer… But he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t bring himself to tell his sister, who he knew was very emotional, that there were ponies as young as her, suffering right outside her front door. Not only would that just upset her even more, but with Twilight, you could never tell what she would do after hearing such news. He wouldn’t put it past her to sell every item in the house, just so she could buy food and water for each of these unfortunate ponies, or to offer them a place to sleep in her room.

“I… I’m sure she had a good reason,” Shining said, roughing up Twilight’s mane a little bit, eliciting a squeal and a slight giggle from the filly. “But no matter what her reason was, what she did was wrong. I’m sure her parents will have a good chat with her when she gets home.”

“… Yeah, I’m sure you’re right,” Twilight said, laying down on her back, holding Smarty Pants close to her body. “Well, I guess the books I lost weren’t too important. I mean, I already know how to read, and how to add and subtract, so I don’t even need them anymore, really.”

Shining Armour laughed. “Wow, you’re really ahead of your class, aren’t you? What do you do when the teacher’s talking, then?”

“She lets me read something in the ‘Reading Corner’, but I’m almost out of books there… That’s why I wanted to take my own… I hope whoever that filly was will at least treat them well…”

“A book?” Trixie asked, holding the strange, and apparently valueless item up in front of her. “What’s it do?”

“Ya read it,” one of the mares in front of her explained. “If ya can, that is. Also great for keepin’ fires alive.”

“Read? Oh! I think I remember Matron using something that looked like this… So she was ‘reading’ a ‘book?’”

“Hey, if you’re not usin’ ‘em, ya mind chuckin’ ‘em in this fire?” the stallion in front of her asked, starting to look panicked as the fire began to die out.

Trixie looked at the four books in the purple filly’s bag. She picked up one of them, which had a bunch of letters all over the cover. The next had a bunch of numbers, the third had a picture of a Pegasus fighting some purple… Thing, and the final one had just a blank cover. She opened the final one up, curious as to why it was different from the other three by having no picture on the front, and saw more words than she had ever seen in her entire life.

“What’s it say?” she asked the mare from before, holding the book up to her.

“Hmm… ‘Dear Diary, today I went to the park with Cadance. I fell and hurt myself on the way, but she put a plaster over my cut and made it better. I…’… Well, it looks like somepony’s diary to me.”

“What’s a diary?”

“It’s what ponies write their daily lives into, so that if they forget, they can just read it and remember.”

“… So it’s useless to me, right?”

The mare shrugged. “I guess.”

Trixie closed the diary, and turned to the stallion.

“If I throw this into the fire, can you guys let me sleep here?”

“J-Just keep the fire alive, and I-I’ll fight a pack of t-timberwolves f-for you!” the stallion answered, really starting to panic over how short the fire had become now. “H-Hurry!” he shouted, not taking his eyes off of the fire.

The mare sighed, and took the book from Trixie, throwing it into the fire. “Don’t worry. Me and my girls here,” she waved a hoof over the other mares sitting behind her, “Will let you sleep here for tonight. But only tonight. After that, you buzz of.”

Trixie scowled at the mare. “Why?”

“You don’t know? The Royal Guard’s out looking for a ‘blue unicorn filly with grey hair’. Sounds an awful lot like you, don’t ya think?”

“My hair’s silver, not grey.”

The mare facehooved, and turned to face the fire, ignoring Trixie now. Trixie harrumphed, and turned her back on the older ponies. She picked up the first book that she looked at moments earlier, and opened it up.

“… This is… The letter ‘A,’ right?” she asked herself. “A is for ah… Ah…”

“Apple,” the mare said, looking over Trixie’s shoulder. “What, you don’t even know how to read?”

Trixie’s face turned red, and her ears drooped. “Nopony ever taught me…”

The mare sighed, and reached a foreleg over Trixie’s shoulder, and towards the book. Trixie flinched at first, but then watched as the mare pressed a button on the page that Trixie was on.

“A is for apple,” a voice called out from the book.

Trixie’s eyes widened, and she dropped the book and backed off. “W-What?! Who was that?!”

“Calm down,” one of the other mares said. “It’s just a recording. No need ta freak out over it.”

The mare behind Trixie turned her attention back to the fire. “Press those buttons. They’ll teach you how to read.”

Trixie stared at the book for a few moments, and then cautiously approached it. She tapped the button again, and heard the same voice, saying the same thing.

“A is for apple…” she repeated to herself, before turning the page, this time finding a symbol that she didn’t recognise at all. She pressed the button.

“B is for barn.”

“Bee? Those things that fly around and give you owies?” Trixie heard laughter behind her, but ignored it and pressed the button again. “B… So B is a letter and a minion of evil? This is confusing…”

“What a moron,” the mare behind her said, before laying back and letting herself drift into sleep, despite the constant noises being made by Trixie and her book.

Two months later:

Twilight ran frantically towards the school building, no longer caring that her brother was having trouble keeping up with her. “Twiley! Please… Slow… Down…”

“We’re gonna be late! We’re gonna be late and it’s all your fault!” Twilight shouted back. “I told you that we didn’t have enough time to stop for doughnuts!”

“I’m sorry, alright?! But could you just… Slow down… Please?”

Twilight slowed down once she reached the school gates, and allowed her brother to catch up to her. Though not for long, when she glanced up and saw the clock tower in the distance. “AH! We’re gonna be late!”

“Twiley!”

“Not good! Not good not good not good!” Trixie muttered frantically to herself, as she ran down one of Canterlot’s many alleyways. “I’m gonna be late! I’m gonna be late, then I’m gonna be ‘stopped’!”

Trixie made her way into a suspiciously empty alleyway. Well, suspicious to anypony else. But to Trixie, it was to be expected. Having not heard the ‘ding’s that she hears every day, she knew that she was on time, and let out a relieved sigh… Before being startled by said ‘ding’s, and jumping up into the air.

She turned around to the sound of incoming hoofsteps, and saw three ponies dressed in black suits moving towards her. “You were almost late, little filly,” the stallion in the middle said, grinning menacingly at her.

“But I wasn’t late,” Trixie spat back, glaring at the three ponies. One of them, a slim mare, took a step forward, but was stopped by the one in the middle. “I did the job you asked for.”

“Then where’s the money?” the fat stallion on the right asked. Trixie recognised him as the pony whose leg she ‘accidentally’ broke when he tripped over her whilst she was sleeping in the middle of an alleyway. In her mind, Trixie was thanking her blessings that sleeping in a place like that hadn’t resulted in something much worse, and she cursed herself for her stupidity.

“I buried it in a safe spot. Too many other ponies fighting for survival out here.”

“Smarty filly,” the one in the middle said. “It’s amazing. You’re so young, yet you really understand the way of the world.”

“If I didn’t, I’d have ‘stopped’ by now,” Trixie said back.

“‘Stopped’?” the mare asked, out of curiosity.

“Just take us to the money already!” the one on the right shouted.

“Hold it,” the one in the middle said. “How do we know you’re not setting us up?”

Trixie saw the stallion on the right levitating a knife into the air, clearly ready to ‘stop’ her at any second. She shook with fear, unable to think of anything to say.

“I know,” the mare said, taking out her own knife and approaching the filly. Trixie was unable to run, which was probably a good thing, since running now would only prompt them into ‘stopping’ her. “I’ll go get the money, and I’ll use her as my bargaining tool, in case the Royal Guard gets involved.”

“Good plan,” the one on the right said, putting his knife away. “We’ll stay in the shadows behind you, to back you up if necessary.”

“Right,” the one in the middle said as the mare lifted Trixie with her magic, and pressed her knife against Trixie’s neck. “Lead the way, filly.”

Twilight skipped cheerfully down the school corridor, carrying a stack of papers which her teacher asked her to take to the staff room for her. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake,” she sang as she passed through the seemingly empty corridor.

Not paying attention to what was in front of her, she accidentally bumped into somepony, and fell back onto her flanks. The papers around her were scattered all over the floor, and she rubbed the front of her head, which was a little sore from the impact. “Ow…”

“Oh, terribly sorry,” the other pony said. Twilight looked up to see a brown Pegasus colt, who looked about the same age as her brother, looking down at her with concern. “Are you ok?”

Twilight nodded, bravely trying to hold back her tears. “I’m fine… Sorry I bumped into you, mister.”

“No, no. It’s my fault. I was too caught up in our conversation.” Twilight then noticed the other two Pegasi behind him. “Oh, and you dropped all of these papers, too. I’ll help you pick them up.”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to-”

“Hey, we’re gonna be late if you do that,” one of the Pegasi said.

“Then go on ahead and tell the teacher that I’ll be a little late,” the brown Pegasus said back, before leaning down and helping Twilight collect the papers. The two Pegasi moved past the pair, and walked further down the corridor. “So, were you running an errand for your teacher?”

Twilight nodded, smiling nervously at the Pegasus. “Yeah, she asked me to take these papers to the staff room.”

“I see… You must be a pretty reliable student, to be trusted with such an important task,” he said, trying to cheer the filly up. It seemed to work, as Twilight’s expression changed from a nervous smile to a happy one. “Well, that seems to be everything.”

Twilight took one last look around her, and nodded in confirmation. She levitated the stacks of papers onto her back, surprising the Pegasus. “Wow, you can levitate all of that at your age? Impressive.”

Twilight blushed, and looked away bashfully. “It’s… Not that great, really.”

“But it is. Clearly, you’re going to be somepony great in the future.” The Pegasus opened his bag with his wing, and reached inside. He pulled a piece of candy out, and offered it to the filly. “Here, as an apology for bumping into you like that.”

Twilight’s smile grew, and she happily took the treat from the older colt before her. “Thank you, mister!”

The two said their goodbyes, and headed off in opposite directions down the corridor.

Trixie let out a loud yelp when her face collided with the floor. She rose to her hooves slowly, growling as she rubbed her nose with a foreleg. “Hey! Watch it!” she shouted to the Pegasus behind her, who was slouching down on the ground, with his hind legs sticking out.

“You’re the one who tripped, filly, so watch yer mouth.” He turned his attention to the filly, and a grin grew on his face. “Actually, now that I get a good look at ya, you could probably use that mouth quite well.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, not sure what he meant. “Huh?”

“You want food, right?” Trixie nodded. “Well, I got a little ta spare… If ya do a little favour for me.”

Trixie was used to this. In this world, one must either do favours, or steal, in order to survive. Such was the world as she knew it. “What d’you want me to do?”

“Y’ever heard of a blowjob?” Trixie shook her head, and the stallion motioned her to come closer. When she was near, he whispered into her ear what he wanted her to do.

“… Why?” she asked, slightly blushing at what he told her.

“Just do it, and I’ll give ya some food.”

Trixie thought about it for a second, and her eyes moved to the part of the stallion that he described to her earlier. A foul odour reached her nose, and she backed off in disgust, both from the odour, and the very idea that he mouth would go… There.

“No way! I’m not doing that!”

The Pegasus shrugged, and turned away. “Your call. But a cute filly like you, y’could probably make a killing, if ya just sell yourself out ta the right ponies.” He let out a soft chuckle which sent shivers down Trixie’s spine. “Ye’re new on the streets, aren’t ya?”

Trixie nodded her head slowly, still keeping her distance from the stallion. “What’s your point?”

“Winter’s on its way, and the streets are a lot meaner when the snow starts ta fall… Ya better think about what’s more important: your pride, or your survival.”

Trixie didn’t say anything, but instead simply turned away and continued down the alleyway. ‘My pride’s all I’ve got left. I’m not going to give that up.’

Twilight watched in awe along with many other ponies in the street as a float carrying a regal white Alicorn passed by. She was on her way home with her brother, when he took a detour and brought her here.

“This is the ruler of our country,” he told her. “She maintains harmony in our land, and brings us the day and night. It’s thanks to her that we’re all able to live our happy lives.”

Twilight was captivated by the Princess, and was unable to take her eyes off of her. The Princess smiled and waved to all of the ponies around her, and at one point, looked in Twilight’s direction.

Twilight ducked out of the way, hiding behind her brother, who simply laughed at his sister’s shyness.

“She’s amazing…” Twilight said, still admiring the majestic Alicorn before her, even when hiding behind her brother’s legs.

Trixie sat at the edge of an alleyway, waiting for the marketplace to open so that she could steal some food. To pass the time, she read through one of the books that she had stolen two months ago. Daring Do and the Terror of the Smooze was the title, and although some words were too big for her to read, she still enjoyed the parts that she could, all thanks to one of the other books that she had stolen.

The third book taught her a little math, and by now, she could add, subtract, and even multiply small numbers. She still found division difficult, but she was getting the hang of it.

She heard cheering beside her, and turned to see a crowd on the street. How long had that been there? “What’s going on?” she asked nopony in particular.

The pony sitting opposite her in the alleyway raised her head, and looked out into the street.

“Oh, was that today?” she asked, her voice raspy and her throat clearly dry. “The Princess is being honoured today, for making peace with the Griffin Kingdom.”

“Princess?” Trixie asked.

“Princess Celestia. She rules this entire country. Some call her the Sun Goddess, while others just refer to her as the Princess. She’s loved by many, because she brings peace to this land.”

“Is that so?” Trixie asked, not really all that interested.

“They say she can do anything, and many ponies thank her for making their lives so great.”

Trixie felt something inside of her snap, and she turned her attention back to the crowd.

“… If she’s so great, then why are we suffering?”

“Maybe she’s not as great as everypony thinks,” the mare suggested, before letting out a series of coughs. “Or maybe… Maybe we’re her entertainment. Maybe she derives joy out of watching us suffer.”

Trixie saw the float carrying the Princess passing by, and her eyes widened at what she saw. The Princess was wearing a golden tiara, a golden necklace, and on the one hoof that Trixie could see, thanks to it being raised in the air as the Princess waved it, there was a golden shoe.

The float had some of the most beautiful gems embedded in it, along with beautiful flowers, and even if Trixie didn’t know the value of such things, she could tell it couldn’t have been cheap. Then she remembered the few times that she had seen the castle off in the distance. She had been told that the Princess lives there, but the thought was absurd to Trixie. After all, it was at least ten times the size of other houses.

“… Those clothes she wears… And that float… If she sold that, she could easily feed all of us who are starving. And that castle must have room for all of us to stay.”

“Not to mention how much she eats,” a voice behind Trixie said. Trixie turned around to see a grey stallion, wearing a cloak with a hood covering his face. “She eats enough to feed five ponies, each and every day, and then still has more food in case she’s not full. Meanwhile, we’re out here eating just enough to last us each day, if we’re lucky.”

Trixie looked confused, and turned back to the Princess, who was still waving at the ponies around her. “But why? If she’s our ruler… If she’s supposed to make sure we’re all happy, why is she keeping all of that stuff to herself?”

“‘Cause she’s not our ruler!” the stallion behind her shouted, startling her and momentarily drawing the attention of some ponies out in the streets. “That bitch doesn’t deserve to wear that crown! All she does is make enough ponies happy that us unfortunates don’t even matter to her. She keeps all the riches of this land to herself, to feed that fat muzzle of hers and pretty herself up with jewellery and expensive makeup!”

Trixie’s confused look now turned into a glare that could frighten other ponies, if she didn’t look so weak. She gritted her teeth, and ran this new information through her mind. “So that’s why… That’s why we suffer. Because our ‘ruler’ has abandoned us!”

“Exactly. Somepony like that doesn’t deserve to be our ruler!”

“That’s right!” Trixie rose to her hooves, and turned to the stallion behind her. “If I were in charge, I would never let anypony suffer like this! Everypony would be treated equally! We’d all live in same-size houses, we’d all eat the same amounts of food, and anypony caught hurting other ponies for their own amusement or greed would be punished!”

“That’s the spirit, kid!” the stallion shouted. “If you survive the winter, I’ll be rooting for ya. You look like somepony who could actually do some good for this forsaken country of ours!”

“… What this country needs,” Trixie started, turning back to face the float once more, “Is a hero, to save everypony. A hero to shed some light on this fake Princess! I will… I will become that hero!” Trixie stood up straight, puffing her chest out as a look a determination crossed her face. “I will become far greater, and more powerful, than even this ‘Celestia’, and I will save our land from her evil!”

“Big brother, one day, I wanna be just like Princess Celestia!”

“I, Trixie Lulamoon, will destroy Celestia, and take her throne from her!”

Fillydelphia – Present day:

Trixie woke up with a start, panting heavily as she looked at the ceiling above her. She calmed down, and steadied her breathing. She heard somepony mumbling next to her, and turned her head to see Twilight, still asleep, and apparently dreaming about having tea with Starswirl the Bearded.

Trixie let out a soft laugh, and then reached over to read the time on her clock. 05:14. Trixie sighed, and lay back down on her bed. “Honestly, Trixie. What are you doing, dreaming about the past?”

Trixie thought back to her dream, and shuddered as her final words ran through her mind. “Man, I’m glad that phase didn’t last long. Thank Celestia I was only five, otherwise I may have seriously done something that could lead to my banishment. And then…”

She turned to her side, and watched Twilight as she slowly breathed in and out. A smile came to her face, and she cuddled close to Twilight, who responded by moving closer to Trixie. “… Then, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy this. Though, I suppose I should also thank Boss and the others, for taking me in.”

Trixie let out a loud yawn, and nodded off to sleep once more, holding Twilight close to her, not wanting to let go.

Canterlot – 12 Years ago:

Trixie Lulamoon, age nine, strolled down the street casually, her head lifted her head high as she exuded confidence, if only to hide her fear from any nearby muggers.

The marketplace was open, which meant it was time for poor ponies to start stealing. It was first come, first served, because once the Royal Guard got involved, it would become hard to steal anything. After that, you’d have to target those lucky enough to have grabbed some food. It was sort of like a game, really, but one where your life was the wager.

Things would pan out differently today, however. Trixie stopped and turned around when she heard a crashing sound behind her, and she wasn’t alone in her curiosity; many onlookers were now watching the Canterlot Bank 2nd Branch, when three ponies, each one wearing some kind of mask to hide their faces, ran out and jumped into a nearby chariot.

Trixie knew what this was: a robbery. She had little doubt that the Royal Guard would catch them, but she didn’t care whether they did or not. All that mattered was that this was a distraction.

Whilst all eyes were plastered on the scene, Trixie quickly trotted over to a nearby fruit stand, and levitated as much fruit as she could into her bag. As she did so, inside her head, she thanked the little filly who she stole this bag from, four years ago. This bag had seen her through some tough times, and it had been very helpful to her survival these past four years.

“HEY! THIEF!”

Trixie turned around, and saw who she assumed to be this stand’s owner charging towards her. Wasting no time, Trixie galloped down the street, and ducked into the first alleyway that she passed by. Her bag still open, she reached in and pulled out thirty-three bits. It wasn’t much, but it was all that she had.

She stopped for a moment, and her face lit up when she saw just the type of pony she was looking for – a pony wearing a black bandana, with a dark-blue polka dot pattern on it. She lowered the bits onto the ground in front of this pony. “I don’t want anypony following me,” she said.

The pony, who she noticed was colt, reached out and counted the bits. “Understood. But this much, we won’t kill anypony.”

Trixie nodded, and continued running off down the alleyway. She didn’t want them to kill her pursuer anyway, just make sure he didn’t catch her. After all, this was a once-in-a-lifetime thing for the filly. With all the food she had with her right now, it was like a feast!

Obviously, she would savour each and every fruit, but now, she might actually make it through a winter without having to fight for food.

As she exited the alleyway, she collided with another pony. She stumbled a few steps, but managed to keep her balance. “Watch it!” she shouted.

“That’s my line!” was the other pony’s response. The pony – a colt, who looked just a little older than Trixie – gasped in surprise when he saw who he had bumped into. “Trixie Lulamoon?”

Trixie flinched, as she also recognised the colt… As well as the two colts behind him. They were the three who, at the orphanage, were referred to as the ‘older colts’. At the orphanage, it was rumoured that the saying ‘I would kill for X’ rang true for these colts, and Trixie didn’t doubt those rumours for a second.

“Well, well… You’re still alive?” the colt said, closing in on Trixie as his friends approached her from either side, cutting off any chance of escape. “I still have that scar you gave me back then… I gotta tell ya, it was humiliating, waking up each day knowing that a brat like you did this to my face!”

The colt raised a forehoof, and kicked Trixie’s face, sending her back a bit and causing her to drop her bag from her magical hold. Its contents spilled out, and drew the colts’ attention.

“Wow. Nice spread,” one of the colts said, leaning down to examine the fruits.

The colt that had just kicked Trixie pulled out a knife, and pressed it against the underside of Trixie’s chin. “Eheheh… This is turning out to be quite a good day. Not only do I get ta kill the bitch who ruined my face, but I also get all this.”

“… You wanna try?” Trixie asked, glaring at the colt in front of her, which took him by surprise. “I’m not the same weak little filly I was back then. Tell me, are you still at that orphanage?”

“Heh, yeah right. We left one year ago.”

Trixie smirked, and her horn started to light up. “Then you still have a lot to learn about living on the streets. How about I give you a free lesson?”

The colt, threatened by the magic that Trixie was clearly summoning up, pushed his knife forward, piercing her throat. However, she didn’t fall… Or even bleed. Instead, a few seconds later, she started to evaporate into mist.

“That won’t do.” The three colts turned around to see Trixie approaching them from behind, along with an assortment of weapons being carried by magic. Swords, daggers, crossbows, maces… There were even a few sticks of dynamite in there, with the fuses already lit!

“Now, here’s what’s going to happen,” Trixie said, her voice cold and unforgiving. “You’re going to leave, now! And then, you get to keep your lives!”

The three colts screamed, and ran off down the thankfully-empty street. Once Trixie was sure that they were gone, she dropped her illusion spell, and then fell to her knees, breathing heavily. “Well… That certainly felt good.”

She heard clapping behind her, and quickly shot up and turned around. A tan stallion stood behind her, clapping slowly. She couldn’t tell if it was meant to be sarcastic or not. “Wow, that was certainly impressive,” he said, stopping his clapping and lowering his forehooves down to the ground. “And from a filly so young… Say, are you by any chance homeless?”

“… What’s it to ya?” she asked, keeping her eyes on him closely.

“Well, I was thinking that, maybe you’d like a job?” Trixie’s ears twitched, and the stallion continued. “Y’see, I’m part of a small group that does a few things to earn a little money. And we could certainly use somepony like you.”

“Somepony like me?” Trixie asked, wondering what he meant. “You want a young, cute filly… That means…” Trixie glared at the stallion, and shook her head. “No way! I’m not doing anything perverted!”

The stallion stared blankly at her for a few seconds, and then scratched the back of his head nervously.

“Uh, I think you’ve got the wrong idea. I was referring to your ability to create illusions.”

“… Oh,” Trixie said, turning red when she realised that she had completely misunderstood. “Why?”

“Well, some of our jobs are kinda… Illegal, basically. We could really use a pony like you, and I can pay ya too. Money, food, drink, and shelter! What d’ya say? It’s a good deal.”

As he spoke, he approached Trixie, and offered his hoof to her. Trixie responded by reaching out, and chomping down on the stallion’s hoof, causing him to push her off as he yelped in pain. “What that hell?!” he shouted out.

“How can I trust you?!” she asked, still glaring at him.

The pony grinned, and let out a small laugh. “Good! You’re quite smart for a filly! Not the least bit naïve!”

“Answer my question!”

“Well, trust me or don’t! It’s up to you.” The stallion point behind her, and she turned around to see her bag, with the fruit still on the ground next to it. “But if you don’t want to live like that anymore, then I’d suggest you take me up on my offer.”

“Hey, Boss!” The two ponies turned to see a purple Pegasus filly, who looked about the same age as Trixie, approaching. “It’s all clear! We should head back now, while we still… Who’s this?” The filly gasped, and practically jumped with joy as an idea crossed her mind. “A new recruit?! Finally! Somepony my age!”

Boss chuckled, and approached the purple filly. “Well, Feathermay, that’s all up to her, really.”

Feathermay turned to Trixie, and smiled warmly at her. Trixie glared at the two ponies, and then turned back to her bag. She let out a defeated sigh, and began levitating the fruit back into her bag. “… Why me?” Trixie asked.

“I told you. Your abilities could help me.”

“But surely there are others more skilled than me. Why not recruit some of them?”

“Because their lives aren’t in danger,” Boss answered. Trixie turned back to him, and placed her bag onto her side, using a old strap that she had found in the trash a few years ago. “In this business, I need ponies who are loyal. And loyalty is easier to find in ponies who you save from death.”

“… So you save me, and I repay the favour. That’s basically it?”

“Yes.”

Trixie stared at Boss and Feathermay for a few moments, and then began to walk towards them. “Well, at least you’re honest.”

Boss smiled at Trixie. “So you’re in?”

Trixie nodded. “I knew that, sooner or later, I’d end up being used by somepony. It’s how the world works, after all… I’d at least like to be used by somepony who tells you when they’re using you.”

Boss turned around, and began leading the two fillies down the street. “What’s yer name, kid?”

“Trixie Lulamoon.”

“And I’m Feathermay!” Feathermay shouted, hovering beside Trixie. “Hey, c’mon now! Stop frowning! I’m sure you look much cuter when you’re happy!”

Trixie was about to respond, but was stopped when Feathermay began waving her wing in front of Trixie, tickling her with her feathers. It didn’t take long for Trixie to erupt into a series of laughs, trying to demand that she stop, but it sounded more like begging.

“There, see? You look great when you smile!” Feathermay said as she stopped tickling Trixie.

Trixie stopped laughing, and soon returned to her usual frown, much to Feathermay’s disappointment. She tried to think back to the last time she had ever laughed so hard… Or laughed at all, for that matter. And there was nothing. She couldn’t remember a single time in her entire life when she had laughed.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, and then quickly turned her head away, acting as if she hadn’t said anything.

Fillydelphia – Present day:

“Come on, Trixie. Wake up,” Twilight said, nudging Trixie.

Trixie woke up with a loud yawn, and reached up to rub her eyes, before she felt her hooves being held in place by something. “Hm?”

“Careful, Trixie!” Trixie turned to see Twilight, and realised that she was using her magic to prevent Trixie from raising her forehooves any further. “Your eye! It’s still damaged, remember?”

Trixie suddenly remembered her injured eye, and nodded to Twilight. “Right… Sorry.”

Twilight smiled, and released her magical hold on Trixie’s hooves. “Well, now that you’re up, we should get ready.” Twilight turned to the clock to double-check the time. “Our trip was cut short, but we can still make the most of this last day together. But first, we need to take you to the doctor so that he can check your eye.”

Trixie thought about her dream, and then remembered her incident on the cruise ship. When she thought about it, she was amazed how many times she had danced with death, only to somehow make it out alive. If it wasn’t for Boss, Trixie would never have been able to go to school, and Celestia only knows what she’d be doing now.

‘It’s strange. Even though we’re from two completely different worlds, we’re still here, together.’ She laughed as a thought ran through her mind. ‘It’s like one of those cheesy fairytales, where a Princess marries a street rat… Only, it’s real.’

“Come on, Trixie. Let’s-”

Twilight was cut off by Trixie reaching forward and embracing her. “Just a few minutes,” Trixie said, holding Twilight as if the two were being pulled apart by some unseen force. “Let’s just stay like this… For a few minutes.”

“Trixie?” Twilight asked, not so sure what was going on. “W-What brought this on all of a sudden?”

“… I love you, Twilight,” Trixie said, surprised Twilight with her lack of third pony. “I love you, and I’m so happy that we met. I’m happy that we met, that we got over that big fight we had, that we got to know each other better… I’m just so happy… To be with you right now…”

Twilight could have sworn that Trixie was crying, but was too moved by what Trixie was saying to question why. Instead, she simply returned Trixie’s embrace, and the two shared this blissful moment together for a few minutes.

Once Twilight was sure that Trixie was done, she parted from the hug, and gave Trixie a quick peck on the cheek. “I’m going to go buy some breakfast from the nearby café. I’ll be right back, okay?”

Trixie nodded, and carefully – very carefully – wiped the tears off of her face, avoiding the area around her left eye, and the eye itself, as much as possible.

Not long after Twilight had left, Trixie’s horn lit up, and shot a beam forward. She jumped up in surprise, and was even more surprised when she saw a scroll materialise before her. Her face quickly became serious, however, as she realised what this meant.

‘Shining Armour would only use this method of contacting me if…’

Trixie unrolled the scroll, and read the contents:

Honorary Royal Guard, Trixie Lulamoon:

Regarding the stallion you assisted us in capturing on the cruise ship – we have uncovered something from investigating his belongings. A lead, to him.

As per our arrangement, you are free to join us on any mission regarding that stallion, and so, it is my obligation to inform you that a strategy meeting will be held three weeks from now, at Canterlot castle. If you would like to attend, drop by with your Honorary Royal Guard pass.

Sincerely,
Shining Armour – Captain of the Royal Guard

P.S. On a personal note, I really hope you don’t come… You have a marefriend now, right? Please… Just think about what you really want out of life, before making any rash decisions.

Trixie stared at the scroll for a few minutes, running the message through her head over and over again. Finally, she smiled, and rolled it back up.

“So… They finally found a lead, huh?” Trixie scoffed, and set the scroll on fire with her magic. “Well, it’s a little late for that… You don’t need to tell me, Shining Armour. I’m not going to let my past drive me anymore.”

Trixie climbed off of her bed, and made her way towards her desk. She looked into the mirror mounted on the wall, and giggled at how ridiculous she looked with her bed mane. “That’s right… All I want now, is to focus on my future. A future that I want to spend with Twilight Sparkle.”

A few minutes later, Twilight walked in with two plates of pancakes, and two cups of tea. The two mares sat down on the floor of Trixie’s trailer, and began eating together, discussing what they would do today. ‘Of course, I still won’t forgive him… And I still would like nothing more than to kill him, but…’

Trixie quickly shook the thought from her mind, and continued eating her pancakes. ‘No! Forget him! Forget revenge! None of it would make Twilight happy! I finally have a life… I’m finally happy, and I’m not going to ruin it!’

“Ready to go?” Twilight asked as she moved the plates and cups aside.

Trixie nodded, and followed Twilight out of the trailer, and into the streets of Fillydelphia.

A/N: Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

Trixie's Final Nightmare

Twilight paled as the menacing figure before her climbed out of her hospital bed, and began to stretch the muscles in her neck. “It’s so good to finally to be out of that filly’s head. That accursed Lulamoon family really knows how to perform sealing spells… Good thing they’re all dead now.”

Twilight gulped, and backed away from what used to be Trixie. “A-Are you… really her?”

The other mare grinned at the frightened Unicorn before her, and then began to stretch her forelegs. “Hmmm… no wings… Well, it’s not as good as Luna’s body, but it’ll do.”

“Answer me! What have you done with Trixie?!” Twilight demanded, her horn sparkling as she glared at the other mare.

“She may be alive, or she may be dead. That really all depends on how strong her mind is.” The mare stretched out her hind legs, and then winced as a sharp pain passed through her body. “Ouch! Leg cramp! How long was I out of it?”

“… Nightmare Moon.” The mare turned her attention to Twilight, confirming her suspicions. “I don’t understand. I blasted you with the Elements of Harmony, along with my friends! And I thought you were just a part of Luna’s jealousy! So how are you here, right now?”

Nightmare Moon put a hoof to her chin. “I see… So Princess Celestia really doesn’t know anything about it, huh?” She took a few steps towards Twilight, who bravely held her ground as she stared her down. “As for how I am here right now… I really have you to thank for that, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Trixie! Is she going to be okay?! Please tell me she’ll be okay!”

“Twilight,” Applejack said, placing a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Y’all need ta calm down. The doctor said he’s done all he can, so now all we can do is wait.”

“How am I supposed to be calm at a time like this?! Trixie wasn’t even breathing when we found her! And she was… She…”

“She killed somepony,” Rainbow Dash said bluntly, striking fear throughout Twilight’s whole body.

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity scolded. “Can’t you be a little more considerate? Twilight is in enough shock as it is!”

“I’m just telling the truth! Look, I don’t know the whole story here, but we can’t deny what we all saw with our own eyes! And until Trixie wakes up to tell us what happened, as far I’m concerned, she’s just a murderer!” Rainbow Dash turned around to leave the room. “I’m out of here. Until she wakes up, I don’t want to see her at all.”

“Wait,” Fluttershy called out, but it made no difference, as Rainbow Dash bolted out of the room anyway. “I’ll go after her. It’s never easy to see a friend like this, and I think she’s taking it pretty hard.”

Applejack nodded to Fluttershy. “Go ahead, sugarcube. We can stay here with Twilight.” Fluttershy left the room to go after Rainbow Dash, whilst Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rarity all stayed behind to watch over their friend. Feathermay was also there, sitting by Trixie with a blank look on her face.

“Excuse me,” one of the hospital’s nurses called out as she entered the room. “Visiting hours are now over. I’m going to have to ask you all to leave.”

Applejack was the first to stand up, followed soon by Rarity. “C’mon y’all. Let’s go get some shuteye at the inn.”

Pinkie Pie hopped up to her hooves, and offered to help Twilight up. “… Can I… stay for just a little longer?”

“Twilight, darling,” Rarity said with a frown, “You know that we can’t. Besides, it’s not like Trixie is going anywhere. She will be here when we visit her tomorrow.”

“… Please?” Twilight asked, looking up at her friends with pleading eyes. “Just a few minutes, that’s all I ask.”

Rarity felt something tugging at her heartstrings as she looked at Twilight’s face, and let out a light sigh. “Very well then. But don’t take too long.”

After Applejack convinced Feathermay to get up and leave with them, the four other mares began to leave the room. “We’ll be waitin’ for ya in the lobby, Twilight,” Applejack said as she left the room, closing the door behind her and leaving Twilight and Trixie alone.

“… Trixie,” Twilight began, looking down at the unconscious mare below her, “Why didn’t you tell me anything? Why did you kill that pony? What’s going on?! Did you push me aside to protect me, or were you really just playing around with my feelings?!”

Twilight reached forward and grabbed a hold of Trixie. “Please Trixie! Please get up! I want to hear your voice again! I want to see you smiling, and laughing, and telling me I’m too obsessed with books! I want to know everything about you, even the parts you feel ashamed or scared to share with me, and I promise I’ll do whatever I can to help you out!”

“… You will?”

“Yes, I-” Twilight stopped, and looked down at the still-sleeping mare with a shocked look on her face. “T-Trixie?”

“Twilight, I need your help…”

“Trixie! A-Are you awake?! How are you-”

“Calm down, Twilight Sparkle. I need you to listen closely. There is only one way to save me right now…”

“‘You must cast a certain spell, to reawaken my sleeping mind.’” Nightmare Moon charged some magic into her new horn, producing a dark-purple light to shine at the tip for a moment, before she discharged it. She was pleased with the results. “Honestly, to think that that would actually work. Ponies are so desperate when the life of a loved one hangs in the balance…”

“That was you?” Twilight asked, taking a few steps back as the mare experimented with her new magic by firing a spell that turned on every electrical appliance in the room. She then released another spell to turn them all off, smiling proudly as she did so.

“Indeed it was. I heard you calling out for Trixie to wake up, so I took a chance. I used what little power I had built up to contact you, and I must say, it worked like a charm.”

Twilight looked around herself. She was in a cold, dark stone room, the only source of light being a single candle in the middle of the room. Around her, there was a number of wooden doors, each one looking different from each other. Where some were bright, and in good condition, others were dark, cracked, and mouldy.

“Where am I?” Twilight asked, her voice echoing throughout the room.

“You’re inside my mind.” Twilight looked around for the source of the voice, but found nothing. “Over here.” Twilight turned towards one of the doors. “Come closer.”

“Trixie?” Twilight approached the door where the voice was coming from. It was probably the darkest door in the room, but it was also in the best condition. There were several padlocks on it, though a few were open, and simply dangling in midair. “Trixie, where are you?”

“I’m trapped in here, Twilight. Each of these doors leads to a different part of my mind. However, I am currently trapped within the long-term memory section, and am unable to get out. You must open this door for me, Twilight. I am simply unable to.”

“How do I do that? And how did you get trapped in here anyway?”

“There’s no time to explain, you must act fast. I have knowledge of a spell that will break down my memories, and reconstruct them, allowing me enough time to break free. But you must cast it for me, Twilight Sparkle.”

The room began to shake violently, and the candle in centre started to grow dimmer and dimmer. “What’s happening? Trixie?!”

“The spell I taught you before is starting to wear off, and my mind is trying to force you out! You must act now, Twilight Sparkle, or you shall lose me forever!”

Twilight gasped, and, in a panic, started to bang her hooves against the door. “Then, tell me the spell I need to free you, hurry!”

A soft chuckle passed through the air, and a moment later, the door began to glow a bright purple. “Very well then, Twilight. Here is what you must do…”

“You tricked me!” Twilight shouted, pointing a hoof at Nightmare Moon. “You tricked me into freeing you! It was you trapped inside Trixie’s mind, not Trixie herself!”

“She finally catches on,” Nightmare Moon responded sarcastically. “Yes, that is right. I have been trapped inside that filly’s mind ever since that mother of hers cast that damned spell! All I needed was for Trixie’s mind to be thrown into darkness, an easy feat when she was a child; all she needed was to see everything she loved taken from her. But that wench… she placed that stupid seal on me, locking me inside of Trixie’s mind, completely unable to break free!

“Even as Trixie’s life continuously fell into despair, no matter how much she suffered, it was never enough! Especially when she found you! It was at that point that I had given up all hope of ever being free again… But, it seems that Amaranth managed to use the situation to his advantage.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked as she charged magic into her horn.

“Careful now. I may be Nightmare Moon right now, but this is still Trixie’s body. Damage it, and you damage her.” Twilight grit her teeth together, and slowly undid her spell. “That’s better. And basically, Amaranth simply ignited the darkness inside Trixie’s heart by using her love for you as a base. Love is powerful, but it is also a weakness, one that is easy to exploit.”

“Is that what the letter was about? The ‘tragedy’ was referring to me?”

“… I have tired of this conversation now, Twilight Sparkle. I’m on a busy schedule, and I really must get going now.” Nightmare Moon’s horn lit up, and her eyes glowed purple as her magic coiled around Twilight’s body, lifting and holding her up in the air. “First, I must reunite with the rest of my soul. The portion that escaped one thousand years ago, and infected Princess Luna.”

“W-What do you mean by that? That there are two of you?!”

Nightmare Moon shook her head. “No, not exactly. Over one thousand years ago, the Lulamoons defeated me, and trapped me under what later became their family manor. In an attempt to escape, I separated a portion of my soul, and had it slip through a weak point in their seal. That part of my soul found its way to Luna, and took advantage of the darkness in her heart to use the possession spell on her. Much like I have done here.

“However, that part of my soul is now dead. Merely a mass of energy, thanks to what you have done to it. Still, it’s energy that I can use, and with it, I shall accomplish my goal! I shall become greater, and more powerful, than any other equine in all of Equestria!”

Twilight struggled against Nightmare Moon’s hold, but it was no use. “You won’t get away with it! Princess Celestia will-” Twilight stopped, and stared at the mare below her in shock. “… W-What did you just say?”

“You didn’t hear? I said that I shall live up to my name! I shall become the Great and Power… What?” Nightmare Moon’s grip on Twilight loosened, allowing the purple Unicorn to free herself by use of a teleportation spell. “T-That’s not right… I’m sure my goal was…”

“… Night-time eternal,” Twilight said.

Nightmare Moon flinched. “T-That’s right. But… why did I want that? I don’t… I like the night, sure, but not that much. I just wanted to…”

“… How sad,” Twilight said, meeting Nightmare Moon’s eyes with her own. “Shall I tell you where those thoughts came from? The one who wanted eternal night was Princess Luna.” Nightmare Moon tensed up, and scowled at the purple Unicorn. “And the one who wants to be ‘Great and Powerful’… is Trixie. My Trixie, who I will not let you take away from me!”

Twilight charged forward, her horn sparkling as she pounced towards Nightmare Moon. “You don’t even know what you want! You just take the dreams of others, and make them your own! I wonder, do you even have your own dreams, Nightmare Moon?”

“Of course I do!” Nightmare Moon roared. “I… I want to…” ‘What? What was I after? Why did I start possessing ponies in the first place?!’

Twilight knocked Nightmare Moon back with a quick spell, and landed just in front of the dazed mare. “Give her back! Give me back my marefriend, right now!”

“Shut it! I will end you, and those accursed Elements, right here and now!” Nightmare Moon’s horn began to spark to life, but the light faded soon afterward.

“You will not harm her!”

Twilight delivered a swift kick to Nightmare Moon’s face, sending her stumbling back a bit. “You! How are you-Twilight! Don’t listen to her! Blast her with the Elements, while you have the chance!”

Twilight gasped, and held back her next attack so that she could allow Nightmare Moon to her hooves. “Trixie…”

“Fool! This body is mine now! Ngh!” Nightmare Moon held a hoof to her head, groaning in pain as she flailed about on the spot. “Twilight! Run! I… I won’t let her harm you!”

“Trixie!” Twilight grabbed the mare’s shoulders, smiling as she tried to make eye contact with her. “Trixie, I’m not leaving you! You have to fight this, Trixie!”

“I can’t! I… I’m too weak… I don’t have to strength to fight her, and besides, even if I could, you shouldn’t risk your life over somepony like me!”

“What are you saying? I love you, Trixie! Have I not made that clear these past months we’ve spent together?”

The mare let out a loud moan, and fell down to her haunches. “Stop it! This body is mine!”

“Trixie, you can fight it! I know you’ve had a hard past… I’ve seen what her minions have done to you. To your family.” Twilight knelt down to pull the screaming mare into a hug. “But you don’t have to deal with it alone! Even if everypony else abandons you, I never will! And you are worth it, Trixie. You’re worth it… because you’re the mare I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

“… I… I want to… spend my life with you, too.” The blue mare’s body began to glow a bright purple colour, and her flailing slowed to stop as she reached out to embrace Twilight Sparkle.

“No! W-What is this?! More of this ‘friendship’ crap?!”

Twilight shook her head, and returned Trixie’s embrace. “Not this time, Nightmare Moon. This… is love.” Twilight’s horn lit up, soon followed by Trixie’s. “And love is the most powerful force in the world. No matter what may come our way, together, we can overcome it.”

“Twilight…” Trixie blushed as she buried her face into Twilight’s chest, the energies from their horns beginning to mingle together. “I… I love you, Twilight.”

“I love you, too, Trixie.”

The two purple energies mixed together in the air, and started to wrap around the two mares’ bodies. Trixie began to scream out in pain, but Twilight held on to her tightly, easing her pain as she felt her body transforming back to normal.

“NOOOOOO! NOT AGAIN! I… I WON’T Be alone agai…”

Trixie gasped as she heard the voice fade away from her mind, and tightened her hold around Twilight’s waist. ‘Alone? She was… alone…’

The room filled with a bright light emitted from both of the mares’ horns; and as soon as it faded away, Twilight looked down at the mare she was holding, to see if she was okay. “Trixie?” She received no response, and began to worry. “Trixie!”

“Mm…” Trixie slowly opened her eyes, and looked up tiredly at the purple mare holding her. “… She’s gone,” she said flatly, pushing her back away from Twilight Sparkle. “It’s… over…”

Twilight smiled, and leapt forward to hug Trixie again. However, the showmare moved back from Twilight, confusing her. “I… I killed somepony, Twilight…”

“…”

“You deserve somepony better than me. My hooves are stained with blood. I-”

“Trixie,” Twilight said sternly, lifting her hoof into the air. Trixie watched with wide eyes as Twilight swung her hoof through the air, and connected it with the side of Trixie’s face. “… That’s for worrying me!” Twilight quickly reached forward, and this time, she would not allow Trixie to avoid her hug. “You jerk…”

Trixie tried to resist the hug at first, but soon found herself completely unable to. Instead, she slowly eased herself into the embrace, her body warming up and feeling light in Twilight’s forelegs. “Twilight… how can you still love somepony like me?”

“… I love you, Trixie. That’s all that matters.” Twilight pulled back, so that she could connect her lips with Trixie’s. After a full minute, she pulled away so that she could look her lover in the eyes, and the two smiled gently to each other. “I’m not letting you go, no matter what you say.”

Trixie sighed, and leaned her head forward to nuzzle Twilight’s cheek. “Geez… You stubborn mare, you.”

“SHE’S AWAKE!” a voice shouted out behind Twilight, startling both mares. They turned around to see a familiar pink pony standing at the doorway, smiling excitedly at the two mares. “Oh, sorry! You two were having a moment, weren’t you?”

Rarity and Applejack followed behind Pinkie Pie, along with Rainbow Dash, and then finally, Fluttershy. “My word!” Rarity exclaimed. “This room is a complete mess! Whatever happened here?”

Applejack whistled appreciatively, and then shot a sly grin at the two mares. “Wow. You two must have really gone at it in here… Ah know ya must be excited that she’s awake, Twilight, but there’s a time an’ a place for this sorta thing, y’know?”

Twilight blushed as she realised what Applejack was referring to, and quickly pushed Trixie away from her. “N-No! It’s not like that!” she shouted, but it was clear that the others didn’t believe her.

“Oh, come on!” Rainbow Dash shouted, flying into the room and landing next to Trixie. “I was worried sick about you, and then you wake up and just act like nothing happened?”

Trixie’s eyes widened in surprise. “You were… worried about me?”

Rainbow Dash flinched, and turned her head away quickly. “D-Don’t get me wrong! I was worried for Twilight’s sake, not yours! I just wanted her to stop worrying, and… What in Equestria happened to your eye?!”

“Eye?” Trixie asked, and then let out a loud gasp as she brought a hoof to her left eye. ‘That’s right! I removed my eye patch! … Wait…’ Trixie slowly removed the hoof from her eye, and then let out a frightened gasp as she saw… darkness. ’M-My eye! My eye isn’t working!’

“Trixie? What’s wrong?” Twilight asked, seeing the fear on Trixie’s face.

“Oh, the patient is awake?” Everypony turned to the door, where they saw two ponies dressed in Royal Guard attire, being accompanied by one of the hospital’s doctors. “Hm? I thought that visiting hours were over already…”

Twilight Sparkle and her friends stood nervously at the train station as they waited for the train to finish pulling in. Twilight looked around for any sign of the blue mare that they were waiting for. “Trixie…”

“Relax, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said, placing a foreleg around her neck. “She Pinkie promised that she’d come here, and even Trixie wouldn’t break a Pinkie promise!”

“I know, but… the train’s already here, but she’s-”

“Oh, the train’s already here?” Everypony turned around at the sound of the showmare’s voice, and were greeted to the sight of a confident-looking mare, clad in her purple hat and cape, with a brand-new eye patch over her left eye. “Trixie thought she had more time. Oh well, as long as she made it in time.”

“‘Bout time!” Applejack shouted as she turned around. “We were just about ta leave without ya.”

Trixie laughed nervously as she approached the group. “Sorry. The Royal Guard just kept asking me questions, so…” Trixie approached her marefriend, Twilight Sparkle, and nuzzled her lovingly. Twilight blushed, but still returned her affections nonetheless.

“So,” Rainbow Dash started, “You wanna explain what all this is about?”

“…”

“That’s it?” Trixie asked, bewildered as she watched Shining Armour get up and walk towards the door to her interrogation room. “I’m being let off, just like that?”

“… Well, as an honorary member of the Royal Guard, you were well within your right to kill Shadow if he attacked you. He was our third-most-wanted criminal, after all. Furthermore, no official records of ‘Amaranth’ exist anywhere within our archives. His birth certificate, his family, his hoofprints… nothing. From a legal point of view, he never existed, and so, you couldn’t have possibly killed him.”

“… I’m not sure I should be happy about this or not,” Trixie said, lowering her head on her forehooves. “I killed somepony, Shining Armour. How am I supposed to live with that weight on my shoulders, without receiving proper judgment?”

“… If you’d like, I can beat you to a pulp right now.” Trixie flinched, and quickly scooted her chair away from the white stallion. “But then Twiley would be sad. And I don’t want that to happen.”

“So, what, then?”

Shining Armour turned and looked at Trixie with a serious look on his face. “… Sorry, Trixie, but the past is the past. You’ll have to find a way to deal with it… Just remember what’s most important to you, and don’t let your past destroy your future.”

“… My future…” Trixie scooted her chair back, and rose to her hooves. “My future is with Twilight… I’m not going to waste the life that she saved. And I’m not going to be the one to make her cry again.”

With a smile on his face, Shining Armour opened the door, and motioned for Trixie to leave. “Then go get her, Trixie. And good luck.”

“Thanks. I won’t waste the life that you saved, either. Even if it was through ‘technicalities’.”

Shining Armour shot her a sly grin. “What? I can’t find loopholes and use them to my advantage every now and then? If you want to repay me, hurry up and marry Twiley already! My parents are pressuring me to find a marefriend, and I’m probably going to have to reveal my relationship soon.”

With one final bow, Trixie left the interrogation room, and began making her way towards the Canterlot train station.

“Suicide?” Rainbow Dash asked as the seven mares sat down inside the train. “The dude killed himself? But, what was that note all about?”

Trixie shrugged. “Some whack job that wanted Trixie all to himself. When Trixie refused, he took it rather harshly… and Trixie was unable to stop him in time.”

“So y’all didn’t kill him!” Applejack wiped the sweat off of her brow. “Phew, ain’t that a relief? But still, why did y’all do that ta Twilight? Couldn’t ya have jus’ told her what was goin’ on?”

Trixie bit her lower lip. She hadn’t thought of a story for that yet. Thankfully, Twilight was there to save the day.

“Please just drop it, guys,” she said, wrapping her forelegs around Trixie and nuzzling her. “I’ve already forgiven her, and she’s not going to do that again.” She gave her marefriend a stern look. “Right?”

“Er, right…” Twilight’s face softened into a smile again, and the two mares held each other lovingly as they continued their journey home. ‘Right. I don’t have to be alone anymore. Because Twilight will always be there. And whatever comes our way, I’ll protect her…’

Author's Note

Thanks to TimeTravInDEMON and Campisi for pre-reading and editing this chapter.

(BONUS) A Twixie Coronation (April Fool's)

A/N: The following was a chapter written for April Fool's day, 2013. However, what was originally supposed to be a simple joke, ended up being a masterpiece of literature. Indeed, it makes the rest of this story seem like a sad pile of horse manure by comparison. Really, I should probably just remove the previous 23 chapters and just keep this. But apparently, there are ponies that actaully liked all that stuff.

Anyway, because of the sheer brilliance of this chapter, I didn't want to remove it. So instead, I decided to keep it, and stick a little warning at the top that tells people that this was merely an April Fool's gag, and has no relavence to the rest of the story, or any of my stories, other than being Twixie.

Enjoy.

Twilight and Trixie both woke up and and were like "good morning love" and then they made out and it felt so good Trixie was like "yeah baby" and Twi was like "we gotta keep this PG-13 and shit" so Trixie was disappointed and went downstairs to make toast. YEAH TOAST!

So then Twilight got up and made a reference to a story she liked as she brushed her main. She then went outside and started to sing.

[Twilight Sparkle]

Morning in Ponyville shimmers

Morning in Ponyville shines

And I know for absolute certain

That everything is certainly fine

There's the Mayor en route to her office

There's the sofa clerk selling some quills

Store owner: Morning, kid!

[Twilight Sparkle]

My Ponyville is so gentle and still

Can things ever go wrong?

I don't think that they will

Morning in Ponyville shimmers

Morning in Ponyville shines

And I know for absolute certain

That everything is certainly—

And then Dashie dropped water on her head and she stopped but then she realised it wasn't Dashie, it was Rarity! OMG! Inorite? So she's like "Rarity, dafuq?" and Rarity's like "My destiny an' stuff. You wouldn't understand" and Trixie comes out still brushing her teeth even though she was eating a second ago (CRAAAAAAAZY!) and she's like "Why is Rarity doing the Dashter's job?"

Twi found the nickname odd but that's not really relevant so I'll shut up abotu it now. Spike was like "Trixie stop taking my job!" and Trixie was like "No" and then there was a war between Trixie and Spike fans and of course Trixie fans won 'cause Trixie is best pony woot

So then Twilight walked around Ponyville and it turned out she bucked up a spell and her friends were now each other. But she bucked up Royally so as a result she got turned into a Princess by Molestia and then everypony besides her friends and all of Ponyville, who are apparently cold, hate-filled jerks without Pinkie Pie around, lived happily ever after.

Especially Trixie. The sex they had that night. Oh god, it was so good. And so hot. I'd tell you about it in more detail, but the tag on this story is teen, so I can't. But oh my god, it was so incredible. It made me moist just writing about it. And I'm not even into dat sheet.

Oh yeah, and then Sombra came back and was like "I'm back" and Celestia kicked him and he was gone, proving she was not useless after the whole Chrysalis thing.

The end.