Trixie's Redemption

"Princess, I don't understand...how could you know if things weren't meant to be?" Trixie blinked at Celestia, her eyes aching with worry.

"Follow me, let me show you something, My Little Pony." She rose, taking a scroll from her wall and leading the mare into a small room. It was circular, and just big enough to fit the two comfortably. There was a small table that emanated a low aura of magical energy."This is much like the transportation hub that you use to teleport to Ponyville...except it does not have the restrictions that filter what type of spell becomes enhanced."

The princess took the unicorn by the hoof and pressed them to the magic-resonating object. She read the paper quietly, closing her eyes as the room filled with magic. Trixie yelped as she got pulled into a vortex. She looked around as she fell, noticing she was the only one in the free-fall. A bright flash teleported her into the forest.

Trixie looked around nervously, trying to get to her hooves. The unicorn went to press her hoof to a nearby tree, but as the two objects connected, her hoof phased through the trunk of the oak tree. Looking around she heard a familiar voice echoing through the woods.

"This was the moment that changed everything." Celestia's voice was disembodied, echoing from nowhere. Trixie watched as she saw her past self galloping through the forest, missing the stone that caused her to trip down the cliff. "Because you didn't fall, you were never put into a position where you questioned your actions."

As Trixie watched her past self gallop off, she looked down and felt herself being sucked back into the vortex, dropping into a small room. The area was filled with magical energy, small burn marks in the ground. She watched as she saw herself, a vibrant, sparkling cape draped over her shoulders and her hat standing tall. The unicorn was pounding her hooves into the concrete floor, alternating front hooves as they began glowing. She lifted her hooves high and rammed them down, cracking the floor as lighting erupted into a tornado around her. She laughed proudly, watching as the tornado became water as it hit the tall ceiling, raining down in a shower.

Again, Celestia's voice permeated the atmosphere, blocking out all other sounds."Your desire to prove your worth led you to many masters of magic, and you learned many arts. You became an amazing mage, renoun among every province of Equestria."

The final destination was a large statue of Trixie, standing two stories tall in the middle of Stalliongrad."When you saved Stalliongrad from certain destruction at the hands of an Ursa Major, you were titled one of Equestria's top mages, and even after they gave you riches and power, you desired more, learning nearly every spell in existence. What happened next is unknown...the spell's effect ends after is point."

Trixie, again, could only look in awe as she was thrust into reality, stumbling backwards as she became physical again. She looked at Celestia, whimpering quietly as she rose and trotted back to the bedroom."This makes no sense...how could it have changed...who changed it?"

"That is what I wanted to know, Trixie. I have noticed two things that changed severely because of this event. Not only have the violent occurrences been increasing steadily, but in the original timeline, Nightmare Moon is practically non-existent. I have no clue why she would want to grow in power now and leave herself open to possible destruction...she's letting us prepare...it just seems so strange. Whatever happens..." Celestia was cut off by loud rumbling, followed by a violent crash that broth the two to the floor.

Trixie gasped, yelling "LUNA!" as she sprinted towards the alicorn's room. A smoking crater was all that remained."Oh no...Luna..." Trixie looked around, but the worst had happened...Nightmare had taken over...Luna had given up."

Celestia called for Shining Armor, requiring the captain of the Royal Guards to give coordinates. The stallion stood tall, saluting the princess sternly. Celestia paced slowly, calling out several code. Trixie decoded most of them as unit positioning, preparing for an inevitable assault.

As the stallion went to leave, Celestia stopped him with a hoof."And Sir Shining?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"After you position the men, try to raise their moral...then stay with your sister."

Shining Armor blinked,"But princess..."

"Armor...I don't want to hear it. You know your men won't survive if Nightmare decides to attack...and even your magic can't stop her. Please, Twilight needs you." She turned to Trixie,smiling lightly."Same for you Trixie...Oh...and Dash...you go too."

Trixie tilted her head."But Dash isn't..." she stopped and looked into the rafters of the large room, spying a cyan Pegasus in platinum armor peaking out, her rainbow hair easily spotted."Celestia Damn it, Dash...get down here" Trixie echoed up. The Pegasus slowly floated down, her armor deteriorating as she took off the crown.

Celestia turned her back to them, looking out the large hole that Nightmare had left, sighing softly."I want you to to leave Ponyville."

Trixie turn on her hooves, looking at the princess. Uttering a quick "WHAT!?", the unicorn echoed her voice in the large room. Celestia turned lightly, looking the mare in the eyes as her own dripped steadily with tears. She knew Luna was lost...forever. She tried to stay cordial and professional, but losing the alicorn she cared for so much to a demon took its toll.

"I said leave...I will not have My Little Ponies harmed...and I know she will target them...and you. Go to Twilight...wait for Shining Armor, then go with her friends to Stalliongrad. They are heavily defended...and it will be a good place for you to hide until Chrysalis and her Changlings can arrive."

Trixie galloped forward and embraced Celestia tightly, hugging her as the princess softly wept."I am so sorry Luna" the princess called out, whimpering softly,"I should have done better..."

Trixie hushed the Princess...looking her in the eyes."It's not your fault...you did everything you could..."

The princess sniffled, standing straight as she nodded."Thank you...but please...go...I can't lose you and Twilight too."

"Ok...princess...we'll go...but once things calm down...we'll come back" Dash announced as the two turned to leave. The two lovers rubbed their heads together lovingly as they got to the hub that took them home.

As they trotted on the hardwood floor, Dash turned to Trixie, her face flushed slightly from everything that was going on."So...why do you think the timeline is not the same?"

"Who told you...you spied on me the entire time...didn't you?" Trixie retorted. She wasn't angry, just questioning Dash's motive.

"Of course...you...didn't say goodbye before you left...I was a little sore. So...um...what happens now?"

Trixie stopped as they reached the teleported, looking at the Pegasus and kissing her on the lips softly."Now, we go to Ponyville and wait for Shining...then go with Twilight, AJ, and your other friends to Stalliongrad."

Dash looked down,sighing with a bit of frustration."I hate losing though."

The unciorn lifted Dash's head kissing the Pegasus's forehead and smiling slowly."It's not over...not yet."

The two hastily made their way towards Twilight's home, trotting in as they skidded to a stop. Twilight, along with Applejack, Applebloom, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were waiting inside. They gave a similar, nervous look that we gave them when they asked what had happened. Dash let Trixie explain, telling of Nightmare coming back and where Celestia wanted the ponies to re-locate.

Applejack was the first to interrupt."Like heck we're leavin' our homes because Nightmare is back...we'll use the Elements. Worked last time."

Twilight was the first to question the earth pony."But AJ, Nightmare is much more powerful...Celestia said so."

"Yea, but we're talkin about the Elements of Harmony...the most powerful magical force in Equestria. I doubt it can't handle her."

Trixie was the only one that stepped forward, slightly sceptical."If the Elements are an option...why wouldn't Celestia think of it?"

"Oh, she probably is all jumbled about the ordeal...or maybe she's testin' all of us...trying to find out if we have it in us to use the Elements to defeat Nightmare Moon...like she did the first time."

"But...that's not like her...at least...not like this. If she...if she cried like that...I seriously doubt she was testing us..." Trixie used her eyebrows to portray a desperate plead.

"Listen sugarcube, I know that Luna meant Equestria to ya...but I sure as hay ain't leaving Ponyville to get destroyed...who's with me?" Applejack looked around, all but Twilight, Trixie, and Dash nodding to her.

Trixie looked at Twilight."Please Twi..."

"I'm sorry Trixie...but it does sound like a trick she would pull..." Twilight said, trotting next to AJ.

"D...Dashie?" Trixie looked to her love, who looked away.

"Trixie, I love you...and I know what it looked like...but...if we have a chance to stop her...then we have to take it." The Pegasus gulped softly, hoping her love wouldn't be mad.

Trixie didn't know what to do. The others were slowly convincing her that it was right to fight...but disobeying the princess felt so...wrong."I...I can't. I'm sorry Dash...but I can't condone this. It...it feels like a bad idea."

Dash whimpered, looking at her love with pure desperation."But...isn't it worth a shot?"