The Return of the Everfree Kingdom

Chapter 4: The Unveiling
“All the pieces have been assembled,
I guess it’s time for the show to begin”

“BEHOLD THE SPLENDID AND AWESOME POWER THAT IS THE GREATEST UNICORN WHO EVER LIVED, ME, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE! THE ONLY UNICORN CAPABLE OF VANQUISHING AN URSA MAJOR!” the blue magician mare shouted as she appeared from within a cloud of pink smoke.

“yay” Clyde exclaimed as the colourful cloud settled and the full image of the show pony could be seen “I love her magic shows, I haven’t seen a show like hers in forever, it almost brings a tear to my eyes.”

“How could a magic show make you cry silly?” Pinkie Pie asked, casually eating popcorn.

Rainbow Dash sighed as she sat up in her seat “what’s Trixie doing here?”

Twilight looked between her friends and Trixie’s familiar stage act, “I’m not sure Rainbow, maybe she’s just performing her act, but I would think that she would have learned her lesson from last time we saw her.”

Rarity scoffed as she flicked her hair to get a better view of her friends “well I’m fine as long as she doesn’t change the colour of my hair again, it took me ages to fix that disaster” she shuddered as she remembered the ordeal she went through because of that.

Sweetie Bell laughed softly as she turned to her two friends “she was freaking out about it for several days.”

Fluttershy stayed quiet as she watched the magic show going on in front of her, Twilight noticed this and tapped Fluttershy on her shoulder “Hey Fluttershy you okay?”

Fluttershy almost screamed from the sudden physical contact but quickly covered her mouth as she turned to face her lavender friend “umm it’s just that I never saw her show completely remember? Everypony kind of interrupted her performance last time we saw her.” She said in her usual soft, timid voice “oh, but I don’t mean you guys were rude or anything.”

Twilight stared at Trixie as she continued on her show, boasting of her abilities while Twilight made sure she and her friends were making as little noise as possible so as to not attract too much attention.

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The show was over now, everypony in the room was either leaving the inn or were making their way to their rooms for the night, Twilight and friends were still sitting at the table talking about small things like the magic show or the quality of the food.

Twilight looked around the table as she realized somepony was missing from their table“hey where did Clyde go?”

Every other pony stared at the spot where Clyde was sitting to see an empty seat.

“Maybe the little guy just went to the toilet” Applejack reasoned “I mean he’s probably tired after how excited he was for that show.”

Twilight nodded as she stood up from her seat “okay everyone, it’s getting late we should all get a good night’s rest, I’ll look for Clyde.”

“Awww” the three little Crusaders moaned in unison as they sunk further into their individual seats.

“Come on girls, if you don’t get your beauty sleep you’ll start to get wrinkles” Rarity motherly said as she tried to usher the girls to their rooms.

Everyone all climbed out of their seats as they went to their planned sleeping rooms, Rainbow Dash easily getting Scootaloo to follow her and Pinkie to their rooms while Applebloom and Sweetie Bell were more difficult to even get moving.

Twilight disengaged from the group as she started searching for Clyde, “where did that kid go?” she asked herself as she looked around.

___________________________________________________________________________

Twilight had only begun her search only several minutes ago, being very thorough as she checked underneath the tables and everywhere else inside the inn.

Twilight stopped as she heard the sound of a pony making their way towards her, the clip clop of their hooves as they walked on the wooden floor.

“Where did yo_” Twilight started as she turned around only to be stunned by the fact that it wasn’t Clyde who was behind her.

“Hello Sparkle” Trixie said coldly as Twilight was now face to face with the unicorn who only last year ran out of Ponyville after the Ursa Minor attack.

Trixie’s eyes stared into Twilight’s as the two of them stood there, frozen in time each trying to come up with something to say.

Twilight swallowed her anxiety and took the first step “hello Trixie. That was a nice performance you did.”

Trixie’s expression brightened up as she heard the praise come from the student’s mouth “thank you, when I spotted you and your friends in the audience I thought you were going to run me out of this place.”

Twilight turned her gaze away from Trixie, ashamed that she had made such an impression on somepony.

“I’m sorry about that Trixie, I’m also sorry that your wagon was destroyed as well.” Twilight felt horrible as she recalled what happened that time.

Trixie turned her head high flicking her mane while doing so “the Great and Powerful Trixie accepts the apologies of this miss Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight smiled, she didn’t expect to be forgiven so easily, which made her worried “why? I thought you would hate me after what happened.”

Trixie chuckled as she invited Twilight to an empty table, the two unicorns sat down “Excuse me Insi, can you please get me and miss Twilight here a drink?”

The innkeeper’s head appeared from underneath the counter with a big smile on her face “coming right up Trixie, wonderful performance again like always.”

“Thanks” was all that Trixie said as she returned her attention to the lavender mare sitting across from her “now, what is the question you were going to ask the Great and Powerful Trixie?”

“I thought that you would have learned your lesson after the Ursa Minor.” Twilight bluntly said before realizing what she was saying “I mean, that was a good show Trixie.”

Trixie sighed “you must have realized that the attitude was only an act right?”

“I beg your pardon?” Twilight managed to say, the shock of the revelation paralysing her ability to come up with the right words, she sat there dumbfounded.

“Here you go” Insi said balancing a tray with three glasses on it on top her muzzle, setting it down on the table as she took the empty seat near Trixie “I hope you two don’t mind if I join? Every other pony has already gone to their rooms.”

“Not at all Insi, miss Sparkle I’m sure you met my friend Insi already.”

Twilight quickly regained her composure when the innkeeper joined their table “it’s nice to see you again, and Trixie please call me Twilight.”

“Sorry, Twilight” Trixie said as she took a sip from her drink “ahh, I love Pinecone Blast flavour.”

Insi smiled as she took a drink from her own glass “why do you think I chose it if you didn’t like it?”

“You have a point there” Trixie said with a smile on her face as she enjoyed herself “but moving back onto the topic at hoof here, would it be right to assume you didn’t know my previous behaviour was thought to be my real behaviour?”

“Yes, I’m sorry Trixie if we just assumed without knowing what you were really like.” Twilight replied feeling guilty.

Insi and Trixie both shook their heads “nah, don’t be. That was Trixie before she met me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well it was an act but I got too absorbed into it to drop it once my shows were over, the persona I made grew on me and eventually became me, so you were both right and wrong to think the me back then was the real me” Trixie answered.

“Yeah and after her wagon was destroyed by that Ursa Minor she somehow came across me as I was going for a stroll and I took her in” Insi said smiling as she nudged Trixie “but, oh boy was she a stubborn one to deal with at first.”

Trixie blushed at the comment “hey, remember I was still in stage mode at the time.”

Twilight smiled as she watched the two friends in front of her bicker, but a thought crossed her mind “but what about your boasting Trixie.”

“Oh that” Trixie said calmly “you do know that’s what stage ponies do right? They boast and exaggerate their abilities so that they can even get an audience.”

Insi finished her drink with a slurp “yeah I mean come on, would anyone want to see a show performed by the Weak and Timid Trixie? Or even the Mild and Average Trixie”

“Hey!” Trixie loudly said pushing Insi softly as they both began to laugh.

Twilight’s heart began to sink, she didn’t know that most of it was an act, she felt terrible even though it seemed that Trixie was a nice pony deep down and that she never tried to get along with her before finding out.

“I’m sorry Trixie.”

Both the magician and innkeeper stopped their friendly fight and looked at Twilight who was tearing up as droplets began to stream down her face.

“Why are you sorry? If it wasn’t for you and your friends I wouldn’t be here right now, although I didn’t like the means of how nor do I want to remember it, that time changed me and made me the pony you see before you.” Trixie said as she put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulders.

Twilight wiped her face clean as she smiled back at Trixie “thank you Trixie.”

Trixie was taken aback slightly after Twilight had finished her sentence “whatever for?”

“You’ve teached me an important lesson about friendship, it doesn’t matter if a pony and you have an argument, if in the end the two of you can make up and learn something about each other from it then your friendship has grown even stronger.”

“That’s a lesson we all need to learn” Insi said nodding her head.

The mood of the conversation was interrupted when a loud bang stole the attention of the three ponies.

A small hatch from the floor near the end of the stage popped open and a purple earth pony climbed out of it.

“Heya Trixie and Insi, thought I’d check up on ya” the mysterious pony said as he cleaned himself of dust and dirt.

“What are you doing here Rain Prancer?” Trixie asked getting up from her chair while Insi made her way back to the bar.

“He probably just wants a drink Trixie, more Sarsaparilla Prancer?” Insi called out as she prepared a drink for the new pony.

“Heck yeah, I haven’t had one of those in ages and I need my creative juices flowing.” Rain Prancer merrily said taking a seat at the table with Trixie and Twilight.

Twilight was about to greet the new pony when she remembered what she was doing before she ran into Trixie “oh, sorry everypony, I just remembered something I had to do.”

Trixie and Rain Prancer looked at her before Prancer let out a little chuckle “nah, it’s okay, you do what you gotta do meanwhile I still gotta come up with ideas” Prancer said as he took out a journal and pencil.

“Ideas for what?” Twilight asked as she pushed her chair back under the table.

“I’m a toy maker, and I’ve sorta’ve got a mental block as to what to think up of next.” Prancer mumbled loudly before taking the pencil into his mouth and started to sketch “nows sisn’t shere shomeshing slou were meants to bees doings?” the pencil in his mouth making his speech slurred as he continued to sketch.

“Yeah there is” Twilight galloped away as she restarted her search for Clyde “oh I’m never this forgetful” she mumbled to herself.

___________________________________________________________________________

Twilight had resigned from her search after another hour of searching, figuring that the Mentor calling himself Clyde would return eventually, she past by Trixie and the other two, waving as she walked up the stairs.

Twilight walked into her room, where Applejack, Applebloom and Spike were already asleep.

“Hnng, Twilight is that you?” Twilight stared as Applejack rubbed her eyes.

“Yeah it’s me Applejack, I couldn’t find him though” she sighed as she made her way to the toilet.

“Don’t worry Twilight, ah’m sure he’ll be fine” Applejack turned in her bed yawning as she fell back to sleep.

“Yeah, you may be right” Twilight agreed “but I still have an uneasy feeling.”

After brushing her teeth thoroughly she climbed into bed and let her eyes close as she drifted into sleep.

___________________________________________________________________________

“Twilight Sparkle” a purple earth pony said as he placed his cup back onto the table “if she is the element of magic then none of us have got worry about her.”

“Why?” Trixie asked raising an eyebrow.

“Orders remember, stick to your respective target unless ordered otherwise.”

Insi joined Rain Prancer at the table “yeah, yeah we know, would have been devastating to Trixie if something bad happened to the mare that helped her remember why she was in showbiz in the first place.”

“As long as I am not the one to do it then I am fine by it.” Trixie said with a ‘humph’ before leaving her two friends at the table.

“So what are ya working on this time?” Insi asked shifting her attention towards Rain Prancer.

Rain Prancer grabbed the journal in his mouth and showed Insi some diagrams that were on the side Insi could see.

“looking at this I’m guessing it’s for good ol’ Diggy?”

“Exactly” Rain Prancer replied with glee.

“So how’s your target coming along?” Insi asked as she gestured for Rain Prancer to join her for a walk.

“She’s alright, had to come here though since the veterans of my squad are busy playing the ‘I’ll wait for them to make the first move game’”

Insi chuckled and shook her head “those two seriously need to get over it and just embrace each other or something, save us all a major headache from hearing them talk about each other all the damn time.”

Prancer laughed “it’s funny, I just found out that Diglet is old fashioned when it comes to ‘courting’ mares” he said putting on a fake posh accent making himself burst into laughter.

Insi raised an eyebrow as she watched the purple earth pony continue laughing “is there something wrong with a stallion treating a mare correctly?”

Prancer immediately stopped laughing and cleared his throat “well I’m only laughing cause it’s Diglet, I mean come on, it’s Diglet who is like that, I would have expected him to be the one who would just pounce on her or something.”

“Well yeah, I thought the same too, hey who knows maybe Steady is the one who tends to pounce instead.”

The conversation went quiet as they both shuddered at the idea “let’s never talk about that, it is scary thinking of the idea alone.”

“You big baby, she’s not scary all the time.”

“Yeah, only if you cross her, and I apparently make her cross fifty percent of the time so every time I see here, half the time I practically piss myself.”

“Eugh, too much information.” Insi said sticking her tongue out of her mouth in disgust.

Prancer shrugged as the two of them stood up out of the chairs and trotted around the inn picking up rubbish left over from the show.

___________________________________________________________________________

Twilight turned in her bed, tossing and turning as she drifted off towards her dream land.

Twilight finds herself standing in a big empty space, she can see small blurry visions of her past rotating around her in the distance, and she looks around to see that the visions of the past are rotating around her in a dome like shape.

“Took you long enough to fall asleep.”

Twilight turned and saw Clyde standing in the distance in his own dome which was connected to hers.

“Was this where you were after the show?”

“No, I went to the little boys room, I really had to go.”

“Okay, what is going on? What are you doing here?”

“I called you here; right now your friends are talking to me as well in their own little dream lands.”

“But how can this be?” Twilight asked with doubt in her voice.

“Some spells have been forgotten by the pony kind of this era, although I suppose it’s better that way since no pony else can use them nowadays.”

Twilight stared at her surroundings, all the different memories she can plainly see through her viewpoint of it.

The time she was accepted by Celestia to be her student, when she first met her friends, the time they stopped Nightmare Moon and then Discord using the elements, all the memories small and big rotating around her dome.

“I have done this to you and your friends so I can discuss some things individually, and please don’t make it difficult, this spell is hard enough to do but splitting my psyche in 6 is going to be really taxing on my recovery and possibly my mental wellbeing” Clyde said with no emotion in his voice.

“Recovery?” Twilight asked once again confused by Clyde’s antics.

“Well let me explain it” Clyde said taking a deep breath in “I am the Mentor, you met me when you were but a small wittle filly.”

Twilight nodded, as she tried to remember the encounter.

“Anyway the Mentor is a title, one that is passed down when a Mentor finds another pony worthy enough of the title and responsibility” Clyde stopped talking, waiting for Twilight to nod in acknowledgment “the task of all Mentors is to ensure the safety of the elements and the bearers of said elements.”

“Wait” Twilight said interrupting Clyde “if making sure the elements are safe, what about the time Discord ran amuck and almost tore me apart from my friends?”

Clyde laughed softly before clearing his throat “oh yeah that, I knew you could handle that problem and besides I was busy in the land of the Zebras at the time.”

“But Equestria was in trouble and so was the Elements, you could have saved us from Discord.”

Clyde groaned in frustration “Equestria? Remember that I said my duty is to protect the Elements, I said nothing about Equestria.”

Twilight was shocked she quickly regained her composure and quickly thought of what to ask “but, but what if Equestria is destroyed?”

“Well that means the Equestrians have to find a new place to call home” Clyde replied coldly and bluntly.

“But why would you not do anything to stop it?” Twilight shouted “Innocent ponies could get hurt by.....Whatever it is that we have to go up against.”

“SHUT IT GIRL!” Clyde shouted, his magic amplifying his voice “YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO!”

Twilight backed away from Clyde who was clearly angry, he looked ready to kill somepony, which made Twilight scared.

Clyde calmed down with a long breath out “getting back onto topic here” he said sitting down tapping his chin thought “being the Mentor is not a blessing, rather it’s a curse where your stamina or magic affects you in more ways than one.”

Twilight, forgetting about Clyde snapping was confused by what he just said “stamina or magic affecting you? What do you mean?”

Clyde sighed as he rubbed his temples with his fore hooves “well earth ponies and pegasi rely on stamina, unicorns like me and you rely on magic.”

“Okay” Twilight let her brain process it all before indicating for Clyde to continue.

“How it affects me is very simple, when your stamina, well in my case magic is low in supply, my body shrinks, reverting it back to the ‘child’ state or as I call it the ‘recharging’ state and when I am back at full strength I revert back to the ‘adult’ form.”

“Oh” Twilight mumbled as the information started to clear up some things in her mind.

“And sadly another part of being the Mentor is that our coat colour and eyes change to this colour.”

“Wait! Why would it even do that?”

“I don’t rightfully know, it’s just ancient magic from a long time ago” Clyde looked himself over before groaning “I didn’t want to look like thi-”

“I think you look good in those colours.”

An echoing voice resonated through the domes as Clyde’s expression turned into one of pure panic and shock.

“How did you even get in here?” Clyde’s voice matching his shock as Twilight looked around her in confusion and shock.

“I thought we were safe here” Twilight said as she frantically looked around for the source of the voice.

“There is no place that is safe for you scholar” the voice said as it sounded closer than before.

“Scholar?” Twilight asked herself.

“NOW IS NOT THE TIME!” Clyde yelled as he tried to summon some magic in his horn.

THUD

A hoof flies out of thin air and collides with Clyde, sending him flying towards Twilight.

Twilight stared as part of her dome tore open and a single pony materialised in front of her, he looked exactly like an older version of Clyde with armour that resembled Luna’s royal guards but with a white colour instead of the traditional dark blue, his voice boomed with several echoes that filled the entire dome.

“Scholar Shade Glimmer of the once glorious Library of the Everfree Kingdom, I King Everfree hereby declare war on you and your friends.”