Trixie's Redemption: From Cinders and Flame

Luna sighed softly as she enchanted a statue within the courtyard of Stalliongrad. A massive statue of Trixie beamed fifteen feet tall, a living memorial to the mare for saving them against an Ursa Minor. In this timeline, Trixie learned from her mistake in Ponyville, honing her magic and defending those that counted on her.

"Are you sure, Trixie?" Luna let out, turning to the powder floating near her."It's a longshot~"

"It's all we've got to work with" Trixie shot back, looking around."Geez...odds are low, I'll admit."

"Alright...memory spell is in place. When my Trixie and Dash touch this stone, they'll remember what you remember...and maybe things will work out in this universe." The alicorn looked around, gasping as she saw a cyan blur in the sky."Holy~" she let out, amazed that the mare would be dropping in so soon. The alicorn ducked down, watching as Dash undid the bags of apples around her midsection. She momentarily headed into the general store, nodding to the manager and heading back out. Moments before she was to take off, she came to a halt in front of Trixie's impressive statue.

"What the...Trixie? Hah, not likely" she huffed, sitting and reading the epitaph."She...saved Stalliongrad?" Holy crap...what'd I miss?"

"Only greatness, my enthusiastic little admirer" a condescending voice cried out. Both Dash and Luna, who was hidden behind the stone with the cloud of magic that was our Trixie, locked eyes with the cyan mare behind Dash.

"Trixie!?" she barked, her rainbow tail stiffening as she spun to glare at that boastful mare."So...you trick the people to think you fought a real Ursa Minor or what?" Rainbow's teeth gritted at the other carelessly approached the defensive Pegasus, humming as she rested a hoof on the statue.

Trixie merely laughed as she narrowed her eyes at the brightly-colored Element of Loyalty."Hardly...they all knew who the hero was, and without Sparkle to upstage me, I showed my true talents."

"More like 'true tricks', if you ask me!" Dash retorted, snarling as she got closer."You're just a whining child who pretends she's so great!"

"And YOU'RE just a lazy half-wit who deserves none of her fame!" Trixie angrily barked back.

"Well, ya know what!?" Dash began, cut off by a powerful surge of magic as she touched the stone pedestal of he statue. Both were launched backwards, new memories from ethereal Trixie making them writhe lightly. They rose, twitching as their eyes met."T-Trixie?" Dash let out, lower lip quivering as she was given everything. Every moment and memory Trixie had of their love.

"Dashie?" the unicorn whimpered, tears in her eyes as she gulped. They leaped forward, crashing into each other in a mess of hooves and muzzles affectionately rubbing against the other.

Luna and the puff of magic formally known as Trixie watched, smiling. They began towards the castle grounds, Trixie lingering as she watched the Trixie from this realm loving Dash, regretfully and with a heavy heart as she turned tail and flew off with the princess. She knew it wasn't right to meddle with this world's affairs, but what did she do to deserve such harsh treatment? She was a good mare, and had been given an outrageous amount of bad luck. It was unfair, and Trixie knew it.

As the image of Dash and the current world's Trixie intermingling their tongues around each other's muzzle faded, Trixie finally let it all out."I'm sorry you're stuck with me, Luna..."

"Me? I should be sorry..."

"You had nothing to do with my relations with this world, yet you do my bidding since I can't...I think it's time we look for a way to turn me back to pony form...if it's even possible." Trixie's eyes highlighted once more in the magic smoke, locking onto Luna's as she flew infrom of the alicorn."If you'd help me one more time...I'd be forever in your debt."

The mare thought long and hard, finally smiling as she patted the smoke softly."You were my student in your world, my protégée. I could imagine I was much different in that universe than this one, so my status is the same. I'm your teacher, your instructor...and I'll give my entire being to bring you back."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you out of your mind!"

"Please, I was just..."

"You were what, idiotic? I agree!"

"If you'll just..."

"You were a fool to do this, sister." Celestia huffed, narrowing her eyes as she trotted towards a guard who had been knocked unconscious from the changelings past excursion. She sighed, shaking her head lightly as she looked towards Luna and the glowing cloud that was Trixie."She was in the ether...the void! Nothing exists there. Are you so naive that you do not see the potential danger?"

Luna' stance was defensive, but the twitches at every other syllable from her sister's agressive tones implied submission."I merely assumed that she could aid us. A being from another dimention has faced trials we hadn't even dreamed of."

"Such as? I fail to believe that even if it was the real Trixie, she would know anything in the six weeks our worlds were splintered that I don't in the centuries I've been alive." She turned away as silence engulfed the room, Celestia's rough gaze sliding along the goo-covered walls and empty cocoons."Well?" She burst, looking towards her sister.

"...She saw her return..." Luna's eyes locked to her sisters, her midnight coat half-drenched in moonlight from a broken window.

Celestia tilted her head, disregarding Luna's serious tone with a light shake of her head."Who, Chrysalis? We just dealt with her...that means noth-"

"NO..." Luna advanced towards the mare, putting a hoof to her heart."HER! She took over...she...I couldn't defeat her."

Celestial bit her lip, sighing as she backed up, trying to rest a hoof on he sister's back before Luna backed away, tears welling in her eyes as she rushed upstairs and to her chambers. The alabaster alicorn stopped at the staircase, one hoof on the railing as she turned to Trixie's form. "The library should be the same here as it was for you...I'll try to get Luna there within the hour...whatever you need will be given to you, so long as you keep my sister's demon away." Celestial gaze faltered lightly as she imagined the worst, letting out a soft whine as she turned away." And ascended the stairs to Luna's room.

It was an agonizing two hours until Luna arrived, ushered in by her sister. Celestia signed as she helped Luna onto a pillow, whispering something incoherent before heading back downstairs."Alright" Luna announced, turning her attention towards the unicorn."From what you've told me, which I believe completely, you were once my protégée. As such...I will not rest until you're back to normal."

Her smile, while weak, made Trixie beam back."T-Thank you, I know there must be a way!" The powdered unicorn announced, floating over to look towards her mentor. There was something comforting about being so close to her former teacher, and it was almost as if things were going back to the way they were supposed to be."Maybe...it won't be so bad after all."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Nothing!?" Trixie squeaked, looking from page-to-page on a transformation spell book."Come on, come on...there HAS to be something!" The mare's voice stuttered and cracked lightly as her frantic page-flips became more frantic."How...how could it not be here!"

"Trixie...we've been at this for over three hours. You have to give up."

"This is my body. Without a spell, I'll only have you to talk to, being this cloud of magic forever!" She sighed, watching as the alicorn's frown grew as she turned to look away."Luna...I didn't meant it like that."

"We should take a break" the princess whispered, knowing Trixie could hear her. She rose, turning to leave as she looked to the archway. The violet unicorn Trixie knew quite well stood, blushing as she hasn't even noticed Trixie's gaseous form."Twilight Sparkle, what a surprise."

"Hello princess. I was heading to Celestia to deliver my report on the wedding...is...something going on?" Her gaze shifted to Trixie's cloud, making her squint."Um...are you...trying to summon a sentient cloud of magic?" The I violet mare announced, trotting forward and prodding Trixie's form. Her eyes flashed argrily, making the mare yelp and fall back."Huh!?"

Luna put a hoof to her face, sighing softly."This is going to be a long night~"