"Great and powerful Trixie, you've got to vanquish the Ursa!" said Snips as the three unicorns were backed into a corner.
"Yeah, vanquish so we can watch!" Snails, the more idiotic of the two ponies, agreed.
"It took a lot of trouble to get that thing here!"
"WAIT! YOU brought this here!? Are you out of your little pony minds!?" Trixie yelled at the two other unicorns, reprimanding them.
"But you're the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Snips responded quickly.
"Yeah, remember? You defeated an Ursa Major!" Snails continued as Trixie's eyes widen in fear and amazement at their stupidity.
The constellation beast, Ursa 'Major', roared at them as Trixie attempted to face it head-on with obvious fear and doubt in her mind.
"Ah, okay... Stand back...” Trixie responded quietly and calmly as she could, her horn glowing with magic as she summoned a rope from a vase not too far away to 'wrap-up' the Ursa 'Major'. However, the rope appeared to have only been long enough as to wrap itself around the Ursa's two forefingers, letting it easily break the rope 'confinements'.
"Aww... Come on Trixie!" Snips called out.
"Stop goofin' around and vanquish it, eh?" Snails continued as his eyes derped out.
Trixie, still being nerve-wracked from fear, concentrated as she summoned a thundercloud to strike the beast. However, the beast only responded with an unpleased roar which proceeded to wake up everypony in Ponyville as it was struck by the tiny bolt of electricity.
A few moments later Twilight, who was being rode on by Spike, showed up as everypony except Snips, Snails, and Trixie, fled the scene.
"What's going on here?!" Twilight rang out before stopping.
"We brought an Ursa to town!" Snips replied proudly.
"You WHAT?!" Twilight yelled at them as the three looked over to the Ursa and Trixie.
"Don't worry, the Great and Powerful Trixie'll vanquish it!" Snails said in a cheerful voice.
Trixie put her head down in shame as a frown made its way onto her face.
"I can't..." she finally said, leaving the two other Unicorns, Snips and Snails, flabberghasted.
"I can't. I don't know how... No one can vanquish an Ursa Major. I just made the whole story up to make me look better...” she continued to admit.
"MADE UP?!" Snips and Snails called out in unison.
Just then, the Ursa popped up from behind a house, roaring at the ponies in a loud, menacing tone. Spike nudged and hinted to Twilight that she needed to do something. Nervously, Twilight steeled her nerves as she began to use her magic. Just then a semi-strong wind blew, breaking some 'cat-tail' plants by a nearby pond, causing some wind vibrations, making music sound from them.
As the music made its way through the Ursa's ears, the great bear began to feel very fatigued as it swayed back and forth. A bit farther away, Twilight's magic uprooted a container for a water tower and proceeded to empty its contents before causing it to make its way through the cows' barn, filling the canister with milk. Afterwards, the canister was made into a bottle for the Ursa as it fell asleep, the bottle in its mouth before Twilight sent the Ursa back into it cave to rest once more.
As Twilight finished casting her magic, the unicorn breathed heavily before looking back at the crowd of ponies cheering for her success. Twilight apologized to her friends for having to show off such powerful magic, thinking that they'd hate her, but her friends quickly assured her that it wasn't the magic that they hated; it was the fact that Trixie was a loud mouth about it. After a little explanation, Twilight revealed that the Ursa wasn't an Ursa Major; it was just an Ursa Minor.
"That was just a BABY!?" Trixie called out in surprise from crowd upon hearing this.
"Yes, and it wasn't rampaging, it was just cranky that SOMEONE woke it up." Twilight continued as she, and a bunch of other ponies glared at Snips and Snails.
"Hah! You may have stopped an Ursa Minor, but you'll never have the great show-stopping power of the Great and Powerful Trixie!" the azure unicorn boasted once more as she stomped her hooves down, creating a cloud of black smoke before dashing off into the distance, feeling humiliated.
It had been quite some time after that incident, but some ponies still remembered what had happened that one fateful night, especially one mare. This wasn't your typical run-of-the-mill pony, she was a real hard worker, and her name was Sprite.
Sprite is an Alicorn who didn't like to use her magic or her wings. In fact, she was rather offset about using them; she wanted to be like a normal pony living in Ponyville. She had an Ice Blue mane and tail, as well as a grey-toned coat and goldish-amber eyes to boot. Her normal attire was her purple-pink hoofbands on her front two hooves, cowgirl boots on her back hooves, her pale brown cowboy hat, and the little red band she wore near the end of her tail. Sprite was a real hard working farm girl, and a few years back her family gave her the choice of either living in Canterlot to be among royalty for her life, or live with one of her relatives among the "commoners". However, she didn't hate or disobey the royalties or the Princesses, but she just couldn't stand being all dressed up fancy and being restrained by such non-sense rules she would've had to live by if she stayed there. It didn't take her long to decide, and after a bit of moving, (she didn't really like to take the unnecessary things from her old home in Canterlot, only just the essentials), she was finally able to move in with her cousin Applejack's family on Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville. She didn't work for profits or anything; she worked because she liked to work. She wanted to help around and earn her living around the farm in any way she could. She specialized in Applebucking with Applejack and Big Macintosh, but if asked to do something, she never thought twice about it and agreed to give a helping hoof.
Sprite had been one of many ponies to watch Trixie's performances as she took on, and out-staged, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and all of her friends. She didn't really care for the boasting, or the tricks. Well, the latter she DID kind of like, but she was more mesmerized by the mare that stood on the stage before her, with her azure coat, the silvery toned mane, and the magenta eyes that complimented her entire being. Sprite never felt that way about anypony before, and decided to question Applejack about it while they were out Applebucking. The reason she picked that one day was because she had kept track of Trixie's movement, and she knew that Trixie was on her way to Ponyville, and during a big event no less.
Sprite trotted alongside Applejack in the warm sun of the fine, cloudless summer day in the apple tree meadow. Both Applejack and Sprite had been working their flanks off that day and were carrying their final load of apples back for the day when Sprite spoke up.
"Uh, Applejack? Can I talk to you for a second?" Sprite asked as she watched Applejack unload her baskets of apples into the container before unloading her own.
"Sure as hay, Sugarcube. What's up?" Applejack asked in return, wiping the sweat from her forehead as she breathed a sigh of relief to finally be done for the day.
Sprite began to unload her baskets of apples too after Applejack moved from her spot.
"Well, I was wondering about something..." she began, dumping her apples gently into the barrel. "Ah've been having this mighty odd feeling--not a bad one, sort of like a happy, tingly one, as well as not being able to get my mind off of somepony...” she soldered on.
Applejack, who was previously concerned for her distant cousin because of her unusual behaviours lately of being absent-minded, distracted, and less proactive than normal, started to chuckle a bit, which caused the grey pony to blush a little.
"Oh, is that all sugar?" she asked between a chuckle. "Sounds like the fancy girl has a crush on somepony!" Applejack said out loud with a smile on her face. "Whoo, you had me worried there pumpkin."
"H-hey! Not so loud..!" Sprite responded in a quiet tone, obviously embarrassed about the situation, not wanting anypony else to find out.
Just then Big Mac trotted out of the barn in his usual proud strut with a slight smile on his face.
"Did ah jus' hear that somepony on the farm is interested in another pony?" Big Macintosh asked in his heavy Texan accent.
"Yer darn tootin' she is. The filly here ain't even got a cutie mark, yet she's already going after some colt!" Applejack responded, making Sprite's cheeks flush more.
"W-well, it ain't exactly... A colt y'see...” she started before Big Mac jumped in.
"Yer saying that you're interested in a mare?!" He asked in surprise as his eyes widened. "Why, in all mah years of living, ah've never heard or seen of any mares in our family being into other mares." he finished.
"W-well I... um...” the grey alicorn started.
"Oh Big Mac, leave the poor girl alone! If she's into mares then so be it! That'd be like me going up to you and pokin' fun because you's inta colts!" Applejack replied to Big Mac, defending the now flustered Sprite. At this remark, Big Mac blushed a bit himself just thinking about it as he chuckled.
"Well, ah mighty didn't mean anythin' by it girls, ah was just sayin' that ah've never heard of anypony in our family being into mares. There's nothing wrong with it, we just don't see it often around these parts." the red stallion corrected himself.
Sprite, who was extremely flustered and embarrassed, started backing away slowly toward the house before Applejack caught note of her.
"What's wrong Sugarcube? Y'seem pretty nervous." Applejack stated with mild confusion.
"It's uh... nothing... I, just... gotta go!" Sprite quickly responded before darting off back into the house, and straight up into her room.
"Hmm, never seen her do that before..." Big Mac said in a confused tone himself. "Was it something ah said?" he asked before Applejack gave him a 'you're going to be in for it if you don't be quiet' stare which caused him to give her an innocent smile.
Back up in Sprite's room, the mare laid on her bed, which was a Queen sized bed with white covers on it, and a red blanket that had a big golden star on the middle of it from her old home in Canterlot. She sighed as she looked around her room, it was mostly barren except for a few boxes of her own belongings here and there that never got unpacked, and a night table that sat next to her with a picture of a pony that had an Azure colored coat, silvery mane and tail, and magenta eyes. The pony was wearing a stereotypical magician's hat that came to a point at the end with lots of blue and yellow stars dotted all around it, and a purple cape that was also dotted on the outside with stars, and held onto her body by a hexagonal-formed diamond. The pony stood on a stage, smiling as if enjoying themself as some small fireworks and other assorted flashy effects bursted around them.
Knowing that it would never actually happen, Sprite sighed once more, giving a short whimper as tears welled up in her eyes before she decided to lay down on her back to stare at the blank ceiling while she mentally fought with herself.
Now why did you have to go and fall for HER?! You know that she won't accept you... You're just a... Just a... the grey mare reprimanded herself as she beat her own face with one of her ultra-soft pillows that too came from her old home.
"Now why are ya beatin' yourself up like that Sugar? Yer only going to succeed in makin' that there pillow feel like it's gone and done something wrong," came the familiar voice of Applejack from Sprite's doorway. Applejack trotted quietly into Sprite's small room, chuckling to herself as she made note of the bareness, in which she was half expecting a bunch of frilly fru-fru princessy things.
Sprite was surprised to see Applejack standing in the doorway of her room since she didn't want anypony in her room due to it was so barren except for the bed, table, and picture.
"A-Applejack I..." she started, but Applejack shook her head and smiled gently as she trotted over to the distressed alicorn.
"Don't worry hun, and don't take what Big Mac said seriously. Sure there haven't been any mares in our family that we know of, or heard of, that was into mares, but we still love y'all and will never treat ya any differently whether you like mares or colts." Applejack reassured her as she sat next to Sprite's bed, holding one of her hooves.
As Applejack looked around the room, she spotted the picture of the pony sitting on the table and looked at it.
"This is the pony you're making such a fuss over?! Why she's--" Applejack stopped talking and 'swallowed her tongue' just as she knew what she would've done if she kept on saying what she was saying. Sprite sat there, now in an up-right position, looking down at the floor in silence and embarrassment.
Sighing, Applejack continued. "Ah'm sorry, ah kinda just had a bad moment there Sprite. Ah can see you must be a big fan of Trixie." Quietly she set down the picture back to its original position and turned to Sprite, looking her straight in the eyes. "If you're that interested in Trixie then you have a good shot at getting her at the Ponyville Couple's Night that will be happening in a few days. Ah'm sure she'll be there on her lonesome after what happened here last time she was around."
Sprite nodded to Applejack in recognition that she knew of when Trixie would be in town.
"Just know, Sugarcube, that ah'll always be here for you, no matter what happens. Yer one of the Apple family and gosh darn it, we'll stand by y'all 'til the bitter end!" Applejack concluded as they both smiled.
Being so late, Applejack patted Sprite's stomach as she got up. "You should rest now, it's been a long day for us both, and if yer gonna keep yer head on right when going to meet that mare of yours, you'll be needing yer sleep." she said as she left the room, closing the door behind her, leaving Sprite in her room feeling better about herself knowing that she could trust Applejack and that AJ would have her back no matter what.
"That girl ain't got her head on right.." Applejack whispered to herself as she trotted into her own room, deep in thought. "However, a promise is a promise.." she concluded, climbing into her own bed to rest.
Back over in Sprite's room, the mare had laid down and rolled over to look at the picture of Trixie she had sitting next to her bed. Sighing a bit contently, she thought back to when she had first met Trixie before falling into the coma she called "sleep".
It was that very afternoon that Trixie first came into town. The sun was high, it was a cloudless day and everypony was out and about chit-chatting and managing stores. However, there was some sort of event going on that made everypony curious as to what it was.
"Hear ye, ponies of Ponyville! Gather around to watch the amazing magic tricks of the Great and Powerful Trixie!" a voice called out as a crowd formed around the stage that was set in the middle of town.
An azure coated mare with magenta eyes and silvery mane popped onto the stage in a burst of blue smoke, as if out of nowhere. There, she stood triumphantly as the ponies around clapped and cheered. Sprite however, sort of stood off in the background not to just enjoy the magic tricks and miniature 'pranks' she was pulling on the mane six, but to also embellish in the awe of the beauty that was this magical mare on the stage in front of her. Sprite had never felt this way before; her heart raced as if she had just ran the annual Pony Marathon three times at full speed. Her legs felt weak, as if like jelly, and she had the 'butterflies' in her stomach. No doubt, she was really into this pony, but she didn't quite know what it was. A slight blush came to her face as Trixie threw a masterfully summoned bouquet and as if fate, Sprite was the only pony to catch it. Trying to hide from the embarrassment, she ran off into hiding until the show was over.
A bit later, Sprite had finally summoned up the courage to go and confront Trixie after waiting for Snips and Snails to leave her. Quietly and shyly, the grey mare trotted up to the door and knocked on it. A seemingly agitated magician pony walked back to the door and looked at her.
"What is it now? Can't you see the Great and Powerful Trixie is trying to rest?!" she asked angrily with her usual boastful attitude.
"Oh um.. Sorry to disturb ya, oh Great and Powerful Trixie but I.. um.. well.." she stuttered, fumbling with her thoughts.
"Yes, what is it?" Trixie responded coldly.
"Well, I was, err, am a really big fan of yours.. and well.. I was wondering if I could um.. Maybe have a photograph of you..?" she asked meekly, fearing her to snap again.
"Oh, if that's all, then here you go." she said, her eyes squinting a tiny bit as she brought out a photo of herself on-stage and signed the back of said photograph with her signature, Trixie, written out in cursive, her I's dotted by stars.
"Oh mah stars, thank you! Ah love it, and ah promise ah'll keep it safe forever!" Sprite thanked Trixie quickly, before realizing what she just said.
"Yeah, yeah, just don--" Trixie was cut off by Sprite running off in embarrassment. Trixie just shrugged and went back into her trailer once more to rest.
The next morning Sprite woke up to a letter on her forehead. She HATED when Applejack did that, and Applejack got a kick out of listening to her ramble on and complain on how hard it was to get it unstuck from her forehead using only her hooves.
Finally after about 15 minutes of fiddling with the piece of paper, she got it unstuck from her head and looked it over.
Sprite, Granny Smith went with Applebloom to visit some family in Manehatten, while Big Mac and I are delivering a fresh supply of apples to some ponies in Canterlot. We're sorry for leaving on such a short notice, but with you being in that coma every night, it becomes impossible to wake you up. Applebucking won't be necessary until we get back, and the farmyard is all yours, just don't do anything stupid, Sugarcube.
-Applejack
Thinking for a moment, the grey coated mare put a smile on her face as a great realization came along into her mind. No family means no Applebucking. No Applebucking means no work. And no work means free day! Excited, and full of enthusiasm, she raced over to her calendar in her 'educational' box, and checked the day. Surely enough, when she read what day it was, she squealed--which she has never squealed before in her entire life--and twirled around happily after seeing that not only did she have a free day to herself, but it was also the day that Trixie was due to come to Ponyville. Smiling widely, the alicorn threw her hat onto her head after brushing her mane back into the usual style it was in, and prepared for the day.
A bit later, Sprite trotted through town, looking for any sign of Trixie. The mare carried on her back her saddle that contained the photo she had from that one day so long ago that she promised Trixie she would protect and hold so dearly. With the constant reminder of how much she's changed from that day, and courage in her heart, she continued on.
As she looked around, she was expecting a big flashy stage somewhere in Ponyville, but nopony seemed to have seen it. She hoped that the plans didn't get changed or anything, since she had always been tracking Trixie's movements with a Tour guide she had gotten from a pony who used to be into her magic tricks until she was upstaged. It said that she was going to be in Ponyville for another show, and she thought long and hard about why she couldn't find her. She thought and thought and thought, sitting like 'The Thinker' until it hit her harder than Rainbow Dash hit Twilight's railing after being flung off a home-made catapult by Applejack. The reason why she couldn't find the stage if because she was looking for her the wrong way. She remembered how badly she was humiliated and thought once more on where she might be able to find the azure colored pony.
The alicorn looked everywhere in Ponyville, but couldn't find her. She wasn't in Sugarcube Corner, wasn't in Twilight's Library, wasn't at the town hall, she was nowhere. On the verge of giving in and calling it quits, an idea had hit her.
"Wait, what if she was at the pond?!" Sprite asked herself as a grin crept onto her face from the sheer geniousness of her idea.
She dashed off at full gallop toward the pond where all the reeds had built up by the water tower, and as sure as daylight, there was Trixie in her outfit, gazing into the water in pity of herself.
"Look at you.. You're a washed up hasbeen who was out staged by that.. That inferior pony!" she reprimanded herself as Sprite trotted up.
In as calm of a voice as she could, Sprite spoke up. "Hello, um, Trixie?" she called out to the woeful unicorn before Trixie turned around slowly, snapping at her.
"That's the Great and Powerful Trixie, to you!"
"Yes, um, Great and Powerful Trixie, do you um.. remember me from your first time in Ponyville?" she asked, trotting up alongside of her crush.
"Pssh, oh please. As if I'd want to remember anypony from anywhere. I AM the Great and Powerful Trixie you know." Trixie continued to boast, in an attempt to hide her sadness.
It was then that Sprite smiled a bit and took out the photo and put it down in front of Trixie on the grass.
"Ah'm the pony you gave this to, remember?" Sprite asked as she flipped it over, showing Trixie's signature on the back.
Trixie was taken back by how well conditioned the photo was, as if it was made only yesterday, and by how long it had been since she felt touched that her fans adored her enough to keep such a.. thing in such good condition for so long.
"Ah yes.. It's coming back to me now... How well this photo's condition is, is just truly amazing.. Sprite, was it?" she responded, looking back at the pony.
The grey mare had ended up blushing again, which made Trixie smile a bit at the memory. "Y-yes, that's me.. Great and Powerful Trixie." Sprite responded in a some-what quiet, but also confident tone.
Jokingly, Trixie turned around and looked at her. With her typical smirk, she asked, "Not going to run away again, are we?"
Sprite shook her head. "No, Ah don't normally run away anymore. And well, um, I've been keeping track of your tours and shows, and I um, wanted to sort of say that I've always been a big fan of you--err I mean uh your magic!" she corrected herself before making an embarrassing statement like that.
Trixie giggled at Sprite. It wasn't a bad one, but she had never really truly giggled in a good way before. "Well, I must say my ENTHUSIASTIC little admirer, that I, Trixie, am most certainly impressed that you kept such an old photo in such good shape for so long."
Feeling honoured and a bit timid again, Sprite nodded. "Yeah, I never let anypony see it, breath on it, or touch it, except for myself. Ah just couldn't take the risk.." she explained, looking at azure mare with adoration in her eyes.
"Well, with all the travelling that the Great and Powerful Trixie has done, I think that a certain admirer might get a chance to be friends with the Great and Powerful Trixie while she's in town." Trixie chimed as she got up with the photo and started trotting away.
Not sure on what to do, Sprite decided to go on her own way and thought long and hard on what she had just done, and what she could do for it.
Trixie, whom had just separated from the other mare, trotted down the streets of Ponyville until she came to town hall where the Ponyville Couple's Night was going to be held. She looked up at the large banner that hung over the doorway leading inside. The banner was written on in blue paint reading 'Happy Ponyville Couple's Night!'. Trixie sighed lightly as she trotted in on the pegasi ponies that were flying around using team work to get the decorations done, as well as the earth ponies and unicorns that were helping to prepare the floor for the night. The azure mare sat in a chair close to the window as she observed the ponies moving about, thinking to herself.
Well, I really don't know what to think of this... Trixie thought to herself, mulling over how long the photo was kept, and how it was kept in such a pristine condition. That mare must have a reason for keeping such an old photo for so long... I mean, come on, who would be stupid enough to want to continue being a fan of the Great and Powerful Trixie after what happened here all that time ago?
It was then that Trixie let out a barely audible sigh as she remembered the events of her untimely demise as being the best magical pony in all of Equestria, and her fall from stardom. Still mulling over it, she looked at the photo and toyed with it a bit using her left hoof as her head rested on the right hoof.
Well, hmm.. Maybe there's that.. no.. the unicorn kept debating with herself over the reasons as to why Sprite had been so... respectful of her.
After mulling over this for quite some time, Trixie started to get frustrated at the fact that she couldn’t figure out the reasoning as to why such events had been going on. Giving up, she shook her head and trotted out of the town hall with no real destination. She needed to walk around town for a bit to try to clear her head.
The mare ended up trotting out to the open fields by the outskirts of Ponyville, and with a heavy sigh she sat on her haunches, watching the reeds blow in the wind. The memory of the fateful night came rushing back to her as her frustrated scowl turned into a depressed frown.
"Who am I kidding? I'm no longer the Great and Powerful Trixie... I'm the Weak and Powerless Coward..." Trixie told herself, beating on herself for a long-time's gone event that had changed her life forever. "But maybe... No, they wouldn't help me start over..." she finished, throwing a stone into the water.
"Trixie, is that you?" came a soft voice from behind her.
A bit later, over near the edge of the Everfree Forest, in a wooden hut, two ponies sat by a table.
"Oh my, that sounds absolutely terrible..." the first mare said, a yellow pegasus with a pink-colored mane and tail with butterflies on her flank.
"It is terrible... I can't make up my mind on whether I should go or not..." the other mare replied, being, of course, Trixie. "I mean... I don't rightfully know the poor filly, but, she's been so... Kind."
"Well, I think you should give her a shot. I mean, well, if you want to... Of course.." the yellow pegasus replied, pouring a bit more tea for Trixie.
"Yeah.. it sounds about right... But, what if something goes wrong? What do I do then, Fluttershy?" She asked, obviously worried.
"Oh, come now..." she started with a giggle. "I'm sure nothing will go wrong.. Just go and be yourself, silly." Fluttershy finished, smiling warmly as Angel jumped on her shoulder, nibbling on a carrot. "I'm sure she'll love you being yourself."
Trixie nodded, taking another sip of tea. "I... I guess you're right but... I have this weird feeling in my gut... Like.. Oh, I can't describe it..."
"Sort of like... A fuzzy feeling? Makes you all tingly?" Fluttershy asked. Trixie nodded in response, looking down into her tea. "Oh well, I think I might know what it is." she began, looking at Angel as he started doing all of these crazy movements and motions, before Trixie cut in.
"What is it? Do you really know? Tell me!" she responded eagerly, as if desperate. By accident she spilled her tea on herself and moaned while facehoofing herself. "Oh, I'm so sorry..."
Fluttershy giggled and got a towel to mop it up. "Oh, it's okay, really. I mean, I understand that you're confused about this... And well, I think you like her." she continued. "Not just a normal like, a like-like, like.. more than friend, I mean..." she finished, looking up at the now shocked, azure colored mare.
"That.. I.. It never even crossed my mind!" the panicking pony added. "There is NO way that I could ever like another pony like her..! Not that she's bad or anything... but... Oh, you know what I mean!" she rambled on furiously. This only made Fluttershy giggle.
"Denial, just so cute," she replied, fluttering around to put the now damp towel away. "That's how everypony reacts until they see it." she commented.
"I... Oh.. I guess it could be true..." Trixie admitted, sighing a bit, with a slight blush forming on her cheeks. "I guess that... I could try going tonight.. But how do I know she won't stand me up like the rest?" she questioned.
"That's the hard part, you never know when somepony will stand you up. But I know Sprite pretty well, and she won't do that to anypony." Fluttershy stated, trying to comfort the flustered pony.
Trixie nodded and took another sip of what was left of her tea. "Yeah... I guess you're right..." she responded with another heavy sigh. "Thanks, Fluttershy."
Sprite had taken the next few hours to prepare herself for the night's events. She had eagerly dashed around town, seeking professional opinions on how she should go to the "Ponyville Couple's Night," but all said the same thing. She didn't need anything fancy, or special. She just needed to go as herself.
"Oh... I don't know what I want to do!" she told herself, continuously looking through her stuff. "I'm just so excited that I can't decide!"
Sprite stopped for a moment to look into the mirror, trying out various outfits.
"Nope," she said to the nurse outfit.
"Definitely not," she once again said to the witch outfit.
"Gah!" she screamed as she hid behind her box, her outfit being a giant stone golem.
"Hmm... Plain, simple, I like it!" she finally said, smiling to herself, tilting her hat forward. She spun around to examine herself. "Ehh, I guess everypony was right. Ah only need to go as myself." Sprite admitted to herself, heaving a sigh. By the time she had chose this option, it had already became dark outside.
"Oh no! I'm going to be late!" she yelled before grabbing the bouquet of flowers that she bought earlier in town, and dashed out the door.
Upon coming out to the grand event that has been known as the "Ponyville Couple's Night" Sprite, even though she had nopony to officially be with, spotted that one mare she had her eye on since she first saw her. Over on the other side of the room there was the beautiful mare sitting in her chair as she idly watched over and envied the ponies dancing around her. Her silvery toned mane swaying as she looked around, her gentle azure coat just glistening in the light of the evening's moon as it shone upon her from the outside window where she sat, and her well-developed magenta eyes slowly moving from side to side taking in the sights, as if trying to tell something. Indeed, this was a true sight to be held by Sprite, getting to see her crush, the Great and Powerful Trixie, in such a beautiful way.
Summoning up all of her courage, Sprite trotted through the crowds of ponies over to where Trixie sat, off to the side by herself.
"H-hello there, Trixie.." she spoke up quietly as she stood a good few feet away from her, an obvious tone of nervousness in her voice.
"Sprite..? Is that.. Is that you?" Trixie responded sharply, looking up toward the grey mare. Her eyes sparkled a bit with the light of hope.
Now, although Sprite could feel that Trixie was still hurting from what happened not too long ago, where she was exposed as a fraud and being 'not so great-and-powerful' by Twilight, she continued on, hoping to try to get her attention.
"Trixie.. I, well.. Ah didn't come here to pester you about what happened that night... You see ah--" she managed to get out before Trixie butted in.
"What exactly do you want from me..?" she asked the mare standing before her, obviously not wanting to have to deal with more pain like she had felt after being humiliated in such a way. The azure coated mare looked away from Sprite, staring down at the floor with a flurry of furious emotions.
After Twilight had out-staged the unicorn by taming the Ursa Minor, Trixie had nothing left. She had lost her one true talent, she lost her job, she had no friends, she had nothing but herself. It wasn't surprising to Sprite how bad she seemed after those events.
"Trixie, ah can kinda see that you're busy and all but, it's just that.. Ah want to be your friend--Neigh, more than your friend." Sprite responded in a low, gentle tone as she quietly approached the now slightly sobbing, broken unicorn.
"What? You want to be my fff-" she was cut off by her sobbing. "My friend? But, I'm nothing but a fake!" the azure pony managed to get out before bursting into tears that even Sprite could feel the intensity of.
"Well, that's just it Trixie.. I think you're not a fake.. Ah um.. well.." she paused, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks as she smiled a bit, scratching her head. "..Hun ah'm not going to lie, so listen up when ah say this.. Ever since ah first laid my eyes on you on that stage, ah knew that you needed somepony to be your friend, and well, ah kind have fallen head-over-hooves for you.. and well.." she paused for a moment to think on what to say next.
All that Trixie responded with was her sobs lightening up a bit as she looked at the now blushing mare as she fumbled with her words. However, as they tried to talk to one another, a gentle, but mood-settling waltz medley started playing as if fate for the two mares to end up in what they thought was an awkward situation.
Well, ah guess now is as good of a time as ever to ask... Sprite thought in her own mind, sighing loudly as she forced up the courage from deep within her pony body, taking in a deep breath to steel her nerves, her chest protruding a bit.
"Trixie..." she began as the grey mare held out her right hoof. "..Shall ah have this dance?" Sprite finished, smiling a bit, hoping that Trixie would accept.
Trixie thought for a very split second. The expression on her face went from sadness to uncertainty. However, it did not take long for her to accept the invite. She knew it was one of those 'now-or-never' moments, and she really didn't want to miss this one.
As she nodded to Sprite, giving the pony her left hoof to help her up, she mentally reprimanded herself for being so foolish as to accepting the dance.
What are you doing you foal!? She's is a MARE! And a low-class mare at that! Trixie continued to fight with herself mentally until the two ponies made their way to the centre of the room.
The sweet smell of violets, roses, and other secluded arrangements of bouquets and pickings wafted around the room, as well as the gentle, caressing feeling the event gave off mixed in with the waltz medley really set the tone for the two mares. They danced in the centre of the room like two graceful goddesses, having just being focused on another as they danced the music away. In the very moment in time, nothing else mattered to them. All worries melted into nothingness, any embarrassment was flown away into never-never land, it felt like it was just the two of them, there in the centre of the room waltzing alone. Finally, it was Sprite who broke the silence between the two as they waltzed.
"Y'know Sugarcube..." she started as she stared gently into Trixie's magenta eyes, admiring how her silver-toned light blue mane swayed over her eyes as they danced. "Ah never noticed how beautiful your great, sparkly magenta eyes were. They really suit you well. And yer coat is so nice and soft. And don't get me started with the way yer mane gently sways.." She continued.
This made Trixie blush herself, smiling and giggling a little bit at the compliments.
"Well, I myself haven't exactly had a thing for anyone until tonight... You see.. After you visited me today, I was so confused as to why you had kept that picture.. I knew that nopony would ever want me after what I did, but now... I..." Trixie started as the two slipped into each other's eyes, now only locked onto one another as they continued to waltz.
"I feel as though you... You are the one who'll help me..." Trixie was cut off by Sprite putting a hoof up to her mouth.
"Shh, now Sugarcube.. Let's just enjoy this while we can, shall we?" she responded as the two mares embraced another, finishing the waltz.
Both Trixie and Sprite felt they had a wonderful time, the two stood in the middle of the room, continuing their embrace for another moment.
"You know, I never thought that this could be so.. amazing...” Trixie replied, breaking the silence, resting her head on Sprite's shoulder with a relaxed, happy sigh.
"You'll never know until you try..." the grey mare replied, smiling warmly as she held the azure mare in a warm embrace.
"Thank you... Sprite. You really came through for me. I... I never thought I'd ever have a friend after what happened and I.. Well, just thank you. I've had a wonderful time." Trixie responded back as tears welled up in her eyes from feeling so emotional. Trixie started whimpering, as if almost ready to cry again before Sprite put her hoof up to her quivering lips again.
"Oh hush now, Sugarcube... No need to cry now... Why don't we just finish the night with another dance?" she asked.
Trixie nodded in agreement as her smile widened as having to have made a new friend. A new Marefriend. A friend she could keep forever. Outside, Fluttershy had been watching through the window with Angel on her shoulder. She smiled at how the night had turned out and started to tear up a bit from the happiness.
"We did it again, Angel," she said softly, looking at her bunny companion as the rabbit nodded his head and began to nibble on his carrot.
--End
(This story is still missing a lot of plot points, and passage insertion from Magic Duel.)
Sprite woke up early that morning. Silently, she sat up as the streams of light came through her window and splashed onto her fuzzy red blanket with a golden star in the middle. Turning toward the window, she heaved a heavy sigh before yawning.
"Another day, another job ta be done." She said to herself before stretching.
She hopped out of bed and went about her usual morning activities; eating, cleanign herself up and preparing to work out in the orchards. It had been several months since she and Trixie had their dance during Ponyville's Couple's Night, and things were going smooth between them. A few weeks ago, Trixie told Sprite that she was going around Equestria again to do more shows. Sprite had been suspicious of Trixie's intentions a few days after she left, but she merely tried to shrug them off.
Standing in the mirror, she brushed her mane. "She wouldn't do anything bad.. Would she? Ah mean she's got a good heart and all..." She said to herself.
Just then, Applejack silently walked up behind her. "Ah dunno, sumthin' ain't right about that mare." She stated calmly.
Sprite had jumped a bit in surprise of Applejack sneaking up on her. She dropped her brush and grumbled a bit as Applejack chuckled at the reaction she got.
"Ya KNOW ah don't like ya doing that cuz'... It ain't funny." Sprite responded sourly as she picked up the brush once more.
Applejack chuckled a bit more. "Well ah heard y'all talkin' ta yerself, and couldn't help but do it."
The grey mare simply sighed as she continued to style her mane. "Well, ah have the utmost respect for her." Sprite replied, sticking her tongue out at Applejack using the mirror to reflect the image. Applejack merely chuckled at the gesture.
"Well, she seemed rather... Spiteful the last time she was here, what makes ya think that she has changed at all?"
Sprite turned toward Applejack. "AJ, ah KNOW her... Ah know what she is truly like. She isn't some power-crazed pony like that there Queen Chrysalis, or Discord, or even NIghtmare Moon!" Sprite looked into Applejack's eyes with a great level of seriousness. Applejack, however, did not budge.
"Now Sugarcube, ya danced with her ONCE. That dun mean anythin' at all--" Applejack began to dispute before Sprite cut her off.
"Applejack, ah told ya, do NOT underestimate the ability that ah have of draggin' ponies' true selves out." Sprite glared at her, a bit spitefully. Applejack merely shook her head and walked off.
Sprite sighed deeply and returned to fixing her tail. "Ah know she wouldn't do anything bad... Right?"
Sprite, having seen the entire magic duel for her own eyes, stood there in shock as she watched Trixie banish Twilight from Ponyville. How could she do such an advanced spell? She NEEDED to know.
After the other ponies had left Trixie, Sprite walked up to the mare with a bit of pride in her to cover her lack-lustre courage she contained within herself, the fear being caused by the powers Trixie possessed.
"Excuse me, um... Trixie?" She called out from behind the mare's carriage.
"Travel ponies, halt!" She commanded with a crack of her whip. The azure mare turned her head toward Sprite with a scowl on it, as if not recognizing her at all. "What do YOU want, you petty little pony?"
Sprite flinched at the insult. "Oh, Trixie... What has happened to you? Do you not remember me?" She asked, pulling out her photo of Trixie, the mare's signature on the back, the i's dotted by two stars. "Do you not remember our special night?"
Snips and Snails looked back at Sprite and both gave an obnoxiously loud gasp. "SPECIAL NIGHT!?" they shouted in unison.
Trixie merely turned her nose up at Sprite. "That's the Great and Powerful Trixie to you, and I haven't the slightest clue as to who you are! Now, BEGONE with you, knave!" the magician mare snapped.
Sprite stood her ground, puffing out her chest. "Trixie, you aren't yourself! I DEMAND that you come off of that rickety rust bucket you call a chariot and set these ponies free!" She commanded with a powerful surge of courage. Trixie merely glared down at her as her eyes glowed red, along with the amulet. In a single second, Sprite was shot by a powerful blast of red-colored magic, sending her flying back with burn marks on her body. Weakly, she struggled to her feet to confront Trixie again.
The corrupted magician merely raised an eyebrow. "Back for more? So be it." With another quick charge, Trixie shot a second blast as Sprite, knocking her down for good. "Hmph, serves you right. Now, TRAVEL PONIES! Get moving!" She demanded once again, cracking her whip as Snips and Snails returned to pulling the wheel-less wagon.
Sprite, having been knocked out cold by Trixie was eventually found by Big Mac not too long later and was brought home. The Apple family had her body soaking in a cold tub to help the poor girl's body to recover from the magic burns that it had suffered.
Applejack kicked the floor in anger. "Ah KNEW nothin' good would come from that Magician mare and her fancy tricks! Jus' look at what she's done to poor Sprite!" She yelled. Big Mac merely trotted over and held the Orange farm pony in a warm hug as she began to sob. Applebloom carried an expression of extreme hate which welled up from her pain of watching her own cousin being in such pain. Granny Smith was sleeping in her rocking chair peacefully.
"Ah know, but there's nothing we can do but tend ta her wounds." Big Mac responded almost emotionlessly. "If we don't, she might not recover on her own. The heartbreak she must feel right now may or may not heal over..." He finished, looking over at the grey mare who stirred in her sleep.
Everyone watched her in suspense. Within a moment, Sprite slowly began to wake up.
"Ugh, sheesh, what happened? Where am ah?" She asked before yelping from the coldness of the water. "GACK! Are y'all tryin' ta give me hypathermia!?"
Applebloom ran over and hung her hooves around Sprite's neck to hug her before splashing into the tub. "Yer awake Cuz'! Oh, we was worryin' that ya might not wake up!" the little filly sobbed.
Sprite merely blinked before turning to Applejack and Big Macintosh. Applejack lowered her gaze to the floor and took off her hat. "Trixie blasted you with magic, and Big Mac found you lying on the ground with magic burn marks," the orange mare started to explain. "Be careful when ya move, it'll most likely hurt a lot."
Sprite tried to move, but sank back into the water when her body collapsed. She heaved a great sigh of pain. "Ah gotta find Trixie..." she started. "Gotta know what happened ta her..."
Applejack looked at the poor girl struggling to fight against her own body. "We already know." Sprite looked at Applejack with an expression just begging for the answers she seeked.
"There's this amulet thingy she has now called the Alicorn Amulet. Says in one of Twi's books that the wearer gets unimaginable powers, but they cannot control themselves."
Sprite grabbed Applejack. "There MUST be a way fer us ta take it off of her! Maybe steal it if we have to!"
Applejack merely shook her head. "Not that simple, sugarcube. Y'see, only the wearer can take it off. It has a magic lock on it that only Trixie can remove, since she's the wearer. Anypony else can try, but they won't be able to make it budge."
Sprite's eyes welled up in tears. Letting go of the orange mare, Applejack merely stood back in defeat. "Our only hope is if Twilight and Zecora can find a way ta beat Trixie, or trick her."
The grey mare began to sob uncontrollably. "Ah can't believe ah lost mah mare... Ta some piece of jewlery, no less!" She began to mentally beat on herself as Applebloom got out of the tub, drying herself off.
"Well, ya still got us Cuz'..." the small girl said, giving Sprite a pouty face. Applejack dragged her back
"Come on y'all, we should leave the girl ta sort herself out..." Applejack stated, trotting out with the two others, leaving the sleeping elder and the injured pony in the room alone.
A bit after leaving, Granny Smith woke up. "Ah whuzzat?" She jumped to attention. "Oh, Sprite, you're awake..." The old pony hopped out of her chair and slowly walked to the tub with her squeaky limbs. "How do you feel dear?" She asked with a warm smile.
Sprite merely sank further into the tub. "Ah feel like a giant brick jus' landed on me and ah can't do nothin' about it..." She stated, causing Granny Smith to chuckle.
"Well, I heard everythin' y'all was talkin' about. Don't let some piece of junk Jewlery get ya down. Believe in your friends' abilities, and they'll overcome that no-good Trixie mare." She spat out sourly, shaking her right hoof like an angry elder would.
