Trixie's hopeful, new life.

Chapter 2 showing off.

Trixie arrived at the front gates of The Canterlot Gardens.

The garden itself was a large, open space, it smelled of fresh cut grass, flowers, and honeysuckle. A temporary stage had been set up. The cobblestones the other ponies walked upon, clopped with a light echo against the stone walls surrounding the gardens. Trixie approached the gates. To the left of the gates, stood the contestant sign up table. Trixie trotted over, hearing bees buzzing, and birds chirping. The day was very pleasant. Trixie got in line, and waited. When it was her turn to pay the fee, and be put on the preforming roster, Trixie spoke up with her usual show mare attitude.

“I am The Great and Powerful Trixie!.. Did you get that?” Trixie said, with a air of pride.

“Yes, and that will be thirty bits.” The booths attendant said flatly.

Trixie levitated her coin purse from her saddlebags, and paid, receiving a name tag, with 'Trixie' written on it. Trixie looked at how much she had left.

“Only fifteen bits left!?” She said to herself in amazement. She knew she had more than that.

'They must have fallen out of Trixie's saddlebags.' She thought to herself.

“Oh, and thank you.” Trixie said, reminding herself that she was to be nicer.

“Your welcome” replied the attendant.

Trixie immediately went backstage, and looked for a dressing room.

There was only a bathroom with a temporary sign, 'Dressing room' Trixie went into the bathroom, it was at least clean, but small. She cleaned herself of the sweat that had matted her coat. After ten minuets, she was presentable again. She walked out to see a line of unicorns standing, and waiting impatiently. Trixie moved with her normal arrogance. She found a mirror, out of the way. She stood in the corner looking into the mirror. Critiquing herself from every prospective, to make ready for the crowd that was surely going to heckle her at every turn. Trixie was prepared for it. 'Trixie will just let her magic do the talking.' Trixie thought to herself, going through the act in her mind.

_____________________________

Twilight, and her friends disembarked from the train.

“Uh. Need help Applejack?” Twilight asked,  Applejack, pulling her apple cart from one of the freight cars of the train.

“Nope. Ah am a working pony Twi, and don't you forget it.” Applejack replied, pulling the cart out, and trotting up to the group.

“It's not every day Ah get to sell apples in Canterlot.” Applejack said, with her cart following her.

“Are the wounder bolts are going to be here?” Asked Rainbow dash, flying around, looking intently.

“Good question, Rainbow” replied Twilight.

“Oh my, I don't remember seeing the garden like this. I hope none of the animals were forced out of their homes.” Fluttershy said, considerately.

“I am sure all the animals were told long before the event” replied Twilight, leading the girls to the garden, and to The Princess, who stood near the entrance, waiting for Twilight.

“Hello Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Said Princess Celestia with a smile.

“Ready for the show?” she asked, Twilight.

Twilight raced to her side, and gave a small bow, and a quick nuzzle. Feeling a certain friendly joy at getting to see her long time mentor, and friend.

“Oh yes, I read all about being a competition judge, on the way here.” Twilight said, proudly levitating up the book 'How to judge a competition' Everyone in the group gave a chuckle.

“Whats so funny?” asked Twilight, with a confused look.

“Nothing, Egghead... hahaha!” laughed Rainbow dash.

“Not an egghead” Said Twilight, with a flat tone.

“Girls please!” Pleaded Rarity.

“This is no time to fight” Fluttershy timidly begged.

“Sorry, Twilight” Rainbow dash apologized.

“I accept your apology” Twilight replied, with a smile towards her friend.

“So you will take the place of Apple Polish, Twilight?” Celestia asked her new Princess counterpart.

“Of course Princess. I have never been a judge, and its a good way to build my decision making skills.” Twilight said, proud of her reasoning behind her decision.

After ten minuets of catching up, and otherwise having a nice chat. Princess Celestia reminded them, the show would start soon. The group went to their respective spots. Twilight in the judges booth, and the rest in the crowd. That had suddenly come into perspective. Applejack opened her apple booth, immediately making three bits. Pinky jumped up, and down, ecstatic about the upcoming entertainment. Rainbow dash looked for the Wounder bolts to no avail. Rarity sat, and waited to see the other ponies preforming, hoping that it would inspire a new dress line. Fluttershy sat silently, as most of the time she does in a public place. Spike went to the nearest snack stand to get some sweets, and popcorn to eat.

___________________________

The announcer trotted onto the stage. “The competition will start soon.” the announcer said, trotting back off stage.

Trixie, was one of the last of the list, so she had time to prepare. Trixie was running everything over again in her mind.

'Okay Trixie. This is your moment to redeem yourself.' she said in her mind. She calmed herself and prepared for her act to be called up.

The show started with a young filly unicorn. She did some high level telekinesis, and some illusion spells. The filly was pretty disappointed in herself, for not being able to preform the flying spell she was trying so hard to do before the competition started. A last minuet practice, but to no avail. The next was a young mare, who did the same high level telekinesis, but for her coupe de gras, she used a teleportation spell, stunning the crowd by telaporting on top of a statue behind the crowd. Then telaporting back to the stage, with a added telaportie from the crowd. Proud of her talent she trotted off stage. The show went on, most unicorns not having any really advanced spell to show. Most unicorns aren't gifted with extreme, or gratuitous amounts of magic to begin with. Most magic is learned over many years. Most of the ponies preforming, were much younger than Trixie. She felt bad about being in the competition. If she won, would that also show that she was just a showoff picking on fillies? Trixie dispelled the notion from her mind. This was her chance to show everyone that she wasn't, a washed up, one trick pony, with a big ego. Moreover she was not really out to show up everyone, but to show how hard she worked.

Trixie watched the acts. Being on the last on the list she would be able to know what she had to do to beat the others. Trixie looking too the judges booth but only seeing darkness, due to the stage lights.

“Next is, The Great and Powerful Trixie!” the announcer said, with a little panache.

“Wait a minuet!?” Asked Rainbow dash.

“Is it really her?” muttered Twilight.

Trixie magically appeared on stage, with a plume of smoke, and a bang of fireworks.

Everypony booed, and muttered 'Oh not her again.' Trixie didn't say a word. She took off her hat, and let her horn glow brightly with her blue magic aura fixing into a point at the tip of her horn. She expanded this point of magic into a huge black ball, laying it down over the crowd making some flinch.

“As some know of Trixie's debacles in Ponyville.”

She opened the big black ball of magic into the illusion to show a memory of her making a complete foal of herself, with the Alicorn amulet. She next showed a illusion of the Everfree forest. The crowd gasped, the illusion was almost too real for most ponies comfort. Any pony that knew of, or had been to the forest for one reason, or another were shocked at the realism of her illusion.

“Listen as The Great and Powerful Trixie tells a tale.” Trixie said, lifting her head, and producing a illusion of herself walking in the Everfree forest.

“Trixie left, and got lost in the Everfree forest. Where Trixie came face to face with, a Dragon.!”

Trixie said, with flair, and her pride as a show mare. If its one thing Trixie is good at, its telling stories. Trixie showed the almost perfect illusion of her walking through the forest, and bumping into the Dragon. The Dragon roared at her, becoming angry at her for intruding.

“Trixie ran for her life from the now angry, bloodthirsty Dragon!” Trixie telling the crowd that winced at the idea of making a Dragon mad at them. The illusion followed Trixie, as she ran from the Dragon blindly into a cave. Where Trixie darkened the illusion for the effect of suspense.

“Trixie was safe. Or was she?” Trixie, hoping for a little suspenseful, edge of the seat part in her story. The illusion of Trixie made a light with her horn, revealing an Ursa minor.

“Trixie ran form the Ursa minor, it became angry with Trixie for waking it!” Trixie added to the already frightening story.

The crowed stayed hush. Listening intently, hanging on every word. Most forgetting that Trixie was who she was. Trixie had practiced another spell that would allow the audience to share her emotions, as she was chased by the Ursa minor. Trixie produced this spell, the crowd gasped in fright. Trixie followed the illusion of her running out of the cave, with another narration of the story.

“As Trixie made it out of the cave. The Dragon awaited her!”

She made the illusion of the Dragon, swipe a huge claw at her . It missed by inches, but the rocks it smashed didn't. The rocks tumbling down in a land slide of boulders. She showed the crowd, a sharp jagged rock falling, and smashing into Trixie's right shoulder, cutting it quite deep.  The crowd all gasped, and felt the pain in their shoulders, and the fear of death, that Trixie remembered all too well. Even Princesses Twilight, and Celestia gasped, feeling the fear. Fluttershy coward under her chair.

Rarity almost fainted, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, were not convinced, still the spell made them flinch.

“Then, Trixie had to escape the Ursa, and the Dragon, injured!”

She said moving the illusion to a panic stricken Trixie, telaporting to another place in the Everfree forest. Only to meat a manticore. Trixie's illusion hastily telaported again, this time she was safe, for the time being.

“Trixie was now, even more lost.” Trixie showed the illusion of her searching for a way out. The illusion showed Trixie, limping, hurt rather badly. The crowd feeling what utter hopelessness she had felt at the time. Trixie moved the illusion to her, finding a way out, finding three ponies, on there way to Dodge junction. Trixie showed them helping her. Bandaging her, and dragging her on a stretcher to Dodge junction, where she was safe.

“Trixie was safe, but her hardships started again.” Trixie said, she showed the crowd the bar where she would latter work, and what she put up with. Ponies throwing rotten fruit at her, and yelling at her. Until she came tonight, to Canterlot where she ended the story, and dispelled the illusion, and emotion spells. A pause came over everypony. Even Rainbow dash, who had no small amount of dislike for the blue show mare.

“Your under arrest!”-said a guard, sternly - “on the charges of, attempted enslavement of Ponyville, trespassing, assault, and illegal spell use” he said, moving closer, expecting Trixie to run.

“But, Trixie learned that spell from a book. It didn't say it was illegal?”she said, in protest.

“That doesn't excuse you!” Said the guard, with a annoyed look.

Trixie lowered her head, and walked down off the stage, where the guard was ready, with hoof cuffs and, a anti-magic horn cuff for the unicorn. Trixie had tears in her eyes, feeling the eyes of the crowed looking at her with disappointed, and disproving feeling emanating from them, all directed at her.

“Wait!!” Exclaimed Fluttershy, unusually out of character. Speaking without her usual timid voice. Twilight, not believing that Fluttershy was the first one to speak up.

“What spell was illegal?” Asked Fluttershy, back to her timid nature.

“The emotion controlling spell” replied the guard.

“Sir, excuse me, but seeing everything first hoof, I believe she has changed,”- Twilight interjected, trotting out of the judges booth, over to the guard, and Trixie.-“, and that was not an emotion controlling spell.”

“What do you mean? I know what I saw, and felt!” exclaimed the guard

“But that wasn't a emotion control spell” said Twilight, with her usual smug ' I know everything' look.- “,and hasn't the statute expired?” Twilight added.

“Oh my, Princess Sparkle, its you.” the guard bowed, noticing that it was The Princess.

“The spell she used was a emotion sharing spell. Which is not illegal” said Twilight,

the guard looked to the Princess then to Trixie.

“I am so sorry, your Majesty.” The guard now groveling.

“I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, hereby grant Trixie, a royal pardon for crimes committed in the past” Twilight said, not quite as confident that it was a good idea to do that, but feeling almost obligated to do so. She knew that Trixie had broken the law, but no one in Ponyville had actually filed a report, because of that Trixie wasn't charged formally, and because the statute was only Two months to officially report any crime, had expired, even if Twilight would have let her get arrested. Trixie would not have been imprisoned. Twilight wanted Trixie to win, even if she was a braggart, she had been through enough.

“Alright, but this is a warning” Said the guard,  in a flat tone at Trixie. Bowing again, and hurrying off, before he could be punished for his outburst. Trixie looked shocked, almost flabbergasted at the way Twilight Sparkle. The pony she had tried more than once to over shadow, and failed, had stood up for her, and she was a Princess. Trixie couldn't, wouldn't, and didn't want to accept the fact that, Twilight Sparkle was now a Alicorn. Before Trixie could ask, or even think, came a familiar voice.

“Your lying Trixie!” Spouted Rainbow dash, she flew over, and pointed a hoof at her.

“Trixie is not lying!” Trixie said, she lifted her cape to reveal her scar, from the stone that fell, and cut her. Rainbow dash gasped, at the large scar on Trixie's shoulder. Fluttershys eyes got wide, and, The rest just looked at her.

“What happened to you Trixie?” Asked Twilight, in a worried voice. Now actually worried.

“You saw Trixie's illusion, did you not.” asked Trixie, starting to get a small amount of her  arrogance back.

“Well yes, but did that really happen?” Twilight asked, concerned about Trixie.

“Yes. It did!” Trixie said, with a huff, making Twilight back away a little.

“My word” gasped Rarity.

“Oh, my” Fluttershy said timidly.

“Hey! You can't talk to my friends that way” Rainbow Dash said, getting in Trixie's face.

“Trixie doesn't have to take this!” Trixie retorted to Rainbow Dash's comment.

“Now if you will excuse Trixie Princess. She needs to find out who won, so Trixie can go to Canterlot magic academy.” Trixie said, with the arrogance that she had already won. Mentally chastising herself for being so rude to a princes. Trixie knew, that first place received a thousand bits, and a scholarship to Canterlot's Academy for gifted unicorns. The girls watched Trixie walk backstage. Twilight didn't say a word, and walked back to the judges booth.

“Applejack. Can you believe her?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“The nerve of that pony ah swear” Replied Applejack.

“That girls. Is the most infuriating pony, I have ever met” Rarity said, joining in with the others.

“I don't know. She seems really sad to me” Pinky said, never one to see any pony sad. She looked to the others, and tilted her head.

“Don't you think she would be happier, if she had a friend?” Pinky asked, making her friends think hard.

“Well yeah, Ah guess.” Applejack said, tapping the ground.

“But, that pony tried to enslave Ponyville, with that amulet, thing.” Applejack said, trying to hold her conviction about Trixie.

“Well I, for one believe Twilight, when she said the Alicorn Amulet corrupted the user.” added Rarity.

Applejack rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Fine.. One last chance. That's all ah am given her.”

Twilight's group of friends, went back into the crowd. Twilight, sat in her chair, and sighed.

“Do you know that mare?” Celestia asked.

“Yes... Well no.... Kinda.” Replied Twilight, nervously.

“She is quite good with magic, don't you think?” Celestia asked, looking at Twilight for a reaction.

“Yes. Well now she is.” Said Twilight, she looked at her score card.

“Is everything alright?” Celestia asked Twilight.

“Yes it is Princess. No need to worry.” Twilight replied, thinking that she shouldn't be the judge of Trixie's performance.

Then she remembered, judges should act as though they don't know any pony preforming. Twilight took a deep breath, and let it out. Putting everything that Trixie had done behind her, and out of her mind. Twilight made her judgment on her performance, not her personality, or what she had done before. Even though being on the receiving end of Trixie twice before, made it hard not to think of her past.

_____________________________

The announcer called all the acts to the stage. The acts lined up, Trixie was waiting in the back. Behind everypony. Where no one could see her. She stood, and waited. Thinking, that she wouldn't win, and she would continue to be a no pony, her ears pinned.

“And this years winner is.......” The announcer paused, looking to the judges. The judges replied with a quick nod, to assure the announcer the score card was right.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie!” The announcer said, with a flourish. Trixie was surprised by this. She trotted up to the front of the stage. Where Celestia herself, was giving the award. Trixie bowed, and looked at The Princess.

“Congratulations Trixie.” Said Princess Celestia, to Trixie with a smile.

Trixie blushing a little, and feeling a wash of her pride. She pushed it out of the way, as not to say anything that would ruin this for her.

“You really can't be Serious about this?” Asked Rainbow dash, still not convinced Trixie wasn't trying something fishy.

“Rainbow!” Twilight said, hushing her friend.

“And why should I not be?” Princess Celestia asked.

“She is a liar, and she brought the Ursa minor to Ponyville, the first time she came.” Rainbow now red with anger.

“That was Snips, and Snails, that brought the Ursa Rainbow.” said Twilight, in defense of Trixie.

“I can't believe that your on her side! And she tried to enslave Ponyville!” Fumed Rainbow.

“Yes dear, I can not imagine what you seek to gain from not throwing her in jail?” Rarity said, confused about the whole thing.

“I know she did that, but she changed. Can't you see?” Twilight asked, in defense of herself this time.

“But its not, that she changed. She needs to be punished” Rainbow Dash said, making a point.

“Trixie knows that your mad at Trixie.” Trixie spoke, to Rainbow dash.

“Bucking strait I am mad at you!” she said, flying lower to stare at Trixie in the eyes.

“Trixie knows what she did, And she is sorry.” Trixie said, then looking at the ground and, tapping her hoof to the stage, kicking up a little dust. Rainbow Dash couldn't believe it, she ran what Trixie said through her mind again.

“Your what?” Asked Rainbow Dash, very confused.

“Trixie said, she is sorry for what she did. Have a problem hearing?” Trixie spouted at Rainbow Dash, she was so close to Trixie's face, like she was trying to brake her down.

“Okay. Fine!” Rainbow dash relinquished, to the surprise of most of her friends, she flew away a few yards.

Trixie looked to the Princess, who gave Trixie the award money, and the scholarship via telekinesis.

“Thank you Princess.” Said Trixie, walking away, when Celestia stopped her.

“I have an idea. Seeing as how you haven't been punished, I want you to stay with Twilight sparkle. This would be a opportunity for both of you to grow. I expect that you to complete the tasks that Princess Twilight Sparkle, will set for you as your teacher of the magic of friendship” The Princess said, obviously quite serious. Seeing that Trixie may come out of that relationship, with a little more than just the prize. Trixie was shocked hearing what Celestia was asking. In addition to the Elements of Harmony.

Trixie Thought, that the “Princess thing” with Twilight, was enough of a slap in the face but this?

Twilight walked over to where Rainbow hovered.

“Rainbow?” Twilight asking, as she expected an answer, to why Rainbow dash would just give  up that easily.

“What, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I just can't believe that you, would just let Trixie go that easily.” Twilight said.

“Well, she said she was sorry, and I believe her.” Rainbow said, Twilight gasped in shock.

“Really? You believe her?” Twilight Asked, still skeptical of this sudden change in her friend.

“Did you see her eyes? She wasn't lying to me that time.” Rainbow spoke, she sank down, and landed, motioning Twilight to come closer.

“To tell you the truth, Twilight. I feel kinda bad for her now.” Rainbow said to Twilight, surprising her.

“Really? In that case..” Twilight paused.

“What, Twilight?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Well Celestia, wants her to study under me in Ponyville. As in my student, and for punishment.” Twilight said. Rainbow dash fumed, and flew around, not believing her ears. She landed after a minuet or two.

“Great, now we can have two eggheads, around Ponyville,” Rainbow said cynically.

“Not an egghead.” Twilight said, with a chuckle.

“Then, you won't have a problem with her staying in Ponyville for a while?” Twilight asked.

“Of course I have a problem with her. But if Celestia wants it, I am not going to argue. I mean she never steered us in the wrong way before.” Rainbow said to Twilight.

“Okay.” Twilight said.

At the end of the night, the seven got on the train again, headed back to Ponyville. There were still hushed jokes, and other cruelties being said about Trixie. That being told, no rotten fruit was harmed this night.