Lake of Reflection

by Richer19

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Princess Luna, Trixie, Adventure, Twilight Sparkle
Length: 69336

My first shipping story. Rated T for Twixie with some mentor Luna.

Legend tells of a lake that has the ability to show a pony deepest desires. However, as with most legends, it has been lost in the flow of time until a blue unicorn stumbles upon it again. What will Trixie deepest desires be and will she be able to find a new purpose in life. Meanwhile, Twilight struggles with a new and strange feeling for a pony she believes hates her.

My second story but my first story involving a shipping. Rated T because I have no skills with the more mature style.

I would like to thank Dekomaru for allowing me to use the cover art. His Deviantart account is http://dekomaru.deviantart.com/. You should check out his stuff if you are a fan of Twixie shipping.

Published 2012-07-01 14:04:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-09-04 03:24:00 UTC

Chapter 1: Secret Pickup

First of all, thank you all so much for the positive feedback. I really do appreciate it. I was a little surprise at the amount of people taking interest in this story already. Second, and this is very important message, as of this moment I am currently looking for someone to assist me as an editor. Basically I am looking for someone to make these chapters legible. If you are willing to assist me to make future chapters better, then send me a P.M. Other then that, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 1: Secret Pickup

Canterlot: A few months ago

Twilight was walking down the familiar streets of Canterlot. Her mind was focused on the business that she needed to complete before the day was over. To most of the ponies who were out and about at this time wouldn't have noticed anything strange about that. However, behind that look of focus work was a layer of confused emotions the likes of which Twilight had never experienced before. It was like she was taking the Entrance Exam but magnified to a point where it was starting to affect her other work. Even her friends seem to notice the rather odd behavior but when asked about it, Twilight merely replied that she was just dealing with some extra work from the Princess.

"It wasn't a total lie to her friends" Twilight reminded herself as she navigated the streets. She had been doing extra work in her library home but it wasn't for the Princess. Rather, she was trying to figure out the cause of these strange emotions that have been plaguing her mind. Twilight expected their to be a rather simple answer hidden within the vast collection of books that she had but all she was able to find out was that she was either going crazy or falling for somepony. Neither of which were comforting for the purple unicorn.

Then, if the strange emotions weren't bad enough, Twilight was also experiencing very odd dreams at night. They first started out as just flashes of images that would appear at random times on random days but then they started to get more and more detailed until she became lost in their nighttime spell. In these dreams, she would be standing around in someplace that was not her bed. It would either be a moonlit hill or a sunset beach or even back in her library's main floor. Before she could have a chance to process this new location, her body would turn on its own accord and her eyes would rest upon the same pony who always seems to haunt her dreams...Trixie.

She was without her cape and hat, but it only serve to give Twilight a sense that Trixie was naked. Her mane was usually flatten and wet which would cling onto her coat. Her eyes seem to become abysses to Twilight, loosing herself in their hypnotic gaze. Slowly, the showmare would approach the confused and nervous purple unicorn; her movements appearing to glide across the room. Twilight of course would be lost in the way her body was moving; how each of her curves were etched and defined as if chiseled by a master sculptor. She would notice how Trixie's fur was also wet, only furthering the purple unicorn attraction towards her blue counterpart. Before Twilight could form a sentence, Trixie was nearly muzzle to muzzle. The dream Trixie never touched the purple unicorn but Twilight was already imaging what it would feel like to have that warm, wet coat brushing up against her own. Trixie's scent was flowing into Twilight's nose; the addicting smell, though unknown to Twilight, was already clouding her mind and making her fall more and more into a love struck haze. It was then that Trixie would say in a voice that Twilight had never heard from her but didn't care at the time"Are you ready Twi?" The dream Trixie would always call her 'Twi' and Twilight didn't mind at all. She enjoyed that name and managed to break her clouded thoughts to replied in a drunken slur "Dazzle me Trix." That was the name Twilight gave to Trixie and she saw the small almost hidden smile from the blue unicorn which let her know that she enjoyed hearing Twilight say that name. Slowly, Trixie moved her muzzle towards Twilight, ready to take the first step.

But it never happen. The dream would be shatter by then, leaving a painting confused unicorn in her bed with sweat sticking to her fur and hopeless frustration. It eventually got to the point where she almost threw away the only mementos she had of the boastful unicorn. However, she would remind herself that she had sent those items to somepony that she trusted with them.

Now she was back in Canterlot. Her mission was to pick up those mementos from the pony that she knew would be able to handle them. In fact, she was so lost in thought with what had been going on these last few weeks that she failed to realized that she was already here. Her destination was a rather simple fashion shop that was run by a vary nice colt named Weaver. He wasn't the most successful or well-known fashion pony in Canterlot but he has earned a reputation for be fair minded, good with robes, and most importantly the value of customer privacy. His shop, compare to Rarity's and most of Canterlot, was bland and simple and would pass over the eyes of most of the higher noble ponies. Still, he managed to get enough business to make due and he was a pleasent colt.

Twilight opened the door to his shop, starting to feel a little guilty for lying to her friends and acting like it she was part of some kind of illegal sugar cube smuggling ring. She glaces around the store, taking notice of all the dresses and suits that were on display, though the largest were by far the hats and robes. It was then that a male voice said "Well if it isn't Twilight Sparkle. To what do I owe the pleasure."Twilight gave a small yelp of surprise as she found herself facing the store owner Weaver. Weaver was a unicorn pony who might have been considered attractive when he was younger but is now starting to show signs of age. Still, his blue eyes still sparked with kindness and energy and provided a wave of comfort to Twilight's confused heart. Weaver then said "Oh man, did I scare you Twilight?" Twilight replied "A little..." She regain control of her nerves and body and continued "I'm here to pick up my order. Your letter said it was ready."

Weaver gave a slight nod of his head and made his way to the back of his shop where he did his business transaction. He reached underneath the counter and pulled out a simple brown box tied with a red ribbon. He placed it on the counter and said "This was a rather...interesting cape and hat you brought to me Twilight."

Ever curious, Twilight asked "What do you mean? It looks like some of the capes you have on display here." However, Weaver shook his head in disagreement and replied "The stitching used on the main part of the cape was done in Canterlot silk with the stars made using a type of material you could only find in the Land of No Water. The hat was also done in the same way. I've done my best but there was only so much material I had in stock." His face got a little more serious and said "Whoever designed this cape and hat wanted whoever was wearing it to feel very special. You don't use Canterlot silk on anything except when making a dress for the Princess."

Twilight's eyes widen a bit as she stare at the box in front of her. Her brain was now imaging all sorts of scenarios of how Trixie would have acquired such a rare and valuable cape and hat. Most of them were bad. With those thoughts still in her head, she said nothing as she paid for the repair job and made her way out of the shop and back to Ponyville with Trixie's rare and expensive cape and hat tucked away in the box in her saddlebag.
As I stated before, I would really appreciate anyone who is willing to assist me as my editor. Let me know if your interested by P.M.

Chapter 2: Visions of the Heart

Alright then… here is chapter two for you all to enjoy. Two things I want to mention before getting started here: the first is that I will be returning back to my original method of typing up chapters which was using Microsoft Word and not directly on Fimfiction. The second is that this is the first chapter where I finally have an editor to assist me. I would like to thank DiscoGuy for helping me make these chapters a little more readable for you all. So… without further ado, I present chapter 2.

Chapter 2: Visions of the Heart

Moonglow Forest: Present Time
The voice was silent as Trixie continued to stare into the calming waters. Their blue waters mixed with a silver sheen coming from the moon appear to move and flow in the tide even though logic stated that there should have been no tide at all. Trixie was so lost in its eerie glow that she failed to sense a sudden flow of magic circling around the clearing.

As Trixie continued to stare into the lake, she started to see an image appear upon the surface of the lake. She let out a mild gasp of surprise, and part of her wanted to look away from the image but the lake had already assumed control over the unicorn’s mind and body, keeping the boastful unicorn in place as it shifted through her memories, thoughts, dreams, and most of all her desires. These desires are what fueled the lake’s power, and it was already beginning the first step.

As time slowly passed on, Trixie saw the image appear clearer and clearer until she was looking at a mirror image of herself. However, what she saw caused a gasp of wonder to escape her mouth. The vision Trixie was sitting in what appeared to be a dressing room. She was applying what appeared to be stage makeup with her magic. The real Trixie noticed that her cape and hat were located on a mannequin. She also noticed that they appeared freshly pressed and clean, and were adorned with various new gems that made the overall outfit shine and dazzle under the florescent light. It was then that a single knock sounded on the door, and a voice replied “Curtain in five Miss Trixie.”

The reflected Trixie didn’t respond except for a slight humph. She finished putting on the last of the stage make-up, and said to herself in the mirror, “Showtime Trixie.” The dream Trixie got off of the chair she was in and made her way to the door, putting on her cape and hat with no more than a flash of magic.

The vision became slightly foggy for a moment before clearing up to reveal the reflection Trixie was on a stage. However, the real Trixie was surprised to find that it was in fact the stage of the world famous Canterlot Theater. It was the stage where the best of the best of the best would have given their left front hoof to be able to perform. Yet, she saw herself on that stage, appealing to an audience equal to that of all of Canterlot. Even the two regal Princesses were attending, located in their private booths. The real Trixie watched in awe as her reflected counterpart was performing feat after feat that amazed both the vision crowd and herself. It was doing tricks she didn’t even know existed.

The real Trixie was oblivious to how long she was watching her own magical act as she was overcome with the cheering of the crowd and the joyful energy that she felt when performing. She no longer saw the reflected Trixie but, rather started to believe that she was there herself, performing these wonderful tricks in the most highly praised stage imaginable. She was the center of attention, the focus of everyponies’ attention. She was the star of the show.

And yet… there was something missing. Trixie was unsure as to where this strange sensation was coming from, but for some odd reason this dream of hers felt… incomplete. There was a sense of emptiness in her chest the likes of which she had never felt before, and she felt as if she needed to take a closer look at the crowd that was there watching, though she was unsure why. Still, she felt the need to humor herself a bit and started to scan the crowd. As her gaze swept across the crowd, basking in their cheering and the applauding, her eyes lingered on one seat that was occupied by the one pony she thought she would never see again.

It was the purple unicorn from Ponyville. She was the only pony out there who wasn’t cheering for Trixie but instead was merely sitting there with a small smile on her face and a rather blissful, or playful look in her eyes.

Before Trixie could form a reason as to why she was there, the entire crowd went silent and she watched as the crowd and the stage started to fracture and disappear. Trixie tried to remain on solid ground but she eventually felt the floor give way under her, and she started falling into an abyss. Trixie was unsure if she was screaming or not as there were no words coming out of her mouth. She closed her eyes, waiting for the sudden jolt that she feared was coming.

It never happened. Instead, she felt something wrapped around her body as well as hearing the quiet crackling of a well-maintain fireplace. Slowly, Trixie opened her eyes and saw the fireplace in front of her and the warm blanket wrapped around her body. She had no idea how she got here, but it didn’t matter to her now. She felt warm and safe for the moment and that was all that mattered to her at that moment. Trixie almost dozed off again before she heard the sound of a door opening and closing. Slowly, she turned her head, and her eyes widened in surprise.

It was that purple unicorn from the stage. However, she was now carrying two cups in her magical grip and her eyes had a motherly look to them that Trixie took comfort in. With care, the purple unicorn placed one of the cups in front of Trixie and she saw that the contents were in fact hot chocolate. It was then that the purple unicorn said, “I’m sorry Trixie but we seem to be out of mini marshmallows, and I know how much you like them with your coco.” Her eyes showed a hint of sadness that just seemed to melt Trixie’s heart. Trixie took a small sip of her hot chocolate, letting the warm liquid flow through her chest. Already, it was warming her up on the inside and she felt even more comfortable then she already was. She took another sip and replied “The coco is fine Twilight. Just being able to spend this night with you is enough for me.”

Trixie’s eyes widen when she realized what she had just said and the fact that she called the purple unicorn Twilight. Of course she knew that was the purple unicorn’s name, but she had insisted on calling her that in an effort to forget the events of the past. She looked back over at Twilight and saw that blasted, adorable smile on her face as she replied, “I’m glad to be able to spend the night with you too Trixie. You’ve been gone for so long that I was starting to get a little worried.”

Trixie felt her heart warm up from the fact that Twilight was worried, and wondered what she had done to make her worry, before realizing why she was even caring that Twilight was worried. Trixie’s mind and heart were a mess as her rational hatred for the purple unicorn was fighting against another emotion that wanted to be let know. Despite this internal conflict, she heard her voice say “You know Twilight. I’m starting to think that it might be time for me to settle down. Give up this traveling showpony business and stay here with you.”

That set off major red flags in Trixie’s mind. Why would she even say such a thing? Being a showmare was what made her…her. She lived for the stage, to hear the crowds cheering her on as she performed tricks of wonder. More importantly, why would she even consider living with Twilight in the first place? She hated that unicorn for ruining her reputation and for upstaging her. She hated that adorable smile she has, the stupid, beautiful way her mane had that pink strip and the blasted, unfair, awe-inspiring, magical power that she had.

Twilight gently placed one of her hooves on top of Trixie during her silent monologue. That simple touch seemed to freeze every thought in her mind and focus them all on the new sensation she was feeling. Her coat was so soft and smooth like silk, and Trixie was feeling a sudden desire to feel more of Twilight’s coat against her. She wanted this annoying, blasted, beautiful, amazing, mare to be as close to her as possible. Twilight must have been reading her thoughts because Trixie saw her muzzle move closer to her own, the space between them mere millimeters. Trixie saw Twilight’s eyes flutter a bit and her voice seem to drop an octave as she replied “You don’t know how happy I am to hear that, Trix.”

Trixie ears perked up at the sound of that nickname. She liked it when Twilight called her that. It made her heart flutter as well. She then felt the distance between their mouths becoming shorter and shorter. Trixie was unsure whether she should feel shock that Twilight was trying to kiss her, or eager to feel the purple unicorn’s sweet lips on her own.

However, like before, the dreamscape seemed to fracture upon itself and Trixie found herself back sitting on the shore of the lake. She was still starring at the water, but now she saw that there was a new glow to it. With great effort, she tore her vision from the lake and looked up at the sky to see that the moon was no longer there, but was now replaced by the golden rays of the sun. Trixie had no idea how long she had been looking at the lake or what had happened. She wanted to think on it further but a sudden growl of her stomach reminded her of other more important things she needed to take care of. Slowly, she got back up on her hooves and made her way into the forest to find something to eat. She never noticed the pair of cyan eyes watching her from across the lake.
I am really glad that you all are enjoying the story so far and I really hope that I managed to keep you all interested. Once again I would like to thank DiscoGuy for helping me with editing. I will see you all in the next chapter.

Chapter 3: A Hopeful Wish

I am really glad that you all are enjoying the story. I would have thought that the way I was doing these chapters, alternating them between Trixie and Twilight, would have been a bad idea, but I am glad for the positive feedback. With that, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 3: A Hopeful Wish

Two months ago: Twilight’s Library

“So…are you going to keep it as some kind of trophy?” Spike asked as he stared at the familiar cape and hat. He took a glance at Twilight who was also staring at the familiar get up, worn by what was considered the most boastful and teeth-gritting pony in Equestria. Yet, Spike could see the almost wishful look in her eyes. Due to the fact that he had spent most of his time in her company, Spike was aware of the various reactions her body would make when she was thinking, and could almost take a guess as to what her answer was going to be. However, it came as a mild surprise when Twilight responded in a rather hesitant tone “…I don’t know Spike.”

Such a sentence was almost nonexistent to Twilight. She was the pony that was able to know exactly what was going on. Yet, her books had failed her for the first time in her life; only giving her vague, yet extreme, results that both scared and frustrated her. Spike had a feeling what was going through Twilight’s mind at the time. He had always known her to be in control of everything in her life, and to now face a problem that she was unable to properly identify was causing her more grief then the time she almost missed a deadline for her friendship reports. It was at that moment that a soft fluttering of wings registered in Spike’s ears, followed by a tiny but firm pressure on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw that it was his pet phoenix Peewee who had just returned from his nightly flight. The phoenix was growing up at a healthy rate, according to both Celestia and Fluttershy, and had already gone through one of his cycles of death and rebirth.

Spike gave the young bird a pat on the head and asked Twilight, “Are you going to get rid of it?” Spike would never tell Twilight, but even after all these months, he still felt a mild anger towards the blue unicorn. This anger was born from her rather boastful nature and the way she treated Rarity’s mane as if it was some plaything. Though he didn’t like it, a part of him wouldn’t mind seeing the fabric in front of him burn in a green fire. However, Twilight once again responded, “…I don’t know Spike.”

Spike, who was officially out of ideas and was far too tired to come up with new ones, replied, “Well…let me know what you plan on doing with it in the morning. In the meantime” He gave a rather large yawn that shook Peewee off his perch on Spike’s shoulder and made his way to his own sleeping area to rest, “I’m going to be hitting the sack.” With that, Spike made his way to his sleeping basket and almost immediately the sound of light, draconic snoring filled the room.
Twilight gave a sympathetic smile to her faithful assistant before returning her attention back onto the cape and hat that was currently on one of the display ponies that Rarity use in her shop. To be honest with herself, she had no idea what she wanted to do with the cape and hat now that they were fixed. Part of her wanted to go out and try to find the blue unicorn so she could return them. However, she had no idea where Trixie was at and she was fearful of any sort of encounter with the blue unicorn. She had thought about what Spike said, but she didn’t want to think of these clothes as some kind of trophy. She was fearful of having to see these clothes and be reminded of that night when the Ursa Minor attacked.
Yet, the thought of getting rid of them always seemed to leave an awful taste in her mouth. If what Weaver had said was true, then the fabric alone would be worth more than at least ten of her oldest tomes. The fact that the material was so rare was another reason why she kept her mouth shut about the existence of the cape and hat to her friends. She hated doing so, but she couldn’t help but imagine all the things they would do to it if they had found out. Rarity was at the forefront as she imagined her ripping apart the cape and hat in order to salvage the precious Canterlot silk it was made from. Applejack and Rainbow Dash would most likely wear the clothes only to abuse them to the point where they would be unrecognizable. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, though didn’t challenge Trixie that day, would more than likely damage the cape and hat for the sole reason that they represented a pony who hurt their friends.

Twilight gave a tired sigh and made her way to her own bed. As she got under the covers, she was suddenly aware of a faint scent floating in the air. Curious, she took a few sniff and started to feel her mind haze up a bit and a feeling of comfort flowing in her body. She was unable to identify the source of the scent, but it smelled like a mixture of jasmine and blueberry, with a hint of something that she was unable to put her hoof on. Not that it really mattered right now anyway, the unknown scent was calming her aching mind and heart; relaxing her in such a way that she hadn’t felt since back when her mother had tucked her into bed when she was a little filly. Slowly, her eyes drifted off into her dreamscape and she was hit by a dream that was both new and unexpected.

She saw herself sitting in the main room of the library. The sun was out and she was reading a book that showed diagrams of various equations, and words printed in small but readable text. Twilight realized that she was reading a passage about the correct method of teleporting, which confused Twilight, because she believed herself to be an expert in that field. It was then that she heard her voice say “Are you ready to try again Trixie?” The book was lowered and Twilight saw that she was nearly face to face with the blue unicorn. She was also holding the same book as Twilight, and she to lowered it before replying “I think I figured out what I’ve been doing wrong. I’m ready to give it another try.” Twilight couldn’t see it, but she could feel the caring smile forming on her mouth as she watched her blue counterpart start to channel her magic in a blue glow, before disappearing with a loud bang and a flash of white.

It was only a moment before another loud bang and flash of light appeared a few feet away on the other side of the table. Twilight got up onto her hooves and made her way to the other side and saw, to her slight amusement, Trixie lying on her back with her eyes closed. Trixie slowly opened her eyes and exclaimed “I did it Twilight! I did it!” before pausing for a moment and adding, “Wait…did I rearrange the library again?” Twilight couldn’t help but let out a small giggle of happiness and made her way over so she was facing Trixie and looking down at her upside-down body. Twilight then said “You’re getting better Trixie. Maybe someday you’ll be as good as me in magical ability.” What Twilight didn’t expect was the small smirk forming on Trixie mouth nor her response, “Really…Trixie thinks that she made need some more…’motivation’ before she starts to believe that.”

Twilight knew what Trixie wanted so she started to lower her muzzle to give Trixie the ‘motivation’ that she needed. Before they were able to connect in a passionate kiss, a draconic sound echoed in the library. That noise was enough to break Twilight out of her vivid dream and she found herself back in her bed, listing to the snoring of her number one assistant. Sweat was clinging to her coat, and her heart pounded against her chest, as she tried to calm down again. She had no idea where that dream came from, or why it was so clear and vivid, but there was now a new ache forming in Twilight’s heart. She gave a tired sigh and looked out her window just in time to see a shooting star falling from the sky. She knew the old myth that if you wish upon a shooting star, then your wish would come true. However, the rational Twilight didn’t believe in such things. Yet, she felt the need to make a wish. She wanted to have some kind of hope, no matter how small, that the dream she just had would become reality. So, that night, without her assistant knowing and the only witnesses being the moon and stars, she made a wish. A wish that she would no longer have these dreams…because she wanted them to become reality.
With all the positive feedback that I’m getting, I wonder if I should try and get my story to appear on EQD. However, I think that I’m not quite there yet and there are plenty of other stories that deserve that spot.

Chapter 4: Me, Myself, and I

Really not much to say here but thanks for all the feedback you all have been giving me. Without it, you might have had to wait longer before I motivated myself to write. Still, I do plan on getting this done, but not for a while.

Chapter 4: Me, Myself, and I

Present time: Moonglow Forest

Trixie had never felt such uncertainty and confusion in all of her life. As the day continued, she found herself spending more time than she would have liked resting next to the lake that had given her those strange visions. The only times she left was to forage for food or to relive herself. She would use the lake itself as a source of water, but every time she did so, it felt as if she was committing some kind of sin. Still, as hard as she tried, she was unable to find another source of water that was close by the lake.

While she was resting by the lake, her thoughts kept returning back to those visions. She wanted to believe that they were visions of the future, but at the same time they seem highly unlikely. If they were visions of the future, then why would the first vision show her on stage and the next one having her say something completely different in the next? Besides, why would she even want to spend a night with that purple unicorn who was the cause of all her suffering? She did remember the lake saying something about her desires. What possible reason would make her desire involve that purple unicorn anyway? She hoped that the lake would provide her with some kind of answer.

She shook her head, and said to herself, “Look at yourself Trixie, you’re talking to yourself about what some dumb lake told you. You really need to stop getting all worked up over nothing. You should just leave.” Yet, as much as she wanted to, she felt a strange desire to remain. It was a minor annoyance that caused her more than a fair share of stress and anxiety. In fact, she was so out of touch that she didn’t realize that it was already close to night time until she felt a cold air whip through her coat.

When she finally noticed that it was night, the blue unicorn made her way to the lake’s edge, and once again gazed into the mystical water. She watched as the water flowed and turned under its own currents; the sliver shine of the moon appearing to mix and swirl on the water’s surface. As time passed, Trixie saw the two visions once again appearing on the surface of the lake. They were close enough so that she was able to see both of them at the same time. She watched as each of her vision selves played out their respective roles and she now felt a certain level of peace entering her heart. Yet, as the visions continue to run, she found herself staring more and more at the one where she was with the purple unicorn in that room. The more she gazed at it, the more her heart felt a new sense of warmth and completeness. The other vision, however, only gave her a sense of pride and achievement. More and more, Trixie found herself wanting to be a part of that comfort and warmth. Slowly, the cold part of her heart which was reserved for that purple unicorn was starting to thaw. With reverence, she slowly extended a hoof to the vision as if seeking to just dive into the water and somehow find herself in that situation.

“And just what pray tell are you doing?” A voice cracked through the cold, quiet air. Trixie snapped herself from the hypnotic gaze and saw the two visions disappearing again. The voice she heard was different then the last one. This one sounded more annoyed but prideful and boastful. Yet, it sounded so…familiar to the blue unicorn. Slowly, she raised her head and she let out as gasp of fright.

It was…her. Trixie was in complete disbelief as she saw an exact mirror image of herself standing on the water surface. However, that Trixie was different in the fact that she appeared to be made entirely of water, and she was also wearing her old cape and hat. Her expression was one of dissatisfaction and distaste as if she viewed the world with contempt. She pointed a watery hoof at the real Trixie and said “You should be thanking Trixie for saving your pathetic flank from making the biggest mistake of your life.” The real Trixie was somewhat confused by that statement and was having a hard time chocking the words up from her throat. The water Trixie gave a smug smile, obviously taking the stunned silence as awe, and said, “I guess Trixie should have expected this reaction by now. Never the less, your eyes do not deceive you, as you are standing in the prescience of The Great and Powerful Trixie!” The water Trixie made a flourishing motion and water shot from the lake only to explode in what appeared to be water-like fireworks. The real Trixie was still confused as to what was going on, but she managed to reply, “No you’re not, I’m the real Trixie.” The water Trixie gave a laugh of contempt and said “Trixie finds it amusing that you would even considered thinking that you are anything like Trixie. You’re nothing more than a wash-up who wouldn’t have lasted a day without Trixie’s help.”

The moment that the water-Trixie had finished that sentence, memories long forgotten started to return to the surface. She remembered how hard it was living on her own in Manehatten with nothing but a few magic tricks and a hopeless dream. She remembered her only friends being the magicians that would do free shows and how their acts would always inspire her and made her realize her passion for the stage. Why would she even consider settling down when she had not yet become the greatest unicorn in all of Equestria? It was a blatant disregard of all her past struggles and achievements.

She looked back at her doppelganger and said, “What must Trixie do to restore her status of being ‘Great and Powerful’.” The water Trixie gave a smile of joy and said “Trixie knows of only one way.” She paused for a moment for dramatic effect “You must return to Ponyville and prove that the purple unicorn is nothing more than a hoax.” The real Trixie nodded her head in agreement. That blasted purple unicorn must have pulled some kind of elaborate trick to foal the entire town into thinking that she was the better unicorn. She even got those two simpletons in on her act. Well…two could play that game, and she would rue the day she ever messed with the Great and Powerful Trixie.

“But…what…what if it wasn’t a trick?” A softer but still familiar voice flowed into the real Trixie ears, breaking her from her moment and causing her to look back at the lake where she witnesses another feat. It was yet another Trixie made of water. However, this Trixie lacked the cape and hat of the first one and her demeanor was more passive and shy then the confident and boastful appearance of the first. The real Trixie was unsure as to how long she had been there and if she had said anything prior. In fact, this water-Trixie seemed so out of place compared to the first one that the real Trixie was unsure if she was even a part of her, if that was the reason behind them being here in the first place.

Still, the lake had not given Trixie a straight answer yet, and she felt that she should at least give this new player a chance to speak out. However, this one appeared to remain quiet and passive, her attention seems to be focused on everything else but the other two Trixie. Eventually, the real Trixie said “Was there something you wanted to say?” The second water-Trixie gave a gasp of surprise before replying in a quiet tone “Well…I was just thinking that…maybe…it might not be…um…such a bad idea to…uh…not t attempt to harm Twilight.” The real Trixie was a little surprised that this water Trixie was actually saying the purple unicorn’s name and not just saying ‘purple unicorn’ as both she and the first water-Trixie had used. The second one then went on to add, ”It might be…you know…more beneficial if we…um…returned to Ponyville and…ask Twilight to teach us some of her tricks. You know, since we are both skilled unicorns…”

The first water-Trixie quickly shouted “You can’t possibly believe that the Great and Powerful Trixie’s magical skills are on level with that worthless unicorn?!” The second water Trixie seemed to have gotten a bit of spine as she stared down the first one before saying “Do not call Twilight worthless. She is a far better magician then you could ever hope to be. We should feel honored that we were able to witness some of that skill face to face.” So it continued with the two water Trixie going at each other throats. The real Trixie felt her mind breaking into two as one part agreed with what the first one was saying while, with some surprise, another part agreed with the second water Trixie. She started to curl into a ball, hoping to escape from the screaming words that water Trixie were saying as they got more and more violent.

However, before her sanity was lost, a massive voice shouted “TIS ENOUGH FOUL APPARITIONS OF THY UNICORN TRAITS!!!” Suddenly, water shot out from the lake and coiled around the water-Trixies, binding them in place and gagging them to prevent them from speaking. The real Trixie, no longer hearing the voices shouting, slowly raised her head and let out a gasp of surprise as she witness another pony standing in front of her. This one wasn’t born from the lake water, and her midnight regal crown was shinning in the bright moonlight.
Sorry this took a while to get done. This was actually the part of a story that I was looking forward to doing but I was having a hard time figuring out how to correctly describe it.

Chapter 5: A Generous Lesson Part 1

Once again, I am thankful for all of the support. It really brightens my day. This might be a little early, but I have one idea floating around in my head lately to make this story a little longer. I need to flush out some details and make sure it will be acceptable under Fimfiction rules, but I’ll let you know in a future chapter. Anyhow, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 5: A Generous Lesson Part 1

Ponyville Street: a month ago

Spike hated doing what he was about to do. Already, a rather painful ache was forming in his heart. Yet, as much as he tried, he could think of another way to solve whatever problem had plagued his unicorn friend. Ever since she came back with that cape and hat, all she was doing was reading books and staring at it. Normally, Spike would have thought nothing of it, as it appeared to be the usual day to day motions of Twilight. However, he noticed that she wasn’t eating as much as she used to and whenever he asked her a question, she appeared to snap out of her daydream before asking him to repeat it.

The strangest part of it all, and what made him decide to do what he was about to do, was that Twilight was no longer acting like her organized self. For two months so far, she had never made a list, told Spike what her plans were, or even sent a letter to the Princess. This apparent lack of concentration and focus was so much out of her character that Spike decided that enough was enough. He knew that Twilight had made him promise not to tell her friends about the cape and hat, but he couldn’t stand seeing her in such distress.

So, for the past few days, he had been trying to figure out which one of Twilight’s friends would be the most capable of getting Twilight out of this state. His first thought was Fluttershy, but she might not have the courage to be able to stand firm if Twilight told her that everything when she knew the truth. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were both dismissed as soon as they came up. They would more than likely damage the cape and hat and concerning how Twilight has been so attached to it might cause her to fall further into despair. Pinkie Pie, though she didn’t have her pride hurt by Trixie, might act the same way do to her close friendship with Rainbow Dash. That left only one other friend.

Already, he found himself standing in front of Carousel Boutique, the business and home of his friend and secret crush, Rarity. Spike knew that she, out of all three of them, might have the most hatred to the blue unicorn since it was her that cast that spell that turned her mane that ugly shade of green. However, unlike the brasher Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Spike was hopeful that she would be able to keep herself collected to preserve her lady-like appearance. He was also hoping that by mentioning how valuable the cape and hat was, it might be spared destruction.

Gulping back a bump in his throat, though he was unsure whether it was because of what he was about to do or from seeing his crush, Spike rose up his scale-covered hand and knocked on the door. He then heard that angelic voice say in a sing-song manner “Come in.” Spike quickly looked to see if there was anypony watching him before entering the building.

Once inside, he saw Rarity deep in concentration over what appeared to be the dress she wore at the Royal Wedding. Her pincushion was floating in the air, supported by her magic and she was wearing those same red glasses she wore whenever she had to work on a very delicate stitch. She looked up at the door and Spike’s eyes were locked onto her own. Already he felt a sense of falling as he stared into those deep azure eyes. With great reluctance, he tore himself from their hypnotic gaze just as Rarity said “Spikey! How lovely it is to see you today.” Spike managed to find his voice again and replied “It’s nice to see you too Rarity.”

Rarity noticed the rather depressed tone from the little dragon. Since him and Twilight had moved into Ponyville, she had come to enjoy his company. His cheerful manor was always a welcome addition to what might have been a rather dull day and was always eager to help out around the shop or help her with finding gems. In fact, she had almost thought of Spike as her own little assistant like Twilight but reframed from mentioning it to either of them. Still, Rarity was a little sad to see Spike acting like he was in a dump and she couldn’t help but ask, “Is something the matter Spike?”

Spike looked around the room, avoiding eye contact as he tried to find the right words. He eventually settled on a plan, and asked, “Rarity, can you keep a secret?” Rarity was at first slightly touched that Spike would trust her with something and was quick to agree. Spike took a deep breath and said “I think there something wrong with Twilight.”

Out of all the things Spike would have said, this one was both expected and rather unexpected. The truth was that Rarity had notice that it had been a long time since she had seen her purple counterpart. She had tried asking some of her friends if they had seen her but she was met with less than trilling answers. She had thought about going over to the unicorn’s house and making sure that she was alright, but was unable to find the time due to a rather hefty and important order from a client. Now she was faced with the possibility of getting to the bottom of this strange absence and she wasn’t about to let it slip away from her. With that train of thought in mind, she asked “Whatever do you mean Spike?”

Committed now to the path he set out on, Spike asked, “Do you remember the blue unicorn magician Trixie?” At the mention of her name, Rarity felt a spark of anger flash inside of her heart. She remembered that boastful unicorn, or more specifically, remembered what she did to her mane. It took Rarity a week of constant care and washing to remove all of the green coloring and various other unmentionables before she was able to properly restore her hair to its proper form. To add salt to the wound, all that time she spent restoring her mane caused her to fall behind in her projects, and she almost lost some of her best business at the time. Still, a lady must not resort to such low forms of anger and hatred. Besides, she guessed that was the reason Spike went to her in the first place rather than to one of their other friends. Still she needed a little more information so she said “Yes I remember her. Is there something going on between her and Twilight?”

Spike was feeling really on edge, not used to the kinds of questions in which he was unable to answer with confidence. As quickly as he was able, he started telling his secret crush about Twilight’s weird behavior, her sporadic sleeping habits and finally about the cape and hat that was displayed at the library. Upon mention of the clothes, Rarity’s thoughts started to become slightly un-ladylike. She was now imagining the cape and hat being disposed of as payback for the destruction of her mane. If she had been more rational about it, she might have forgiven the blue unicorn but she was unaware of that one part of her heart that was seething in anger. When Spike was finished, Rarity put on a fake smile and patted the purple dragon’s head while saying “You were very wise to bring this to my attention Spike. Rest assured that I will do my best to help Twilight with her predicament.” She then made her way out of her shop and over to the library, thoughts of seeing that cape and hat being shredded in the front of her mind. Spike was still lost in his own little world before he recovered his senses to find that he was alone in the shop. He also realized, to his own horror, that he forgot to mention that the cape and hat were made with Canterlot silk.
I hope you enjoy this chapter. I am quite surprised as to how many people are favoring this story. I really to appreciate it and for all of the positive feedback.

Chapter 6: A Generous Lesson Part 2

Man…I am like completely surprised. Not even out of my first plot cycle and I already have over eighty favorites. I never thought that I was that good at writing, but I do appreciate you taking the time to read my story. In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, I do try and keep a more humble approach whenever I do these comments. Anyhow, here is the next chapter…

A Generous Lesson Part 2

One month ago: Twilight’s library

Twilight was currently reading up on some of Star Swirl the Bearded’s more advance spells when she heard a knock at her front door. Thinking that it was her dragon assistant, she marked the page she was on and made her way to the door. However, when she opened it, she found that it was actually her friend Rarity.

Rarity appeared to be somewhat out of breath but she appeared to still retain her beauty and grace. Nervously, Twilight tried to recall if there was a reason for Rarity coming here and her mind instantly flashed towards the cape and hat that was located back in her room and she started to feel the grips of fear choking her throat. However, Rarity said in a tone that both showed her control of her image and her apparent lack of breath after running through the streets “Twilight, do you mind if I come in for a while? I haven’t seen you in days and I was starting to get worried.”

On the outside, Twilight gave a small, sheepish smile but on the inside she was breathing a massive sigh of relief. She then started to wonder why she was so worried about Rarity being here in the first place and why she thought of the cape and hat. Maybe Spike was right, and she needed to do something with it but no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t think of anything other than just leaving it where it was at. Breaking herself from her thoughts for a moment, Twilight replied “Of course you can Rarity.” She then open the door far enough so that Rarity was able to enter before closing it again. Twilight asked “Would you like something to drink?” Rarity gave a grateful smile before replying “A glass of water would be nice darling.”

Twilight nodded her head and made her way towards the kitchen. Once she had passed through the threshold, Rarity dropped her grateful smile and it was replaced with a more serious expression. She then said to herself “Okay, now where would Twilight keep that awful garment.” She started looking around the main area, checking various drawers and closets. However, her search ended up in vain and she decided to try the bedroom next. She knew that she was not being a very good guest right now but her thought process was a little out of it at the moment. She was only thinking about that cape and hat that now seem to be engraved into her mind. Slowly but surely, she made her way up the stairs to her friend’s bedroom and opened the door with the smallest nudge of magic. It only took her one look before her eyes rested upon the item she so sought.

At first, she was rather miffed with Twilight for using a mannequin to display the cape and hat. To her, it felt as if it was being wasted on something whose only location should be buried in a drawer or burned. It looked as if it was freshly washed and pressed and even the sapphire had a shine to it. Still, despite how innocent it looked, it still represented the pony that caused her such grief. Even on the mannequin, she was able to imagine that smug unicorn with that show-boasting grin. It only served to cause Rarity’s blood to boil a bit and she said in a rather treating tone “I’ll show you; you poorly dressed mare.” Rarity used her magic to pull out a pair of scissors that she had been hiding in her mane and slowly made her way towards the helpless clothes.

Meanwhile, Twilight was still back in the main room looking for Rarity. She was still holding the two glasses of water and her mind was starting to get a little nervous. It was then that she heard the sound of scissors cutting fabric and her mind instantly went into panic mood. Losing her concentration and dropping the two glasses with a loud crash, she bolted to her bedroom to find the door slightly ajar. She quickly busted in and her eyes widen in horror.

Rarity was sitting on the bed with what appeared to be the tattered remnants of Trixie’s cape in her lap and on the floor. She was currently holding onto the hat with her magic and was about to make the first cut with the scissors but stopped the moment that Twilight entered the room. Twilight was at a loss for words as she saw the destroyed cape littered the floor. She was unable to see past the sudden tears that were treating to flow from her eyes as she continued to stare at Rarity with a mix of confusion and sadness.

Rarity, for the most part, was a little surprised by Twilight’s unusual reaction. She believed that the clothes were having some kind of effect on her and by getting rid of them; she would be helping her friend. Now she was looking at a mare that looked like her heart was ripped in two. In fact, the more she looked at Twilight, the more she was reminded of the way she felt when she found out that Prince Blueblood was less of a gentlestallion then she thought. Slowly, a series of mental connections were forming in Rarity’s mind as she watched the purple unicorn doing her best not to let the tears forming in her eyes to fall. As she was still trying to piece together what was going on, her mind started to register the strange, but familiar feel of the fabric that she was holding in her magic. Taking a closer look at the hat, she saw a strange material that seem to ebb and flow in the fabric. With a delicate touch, she traced the fabric with her hoof and felt the soft but firm fabric on her hoof. Her mind instantly ran through its mental list of fabrics to try and determine the identity and it came as a complete shock when she realized that the hat she was touching and so close to destroying were made with the rare and priceless Canterlot silk.

Though not an actual rule, those in the fashion industry were so in awe of Canterlot silk that any destruction of clothing that is made with the god-like fabric was considered a sin in of itself. Rarity felt the horror inside of her as her eyes quickly shot to the destroyed remnants of the cape. Immediately, her eyes saw the Canterlot silk spread out among the regular fabric like fallen soldiers. The anger long gone now, Rarity was now overcome with immeasurable guilt and sadness. She realized that she abused the hospitality of her friend, entered her private room and destroyed a cape made with Canterlot silk. For the first time in memory, Rarity felt completely and utterly dirty.

Slowly, she placed the hat back on the bed and said in a quiet tone “Twilight…I…I’m sorry.” Twilight looked at her friend and asked in a chocked voice “Why?” Rarity gave a tired sigh and said “I guess…even after all this time…I was still angry for what happen. I shouldn’t have let it got to me Twilight but I did and I know that there is nothing I could say to change this.”

Twilight, still feeling the pain of sadness, asked “Rarity, why did you really come over to my library?” Rarity let out another sigh and looked over at the mannequin that once held the cape and hat. She didn’t meet Twilight’s eyes as she responded “At first, it was because I wanted to get my vengeance on Trixie for ruining by mane. However, now I see that there is something more going on here then I had originally thought.” Rarity was glad that Twilight had at least not kicked her out of her house yet but she knew that she was treading on a very thin line and once false word could ruin their friendship.

Twilight, on the other hand, was unsure what she was feeling at this moment. A part of her understood why Rarity went and did what she did and yet there was another part of her that felt as if she should never forgive Rarity for this act. Still, Rarity was her friend and looking back on it now, it might have been a bad idea in the first place to keep the cape and hat a secret from her friends. At least then, they could have gotten whatever satisfaction they needed and could move on with their lives.

Slowly, Twilight made her way to her friend and pulled her into a gentle hug. Rarity, thankful that she was forgiven for what happen, returned the gesture. The two unicorns sat in silence for a few minutes before Rarity said “Twilight is there something that has been troubling you lately?” Twilight felt a jolt of fear flash in her and quickly replied “N…no Rarity. I’m fine…good…great even.” She then put on a smile to try and convince Rarity. However, she was not so easily swayed and Twilight eventually had to drop the smile and say “Well…maybe there is something…” Rarity gave a small smile and gestured for Twilight to continue.

For Celestia knows how long, Twilight told Rarity about what she was going through these past few months. She told her about the strange dreams, the weird smells, and a feeling of emptiness in her heart. As Rarity listen, her expression remained subtle but in her mind she was overcome with a mixture of surprise and shock. Once Twilight was finished, she looked at Rarity with a hopeful expression, hoping that the fashion unicorn would be able to give her the answer she was looking for. Rarity knew she couldn’t lie to her friend and this was something that she needed to be aware of. So, after taking a deep breath to calm herself, she said “Twilight, from what you have told me; it appears that you have somehow fallen in love with Trixie.”
Hope you all enjoy this chapter and keep an eye out for the next one.

Chapter 7: The Wisdom of the Moon

Bit of a problem with this chapter getting posted, mostly because I had already written a chapter but my editor notice a massive plot hole in it so I had to scrap the idea entirely. Apologize for that but these things happen. Anyway, here is the chapter you all have been waiting for.

The Wisdom of the Moon

Present Time: Moonglow Forest

Trixie had never felt so awe-inspired and scared at the same time. She knew that she was in the presence of Princess Luna, the ruler of the Night. She could feel the sheer magical power emanating from the Princess and it felt as if it was chocking the life out of her. Then, all of a sudden, the chocking feeling, and Luna spoke, “We are sorry about that, we are still trying to readjust to our original power, and it catches us off guard from time to time.”

Trixie released a breath of relief, and suddenly felt…relaxed. She was unaware that Luna had secretly cast a spell which allowed the blue unicorn to calm and refocus her mind. She had been consumed in the lake’s alluring visions, and Luna was able to sense that the lake was pushing her harder than she would have been able to take. Of course, this unicorn was the first pony in over a thousand years to stumble upon and active the lake, so there was a chance that it was merely letting out all of its pent up magical force.

Once the blue unicorn had relaxed, Luna asked, “What is thy name, blue unicorn?” Trixie looked up at the Princess and shakily replied “T…Trixie…Trixie Lulamoon, your Majesty.” Trixie may have been seeing things at the moment, but she swore she saw a faint note of surprise flash through the Princess’ eyes before settling to a more calming expression. Luna then replied “No need for formalities Miss Lulamoon. We prefer to feel like we are more relatable to our subjects.” Trixie nodded her head and replied “Of course Pri…I mean Luna.”

Luna gave a small smile and returned her attention to the lake. Trixie did the same and saw that the two water-Trixie’s were still trapped in their binds, though only the first water-Trixie seemed to be actually trying to escape, while the second was merely staying in place. Trixie felt so many questions entering her mind that she wanted to ask the Princess of the Night, but she was unsure as to what to say first and was still a little in awe of being in the presence of royalty. She eventually decided that it might be a good idea to start with a complement to break the ice. Without looking at the Princess, she said in a humble voice “I like what you did with the night.”

Luna gave a small smile and replied “It’s nothing special, you should see what we have planed for the Starlight Festival. It will be spectacular.” Luna then turned her gaze to the blue unicorn and said “We can tell you have many questions young traveler. Please, speak your mind and we shall answer as best we can.” Trixie felt a little flustered at being so easy to read, but managed to force that feeling down before asking the big question that was on her mind. “What is this lake doing to me?”

Luna took a small breath to clear her mind before replying “This lake is showing you what you desire most in life.” Trixie looked at the moon princess and said “What I desire most?” Luna nodded her head and continued “When I cast that spell those many years ago, I gave this lake a sense of purpose. I wanted it to be a place of spiritual centering, a place where a pony could go and learn what they truly want in their life.” Trixie was a little confused by this but a thought suddenly appeared in her mind which caused her mood to become slightly depressed. Luna sensed the change in mood from the blue unicorn and was curious as to the reason behind it. She heard Trixie ask, “So…it doesn’t show the future?”

Luna gave a sympathetic smile and replied in a gentle voice “Nay. It merely shows what one wants most in life.” Luna closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again and continuing “However that is only one function that this lake serves. If it finds a pony whose desires are at more than one and they are conflicting with each other; then it will do whatever is necessary to help that pony figure out what desire they want most.”

Trixie caught on to where Luna was going with this, or at least she thought she did, and asked “Is that was the lake is doing right now?” Luna nodded her head in agreement. “Normally, one would take this path of inner enlightenment on their own; However, I believe that we are able to make an exception in this case.” Luna focused her gaze on Trixie and asked “Would you like us to help you, Trixie Lulamoon?” Trixie was a little surprised that the Princess of the Night was actually offering up her time to assist her. Normally, she would have refused help like this but the time she had spent in this lake of reflection has given her a slightly different outlook. She replied in a grateful tone “I would appreciate any help you can offer Luna.”

Luna gave an encouraging smile before settling down on the lake’s edge. Trixie quickly copied her action and watched as Luna’s horn started glowing in the most beautiful shade of blue Trixie had ever seen. She returned her attention to the lake and watched as the binds that were holding the two water-Trixies were removed. Once the bonds were gone, Luna then said “Now then, these water creatures actually represent a certain part of you that, right now, are at war with each other.” Trixie nodded her head and Luna continued “However, like most things that fight, it revolves around one reason. This ‘reason’ can be anything and for some ponies it is very difficult to figure out.”

Trixie then asked “So…how would I figured out what the reason is for why these two water clones are fighting about?” Luna gave a small smile and said “You saw two visions correct?” Trixie nodded her head and started to wonder where Luna was going with this. Luna then continued by saying “These water clones are based off those visions, and there is one thing that both visions shared. That is the reason you seek.” Luna took a small breath and said “Now…focus and try to remember the visions that you saw. Look in your mind and find the source of all you conflicting thoughts, emotions, and desires. Only then, will you be able to understand who you are and what you want in life.”

Trixie, a little nervous about the whole thing, closed her eyes and tried to recall both visions that the lake showed her. Unlike the lake, the visions she saw in her mind were clouded and hazy. She feared that she would be unable to discover the source of the problem do to the lack of clarity. However, she heard Luna speaking “Remember, take slow deep breaths. There is no need to rush this; the answer will come to you.” Trixie felt her head nodding and started taking slow deep breaths; releasing the breath once she was sure her lungs had completely filled up with the refreshing air. Slowly, with each breath, the two visions were becoming sharper and clearer in her mind. It was at that moment that she found the similarity between the two visions and she couldn’t help but let out a gasp of surprise.

It was then that she felt a strange energy flowing in the air. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw that the water in the lake was starting to swirl and churn. Trixie looked up at the Princess and saw that her eyes were focused on the lake. However, she must have sensed Trixie’s question and said “You have found the source of your inner conflict and the lake is now making it real.” The swirling of the lake started to pick up speed until various tendrils of water started to extend from the lake’s surface. Trixie looked at these tendrils and she thought she could see a hint of purple mixed with the blue and silver.

The tendrils started to gather at the center of the lake and started forming into what Trixie believe to be another water clone. However, unlike the water Trixies, this one was acquiring a different color. It wasn’t long before the lake had stopped swirling around and the tendrils returned back into the water. The real Trixie let out a gasp of surprise, while the first water Trixie had a look that could kill, and the second water Trixie had an almost joyful look on her face. Luna was a little surprise as to the identity of the third water creature, and she couldn’t help but imagine the irony of the situation. Her mild smirk was still on her face as she said “Well…this just got a little more interesting.”

The third water clone also gave a smirk of her own before replying “I couldn’t agree more Princess Luna.” The real Trixie was still trying to recover from the shock and the only thing she could say was “Tw…Twilight?!”
Well…since Twilight had two chapters back to back, it seems only fair that Trixie deserves one as well.

Chapter 9: The Reunion Part 1

Here is chapter nine for you all to enjoy. I really do appreciate all the comments that I have been getting but I do encourage you all to leave constructive feedback in order to improve my writing skills.

Chapter 9: The Reunion Part 1

Present Time: Twilight’s Library

“As you can see darling, the slight change I had to do on the cape does nothing to affect the overall quality.” Rarity explained to her friend with a hopeful tone. She took a quick glance and saw that her friend was still staring at the cape and she could see her eyes almost twinkling in delight. Rarity could tell that she was really happy about the results and Rarity couldn’t help but feel the small amount of guilt lifting from her shoulders.

She still remembered that night, haunting her in her dreams and refusing to be forgotten. She could remember holding on to the devastated unicorn as her control of her emotions was lost and she collapsed on the ground in tears. She could still feel the wet spots on her own face where her own tears had fallen as she cried for forgiveness from her friend.

Eventually, they both had no more tears to shed, and Twilight was able to recover some part of her famous intelligent curiosity. Rarity knew that her friend was a smart unicorn but she was a little surprised to find her knowledge on the concept of love to be somewhat lacking. Of course, Rarity thought that her mentor might have been more focused on actual magical training then about the mysteries of the heart, one of the few magical experiences shared by all creatures.

It was then that Rarity came up with an idea to try and make it up to the purple unicorn. She offered to repair the cape out of her own pocket and restore it to its original state. Rarity then went on by offering to teach Twilight to the best of her abilities about love. She remembered her friend looking up at her with those tear-stricken yet hopeful eyes and quietly agreed before the emotional strain caused her to collapse in exhaustion. Rarity gently tucked her into her bed before gathering the remains of the cape and placing them into Twilight’s saddlebags, which were lying nearby. She made her way back to her boutique, pausing only long enough to inform Spike about Twilight’s condition.

The days passed by in a blur for the two unicorns. Most of Rarity’s time was spent repairing the cape and helping Twilight to understand her feelings for the blue showmare. Rarity didn’t really understand what Twilight saw in her, but she wasn’t one to pry too much into someponies personal life. In terms of the cape, Rarity would have been able to restore it in about a week. However, Canterlot silk was a material that even Rarity had little experience working with, so she had to spend a good amount of time practicing with the regal fabric. She had to admit that she was lucky to have close ties with the Princesses otherwise she would have taken much longer to complete the cape.

The rest of her time was spent helping Twilight come to terms with her feelings for Trixie. Those conversations were either spent in Rarity’s house or Twilight’s. Twilight was eager to learn, though Rarity admitted that her knowledge was limited to what dreams she remembers about Blueblood and the few romance novels that she kept in her personal bookshelf. Still, she did her best to try and help Twilight as much as she could. They even had a few ‘practice’ dates to try and get Twilight familiar with how one would work. It was the least she could do to repay the debt she owed.

Now, all her work had come to the end and she waited with baited breath for Twilight’s response. Twilight looked over at her best friend, unaware of the internal thoughts that were going through her head, and said “It looks just like before Rarity. I really can’t thank you enough.” Rarity gave a gentile smile and replied “But of course darling, it’s the least I could do to repay you for…for what happened.” Despite all that she had done to make up for it, Rarity was still feeling the needles of regret and sadness from what happened that night. Twilight heard that moment of hesitation and knew what Rarity was thinking about. Slowly, Twilight wrapped Rarity in a warm embrace and said in a quiet tone “It’s okay Rarity.” Rarity gave a small sniffle before replying in an equally quiet tone “I know Twilight.”

However, the moment was cut short by a sudden knocking. The two unicorns broke their embrace and made their way to the front door. Twilight opened the door and saw that it was her friend Applejack. She appeared slightly out of breath but managed to say “Twilight…and Rarity, I’m glad that I managed to find both of you.” Rarity gave a curious gaze and replied “What seems to be the problem dear Applejack.” Applejack managed to catch her breath and replied “You all remember that blue showpony a while back, Trixie.”

Twilight felt a sudden flash of fear in her heart before managing to force it away long enough to reply “Yes I remember her. Why is that important?” Applejack replied in a matter-of-fact tone “Because she’s now standing right outside Ponyville.”

Upon hearing that information, Twilight let out an involuntary gasp of shock. She never imagined that Trixie would actually return to Ponyville. In truth, she hoped that the lessons that Rarity was teaching her would allow her to be able to move on from this crush she had on Trixie but now face with the prospect of meeting her again was sending waves of nervous energy through her body. Rarity for the most part was almost as surprised by this information as Twilight was, and couldn’t help but take a side glance at the purple unicorn to see if she was alright.

Applejack was a little perplexed by the rather unusual reactions from the two unicorns. Rarity, sensing a rather uncomfortable question forming in the farm pony’s mind said “I’m sorry Applejack, Twilight was helping me work on a new design and our thoughts must have been lost.” Applejack nodded her head in understanding, having moments herself when she was lost in thought while working out on the field. She said in a comforting tone “Well…if you all want to take a look, she’s out near the western entrance.” Rarity nodded her head and Applejack made her way over to the entrance.

Once Applejack was gone, Rarity turned to Twilight and asked “Do you want to go? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Twilight had managed to recover herself in time to hear what Rarity asked. There was a part of her that wanted to stay inside the library, but she felt somewhat obligated to go and make sure that nothing bad was going to happen. She slowly shook her head and replied “No…no it’s fine. I want to go and make sure that nopony does something they might regret.” Rarity nodded her head in understanding and the two unicorns made their way to the western entrance.

Once they got there, they saw that there was already a small but sizable group of ponies around the entrance. A few of the pegasus were in the air to get a better view and they even saw the familiar rainbow-color mane mixed among them. Quickly, Rainbow Dash flew down to them and said “So you two finally decided to show up. Applejack managed to save a spot next to her and the mayor in the front. Rarity and Twilight nodded their heads and started making their way through the crowd.

Eventually, the two unicorns managed to make it to the front of the group and they both saw the blue unicorn. Trixie was currently standing just a couple feet away from the entrance. Her face was glued to the ground which made it almost impossible to see her face and eyes. She also appeared to be slightly undernourished; her barrel slightly smaller then what Twilight remembers.

However, the most striking part about her was what she was wearing. She was wearing a saddle, which in of itself was not that strange. What was strange was that the saddle she was wearing appeared to have a dull, muted brownish color and looked slightly uncomfortable. There were two saddle bags strapped that also shared the same brown color. Slowly, Trixie raised her head to face the audience and revealed that she was wearing a rather plain bridle with a tack in her mouth. Reins were attached to the tack but it was hard to tell where they rested. Located on her chest was a breastplate and martingale colored in that same brown color. Twilight was unsure but she thought she saw what appeared to be a brown ring around Trixie’s horn.

Slowly, Trixie started making her way towards the town. The sound of the jingling harness rang through the air and her movements make it appear as if she was walking towards her own funeral. The ponies made no movement to stop her, still curious about the strange equipment or cautious about her motives. Twilight, on the other hoof, was feeling a strange sense of familiarity. She swore to herself that she saw this equipment before but she was having some trouble figuring it out.

Bored and still miffed about what happened that day, Rainbow Dash proclaimed “Forget this, I’m going over there and giving her a piece of my mind.” However, it was at that moment that Twilight remembered why the equipment looked familiar and shouted “Wait Rainbow!” At the same time, she reached out with her magic and grab the rainbow colored pegasus by the tail. Rainbow was stopped in the air and asked in a mildly frustrated tone “Why’d you stop me?!” Twilight replied ‘Because you could get in a lot of trouble if you attacked her.”

Applejack, who was also thinking about giving the blue unicorn a piece of her own mind, replied “And why’s that Twi?” Twilight looked at her friend a moment before returning her attention to the blue unicorn. She gave a deep breath before saying “Because she’s wearing the Saddle of Servitude.”
You all know I only leave cliffhangers because I don’t want you to lose interest right. Hope you all enjoy this chapter and I just want to let you all know that I do have a side story currently available if you want to read it. Also all the horse equipment that I used in the chapter I got of wiki. I don’t pretend to be an expert in that field.

Chapter 10: Reunion Part 2

Chapter ten is here for you all to enjoy. FYI, I move in to my dorm next week and start classes the following Monday. Also, I’m going on a short vacation starting in a few days. This all means that you may or may not see an update as soon as I usually like to update.

Chapter 10: Reunion Part 2

Of course Twilight would have gotten nothing but blank looks from the ponies around her. Without waiting for them to ask the obvious question, she said “It was a form of punishment that was popular during the Renaissance Era. Rather than face time in a dungeon, a pony was offered the option to work off the crime they had committed. That saddle is the mark of a serving pony.”

Rarity then asked “What do you mean ‘marked’?” Twilight made a gesturing motion to Trixie, who was still making her way towards the group of ponies before replying “It’s symbolic. The saddle symbolizes their lack of freedom and the tact symbolizes their lack of voice. There were modifications to account for pegasus and unicorns of course.” Twilight took a small breath before continuing “This way, the guilty pony has a chance to repent for their crime and the victim benefits from it.”

The Mayor, who had remained quiet for the most part, finally decided to ask “So…how will we know who is the ‘victim’ as you put it.” At that point, Trixie had managed to reach a point where she was about a few feet away from the group of ponies. At a closer distance, Rarity was able to notice how the brown color was actually leather. Leather was and is still considered to be one of the most unfashionable and uncomfortable material. Ponies who wore something made out of leather were considered to be either poor or had no taste. The leather even had a rather mild but noticeable stench of decay. Rarity did notice the showpony’s expression and was mildly surprised to see that she was showing actual nervousness. Rarity almost prided herself on her ability to read other ponies expression and it was the first time she saw the blue unicorn looking almost fearful of the situation.

Twilight looked over at the Mayor and replied “You need to go over to Trixie and search her saddlebags. Inside one of them, you should find a letter or a note. Whatever name is on that letter is the pony in charge of her.” The Mayor nodded her head in understanding before making her way towards the blue unicorn. Trixie showed no signs of response to her advance. She appeared to be lost in her own little world, when actually, she was watching her purple counterpart with a mix of anger and longing.

Silence was in the air as the Mayor of Ponyville searched through the saddlebags until she found that slip of paper. Looking at Twilight to see if she could continue, she saw the purple unicorn give a small nod before opening the letter and pulling out the single piece of paper. She took one look at the name on the paper and she was both mildly surprised and a little happy at the irony of the situation. She looked up at the group and said in her best speech voice “Twilight Sparkle.”

The group let out a collective gasp of surprise, though the pony who was most surprised was Twilight herself. She looked over at the blue unicorn and saw that she appeared to be ignoring the situation developing, preferring to have her attention focused on the sky. Twilight was now feeling somewhat suspicious about the blue unicorn’s actions. However, as far as she could recall at the moment, there was nothing she could do to alter the situation.

The purple unicorn nodded her head before making her way to the blue unicorn. She saw her ears twitch with the new noise and she returned her attention back to Twilight. Twilight, unlike Rarity, was not as skilled at reading a pony’s expression but she had a feeling that she had been tricked somehow. In a whisper, Twilight asked “What are you planning Trixie?” Trixie didn’t respond except for a slight shrug of her shoulder and a roll of her eyes. Twilight felt a slight burning sensation in her checks and was about to try and force Trixie to give her an answer. However, she remembered the tack that was still in her mouth and realized that she wasn’t going to get a straight answer out of her until it was removed.

Vaguely, Twilight felt the breeze shift slightly. She looked over and saw that the sun was just hovering over the ground. She estimated to only have about an hour until the moon started to rise. She sighed to herself, realizing that she was going to have to deal with this in the morning. With a flick of her magic, Twilight gathered the reins that were draped on Trixie’s back and started to make her way back to her house. She felt a slight resistance from the other end of the reins before they became lack, and there was the sound of hoof steps behind her. The group didn’t do much to stop the two unicorns, though they still gave Trixie what appeared to be the evil eye. Trixie ignored their looks, relishing in the fact that, so far, Luna’s plan was a success.

Eventually, Twilight and Trixie made it back to the tree house. Twilight led Trixie inside and down to the basement, was she would stay until Twilight was able to convince Spike to give her a chance. Twilight gathered up spare blankets and pillows to form a makeshift bed before turning her attention to Trixie and saying “This is where you are going to sleep.” Trixie nodded her head and made her way to the bed before settling down. Twilight watched her for a time, wishing to just cuddle up alongside her. However, she was still unsure of what Trixie’s feelings were and her tired body and brain were urging her to retire to her own bed.

So the night continued on with both master, on in this case mistress, and servant lost in their own dreamscapes. Unaware, that both dreams were the same. However, even amongst the blissful rest, they both felt a slight fear about what the rising sun will bring. Still, for the first time since the Ursa Minor attack, the two unicorns were once again with each other, and that was enough for them.
So ends the first story arc and begins the second. I’m glad that you all are enjoying the story and if I could, I would put as much attention on this as I was able. However, life can be an unforgiving mistress and I can’t ignore my other responsibilities. I do have something planned for the second arc, but I still need to work out some details first. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 11: The New Day

So begins the second story arc. I really hope you enjoy this arc as much as the first one. College is going alright so far but it is still early days yet and I don’t feel confident enough to be able to update as much as I did over the summer. But, what can you do, right. Anyhow, here’s the next chapter.

Chapter 11: The New Day

The light of Celestia’s sun manages to pierce through the peaceful sleep of Twilight. With a slight groan, she maneuvers herself to try and ignore the bright rays, but their constant presence finally manages to awaken the purple unicorn. With a slight yawn, Twilight makes her way down to the main area of the library in order to get some breakfast. While walking down, she tries to recall the dream she had last night, even though her mind is still half asleep, and the only thing that she can remember is that it involved Trixie somehow.

Upon the thought of the blue unicorn, Twilight remembers the events that transpired yesterday and recalls that said unicorn was currently located in her basement. Facing the reality of her hidden crush in such a close proximity manages to cause unknown feelings to surface within Twilight’s heart. She is still unsure about her intentions but as long as that tack remained in place, she will be powerless to get an answer. Normally, such a minor annoyance as a tact would not cause Twilight pause, but due to the fact that it was a part of the Saddle of Servitude means that she was unable to remove it until the time of punishment is over. Twilight had to admit to herself that Trixie played a rather desperate card in order to return to Ponyville, but now she wondered what her true intention was. The only thing she is sure of at this point is that it involves her in some way.

Vaguely, Twilight hears the familiar sound of claws scratching wood, and without looking up from her morning tea she says, in a motherly tone, “Good Morning Spike, did you have a nice sleep?” Spike of course grumbles a reply before making his way to the counter to pull out a bowl of emeralds. Spike had returned sometime after Twilight had gotten Trixie’s sleeping arrangements in order and was unaware of the blue unicorn that was most likely waiting for the appearance of her ‘mistress’. Twilight knew that Spike still had a rather sour opinion about Trixie, though she’s thankful that he wasn’t as bad after hearing about Rarity forgiving her for what happened. Still, the purple unicorn knows that she has to let Spike know, and she figured that this is a good time as any.

Meanwhile, the internal time clock within Trixie lets her know that it is around morning time. The sound of her stomach growling only further convinces the blue unicorn to cast of the realm of sleep and return to reality. It is an action that she was almost reluctant to perform for reason being that she was enjoying a rather pleasant dream involving Twilight and herself. She has no doubt that it was a dream created by the part of her that had fallen in love with the purple unicorn and it only furthered the conflict in her heart.

So far, the plan that Luna had conceived is working perfectly. By wearing the rather uncomfortable and smelly attire, she had managed to not only gain access to Ponyville, but also give her a sense of immunity to those who might want to get revenge on her and get closer to Twilight. It was a strategy that famous military generals would be proud of. Still, there was the downside of having no access to her magic and very limited walking and talking. There was also the fact that she was at the beck and call of Twilight, but Luna did say it was going to cost Trixie a bit of her pride. Still, she believes the positives are greater than the negatives at the moment. She actually believes that she was going to be tied up to a post outside rather than be provided with a rather decent bed.

It was around that moment that she started hearing noise coming from upstairs followed by a pair of voices. Though unable to tell what they were saying, Trixie is sure that it was Twilight and that dragon of hers. She manages to make her way out of the bed and does her best to get her coat and mane to straightened out. Said process is a slight annoyance due to the fact that Trixie lacked her magic and any kind of brush. She would have also liked some kind of mirror so that she would able to see how she looks, but she isn’t that concerned. All that mattered at this point is that her only focus should be to serve her ‘mistress’ to the best of her abilities. What Twilight will ask of her is another matter entirely.

Before she could ponder on this further, she hears the voices stop and the echoing sounds of walking before ending with the slight creaking sound of mildly rusted hinges on a door. The sudden appearance of light slightly blinds the show-pony but her eyes recover to find herself face to face with her ‘mistress’ Twilight. She has a rather excited and almost playful look on her face that causes a slight confusion to appear in Trixie’s heart. Trixie was also aware of the purple infant dragon that was standing by the threshold looking slightly annoyed by the fact that the blue unicorn was in the same house as he was. Before Trixie could ponder anymore, she sees the familiar purple aura covering Twilight’s horn and the reins appearing in front of her face, being held up by that same purple aura. Twilight then says in a voice that sounds almost too happy for the current situation “Come on now, We have a lot to get done today and not a lot of time to do it in.”
Alright, time for Twilight to become the ‘mistress’ and Trixie to be the ‘servant’. Who thinks they will do a fantastic job in their respected roles?

Chapter 12: The Generous Meeting

Here is the next chapter for you all to enjoy. If you remember, I vaguely talked about an idea that I wanted to do for this story and I just wanted to let you know that I just got permission from one of the moderators to do it. So expect more information coming soon.

Chapter 12: The Generous Meeting

“How are we doing so far Spike?” Twilight asked her number one assistant who was riding on her back. He was currently holding one of Twilight’s famous check-lists in one claw with a quill in the other. Thankfully, this list wasn’t as large as it was usually, much to the relief of the dragon who would have to deal with carrying such a heavy weight of parchment.

Spike took a quick glance at the check-list and saw that they were almost done with everything on there. It gave him a sense of relief that they would soon return to the library and he could get back to his much desired nap. Casting thoughts about his comfy bed aside, he said in a rather proud tone “All we have left is to go and assist Rarity with a new line of clothes.”

Twilight gave a gentile smile and replied “That’s great Spike, we seem to be ahead of schedule.” Spike of course couldn’t resist a small chuckle and replied in a tone that sounded both mocking and joking “Well…that might be because I didn’t have to carry all of the stuff that you wanted to buy today.” Both dragon and pony turned their gaze behind them, where the reins were still somewhat lax, but at the same time firm to the struggling unicorn.

Trixie, who was currently carrying all of Twilight’s stuff in a mixture of saddlebags and boxes, was close to the point of just collapsing right there on the ground. It was common knowledge that due to their reliance on their magical abilities, unicorns were slightly weaker physically compared to an earth pony or a pegasus. The packages themselves weren’t that heavy, but the quantity was starting to override the light weight. It was around that moment that Trixie felt the reins connecting her to Twilight become lax, and she managed to pull her head up to find herself face to face with the purple unicorn.

Twilight looked into her blue counterpart and she could see the strain that Trixie was going through in carrying those bags. Trixie saw the concern in Twilight’s eyes and she felt her heart starting to swell with unknown feelings. Before she had a chance to come to grips with them, she heard Twilight say, “Let me help you Trixie.” Before Trixie could make any kind of protest that she was fine, Twilight’s horn began to glow in that familiar purple aura. In an instant, the weight she was carrying on her back was lifted. She still felt a strain, but it was now reduced to a tolerable level. She looked up at the purple unicorn and tried to convey her thanks with her eyes. Twilight saw that expression and returned it with a gentile smile.

Whether it was because of that act, or some other force, the air around the two unicorns started to heat up. Twilight was feeling her pulse race while Trixie could feel her heart beating like a drum. As the two unicorns continue to stare into each other eyes; unspoken communication was traveling between the two. Both of them felt lost in the other’s eyes and were starting to wonder what the other felt against their body.

However, Spike let out a forced cough and said “Can we hurry this up so I can get back to my nap.” Twilight and Trixie were both snapped out of their hypnotic state and shook their heads as if to restore their line of thinking. Both of the unicorns could feel the heat on their cheeks and noticed the blush that was forming on the other. Without a word, Twilight collected the reins and started walking towards Rarity’s shop.

The walk was both silent and non-eventful as each unicorn was trying to sort out what had happened the moment their eyes had made contact. It wasn’t the first time that their eyes had met but it was the first time that such an action had caused such a profound experience. Eventually the two unicorns and dragon reached their destination and made their way inside.

Inside, Trixie saw a rather impressive line of dresses out of display. They were located on what appeared to be some kind of stage, where Rarity was standing next to one of the dresses. She appeared to be doing a final check on it as she heard the sound of her front door opening, and looked up to see Twilight, Spike, and Trixie. She greeted her two friends and even surprised the former show-pony with a simple hoof-shake.

Trixie watched as Twilight and Spike started assisting their friend, leaving Trixie to cool her hooves on the floor. However, before she had a chance to settle down, she heard the sound of hoof steps approaching. With some mild hesitation and a bit of curiosity, Trixie opened her eyes to see Twilight standing above her. Twilight looked at the blue unicorn and said in a tone that was kind but firm, “If you promise to behave, I will allow you to be able to converse for a little while.” Trixie was a little surprised to hear that Twilight was going to allow her the ability to speak, if only for a short time. It wasn’t uncommon for ponies in charge of the guilty party to give them a mild respite from their binds, but these were only temporary and were usually the result of a situation that required the guilty party to act with a bit more freedom. However, total freedom was impossible until the time of service was over, which is actually kept hidden from both the guilty party and the owner to prevent abuse.

Trixie wasn’t totally uncomfortable with the gear at the moment, but the offer of a bit of a respite was too good to pass up. She nodded her head to the purple unicorn in agreement and watched as Twilight’s horn glowed with that familiar purple aura. Trixie, for a brief moment, was able to feel the magical energy that Twilight was emitting on the tack. Despite what most ponies might think, a magical aura actually does have a ‘taste’ to it that is unique to each unicorn. What Trixie tasted reminded her of fresh raspberry mixed with herbs to create this sense of comfort. However, there was also an underlying taste of static which would complement the raw magical power that Twilight had control over.

The moment had passed as Trixie saw the tack removed from her mouth. She started working her mouth around to try and get some of the feeling to return. She looked up at Twilight and managed to give a soft thank you before settling down in hopes of recovering some of her energy. However, Rarity and Twilight decided to include the blue unicorn in their conversations. The topics ranged from various arcane tricks to stories from their past to what they considered to be fashionable.

It was around that moment that Rarity decided to ask a question that had been bugging her for some time now. In fact, she had been pondering about it ever since she had been working on fixing Trixie’s cape and she now felt it was the perfect time to ask. Rarity also had a feeling that Trixie was still unknown about the condition of her outfit which meant that the fashion unicorn had to be more selective with her word choice. Rarity looked over at Twilight and saw her give a slight nod of acknowledgment before returning her attention to the blue unicorn. She cleared her throat a bit before asking, “Trixie, there is something that I had been meaning to ask you about for some time now.”

Trixie looked at the white unicorn, her mind racing through all the possible implications of what that sentence meant. Most of them ended up worse than others but given the situation; there was no possible way for Trixie to back out of the question without offending Rarity or Twilight. She was lucky that Spike was currently in another room searching for extra materials at the moment. No doubt Rarity convinced him so she would be able to freely ask what she was planning to ask. Believing that for the time being silence was the safer option; the blue unicorn simply nodded her head and motioned for Rarity to continue.

Rarity took a small breath and asked “I was wondering if I could ask where you had gotten that outfit of yours?” Trixie was both surprised by the rather peculiar question but at the same time she felt like she should have expected a question like this considering Rarity’s profession. Trixie looked over at Twilight and saw that she was also looking back at her, clearly interested in what she was going to say. This actually caused the blue unicorn to become somewhat suspicious about this line of question. As far as she could remember, her outfit in addition to most of her possession was lost when the Ursa Minor had destroyed her trailer. Still, she was unable to figure out a reason behind the question, and with the concept of being able to not have to wear the tack for a while longer; Trixie decided to give them the truth.

With that in mind, Trixie took a quiet breath and said “It was a gift from my mom actually. When I told her that I was going to become a traveling show-mare, she took me up to our attic and pulled out that cape and hat. She said that it had been in our family for as long as she remembers and that it was tradition to pass it down to the next daughter. She told me that it was a way to remember both her and the pride of our family. I had know that my mother use to be a magician before retiring and she told me that it was the same cape and hat that she wore during her performances. She then said that even though it was a precious heirloom, I had to alter it in some way. I asked her as to why I wanted to change the outfit as it was the most beautiful cape and hat that I had ever seen; but she merely smiled at me and said ‘you’ll understand when the time comes’. However, I was still reluctant to change the cape and hat until about my fifth show when a minor accident caused the old moonstone that was used to hold the cape in place to fall off. After that, I decided to replace it with that crystal. The strange thing was that the moment I had finished stitching that crystal in place, I felt a sudden chill down my spine and I also started to have a strange feeling that I was being watched and judged. The feeling was both swift and strong and I never felt that again.”

When Trixie had finished her story Twilight and Rarity were left somewhat awestruck by the sheer implication of what that cape and hat meant for her. They were also perplexed by the strange incident that happened when Trixie modified the cape and hat. They both knew that the outfit was made with the very rare Canterlot silk and there have been rumors that the silk was said to do strange things when met with the right condition. However, due to the unpredictable energy that forms Canterlot silk, it is almost impossible to be able to tell what would happen.

However, before they had time to question further, Spike had just returned to the main room with the supplies in paw. Feeling that it was better to leave the young drake out of loop until he was able to get used to Trixie, Twilight and Rarity decided to not let Spike know about what had happened while he was gone. Spike was stubborn about finding answers but before he could start pressing for answers, Twilight decided that it was time to head back to the library. Twilight went over to Trixie and returned the tack back into her mouth, once more able to taste the magical aura for that brief moment. Rarity helped with organizing the bags and boxes that Trixie was carrying and once everything was in place; Twilight, Spike, and Trixie made their way back to the library.

As they were walking back, the two unicorns reflected on the events that happened back at Rarity’s shop. Twilight was surprised to find out about the significance of the cape and hat and it gave her a sense of joy that she was able to restore the clothes back to Trixie. Although she was tempted to return them to her now, she felt that it might be better to give them to her as a parting gift when the service was over. Trixie, on the other hoof, felt a sense of relief in that one of the ponies that she had humiliated had forgiven her. Of course she was still worried about the earth pony and the pegasus, but for the time being she was both content and hopeful for the future. She was still curious about the rather strange question that Rarity asked and how it seemed to cause such an unusual reaction. She was also trying to figure out what the purple unicorn’s true feelings for her were, but it was still too hard to figure out. Believing that she would be able to figure it out in the near future, she pushed that train of thought to the back of her mind just as they approached the front door to the library.

Once they were inside, Twilight removed the bags and boxes that Trixie was carrying and led her back to the basement. Trixie located herself to her makeshift bed and settled down while Twilight went up to fix a quick dinner that consisted of a salad and some treats. After eating the dinner, Trixie settled herself down to regain her strength for whatever Twilight had planned for tomorrow.
Meanwhile…Canterlot Castle

Private Starheart was in a state of overwhelming awe. She had joined the Royal Guard because she had always wanted to be able to serve her country and the two regal Princesses. She had gone through the application and the basic training, and from all accounts she was considered an average pegasus guard. She wasn’t the fastest but she was able to keep up during drills. She understood basic strategy but was unable to grasp the finer details that were required in a tactician. She was of average build, having muscles in all the right places while still maintaining her female body. All in all, she would have been considered just another face in the guard.

So why did Princess Luna ask for her specifically?

When she had finished her graduation, she was assigned to become part of the Royal Night Guard, Pegasus Division. Though she would have like to be a part of the better known Royal Day Guard, Pegasus Division; she was still happy to be able to serve her country. She was then told that she was to report to the Commander of the Royal Night Guard to receive her orders. Despite her rather average record, the two things she was proud of was her natural sense of direction and her punctuality. She seemed to know where everything was located in the castle and was always arriving to drills and lessons on time or earlier. So, it didn’t come as a surprise that she reached the office where the Commander was located with time to spare. With her records tucked under her wing, she knocked on the door and heard a stern voice reply “Enter”.

Now, Starheart was curious as to what the Commander would look like. She was imagining a rather strong pegasus with powerful wings that were able to fly to the moon or a unicorn with knowledge of some of the most powerful spells like Solarshield, who was the overall Commander of the Royal Day Guard. So it came as somewhat of a surprise to find that the only other pony here was an earth pony.

The earth pony was currently reading something that was on the desk. Starheart guess from the physical appearance that it was a male earth pony. He had a rather simple blue color coat and his mane was brown and cut very short. He looked up at her and she found herself staring into those piercing blue eyes. She felt herself become nervous and weak in the knees as she tried to maintain her balance. Before she was close to falling, however, the earth pony removed his gaze from her and she felt the strength returning to her legs. Before she was able to ponder what had happened, the earth pony said “Are you the new recruit for the Pegasus Division?”

Snapping out the haze that was in her mind, Starheart replied in her best guard voice “Yes sir, Private Starheart reporting for duty sir.” She finished with a quick salute before saying “Sir, I was wondering if you could tell me where I might find the Commander of the Royal Night Guard? I seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere.”

The earth pony narrowed his eyes a bit before removing himself from his chair and making his way to stand in from of Starheart. As he was walking, Starheart was able to get a look at his Cutie Mark. She saw that it appeared to be a sword pointed to the sky with a crescent moon replacing the cross guard and a pair of black dragon wings sprouting from the blade all over a gray shield. The earth pony turned his back to her and said “You’re in the right place recruit.”

Before she had a chance to stop herself, Starlight proclaimed “But surly you can’t be…” Before she had a chance to finish, she heard a rather fast but unfamiliar a sound piercing the air before she became aware of pressure on her neck. She looked down and her eyes widen in horror as she saw the pressure was being caused by a deadly but at the same time beautiful sword. Her eyes trailed the blade as it shined in the afternoon sun to find that the source of the earth pony. He was holding it with his tail and he appeared to be so at east with it that he didn’t even bother to look back at her. It was of course only how that Starheart was aware of the sheath that was strapped on his back, most likely where the sword was located originally.

The earth pony gave a tired sigh before saying “I understand why you were thinking such thoughts. I know that, compared to my counter-part, I appear somewhat…lacking. There have been rare times when an earth pony has assumed the position I have, mostly due to the fact that they lack horns or wings. However…” The earth pony tilted his head to look at Starheart before saying “don’t think for one moment that I am not as strong or as skilled as Solarshield. Understand?”

Starlight, feeling absolute fear, managed to choke out “Y…yes sir.” The earth pony gave a small smile and with a display or speed and reflexes, managed to return the sword back into its sheath. No longer feeling the pressure on her neck, Starheart managed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

However, before she could regain her composure, the earth pony shouted “Attention!” Starheart, reacting instantly to the command, canceled all movements in her body and froze like a statue. She focused her eyes directly in front of her as she felt the earth pony commander’s eyes examining her. She heard the sounds of his hoof steps echoing on the stone. The earth pony then said in a slightly softer tone “Wings out!” Once again acting on instinct, the pegasus recruit extended her wings as far as she was able. Of course this caused the scroll that she was carrying to fall from her grasp only to be caught by the earth pony.

The room was silent with the only sound coming from the commander’s hoof steps. Starheart was starting to get somewhat nervous as she wondered if there was something that she had failed to do or wasn’t up to standard. She could barely hear the earth pony mumbling to himself so she was unknown as to what he was saying. Eventually, the earth pony returned back to her field of vision with the scroll being held by his tail. He placed the scroll on his desk before saying “At ease.” Starheart relaxed her muscles and let out a gasp of relief. It only lasted for a moment or two before she had recovered her composure and was back to looking at the commander. She saw him give a smile and say “Yeah…I think you’ll do just fine as part of the Royal Night Guard, Pegasus Division.” He lost the smile on his face, now replaced with a stern look before adding “Report to Lieutenant General Skystriker for your assignment.”

Starheart nodded her head and gave a salute before replying “Yes sir!” She was surprise; however, to find the commander starting to chuckle a bit and she couldn’t help but ask “Is…something funny sir?”

The earth pony shook his head to clear out the unexpected giggling fit and replied “It’s nothing. It’s just you may find that we of the Royal Night Guard are more…flexible compared to out counterpart.” He looked up at Starheart and she noticed a new side of the commander that she didn’t see before. He had an almost playful look to them as he replied “Besides, I can’t stand hearing ‘sir’ all the time. I would be rather pleased if you would just call me by my name ‘Moonsaber’.”

Starheart gave a quick nod of her head before replying “I understand, Moonsaber.” Moonsaber gave a quick motion with his hoof, signaling that the meeting was over with and that it was time to report to Skystriker. Starheart made her way to the not, but not without taking one last glace at the rather impressive but odd Commander.

That was only about a month ago and now she found herself standing in front of the door that led to Princess Luna’s chambers. She knew from some of her colleagues that it wasn’t uncommon for the Royal Princesses to request certain guards to perform various tasks. Most of them were pretty trivial in nature though there were rumors that Celestia would use guards to ‘release some tension’ while Luna would have them join her in a strange practice involving a strange box, another box that displays images that would have images that range from strange creatures that walked on two legs and wore armor and used loud ‘weapons’ to fight strange creatures to images that left guards in a state of petrified fear where they would babble on and on about something called a ‘Slender man’ and would panic at the slightest noise.

Now Starheart didn’t put too much faith in these rumors, believing that they were only used to scare the new recruits. However, that didn’t stop her heart from increasing in speed as the doors to the chamber started to open. Her body felt tense as her mind was racing through the primal ‘flight or fight’ option. So it was only natural that she felt a collective feeling of relief when she saw that the pony on the other side of the door was Commander Moonsaber. The only thing that was different about him compared to their first meeting was that he was now wearing armor.

Moonsaber looked at her for a moment with an expression that offered Starheart no hints as to what she was going to be tasked with doing. Still, she felt a lot safer knowing that Moonsaber was here. Since she had started her duty as a guard, she knew that Moonsaber was both a respected and fair Commander. He looked after the well-being of the other guards and he was fair in terms of both reward and punishment. Moonsaber said nothing but motion for her to come in. She responded to the gesture and went inside the chamber. She heard the door being closed before returning her attention back onto Moonsaber.

Her eyes must have given away her question as Moonsaber pointed to a set of stairs behind her and said “Top of those stairs is the door to Luna’s bedchamber. She is waiting for you inside.”

Starheart nodded her head and started to make her way to the steps. However, she was aware of the lack of hoof steps behind her and she turned her head to see that Moonsaber hadn’t moved from his spot. Her nervousness returning to her, she asked “Aren’t you coming Moonsaber?”

The Commander shook his head and replied “The Princess request to speak with you privately.”

Her nervous energy returning in force, Starheart couldn’t help but give an involuntary gulp of fear. Moonsaber heard that and gave her a warm smile to try and let her know that she had nothing to fear. Starheart saw the smile and started to feel better about what was going to happen. She returned her gaze back to the stairs and started to climb them.

Once she was no longer in sight, Moonsaber removed the smile that was on his face. He should have expected her to be feeling as nervous as she was and he wished there was more he could have done then just smiling at her to calm her nerves. She didn’t know what that Moonsaber himself was also nervous about what was going to happen to the young recruit.

After all, this was the first time in his entire career as Commander of the Royal Night Guard and Champion of the Moon where Luna had downright refused to give him any details.
I hope you enjoy this extra long chapter. Starheart and Skystriker aren’t the names of OCs, but rather they were the first names that popped into my head at the time. If they are in fact names of actual OC, please let me know so I can change them. Moonsaber and Solarshield, however, are in fact my OC. I thank you all for leaving feedback and watching this story. It’s a good feeling knowing that other people are enjoying the story so far.

Chapter 13: The Honest Explination

…Really don’t have much to say right now. The thing that I’m planning on doing won’t be for some time. I will be releasing more information as it becomes available. In the meantime, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 13: The Honest Explanation

The rising sun greeted the tired unicorn as she roused herself from her slumber. She felt a sense of comfort as she remembered the dreams that played out in her mind. Images of the joy Trixie would express upon being reunited with her treasured cape and hat.

Twilight could see the tears of joy forming in Trixie’s eyes, and she felt a new warmth in her heart. She took one look at the cape and hat, which were still displayed on the mannequin and appeared to have a new sheen in relation to the being touched with the sun’s gentle rays.

The sudden rumble in her stomach reminded her that it was around time to gather something to eat. Stealing one last look at the outfit, the purple unicorn made her way down to the main floor of the library. Once the main foyer was coming into her view, Twilight was met with a rather surprising sight.

She saw that Trixie was already awake and she was sitting in front one of the reading tables that Twilight had set up. In front of her were two plates that were filled with what appeared to be pancakes. She was then greeted with the sweet smell of fresh blueberries, causing her mind to enter a sense of bliss. Trixie was still wearing the saddle but her tact had been removed. No doubt it was to allow her to eat her breakfast.

Though her mind urged her to get to the delicious smelling food, her body was still sluggish as it was trying to get up. She eventually managed to reach the table and took a seat in one of the chairs. She was a little surprised to find that Trixie wasn’t in a chair herself, but her tired mind and hungry stomach made it hard for her to pursue that train of thought. Instead, she began eating the blueberry pancakes that were in front of her.

Upon the first bite, Twilight’s taste buds were swarmed with a range of flavors that complemented each other perfectly. It was like she eating the fluffiest cloud she had ever seen, with the blasts of blueberry flavors going off like sonic rainbooms in her mouth. She couldn't help but let out a slight moan of enjoyment before her mind was able to stop her. Twilight felt a rush of embarrassment flood her body. and she knew that Trixie was able to see the obvious light pink ovals forming on her cheeks. However, when she looked at her blue counter-part; she saw that she appeared to be more focused on the plate in front of her. Thinking that she had avoided a rather awkward moment, Twilight decided to say, “These are really good. I’m surprised that Spike knew how to make such delicious pancakes.”

Trixie, in the most normal, matter of fact tone she was able to do, simply replied “Actually…I was the one who cooked breakfast. Of course your assistant helped me out due to the fact that my magic is restricted at the moment but the recipe is my own.”

Twilight almost choked on her pancake when she heard what Trixie had said. Her first thought was that Trixie was trying to pull a fast one on her, but the way she said it in such an off-hoof way pushed that notion out of her mind. Twilight had never actually pegged Trixie as a competent chief but the more she thought about it, the more it seemed likely that the blue unicorn would have at least some basic knowledge in terms of preparing a meal, considering that she used to travel a lot.

Strangely enough, Twilight felt a new sense of understanding towards Trixie. She believed that Trixie was actually just as skilled as she was, but, in the field of living on your own. Twilight for the most part lived a very sheltered life. She had everything that she needed and she was always under careful watch, whether it was her parents, her brother, her foal-sitter, or even the Princess. The first time she had to perform a task without supervision was the day she met her friends and moved to Ponyville. She could still remember those early days where she was unsure of what to do because she lacked that adult guidance. Trixie, on the other-hoof, had to take care and feed for herself for Celestia-knows how long, and while her magical abilities were not as strong as her own; she made up for it in her other traveling skills.

Trixie noticed the rather shocked expression that Twilight had, and felt a sense of pride forming inside of her. However, she was surprised to find that this new pride felt different then the one she had while on stage. While that one was more forced and fake, this new pride felt genuine and more humbling then she would have imagined real pride to be. She was also a little surprised to realize that it came from the fact that she was able to cause such a reaction in the purple unicorn. Trixie felt that she was the type of unicorn that was used to having everything in order and disliked unexpected changes, and her reaction to that bit of information showed an expression that was borderline adorable. Still, the blue unicorn felt glad about her small victory, and settled back in to enjoy the rest of the pancakes in silence.

Twilight, after recovering from the shock, also joined Trixie in finishing up the meals. Once the plates were cleaned off and put away, Trixie said to the purple unicorn “Your assistant had some urgent business to attend to at Canterlot so he won’t be around until after dinner.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and said “That’s just his way of saying he’s going over to Rarity’s place. I sometimes wonder if he spends more time helping her then he does helping out here?”

Trixie let out a mild chuckle before saying “He also told me to tell you that we are running low on food and that he finished all of his morning chores.” Twilight nodded her head and even her past annoyance by her assistant’s sudden disappearance was gone. Spike may have a major crush on Rarity but he was still responsible enough to be able to finish his tasks before taking off. The fact that the food in the library was getting low was to be expected, as her schedule said that it was time to make a trip to Sweet Apple Aces to get some fresh apples. Twilight would have gone to the local market, but she always preferred the taste of fresh apples.

So, with the prospect of enjoying fresh picked apples, gathering some new groceries, and a chance for Trixie to make peace with Applejack; Twilight gathered up her saddlebags. Trixie, seeing Twilight gathering her bags, made her way to back to where she had placed her reins. She grabbed the tack with her mouth and waited for Twilight to finish securing the rest of the harness. Trixie would have done it herself but due to the fact that her magic was unavailable to her and the fact that she wasn't that good with manipulating objects with her hooves, she decided to wait for help.

Once the reins had been secured, the two unicorns left the house and made their way towards Sweet Apple Aces. They traveled in a comfortable silence with Twilight thinking about her plans for the day, and Trixie wondering where they were going next. The residents of Ponyville had gotten used to seeing the former show-mare walking around town with that get-up, which was something that Trixie was thankful for. She had earlier been worried about the possibility of dealing with the whole town against her.

Eventually, the two reached the apple farm and Trixie was surprised to see such a large collection of apple trees. She had never realized that this was here the last time that she was in Ponyville, and was now wondering if there were any other land-marks that she had overlooked. She didn’t have long to ponder that as she saw a familiar orange pony trotting towards them. Trixie saw the look on her face was a mix between suspicion and curiosity, but she was unable to get further knowledge due to the fact that Twilight started making her way towards her friend, and was pulling on Trixie’s reins to follow.

Eventually, the three ponies had managed to close the distance and were now waiting for somepony to break the ice. Twilight was nervous about trying to get Applejack to forgive Trixie for what had happened. Rarity was easier due to the fact that she knew about Twilight’s unsure feelings for the blue unicorn, but neither Applejack nor Rainbow Dash had such knowledge. Still, this was something that was going to happen sooner or later, and it was as good a time as any.

Attempting to break the ice, Twilight said “How are you doing today Applejack?” She tried to make her voice sound pleasant enough but she was worried that it might have sounded nervous to the orange pony. Trixie remained silent though, even if she was allowed to speak she was unsure as to if she would even say anything in the first place.

Applejack for the most part, was still dealing with a mixture of emotions inside of her. On one part, she was still annoyed by the way Trixie showed her up during her last visit, but the time between that event and today was long enough that those feeling were lessened. She had also heard from her sister Applebloom, who heard from Sweetie bell that Rarity had already forgiven the showpony, and Applejack knew how much of a drama queen her friend was. Maybe it was time to try and start making amends.

Putting on her best friendly face, the farm pony said “Howdy there Twi. I’m doing fine as usual.” Applejack returned her attention to Trixie and said “Hello there as well Trixie.” Trixie was a little surprised by the friendly greeting from the farm pony and managed to give a small smile through her tact. The three mares returned to their silence before Applejack said “Twi…do you mind if I talked to you private like?”

Twilight was a little curious as to what Applejack wanted to talk about so she looked over and saw a nearby tree with some shade. She turned to Trixie and directed her attention to that tree and said “Stay there for now while I talk with my friend.” Trixie, thinking that Twilight was going to try and smooth things over before allowing her a chance to talk with Applejack merely nodded her head and made her way over to the tree.

Once she was out of earshot, Applejack said “Did you really have to tell her to go to that tree?”

Twilight nodded her head and replied “As long as she wears that Saddle, she is to do anything I ask of her. However, she is also supposed to always stay by my side, unless I tell her to go somewhere.”

Applejack, glad that the conversation was on the saddle, decided to take the incentive and asked “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that there saddle. Is it really some form of punishment?”

Twilight knew that at some point she was going to have to explain the deal behind the Saddle of Servitude and she was glad that it was being asked by her honest friend. Besides, there was a bit of an irony to Applejack asking her, considering that the original idea of the Saddle of Servitude came from earth pony adviser's who grew up on a farm.

Twilight took a small breath and said “Yes Applejack. The Saddle of Servitude was a punishment that allows the guilty party to, for a lack of a better word, pay off the crime they committed to the victim. During the time frame there are three ponies that are involved, the victim, the guilty pony, and a third pony called the Overseer.”

Applejack was a little confused by the concept of the third pony and asked “I can understand that Trixie is the guilty pony and you are the victim, but what in the hay is this here ‘Overseer’?”

Twilight responded, “The Overseer is a third party pony whose job is to make sure that the victim, the guilty party, and the bystanders are all following the rules. The Overseer is also the only pony who knows how long the Servitude lasts.”

Applejack interjected by saying “Wait a minute…you mean to tell me you have no clue how long Trixie going to be like this?”

Twilight nodded her head and replied “Yes…it helps make sure that the victim doesn’t abuse their control over the guilty party by making them do more work than they would normally do.”

Applejack nodded her head in agreement and was about to move on to another topic when a thought entered her mind, and she asked, “I’ve got one more question, when Trixie first came back to Ponyville and Dash had wanted to slug her, you told her that it would be bad.” Twilight nodded her head and motioned for Applejack to continue “Well…I was wondering why that was.”

Twilight was about to answer, when she heard a voice in the distance shouting, “This is what you get for humiliating me in front of the town!” The earth pony and the unicorn turned their heads and saw Trixie slumped on the ground with Rainbow Dash standing above her. Even from the distance, they could just see the red mark on Trixie’s cheek where they assumed that Rainbow Dash must have hit her.

A cold feeling surfaced within Twilight, and she couldn’t help but let out a soft “oh no.” Before Applejack could inquire about that ‘oh no’, the air around the area became suddenly cold and frigid. Rainbow Dash was rooted to the ground and the two mares made their way over to her. Before they had a chance to try and figure out what happened, a massive voice sounded in the air saying “THY PONY HAS BROKEN THINE RULES!!!”
Well…things have gotten a bit more interesting, haven’t they?

Chapter 14: The Loyal Folly

I really enjoyed reading the comments for the last chapter. I am actually a little curious to know if any of you expected something like this to happen…

Chapter 14: The Loyal Folly

The air around the clearing became much colder as the wind started whipping around with a force that was strong enough to knock loose branches from the trees. The four ponies were looking around searching for the familiar voice of Princess Luna. However, the Night Princess was nowhere to be seen.

It was then that a mist slowly flowed around the clearing, creating a sense of dread. Rainbow Dash, her bravado staring to waver, decided that it was a good time to leave. She prepared herself for flight but before she could move an inch, she felt a strange force pressing her body down. Before she could even figure out what was going on, she was hurtled towards a nearby tree.

She landed with enough force to knock the wind out of her body. The other watched with shocked horror as the tree that Rainbow Dash had hit seemed to become alive. The bark was growing around the blue pegasus’ body, ensnaring her. Rainbow Dash was about to voice her mistreatment about being bound to a tree when she felt something cold and hard on her neck. She looked down and her eyes widened in shock.

Appearing out of nowhere, two guards wearing the armor of the Night Guard were standing next to the trapped mare. One was a unicorn whose horn was still glowing with a soft aura, no doubt the one maintaining the spell, while the second one, a pegasus, was holding a spear pointed right at Rainbow Dash’s neck. Twilight and Applejack were shocked by the sudden appearance of the two guards but before they had a chance to try and help their friend, a voice said “The target has been secured.” The two mares looked behind them and discovered the source of the voice.

Standing a ways from them were Princess Luna and an earth pony knight who Twilight recognized as Luna’s Champion. Luna appeared to be rather disgusted with the situation while her Champion remained passive. Twilight wanted to talk to Luna to find out what was going on, but the look on her face made Twilight pause.

The unknown winds were dying down as the Champion turned his attention to Luna and asked, “Do you want me to hand out the punishment Princess?” He knew that this was a situation that Luna was somewhat displeased with, and he wanted to do what he could to make it easier on her. The Princess looked at him and he could see her answer in her eyes. The Champion merely bowed his head and stepped back a pace while Luna started making her way towards Rainbow Dash.

Trixie had managed to return to her feet and watched as the Princess of the Night made her way to the awestruck pegasus who was trapped in the tree. For some strange reason, the sight of her stuck in that tree caused Trixie to chuckle a bit to herself. It was fortunate that the tact was able to muffle the sound so no-pony else was able to hear it.

When Luna reached a certain point, she pulled out a scroll from the air and said in a voice that was slighty softer, but still carrying authority, “Rainbow Dash of Ponyville, you have been charged with attacking a pony wearing the Saddle of Servitude. Do you deny this claim?”

Now, one would expect a pony under these conditions to plead their innocence; especially if they knew the full implications of what they did. Rainbow Dash, once again showing off her trademark brashness, replied in a confident tone “Yeah I hit that unstuck showpony. She got what was coming to her and I would do it all again in ten seconds flat!”

Twilight couldn’t resist connecting hoof to face when she heard Rainbow Dash’s proclamation. Applejack and Trixie were curious to see where this was going and Luna had a look on her face that caused even Rainbow Dash to question what she had said. The Princess of the Night said in a quiet tone “You leave me no options then…” before raising her voice and saying “Let it be known that the pegasus Rainbow Dash has pleaded ‘guilty’ to the crime with the added statement of repeating the offense. Normally, I would show some leeway due to her being the Element of Loyalty but I cannot, under my duty as Princess and Overseer, let this kind of behavior pass.”

Her voice was starting to grow, and at this point getting ever closer to the Royal Canterlot Voice as she declared “As such, you are hereby charged with committing a Class A crime and the punishment will be as follows: First, you will be sentenced to the dungeons in Canterlot for a period of no less than one year with no hope of good behavior. Two, you will have to pay the victim a fine of no less than fifty thousand bits, Three, you will be forced to wear the Saddle of Servitude under the command of the victim upon release from the dungeon, and last, you will be unable to attend or participate in any and all sporting and political events for as long as you can walk and fly which include, but are not limited to, The Running of the Leaves, Winter Wrap-Up, The Grand Galloping Gala, and all Wonderbolts shows.” The Princess looked down at the pegasus mare and saw her eyes widening in shock. She could see the tears that threatened to free themselves from her eyes; only being held back by her own will. Luna hated what she was doing, and she knew what she was going to say next, but it had to be done. She took a deep breath to calm herself and said “That means you have forfeited any and all chances you had of joining the Wonderbolts.”

Rainbow Dash felt her entire body die within her. She literally felt as if she was dying right then and there. To lose any hope of joining the Wonderbolts, to have her dreams destroyed just because of something that happened so long ago was a literal soul-crusher to the proud mare. She couldn’t stop the tears that were flowing down her face; she couldn’t stop the emotions of guilt, regret, and depression from entering her mind and breaking her from the inside out.

Twilight knew that something like this was going to happen, but that didn’t change the fact that she also had tears running down her face. Applejack was in shock by what she had witnessed and she couldn’t help but look at the purple unicorn next to her, her eyes asking the question she was unable to voice. Twilight looked at her farmer friend and said in a chocked voice “It is as bad as you heard. The ponies who came up with this form of punishment wanted to make sure that in the event that the pony wearing the saddle had committed wrongs against ponies other than the one he or she was serving, that they wouldn’t be attacked in their time of weakness for revenge.” Upon hearing those words, Applejack herself couldn’t help the tears that were now falling from her eyes.

Princess Luna hated herself for doing what she did. She had learned a long time ago that politics were a messy, evil business and as co-ruler of Equestria she was required to uphold all of the laws of the land. She also disliked the fact that she expected something like this to happen, but she hoped that Twilight would have gotten the chance to explain the full situation to her friends. However much she wished it wasn’t true, it had happened, and there was nothing she could do or say to make the completely devastated mare in front of her feel any better about herself. The Princess of the Night was about to leave when a voice shouted from the top of their lungs “Hold it!”
Evil Cliffhanger is evil. You know I don’t like making you all wait on the edge of your seats, but sometimes it’s just so fun.

Chapter 15: A Rainbow Turnabout, the Start of Something, and a Lunar Reaserch

Well…lesson learned. Never post a chapter that had a slight chance of a war to break out in my comments. As a plus, you get a chapter earlier.

Chapter 15: A Rainbow Turnabout, the Start of Something, and a Lunar Research

It was rather funny in a strange way, how two words seemed to have such an effect on ponies that it was almost mystical. Images of courtroom and heated debates seem to enter the imagination and those present started to wonder what those same words would sound like coming from a highly driven defense attorney with a bad mane cut. Never the less, it was food for thought later and all that were present had push that thought from their heads and focused their attention on the owner of the voice who just happen to be Trixie.

She had removed her tack and rains, in violation of the rules of course, in order to be able to speak. Twilight was worried that Trixie was going to reawaken the drive that Luna displayed when she declared Rainbow Dash’s punishment. However, the Lunar Princess appeared more curious than enraged, and merely waited to hear what Trixie had to say.

Trixie, however, was in a state of mental shock. She had no idea what had come over her, and was still feeling the strange energy that seemed to flow through her body. She felt her pride urging her to back down, to give that loud-mouth pegasus what she had coming to her. Yet, there was a new voice, which urged her to beg Luna to remove or at least reduce the punishment that Rainbow Dash received. She could only assume that it was the other part of her that was at war with her prideful side, her Love.

She tried to figure out why this part of her was reacting to a pony that she had no feelings of love for; yet it seemed that part of her knew she was going to be asking that question and gave Trixie a mental image of Twilight in despair. It was then that the pieces fit into place, and Trixie realized that her Love wanted to save Rainbow Dash in order to get closer with Twilight.

When she realized this, she felt a sudden sinking feeling inside of her stomach. Was she really doing this just to get at Twilight? It wasn’t how she wanted to win Twilight over, if she did decide to love Twilight and not hate her. Yet, the love part of her was still present, and showed Trixie a new line of reasoning. Despite what her personal feelings were towards the rainbow pony; she could see the emotional devastation written all over face. Trixie knew what it was like when it felt like your whole world had ended and there was nopony there to comfort you. She knew she wasn’t going to let her suffer like she did.

Something happened at that moment of realization that caused Trixie to experience a flow of energy she hadn’t felt since her last performance on a stage. She felt the confidence surging through her body, steadying her legs and focusing her mind. She felt unstoppable, untouchable and on top of the world.

She felt Great and Powerful and she knew exactly what she was going to do. With a voice that was brimming with confidence and assurance, the show mare said “Princess, I was the one who provoked Rainbow Dash into hitting me!”

The clearing was silent, and it wasn’t just because of the guards. Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were all in various states of disbelief while the Princess of the Night looked at the show-mare with the same curious expression. Luna said nothing but motioned with her hoof to let Trixie know that she was allowed to continue. Trixie gave a slight nod and began,“While Twilight and Applejack were talking, Rainbow Dash flew over and landed in front of me. She appeared to be trying to suppress her pride to say something but I ignored her. She got a little muffed up and said that she was trying to make amends, but I removed the tack and told her that she could take her apology and shove it up her plot, before adding that she never had anything shoved up their because she was a massive lesbian. That was when she punched me and I quickly put the tack back on to remove any implications that I provoked her.”

Luna now appeared to be lost in thoughts while the other ponies were in complete disbelief. Even the guards seemed to become slightly more interested as they watched to see how Luna was going to react. Luna had her eyes closed and her right front hoof was slowly tapping the ground; a familiar gesture to the guards that meant that she was deep in thought and was not to be disturbed.

Eventually, the tapping hoof ended with a strike to the ground, strong enough to capture everyponies’ attention, but not strong enough to leave a mark on the ground. Luna opened her eyes and said “Rainbow Dash!”

The pegasus looked up at the princess, hoping for a miracle but fearing the worst. She did notice that her features had softened a bit and that caused her to feel somewhat relax. It was then that Luna said “I can’t ignore the fact that you attacked a pony wearing the saddle…However, in light of the fact that you were provoked into doing so does cast a new light on this situation.” The Princess paused for a moment before saying “The law does state that I can grant leeway on this matter if the party was either forced or provoked. As such, I’ve decided that Rainbow Dash will be charged with a Class D crime and punished with a month of house arrest and a fine of no more than two month’s salary.”

Rainbow couldn’t help but feel a massive amount of relief at this turn of events. Most importantly, she was not going to lose her chance of joining the Wonderbolts. What was two month’s salary and a month of house arrest compared with regaining the opportunity of a lifetime.

Princess Luna wasn’t done yet as she turned her attention to Trixie and said “As for you miss. You should know that you are forbidden to remove your gear without permission from your ‘owner’ for a lack of a better term. Furthermore, you decided to go and provoke a mare who was trying to make peace. You leave me know choice but to extended you time of servitude. I hope the extra days will teach you to still that tongue.” Trixie nodded her head in understanding. She knew that something like this was going to happen, but seeing the joy on Rainbow Dash’s face made her the extra time worth it.

Luna turned her attention to Twilight and said “As for you, I would have expected you to at least remember the first rule of being in charge of a pony wearing the saddle ‘maintain constant eye contact’. You are dealing with a pony found guilty of a crime and I don’t want another repeat of what has happened here. As such, I’ve decided to hold off on that book you wanted me to give to you about distant stars until after the servitude is over. Think of it as a reward for doing a good job.” Twilight nodded her head in agreement. While she had been looking forward to the book, she knew that she had broken that rule in order to try and convince Applejack that Trixie was alright. It was a situation that could have been avoided if she hadn’t been so eager to appease her friend.

Luna then said “And Applejack…” Applejack gave a startle look and started to wonder why she was being targeted by the princess. As far as she could tell, she was just a bystander in all this. However, Luna couldn’t help the playful grin on her face and said “We just remembered that we wanted to tell you that my sister and I enjoyed that case of apple cider from your last cider season and plan on reserving two casks for the upcoming season. My sister is planning on sending you a letter about this soon but I figured that since I was here, I could tell you directly.” Applejack let out a breath of relief as she felt her heart trying to slow down from the sudden panic.

Luna did a quick mental check to see if there was anything she had forgotten. Once it was over, she turned her attention to her Champion and said “See to it that the house arrest of Rainbow Dash is taken care of. We must return to Canterlot to rest.” The Champion merely bowed his head before walking towards the other two guards next to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash was barely aware of her surroundings as she felt the bark being removed from her body. Her scattered brain was trying to process this turn of events and eventually decided to at least thank Trixie for helping her. However, when she turned to look at where the blue unicorn was, she saw that she was no longer there. In fact, she was also unable to locate Twilight as well. She wanted to go and find the two unicorns, but she didn’t want to antagonize the guards any more then she already had, and she found herself in front of Luna’s Champion, who started to explain to her about the concept of her house arrest.
Twilight Library: A Few Minutes Later

The walk back to the library seemed almost distant to the two unicorns. Twilight was still running on the adrenaline of what happened while Trixie was reminiscing on her own actions.

To Twilight, she was starting to feel a return of her feelings for Trixie. Despite the cliché of it, she was really thankful that Trixie stood up for her friend. Twilight had wanted to, of course, but she was unsure if her words were going to change the Princess’s mind. That strange warm feeling in her stomach was causing her to feel especially shy and unsure about what was going to happen. She was also felt kind of bad for Trixie that she had to have her time in servitude extended, but deep down inside of her heart; she was secretly glad that she would be able to spend more time with the blue unicorn.

Trixie, on the other hoof, was struggling to understand what had happened on that clearing. She had never felt such a rush like that before. Not even her time on the stage could match that sudden rush of energy in her body. For the longest time, she had believed that the source of that energy was coming from her pride and confidence. However, this newer power seemed to be born from the love that she had for the purple unicorn, and it was that love that gave her the confidence she needed to speak out. Was confidence something born from more than just pride, or was it something else?

Trixie didn’t have time to think on it, as the two unicorns made their way inside the library. It was still midmorning and the show-mare knew that Twilight still had things that she needed to get done. She also wanted to be alone with her thoughts for a moment. However, before Trixie could get far, she heard Twilight saying “Wait a minute Trixie.”

Trixie started turning her head to see what the purple unicorn wanted; however her entire body froze when she felt a strange sensation on her cheek. The sensation lasted for less than a second but the effects were staggering as Trixie felt her stomach doing a backflip and her body warming up despite the comfortable temperature of the library. She could feel the heat being directed toward her cheeks which started to show signs of turning a pinkish blue color, and it took a while before her mind was able to register what happened.

Twilight had kissed her on the cheek. It wasn’t much, merely a fleeting gift of expressing her thanks for earlier, or a possible sigh, or the purple unicorn’s real feelings. Trixie was still struggling with getting her mind and body to function correctly when the purple unicorn leaned into her ear and said “Thank you for helping Rainbow Dash. It means a lot to me.” Trixie felt Twilight’s breath hitting the sensitive nerves located on her ear, causing her to give an internal shudder of bliss. She barely registered the sound of the door opening and closing, leaving her alone with her thoughts about that unicorn that had managed to reduce her to a puddle of emotions.

Some time passed before Trixie had managed to get her body back under control, and made her way down to her room to rest. The lingering sensation on her cheek was still present as she laid her head to rest.
Canterlot Castle: Night

Luna was somewhat exhausted when she finished going over the scrolls that her sister left for her concerning events that happened. Of course that wasn’t including the part where she had to go to that clearing in the morning to carry out her duty as Overseer.

It wasn’t known by many ponies, but Luna was actually nocturnal. It made sense considering that she was in charge of the moon, and there for needed to get as much rest as she could. It also made it easier on her older sister, by giving her that time she needed to rest and vice versa. So having to do anything during the day, especially in the morning, caused her mood to become a little unstable at times. Looking back on it, she admitted that the she went rather ballistic on Rainbow Dash was partially due to her having to be awake when she should have been asleep. She planed on writing an official letter of apology to Rainbow Dash with tickets to an upcoming Wonderbolts show in Canterlot.

Her nocturnal habits was also reflected on her Night Guards. Unlike her, they had a spell cast on them that modified their sleeping habits to be allowed to perform their duties. The spell is voluntary of course, and possible recruits are always given prior notice so they could have time to think about it. Of course, like most spells, it could be undone in case a personal matter came up that required the guard to be present during the day.

Luna’s thoughts were interrupted with the sound of her door knocking. From the way the knocks sounded, Luna determined that it wasn’t anything urgent, but rather it was to let her know that somepony wanted to see her. After making sure that she looked presentable, Luna said “Come on in.” and watched as the door opened to reveal the pegasus that Luna had sent on that mission Private Starheart.

Luna noticed that she was trying to hide signs of fatigue and felt a flash of sympathy towards the guard. Luna didn’t like making her guards feel uncomfortable, which was part of the reason why the Night Guard was more relaxed compared to the Day Guard, and seeing them in any sort of discomfort managed to make her feel somewhat sad.

Still, before Luna could offer any kind of words of comfort, Starheart said “Princess, I’ve manage to retrieve the book you asked for.” Before reaching into one of her saddlebags and pulling out a very old book that was about the same size as any other textbook you might find in the Canterlot Library.

Luna reached out with her magic to grab the book, and replied, “Thank you Starheart. Now, why don’t you rest up for a bit? You look like you’re about to collapse on the floor.” Starheart couldn’t help but form a grin at the irony. She wasn’t that good at long distance travels, and she really did feel like she was about to collapse. She gave off one final salute to the Princess before turning around and heading back to her sleeping quarters.

As soon as Luna was sure Starheart was out of earshot, she opened the book and started reading. The book was written in a very old version of modern Equestrian, and Luna was lucky that she still remembered the correct form of writing in the language. Otherwise, she would have to risk getting a translator, and that would increase the chances of her sister finding out. Luna didn’t like keeping secrets from her, but she wanted to be absolutely sure that what she found was the truth, and would leave no room for doubt.

With determination in her eyes, Luna got down to work translating and reading the text, knowing that a very important part of an important pony’s history was riding on her research.
Hope you enjoy this nice long chapter, and I hope it is acceptable to you all.

Chapter 16: Settling Down and Stepping Up

Now…if you've been paying attention so far, you would know about a certain something I had planned for this story that I wanted to do. I’m actually a little surprised that I haven’t been bugged about it ever since I mentioned it. Regardless, that ‘something’ is waiting for you at the end of this chapter. However, before we get to that, please take a moment to enjoy this next chapter.

Chapter Sixteen: Settling Down and Stepping Up

One month…

To most ponies, that time would have passed by without so much as a passing thought. The only indication was the rising and setting of the sun and the moon. They lived their lives by either going to school or to the profession that they were in. Some would celebrate birthdays in that months, others the day they found their special somepony, and then there are those who would silently morn at the lost of somepony that was important to them.

At lot could happen in a month’s time; something that Trixie has learned while she was resting on her cushions. It was still morning, but at that time in the morning where everypony is getting ready to open shop and the fillies would be almost done getting ready for the school day. Yet, to the purple librarian, it might as well have been the dead of night.

It wasn't her fault really. She had been up late at night working on something that caused the show mare’s brain to short-circuit. She would have been concerned about her but she had been told by her dragon assistant earlier that this was considered normal behavior for her and the best thing to do was to let her have her space and not to wake her up in the morning unless you want to end up going through a wall. Of course the blue unicorn didn't believe the part about the whole going through a wall, but that almost maniac look in Twilight’s eyes did give the dragon’s statement have some merit.

Still…this month might end up becoming one of the most memorable months in Ponyville due to the main gossip being the house arrest of Rainbow Dash. Trixie remembered the looks on the ponies’ faces when they all gathered at town hall and learned about what had happened to her, and what that meant for the town considering that Rainbow Dash was in charge of the weather in the Ponyville airspace. It turns out that her position was to be filled temporary by one of the pegasus guards, which was something that was different to Ponyville. Trixie noticed how the town itself seemed to change whenever something happened that breaks the normal flow of events, and during that mouth she could see it in their eyes. It wasn't much but there was a slight distracting look like they were waiting to see that familiar rainbow trail.

Of course Rainbow Dash’s friends, at least the ones who didn't already know, reacted in about what Trixie had suspected of them. Trixie was worried that they might start to mistrust her, again but Twilight and Applejack were able to straighten things out. Besides, it wasn't like they were forbidden to go and see their friend up in her cloud house, though they did have to go through a bit of paper work. Twilight had offered on several occasions to join her in checking up on the pegasus flier, but she respectfully declined on all accounts. I was still scared of seeing her again, especially considering what happened and she didn't want to repeat it. She knew Twilight understood but the look she gave her made her feel as if she was letting Twilight down.

It was then that Trixie ‘felt’ a slight change in the library. She didn't really know how to explain it, but overtime she seemed to know the moment that Twilight was awake. It might have been due to the fact that she had been staying here for about a month or if it was even the residual magic that sort of sparks the moment that she awakes. Never the less, she dragged myself out of the comfort of her cushions and prepared herself for whatever Twilight had planned for today.

Twilight had now finished rousing herself from the comfort of sleep, and made her way to receive her mail. Inside, she found the usual letters, but the one thing that was different was the inclusion of a scroll. That in of itself wasn't what was strange, but rather the fact that Twilight had been so used to receiving scrolls from her dragon rather than getting them from the mail. The scroll was held with a wax seal that had the letter ‘O’ on it, though Twilight was slightly unsure as to what the letter stood for. Never the less, she made her way back inside and opened the scroll and read what was on it.

Dear Twilight,
This scroll is to inform you that the time of servitude for one Trixie Lulamoon has now ended. You shall receive a chest when you finish reading this scroll and that is where you will place the saddle. I do not believe that I need to remind you the consequences for any sort of inaction on your part, but I trust you shall complete this in a timely matter.

Overseer

The moment that Twilight had finished, she heard a sudden banging noise coming from behind her. She turned around and saw a plain looking chest had appeared in the center of the library floor. Twilight knew that this was the chest that the saddle was supposed to go in. Not wanting to cause any more problems, Twilight said in a loud tone “Trixie! I need to see you in the main room.”

Twilight heard the rushing sounds of hooves on wood before the door to the basement door opened to reveal a slight disheveled Trixie. It looked like she was in the middle of getting her mane back in order…well, to the best that she could. She also appeared to be slightly out of breath.

The first thing that Trixie noticed was the chest that was on the floor. She recognized it as the same chest that Luna had brought which contained the Saddle. The second thing was the fact that Twilight was holding a scroll in her field of magic. It didn't take Trixie long to realize what was on that scroll and she felt her heart start to swell up with joy. That joy must have noticeable to Twilight because she now had a big but gentle smile on her face and said, “Yes Trixie, your time in that saddle is over.”

No words were said as Twilight made her way towards the showmare and began removing the tact and reins. It was a slow process considering that all of the equipment had to be removed by hooves, but that didn't matter to either of the two unicorns. As the reins were removed, their eyes locked onto each other, and they found themselves lost in each other’s gaze. It was something that neither of them had experienced before, and it was both scary and strange. Eventually, Twilight was able to break eye contact and return to removing the rest of the saddle. However, both unicorns felt a sudden rise in temperature, and were unable to figure out where it came from.

The second thing to remove was the magic suppressor, which went off without too much of a hitch. The moment that the ring was no longer touching her horn, Trixie felt a sudden surge of magic rushing through her before leveling out. She couldn't help but let of a gasp of surprise and she was lucky that it managed to go unnoticed to the purple unicorn. The last piece was the saddle itself, and that was part that was going to be the most difficult and…awkward to remove due to the reason being that some of the straps were located in places that were considered rather personal areas. Of course Twilight could have removed the saddle with magic, but she didn't want to trigger the alarms that were magically built into the saddle, which was the main reason why the saddle had to be removed by hoof.

When the last strap was removed, the saddle collapsed onto the ground, freeing the mare that it had bound for a month. The freedom was felt both physically and mentally and Trixie basked in the inner glow that she was feeling. She didn't even watch as Twilight placed the saddle into the chest and closed it. The moment that the chest was sealed, it flashed with a bright white light causing the two unicorns to be temporary dazed. When their eyesight was returned, they saw that the chest was no longer there and there was nothing left showing that it had even been there in the first place.

With the chest and the saddle gone, the air around the two mares started to rise in tension as they tried to avoid meeting each other gaze. Twilight was still embarrassed by that small peck of a kiss she gave to Trixie a few weeks ago, and Trixie was dealing with the uncertainty of what had happened. She had thought that she would have figured out what Twilight had thought of her during her time in the saddle, but as hard as she observed, she was no closer to an answer. She was now questioning Luna’s judgment in even having her wear the saddle in the first place. Sure, she got into Ponyville without the inhabitants giving her problems, and she did get to spend a lot of time with Twilight, but she didn't learn what she had hoped to learn.

Twilight, eager to try and break some of the tension, said, “What will you do now Trixie? I mean you are a free mare now…and…well you can return to your travels…I mean…if you want to.” Her voice fractured a bit, making her sound like she was doing a bad impression of Fluttershy, but she needed to know what Trixie was thinking. She needed to know if she was going to leave or stay.

Trixie was somewhat surprised to hear the question that Twilight had asked of her. She had known the mare to be more confident in herself when talking to others. So why was she stuttering like this unless…Trixie’s eyes widened as the subtle implications were dawning upon her. She realized that Twilight was actually scared to hear her answer and she wondered if that fear was born from that fact that she didn't want to deal with Trixie everyday or if she actually had feelings for the blue unicorn. Trixie then remembered that moment one month ago when Twilight kissed her on the cheek; when she felt the sudden rise of heat rushing through her body as if the purple unicorn had given her some magic. She wouldn't tell Twilight, but she felt a strange longing for that rush to happen again, as well as a curiosity to see what other task that would appear normal would cause such a reaction.

It was then that the true implications of Luna’s plan were realized to Trixie. The saddle wasn't meant to punish Trixie for what happened the last time she was in Ponyville. The saddle was merely a way for Trixie to have this moment. To be able to face the pony that had been causing such a mixture of emotions in a place where they were both free to talk. She knew that the moment was now and she wasn't planning on loosing it.

The one problem was that she was unsure as to what she wanted to do now. Even at that moment, Trixie was still confused as to what she should be feeling towards Twilight, and her head was hurting trying to come up with an answer. Eventually, she came to the realization that she had no answer. She was still unsure as to what Twilight thought of her and how she thought of the purple unicorn. She needed a way to be able to find out the truth. There has to be some way for her and Twilight to be able to meet in a comfortable, predetermined area where they could relax and be able to talk in order to find something common between them besides being skilled in magic.

“Something like a date?” Trixie thought and her eyes widen in shock. Dating Twilight Sparkle?! Was that even possible? Her mind quickly raced with scenarios after scenarios and her body was seizing up with actual fear and uncertainty. Her voice was lost and her mind was set on automatic as the emotions raged inside of her.

Twilight waited for the blue mare to say something only to be met with silence. As the minutes dragged on, she found her hopes slipping away. She knew she was acting like such a little filly right now and Trixie must have thought of her like that. What hope did she have of convincing Trixie to stay anyway? She knew her place was up on a stage, not settling down with a socially-awkward nerd. Trixie probably wasn't even into mares anyway. With a defeated sigh, Twilight said “Never mind Trixie, you probably want to get on the road soon anyway. It was foolish of me to think you would want to stay here.” Twilight then started to make her way towards her bed in hopes of letting the tears that threaten to fall from her eyes flow without anypony knowing.

Twilight’s words seemed to have an impact on Trixie as it caused all of the conflicting emotions and rushing thoughts to stop dead. In that moment of clarity, she realized the truth in that the only way she was going to know how she felt about Twilight and how Twilight felt about her was by dating. Trixie had always believed herself to be more attracted towards stallions, but she did admit to herself that she always had a curiosity towards the fairer sex, and Twilight wasn't exactly a bad looker in her opinion. Besides, if the worst happened; then she could be finally rid of these emotions and move on with her life.

Before Twilight had gotten too far, Trixie said “Twilight wait.” The purple unicorn stopped where she was at and turned to look at Trixie. She could see the small pools of water forming under her eyes and her lips were slightly quivering. She actually looked really adorable at that moment, but Trixie couldn't be distracted by that right now. She was riding on momentum and she couldn't lose it now. Taking a breath to calm herself, she said “I think that it might be best if I settled down here in Ponyville…at least until I can get enough bits to afford a new stage trailer.” She added that last part almost immediately afterwards as a way to keep the unicorn from realizing her real reason.

Not that it mattered to Twilight, at that moment, as she felt a sudden rush of relief and happiness flowing through her. Before Trixie was able to react, she found herself on the receiving end of a hug from the purple unicorn. Trixie was shocked at first, but she was able to get over that after a few seconds and moved to return it. Like the kiss on the cheek, Trixie was experiencing the sheer presence that was Twilight Sparkle. She was aware of how warm her body was against her and the subtle hint of shampoo and perfume that the librarian was wearing. It wasn't as powerful as the feel of her lips on her coat but the effects were longer which made it seem more real. Trixie wasn't the only pony experiencing this warm feeling as Twilight tried her best to get even closer to the blue unicorn. She didn't realized this until now that she was positively additive to the feel of Trixie’s coat pressing against her or her hooves as they slowly rubbed her back in a pattern that was both relaxing and calming. She tried to return the favor to the blue unicorn but her inexperienced hooves were moving in very random patterns that only caused the purple mare to feel somewhat embarrassed.

It was then that the two unicorns separated enough to be able to see each other’s faces. Their eyes locked onto each other and it was as if the world had stopped moving just for them. Trixie saw some kind of longing that was buried underneath a mixture of embarrassment and comfort in Twilight’s eyes. Twilight saw the surprise in her blue counterpart, but she was vaguely aware that there was something under that as well. However, she was unable to focus on that as a new sensation started to surface within her. She started to feel some kind of…desire growing within her; a desire that she had never once felt before, but was now the only thing that she was capable of thinking about. Her rational thought process was pushed aside amidst the warmth of Trixie’s body and the relief that she was feeling.

She wanted to know what it felt like to kiss the mare that had somehow captured her in a web of powerful but confusing sensations. She could feel her heart starting to beat faster as waves of emotions and energy were rushing through her body like never before. She wanted to feel those hooves holding onto her cheeks as she closed that even decreasing gap between wonder and completion. Trixie saw the purple unicorn’s eyes drop until they were half open, making her seem even more attractive and adorable then she had thought possible. She saw her mouth moving forward towards her own and she started to feel a sense of panic. Trixie had thought that this hug was just a gesture of gratitude and relief, but she was now seeing a side of Twilight that was actually causing her to get nervous. She could feel her pride rebelling against her while her love wanted her to make that dive. Trixie knew that she didn't want this to happen, at least until she was sure of her own feelings for the purple unicorn. As best as she could, Trixie tried to remove herself from the grasp that Twilight had her in as well as trying to further the distance between her own mouth and that of Twilight’s. However, Twilight’s grip was unwavering and the distance was still closing despite her best efforts. Trixie closed her eyes and wished that there was some way that she could get out of this awkward situation.

“It was then that a loud giggling voice said “Silly ponies, you can’t make any kissy faces until the author says so. Besides, you haven’t even gotten to third base yet.” The voice broke the moment that Twilight was in, causing her rational mind to take over and make her realize what she was doing. Her eyes widened in shock and embarrassment, but she was unable to discover the source before the entire library went completely black despite it still being midmorning. The darkness lasted for a moment before the library was suddenly blasted with light before the two unicorns almost went deaf with a large group of voices shouting “SURPRISE!!”

The two unicorns looked around and saw to their surprise that almost the entire town of Ponyville had assembled around them. They could see the similar smirks on their faces that took them a while to realize that they were still in each other’s arms. They quickly separated causing a couple ponies in the crowd to let out a slight giggle of amusement. Trixie was still dazed by what was going on when her vision was consumed by a pony that was of every hue of pink and jumping around as if she was on a sugar rush.

Trixie had seen this pink pony before, during her last visit here, but she didn't realize that she was so…hyper. Words were flowing out of her mouth like a rushing waterfall and Trixie was just barely able to understand what she was talking about. Applejack saw the confused look on her face and went over to say “Don’t mind Pinkie here. She always gets this excited whenever she throws one of her famous ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party’.”

Trixie was a little surprised that Applejack was talking to her but she was thankful that she gave her the condense version. She now watched as the random pink pony was hopping around lost in her own world.

The party was nothing like she had expected. The ponies who were attending were treating her as if she was one of them. She didn't realize that being under the Saddle of Servitude for about a month plus having Pinkie throw you a party on this scale was enough to gain their trust, or at least acceptance. She knew that she still had a few bumps left to smooth out, but that could be done at a later time.

However, it would seem that fate decided against that notion as everypony heard the sound of the library doors opening. Trixie heard the gasp of surprise coming from multiple mouths and turned her attention to find that the crowd had parted to give her a perfect view of the one pony she was most afraid of facing.

Rainbow Dash was looking at her with an expression that was hard for Trixie to be able to decipher. She briefly wonder why she was here when she was on house arrest before realizing that the house arrest was only a month long and that she must have just gotten released. Trixie also notice another pony behind Dash, a yellow pony who was trying to hide behind her long pink mane.

The room became tense as Rainbow Dash made her way towards Trixie with a confident stride. Even Pinkie hyperactivity was subdued by the appearance of her friend. At first Trixie wasn't too concern for her safety until her mind decided to remind her that she was no longer wearing the Saddle. Without that saddle, she had lost all protection of retribution. She had her magic of course, but the expression that Rainbow Dash had was causing her mind to freeze up and her body to become as still as a statue.

It was then that the pegasus crossed the last distance separating the two ponies. The room was silent as Trixie waited for the inevitable strike. However, she was surprise to hear a clinging sound followed by a slight pressure on her chest. She heard Rainbow Dash say “Here” before daring to open her eyes that had fallen shut and see what it was.

Pressed on her chest was a brown bag that didn't have anything interesting about it in terms of design or appearance. The bag was bulging a bit and she was aware of the quieter clinging sounds that were being caused when the bag shifted under Rainbow Dash’s hoof. With trepidation, Trixie reached for the bag with her magic and lifted out of Rainbow Dash’s grip. The moment that the bag was in her grip, she heard Dash say “Thanks for the save…I guess.” She looked up and saw the cyan pegasus walking towards the doors before taking off into the sky.

Trixie looked at the bag and opened it to find to her surprise that it was a rather decent size bag of bits. She knew that Dash needed to pay her with two months of her salary but Trixie never realized that she made that much. Of course it wasn't enough to afford to own house or a new stage trailer, but it was a good start. She looked back at the doors that were now blocked by the mass of ponies and she couldn't help but ask “Is she always like that?”

Applejack gave a slight chuckle and replied “That’s just Dash’s way of saying thanks. Don’t worry too much about it; she’ll come around.” Trixie nodded her head in thanks and pushed the thought of Rainbow Dash behind her for now. She knew she was going to have to deal with it soon but she had a party to get back to.

The party continued past lunch and ended around the afternoon. During that time, Trixie met with the last of Twilight’s friends; the shy yellow pegasus she saw earlier named Fluttershy. She wasn't sure how it happened, but somehow the two mares really connected and quickly became fast friends. Trixie asked if Fluttershy had an extra room she could stay in until she got enough her own place. Twilight of course was slightly opposed to the idea but backed off when Trixie made the comment about needing a chance of scenery. Of course, Trixie just needed someplace that wasn't close to Twilight so she could be able to collect her thoughts and decide on her next plan.

When Fluttershy decided it was time to return to her cottage, Trixie went with her. Since Trixie didn't have any personal belongings with her, the two mares were able to reach the cottage in decent time. Trixie managed to get settled into the guest room located on the main floor. It was a new addition that Fluttershy had added after having to sleep on the couch while foal-sitting. The room was decent enough with enough furniture to be hospitable, while still allowing those staying here to give it a sense of personality.

Trixie placed the bag of bits on the nightstand before lying down on the bed. She looked up at the ceiling and started thinking about her plan. Thanks to Rainbow Dash, she now had the bits to be able to afford the dates and Fluttershy gave her a place to recover a recollect her thoughts. However, before she could even think about dating, she needed to get a few items and find a job she can do in order to establish an income. Once all those were in place, she could move forward with asking Twilight out. She could get a few of the items she needed right now but the series of events that happened today had managed to tire her out. Shuffling around her bed and pulling the covers up, she closed her eyes for a well-deserved rest, with dreams of dates flowing through her mind.
It is time. I’m going to try and explain this as best as I can, but if you are confused about anything, then let me know in the comments or send me a P.M. Basically, if you didn't know, I have a story on my Fanfiction account in which I got to this part of the story and decided to try something a little different. The results were quite positive from what I could tell so now I want to do something similar here.
“What is it?” You might ask. Well…it actually quite simple. Basically, Trixie (and Twilight) are starting to date and YOU as the reader get to decided what their dates are. You might be thinking that this is some kind of contest, but it’s not because I will be using ALL ideas and suggestions that are get. I do have the approval of a moderator to do this and I will copy the e-mail for anyone who doesn't believe me. The reason I’m doing this is to give this story a sort of interesting spin on things and so I can practice writing under various prompts.
There are a few rules of course. The first rule is that the date has to be T-rated and it also has to fit in with the context of the story (I.e. a date that is ‘third base’ material while the story is still at ‘first base’). Next, the location of the date has to be local; by which I mean it’s either in Ponyville or Canterlot. Lastly, OC are allowed; however, they have to fit into context with cannon Equestria and are not the child of Twilight, Trixie, or both. OC that are children of other cannon characters are allowed but they would not have that background in this story. OC who are children of background characters or other OC are allowed. OC that are dating cannon or background characters might be allowed but I can’t promise anything. Finally, OC that are dating other OC are accepted. Of course all rights to your OC are still yours and you can reserve the right to remove your OC at any point. If you decided that you want your OC to make an appearance, simply include your OC in your idea submission with either the word “passive” or “active”. ‘Passive’ means that your OC will be mentioned and noted during the story. They may say a few lines to a character that helps them or perform some kind of action that has an effect on the story. ‘Active’ means that your OC will be described and have their name mentioned. Their role will be tied to the date in question and will have more speaking roles though only in terms of advancing the story along
So…here is how I plan on doing this. Starting Sunday, I will be posting a blog on my profile page. The blog will contain the basic information that I’m looking for in addition to any changes from the norm. Once done, you have until around the end of Friday till early Saturday to comment on the blog with you idea. Comments that are made ONLY on the blog will be counted. The reason being is that I want the comments made to the story to remain with only feedback and constructive feedback. Any ideas I find on there will be removed and not counted. On Saturday, I will post a comment on the blog marking the end of submissions. Any comment made after that will not be used. I will then look over the list and organize them in the order that I want to write them and then I will start. The order is based on my own opinion. I will then write up the dates, get them edited, and submitted as effective as I can. Once I’m finished with the list, I’ll start the next one. Since I’m unsure as to how successful this will be, I may change the process. If it comes to that, I will edit the current ‘date submission’ with that info.
We are almost done here; just need to go over a few more details before I end of this chapter. First of all, when your idea is used in the chapter, your name (as it appears on your Fimfiction profile) will appear in both the chapter selection and at the end of the chapter. Ideas that I find similar will be fused together into one chapter; however both names will appear. If there is a large selection of ideas, I may decide to put multiple different dates in one chapter. Once again, all those who came up with the idea will be mentioned. Now we get to the part that I think is going to make this interesting. As you might have guessed, I’m structuring this part of the story around the concept of ‘bases’. For those who don’t know, a common ‘slang’ term when asking a person who is dating another person is if they are on ‘first base’, ‘second base’, or ‘third base’. Now, of those who submitted an idea, I will randomly select three people. I will then send a P.M to those three people asking for one more idea. Those ideas will be brought together and used in the ‘Base Change Chapter’. These chapters aren't as different compared to the others minus the fact that I will spend a longer time on them and make them as detailed as I can. The ideas still have to follow rules or they won’t be counted and if I don’t hear from you by the deadline (which will also be in the P.M.) then you will lose your chance and I will pick another. Also, the number of submissions will NOT improve your chances of being picked. Lastly, I will select a random idea and have that chapter become a ‘Lunar Chapter’ in which your chapter will show what is going on with Luna.
I believe that I've covered everything that I needed to cover. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions of if you think that this is a bad idea in which case I will drop it and write as before. I just think that it is a good way for those who have ideas for this story and would like to see them happen. Thank you for reading and enjoying the story.
P.S: The first blog post will be up the day this chapter is submitted.

Chapter 17: Cafe Catching Up by suplup and Frankie

Two things I want to mention before this chapter starts. First of all, my editor contacted me about the date submission and he said that he wouldn't be able to edit these chapters because he wanted to see what people would come up with. So these chapters are going to be not as good as they use to. The plus side is that chapters would be release a little bit faster. The second thing is that my mom has come down with something really nasty so I may not be on my laptop as much. Thanks for understanding and here is the next chapter.

Chapter 17: Café Catching Up

“So as you can see here Ms. Lulamoon. This job is very easy to manage and it does have a decent salary of course.” Secretary Swift said as she looked back towards the blue unicorn hoping that she would accept the position. Swift was all too aware that the process of getting information around Town Hall and they had been looking into hiring another assistant secretary. They were looking for somepony who was both organized and efficient which was the reason that Trixie decided to try and apply for the job.

In reality, Trixie wasn't exactly an organized unicorn in the past. She did have a sense of where everything she needed was located but never really developed any real sense of cleaning or organizing while living in her stage trailer. However, the time that she spent with Twilight while wearing the Saddle has somehow managed to have an interesting impact on the blue unicorn; which was evidence by what she had done prior to applying for the job.

It started out with her waking up to the smell of warm breakfast cooked by her new roommate. She managed to get herself awake and into the kitchen just in time to get a slice of toast with butter and a glass of milk. After downing the food, Trixie made her way towards town with a small but still reasonable amount of spending money. Once in town, Trixie got herself a new saddlebag to carry all of her stuff and also an organizer with quills and ink. The organizer was a scroll that was divided into seven sections for each day of the week. It could also be altered to show the whole month or the whole year. The organizer was also enchanted to give off a warning whenever an event that was marked on the date was about to happen. It wasn't as large as the check-lists that Twilight would have but it was enough for the unicorn who was discovering the benefits of organization and time-management.

Returning her thoughts to the present moment, Trixie looked at what could become her new workplace. Of course it appeared to be simple and plain but it offered a rather nice view of Ponyville. Trixie was even able to make out the library from what she could see. She was glad that the position was still opened when she was out of the Saddle since she saw the wanted sign posted about a week ago. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to do with her life but it was the best option she had available.

Trixie looked at Swift and said “This does sound like something I want to be doing. I would be honored to accept the position.” Swift couldn't help but let out a breath of a relief at the idea of having her workload reduced. The two mares shook hooves in agreement before Swift informed her that she was to come to the Town Hall tomorrow to take care of the last details and to start her training. Trixie nodded her head before bringing out her organizer and jotting down the date and time on the parchment.

After exchanging a few last minute details, Trixie manages to exit the Town Hall just in time to see Twilight walking around. Trixie was a little surprise to be running into her so soon and part of her didn't feel ready enough to ask her out yet. However, before she had a chance to hide; the purple unicorn saw her and started walking towards her. Trixie felt a small bit of panic forming in her stomach but she saw the joyful smile on Twilight’s face that seemed to magically cause that bit of panic to disappear.

When Twilight got close enough, she asked in a polite tone “Hay there Trixie, I was just on my way to my favorite café. Do you want to come?” Trixie couldn't resist the almost natural way Twilight’s eyes would shine and grow in the adorable fashion and found her head nodding in agreement to join her. With that, the two unicorns made their way towards Le Café Honnête.

Le Café Honnête was a simple place that was perfect for the simple lifestyle of Ponyville. Due to the town close proximity, they were able to sell drinks that you would find in the capitol city. However, they managed to take those recopies and add a bit of country flavor to them; making it a successful business sometimes frequented by the higher up nobles. Today was a slow day for the café as most of their usual customers were busy with work at this time; which was the perfect time for Twilight and Trixie to be able to have their get-together.

Twilight got her usual order of green tea while Trixie decided to try a latte. The two unicorns made their way towards one of the outside table and sat down with their drinks.

The time passed in slowness as the two unicorns were trying to figure out a way to break the ice. Twilight was actually somewhat surprised that Trixie had been so eager to accept her offer considering that she thought the blue unicorn might be resentful to her because of the saddle. Trixie on the other hoof was still dealing with her pride and love which seem to want to continue their constant mental war in her head whenever her thoughts turn towards Twilight.

Eventually, Twilight was able to say “Nice weather today right?” Trixie looked up at the sky, noticing the fluffy clouds that drifted in the gentle breeze and warming rays of the sun shining on the town. It was the definition of a perfect day and Trixie was in agreement as well.

With the ice broken now, Twilight felt her confidence rise a bit and ask “So what have you been doing since you last left Ponyville?”

Trixie looked over at the purple unicorn and gave a minor shrug before replying “There wasn't much to say really. I went to a few smaller towns to try and restore my reputation. I got kicked out of their when news about the Ursa Minor reached them. I fell into a bit of depression where I spent the bits I earned on alcohol before running out of money. Then I started traveling around Equestria looking for a source of inspiration before I found a place where I learned more about whom I was and what I wanted to do with my life. It eventually brought me here and the rest you know.” Trixie reframed from telling Twilight about the Lake of Reflection or about Luna as she didn't want to try and appear boastful towards Twilight.

Trixie was about to ask Twilight what she had been doing when the two unicorns saw Spike running towards them with a scroll in his claws. He eventually reached them and said that the scroll he was holding was from Celestia. Trixie felt her curiosity increased as she wondered what kind of connection Twilight had with the Princess of the Sun. She never heard anything about this while she was wearing the Saddle. Before Trixie could ask, Twilight replied “I sorry to cut this short Trixie but something I need to take care of. Perhaps we can meet up tomorrow and I can give you the tour of the town.” Trixie nodded her head in understanding and watched as Twilight and Spike made their way back towards the library leaving the blue unicorn lost in thought.
Credits: Main Date by: suplup

Opening Scene by: Frankie
The name of the café is in French and I ran it through Google Translate so it might not be the correct way to say it; but it translates to “The Honest Café”. Thank you all for reading this story and I’ll see you in the next one.

Chapter 18: A Boastful Tour by Alexphoenixwing

Now I might be a little crazy right now, but after I posted the last chapter and checked the site; there was a moment, just a single moment, where this story was on the feature box. Granted it was on the second from the right but it was there. It was such a surprise and I do appreciate all of you for taking the time to read this story. Here is the next chapter.

Chapter 18: A Boastful Tour

The sun was high in the sky when Trixie decided to make her way over to Twilight’s house to take her up on that promise of a tour of the town. Prior to that, her day was spent getting familiar with what would be her new work environment and helping her roommate out with chores around the house. Fluttershy and Trixie were becoming friends faster than Trixie thought. Looking back on it, Trixie wondered what it was about that yellow pegasus that just seemed to draw her in. She wasn't the most vocal of ponies or the most assertive. It reminded Trixie of the way her own mom was like.

Perhaps that was the reason for the sudden friendship. Trixie wasn't able to remember much when she was living with her mom other then the day she got her cape and hat and the fact that her mom was like a gentle flower with hidden thorns. She wondered if Fluttershy was the same way; if she had her own set of hidden thorns that very few ponies know about. It was certainly a question to ponder over.

Speaking of questions that were on the blue unicorn’s mind, she was still pondering about the full implications of what happened back at the café. As much as she tried to recall all the events that happened while she was wearing the Saddle of Servitude, she was unable to remember anything that would give implications that Twilight had a connection with Celestia. Sure Trixie knew that Twilight was born in Canterlot and had family there but how close was her family to the Princess? Did they serve as advisers, diplomats, or were they just another noble family with large sums of bits. The latter seemed unlikely due to the fact that Trixie never saw Twilight carry or keep a large sum of bits. Though considering her limitations on where she was allowed to go in the house at the time, she didn't get a good look around.

Trixie’s musing was halted when she was in sight of the familiar library. Despite it being the afternoon, Trixie was unable to spot anything that would give the appearance of activity. Trixie made her way to the front door and was about to knock when the door opened to reveal something that put Trixie in both awe and fear.

She found herself staring into the eyes of what appeared to be the most hard-nose veteran guard she had ever seen. His overall build and defining muscles made it clear that it was a stallion and the visibly clear horn marked him as a unicorn. His snow white coat appeared to complement the purple and gold armor that he was wearing. Trixie noticed the crest that was on his chest and its design sparked a familiarity with the blue unicorn. His cerulean eyes were narrowed and focused which only served to make Trixie feel small and guilty.

Before Trixie could have a chance to observe any more details, the guard said in a clear, demanding tone “Who are you and what are you doing here?” Trixie tried to form the words in her head and make them vocal but something about that gaze of his was causing the words to be reduced to nothing more than faint whimpered that would make even Fluttershy seem loud in comparison.

Lucky enough, Twilight decided to see what the problem was and when she saw it, she couldn't help but let out a faint chuckle and said “Oh Trixie, it’s nice to see you again. Are you heard about that tour I promised you?” Trixie nodded her head weakly and saw the guard turn his attention to Twilight. Trixie felt as if there was a silent conversation going on before the guard nodded his head and left. No longer feeling his piercing gaze upon her, Trixie was able to recollect her thought and ask “Just who was that pony?”

Twilight gave another giggle and replied “Oh that my brother Shining Armor. He’s the Captain of the Royal Guard. He just came by to see how I was doing and to look for a book about politics.”

Trixie couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder inside of her. She didn't expect that Twilight had a brother, much less a brother who was Captain of the Guard. However, there was something that bugged her by what Twilight had said and couldn't help but ask “Why would he need a book on politics?”

Twilight gave a slight shrug before replying in an almost matter of fact tone “I don’t know, probably due to the fact that he is now the co-ruler of the Crystal Kingdom after marrying my old foal-sitter Princess Cadance.”

That blew Trixie mind out to the moon. She suspected that Twilight’s family might be important in Canterlot but to have the status to have a princess as your foal-sitter and to be able to court with said princess was mind-blowing. It was at that moment that Trixie felt a sense of unworthiness. She grew up in the poor part of her hometown while Twilight, the unicorn causing her confusions, had been living the high-life of fame and fortune. Suddenly, Trixie started to believe that Twilight must be a very important adviser to Princess Celestia or something which would explain the scroll from yesterday.

Before Trixie could process this new information, Twilight said in her usual happy voice “So are you ready for the tour Trixie?” Trixie was surprised that Twilight was still offering to take her on a tour of the town. She had half expected her to start scoffing at her or telling her about how much better her life was. Trixie wanted to return back to the cottage so she could curl up in her bed and shed tears of defeat and longing, but she still needed to know the layout of the town and this was the best chance to do so. Trixie nodded her head and the two unicorns began the tour.

At first, the tour was going fine as both unicorns were discussing about their respective training in the arcane arts. While Twilight was a little in awe about Trixie’s self teaching methods; Trixie wasn't that all surprised by the fact that Twilight had attended the prestigious Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns. A family with as much power as her could easily afford a school like that. Twilight would also point out various shops that she would go to or places where she liked to hang out with her friends.

Eventually, the two unicorns were looking at Sugarcube Corner, one of the most popular bakeries in Equestria and the home of Pinkie Pie. While Trixie was looking at it in awe, wondering how they were able to make the treats on the building look editable; Twilight said, in almost an afterthought “You know Celestia had lunch here one time.”

Trixie looked over at the purple unicorn with disbelief in her eyes. Twilight was able to recognize the question in those eyes and replied “It’s true. She was coming down to have a meeting with the mayor and she heard remembered how much I enjoyed eating here from the reports I sent to her and wanted to try it for herself. I still remember the looks on Mr. and Miss. Cake when I told them the news.” Twilight gave a tired sigh and added without really thinking about it “Sometimes it is really nice being Celestia’s number one student and the wielder of the Element of Magic.”

That last bit of information was the final blow to Trixie. Before, she still felt like she had some slim chance of still being able to date Twilight. However, the fact that the unicorn that she wanted to ask out had so many connections to the most powerful ponies in Equestria, and the fact that she is technically royalty herself, AND the fact that she’s a nationwide hero was too much for the former showmare to handle. Already, she could see herself lock in the Canterlot dungeon because she was foolish enough to try and win the heart of such an important unicorn.

Twilight looked over at Trixie and saw her eyes were starting to form signs of tears and her lower lip was quivering a bit. Twilight was confused as to why Trixie was acting like this and said “Trixie are you…” she never got to finish as Trixie broke into a fast gallop away from her. Twilight tried calling out to her but the blue unicorn showed no sign of stopping. Twilight was about ready to cast a spell to catch up to Trixie when she heard a voice saying “Now what was that all about darling?”

Twilight looked over and saw Rarity approaching her with look that was both mixed with concern and curiosity. Twilight looked at her before looking back at the direction that Trixie had gone and saw that she was nowhere to be seen. Taking a breath to calm her body and mind, Twilight said “I don’t know Rarity. One moment we were walking around Ponyville because I wanted to give Trixie a tour. We then started talking and the next thing I know she just ran off.”

Rarity tilted her head in a manner that suggest that she was thinking about her new line of clothes before asking “What was it that you were talking about?”

Twilight thought about it for a moment before saying “Well nothing too important. We talked about magic, our studies, my training under Celestia and me being one of the Elements…”

Rarity cut Twilight off at that moment and said “Ah…I see the problem now.” Twilight was adamantly lost at this moment and Rarity could see the question in her eyes. Fast on the draw, she replied “You see Twilight, Trixie might be feeling a sense of…inadequacy right now.”

“What do you mean? Why should she feel that way?” Twilight asked with a genuine concern that Rarity was able to hear. It was more proof that Twilight did have something bigger then a crush for a certain show mare.

Rarity then said in her best gentile tone that she would use when talking with Sweetie Bell “Twilight dear. You have to understand the position Trixie finds herself in now. Remember, she wasn't born in the most lavish lifestyle. So when she hears about the fact that you attended a well known school and have a close tie with royalty; well…how do you think she would react to that? Also, and this is of no fault on you Twilight, but it really isn't wise to boast about your success in life on the first date.”

Twilight replied with a bit more heat “But this wasn't a date! I was just showing her around town. Besides, you and the other girls know about what my life was like in Canterlot and you all don’t treat me the same way.”

Rarity noticed the blush that was on the purple unicorn’s face but decided to not press her about the ‘tour’. Instead, she merely replied in a calm dignified tone “The reason me and the others don’t treat you like a Canterlot noble is because we've gotten use to the fact that you have close ties to the Princess. Besides, we are also users of the Elements like you so we each have that in common. Trixie has none of those things and it might make her feel like you’re unreachable.”

Twilight was about to counter that argument when her logical mind decided to intervene. It quickly ran through the events that happened during the tour and slowly she realized her mistake. She felt her heart cave in on her as what was supposed to be just a simple tour with a chance of getting closer to Trixie has only managed to push her away. She could now feel her own tears threading to spill on the ground and couldn't help but collapse on the ground in a fit of tears and hiccups. Rarity, feeling guilty that she told Twilight the truth, could do nothing but try and comfort the weeping mare.

Meanwhile, Trixie was just about to reach the cottage she was staying in when a voice said in her mind “Do you see she cares nothing about you. The only thing she’s concern with is power; power in which you will never obtain by staying here. Don’t you see yet? Your only option is to get strong to be able to defeat her. Do that and you will never have to worry about anything ever again. You will become the new Element of Magic, have all the friends you could ever ask for, all the bits you would ever need, and of course you will have mares and stallion begging you to be with them. Come on Trixie Lulamoon, give in to the pride you once had and become “The Great and Powerful Trixie Wielder of the Element of Magic!””

Trixie knew that it was the voice of her pride trying to convince her. She wanted to ignore what it had to say but it felt so…right. There was no chance for Trixie to have Twilight and it was clear that Twilight didn't care about her at all. Trixie managed to suppress her emotions and regain control of her body before she continued on towards the cottage with thoughts of her being the most powerful unicorn in Equestria flowing freely in her mind.

Credits: Alexphoenixwing
Oh boy. I bet that didn't turn out the way you thought it would. I was actually surprise by how long this chapter is. I guess I must have really enjoyed writing it. Keep an eye on the blog as I will have not one but TWO posts up for submission when this chapter gets posted.

Chapter 19: The Cake of Forgiveness by PonyPuffy2012

I’m actually kind of surprised that not a lot of people are offering ideas. Is it because you all just want to read what happens or is it because I’m not that well known on the site? Is the reason being that I’m not giving anyone enough time to submit an idea? Please let me know what you think of this so far.

Chapter 19: The Cake of Forgiveness

“I don’t know what to do anymore Pinkie! It’s been a week and I still haven’t seen Trixie anywhere in town.” Twilight lamented to her hyperactive friend. Twilight was currently occupying a table with a barely touched cupcake in front of her.

Pinkie was sitting across from her studious friend and was trying to figure out a way to get her frown upside down. However, not even her favorite treat seemed to be able to break the bad cloud that was over her head.

Not many ponies knew this but Pinkie was actually a rather good listener. Most ponies just see her as a pony hyped up on sugar that enjoys throwing parties but its moments like these that show off a different side of the pink mare that was actually quite surprising. Her normally puffy mane had lost some of its puffiness after hearing Twilight’s situation and she found herself remembering how she felt when her first crush left her all those years ago. However, this wasn't the time to be dwelling on the past. She needed to be here in the present to help Twilight.

The only problem was the fact that she didn't really know what to do. Pinkie knew that Rarity was helping the purple unicorn in understanding her feelings so she found it rather weird to hear her ask for help.

Still, as much as she thought herself inexperienced in this area; Twilight was reaching out for help and Pinkie Pie isn't a pony whose about to turn down a friend in need. As fast as her sugar charged mind was capable of, Pinkie started to brainstorm ideas to help Twilight.

Eventually, a particular memory popped in her mind like a balloon and the pink earth pony shouted “That it!”

Twilight was shocked out of her despair and said in a confused tone “What is?”

Pinkie didn't say a word but instead rushed into the kitchen faster than Twilight could blink. The moment that Twilight’s brain was able to register the fact that Pinkie was gone, the doors to the kitchen opened to reveal said earth pony. However, she was now carrying a rather…odd book on her back. With practice skill, the party pony managed to balance the book while making her way towards the table where Twilight was at. She put the book down on the table and said “This is exactly what you need.”

Twilight, a little skeptical at the moment, replied “A…book?” Pinkie didn't say anything but rather motion for Twilight to take a closer look. Twilight gave a tired sigh before decided to at least look at the book that was in front of her.

The book was old. There was no denying that due to the fact that Twilight was able to see the wearing of the cover and the ageing of the parchment. However, the book appeared to be in decent condition and Twilight read the title to find that the book was called “Magical Recipes”.

Twilight looked up at Pinkie Pie and said “Pinkie…how is a cookbook suppose to help me apologize to Trixie?”

Pinkie gave a quick giggle of delight and said “Oh Twilight, this isn't any ordinary cook book filled with ordinary recipes.” To demonstrate, Pinkie opened the book to a random page and Twilight looked inside to read. What she saw baffled her.

The page that she was looking at show what appeared to be a rather simple looking single layer cake with strawberries. However, the directions and ingredients were nothing like she had seen in any cookbook before. They called for things that were considered very powerful herbs and spices to even the essence of magic. Twilight took a glance at the name of this particular recipe and saw that it was called “The Lying Cake” and underneath the name was a description that said “Make honest tongues twist and truth to be silence. This cake has the power, when consume, to make any pony bend the truth without regard.”

Twilight was shocked to find such a creation could be created and looked up at the pink earth pony to ask her where she got such a book. However, before she got the chance, Pinkie said “But I sure you wouldn't want a lying cake right. I mean whoever heard of a cake that lies anyway. Just imagine you were about to eat a cake when somepony said ‘that cake is a lie’; wouldn't that be funny.” Pinkie had a moment of a giggle fit before turning the pages of the book and saying “Now this is the recipe you want.”

Twilight looked at the recipe and saw that there wasn't even a picture to the book. Instead, the two pages were filled with the directions and ingredients on how to make whatever this dessert was. Twilight took a glance at the title and saw that it read “Cake of Forgiveness” With mild hesitant; Twilight brought her eyes towards the description and read “It’s easy to forget and move on, but it’s harder to forgive. There will be times when you've done wrong to others or others have done wrong to you. When life has you weighted down with regret, the magic of forgiveness may be the key to friendship.” Twilight then notice that there was some kind of note that was under the description that read “Be in the knowing that this magic will work when both victims have eaten the whole cake and they must eat the color of the other.”

Twilight had to admit to herself that she was torn. One part of her was denying the fact that something as simple as cake would be able to restore the relationship she had with Trixie while the other part of her was willing to try just about anything at this point. She knew what she was about to ask was going to sound silly but she couldn't stop herself from saying “Is this possible?”

Pinkie nodded her head and replied “Of course Twilight. I remember when the Cakes had a problem and Mr. Cake asked me to help him make this cake. When they finished eating it all, it was like they were just married all over again.”

Twilight was still in denial about this whole ‘miracle cake’ but more and more she found herself wanted to put her faith that it would be able to make amends with Trixie. With a somewhat heavy heart, Twilight said “Alright Pinkie…let’s make a cake.”

Normally, Pinkie would be her usual giggle self but she was able to recognize the tone that was present with her friend. Slowly, she was made aware of how deep Twilight’s feelings were for Trixie and that seemed to cause her own hyper self to be suppressed. Pinkie, now more than ever, knew that her friend’s happiness was on the line here and she needed to be on her game if this was going to work.

However, Pinkie said “There is just one thing Twi. You can’t use any kind of magic while making this cake.” That piece of information caught Twilight by surprised and was about to ask why when Pinkie added “The magic in the cake is a special kind of magic that can’t be copied with fancy wings or horns. Some ponies like to call it ‘earth magic’ but it’s not just reserved for earth ponies. We just happened to be more attuned with it.”

Twilight wanted to inquire further but she knew that time wasn't exactly on her side at the moment. So she merely nodded her head in agreement and the two ponies made their way to the kitchen.

What happened next was a blur to the purple unicorn. She couldn't recall what had happened while she was in that kitchen and the only thing she was aware was the instructions from Pinkie and the smell of ingredients. Occasionally there was a flash of light that dazed her with their different colors, though the most prominent were purple and blue.

So it came to a surprise for the purple unicorn when Pinkie said “The cake is in the oven now. It might be a good idea to get the gift that you want to give to Trixie. The cake will be done when you get back.” Twilight nodded her head and made her way towards her library.

Twilight was nervous about what was going to happen but she couldn't doubt that it felt like her entire existence rested on what happens when she goes and apologizes to Trixie. Worry and doubt were present in her mind of course but that didn't stop her from making her way back to the library and retrieving the cape and hat before making her way back to the bakery.

Upon arriving there, she found Pinkie was already waiting outside with a box in her mouth. It didn't take Twilight long to realize that the contents of the box was in fact the cake. Pinkie took one glance at the cape and hat before giving the box to Twilight and saying “Good luck.” Twilight nodded her head and made off towards Fluttershy’s cottage.

The walk there was uneventful but tense as Twilight felt her worry and the fear reaching unbearable levels upon seeing the cottage. She notice that Fluttershy was outside attending to some animals so Twilight made her way over to her and said “Hello Fluttershy. Is Trixie inside?”

Fluttershy merely nodded her head in agreement. Twilight gave a quick thank you before making her way over to the door and knocking. From the inside, she heard Trixie’s voice say “Fluttershy? Is that you?”

Twilight replied “Trixie? It’s me, Twilight. Can you open the door please?” Twilight wasn't expecting much but it came to her surprise to find the door opening slightly to reveal those familiar eyes.

Though there was something that was off about those eyes. Rather than showing a usual curiosity there was now a harder edge. They looked at Twilight with a critical gaze as if waiting to see what the purple unicorn was going to say. Twilight was feeling a little nervous while under that piercing gaze and said in a quiet tone “Trixie…I know what I did was very wrong of me. So I got something that I wanted to give to you…since it does belong to you after all.”

Trixie was slightly curious by what Twilight was talking about until she saw a sight that she had thought she would never see again. It was her stage outfit, freshly made without any signs of wear or tear in it. Trixie started to feel overcome with inner joy at the sight of such a familiar cape and hat. Trixie opened the door completely and said in a relief but joyful tone “Come on in Twilight.”

Twilight happily accepted the invitation and made her way inside. Once inside, she saw that Trixie appeared no worse than she had thought. The only difference being the air of uncertainty that was around her. Still, Twilight was feeling optimistic at this point and said in a cheerful tone “I also got a cake to share with you.”

Trixie was a little surprised that she didn't notice the box that was floating in Twilight’s magical grip but decided to blame that on the fact that she was still in awe about seeing her old costume again. The two mares made their way to the couch and managed to get settled down before Twilight decided to open the box.

What they saw had an instant effect on them. The cake was single layered but was slightly larger than they had thought. The cake was frosted with two colors, one a light shade of blue and the other dark purple. The room was filled with a pleasant aroma that caused all the worry and stress to just empty from their bodies. Trixie noticed that the purple side was facing her and decided to get the first slice of cake.

The moment that sliced touched her lips; her mind was assaulted by a mixture of strange emotions. She felt regret mixed in with sadness and depression. On her second bite, she started to see visions of Twilight curled up in her bed and was able to hear her soft crying. It was then that Trixie realized that she was seeing what Twilight had been experiencing since that incident in front of that bakery. Twilight on the other hoof, was now truly feeling the internal war that was raging inside her crush’s heart. She could see that one Trixie was close to overpowering the other but something was holding it back.

As the two unicorns continued to eat the magical cake; they reveled in the memories of the other. Trixie was experiencing the time when Twilight was attending school while Twilight was enjoying some of Trixie’s earlier shows.

So it came to the surprise of the two unicorns when they discovered that the cake was almost gone. The only thing that was left in the box was what appeared to be a round orb. The orb looked like it had come from the cake but Twilight noticed that the purple and blue were mixed rather well. She was confused as to how they were suppose to eat it until Trixie said in a rather unsure tone “Twilight…I…I think we may…have to s…share that piece…together?”

Twilight looked up at Trixie and noticed the red blush that was visible on the unicorn’s checks. Twilight was unsure as to where that blush was coming from until the implications of what Trixie suggested finally registered with the purple unicorn. She could feel the heat already forming on her checks and all she could do was give a slight, hesitant nod.

The orb was lifted by both unicorns and they started to move their heads to meet. The pounding in their hearts were setting the tone as each beat caused another inch to be reduced or a shuffling of legs. Eventually, the two mares were almost snout to snout with that center orb hovering between them; acting as the magnet to pull their mouths into one. Trixie had never felt so nervous and Twilight was sure that she was sweating at this point but their minds seemed to give no implication to care about something as trivial as that.

Closer and closer until their mouth were pressing against the orb. They two unicorns looked into each other’s eyes and once again found themselves lost in that vast gaze. Trixie could see the hopeful joy that was shining in Twilight eyes and Twilight was met with a similar sight. As carefully as handling a newborn; the two mares opened their mouths around the orb. Wither by luck or fate, the orb was small enough that each unicorn was able to take half of it in one bite. However, that meant that their lips were going to have to touch; a thought that cause another surge of heat throughout their bodies.

Their lips touched as expected and they each found that they enjoyed the feel of the other lips; even if the contact felt…incomplete somehow. With careful practice hiding their inexperience; the two unicorn’s mouths descended on their final treat without breaking their fragile contact.

When the orb was split in half by the two moths, Trixie had a sudden shot of adrenaline inside of her and practically smashed her lips against her purple counterpart. She was reveling in the taste of her lips upon her own; able to take joy in the combination of lavender and cake that had mixed together. Twilight was surprised by the sudden aggression but found to her surprised that her body didn't try to resist and even started to push against the lips that were attacking it. Twilight have a sudden, impulsive internal moan when she stated to taste that jasmine and cake mixture that was dominant on the blue unicorn’s lips.

However, as much as their bodies wanted to continue, their minds were quick to regain control of the bodies and the two lips were separated. The two mares opened their eyes, not realizing that they had closed in the first place and started to try and regain their breath. The two halves of the orb had already been digested and gone since the moment that kiss had escalated.

Trixie was looking over at Twilight, seeing her in a light that she had never seen before. She remembered what her thoughts were like prior to that and came to the realization that she might have acted too harshly towards Twilight. It wasn't her fault that she had all this success and wasn't trying to hide them from her. In fact, it must have shown a lot of trust to be able to tell Trixie what she was. Trixie also admitted to herself that if she was in the same position that Twilight was in, she probably would have acted in the same way. Realizing that, she felt a new sense of pride in the fact that she had caught the attention of what could be considered the most powerful unicorn mare in Equestria in both status and magic. With a new joy surging throughout her body, Trixie said “Twilight?”

Twilight looked up at Trixie and replied “Yes, Trixie?”

Trixie gave a small smile and displaying a confidence that she was lacking at this point gave Twilight a light peck on the check. She enjoyed the fact that such an action caused an immediate reaction from the purple unicorn by the return of that blush on her check. She giggled a bit from the reaction and said “Apology accepted.”
Credits:

PonyPuffy2012
First of all, I apologize that this chapter was late getting out and that it might be at the same skill level that I usually write in. The reason was that while I was writing this chapter, something happened in my family that came as a real blow to me. To make a long story short, my mother passed away due to cancer. I’m not sure when I will get the motivation to write the next chapter but I won’t ignore you all for an extended period of time. Thank you for your understanding.

Chapter 20: Swimming to Second Base by Little Jackie Papercut

First of all, I want to thank everyone for the kind words. They really did lift my spirits up and helped me get through the initial grief. Second, one of the comments brought up something that I feel I should clarify. Most of you who want to submit an idea but feel it won’t be good enough due to lack of experience. I completely understand as I myself have zero experience when it comes to dating. However, the only bad ideas are the ones that don’t get submitted. I did say that I will do my best to use all ideas that are submitted and I mean it. It will be a very rare case where I have to reject an idea and usually it’s because it didn't follow all the rules. So I hope you don’t feel too discourage about submitting an idea in the near future. On that note, how about we get started with…

Chapter 20: Swimming to Second Base

“Come on Trixie! We’re almost there!”” Twilight shouted in merriment. The purple unicorn was carrying a basket in her magical aura and was practically hopping around like an excited filly. Trixie was following the excited unicorn at her own pace, knowing that whatever she had plan would be revealed to her soon enough.

It had been about a week since they had made peace with what had happen and Trixie was reunited with her old cape and hat. Even after all this time, she still felt like she was in some kind of dream where anything was possible. Her emotions were still confusing but she no longer heard the voice of her prideful side, which meant that the other part of her was regaining its strength. This meet up came to her via letter while she was working and while she was a little nervous about seeing Twilight again, she couldn't deny the part of her that was eager to see her again.

So here she was, walking through a small, unnamed forest that grew between Canterlot and Ponyville. The moonlight night cast a rather romantic atmosphere in all honesty and it might have been the cause of the slight nerviness that Trixie was experiencing.

“We’re here!” Twilight proclaimed, causing the blue unicorn to lose her train of thought. She looked at where ‘here’ was and her eyes widen with wonder.

They had stopped at a lake that was somewhat similar to the Lake of Reflection with its calming waters and the sense of peace in the air. However, this place had a sense of playfulness hidden underneath all that peace, as if one was to expect a surprise to come their way but unsure of when. Fireflies danced in the air in a majestic pattern whose only purpose was to entertain their audience. Even the trees themselves seemed to add their own addition to this silent dance by casting the shadows coming from the moon which was now floating high in the sky.

So lost was Trixie in the beauty of this place, she didn't realized that Twilight had already finished setting up their spot. She was triple checked to make sure she had everything before coming here and she was glad that it wasn't a waste. The food was a mixture of apple treats from Applejack and some desserts from Pinkie Pie. Rarity had provided a large blanket to rest on and a few towels to dry off if they decided to take a swim in the lake. Fluttershy provided the basket to hold everything in and Rainbow Dash promised to give them a clear night which she delivered. Twilight was grateful to have friends who were so supportive of her and she knew that she was in their debt.

But right now, all that mattered to the purple unicorn was Trixie. She wanted to show her how much she meant to her and to remove the last barriers that prevented this love from blooming. Twilight was snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Trixie making her way towards the blanket. Her eyes were scanning over the various treats that were on displayed. However, before she got the chance; Twilight said in a rather playful tone “How about a quick swim before we eat?”

Trixie looked up at the purple mare and saw that playful look in her eyes. Despite the chance on sampling the food that was in front of her; she couldn't resist that look no matter what. So with a slight rumble of disappointment in her stomach; Trixie nodded her head in agreement and the two unicorns made their way to the lake.

What happened next was a blur for the two love-struck unicorns. Time seemed to pass in relaxing slowness as they played various games and competed in various races. Trixie was lost in the merriment of Twilight’s laugh. It was like she was listing to music that could only come from Celestia herself. Twilight, however, was in complete awe by the way Trixie looked while she was in the lake. It was as if each droplet of water was determined to show off her natural beauty and form.

Eventually, the two mares had run out of energy and with reluctance made their way back to their spot. After drying off with some of the towels, the two unicorns relaxed on the blanket and started to eat the treats that were available.

As they were eating, their ears started to register a faint noise in the air. It was soft enough that it wasn't disturbing the natural flow of the air and yet it had a rather angelic voice to it. It took a while before the two unicorns had finally registered that it singing. However, its quiet nature prevented them from locating the source. Not that it really mattered as the music was providing a romantic backdrop that caused the faces of both unicorns to start to heat up.

Eventually, Twilight said in a rather off-hoof tone “Supposedly, this lake is one of the last lakes to be populated by sea-ponies.”

Trixie looked over at Twilight and replied “I thought they were merely a fairy tale.”

Twilight looked back at her and responded “That’s what most ponies believed. However, they are real and are heavily protected by law because in the past some ponies would capture them for profit.”

Trixie looked back over the lake, remembering the stories her mom would tell her about the sea-ponies and how their singing voice could warm up even the most harden Royal Guard. Trixie didn't doubt that there was some truth to that as she could feel her emotions stirring inside of her heart as the song continued to play.

Twilight was also caught up in the flow of the music and her body started to react despite what her rational mind was telling her. Already, she could feel her body slowly inching towards the blue unicorn; trying to not make as much noise as possible. It came to her surprise however, when she heard similar shuffling coming from next to her; meaning that Trixie was in similar thoughts.

The two unicorns continued to inch closer while their eyes remained locked on the surface of the lake. Eventually, Trixie decided to make a bold move and her hoof rose up only to be brought gently on top of Twilight’s. Twilight felt a new surge of heat as her body was reintroduce to the touch of Trixie. She didn't realize how much she had miss the touch but her body welcomed the soothing warmth that reminded Twilight of when she was younger and hugging her mom.

Twilight decided to try and one up the blue mare in addition to feeling more of that warmth by scooting over the rest of the distance until her side was touching Trixie’s own. Trixie was surprised by the sudden move on Twilight’s part but didn't dismiss the new warmth that was flowing from Twilight’s body to her own.

The entire atmosphere suddenly got a lot warmer and more relaxed as each unicorn enjoyed the body warmth of the other. Trixie eventually pulled out a blanket, courtesy of Spike, and wrapped the two unicorns in its protective warmth. Twilight gave a slight coo of relaxation as the new warmth caused her body to relax. She was on the verge of falling asleep when she heard Trixie say “Twilight…there something I've been meaning to ask you?”

All sense of comfort was gone in place of curiosity as Twilight looked at Trixie. She noticed that her eyes were still facing the lake but they showed that she was dealing with something inside of her. Twilight, feigning confidence she lacked, brought her muzzle to rest on Trixie’s shoulder and said in a hushed tone “What is it Trixie?”

Trixie felt the warmth of Twilight muzzle on her shoulder and she almost lost her train of thought. However, her mind wouldn't be deterred and she replied “Do you remember back at the cottage…when I…kissed you.”

Twilight was curious about where this line of questions was going and decided to play along for the moment by giving a simple yes. Twilight felt Trixie taking in a deep breath before she heard her say “Was…was I too forward? I mean…did you…enjoy it…as much…as…I…did?”

Twilight looked up into the hopeful gaze of Trixie and found herself lost in them like before. However, unlike the last time, this lost feeling was voluntary as Twilight tried to form the best and most honest answer she could give. Eventually, she decided to let action speak louder than words.

Trixie was surprised to feel the warmth of Twilight’s lips pressing against her own. After a moment of shock, she returned the kiss with the same amount of passion. Both unicorns felt their bodies urging them to take this kiss farther but they both resisted their baser instincts. This was a tender moment that neither wanted to ruin due to uncontrolled passion or lust.

Eventually, due to needs of oxygen, the two lips separated and both mares found themselves looking into each other’s eyes. Twilight gave a small smile and replied in a hush tone “Trixie…even though it was my first time kissing, I can honestly say that it was the best kiss I've ever had.”

Trixie felt a weight being lifted off her shoulders and replied “Well of course that is to be expected. The great and powerful Trixie is master of all things kissing.” Twilight merely giggled after listing to Trixie’s little speech and it wasn't long before Trixie joined in laughter as well.

Eventually, the two mares returned to accepted silence. The two unicorns were enjoying being in the prescience of the other. They realized that something had changed between them at that moment. No longer then it seemed like barriers were placed between them as they each were exposed to the feelings of the others. There were still things that they needed to talk about and there was still the uncertainty of what was to happen in the future. However, all of that could be dealt with on another date because there was one thing that was certain about tonight.

It was the best night ever.
Credits:

Little Jackie Papercut
Twilight and Trixie are now moving to second base. This is where I hope to be the real meat of this part of the story. First blog post will be coming up shortly explaining what’s going on. Until then, see you in the next chapter.

Chapter 21: The Trouble with a BB

Apologizes for the lateness but finals are a real pain in my butt.

Chapter 21: The Trouble with a BB

“Are you sure that this is a good idea Twilight?” Trixie asked with a hesitant tone. Twilight and she were currently riding the train heading to Canterlot. The reason being was that Twilight had insistent on letting her parents know that she was currently dating and that it was with a mare. Of course when Twilight told her about it, she felt a sense of fear inside of her. Trixie stills remember the kinds of connections that her marefriend had and the thought of spending time in the dungeon cause her to shiver a bit.

The train ride wasn't that interesting and Trixie was more interested in looking out at the wonderful view that was provided. She could see Ponyville off in the distance in addition to the Everfree forest that even from where she was at still gave a sense of dread to it.

Her mind started to wonder a bit and she eventually started to reflect on her relationship with Twilight. She was actually rather surprised that it had been going as smoothly as it did, considering all that has happened. She would have at least expected to have been forced to explain where she had gotten the Saddle of Servitude but the topic never seemed to come up. In fact, none of Twilight’s friends had any sort of negative response to them being together, but then they weren't exactly going public with it just yet. Twilight was clear in the sense that she wanted to make sure that her family was okay with this before making that known to her friends which was something that she understood.

Twilight was also lost in her thoughts as she started at Trixie, her own thoughts amidst with conflict. She was unsure as to why she was acting in such an odd behavior whenever she was with Trixie and her usually logical mind was unable to slow down the feeling of bliss that seems to control her. Twilight had to admit to herself that she hadn't read too many romantic stories so she was in an unfamiliar experience that was now starting to make her question the true strength of their relationship. Sure they shared their first kiss by that lake but now that reality was catching up, she was starting to panic.

Before that panic became a real issue, the conductor’s voice sounded in the speakers with the whistle of the train following close behind. The two mares were snapped out of their thoughts as they felt the train slowing down before stopping at the Canterlot station. While other ponies were gathering their belonging, Twilight and Trixie made their way off the train and out of the station. Once out, Trixie let out a gasp of wonder.

It was her first time in Canterlot and the sheer beauty of the city managed to take her breath away. The building felt rich and powerful that had an odd effect on her. It made Trixie feel as if she was nothing more than a stain on some fancy dress, especially considering when she got her first real look at the Canterlot citizens.

It was considered strange for a pony to wear clothes on a normal day, but all around her she saw colts and mares dolled up in various fashions that were both familiar and exotic to the showmare. All of them appeared to have their muzzles pointed at the sky, like they were uninterested in what was around them. It was hard to imagine that Twilight was born in a city like that, considering that she didn't seem to have the kind of mannerism that the nobles have.

Before she had a chance to reflect on this more, Twilight said, “Come on Trixie. We’re going to be late for lunch with my parents.” Trixie was snapped out of her thoughts and notice the librarian staring at her from a few feet away. Trixie nodded in understanding and followed the purple unicorn as they navigated the busy streets of Canterlot.

As they were walking, Trixie continued to explore the sights with curiosity and wonder. It was always an interesting feeling coming into town for the first time, excited by the prospect of interacting with a new crowd and seeing what was considered popular. Trixie noticed various fine dining areas as well as more lower class food areas. However, it was obvious that the higher class dining options was in larger numbers then there lower class counterparts. Occasionally, Twilight would make mention of a place where she would do her homework or having a special memory tied to it.

It was then that the two mares stopped in front of a rather impressive looking tower. The tower was constructed of white marble like the others but it had a kind of purplish hue to it that made it slightly different. It appeared to be made of four levels judging from how the windows were placed and there was also a mailbox that had a star symbol that was almost similar to the large star on Twilight Cutie Mark.

Now that they were here, Trixie felt her fears start to rise again. She remembers hearing rumors during her travels about how the Canterlot Elite are still wrapped up in tradition and how far they would go to preserve it. The concept of a mare/mare relationship might cause a rather negative response from Twilight’s parents. Of course, Twilight would be somewhat safe but Trixie wouldn't have such a luxury. Already she could feel her legs starting to lock up and her heart starting to quicken in tempo.

Twilight notice the way Trixie was acting and place a comforting hoof on her shoulder. The warm touch from Twilight was managing to calm Trixie’s heart as she stared into the purple eyes that manage to bind her better then chains. Twilight then said in a gentle tone, “It’s alright Trixie. My parents aren't that bad. I’m sure that they would approve of us being together.”

Trixie heard what Twilight had said and it managed to relax her body somewhat. She was glad at that moment that Twilight had such an effect on her; otherwise she might have been rooted to the spot like a tree…or Fluttershy whenever she gets scared. Trixie took some calming breaths before letting Twilight know that she was ready with a simple nod. Twilight copied the movement and the two mares made their way to the door side by side.

Twilight opened the door to reveal a well furnished living room that had a large sofa, some chairs, and bookshelves that were filled with books. There were also two stands that had what appeared to have various awards on them. No doubt that one of them belonged to Twilight and Trixie was somewhat curious to get a closer look but had to put that in the back of her mind when she heard Twilight say, “Mom, Dad!”

Trixie looked over and saw Twilight embracing two unicorns. One of them had a white coat with an alternating purple and white mane while the other had a blue coat with a darker blue mane. From what Trixie knew of overall appearance, she guessed that the white coat unicorn was Twilight’s mother while the blue unicorn was her dad. The sight of such a family reunion had managed to cause a lump to form in Trixie throat for a moment. Still, she tried to calm her nerves as she waited for them to finish so Twilight could get on with the news. However, the moment that Trixie thought they were going to be done, she saw two more ponies coming down some stairs. The sight of them left Trixie in disbelief.

The first was obviously a stallion and the formed muscles in his legs could indicate that he either had trained in the guard or was use to hard working conditions. He had a white coat, similar to Twilight’s mother, and also had the same alternating color mane like her as well those his was a clear blue. It was the second pony that had caught Trixie attention. There was no hiding the sight of the rare combination of wings and a horn that mark her as an alicorn. Her pink coat appeared to have an inner glow to it and her different shades of pink mane appeared to be flawless. She also had a kind of grace and aura about her that made Trixie feel like she was lacking in some way. Twilight appeared to show no signs of awe as she freely ran up to them and greet them in a similar fashion.

Trixie had to admit that she didn't want to believe all that Twilight had said about her family and her connections to royalty. However, after seeing this, she felt more incline to accept that Twilight was telling the truth. She wanted to ponder this further but was interrupted when Twilight’s father asked “So…who might you be?”

Before Trixie had a chance to answer, Twilight said in a raised voice “That’s Trixie Dad. She’s the ‘special somepony’ that I told you about in the letter I sent you.”

The room became silent as the dead as Trixie felt eight questioning gazes directed at her. She silently wished that she knew the trick to becoming invisible so she could escape from this awkward situation. It took a moment before Twilight realized the lack of congratulations that were supposed to have happened and notice all the blank stares.

Twilight’s mom gave a quiet cough to try and break the ice before saying “Well…congratulations dear. I had…uh…hoped you would…um…find somepony to share life with.” Twilight dad didn't say anything but merely nodded his head in agreement to his wife’s answer.

The alicorn then said in a tone that tried to mask her surprise “That is wonderful news Twilight. We should have something special for dinner tonight to celebrate.”

“I’m leaving”, the white stallion said in a very neutral tone before walking towards the door. He appeared to ignore any questions directed at him. However, he did pause long enough for Trixie to look into his eyes. All she saw was a look that made her feel like she nothing. Such a look was hard for her to maintain and she was forced to break eye contact and focus her attention on the floor. She vaguely heard the sound of the door opening and closing, leaving behind a distraught magician, a confused student, and the tired sighs coming from three mouths.
Once again, I apologize for the lateness but finals will do that to people. I do have another story that I’m working on if you are interested.

Chapter 22: Dinner with the Teacher Princess

Here is chapter twenty-two. Apologize for the lateness but I've had a few things to deal with over the winter break and now collage is starting up again which means I will have less time to write new chapters.

Chapter 22: Dinner with the Teacher Princess

Lunch started out about as normal as Trixie had expected it to go. Twilight’s parents had asked her various questions about her upbringing, family, and past experiences. Cadence was more interested in the romantic side of the discussion like how we met and what kinds of dates we had been on. Both Twilight and I were honest with our answers and it wasn't long before the questions ran dry and we all focused on the food that was in front of us.

Eventually, Twilight was unable to hold off her curiosity and asked “So why did my brother act so…strange? Was it something that I said?” You could hear the concern tone that was complemented the distant almost fearful look in her eyes. It was a sight that almost caused Trixie to reach out and comfort the purple unicorn in a tight hug. However, proper table manners and the fact that she wanted to keep a good first impression resulted in Trixie just placing a hoof over Twilight to let her know that she was present. Twilight returned the small gestured with an equally small smile but on the inside she was glad that Trixie was slowly warming up to the concept of them being marefriends, even if it was just a small simple gesture.

Cadence noticed the simple back and forth between the two unicorns and couldn't resist the gentile smile that was barely showing on her face. She had to admit there were times where she was worried that her favorite little filly was going to grow up without finding that special somepony that would complete her. It never occurred to her or for that matter her parents judging by their reactions that said ‘special somepony’ was in fact going to be a mare. However, she could sense the love that was slowly blossoming between them and hoped that this Trixie was the half that would complete Twilight and the other way around.

Slightly clearing her throat, Cadence said “You have to understand Twilight that your brother…my husband has had some rather…strict teachers. You see, unlike you who were taught mostly under Celestia; Shining has had multiple teachers while training and rising through the ranks to become Captain and a few of those teachers had some rather…out dated views on society.”

Twilight was quick to point out “But that shouldn't make a difference if his teachers had biased views or not!”

Cadence gave a gentile smile, expecting such a response from her sister-in-law. However, Trixie noticed that the smile never reached her eyes as she replied “If there is one thing that I have learned Twilight is that students sometimes take more than just knowledge from their teachers.” She noticed the slight confused look and continued “For example, you consider yourself to be Celestia number one student right?” Twilight nodded and Cadence stated “Have you ever noticed times when you tried to imitate or copy and of Celestia’s habits or traits?”

Twilight was about to voice her disagreement but stopped when memories started to resurface in her mind. She could recalled the times where she was walking around her house trying to copy her teacher’s grace and poise and there was her embarrassing ‘dessert’ phase she went through. Slowly, the purple unicorn could see where exactly her old foal-sitter was going with this and the rather defeated look on her face was enough to let Cadence know that she had come to an understanding.

Trixie could feel Twilight’s body starting to slightly shake as what was no doubt that scenario after scenario was playing through her confused mind. Feeling it was best to try and give Twilight some kind of ray of hope; Trixie looked at the pinkish alicorn and asked “Do you think that Shining Armor would come around?”

Cadence looked at the blue unicorn that Twilight had fallen for and could see the inner turmoil that was going on inside of her. Despite that turmoil, Cadence could tell that Trixie was at least trying to comfort and support Twilight and she could tell that the blue unicorn had a strong amount of love for her purple counterpart. She wouldn't tell them just yet, preferring to let love bloom at a natural pace; but she believed that they were a perfect match for each other. Giving Trixie a smile that before was reserved for Twilight she responded “I believe so Trixie. I do not believe this bias outlook on something that is completely natural to get in the way of his deep sense of love for his younger sister. He’ll come around in time, especially when he realized how happy you and Twilight are together.”

Twilight had paid attention to the conversation and she was grateful for Cadence to remind her of how much her brother actually cared for her. More importantly, she was thankful that Trixie was there to find that one piece of information that managed to steady her mind. It was then that Twilight came to the simple conclusion that she felt almost dependent on Trixie to be there to keep her mind focused and her body calm and collected. It wasn't uncommon for the purple unicorn to go off on mild panic attacks and she felt that she was close to having one at that moment. However, Trixie managed to pull herself from that panic mid set and allow her more calm and logical mind to regain her thoughts and emotions. To show her thanks, Twilight slightly leaned over to the blue unicorn and gave her a quick but thankful peck on the cheek.

Trixie felt the moment when Twilight’s lips connected on her fur and, like the times before, she was met with a sudden rush of heat and a slight tingly feeling inside of herself. The others could see the start of a blush forming on the blue unicorn face and their response was varying giggle of merriment. Their giggle only served to further embarrass the former magician but it wasn't long before she too joined in of the chuckling.

Eventually, lunch was finished and next came the part of the day that Trixie wasn't really looking forward to; the face to face talk with Twilight’s parents. To her surprise however, she found that it was only Twilight’s father that wanted to speak with her in the living room while Twilight and her mom went upstairs, no doubt having a similar chat in Twilight’s old room.

When she and Twilight’s dad had gotten settled, he started what he would consider a ‘friendly conversation’ while Trixie felt it more or less fit the concept of ‘interrogation’. The male unicorn was both straight and direct with the questions he was asking and Trixie did her best to respond to the questions as best she could. However, given the location on where she sat, she had a clear view of the trophy case that was behind Twilight’s dad. While a good portion of them belong to Twilight and Shining; the rest all belong to their parents and the awards ranged in various styles of the arcane including a set of trophies awarded to Twilight’s mom for her skills in fire spells. Those accomplishments were enough to further enforce the idea that the Sparkle family was more than capable magic users and it wasn't wise to be on their bad side.

Luckily, Trixie seemed to have made a good impression on Twilight’s dad due to the grin that was threatening to form on his mouth. It was also around this moment that Twilight and her mom returned from upstairs with neither of them looking no worse than before. Twilight quickly moved to sit next to Trixie and the two love struck unicorns waited while the verdict was being decided. Twilight was feeling slightly confident that the result was going to be positive but Trixie was still feeling somewhat nervous. Still the presence of Twilight being next to her was enough to keep that nervous energy from showing.

So it came to both a joy and a relief when the parents gave their approval of Twilight dating Trixie. Twilight had felt so happy upon hearing the news that she literally tackled Trixie and gave her a solid kiss on the lips. Trixie was completely taken by surprise by the kiss but slowly started to loss herself in the feel of Twilight’s lips upon her own and the feeling of her coat touching her own. Eventually, Twilight realized what she was doing and quickly detached herself from her marefriend leaving her in a state of embarrassment, Trixie lost in her own little world and two parents chuckling silently.

Twilight and Trixie stayed in the house for a few hours which mostly consisted of Twilight showing Trixie around the house and especially showing her old room. Twilight’s room was about what Trixie had expected; that is to say that a good half of the room was filled with books. Unlike her library home back in Ponyville, these books were more towards younger fillies and colts though there was the occasional higher learning material hidden around. The two eventually got settled down on Twilight’s bed with a few of her old books and took turns reading them if nothing else then just for the sake of reading and to enjoy each other’s company.

Eventually, the sun was reaching the evening time and Twilight felt that it was about time for dinner. Trixie had expected to have dinner here but Twilight was quick to inform her that they were going to have dinner with her teacher; or to me more accurate, the Royal Princess of Equestria and bringer of the Sun Celestia. Now it was pretty obvious that Trixie was feeling downright scared of being in the presence of royalty and more importantly joining said royalty for dinner; considering the fact that it was pretty much impossible to have dinner with the princess unless you were a diplomat. However, the look of normalcy on Twilight’s face made Trixie wonder if these kinds of things happened often while Twilight was living in Canterlot.

Trixie was so engross in her own thoughts that she didn't realize that they were already at the front gate to the castle. It wasn't until she heard Twilight talking to one of the guards standing there that it finally dawn onto the blue unicorn that she was about to enter a place she never imagined she would ever find herself in. Yet, she watched as the castle doors slowly opened and she found herself staring in awe as to what was behind the door.

‘Massive’ was the first word that came into Trixie’s mind when she saw the foyer. The room itself appeared to be large enough to fit a full grown dragon and every inch of it was stunning from the golden walls to the weave tapestry. Truly it was a place that could have only existed inside Canterlot Castle. However, the foyer was nothing compared to the beauty that was waiting for them at the top of the stairs.

Like her sun, Princess Celestia shinned brighter than anything Trixie had seen and perhaps will ever see in her life. Her perfect coat and rainbow flowing mane could inspire beautiful works of poetry and music and her gentle smile gave off a new feeling of comfort. Trixie still recalled how she felt when she was standing in front of Princess Luna and while the night princess had an air of royalty and power around her; the solar princess seemed to radiate warmth and kindness.

Trixie quickly brought herself to a bow while Twilight quickly raced over to meet her teacher. The blue unicorn was unable to see what was going on due to the position she was in but it wasn't long before she heard the gentle patter of metal striking metal before a rich voice said “So you are the pony that Twilight has taken such an interest in?”

Trixie felt the compulsion to keep her current position but the gentle undertone made her head rise to meet the sovereign gaze before her brain could form a decision. One look into those eyes seemed to cast all the doubt and uncertainty that filled the blue unicorn’s heart and the gentile smile was both refreshing and comforting. Those combine were enough for Trixie to give off her own smile before replying “Yes your majesty.”

Trixie rose from her bowing position just when she became aware of the sounds of hoof steps getting louder. The three ponies looked over to one of the side hallways and saw the appearance of another unicorn. From the overall appearance and face build; it was quite clear that this unicorn was a mare. However, she held herself with the kind of confidence and poise that would indicate that she was not a pony to mess with. Unlike the normal guard colors, this mare was only wearing a highly detailed golden chest plate which didn't do much to cover her coat which was a very bright tone of yellow. Her mane was a mixture of red, orange, and yellow that was styled to appear as if her mane was on fire. However, it was those eyes of blue that caused the most reaction. They had the appearance of a pony that has seen things that no other should ever witness but were masked with a kind of determination that one would have when they had to fight to survive. So intrigued by those eyes, Twilight and Trixie almost didn't notice the sword and sheath resting along her side.

The strange unicorn ignored the two unicorns and instead focused her gaze on Celestia before saying “Your Majesty. I have just been informed that dinner is now ready.” Celestia nodded her head before the unicorn continued “Also, I have been informed by the Moon Champion that Princess Luna will be unable to attend due to a matter that requires her attention.”

Celestia nodded her head and replied “Thank you Commander Solarshield. We shall be there soon.” The unicorn, now known as Solarshield, merely nodded her head before making her way down the hallway she came from. There was a slight moment of silence before Celestia commented “Well we wouldn't want to let dinner get cold.” Twilight and Trixie nodded in agreement and moved side by side while following Celestia to the dining hall.

As the three were walking, Celestia made it a point to try and get Trixie to relax by inquiring about her travels. Trixie was happy to be able to recount all that she had seen but she did her best to try and not sound boastful. Eventually, Trixie started to ask about how Twilight was as a student which eventually led to what felt like a never ending barrage of embarrassing moments directed at the blushing purple unicorn. Twilight would have asked Celestia to stop but when she saw how calm and at ease Trixie was; that notion fizzled out in her head.

It was at that moment that Celestia and the two unicorns passed through a set of double doors to the royal dining hall. The hall was one of few rooms in the castle that could be altered to serve different functions. In this case, the room could become large enough to fit a fully grown dragon with multiple tables set up in front of the royal table or small enough that it would look like something you would find in any ponies house. In this case, it was the latter with a small table and three plates set up though only one of plates was gold while the rest were a silver chrome-like color.

Celestia sat in front of the gold plate while Twilight and Trixie sat next to each other but across from Celestia. The two unicorns notice that Solarshield was in the room with them but she made no appearance of taking a spot at the table. Instead, it looked like she was staring off into space. Before the two unicorns could inquire about her strange behavior, a door was quickly opened and three servants rushed into the room each of them holding a chalice in their magical grip. As quickly as they had appeared, the servants placed the chalices in front of the ponies sitting at the table before leaving back through the door they came from.

Celestia and Twilight didn't wait for too long before they grabbed the chalice that was in front of them in their respective magical grip and taking a sip of the refreshing drink. Trixie took a look at the red fruit punch mixture and became aware of the dryness of her throat. So she followed the example of the monarch and her marefriend and took a rather enjoyable sip of her drink.

However, the moment that the drink entered her stomach, she became engulfed in a large amount of pain. Trixie lost her concentration of the chalice, causing it to crash onto the floor leaving a red stain on the white tile. Celestia and Twilight, surprised by the sudden noise, were unable to stop Trixie from collapsing on the ground in a fit on intense pain. Trixie let out a chocked scream as she felt her inside being engulfed in fire.

Solarshield, who had remained passive at the moment, quickly made her way to the side of the blue unicorn. Her horn alight, she quickly cast a spell designed to paralyze a pony’s body in order to slow down whatever toxin was inside of them. When the spell was cast, Trixie let out another chocked scream before her eyes rolled up and she collapsed on the ground in silence. Solarshield wasted no time before shouting “I need this unicorn delivered to the medical wing NOW and can somepony get me Snake Eyes!” The response was a collective ‘Yes, Ma’am’ before two guards grabbed the paralyzed pony and galloped in the direction of the medical wing. One pegasus guard quickly volunteered to locate Snake Eyes and didn't hesitate to fly out the window. The rest either remained in the room to guard the Sun Princess and her student or were sent to wherever their Commander ordered them to go.

Twilight was oblivious to what was going on around her. All she could feel was the warm comfort coming from Celestia’s leg, the bitter tears on her cheeks and the cracking of her heart.

Man…I finally got this chapter done. I am such a slow writer that it is not even funny. Anyhow, hope you enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 23: Investigation

Man…I apologize for the rather long wait on this chapter but well I was dealing with a rather annoying problem on how to go about the rest of this story and to be completely honest right now, I kind of lost a bit of inspiration on this story. I think the biggest reason was that I got a bit too ambitious with how I wanted this story to go what with the whole letting you all come up with ideas for the dates and such. So with that, I plan on finishing this arc and jumping right into the last arc of the story. I hope you all understand and enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 23: Investigation

In the Royal Day Guard, there were two facts that every guard knew about. First, you never want to be the one to wake up Celestia whenever she taking a nap and two you never wanted to be on duty when Commander Solarshield is having a bad day. Unfortunate for the guards stationed at the dining hall, they were the unlucky ones to be caught in rule number two.

Commander Solarshield was currently pacing around the room in a vain attempt to release what appeared to be a large amount of frustration. Frustration born from the fact that she had slipped up and let what was probably a highly deadly toxin come within not only the Solar Princess but her number one student and guest. It was fortunate that the drink must have gotten mix up somewhere and ended up in front of said guest but it was still going to be a rather noticeable stain on her performance as Champion of the Sun.

Groaning in frustration, she turned her rage heated eyes as the Sgt standing nearby and said in a tone that was both cold and menacing “Where is he?” The guard in question took one look into those eyes and felt as if he was burning up on the surface of the sun. His throat felt dry as well as having a rather large lump in it that would not go down no matter how many times he tried to swallow. He wasn't the only one as every other guard was starting to feel a little hot under the armor.

Before the room felt like an oven, the silence was broken with the sound of a door opening followed by somepony saying “Dang, is there an oven on or is Solarshield having another one of her tempers.”

Now in addition to rule number two of the Royal Day Guard was the rumor that there was only one stallion who would have the guts to act in such a childish manner when the Champion of the Sun was having a rather bad day. The rumor eventually turned into almost fact as every fact turned towards the source of the voice.

There standing in the threshold were two stallion although it was hard to tell that one of them was a stallion due to the simple reason that he was wearing a tattered brown cloak that hid his face and body. The other stallion was an earth pony that had a dark blue coat and was wearing a modified version of the Royal Night Guard armor. His mane was cut short and dirt brown while his eyes were tinted blue. Across his back was an alternating blue/black stick that was about the same length as a spear shaft. Although his overall appearance made one think of a jokester or even a slacker; no guard was willing to voice say anything.

The reason was simple as this stallion in question was Moonsaber, Commander Solarshield’s partner, Champion of the Moon, and Commander of the Royal Night Guard. Moonsaber made his way towards Solarshield with the cloaked stallion following a few paces behind. The room was getting rather tense again as each Champion were staring into each other’s eyes; though Solarshield still had a scowl on her face while Moonsaber had a small grin on his.

When the two Commanders were facing each other, Solarshield said in her usual viper tone though some of the more veteran guards noticed that the fire behind that tone was slightly lesser then before “What are you doing here? This is under the jurisdiction of the Royal Day Guard.”

Moonsaber gave a small shrug and replied “The Princess of the Night has expressed interest and has ordered me to help with the investigations. I've already been brief on what has happened already and I decided that I wanted to make sure that our resident poison expert made it here without too many difficulties.”

Both Commanders turned their attention to the cloaked stallion who was currently examining the cup that had the poisoned drink in it. Obviously it was hard to tell what the he was thinking off as the hood covered most of his face. The silence in the room was madding and it didn't take long before Solarshield agitation got the better of her and said “Well Snake Eyes, what kind of poison is it?”

“Not a poison my dear Commander…but rather it issssss a type of potion.” The stallion known as Snake Eyes replied in his usual smooth and somewhat disturbing voice. Unknown to any guard below the rank of General, Snake Eyes was once a young unicorn who was an apprentice to a rather well known alchemist. However, an incident happened which involved him getting covered in a potion that was filled with essence of snakes. It resulted in him transforming into a kind of half pony half snake hybrid and such a radical change eventually forced him out of his hometown. Celestia found the hybrid and agreed to provide him with shelter and a safe haven so he could continue his craft as long as he agreed to act as the Royal Guards source for any and all manners of poisons and potions. An arrangement that Snake Eyes was more than happy to agree with and it wasn't long before every Guard was trained to recognize that familiar cloak.

However, the surprise that it wasn't a poison brought both a sense of relief and confusion within Solarshield. The confusion brought on by the fact that if it was a potion; then what was its purpose. Snake Eyes, who must have noticed the confusion continued “From what I am able to gather from thissssss drink; it containssssss a rather average amount of crushed moonstone coupled with a large amount of purified stallion genetic.”

Moonsaber then said “crushed moonstone can be used as a low level magic suppressant but I don’t understand why the culprit would use such a mixture if the intended target was Celestia. Her overall magical strength would have easily been able to resist the effects…unless…”

“The target wasn't Celestia at all” Solarshield pick up on, “But rather it was meant for the one pony whose magical level must have been low enough that moonstones would have affected her, Trixie.”

“But what I don’t understand is the inclusion of the stallion genetic?” Moonsaber asked while returning his attention to Snake Eyes.

Although difficult to tell from under his hood, Snake Eyes appeared to be deep in thought. Though that only lasted for a moment before he answered, “I believe that if a mare were to be exposed to a large amount of stallion genetic, while either in a comatose state or having their natural magic suppressed, it could theoretically turned them into a stallion.”

Both Commanders let out a mild gasp of surprised and Solarshield could help but ask, “You mean like a gender changing potion?”

Snake Eyes nodded his head in agreement before adding “It wassssss fortunate that you paralyzed the young mare when you did; otherwise she would have no doubt been turned into a stallion before I could prepare an antidote.”

Solarshield had managed to calm down and everypony present noticed the fire of determination returning to her eyes. Looking at Snake Eyes, she said “I want you to get right to work on creating a cure for Trixie.” Before turning her attention to the rest of the guards under her command “The rest of you, inform the guards that the castle is on lockdown level two until I give the all-clear. Nothing enters or leaves the castle and all air traffic is to be altered or force to land.” Her orders were met with a loud ‘Yes Ma’am’ from the guards and an ‘I will get right on it’ from Snake Eyes. In speeds that were born from constant drills, the entire dining area was clear of all guards and Snake Eyes, leaving only the two Commanders.

Moonsaber looked at his counter-part and he noticed that there was a sense of resignation hidden within those flames. In an almost trance like state, the Champion of the Moon brought his head over to rest on top of his counter-part; breathing in the familiar warmth that reminded him if a warm fire on a cold winter night. He felt her shuffling a bit before feeling a small amount of pressure on his shoulder as Solarshield returned the gesture. The two sat in silent for a moment before Moonsaber said “Talk to me Sol. What’s eating you?”

Solarshield couldn't stop the small smile that was on her face. No matter what, Moonsaber seem to always know when she was feeling like the weight of the world was bringing her down. She wanted to tell him that there was nothing wrong but knew that she couldn't. They had been through too much together to allow any kind of secrets between them. With that in mind, she gave a small sigh and replied “I think I know who the culprit is but…” she trailed off; the rest of what she wanted to say was caught in her throat.

She then felt a small shift in magic before feeling that familiar paw moving up and down her back. Those dragon claws, which appeared so sharp and menacing; were putting just enough pressure to give a massage that beat any spa she had ever been to. Taking comfort from the sudden but not unwelcoming back massage; The Champion of the Sun snuggled up closer to her coltfriend and started to make a soft humming sound. She knew that Moonsaber would wait for her to finish and to also let her know that he was here and would support her. It was those thoughts that managed to lift the weight off of her shoulder and regain her strength.

Getting some distance between them, but not removing their grip from each other; Solarshield looked into her cotfriend’s eyes and said “I need to do this alone.”

She saw the slight worry flash in his eyes before he replied “Are you sure?”

Smiling at the fact that he was worried, Solarshield gave a slight peck on his nose before replying “It’s an internal situation. Besides, you should know how strong I am.”

“Physically yes, but I’m more worried about your emotional state. You know you don’t have to do this alone.”

Her smile had only grown from hearing that and she couldn't resist leaning forward and capturing his mouth with her own. She enjoyed the feel of his lips against her own as she wrapped her front legs around his neck in order to keep him in place. Not that he wanted to go anywhere as after a quick reflex due to surprise; he melted into the kiss. Though as much as the two wanted to continue the rather enjoyable make-out session; they also knew that they were still on the job and with some minor reluctance they separated from the kiss and each other.

Shaking her head to re-gather her thoughts; Solarshield said, “I need to get back to work. I’ll see you during the changing of the guard.” Moonsaber nodded his head and watched as his marefriend turned around and made her way out the door.

After waiting for a spell, Moonsaber made his way out of the kitchen with his destination being the medical wing. He still needed to make sure that Trixie was alright.

I know that it's not much but I wanted to start slow to see if I can try and get my motivation up enough to finish this story.

Author's Note

I'm also looking for an editor that is willing to help me. If you are interested then please send me a P.M. I know that I keep asking this but I really need do need one.

Chapter 24: The Captain's Regret

It does feel a little good to be back to writing this story. Just a reminder that I will have something rather special posted on either June 30 or July 1; Eastern Standard Time of course. It’s not much but it is something. On that note, here is the next chapter.

Chapter 24: The Captain’s Regret

Solarshield was walking towards a room that she seldom visits. Not that it wasn't dangerous or haunted or anything that would instill any sense of fear into her heart. In fact this particular room would give one the sense of remembrance due to its nature.

After all, one might expect to feel that particular sense when they entered the Room of Honorable Service. It was a room that Celestia had ordered to be built as a way for young cadets to go and honor any and all guards who gave it their all in service to the crown. Solarshield use to visit it quite frequently, back when she was just starting out her duties as Champion of the Sun, to try and seek answers from the names and pictures of all past Champions. It was during these moments that had given her some rather creative and somewhat radical changes to how the guards operate and there was already talk that when she would retire, her picture would be placed in that room with a plague reading “The Mother of the Modern Guard.”

Not that Solarshield really cared much about her picture being in some sacred room. Just given the chance to be able to protect and serve the one pony who gave her so much courage, strength, determination, and drive was reward enough for her.

Shaking her head to get rid of the distracting thoughts, the Commander of the Day Guard focused her attention back on the present. Her mind quickly registered the symmetrical beats coming from the two unicorn guards who were flanking her. The two unicorns were currently in their standard issue combat armor which, unlike the flasher parade armor, was highly durable and had some good magical resistance. Solarshield however was wearing her Aegis Armor; a suit that was said to have been forged in a metal found in the heart of the Dragon Kingdom and was forged under the intense heat and pressure of the Sun itself. The armor is almost indestructible with its only real weakness being Lunar magic but it also functioned as a muscle suit and as a form of magical amplification; improving Solarshield’s overall strength, speed, durability, magical resistance, magical power, and magical reserves.

As for offense, the two unicorn guards had their magic for any long-range threat and a short but durable knife for any close range fighting. Solarshield, once again due to her status as Champion, had a sheath strapped on her side. Inside that sheath rested her one-of-a-kind hoof and a half sword Solarflare. This blade shares a similar back story as the Aegis Armor as well as similar traits, minus any improvement to physical ability. It was said in the Day Guard that there was only one time that Solarshield had ever had to draw and use Solarflare and that was during the last Trial of the Champion where she went up against what could only be describe as reincarnation of the Dragon of Vengeance.

She didn't feel that she needed to bring Solarflare for what she was planning. However, past experience has shown that she needed to expect the unexpected. Besides, the familiar weight of the blade coupled with the almost silent hum of power was calming to her; like talking to an old friend.

The three guards reached the door to the Room of Service and Solarshield turned to the other two unicorns and said “Make sure you cast those anti-teleporting wards and let nopony enter this room until you get the all clear from me.” They both responded with a quick salute and a ‘Yes Ma’am’ before taking up positions next to the door. She watched as both their horns flashed five times and gave a silent nod to them, letting them know that the wards were in place. Knowing what was beyond that door, since she could already feel his unique magical signature; Solarshield took a deep breath to calm her nerves before entering the door.

Meanwhile outside the Medical Wing

“I don’t know what Luna sees in this unicorn, but she must be important if she invoke that right…” Moonsaber mused as he stood guard in front of the recovery room. Snake Eyes had managed to complete the antidote and had already been down to inject the antidote into Trixie. Moonsaber recalled the scene with mild amusement as Snake Eyes, himself, the doctors, and even Princess Celestia had to try and convince Twilight that the antidote wasn't just another poison. Once the antidote was in her body, which from what he could understand from Snake Eyes was a combination of a more natural form of magical suppressant, a mixture that would slowly return control to her body, and purified mare genetics to negate the stallion ones.

Trixie was now resting in a comfortable bed, the paralyses mostly gone from her body but still in a state of half-awareness. Twilight was with her, not once leaving her side even for the mundane things like eating and using the facilities. Moonsaber eventually got the notice that the lockdown was in full effect and Solarshield was on route to the culprit’s probable location. All in all, everything would soon be returning back to normal.

“Or about as normal as it gets around here anyway” A calm deep voice sounded within Moonsaber’s head. Normally when a pony starts hearing voices inside their head; it was generally a sigh of going insane. However for Moonsaber it was nothing more than the familiar presence of a recently reformed spirit.

Opening his right eye, Moonsaber saw was could be describe as a ghost of a dragon. This dragon had scales that were as dark as a starless night all over his body. The only breaks in color were the ivory claws and teeth, his silver wings, and finally his ruby red eyes. It gave the impression of a demon in the form of a dragon and for a long time that was true. Now those years of hatred were gone, changing the once Dragon of Vengeance to the Dragon of Redemption.

Giving a small smile at the off-hoof comment Moonsaber replied in his thoughts “How are they doing?”

The dragon gave a mild shrug and replied “The blue one is still recovering from being paralyze and the purple one still remains by her side.” He paused for a moment and appeared to be looking off into the distance before adding "I can sense much love between them.”

Moonsaber gave a silent nod in agreement before saying “There is something about Trixie that keeps bugging me. I've checked her background and there was nothing there that should have warrant the attention of Princess Luna. I wonder if this is just some kind of test to see if Trixie could become Luna’s personal student or if there is some deeper meaning.”

The dragon once again shrugged before replying “She inherited her mother’s curiosity as well as her secrecy. I feel we won’t know the truth behind the blue one until Luna decides to reveal it.”

“But if Trixie turns out to be somepony has some large role to play in the grand scheme of things, then surely…” Moonsaber started to interject but stopped mid sentence when he heard the multiple synchronized sounds of metal hitting stone. Turning his attention down the hall, he saw what appeared to be about five or ten hooded creatures slowly approaching. It was hard to tell what was behind those cloaks but whatever they were; there were enough of them to completely block the hallway.

“You think they are here to relieve you?” The dragon asked in a tone that made it seem like he already knew the answer.

Moonsaber shook his head before thinking “Don’t know…better give the call.” Moonsaber then raised his voice so that it carried to the group and proclaimed “Star?”

The creatures didn't respond and they didn't stop. Moonsaber was starting to feel a little nervous and shouted “Star!” However, he didn't hear the counter call but instead he heard the sound of sword sliding through leather before seeing the gleaming reflection of a well maintain blade. As the creatures now started to break from their controlled march into a charge; the one thought in Moonsaber’s mind was “Well…buck.”

Meanwhile in the Room of Honorable Service, Captain’s Wing

“Just as I suspected…” Solarshield thoughts after she had passed through the threshold of the main room into one of the wings. Specifically it was the Captain’s Wing, a section that was dedicated to everypony who ever held the honorable title of Captain of the Guard. The Captain served as the model guard, the perfect image of what it meant to be a part of the Royal Guard. They were also one of the few officers who were in constant interaction with the regulars and the general public. It was an honor that many strive for but few ever achieve.

There, standing with his back turned to her and no doubt facing one of the many busts that line the wall, was one such example of a pony who encompass everything that it meant to be a guard. Although after the events of today, that idea might have already burned into ashes.

“Hello Commander” Shining Armor asked in a neutral tone before turning around to face her. Solarshield noticed that he was wearing his Captain of the Guard uniform but was slightly surprised to realize that it was his ceremonial version. He had a spear resting along the wall but he made no move to retrieve it. In fact he hadn't even tried to cast any spells or charge any magic.

Shaking the distracting thoughts from her head, Solarshield made her way towards Shining and said in her best calming but still commanding tone “I’m sure you've heard about what happened at the dining hall today.” Shining Armor didn't respond expect for a brief nod of conformation. It was enough for Solarshield to add “Then you know why I’m here.”

To her surprise, Shining Armor took a glance back at the bust that was behind him and said “You remember Captain Goldblade?” Now it was her turn to give a quick nod of agreement which was enough for Shining to continue “I looked up to him while in basic. Thought he was the best to come. Went to all of his lectures, treated his words like they had come from the mouth of Celestia herself.”

“He fooled a lot of ponies Shining.” Solarshield remarked.

The Captain of the Guard nodded his head in understanding before adding “Getting the chance to train under him was probably the third happiest moment in my life. I was so blinded with hero worship that I failed as a guard and a pony to see the kind of stallion he was under that armor.”

Solarshield wanted to interject but couldn't find any words to say. How could she when what was supposed to be a simple capture and interrogation is now turning into some kind of psychological review. Shining Armor didn't notice the slight hesitation on his commander’s eyes and continued “For so long, I absorbed every word, idea, and viewpoint he had; not realizing how much it was tainting my own heart and corrupting my own mind. Cadence could tell, knowing me before I went to train under that stallion. However, every time she tried to bring it up, I always ignored her or…or shouted at her, saying words that to this day are still scars in my heart.”

Shining Armor looked like he was about to start crying, but his guard training was enough to force back the tears as he looked off into the distance but not really focusing on anything. The pause in the conversation lasted long enough that Solarshield was about to say something but Shining beat her to the punch by adding “You know, up in the Crystal Kingdom, they have some of the best psychologists in Equestria.”

Solarshield nodded her head in understanding and was now actually slightly curious as to where he was going with this. Shining Armor returned his attention back to her and said “I…I've been getting help two hours a day, four days a week. At first, I thought it was pointless…I mean only crazy see a psych doctor right?” He gave a deep sigh before continuing “It wasn't until my third session that I realized how crazy I was. How blinded I was to the truth and how much that stallion had haunted me.”

“No one pony can do everything or expect to be perfect every day. Sometimes, you need somepony to give you a shoulder to lean on or act as your voice of reason.” Solarshield remark as she started to remember the days before that faithful night. Sometimes it still would shock her that she had acted in such a fashion.

Shining Armor nodded in agreement and said “My psychologist suggest that I come home and make peace with my past. However, I’d never expected my past to fight back in the most personal strike I could ever think of. When I heard that my little sister, who I think the world over, had fallen in love but with another mare; I…I could only guess that I had a kind of relapse. When I was in those sessions’, I had never imagined that I would be dealing with it on a more personal level.” Shining gave a small chuckle before adding “Life has a funny way of throwing your life into chaos.”

Solarshield knew he was being honest as she never felt her lie-detection spell triggering. However, as much as she wanted to believe him; she still had to know. Taking a deep breath and preparing for the worst, the Champion of the Sun asked “Did you attempt to turn Trixie into a stallion.”

Despite the accusation, Solarshield had to admit to herself that Shining Armor didn't show any kind of reaction or broke his eye contact with her. Once again a testament to the kind of training he had done. Breaking that line of thinking Solarshield listen as her Captain of the Guard said “I know I seem like the prime suspect, and I admit if I was in your armor, I would have thought the same thing. However, whatever I might feel about my little sister being with a mare; I would never force anypony to change their gender.”

…

…………

………………………………………

“………Nothing” Solarshield thought to herself in mock surprise. Her lie detection spell didn't go off. This meant that Shining Armor was telling the truth; a realization that Solarshield was somewhat thankful for. However that truth only raised another question. If Shining Armor wasn't the culprit, then who was the one that tried to turn Trixie into a stallion?

Before Solarshield could even review the evidence that was acquired, a loud alarm blasted throughout the room and most likely throughout the entire castle. Solarshield and Shining Armor were both startled by the sudden noise but their startle gave way to shock when they both heard Moonsaber shouting in their heads “This is Commander Moonsaber to any and all available Royal Guards. The castle has been breached and unknown hostiles are assaulting the medical room 1138. Egghead and Showmare are not secure, I repeat Egghead and Showmare and NOT secure.”

Solarshield and Shining Armor had a look of horror about them and they didn't waste any time in racing towards the medical wing, Shining Armor making sure he got a firm magical grip on his spear. As the two guards blasted through the rooms and back out the halls, startling the two unicorn guards who were also surprised by the alarm and announcement but quickly fell in line; Solarshield only thoughts were getting to Twilight and Trixie in time as well as whoever was behind this was about feel the full wrath the Royal Guards post-Changeling Invasion.

The only thing I have to say is that I really need to stop getting ideas from your comments. Otherwise, I’ll never get this story done and move on to other projects. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 26: Cleaning Canterlot-Royal Guard Style

Really enjoying the feedback but I know that it has been a while since I had a chapter that was dedicated to Twilight and Trixie. I’m not too worried about that for the moment since I hope to focus back on then sometime in the near future.

Chapter 26: Cleaning Canterlot-Royal Guard Style

So it was with partial reluctance that Solarshield and Moonsaber separated from each other. Getting their minds back on the current situation was more important than expressing their attraction for each other…at least while there was a lockdown still in effect. Clearing their throats, Moonsaber turned to address everypony in the room by saying “Although we have managed to stop that group; there is still the possibility that another will be here at any moment.”

Solarshield nodded in agreement and added “We should make for Central Command. It’s one of the most secure parts of the castle.”

Shining Armor nodded in understanding but Twilight and Trixie looked somewhat lost. Twilight especially since she had never heard of a room called ‘Central Command’ while she was studying in Canterlot.

Moonsaber appeared to be pondering something and it was clear what that was when he said to Solarshield “It might be wise to create the Firewall Sol.”

Solarshield was puzzled for a moment before her eyes widen in understanding. Twilight and Trixie watched as the Champion of the Sun started to charge a rather large amount of magical energy. However, unlike normal unicorn magic, this magic felt unstable and wild like an out of control forest fire. Solarshield’s eyes opened and they saw that her eyes appeared to be showing a reflection of a well kept fireplace before she raised her horn to the sky and shot a beam.

The beam appeared to pass through the walls without leaving any kinds of marks and lasted for several tense moments before Solarshield canceled her magic and the last of the beam passed through the ceiling. Outside, ponies watched as a beam of magic reached a predetermine point in the sky before exploding in all directions. The beam now turned wave quickly covered all of Canterlot in what could only be described as a wall of fire.

At a nearby window, Twilight and Trixie watched in saw as the wall covered the outer limits of Canterlot. Behind them, Shining Armor gave a small chuckle before whispering to his younger sister “I never did tell you the pony who taught me that shield spell…well now you now.” He rose his voice slightly so that Trixie could hear and added “Commander Solarshield is considered the best defensive spell weaver in the entire Royal Guard. No pony has been able to crack her defense.” Shining paused for a moment and appeared to be lost in thought before saying “Well…except for one.”

Before Twilight or Trixie could ask who that one pony was, Moonsaber said “We need to make for Central Command. We move in diamond formation with me on point, Twilight and Trixie covering left and right and Solarshield watching out backs. Captain, make sure you have a fast response shield ready in case we run into trouble.”

Everypony nodded their heads and despite there being two untrained unicorns they were able to get the formation ready. Moonsaber got onto his hind legs again and said “Okay, we need to move as fast as we can without being reckless. The sooner we get to Central the sooner me and Solarshield can get the full picture of what’s going on and the sooner you two will be safe.” Once again he was greeted with tense nods which he returned in kind before turning his gaze forward and moving towards their destination.

Wither due to luck or something else, the five ponies managed to make it to the throne room without running into any more trouble. Not that the lack of trouble did anything to calm Solarshield and Moonsaber since that either meant they had already gotten whatever it is they were after or something else. The throne room was bare of all life when they entered and the confusing looks of Twilight and Trixie were enough to establish that they had no idea why they were here. Moonsaber didn't pay it any attention as he took a couple of steps before drawing Crescent Blade and sweeping the blade across the floor.

Everypony watched as the floor glowed for a brief moment before starting to collapse into a set of stairs. Twilight and Trixie could only look on in awe as they all started to make their way to what looked like a normal door. Moonsaber gave a series of what appeared to be random knocks before the door opened on its own and they all quickly stepped inside before it closed again and the floor returned to its original state.

Twilight and Trixie could only gape in awe as to what they saw. They were currently on a platform overlooking what could only be described as a massive assembly room. In the center of the Command Center was a massive magical representation of Canterlot with dozens of small squares flashing in different patterns or sometimes even disappearing for a brief moment before reappearing. Circling around the large magical construct were multiple tables all filled with unicorns that appeared to be in a deep meditative trance. Several times they would open their eyes and whisper something to a nearby pegasus before returning to their trance. Said pegasus’ were constantly flying around from one unicorn to another unicorn, acting as messengers.

“Beautiful in its own way right” Moonsaber remarked to them before making his way to the edge of the balcony where Solarshield was waiting for him. The two gave a stiff nod before Moonsaber shouted “Status Report.”

“Sir, codename ‘Molly’ and ‘Gamer’ are secured. Aegis Squad and Dynasty Squad are on site and providing close protection and overwatch.”

“Sir, hallways A through Aa has been cleared. Checkpoints Alpha through Sierra is locked down.”

“Firewall is outputting at maximum power and is completely covering Canterlot. We've no indication of anyone attempting to breech it Sir.”

Moonsaber nodded in understanding and both he and Solarshield were pleased on the inside that all of that extra training was at last starting to show results. Sometimes it was hard to convince the Princesses that what they had would actually work and sometimes the best way to prove it work was to put it through a trial by fire. Moonsaber turned to his partner and gave a slightly concealed grin that showed his sense of pride and accomplishment at what they had achieved. Solarshield returned the gesture and felt that she could finally take a moment to catch her breath.

“Ma’am, Squad Nine hasn't checked in yet.”

“So much for catching my breath…” Solarshield mused before looking over at the communicator who reported the problem and said “What was their last known position?”

The communicator gave a quick salute before saying “Ma’am half of the squad was tasked with guarding the Royal Treasury while the rest were guarding the Hall of Harmony.”

“That can’t be good” Moonsaber mused before looking over at another one of the communicators and shouted “Get Halo Squad to check on the Treasury and Assassin Squad to look into the Hall of Harmony.” The communicator gave a swift salute before proceeding to send the orders.

As this was going on, Twilight and Trixie merely looked on in both awe and confusion. Shining Armor noticed the looks and gave a small chuckle before replying “Yeah I was pretty much the same way when I first came down here.”

“But what is it they actually do here?” Trixie asked surprised that Shining Armor was even talking to her. It was a big change compared to the cold reception she got back at their house.

Twilight also looked at her brother and said “It has something to do with mental communication right?”

To anypony else, Shining Armor would have been surprised by how quickly they were able to figure it out. However, considering that it was his LSBFF then all he could do was give a proud smile and replied “Partially yes. You see, the magic projection is actually the collective information from a system that Solarshield called the ‘P.T.I.S’. That system, from what we know about it, has the ability to collect, monitor, and store information on everypony that resides in Canterlot, maybe even in all of Equestria. This room was created for the purpose of accessing the information from the ‘P.T.I.S’ to show the location of Royal Guards, foreign diplomats, civilians, and even the Princesses themselves.”

“But that doesn't explain what those ponies down there are doing.” Trixie interjected, her mind slightly swimming from the information overload. She stole a glance at Twilight and saw that she had her mouth slightly open and there was a speck of drool hanging off her bottom lip. No doubt that being introduced to such a large amount of knowledge was making her act like a filly at a candy store.

Shining Armor gave an understanding smile, also noticing his little sister’s hypnotic focus, before clearing his throat and saying “I was actually getting to that Trixie. You see, every squad under the Royal Day Guard and the Royal Night Guard is assigned what is known as a ‘Support Operative’ or ‘S.O’ for short. It’s the job of the S.O to deliver orders and keep an eye on the squads they are assigned to. This, as Twilight was able to deduce, is done using telepathic communication.”

“Assassin Squad is reporting in Sir. Says he’s got something you need to see” shouted one of the communicators which effectively broke Shining Armor’s train of thought. Not that it really matter since he didn't have anything else to add.

Moonsaber nodded in understanding and said “Let’s get a visual.”

There was a brief moment before the image of Canterlot started to get fuzzy. The fuzziness lasted for another brief moment before a small screen appeared in front of them. What was on that screen however caused Twilight and Trixie to almost faint in shock, Shining Armor to look away slightly in silent anger, and, although appearing passive on the outside, the two commanders to feel both anger and sadness.

On that screen, in perfect clarity, were two ponies. One of the ponies was a bat-pony from the Royal Night Guard. However, the other pony was the one that was the source of their reactions. It was an Earth pony of the Royal Day Guard but fatally wounded. Blood was dripping from his lips and his eyes appeared to be unfocused and distant. His armor was torn apart, the helmet out of sight; and under where the armor had been were various cuts, stabs, and bruises that had been covered with bandages but did little to help slow the bleeding. Given the size of the blood pool the two ponies were resting in, the two commanders knew that he had lost too much blood to be save.

Solarshield had to bite the inside of her lips to prevent any tears from escaping her eyes. She knew that this line of work was dangerous and her teacher had told her that such a thing was bound to happen and she needed to steel her heart; and yet as much as she wanted to and as much as she tried, she just couldn't find it in her to act so distant to the rank and file. Many of those recruits came from backgrounds that were similar to her and all of them looking for the opportunity to protect and serve the country that they loved so much and to become something greater then what they left behind.

“C…Co…Commander…” came a croak voice that was slightly muffled due to the reception. Solarshield looked back at the screen and saw the guard, a private given the mark that was on one of the few pieces of armor left on his body, looking back at her with a face that showed both a pony ready to accept the cold embrace of death and one that refused to die without putting up a fight. No doubt due to his heritage as an Earth pony, who turned out to be some of the most stubborn ponies you could ever meet. A statement she knew all too well, having to deal with one on a regular basis.

She shook the rouge thoughts from her head and said in a quiet tone “Who did this to you?”

The private gave a violent cough and everypony was shocked to see more blood exiting his body. He gave a shudder from the sudden absent and the flash of pain that surely consumed his body and replied in a horse tone “Some…hooded th…things came and…talk…to my Sgt…then Sarge…he…he said” the private gave a loud groan of pain and his voice became noticeable quieter when he said “rest of squad…pull…weapons…tried…to…stop…them.” The private cough some more and finished with “So…tired…Com…commander…”

Twilight and Trixie were already a mess on the floor, both clinging onto Shining Armor for comfort and security. Not that Shining was doing any better as he tried to keep his own tears in check.

Solarshield shook her head violently, as if she was trying to wake up from this horrible nightmare. However, this was no dream and she couldn't stop her voice from cracking as she pleaded “Was there anypony else there that you could identify.”

The private’s eyes were almost shut and the rising of his chest was decreasing in tempo. Yet, despite being right there at the gates to the afterlife; the private used his last breath to whisper “Blue…blood.” His breath gone, the guard became lax in the embrace of the bat-pony who could only look up at her Commander in shame at unable to do anything to save the life of this brave pony.

Moonsaber knew what she was thinking and said “You did everything you could Corporal. I’m proud that you stuck with him and gave him comfort in his dying moments.”

The bat-pony nodded her head in understanding and began the work of cleaning his body of all blood. While she was doing that, the screen shifted to show a unicorn wearing the combat armor of an SSgt of the Night Guard and said in a slight gruff tone “Sir, we examine the Valet and it seems that a rather substantial amount of money was stolen. Also, there aren't any signs of the Royal Treasurer."

Moonsaber nodded his head before another screen appeared in front of them. This screen showed a rather distressed looking Lance Corporal of the Night Guard who said in a panic tone “Sir the Hall of Harmony has been compromised. Multiple explosions appeared to have been detonated in order to breach the door.” His eyes widen as the reality of the situation came in and said “The Elements of Harmony are gone Commander. I repeat the Elements of Harmony have been stolen.”

This day would no doubt be going down as the worst day in history for the guards; right up there with the Changeling Invasion and the weeks where Celestia went on what could only be described as an ‘all-cake diet’. However, unlike those cases, Moonsaber was determined to not let it end like this. He was not going to let Canterlot be robbed of its valued treasures and make Equestria seemed week in front of its neighbors. The despair and sense of failure were morphed inside of him, changing into an iron bar of duty and retribution.

Solarshield was in similar thoughts. Going from a simple investigation to a murder, betrayal, theft, and attempted assassination was pushing things too far. Whoever was behind this is probably laughing in merriment at how easy it was to sack Canterlot Castle. Well…that pony or whoever it was in going to be in for one very rude awakening.

The two commanders looked in each other’s eyes and could see the white hot fire of duty and honor burning in their visions. No words were said but they knew what they were thinking. Nothing else matter anymore, all red tape was gone. These, hostiles are about to realize what happens when you mess with the Guard.

They each nodded their head swiftly before focusing on what looked like an ordinary desk in front of them. The two commanders channeled their magic and each of them brought a key into existence. This was no ordinary key however, as the key in front of Solarshield was brimming with Solar magic while the key in front of Moonsaber glowed with Lunar magic.

Solarshield said in her best drill sergeant voice “This is Commander Solarshield of the Royal Day Guard to all guards. This situation has gone far beyond the need for any kind of discrepancy on our part. These…vermin have come to our castle, killed one of our brothers-in-arm, and have the gull to think they could waltz out of here like a warm summer day. I don’t think so.”

Moonsaber took over from this point “We are the Royal Guard, not some flashy dress up club. We are not going to just sit around and let them run around our castle like its Discount Week at the market. They attempted to murder not only Celestia’s prized student and the barer of the Element of Magic but also the life of an innocent pony.”

Solarshield’s temper was on fire right now and she shouted “No more mister nice guard. Now” she couldn't resist the haunting smile on her face before she continued with “we get to show them what it really means to protect, serve, and fight for our homeland.”

Guided by their magic, Solarshield and Moonsaber inserted their respected keys into their locks and turned them at the same time. A small part of the desk slid open to reveal two buttons, one with the sun emblazoning on it and the other with an icon of the moon. Solarshield and Moonsaber moved so that they were hovering over one of the buttons and there was a slight pause before Moonsaber said “We are no longer on lockdown. The castle, nay all of Canterlot is now…”

Solarshield chose that moment to enter in and her voice added with Moonsaber as the two commanders said in a voice of finality “on DEFCON PURGE!”

In sync, they pressed the buttons at the same time. At first nothing seemed to happen but it didn't take long before a monotone voice of a mare said “WARNING COMBAT INHIBITORS SHUTTING DOWN.” The voice repeated the message as all over the castle and Canterlot, guards were groaning in mild pain as waves upon waves of combat experience were reintroduced to them like meeting a long lost friend. Their muscles became harder, their senses sharper, their skills reformed.

Moonsaber was lost in thought for a moment before saying “Metal Gear Squad. I need you to find Blueblood. He may be the only connection we have to uncovering the truth.”

There was a paused before a rather quiet and somewhat scary voice replied “Are we going in quiet or loud sir?”

Again Moonsaber paused before responding with “You have full access to the G.D but I think that discretion is needed for the moment. Just be prepared to make a lot of noise.” The quiet voice responded with a quiet affirmative and the Command Center returned to its usual self, with the major difference being that the S.O’s were now working at a more frantic pace and the pegasus were moving at a faster pace most of the time not even bothering to land.

A few minutes passed with various, minor reports coming in to break the tension. Moonsaber and Solarshield were clearly in their element, making orders and commands sometimes before the communicator could even finish what they needed to say.

It was all well and good, until Solarshield suddenly screamed out in pain as she felt something like a drill tunneling in her brain. The shock of the pain became too much and she collapsed on the ground. Shining Armor and Moonsaber were quick to her side and the Captain of the Guard said “What’s going on Commander?”

Solarshield, trying to fight against the pain cried out “Something attacking the Firewall…something very powerful.”

It was at that moment that the soft voice said “Sir, I have Intel that a train is stopped near the Firewall. Its destination was unknown.”

Moonsaber didn't need to hear anymore and shouted “Get to that train now Metal Gear.” Moonsaber turned his attention to the screen and shouted “Somepony get me a visual of that train.”

A moment passed before a voice said “Coming on screen now.”

Everypony looked as they saw what appeared to be a normal passenger train. However, the major difference was that there was a rather nasty looking laser coming from the train and hitting the barrier. It was at this time that what could be implied to be the leader of Metal Gear Squad responded with “Sir, we have visual on the train. I can see Blueblood along with what appears to be a gryphon politician in the second to last car, your orders?”

Moonsaber took a deep breath, knowing that his partner was in no shape to offer advice while that laser was still on. He knew that he had to give the go ahead but that would mean having to kill that gryphon, a move that would surely put a strain on the Gryphon-Equestria relationship. Besides, even though Blueblood was there, that wasn't any indication that the stolen money or the Elements of Harmony were also there. This could be in fact another ruse designed to throw him and Solarshield off the trail. But if he didn't do anything, then Solarshield would have to drop the Firewall and the Elements of Harmony and the money were sure to be gone.

“Do I take this chance?” Moonsaber mused to himself, lost in his own mind and barely aware of what was happening.

Really hope you enjoy your daily supply of cliffhanger goodness.

…

………

…………………………………..

…not!

Moonsaber made his decision. Despite what the day has proved so far, he could not ignore any inconsistency nor could he allow doubt to form in his mind. Steeling his resolve, Moonsaber turned back to the screen and said “Metal Gear Lead, your orders are as followed:

1) Capture Blueblood…alive for questioning

2) Rescue any and all hostages

3) Recover the money

4) Secure the Elements of Harmony and

5) Eliminate all hostile forces, including the former members of Squad Nine

“You are free to use any and all methods to complete your objectives.” Moonsaber finished with finality, knowing in his heart that they won’t fail him.

A few moments passed before everypony jumped in fright upon hearing what could only be described as a very loud and sudden crack.

Hope you enjoy the chapter and sorry about that false ending. My mind end up wondering if people actually paid attention to what I write here or if they use it as a clue that the chapter is over.

Author's Note

Also as a minor note. If there are any of you out there who are enjoying this story and are a good artist; I wouldn't mind a picture of Moonsaber or Solarshield, either normal or battle form. I do have a Deviant art account so feel free to post it there if you have one. Just make sure you ask me first before drawing and if I do let you then send me a link of the completed picture when you have posted it.

Thanks.

Chapter 27: After Action Report

People wanted me to give them a big action scene…

Chapter 27: After Action Report

Train #3 heading to Ponyville, Compartment 5, several hours later

“Well…that trip certainly was one of the more interesting ones I've had.” Twilight mused slightly as she looked out the window. The moon, in the waxing gibbous position, was clear in the sky like a large beacon and the stars shining just as bright despite their size.

Trixie moved her head from her position on Twilight’s shoulder and watched the moon as well. She was silent for a moment before replying “interesting but you do have to admit that it was exciting love.”

Twilight gave a gentle smile before moving her head and giving her blue counterpart a quick kiss on her forehead next to the base of her horn. Twilight was able to briefly taste the natural fragrance of her new marefriend and felt her shiver a bit in her embrace from the small but sudden jolt of pleasure. Twilight then moved her head next to Trixie’s left ear and said “true…still I think the best part of that whole trip was my brother accepting the fact that we are together.”

“I agree though I do have to admit that I didn't think the reason was because of something so...” Trixie paused for a moment as she tried to search for the right word to say without insulting Shining Armor or Twilight and eventually settled with adding “…unique.”

Twilight nodded in agreement and said “Celestia did say we learn more from our teachers then just lessons. Sometimes we take on their habits, personality, and even beliefs.”

Trixie also nodded before allowing a small smile to touch her lips and saying “I would believe that, especially after meeting Celestia in the flesh; I could tell that you did pick up a few of her habits.”

Trixie was rewarded with her playful banter when she saw the pink tint on Twilight’s checks and hearing her slightly nervous undertone when she responded with “Is…is it that obvious?”

Trixie now couldn't resist letting out a fit of giggles before maneuvering herself so as to wrap her forhooves around Twilight’s neck and capture her lips with her own. The kiss, although intended to be brief; eventually became rather heated as Twilight moved her forhooves to embrace the blue unicorn around her midsection and they both opened their mouths to allow their tongues the chance to explore. Unlike what normal ponies would have done in a make-out session, Twilight and Trixie didn't force their tongues to fight for dominance but instead acted like a pony welcoming their friend into their house.

The kiss lasted for several moments until the need for air started to override the need to continue. The separation of mouths felt like it was being done in slow-motion with several quick pecks happing every now and then in an attempt to prolong the moment. At last, the two unicorns distance themselves, but not separate from snuggling up to each other, and started to softly refill their lungs with air.

Trixie stared into the face of her love and saw that the small pink tint on her checks had now turned into a solid pink line. She could feel the heat on her own checks as well and imagined that she must look similar to what Twilight looked like. As much as she wanted to continue, the events of today eventually caught up to her and she could feel her body and mind slipping into blissful sleep. Saying “I love you…” in a breathless tone, Trixie slowly closed her eyes and softly fell until her head was resting on Twilight’s chest. From this position, the blue unicorn was able to hear the steady and harmonious beating of her marefriend’s heart and knew that it was her and her alone that had managed to capture something so pure and precious.

Twilight was also feeling the welcome embrace of sleep and it wasn't long before her eyes closed. Her dreams, which had once been tainted with doubt and fear, were now a source of internal joy as her mind played scenario after scenario of moments that she wanted to experience with her lover.

The two unicorns, now wandering the realm of dreams; both had content smiles on their faces as the train continued to travel under the watchful gaze of the stars and the moon.

Meanwhile in Princess Celestia’s Main Chamber

“You have everything ready for Night Court Sis?” Celestia asked as she watched her younger sister organizing the scrolls that she would be looking over during the night. Ever since Luna had returned, it had taken almost no time at all for the two sisters to return to their usual routine and although Celestia wouldn't admit this to any other pony; she was very thankful to be back on a normal sleeping schedule without having to be woken up every hour or so to deal with something.

Luna nodded her head and with nothing more than a mere flash of concentration sent the scroll to the throne room where she would review them. However, Luna also knew that there was one more thing that needed to be done before her older sister could retire to sleep and even a thousand years apart wasn't enough to weaken the telepathic bond the two princesses shared.

Celestia notice the questioning gaze from her younger sister and knew what said question was. As much as she would have like to wait until morning, when everypony has had a chance to recover; she also knew that, at least to then, this day wouldn't be over for them mentally.

Nothing was spoken but something must have happened because they both turned their attention to the now opening doors. Passing through the threshold were Solarshield and Moonsaber; each of them holding onto a simple folder and showing expressions of neutrality.

The two Champions stopped a couple of feet in front of the princesses in perfect sync before raising their right hoof in a brisk salute. Celestia and Luna nodded their heads and the two Champions lowered their hoof and adopted a slightly more relaxed pose. The room was silent for a time before Solarshield cleared her throat and said “This is Commander Solarshield and Commander Moonsaber, here to give our after-action report on what happened today as well as what we have discovered.”

Once again the two princesses nodded and Moonsaber also cleared his throat before saying “Upon the time of the crack, elements of Metal Gear Squad lead by Lieutenant Colonel Boss, Major Solid, and Captain Raiden assaulted a hostile control train with probable hostages and the HVT. Ten seconds after first crack, Sergeant Major Rex had secured principal target Simon Blueblood and teams had secured the Elements of Harmony. Five seconds later, Master Sergeant Liquid had secure hostages as well as the stolen cash from the treasury and highly sensitive Intel.”

“What kind of Intel?” Celestia asked, somewhat curious but she was also somewhat impressed by the speed and execution of Metal Gear Squad; which in turn made her wondered what kind of training the Night Guard goes through to make guards achieve those results.

Moonsaber looked at Solarshield and she caught the signal that meant she could take over the conversation. Giving a slight nod, she looked back at the Princess and said “Upon studying the Intel acquired on the train, we were able to form a very strong conclusion to the chain of events that had happened today.”

Celestia motioned for her Champion to continue which Solarshield gave a brief nod before saying “According to documents found on the train, as well as those found in Simon’s room; we have learned that he was apparently involved in a romantic relationship with a gryphon that we were able to identify as one Softwings, daughter of a minor noble of the Gryphon government.”

Moonsaber took over by saying “According to the letters, Simon would take periodic trips to the Gryphon Kingdom on the basis of improving diplomatic relations when we now believe that was just a cover-up to see his lover.”

Luna shook her head in dismay and replied “While I’m not oppose to the idea of interspecies relationship; the mere fact that Blueblood was using castle resources to do so must be frown upon.”

Solarshield and Moonsaber gave each other a cautious glance before Moonsaber said “Actually Luna, from looking over the budget over the past year, which is what we believe to be the point where Simon and Softwings became romantically involved; there hadn't been any signs of him appearing on the budget that related to trips to the Gryphon Kingdom.”

Solarshield then said “We thought he might have tried to cover it up. However, when we question him about it, under three different lie detection spells and the Element of Honesty serving as the fourth; he said that all those trips he paid with his own allowance, including the guard’s salary and any hotel stops.”

Luna was surprised by this and even Celestia felt a put off about this. They both had questioning looks on their faces and Solarshield quickly said “Before you ask, yes we did check with those guards he hired and those hotels and they all check out.”

Moonsaber decided that they had derailed for long enough said “If we can continue?” The princesses nodded and Moonsaber continued “From the letters from both Simon and Softwings, as well as his account; it appeared that they were both quite happy together and a few of the letters briefly mentions the possibility of marriage. However there became…a problem.”

Solarshield then said “Around three weeks prior to today, we noticed an increase in letters being sent to Softwings and a decrease in those meant for Simon. Upon looking over the letters, we had discovered that Softwings had become pregnant with Simon’s child. Simon, both from what he wrote in those letters and from our questioning; seemed more than willing to take Softwings paw into marriage and promised her that he would do anything to be with her and their child.”

“That was quite noble of my nephew to take responsibility for his actions.” Celestia remarked, glad that her chat with him after the Grand Galloping Gala on what it meant to be royalty had suck in.

Moonsaber nodded in agreement but his expression remained neutral when he responded “I would agree with you Celestia…if that was the truth.”

The princesses looked at him with mild confusion and were waiting for him to answer but it was Solarshield who said “Upon learning of this, we quickly set up contact via the Hologram Spell with General of the Honor Guard Deathtalon in order to get Softwings side of the story.” Solarshield shook her head in mild disappointment and added “It turns out that Softwings was not with Simon’s child and was in fact lying to him about it.”

“Why would she do that?” Luna asked. She could remember that gryphons, especially the females, were notorious for their stubbornness.

“From what she told Deathtalon” Moonsaber said “she was being threaten with the death of her younger brother if she didn't comply.”

“The gryphon that was threatening her was in fact the same gryphon noble that was killed on the train, Goldbeak.” Solarshield finished.

The room was silent as the two princesses absorbed the information that they had heard. Such a pause in the conversation was something that Solarshield and Moonsaber were use to as they waited for one of the princess to speak. Eventually, that princess in question was Celestia when she said “But what could this Goldbeak want with Softwings and Blueblood?”

The two Champions knew that this was coming, it was something that even now they still couldn't believe it even though it was as clear as crystal. They had also decided that Moonsaber was going to be the one to deliver it, since he is considered the acting Commander at the time.

Moonsaber took a small breath before saying “Working in collaboration with the Gryphon Honor Guard and their assist; we were able to learn that Goldbeak was head of a noble house that, due to various forms of corruption, had lost much of their power and influence within the government. It seems that Goldbeak had set his sights on becoming the new Gryphon King and had already made several assassination plans. However, he felt that, in order to secure his rise to power; he needed to do something that would bring him a lot of prestige, power, and wealth. He eventually set his sights on Equestria, the country that control the day and night. However, he must have realized that raiding the castle would be suicide, considering that the Changelings had tried and eventually failed and that we would be more prepared for such an attack. He needed someone on the inside to weaken our defenses and it must have been around that time that he managed to intercept one of Simon’s letters. Threatening Softwings, Goldbeak forced her to write letters about her false pregnancy and saying that her uncle was coming to get him so they could be wed.”

“I assume that Goldbeak was this supposed ‘uncle’?” Luna asked, feeling her temper start to rise at the gryphon who dared threaten Equestria’s peace.

Moonsaber nodded in agreement and continued “However, Goldbeak, now using Simon as his inside; felt that it wasn't going to be enough. Luckily for him, his spies tipped him off about Shining Armor mental condition and Twilight’s relationship. Feeling that was the opening he was looking for; Goldbeak order Simon to create a potion to turn Twilight’s lover, Trixie, into a stallion or he would never allow Simon to see Softwings or their ‘child’. Simon was force to comply and managed to slip the potion in the drink.”

Moonsaber took a moment to catch his breath and Solarshield decided to pick up where he left off by saying “What Simon didn't know what that Goldbeak had made other plans. He had brought out Squad Nine, minus Pvt. Highwind who was the guard who confirm that Simon was involved somehow. He also hired a gryphon assassin team to eliminate Twilight and Trixie in order to throw further guilt onto Shining Armor, ransacking the Treasury and even stealing the Elements of Harmony.”

Moonsaber managed to catch his breath and said “He would have succeeded, if not for the fact that Solarshield was quick to put up the Firewall and Luna causing the total eclipse. Because of the Firewall, Goldbeak was stuck inside of the city while his window was quickly closing. In a vain attempt to breach the wall, he ordered his guards to rig the Elements to the train’s engine, which turned out to only give away his position as that force was the source of pain that Solarshield had felt and allowed us to locate him.”

The room was now once again silent but the Commanders knew that it was going to be this point where the Princesses would have any final questions. Luna started things off by asking “What’s going to happen to Softwings and Goldbeak?”

Solarshield responded “Softwings is going through some therapy for what she had to go through and she also expresses a desire to see Blueblood. I told her that she would have to fill out identification papers as well as get clearance to enter the castle so you should expect that within the coming days. Wither or not you will allow Blueblood to see her will be up to you two. As for Goldbeak, he will be condemned as a traitor and will receive the ultimate punishment for a dead traitor; used as a source of food for prison inmates.”

Although the Princesses looked disgusted by the concept of the punishment, they knew that it wasn't their place to argue and perhaps there might be a part of them that kind of agrees with it, though they would never admit it.

Shaking off the distracting thoughts, Celestia asked “What about Pvt. Highwind?”

Solarshield, for the first time since they had started, lost her mask of neutrality and was now showing emotions of sadness and mild depression, as if Highwind was her son. Truth was that Solarshield did kind of feel like she had lost a son back at the Command Center where she watch the young guard’s life slip away and she couldn't do a thing about it. Biting back a fresh flow of tears that threaten to spill; Solarshield said “For unwavering service to the guard and showing unmatched courage, duty, and loyalty; Pvt. Highwind will receive full military honors, the Solar Medal of Honor as well as the Lunar Medal of Duty, the post-death rack S Sgt, and his picture will be placed in the Hall of Service. I have already prepared to leave in the morning to inform his family and to set up the burial date. As for the rest of Squad Nine, they will be buried with no honors and I have sent letters to their family. Is that acceptable Princess?”

Celestia nodded and added “If it is alright, we would like to also be present for S Sgt Highwind’s funeral to say a few words and comfort his love ones.”

Solarshield nodded her head in agreement and Moonsaber said “If that is all Princesses?”

Celestia and Luna nodded their heads and watched as the Champion of the Sun and the Champion of the Moon made an about-face before heading out the door, leaving them to decide on what to do with Blueblood.

Meanwhile, Lake of Reflection

The forest was as calm as the lake that it surrounded. No animal made a sound and no wind seemed to blow.

From the calming center of the lake, the mirror image of the moon started to break as water started to swirl and move on its own.

It was then that a calm voice said “She has chosen…” before becoming silent.

The water continued to swirl around the center before a large jet burst from the center before arcing and landing on the shore.

“…Now…she must commit.” The calm voice finished just as the geyser of water started to lose pressure and force, eventually returning back to the lake but not without leaving something on the shore.

Said something was hidden within the darkness of the forest but it didn't matter. The calm voice returned with “You know what you must do” before becoming silent again.

The silence lasted for only a moment before a high laugh started to echo from the forest. It source being the strange thing that the water geyser had left on the shore. The high pitched laugh continued before a dark and unsettling familiar voice said “Prepare you self Equestria for the return of The Great And Powerful Trixie!!!”

‘Trixie’ continued to laugh as she started to make her way to Ponyville, but not before making a quick detour.

…I give you backstory and resolution. I apologize for any buzz kills that I might have caused. Oh yeah, I finally managed to pick out an avatar; I hope you like it.

Chapter 28: Pride vs. Love Part 1

Whelp…time to start wrapping things off.

Chapter 28: Pride vs. Love Part 1

Several days had come and gone since Twilight and Trixie had returned from their rather eventful time at Canterlot. Nothing had changed in the peaceful town and all in all it was shaping up to be another wonderful day.

Inside the Golden Oaks Library, two unicorns were just starting to wake up from their blissful sleep. Each gave a tired yawn to the other and while both were reluctant to leave the warmth and comfort of the bed and each other embrace, they also knew that there were things that needed to get done.

However, unknown to them at the time; today was far from normal.

It had started off with a slight unknown tension in the air; a tension that Twilight or Trixie had no idea on its source. Said tension was faint but constant; instilling a sense of foreboding dread in the library.

“I’m going to go check on my friends.” Twilight suddenly proclaimed, unable to focus on the book that she was reading and decided that a quick visit to each of her friends might be able to calm her nerves.

“I’ll go with you.” Trixie added, also feeling the strain that was in the air and seeking a respite from it. The odd thing was that there was something about this tension that felt…familiar to her. The former Showmare shook her head in disagreement and simply concluded that she was merely over thinking things.

The two managed to get the library straighten out and both made their way through the threshold only to find that what was on the other side was nothing like they had imagined.

The ‘peaceful-looking Ponyville’ was gone; and not in the disappeared kind of way but more of the atmosphere doing such a radical change that it no longer felt like Ponyville. The buildings were mostly deserted and in various states of disrepair while the haunting gaze of the moon dominated the skies. Ponies were walking around with coats that were dirty and manes in dire need of brushing.

“Well…well…well. It took you losers long enough. I had almost thought that you might have turn chicken and ran.” A high pitch voice dominated the air and one that was familiar to the two unicorns. They both turn their attention to the source and gave a gasp of shock.

Standing a couple paces away was some kind of Trixie clone; with the only major differences being the fact that this one was wearing Trixie’s old costume and the fact that she also had a very menacing looking amulet around her neck, one that was modeled to have a unicorn’s head and pegasus wings and is set with a blood red ruby.

The Trixie clone gave a confident smirk before gesturing to the amulet and saying “You like? It’s called the Alicorn Amulet and it grants me the power I need to finally get what I so rightfully deserve.”

A power that the clone had already shown by the fact that she had managed to trap all of Twilight’s friends in some kind of magical bubble. Trixie was still in shock about the existence of the clone but Twilight had managed to get over it and replied “I don’t know what you are or where you came from but I won’t let you hurt my friends.”

Twilight started to charge her magic but the Trixie clone didn't appear to show any signs of response excepted for a tired yawn.

It was then, faster than Trixie could see; Twilight felt her magic stop before she herself became trapped in another one of those magic bubbles. The Trixie clone brought the bubble to her and replied in a calm voice “I’ll deal with you in a moment faker; right now, I more pressing matters to deal with.”

The bubble floated up to join with the others and the clone Trixie turned her now ruby eyes on the real Trixie. The real one felt her legs starting to shake and was having a hard time getting air into her body.

The clone gave a delightful laugh before replying “And here we are again…just like before. You always were so weak and expendable that I still cannot fathom the fact that we come from the same place. Just the thought makes me feel dirty.” The clone’s body shivered for a moment before giving a predatory smile at Trixie and adding “You really thought you were free…didn't you Love? You thought that after everything that had happen; you would be able to just push me aside and have what you want? Well…here’s a tip from your better; the world isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Now…I’m here to get what I…what we want; revenge against this has been of a unicorn and her pathetic friends.”

Trixie felt her heart beating in her throat and her breath coming out in short but rapid gasps. Her mind screamed at her to run but her body remained frozen in fear. The clone chuckled some more before taking a few slow even steps and replying “Are you going to cry?” The clone laughed in mirth before continuing “You are! You’re going to cry like the little blank-flank filly you were back in Manehatten. Go ahead then baby; cry all those delicious pathetic tears of yours.”

Trixie could feel the water forming in her eyes but for some odd reason she refused to let them fall. She didn't want to give this clone the satisfaction of seeing any tears. Before she had a chance to try and wipe them away; she felt a magical force hitting her on the side of her face; tossing her on the ground like a sack of rags.

The clone laughed again and said “You think you’re so strong now don’t you? Did you forget who it was that gave you your courage in the first place?” The clone used a burst of magic to hit Trixie in the face again before continuing with her voice rising in volume “Did you forget who it was that taught you those spells?! Did you forget who it was that even bothered to pay attention to a nothing like you!?!”

The clone was now over the curled up form of the real Trixie and pushed her right hoof down onto Trixie’s throat. Trixie gave a frightful gasp of shock as she felt her body struggling for air. She could only look at the face of the clone on top of her and she could see the victorious smile that was on her face.

The clone lowered her head so her mouth was over the real Trixie’s ear and whispered in a cold voice “When you are out of the way, I think I’ll take my time with that purple excuse of a unicorn. Mmm…yes I’m going to break her so much that she’ll be begging for my forgiveness and then.” The clone paused for a moment before saying in much lower tone “I’m going to cut off her horn and consume all of her magic and turn her into a broken husk.”

“NO!” Trixie shouted as her horn lit up in a burst of magic strong enough that it was able to fling the clone Trixie off of her, but not strong enough to cause any physical harm.

The clone, and by proxy Twilight and her friends; watched as Trixie slowly got up from the ground on shaky legs. What happened next came to a surprised for everypony there as silver lines sprouted from the ground below Trixie and started to weave in some weird pattern. Even from inside of the bubble, which was somehow disrupting her magic; Twilight could feel the raw magical power that was building up in her marefriend.

The sudden sound of a window being smashed managed to diverted everypony attention and what they saw were the real cape and hat flying towards the still form of Trixie. The cape and hat were placed in their respected spots and it was at that moment that Trixie raised her head to face her clone.

Whatever fear or terror that had been in her eyes were gone only to be replaced by a stare that was frightening cold and focus like she was trying to burn a hole in her clone. Trixie’s expression appeared to be neutral but her body showed a stance that implied disappointment; which only further that theory when Trixie said “I was a fool. I had thought that I could forget my past, forget who I was. Yet, here you are; the incarnation of my old self still clinging to the dark part of my heart. For so long I had tried to get rid of you, to ignore you; but the harder I tried, the stronger you got.”

The clone replied in a low tone as well “You will never escape me. Even now I can feel your heart begging me to return, to once again taste my power.”

Trixie shook her head and said “What you have…isn't power. It’s a poison, one that had plagued me for too long that I had almost lost my true self. As much as I want to reject you, as much as I want to deny it; the simple truth is that you are me just as I am you.” Trixie could see the clone starting to smile, no doubt believing that it was already victorious. However, Trixie’s next words managed to cut that grin off her face by saying “That does not mean I will let you take over my body, my soul, my life ever again. Despite all that you did for me, to which I must thank you because without those experiences I would never have become the mare I am now; you are still a cancer and I will stop you.”

The clone laughed in a high pitch tone and responded “Stop me, you? You seem to forget I’M the one with the all-powerful amulet.”

To the clone surprise, Trixie chuckled herself and countered with “You seem to forget that I, unlike you, have no need for cheep gimmicks.”

Trixie lowered her head and everypony watched as her horn started to glow with a very strong aura. What they didn't hear due to the sheer magical output that Trixie was releasing was a single word that, once a long time ago, had made Equestria’s enemies running for the hills.

“Per…so…na”

I may be watching too much of Superjeenius’ Let’s Play of Persona 4 Golden which may or may not have influenced this chapter.

Author's Note

Apologies but I just couldn't resist.

Chapter 29: Pride vs. Love Part 2

Chapter 29: Pride vs. Love Part 2

The ground shook with the force of an earthquake as the silver lines that had been etched into the ground exploded, releasing a geyser of silver magical energy. The power swirled and twisted around Trixie but, rather than succumbing to fear, she maintained a calm even expression.

It was then, a loud deep voice intoned, “I am thou, and thou art I…From the sea of thy soul, I come.” Oddly enough, her silver magic began to swirl and take shape. The form before her was a bipedal creature, pure white and carrying a rather menacing looking sword.

The being then said “I am Izanagi-no-Okami, one who brings light on thy path and watcher over the descendants of Star Swirl the Bearded.”

The entity continued to hover for a few more moments, before disappearing in a flash of silver light. Everypony’s attention was immediately returned to Trixie, now radiating an aura of silver light. The only other difference being that Trixie was now holding what appeared to be a simple playing card in her magical grip.

It was then that Trixie declared with new confidence, “Now then…let’s decide this once and for all; the final clash between my past and my present with my future at stake.”

The clone gave no verbal response, but bore a smug grin upon her muzzle. Before Trixie had a chance to react, the clone released the magic it had been quietly building up in the form of a fireball. Trixie was too slow to react and could only brace as she took the full force of magic. What came as a surprise was that, minus some singed fur, Trixie came out of that uninjured; a result that seemed to equally surprise the clone.

Trixie, for her part, was shocked that her injuries were not any worse. At first, she thought it was because the clone didn't put enough power behind the spell. That theory was quickly dismissed, as the stunned look on her opponent’s face served as enough evidence to the contrary. Confusion aside, Trixie knew that it was her moment to counter attack, before her enemy had a chance to recover, yet she was unsure of the next move. Her own magical power would never be able to match the clone’s, especially boasted by that amulet. While trying to think of a way to counter, her mind was slowly starting to remember……something. It was fuzzy at first, like a time long since forgotten; however, it didn't feel like a memory and all she was able to focus on were some strange words that seemed like nonsense. The words filled her mind; they exuded a sense of power when she thought about them and felt the card in her magical grip surge as if responding to the words that were in her mind.

Deciding to chance it, Trixie said in her best commanding voice “Agidyne!” The moment that word left her lips, she felt magic surge out of her and saw, to her mild surprise, the card shatter in her grip. Her stunned state lasted for a moment, as the silver magic began to surge up and recreate the creature. This time it remained a silent form and performed a horizontal slash with its sword. There was a pause and Trixie feared her faith had been misplaced. Those thoughts were quickly pushed away due to what was now before her.

A small ring of fire quickly surrounded her adversary, catching the clone off-guard. The ring erupted into a massive pillar of fire and completely consumed its occupant. Unlike the fireball the clone had launched at Trixie, this geyser was clearly inflicting real damage based upon the pain induced yelling coming from the column. When the geyser had finally stopped, everypony saw that the clone was now covered with major burn marks. Despite the damage however, it still bore the same unchanged smug expression.

“Is…is that the best you can do,” The clone said in a mocking tone. Trixie, however, took notice of the slight hesitation behind the challenge and knew that this was a front and nothing more.

Still, it didn't matter, Trixie now know how to fight this battle and didn't hesitate before enunciating, “Bufudyne!”

The air around the clone chilled and before long a massive chunk of ice impacted upon her. Staggering for a bit, the clone barely heard Trixie shouting another word, this one sounding like ‘Ziodyne’. Like Bufudyne, the spell didn't take long to go into effect and the clone was met with a barrage of lightning bolts.

“Garudyne,” Trixie shouted and couldn't resist the satisfying smirk forcing its way on her face, as she watched the clone being assaulted with what seemed like hurricane-force winds.

Despite the massive beating it sustained, the clone continued to stand, refusing to show any kind of weakness. It had already used most of its power just protecting itself from Trixie’s attacks. Breathing heaving, it looked like the clone was struggling just to remain on its hooves.

Trixie was surprised that it had lasted as long as it did, considering the amount of energy she poured into those spells. What she had discovered rather quickly was that the spells didn't seem to drain as much magical power as she had thought. Elemental magic on this scale should have caused her to collapse on the ground by now and yet she only felt slightly fatigued.

Even so, the battle continued with each side giving their best. So the conflict went on however, it became more and more obvious that Trixie seemed to hold the advantage. No matter how much power her doppelganger put into its spells, the damage the Trixie sustained was virtually nonexistent. Trixie, on the other hoof, was constantly launching powerful elemental spells that seemed to have minimal impact on her magical reserves. There were even times where she would delay an attack before releasing the spell, which only seemed to amplify the overall damage.

In spite of the opposition, no matter how much punishment it took, the clone refuse to give up. It would just keep enduring the spells while maintaining the same smug expression. As time stretched on, the demands of combat were starting to take a toll on Trixie. Even considering the seemingly limited magical requirements for the spells, she was using them constantly and it was starting to show.

She needed to end the fight…and soon before fatigue settled in and provided the clone an opportunity to overpower her.

It was around that time that the clone released a laugh of delight and said, “You still do not see it? I’m you. We are connected in heart, mind, body, and soul. You can’t just get rid of me with force, because as long as your heart burns to taste my power, I will never go away.”

The clone was right, but Trixie didn't want to admit it. Doing that would mean inviting it to take control and consume her like it had done before. What could she do, what spell was left that would finally allow her to break the chains of her past?
As if waiting for its prompt, a word entered her mind. Although it was completely foreign to her, Trixie could feel the power emanating from it. Unlike the other spells though, this one would require most of her remaining magic reserves. She was going to have only one shot.

The former showmare took a calming breath as she reached out for her pool of magic, ready to channel it to form the spell. Trixie looked up at her clone and it was only then when she comprehended the true nature of her opponent.

In a voice that was calm, but filled with finality, Trixie said, “I understand now. You aren't just a clone, but the manifestation of my own pride. You truly are the manifestation of my past, born from the lake to serve as my final test, the test of conviction.”

The clone…no, her Pride looked surprised by what it was hearing. Before it could form a response Trixie continued, “Maybe, in another universe, I succumbed to my rage. The worst thing is I can see it. I can see myself being driven with thoughts of revenge against Twilight. I remember who I was enough to know that, if not for the intervention of others, I would be lost in that pursuit, seeking only to restore my foolish pride and self-image…..And I would have reveled in it, not realizing the void that was in my soul.” Trixie’s gaze drooped to the ground, as if imagining what kind of universe that would be before continuing. “I know that you will always be there, as pride exists in everypony’s hearts. What I see now is that I wasn't fighting to throw away my pride; I was fighting to forget all the mistakes I had made in the past. I realize that there is no point in trying to change the past or attempting to forget it. The past makes us who we are, it shapes our future…and I wouldn't change a thing.”

Trixie’s horn started to glow, but unlike her normal silver glow, it emitted a dark purple color. The creature appeared again, this time pointing its sword straight up. All present, minus Trixie, raised their heads and wore expressions of disbelief.
Floating above Ponyville was a ball of what could only be described as pure magic. The ball matched the color of Trixie’s magical aura was quickly growing in size.

Trixie then said, “As much as I regret my past actions, as much pain as they have caused…they have also let me to the best future I could have hoped for. I have made my choice. My love has given me a second chance, when conventional logic would have left me to my fate. She has offered me her home, her food, her bed, and her love; I vow here and now that I will not take her generosity for granted. I know now in my heart the path I chose to walk, but before I can take the first step, I must be rid of the chains that still bind me.”

Pride was in shock, both from the still growing orb of magic above and the realization that she had failed. She could only watch in horror as the Alicorn Amulet flashed before disappearing from her neck.

Trixie, feeling the steel bar or resolution in her heart, shouted, “Now…break my chains. Ultima!”

The large sphere, as if waiting for that cry, began hurtling down on a direct course with Pride, who could no longer feel her legs responding to her commands to move. Trixie brought her horn down in sync with her Persona’s sword; she could feel sphere accelerate as Pride watched, unable to react, unable to fight, unable to do anything but accept what was to come.

When the sphere impacted on the ground right on top of Pride, it continued to grow even larger, eventually encompassing all of Ponyville. Twilight and her friends could do nothing but close their eyes and hope for the best.

Author's Note

For starters, when I set out to do this story; I knew that there were two major camps concerning what people's o pinon were of Trixie. One thought of her as soft and misunderstood while the other thought she really was great and powerful. This is my way of pleasing both sides.

The second thing to note is the name of the spells that were used in the chapter. While their brief description does give you a vague idea of what they mean, I will be willing to give you the actual description in the comments. Also, Ultima is not a spell in Persona but rather in Final Fantasy.

Thanks go to themanesix for editing the chapter for me.

Epilogue

Several years later

The morning sun shined through her window, causing the mare to let out a long yawn. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find that her bed was empty which was odd since it hadn't been that way in a long time. Looking around with sleepy eyes, she tried to find any sign of her wife but couldn't. Instead, she found a note that was located where her head would have been. Opening it up, she reads the contents before giving a warm smile. How could she have forgotten what today was.

Stretching a bit, Trixie hopped out of their bed and begin to put on her family robe and hat. Feeling the familiar fabric on her fur brought her a sense of comfort and security. Plus the personal advisor of Princess Twilight had to make sure she looked her best. Making sure that her main was in proper order, she began to head out of her room and towards the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. Along the way, she smiles as guards and maids gave her morning greetings and well wishes.

After all one doesn't celebrate their anniversary everyday though Trixie wouldn't have mind. Every day spent with the love of her life felt even better then the last. She got to see the side of Twilight only her most closest of friends did. That adorabkle nerd whose love of books was only match by how easy it was to leave her breathless. A skill that Trixie had a lot of time to practice.

Entering the kitchen, she smiles as she sees Spike finishing up their meals. Though she was also surprised to see that Twilight wasn't there. Normally the alicorn would be on her second or third cup of coffee. Looking at Spike, she could see the knowing grin he was trying to hide and decided to stay silent. Twilight did mention in her note that she had a surprise for her and Trixie wasn't about to ruin it just because she found out from the drake. Instead, she helped herself to warm tea and pancakes with just enough syrup to make it enjoyable.

After finishing, she lets out a sigh and helps Spike out with cleaning the dishes. Looking at what was in the sink confirmed her suspicion that Twilight had woken up before her and ate a quick meal. She could even see a few scraps of food that were left on the plate which was a result of eating too fast.

Once that was done, she double check the schedule and saw that she and the Princess had the rest of the day off. That was great as on this day all she wanted to do was snuggle with her wife and lose herself till the only thing that matter in the world was her and Twilight. No pony to tell them about some emergency, no super villains attacking. No this would be just the two of them and may Celestia have mercy on anypony who dares to disturb that.

"Twilight is in the library." Spike mentioned in a casual tone before adding something about meeting up with Sweetie Belle.

Trixie nodded her head and made her way towards the library. As she was heading there, she noticed that there were less and less ponies around as well as a faint scent of something. Curious, she took a small whiff and whatever it was reminded her of dusty scrolls and fresh parchment. Which could only mean that Twilight had something extra special planned. Feeling an extra spring in her step, she trots towards the doors to the library. Taking a deep breath, she opens the door and lets out a gasp at what she saw.

Twilight was wearing an outfit that basically was the definition of what a "sexy librarian" would be. She even had a pair of rim glasses that just made her whole appearance be twenty percent more sensual. Giving Trixie a smile, her horn glows and the blue unicorn could feel the door closing behind her before locking. Trixie could also feel multiple spells activating all at once and even without a close examination she could tell they were layers of sound dampening and privacy shields. Once again impressed, and a little turned on, by how powerful Twilight was; the mare made her way over while asking "Um...happy anniversary Twily."

Twilight's smile grew a bit more before she replies "Happy anniversary...my faithful student." She then gives Trixie a kiss before the two fell into each other's embrace ready to begin studying the effects of alicorn and unicorn magic on nature and pony made objects.

Author's Note

I'm sure many of you are going to be mad at me for just the sudden end but to be honest I should have ended this story a long time ago and not let it dragged on as I did. It was a learning experience for me and I'm so sorry to make you all wait for this. I hope this will be the start of me being a more active writer here.

Prologue: Legend of the Lake

Hello fellow bronies! Richer19 back and ready to go. This is my first foray into the shipping division of Fimfiction and I hope that you all will enjoy this story. This is based of course on a shipping that is one of my favorites mostly due to the fanfic Teardrops and Snowflakes by Vyreinos and the artwork done by Dekomaru who let me use one of his pictures for the cover art. Anyhow, by the time you read this chapter (I hope); it will actually be my birthday and this is sort of my birthday gift to you all. So sit back and relax as we get started with the prologue.

Prologue: Legend of the Lake

Long ago, in the magical land of Equestria; there were two regal sisters who ruled over the land. The eldest, Celestia, was in charge of raising the sun each morning while the youngest, Luna, brought out the moon and stares. However, jealousy started to worm its way into the heart of Luna as she watched the ponies play and appreciate the beautiful day that her older sister brought out but slept and ignored her starry night.

So begins the tale of the Mare of the Moon and the princess fall from grace and of the sacrifice another had to make in order to protect her subjects. It is this and others that have managed to endure the test of time. Yet, there was one legend that for so long as been ignored and forgotten that only the rarest books in the most secure part of Canterlot Castle would even mention such forgotten lore. This one in particular, was considered to be the most well-known at the time.

It is the Legend of the Lake of Reflection.

The story goes that before Luna eventually fall and transformation to Nightmare Moon; she would journey through the starry skies in search of anypony who might be out and gazing at her night sky. One night, under a full moon, the Princess of the Night stopped to rest at the shore of a lake in the middle of an unnamed forest. As the Princess begin to wallow in sadness, she notice how the lake's water was so pure and clean that it was able to make reflect the glow of her moon. Transfix by this rare sight, the Princess felt the need to somehow reward the lake for the rare opportunity that she was able to witness. Under that faithful night, Luna used her divine magic and cast a spell upon the lake so powerful and complex that it would forever change the lakes true nature. The spell was so old that its name and meaning were lost in time.

When the spell was complete, the lake gain an ability no other creature had. It possess the ability to gaze into the heart of anypony who stared into its crystal clear water. It also gain the ability of semi-rational thought and was able to manipulate its waters to become any form its chooses. All these powers were to be use to serve one purpose, to assist any pony whose heart was fracture and their minds clouded by fear and doubt.

Eventually, the lake was discovered by the ponies one day and were able to feel the strange powers that the lake had. However, one drawback was that these powers were only active under the light of Luna's moon. Some ponies decided to make the journey, but before any pony could have a chance to use the lake's mystical powers; Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon by Celestia and the Elements of Harmony. Lost of the Alicorn that gave its power, the lake suddenly and mysteriously dried up, as if to deny any pony the right to use its divine powers. So the story of the Lake of Reflection was put into myth and eventually lost in time...forgotten by all
...Until now.
Moonglow Forest, Present Time

Trixie was hungry, cold, and thirsty. She had been walking through this forest for Celestia knows how long and she could already feel her body start to fail her. Trixie was a blue unicorn with silver hair and violet eyes that showed stubbornness and determination. Her coat was usually kept clean and straight but the weeks of constant rough traveling had caused patches of dirt and was in desperate need of a bath. Trixie was once a traveling magician, using her skills in magic to wow and starstruck her audience. The bits that she received for her performances were enough that she was able to live in the mild but pleasant comfort of her trailer. As the bits poured in, so to did her confidence grow till it got to the point where she believed herself to be the greatest unicorn who ever lived and adopted the title 'The Great and Powerful Trixie' as a stage name.

However, her boastful nature and confidence were shatter when she decided to give a show at the rather unknown town of Ponyville. There, she was met with the usual crowd cheering her on and of course the small group of hecklers that try to bring Trixie off her pedestal. They failed at every chance which only left the unicorn magician feeling even more Great and Powerful. It was then, later in the night, that Trixie heard the sound of hooves banging on her door. She looked out and saw that it was the two young colts who idolized Trixie. However, they had brought with the an Ursa Major into town and were begging Trixie to defeat the beast to prove her greatness.

It was at that moment that Trixie's confidence was broken as despite her best efforts, she was unable to stop the bear. Her confidence was broken even further when that purple unicorn that she had originally thought to be nothing more then weak and pathetic, managed to not only stand up to the Ursa but send it all the way back to its home in the Everfree Forest. The final straw came when she found out that the beast that was causing all the destruction, including the lost of her trailer, was in fact an Ursa Minor. I couldn't handled being shown up so thoroughly like that and ran away.

Trixie couldn't handle thinking about that night, her thoughts always seem to return to that blasted unicorn who Trixie believed somehow manipulated events so that she would appear better then Trixie. Trixie wanted to get her revenge on that unicorn but she lacked both strength and materials. So lost was Trixie's thoughts that she didn't see the body of water and pludged right in.

Breaking the surface with a gasp of shock, the blue unicorn barely manages to swim back to solid ground. She felt absolutely freezing from the sudden plunge and looked to see where she was at. What she saw was a massive lake that seemed to neither ebb nor flow, remaining stock still as if frozen in time. The water, despite Trixie's dirty body using it as an unexpected bath, appeared to have remain clear and pure. The only movement of the lake seemed to be the ripples from Trixie's plunge and frantic swimming. Trixie looked up and saw Luna's moon in the Waxing Crescent position floating above. It was as if the moon itself was looking at this lake.

"I might as well get something to drink..." Trixie thought as she made her way to the lake end. The water did look clean enough and while Trixie would have preferred imported mountain water, she was going to have to make an exception to the rule. However, as Trixie was about to take her first sip, she found her eyes transfix by her reflection on the water's surface. It was so clear and calm that it was as if Trixie was looking at a mirror rather then the surface of the lake. She saw the moon's reflection as well and it appeared to be behind her head. The more she watched, the more details she saw in that reflection. It got to the point where she swore she saw the stares rearranging themselves to appear as her own Cutie Mark.

It was then that a voice, both deep and powerful, sounded within Trixie head. Trixie broke her stare and tried to look around to find the source of the voice but there was no one in sight. With a bit of fear in her heart, Trixie returned her attention back to the lake and she was able to hear that voice again. The voice said "Young Traveler. You have traveled far and wide. However, your path is now clouded and unsure. Come, gaze into my calming water and I will show you your heart's true desire. Only then, will your path be as clear as the moon reflection on my surface."
So ends the prologue. My plan for this story is to try and alternate between Trixie and Twilight. I really hope you all enjoy this story as I feel it might turn out to be a good one.

Chapter 8: The Crescent Moon Plan

Here is chapter eight for you all. FYI, college will be starting again for me in three weeks and I may not be as constant with uploading new chapters as I was before.

Chapter Eight: The Crescent Moon Plan

Present Time: Moonglow Forest

In all fairness, Trixie should have seen this one coming. She knew that Twilight had been in the forefront of her thoughts for the past few days so it should have been natural that she would have been the cause of all the internal turmoil. Still, the fact that the lake was able to make such a near perfect replica of her was nothing short of astounding. Even giving her the ability to communicate only seemed to convince Trixie that this lake was more powerful then she had previously thought.

Slowly, the water-Twilight made her way towards the lake edge where Trixie and Luna were still sitting. The real Trixie took this moment to take a glance at her two water clones and saw that the first one appeared to be on the verge of an explosive rage while the second was looking on in blissful joy. They reactions towards the water-Twilight were so opposite from one another that it served as another reason behind Twilight being the center of Trixie’s conflict.

Eventually, the water-Twilight stopped at about a few feet from the water edge. She gave Trixie a rather curious look and a playful smile before saying “So…now that you know what…or should I say who…the source of your internal conflict is; do you know the identities of your two water clones?” The question was fired at Trixie so fast that she appeared to physically recoil in surprise.

Trixie took a glance at her two water clones that up until this point had remained silent. Trixie knew that they represented a certain trait that she had and it was those two traits that were conflicting with each other. Yet, as hard as she tried, she was unable to figure out what each of the two water-Trixies represented. However, before she had a chance to ask Luna for assistance, the three water-clones started submerging into the water. Trixie let out another gasp of surprise before she turned her head to the sky and saw, to a somewhat ironic horror, that the sun was starting to rise.

Quickly, Trixie shouted at the water-Twilight “I…I don’t know! Please, tell me what to do? I can’t stand dealing with this for much longer.” The water-Twilight gave a gentile smile before saying “You already know what to do Trixie.” Before Trixie could inquire further, the water-Twilight was completely submerged into the lake water in addition to the two water Trixies. All that was left was the smooth clear surface of the lake.

Feeling the emotional weight now present within her, Trixie collapsed on the ground and started to cry. It had been a long time since Trixie had felt the need to cry, usually masking her emotions with her stage identity. Yet, she had never felt so scared or hopeless in her life. As much as she wanted to believe that the lake was helping her, she felt as if she was getting nowhere. Vaguely, she felt something soft and warm enveloping her body and it took her a moment before her mind registered that it was from one of Princess Luna’s wings. The Princess said nothing, preferring to offer quiet comfort for the distress unicorn. It wasn’t easy figuring out what your true desires were, but Luna was slightly impressed by Trixie’s willpower.

Eventually, the tears in Trixie’s eyes stopped flowing and she managed to get back onto her hooves. She gave a thankful smile to Luna and said, “Thanks for being here Luna.” Luna returned the smile and replied “It is no trouble at all, dear Trixie.” Luna paused for a moment before inquiring, “So what will you do now?”

That question was an enigma to Trixie. She wanted to stay for one more night at the lake, but she had a strange feeling that it would accomplish little. She dismissed that thought which only left the option of travel. The new question was where? She could go to some of the smaller villages that dotted Equestria, try to restore her reputation and lifestyle. However, she remembered what happened when she let her boastful nature get the better of her and she didn’t want a repeat of what happened in Ponyville.

Ponyville…the town where Trixie was sure Twilight was living and the place where she witnessed real magic. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she had to return to that place. But, what reason could she have to going back there. Most likely they would have already cleaned and disposed of her wreaked trailer. Besides, there was probably nothing worth salvaging. The only other reason for returning to that place would be to meet with Twilight again. Yet, what would Trixie do once she was face to face with that mare. It was the only part of her train of thought that was causing her somewhat of a headache.

Slowly, Trixie took a deep breath and said in a slow tone so as to make sure her thoughts were keep in line “I think…or rather feel like…I have to return to Ponyville and see Twilight.” Luna’s face remained passive, as far as Trixie could tell, as she asked “And once you meet Twilight, what then?” Despite Trixie’s best efforts, she couldn’t come up with a reasonable answer so she merely replied “I…I don’t know. I just…I just feel like I need to see her at least one more time.” Luna gave a tender almost motherly smile before saying “I understand Trixie. However, you might encounter problems if you decided to enter town. What do you think might happen if ponies recognized you?”

The thought hadn’t occurred to Trixie and she realized that if Ponyville was still miffed about the Ursa Minor attack, then Trixie would be as wanted as a parasprite. It would make matters worse if the orange earth pony, the blue pegasus, or the white unicorn became aware of Trixie being in town. Before she could have a chance to come up with something, Luna said “We might have an idea to get you into Ponyville and close to Twilight Sparkle. Can you wait here for a few hours while we check to make sure it will work?” Trixie nodded her head and watched as Luna raised her majestic wings before lifting herself off the ground and into the air, making her way back to Canterlot.

While the Princess of the Night was gone, Trixie attending to her morning rituals, including eating a rather meager breakfast and washing in the lake. As she was going about her business, her mind returned to trying to figure out the identity of the two water Trixie’s that had appeared in the lake. The first one reminded her of what she was like back before the Ursa Minor incident and whenever she talked there was a note of pride in her voice. Pride…that was the word that Trixie believed represented the first water-Trixie and she felt in her heart that she was corrected. The first water-Trixie was the representation of her pride.

The second water-Trixie was much harder, mostly because it remained quiet most of the time, refusing to either speak or act. The one time it did was when Pride had made that comment about Twilight being ‘worthless’. Trixie was somewhat distracted by the arrival of Princess Luna but she thought, for one brief moment, that she felt the second water-Trixie’s reason behind her outburst. Thinking back on it, the water-Trixie only spoke whenever Twilight was brought up in the conversation. Slowly, her mind drifted back towards the vision that the second water-Trixie represented. She remembered feeling a sense of comfort and security while watching that vision. However, she now became aware of a newer, unknown feeling in her chest. This feeling was making her feel slightly light-headed and she felt like there were butterflies in her stomach. The only emotion that Trixie could identify with these strange feeling was love.

The moment that word entered her train of thought, she stopped dead in her tracks and her eyes widen in shock. Love…an emotion that Trixie had never once associated with anypony before. Sure she had a love of the stage and she loved hearing the cheers of the crowd but never once has she ever thought of being in love with somepony. In fact, for the longest time she had believed herself to be more attracted to stallion but due to her constant travels, she had never been able to form any kind of lasting relationship. Was it even possible to fall in love with another mare? More importantly, was she, Trixie, actually in love with Twilight?” These thoughts continued to spin inside Trixie’s mind but she knew that there was at least some part of her that had fallen in love with that purple unicorn. That part must have been what the second water-Trixie represented.

Trixie now realized that it was her Pride and her Love that were in conflict with each other. Upon realizing that, Trixie felt somewhat content that she was able to identify the problem and she could now figure out a solution. However, as much as she tried, she was unable to figure out an alternative other than going to Ponyville and seeing Twilight again. Trixie said in a quiet tone “Maybe…once I get there…I just have to let fate decide the outcome.” Trixie would have pondered on this further if not for the fact that she heard the familiar sound of flapping pegasus wings.

Trixie looked up to the sky and saw Princess Luna returning. However, she noticed that the Princess was carrying a rather unusual chest in her magical aura. Gently, the Princess landed on the ground and placed the chest on the ground next to her. Trixie examined the chest and saw that it appeared to be very old and worn out, the wood looking old and brittle. Trixie had no time to examine it further as Luna said “What I am about to suggest is going to require a lot out of you, dear Trixie. In order to find the truth you seek, you may have to make a heavy sacrifice. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?”

Trixie felt a new wave of fear wash over her as she stared at the chest. She felt as if there was some kind of dark force lurking inside, waiting to be unleashed upon Equestria. Trixie looked up at Luna and saw her not as the Luna anymore, but rather as Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria. Yet, there was a sense of trust in her eyes that Trixie took some mind comfort in. So far, the Princess of the Night had done what she could to help Trixie without giving her the answers and she felt no reason to doubt her now. She gathered up her courage and said in an equal tone “I understand Luna. I will do what is necessary.” Luna gave a small smile and said “I know you will Trixie Lulamoon. Now, here is what you have to do…”
Sorry, I couldn’t resist stopping on such a nice cliffhanger. I wonder what could be in that chest. Find out in the next chapter.

Chapter 25: The Eclipse Protocol

You know what I just realized? After looking back on when I started this story, I realized that we are actually close the date when I posted my first chapter for this story. I really can’t believe that it has been almost a full year and I’m still working on it. Ah well what can you do…well besides enjoy the new chapter of course.

Chapter 25: The Eclipse Protocol

It was actually rather unfortunate that Trixie decided to chose this moment to finally regain full consciousness. She opened her eyes to find that her vision was filled with that familiar face belonging to her new marefriend.

Marefriend…now that was a word that Trixie was no longer feeling any kind of doubt or hesitation to; her time spent in that half-aware state had allowed her to finally have a moment to reflect on all that has happened. It was during that period of self evaluation that she came to the rather simple conclusion that she was very fortunate to have captured Twilight’s heart. No matter how much she tried, she just couldn't think of any other pony she would want to spend the rest of her life with.

Trixie was about to open her mouth and try to convey what she wanted to tell Twilight like some kind of medical drama, but whatever mood might have been established was quickly destroyed when both unicorns became aware of the constant pounding of a door.

They both turned and saw what appeared to be an earth pony guard wearing blue armor that looked similar to the ones Twilight saw when Luna came to Ponyville on Nightmare Night. The stallion had his back pressed against the door and they also notice a blue/black metal pole that was propped up on the door handle.

Moonsaber looked up at the two unicorns, noticing with some mild relief that Trixie was now awake, before saying “Hay there. Glad to see you’re up.” There was another slam on the door which caused the Moonsaber to give a slight grunt before continuing “So…as you can see, there are a lot of ponies here who wanted to pay you a visit however” another slam and Moonsaber almost lost his grip on the door before adding “Somepony forgot to tell them that visiting hours are over.”

Moonsaber tried to force out a chuckle but his laughter died when the sharp end of a sword was impaled through the door and just barely managed to hit the Champion of the Moon. No longer thinking that it was a good idea to try and alleviate the two unicorn’s obvious fear, Moonsaber gave a silent sigh of defeat and said “Okay I need you two to get as far away from the door as possible. It’s not going to last much longer but I promise you two that I will protect you.”

Twilight and Trixie both nodded their heads and started making their way towards the far wall, Twilight keeping close to Trixie to help keep her on her hooves. As Moonsaber watched them, he heard the dragon spirit say “Never make promises you can’t keep.”

Moonsaber gave a silent mental sigh before replying “What do you want me to tell them? That we are essentially trapped in this room where the only way out is through a mob of creatures who are very eager to cut us up and they are unable to teleport out of here because our own lockdown is preventing that from happening.” The spirit only gave a mild shrug in response, not really having an answer to give him. Moonsaber noticed the shrug and felt the need to change the topic so he asked “How long until Solarshield gets here?”

The dragon spirit was silent for a moment before saying in a tone of finality “Not soon enough.”

There was a sense of dread worming its way into Moonsaber’s heart. For the first time he felt a complete sense of failure and incompetence. He was supposed to be the Champion of the Moon but he couldn't even protect two ponies inside his own domain. Why couldn't they have attack at night where it would have at least been fair?

Moonsaber looked at the two unicorns and saw the fear clear in their eyes. That fear gave him a sense of final resolve and he silently vowed that as long as he held breath, he was going to keep them safe. With that final thought in his mind, Moonsaber detached himself from the door while at the same time grabbing his staff. Moving so that he was in between the unicorns and the door, Moonsaber gave one final thought to the rest of the castle.

“This is Champion Moonsaber. Our defenses will not hold for much longer and I feel we will not live to see another night. I want every guard here to know that it was an honor and a privilege to be able to serve under the Princess again after my banishment. To Celestia and Luna, I thank you for sharing your vision of Equestria and I hope that I was, in some small way, able to help shape that vision. To Solarshield…I’m sorry I never got to tell you how I really feel and that maybe someday you will find a stallion that will make all of your dreams a reality.” The smashing of the door was getting more and more constant and Moonsaber response was to tighten his grip on his staff before ending “This is Moonsaber signing out.”

Saferoom codename “Banana Cake”

Luna heard what her Champion had said and she couldn't help but let a few tears fall from her face. In all her wisdom, she had never expected things to turn out like this. Now she was going to lose not only one of her best Champions but her only friend while banished on the moon.

The sadness quickly turned into anger though. She was angry at those creatures for attacking while the sun was up, the time when Moonsaber was at his weakest; and she was angry at herself for being unable to do anything to help him.

“There is one way you can help him Luna” Celestia said in a gentle voice. Like Luna, she too was a good friend of Moonsaber, having met long before he became a knight and they took up the crown. However, she also knew that Luna and him shared a much stronger bond of friendship and knew how much the earth stallion meant.

Luna looked up at her sister with eyes that were full of hope as she asked in a breathless whisper “How?”

Celestia gave a small smile and gestured towards Luna’s Cutie Mark. Luna was slightly confused as to what her sister was getting at but it didn't take long before realization dawned on her. However, despite the fact that every part of her body was screaming to act, some small part of her mind forced her to say “But surely the…”

Celestia held up her hoof to silence her younger sister and replied “Whatever problems arise, I will take full responsibility. Now you must hurry before it is too late.”

Luna needed no more motivate and galloped as fast as she could to the nearest balcony.

Hallway #24, Medical Wing Approach; ETA 2 minutes

“You blasted selfish, ignorant, foolish, waste of air. I swear by her Highness Royal Flank that you better be alive when I get there or I’m…I…” Solarshield raged in her mind but was unable to complete her threat for the simple reason that she couldn't think of one at this moment. She was currently ahead of Shining Armor and two squad or Royal Day Guard. Every single guard, minus Shining Armor, was in their combat uniform and armed with a wide range of weapons from swords to crossbows. They had all heard Moonsaber’s final message but unlike Solarshield and Shining Armor, they were more concerned with rescuing Celestia’s Personal Student rather than rescuing the Champion of the Moon. They all figured that, as long as Twilight was still alive, Moonsaber’s sacrifice would have been justified.

If Solarshield had heard their thoughts just now, and if she had any time to spare; she would have personally given each of them third-degree burns and put them on latrine duty until they were only enough to have grandchildren. The reason was that Solarshield was still repeating Moonsaber’s message inside of her head; specifically the part that was address to her.

Shining Armor managed to get alongside her and asked in a quiet tone “Are you all right there Commander?”

Solarshield didn't look at him, her eyes still focused in front of her. However, Shining Armor did hear her say in a soft voice as well “I’m not going to lose him…I can’t lose him. Without him…I…” the words stopped in her throat, due to being backed up with her rising emotions, and she was unable to make them come out.

Shining Armor didn't need to hear anymore. He could see that look in her eyes; the same look he saw whenever he looked into the eyes of his own beloved. Shining Armor was about to offer some words to try and lift her spirits when a guard said “Commander! Look up there in the sky.”

Solarshield and Shining Armor both looked up at the sky without so much as breaking their stride and they each saw what it was that the guard was talking about. For Shining Armor, he wore and expression that was a mix of disbelief and wonder. However for Solarshield, she felt the rising feeling of hope surging in her body and she couldn't help the few tears of joy from matting her fur. Shaking the tears away, the Champion of the Sun renewed her mad dash towards the medical room. However, she was now no longer feeling any kind of doubt or worry.

Instead, she was now more concerned if the maids would be skilled enough to remove bloodstains from the walls.

Room 1138

*SMASH*

The door, after taking more punishment then any door should take; finally had enough and toppled onto the ground. The creatures, mildly shocked by the sudden noise, were quick to regain their focus and started pouring their way into the room.

Twilight and Trixie’s breath were caught in their throats as they witness the gleaming blades being held by each of the hooded creatures. Moonsaber only tensed his body in preparation; waiting for the first of them to make the first move.

However, before any of them could do so much as raise a sword, Trixie said in a startled voice “Look! Up there in the sky.”

The hooded creatures, probably feeling a mixture of confusion and curiosity; turned their attention to the window that was opposite the door. Moonsaber, not trusting himself to take his eyes off of them but still somewhat curious as to what they and Trixie saw, turned his attention to the window. What he saw was something that made all the feeling of hope and belief returned to his body.

Throughout Equestria and the world over, every sentient creature watched as the moon, which wasn't suppose to appear for a few more hours, was now slowly rising on a direct course with the sun. Time seem to slow down as everyone witness the rather frightening but strangely beautiful moment when the moon itself appeared to move in front of the sun; turning what was a bright day into a calming dusk.

Back in the room, Moonsaber was looking at the moon with a mixture of relief and joy. His only thought was a quiet thank you to Luna before returning his attention back to the hostiles. By that point, they had started to lose interest in the sky and were now focusing back on the three ponies that were still trapped. However, underneath those hoods, they were all feeling a sense of surprise followed by a new feeling, one of complete dread and terror.

Twilight and Trixie first noticed the rather sudden and almost violent surge of magic coming from the earth stallion. It was such a large amount that the actual magical energy was starting to become visible; swirling around Moonsaber in a mixture of blue and black waves. With the pole still in his mouth, Moonsaber gave his best confident grin as he started doing what should be impossible for any pony.

Everyone present watched as the Champion of the Moon started to rise on his two hind legs, his center of gravity changing to match. Once he reached full height, the armor that he was wearing started to glow before morphing and expanding to cover all of his body minus his forearms and head. There was no need for any armor on his arms because at that moment, said arms begun to morph as well. What was once blue fur became black dragon scales and what was once a hoof became a paw with five razor sharp silver claws. But, the changes didn't stop there as Moonsaber spat out the staff and caught it with his left paw. Bringing his right paw to hold it diagonally across his body, The Champion of the Moon gave one single toothy grin before moving the staff slightly.

That slight movement was enough to cause the last change to happen. There, jutting out of the staff was a large curve blade that had designs of skulls, gravestones, and dead trees all being watched under a crescent moon.

There, under the full effects of the moon; was the real Moonsaber, the dragon-pony hybrid who became the Champion of the Moon. His armor, named Full Moon, was forged with metals recovered from falling stars and smelted under the full moon. Sharing properties that are similar to its counterpart the Aegis Armor; Full Moon’s only real weakness is solar magic. However, the armor pales in comparison to Moonsaber’s weapon; the deadly scythe known as Crescent Blade. Legend has it that Luna herself won this blade after outsmarting Death itself in a game. The blade will never dull or break, the staff will never wear out or bend and any creature that falls to it are said to be dragged into the darkest pits of Hell for eternity.

However the scythe, like the armor and even Moonsaber himself, all share one single flaw. Their true potential can only be achieve whenever the moon is in the sky.

Moonsaber grin only grew wider as he watched the creatures start to slowly back away towards the door. He could smell the fear, as well as some rather unsanitary liquids, coming from them. They appeared petrified, their eyes glued to his own, which had changed so that one was blue while the other was blood red, and couldn't help but give a deep chuckle before saying “NoW tHeN? WhO WaNt’S tO tRy FiRsT?”

Naturally, their response was getting out of that room as fast as they could and heading for the escape. However, they didn't get far from the one demon before encounter another, and possibly even more demonic, pony.

What they saw was a hallway that was blocked by no less then thirty fully armed and armored ponies that were all eager and spoiling for a fight. What didn't capture their attention was those thirty guards nor the guard in the purple armor that had a look of extreme distaste and suppressed anger. No, there attention was the one guard pony that was separate from the rest.

Solarshield had never really had a moment where she felt so much anger at something or even really a desire to utterly destroy something as she did right now. Her mane, which was usually a normal orange-red color, was now literally on fire. The fiery mane however could be equaled to that of an ember when compared to Solarflare. The blade was lodged into the floor, a magical grip still around the handle ready for Solarshield to use. The blade’s runes that traveled the metal were glowing bright blue which complemented the blue fire that was burning around the metal but never melting it. The floor around the point where the blade was connected was already turning into blacken mark on the ground. And if anypony could actually believe it, the fire around Solarflare was nothing compared to the barely controlled berserker rage burning in her eyes, giving the impression that she was trying to burn their own minds just by looking at them.

When faced with such a menace, the hostiles did the only logical thing they could come up with. Dropping their weapons in a panic, every single one of them started running in the opposite direction away pass the broken door and further down the hall.

Solarshield only paused for one moment before shouting in a slightly broken Manehatten accent “After them! Don’t let any single one leave this castle without being in a body bag.” Her order was met with the criers of ‘Yes Ma’am’ from the guards who quickly started to chase after the fleeing hostiles, leaving only Solarshield and Shining Armor behind.

Wasting no time, the two officers hurried past the broken door and saw Twilight and Trixie huddled together on one side of the room while Moonsaber was on the other. No longer facing any threats, Moonsaber was now in a more relaxed posture and his draconic spirit had been tone down a bit. He still had his draconic arms and Crescent Blade was still in its scythe form but he was now standing on all fours and his eyes had returned to their normal all blue coloration.

As Shining Armor made his way towards the two unicorns, Solarshield made her way towards Moonsaber. Moonsaber gave a rather sheepish grin and said “Hay there Sol how are you doing…” he ever got too finished because Solarshield decided to strike his head with the hilt of her sword. Moonsaber gave a soft groan of anguish and replied “Owe. What was that…” once again he was interrupted by Solarshield but this time it was due to her lips smashing onto his own. The importune kiss lasted for a moment before the two separated.

Solarshield could feel the tears of joy threatening to pour down her face and she said in an almost chocked whispered “You stupid, brain-dead stallion. Don’t you ever, I mean EVER, do something like that to me again.” Before Moonsaber had a chance to respond, Solarshield wrapped her for hooves around his neck and engaged in another make-out session. While both parties enjoyed the reunion, they also knew that this day wasn't quite over with.

That turned out to be longer then I had expected. Ah well, I’m sure you all aren't complaining.