September 12, 1000, C.E.

3:30 P.M.

Ponyville Colosseum.

Rainbow Dash paced about her room backstage as her thoughts drifted to her show in half an hour.

"Ok deep calm breaths." She said as she took a breath held it and let it out with a soft sigh.

"Woo better." As she sat down a knock on her door made her smile.

"Took them a while." She trotted over to the door and opened it to see her friends all there.

"Hey girls!" She said as the girls plus spike funneled into her room. A little puzzled she stretched her head out and looked around and then back to the group.

"Hey, not that you all are not cool enough but where's John?" She asked making Fluttershy scowl.

"The bouncer wouldn't let him backstage with us." Her face hardening as Dash looked around.

"What? Why?" She asked as she sat down on a chair as the rest all took a seat of there own. Rarity shook her head.

"It would appear that our esteemed fundraiser for this event Mr. Tooty Fruity," She gagged at the name.

"He's not very disposed to certain species here in Equestria and that, unfortunately, includes our dear human friend who has a passing resemblance to one of those foul diamond dogs." She said. The other's cringed at her statement, for various reasons. Applejack gave Rarity a soft sigh.

"Come now sugar." She said giving Rarity a hoof of support.

"What happened with those diamond dogs was a whole moon back." She stated as Rarity shivered.

"I know AJ dear but it was not at all comfortable." She sighed. Spike piped up.

"Hey don't worry about it Rarity." He said as he went over and gave her a hug. She blushed before reciprocating the gesture. Rarity gave Spike a long look.

"Oh Spiky don't worry about little old me." She giggled.

"Beside's this isn't about me." Her face to went to stone as she thought about her one friend not here right now.

"It just really burns me up to think that Tooty is throwing this festival as a fundraiser for charity and yet his own security force is racist." The others said nothing as they all stood there. Then Dash let out a small chuckle. The other all gave her a look of confusion.

"What's so funny?" Pinky asked. Dash just chuckled.

"Oh, I just had the perfect idea about how to get back at Tooty." She laughed as she began to explain her plan. Soon they all began to laugh as well.

"Well dear, this seems to be almost foolproof." Rarity said as she grabbed a quill and parchment from her saddlebags and scribbled down some of her own notes.

"However if I could make some suggestions." She hoofed over the paper to Rainbow. She took it passed it around and they all began to smile.

"Now it's perfect." She stated as she looked at the clock.

"3:45." She sighed and took a deep breath closing her eyes so she could focus on her breathing. When they opened her normally magenta irises glowed a soft iridescent blue as electricity began to dance across her body. Turning around she gave her friends a smirk.

"Ok girl's let's give them a show they'll never forget." She said as Twilight began to charge her horn. Soon the group all disappeared in a flash of violet magic.

Meanwhile Across Ponyville...

Ponyville Amphitheater.

Gilda peeked out from behind a curtain, looking at all of the ponies present, waiting for the show to begin. She inhaled and then let it out.

"Just like coach used to teach back in flight school." Looking back at the rest of the creatures present, she gazed across a plethora of talent for the upcoming show. Suddenly a horn sounded and she peeked out the curtains once more.

"That must be the show at the colosseum starting up." She mused about her past for a sec.

"Heh I really wish Dash was here right now." Gilda was about to withdraw her head but as she did so a commotion at the ticket booth caught her eye. Her hawk-like eyes retracted when she set them on none other than Princess Luna.

"Holy cow what is the princess doing here!?" She retracted her head and bolted to Trixie's dressing room.

"Trixie!" She shouted as she threw the door open. The unicorn in question squeaked in surprise and lost her concentration. This in turn caused her drop a blob of water she had been levitating in her magical grasp. The blob fell out of the air and drenched Trixie from mane to tale in water. Parting her wet mane she sent a willowing glare the griffon's way. Gilda shrank back chuckling as she did so.

"Yes, Gilda?" Trixie asked hiding the frustration that roiled through her at the moment. Gilda just chuckled some more.

"Hey not to bother you," She said rubbing the back of her head while twidling her for paws, "But the princess of the night is here tonight." She waited and watched as Trixie digested this new information. Trixie soon went wide-eyed and began to frantically race around the room.

"OH HORSE APPLES!" The curse let loose from her mouth as she flew around the room trying to get herself back into her personas makeup. Gilda just sat there astonished at the pony before her.

"Wow. She'd give Dash a run for her money at the rate she's going." Gilda slowly backed out of the room closing the door behind her.

"Wow. I really hope Dash's night is going better than mine." She mused as she walked down the hall to the backstage entrance.

4:00 P.M.

"Ok Dash you're up." Fleetfoot gave Rainbow a hoof's up to which Dash gave her a grin. Trotting over to the portcullis separating the inner colosseum from the arena and consequently the many adoring fans outside, Dash took another deep breath and smirked.

"Ok girl's show time." She gave the signal and Fleetfoot handed Dash a small headset. Fleetfoot hit a switch and the big iron gate began to slowly ascend into the ceiling. When the gate was fully gone from view Dash waited for a little while. After about a second of letting the crowd wonder what had happened Dash rocketed out from the entrance much the shock and immediate joy of the crowd who whooped and hollered as Dash zipped around the stadium once in a lap before rushing into the air at a blistering pace performing a corkscrew maneuver while she ascended into the night sky. Once she was at a significant altitude she used a small burst of magic to turn the headset on.

"HELLO PONYVILLE!" She shouted, her voice becoming amplified thanks to a few well-placed speakers. The cheers of the crowd met her as she slowly began to drift down to the stadium floor.

"How is everyone this fine evening?" She put a hoof to her ear as the crowd once again cheered. She chuckled as she scanned the crowd twirling around to see all of the ponies that showed up. The place was packed to the brim and there were even a few cloud bleacher's constructed and brought in for more seating. Seeing a few familiar faces in the crowd she giggled as she gave them a soft wave and went back to her little announcement.

"Ok folks as you all know we have a big show prepared for you all tonight." The crowd let out a roar of approval as Dash zipped into the air once more. As she did so another portcullis opened up and a group of red spandex clad ponies flew out from both sides. Six of them in all flanked Dash from both sides. The crowd cheered as the group began to fly around in several choreographed aerial maneuvers before coming to a stop on the stadium floor. Dash hovered above them as the crowd settled down.

"Filly's and Gentalcolts I present to you The Crimson Knockouts!" Her voice reverberated around the stadium before being drowned out once more by cheers. As the crowd died down another gate opened up and this time a crew of ponies in yellow flight suits entered the arena.

"This crew has been around for almost a century. Folks I present to you The Lightning Brigade!" Two more iron gates opened up and this time the last two teams zipped out into the open air.

"And last but not least we have our next two acts for the night." She looked to the blue clad pegasi and smirked.

"We have the honor of hosting this year's batch of Wonderbolt Recruit's here to perform some of there routines before the big show in Cloudsdale later on this month!" The crowd stomped their hooves as the recruits flew around in perfect synchronization doing a few warm-up laps. Dash then flew over to a group of violet clad flyers.

"And this year we also have the honor of hosting a group of famous flyer's all the way from Trottingham we give you The Shadow Bolts!" The crowd went wild as the thestral troupe swooped down from below blasting through some prearranged thunder clouds causing them to become overcharged with dark lightning before exploding in a furious blast of magical energy. As Dash began to settle down on the arena floor once more one last group came out of another gate. The crowd paused at this until Dash started to chuckle.

"Oh silly me I'm sorry to say that I forgot we had one more group to go." Dash once more blasted off into the air however this time she rocketed past the other groups and soon she was joined by four other flyers in the air as they all flew around in a semi formation. As they did so however they all soon began to glow a soft green color as they came in for a landing the green color intensified until in a bright flash of emerald light the once naked crew of flyers now sported a set of green flight suits all with a stylised P on them.

"The last group for the night will be the Ponyville Weather Patrol!" She said as her own suit flashed a soft shade of blue as electricity crackled all around it, the rest of the patrol's suits lighting up as well.

5:00 P.M.

"Wow!" Gilda said as she watched the light show going on at the colosseum from across the town. Trixie was to busy dazzling her audience to focus on the events at the colosseum and so was her audience. Trixie currently entrapped there attention with a rainbow she'd produced from a cloud. With it stuck in her magical grasp she commanded it to perform a variety of tricks and acrobatics dazzling the crowd including the princess herself.

"We have been stuck on the moon for a millennium," She whispered to Good Read, her personal bodyguard who had drifted off to sleep on more than one occasion during the show. As the princess of the night regaled her bodyguard with the thrilling feet's of magic that had permeated the evening Trixie tapped her mic.

"Alright, every creature now it is time for Trixies most daring event yet!" She looked off to the side of the stage as Gilda gave her a nod and grin. As quick as she could Gilda grabbed a hold of Trixie's cannon and began to roll it out on stage. The crowd oo'd and aah'd as Trixie helped heave the huge piece of artillery into the center of the stage. After quickly fiddling with a few switches and knob's Trixie reappeared in a puff of smoke and light much to the amazement of the crowd.

"Alright every creature," Trixie flicked a switch on the side of the cannon and trotted over to the end of the stage. "This is the last show for the night and it's also the most dangerous." Her horn glowed and in a flash of light, a manticore with a chain around its neck appeared on stage. It looked at the crowd and snarled however once it set its eye's on Trixie it settled down.

"Good boy Galiant." She stroked the creatures chin causing it to purr and give her an affectionate lick. The crowd all gave out a small collective ahh at the adorable display. Trixie trotted over to the edge with Galiant in tow.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie will now perform The Great Escape!" She announced as some of the crowd looked on confused while others gasped and held there breath. Trixie smirked to herself.

"Great! Right where I want them." She cleared her throat.

"Trixie will now have her lovely assistant," She waved over Gilda who bowed to the crowd and trotted over carrying a helmet for Trixie in one claw all the while looking at Trixie like she'd lost her mind. "Help Trixie to prepare for this death-defying feat of intrigue." Trixie bowed to her as Gilda handed the helmet over and went backstage to grab a latter. After securing one she wheeled it over to the cannon and set it against the side and waited for Trixie.

"Thank you, Gilda." She trotted over to the ladder and began to climb up.

"For this last act of the show, Trixie will load herself into this cannon." Her horn lit up and the cannon began to glow a soft blue hue all over.

"And when she is done her great assistant will then use that crank on the side," She waved a hoof to the side of the cannon that had a lever sticking out of it.

"Using that lever her assistant will adjust the cannon until it is in alignment with Galiant's mouth." Galiant stood still as if he was at attention. The smirk he gave the crowd was enough for some to snicker and others to freeze up in fear.

"Then when Trixie gives the signal Gilda will light the fuse and the countdown will begin!" Trixie said as she flailed her hooves about in a dramatic fashion. Unfortunately, the flailing caused Trixie to overbalance and send her tumbling head first into the barrel of the cannon. The whole crowd gasped at this but none moved as they were rooted to there seats in shock.

"Oh no!" Gilda screeched as she hastily made her way to the back of the cannon after a few she hit a few buttons however she came back around looking very worried. She came over to the side of the cannon and raised her voice.

"Trixie, how are you doing in there?" She asked. Trixie looked around and hit a switch in the back of the cannon.

"Trixie is making due." She felt a rumble as the cannon began to move on its own. Gilda was really worried now.

"Trixie, what's going on?" The crowd grew panicked as the cannon's barrel had now lined up with Galiant's mouth, the manticore letting out a soft sigh as it opened its mouth with a lazy yawn.

Trixie why is this thing moving on its own!?" Gilda shouted down the barrel.

"OW!" She shouted as she tried to hide her snicker's.

"That's not good." The barrel then began to rotate and glow as if it was powering up.

"That will make Trixie very sick if it keeps up." She said as she began to charge up her horn. The crowd was still to shocked to move and so the grisly scene before them continued unabated. The silence of the event was soon shattered as a loud beeping made itself known.

"Uh oh!" Gilda looked up. "The count down started!" She shouted down the barrel. As the crowd looked on the clock had started at ten but swiftly scaled down to five.

"Gilda cover your ear's!" Trixie shouted as the cannon went off. There was a huge flash of light, a blast of smoke and just a hint of ozone as a burst of magic was discharged at the last second. After all, was said and done The crowd was brought out of there stupor as they saw Galiant slowly chewing away at something in his mouth. They continued to stare on as he soon swallowed the huge bulge in his mouth. They soon began to scream their little heads off.

"He ate her!" One pony shouted as they all soon began to sift around in a panic. Soon however they all stopped. And that was only because the sound's of laughter could be heard over the speakers.

"Oh come now you all really didn't think that The Great and Powerful Trixie! could ever be bested by a malfunctioning cannon?" She stated as she began to float down from the roof of the amphitheater, a soft glow enveloping her body. The whole crowd gasped as Trixie floated to the ground unharmed and unblemished by the smoke or fire of the cannon blast. The crowd was speechless as Trixie trotted over with her assistant and Galiant in tow.

"Thank you all for coming and remember The Great and Powerful Trixie shall see you all next year!" She, her assistant, and Galiant all took a bow, the crowd still too stunned to talk. And with that, the trio left the stage and went back to there respective rooms.

Back at the Colosseum...

Soarin was hard with anticipation. His eyes never left Rainbow Dash's sleek majestic form as she danced through the night sky with her squad.

"Sweet Celestia I think I'm in love." He muttered under his breath. A voice broke through his concentration, however.

"Yeah!" Soarin looked over to see John cheering Dash on. While most ponies and pegasi couldn't even see it with hoe fast DAsh truly was, he was a cut above the rest. He could see the smirk's and smile's Dash flashed the human as he cheered her on. Now Soarin was livid.

"I have to get rid of him somehow." He smirked as he began to plan. One way or another he would make Dash his mare.

Author's Note

And thus our secondary antagonist is introduced. Stay tuned for more chapter's and a peek at our primary antagonist in future chapter's.