Applejack ran on until she finally got out onto the streets of Manehattan, the streets weren’t as welcoming this night as the streetlights that usually lit up the pavement were out. Applejack looked around having a hard time seeing with it being so dark out. Applejack thought she saw something move, but once she turned her head to look everything was still. It was quiet, far too quiet especially for a city like this. She squinted her eyes and trotted along steadily and carefully now using each front hoof in turn to feel around before placing it down.
“Applesauce, why does it always have to be darkness, why can’t it ever be the king of apples or trees or something,” Applejack muttered to herself. What seemed like hours of walking nowhere Applejack saw a dim light in the distance. “Finally!” she exclaimed in excitement and began to trot quickly towards the source of the light. “Hey!” she called out, the light seeming to move oddly as if it was alive. Applejack ran down another alley to trot towards the glowing light.
“Who’s there! Show yourself to the Great and Powerful Trixie!” the familiar voice shouted back at Applejack.
Applejack came to a sudden halt and nearly fell over herself as she saw Trixie, who was lighting up the alley. Her horn was sparkling at the tip like a firework. “Oh, pony feathers why did I have to find you first?” Applejack said with disgust and rolled her eyes.
“Oh, it's you, the dirty work horse. What was your name again? Potato Steve?” said Trixie with a distinct sneer looking at Applejack.
“It’s Applejack you talking mule in a dunce hat!” retorted Applejack stomping a hoof on the ground and snorting at Trixie.
“I am not a mule, and nopony makes fun of my magic hat!” Trixie responded angrily. Her horn was now glowing with magic and pointing it at Applejack.
Applejack heard a faint whisper in her ear “Good, good feel the hate!” Sombras voice echoed, trying to encourage her.
She shook her head and changes expressions quickly remembering what she had to do. “Trixie wait! I’m sorry honest I am sugarcube; I don't know what came over me, but I bet it was that King Sombra. He’s loose in Manehattan, and I need your help.” said Applejack with pleading eyes.
Trixie snapped out of it herself after hearing Applejacks words but not really understanding she was being affected by magic. “Are really saying you need my help? Why would I help you or anypony for that matter?” said Trixie waving a hoof dismissively in the air.
“Because if you don't then King Sombra is going to destroy Manehattan and maybe all of Equestria!” said Applejack with dismay.
“What?! Somepony thinks they are more powerful than Trixie? Also, nopony messes with my nightly magic shows! But don't get used to it, Trixie still doesn't trust you either.” said Trixie with her usual smug tone.
“He ain't some plain unicorn you know Trixie, and it’s going to take you, me and the other ponies as well together to defeat him for good,” said Applejack was looking somewhat relieved now that Trixie might actually co-operate.
“Yeah, yeah, just show Trixie where he is, and she’ll take care of him by herself,” said Trixie starting to trot off not caring if Applejack followed her or not.
“I'm telling you the truth Trixie; you've got to listen to me! If you face him by yourself, he’s going to destroy you.” said Applejack, who paused briefly and then thought of an idea to convince Trixie. “Besides, you wouldn't want Twilight to be the one to get rid of him once he turns you to crystal do you?” said Applejack smirking slightly.
Trixie paused in place it was clear that had hit her ego “As if! I’m not going to let Twilight Sparkle take all the credit for Trixie! So fine, Trixie will listen only if she is the one that gets to vanquish Sombra.” said Trixie with a look of determination.
“Like I said Trixie we’ll have to work together to defeat him. But yes, you can say you destroyed him.” Applejack rolled her eyes again trotting in front of Trixie “You would happen to know where Lyra or Cheerilee are would you? We have to find them as well.” said Applejack.
“Well, I do know a location spell but I need to know their cutie marks.” stated Trixie, looking over at Applejack while they trotted along, eventually getting back to the street.
Applejack thought for a moment about it before responding “Well, ones a lyre and the other is three happy flowers,” said Applejack.
Trixie blinked confused at Applejack “You told me the name already, and Trixie needs to know the cutie mark,” she restated.
“I told you its a lyre, and it belongs to Lyra, Cheerilee’s is the three happy flowers,” said Applejack with some amusement at Trixie’s confusion.
“Oh,” said Trixie “You should have said so in the first place,” she snorted. Trixie lit up her horn and firing off a sparkling blue light into the air. The light fell down to hover over the pavement briefly before it began to move down the street. “Now we follow the light, don't slow Trixie down,” said Trixie giving a glare at Applejack before following after the light.
“You don't have to worry about me keeping up with you Trixie,” said Applejack with a snicker catching up to Trixie.
“And just what is that supposed to mean?” asked Trixie with an annoyed tone as they trotted along.
“Oh, nothing sugarcube, let's just find the others so we can go back to our normal lives,” said Applejack trotting along next to Trixie.
Trixie rolled her eyes in response “So how exactly are we all meeting up without getting picked off by Sombra?” asked Trixie.
“Well, Surprise said she knows a secret place for us to gather. So hopefully she’ll have found the others already and lead them there,” said Applejack
“How we will know when we’ve found this secret place then if its a secret?” asked Trixie inquisitively.
“She told me what to look for, and I don't want to repeat it in case he’s listening to us,” replied Applejack turning her head quickly again after seeing a shadow move in the corner of her eye again. “I feel like I keep seeing shadows move too, so the quicker we find the others and group up the better,” said Applejack.
“You’re probably just seeing things; the night always plays tricks on your eyes,” said Trixie, trying to look confident about her statement. Though she had an uneasy feeling in her belly the same as Applejack did. The blue sparkling ball of light stopped in front of a blank wall, the remnants of what looked like wall scrolls were hanging there.
“This should be the place, but I didn't think it would be so tore up,” said Applejack, moving to look closer at the wall decorations. The scrolls looked like they were torn up, and the wall between them had scratch marks.
Trixie tapped a hoof quickly at Applejacks shoulder “Applejack..!” said Trixie urgently who had noticed sets of glowing red eyes starting to appear down the street where they had been earlier.
Applejack turned around to look in the direction Trixie was facing “What is Trix..” said Applejack before she nearly froze seeing the eyes glaring at them and slowly getting closer. Applejack banged her hoof against the wall urgently “Applesauce! Applesauce! Applesauce!” she said panicking.
“That's too many knocks!” replied the familiar voice of Surprise from behind the wall.
“Oh for Celestia’s sake!” Applejack knocked twice with her hoof and shouted “Applesauce!” The wall rose up quickly with Surprise behind it “Surprise!” said Applejack smiling now.
“Hey! That's my line!” replied Surprised whom quickly grabbed both Applejack and Trixie before tugging them inside and shutting the door behind them. Scratches were heard again at the wall sound like a hoof scraping a chalkboard.
Trixie was still partially frozen until she shook it off and brushed her cape with a hoof “They’re lucky you pulled Trixie away before she could deal with them,” said Trixie smugly as ever.
Applejack rolled her eyes “Whatever you say Trixie,” said Applejack with a hint of annoyance.
“Come on you two, the rest of the ponies are waiting for us,” said Surprise smiling, turning to lead them into the main room of the hideout. Both Applejack and Trixie nodded respectively and followed after Surprise into the main room. It was a fairly nice looking room: there was a dining table with chairs, three sofas sat around a rug in front of the fire which was lighting the room; finally, a portrait of the two princesses was hanging over the fireplace. There sat Lyra next to Cheerilee on one sofa and Spitfire on another who was laying down with a bandaged wing.
“Howdy y’all,” said Applejack, smiling as she saw the others, and noting Spitfire injured wing. “Are you alright there sugarcube?” she asked with a worried look.
Spitfire rubbed her injured wing tentatively with a hoof “Yeah; I’ll be fine. I’ll just have to walk for awhile,” said Spitfire smiling somewhat.
Applejack trotted over towards the three of them sitting on the sofas “So what exactly happened? I saw those glowing eyes and the torn up scrolls outside,” said Applejack.
"Sombra happened," said Spitfire "He made shadow ponies out of the darkness and sent them out to hunt us down." Spitfire winced after touching a sore spot of her injured wing.
Applejack frowned at that "So that's what those things were. We better figure out how to use the elements of harmony together so we can put an end to this," said Applejack.
"But how exactly are we supposed to do that?" asked Lyra with a worried look.
Applejack was about to answer until Surprise did first "We have to work together! We have to have faith and trust in each other," said Surprise smiling.
"Well, I know most of you already fairly well, but who's the blue unicorn?" asked Cheerilee looking at Trixie.
"I am the great and powerful Trixie of course! I alone have the powerful magic to destroy King Sombra," said Trixie boasting.
"I'm a unicorn too you know," responded Lyra, who turned her attention to Trixie.
"Are you the one with nightly magic shows? I didn't think so; Trixie is the big shot here. You all should be showing me where Sombra is already so that all ponies will know how great and powerful I am," said Trixie.
“This is why I'm not sure we’ll be able to use the elements of harmony. How in the hay are we supposed to help Trixie of all ponies learn the magic of friendship?” said Applejack giving a sigh.
The screeching sound at the wall of their hideout was getting louder now.
“I don't know but we don't have time to figure it out either. We need to get out of here and find Sombra and hope for the best,” said Cheerilee.
Applejack nodded in agreement then looked to Surprise “Surprise, I reckon there's another way in and out of here ain't there?” asked Applejack.
“Well, of course, there is silly, how do you think we got in here?” said Surprise with a smile.
Applejack chuckled “Well, after knowing someone like Pinkie Pie I’m never sure what her answer will be,” said Applejack.
Surprise smiled “So she tends to surprise you?” Surprise giggled at her joke while trotting over to the fireplace. Everypony else laughed except for Trixie, who only rolled her eyes in response.
“Hurry up already, Trixie has no time for jokes,” said Trixie with an annoyed tone.
Surprise reached a hoof up and poked a brick in the side of the fireplace causing it to turn sideways leading to another room. “This is part of my house, I found it while I was poking around,” said Surprise. A loud banging was coming from the stone wall now as it began to crumble.
“Come on we got to get out of here!” said Applejack urgently, helping Spitfire get up off the couch. She made sure the ponies went through except for Trixie, who was standing in wait for whatever was bashing down the door. “Trixie come on already!” shouted Applejack.
“No! I told you before Trixie will be the one who gets all the fame and glory!” replied Trixie who’s horn was glowing ready to blast whatever came through the wall. The wall burst open sending a large chunk of brick at Trixie. Applejack quickly tackled Trixie out of the way before it went flying over them and smashed into the wall behind them.
“Would you quit being a stubborn mule and go!” shouted Applejack, who quickly got up and pushed Trixie towards the fireplace exit. Trixie scrambled up and ran for her life towards the fireplace. Once the two of them were inside Surprise closed the wall behind them quickly.
“We won't have long until Sombra finds us,” said Spitfire worriedly.
“You idiot Trixie had them right where she wanted them!” shouted Trixie getting up after being pushed by Applejack into the room. The room looking like a basement used mostly for storage; wooden barrels were scattered around, and there were wood stairs leading upwards.
“You almost get yourself killed Trixie! I don't know how many times I’m going to have to say we have to work together!” said Applejack firmly.
“Trixie doesn't need anyone's help! She will do it on her own!” said Trixie, who poked the brick of the wall where she saw Surprise touch it. Opening up the group of them to King Sombra, who was tearing apart the secret room looking for them until the fireplace opened up.
“Well, well. Looks like you’ve finally come out of hiding,” said Sombra grinning menacingly, his horn starting to glow with magic. Applejack and Trixie both backing up carefully to join Lyra, Spitfire and Cheerilee.
Suddenly Surprise jumped out in front of them wearing a sombrero, a fake mustache and sporting maracas in her hooves. “Sí es que ¡Sorpresa! Prepárate para ser derrotado rey de la salsa!” said Surprise. Everypony, including Sombra paused in surprise of Surprise, but that was no surprise to Surprise.
King Sombra soon came back to his senses “Fools! You can not destroy me! I am hate, and I am darkness!” shouted Sombra, who shot a blast of magic at Surprise, who jumped out of the way. The group of ponies was all blown back from the blast, crashing into the barrels in the room.
Applejack got back up noticing Trixie was already back up and standing pointing her glowing horn at Sombra. “Finally, now Trixie will be declared the most-powerful unicorn!” said Trixie.
King Sombra laughed at her “You? What a laugh, I’ll show you real power!” said Sombra firing a blast of magic at Trixie.
Applejack got up fast and ran as fast as her hooves could carry her “Trixie watch out!” shouted Applejack. She charged Trixie shoving her out of the way as the blast hit Applejack. The explosion blasting her against the wall of the room, and there she laid limp and motionless.
“Applejack!” shouted Trixie in dismay seeing what happened to her.
“One down, five to go!” said Sombra still smiling evilly. Sombra blasted all the barrels into pieces sending wood flying and the other ponies with them. Surprise, Lyra, Cheerilee and Spitfire were all in front of Trixie protecting her from flying debris. Trixie felt like she was frozen in place as she watched, feeling something that she had never felt before then. With the group of them together, Sombra charged up his horn yet again for one final blast. “Time to end this foolishness!” said Sombra.
As Sombra’s blast came hurtling towards them, the other closed their eyes, It was then that Trixie snapped. “Nopony hurts my friends!” shouted Trixie who’s horn lit up brighter than ever and shielded the group from the blast. Tears were welling in Trixie’s eyes as she thought of how Applejack saved her twice and these ponies she didn't even know were willing to defend her anyway. Trixie finally knew what it was like to have friends, friends that she wanted to protect. The elements of harmony began to appear on the others, Applejack was magically pulled to the group as she came to, and saw her element around her neck.
Lyra wore the element of generosity, Cheerilee the element of kindness, Spitfire the element of loyalty, Surprise the element of laughter and finally Trixie wore the element of magic. With the elements combined Trixie’s magic erupted with the swirling rainbow pushing back Sombras blast.
“NO! It can’t be!” shouted Sombra angrily who tried to push back the magic overtaking his own. The blast from the elements engulfing him a bright light. Once the light cleared Sombra was finally finished, there was nothing left of him. The group rejoiced with happy cheers; it was finally over, Sombra was gone for good.
“We did it!” shouted Surprise we turned to hug her friends tightly.
“We did, and Trixie is..no. I’m sorry for doubting you all. I never had friends before.” said Trixie in a tone that was much different and more gentle than her usual voice.
“I told you so,” said Applejack smiling and she hugged Trixie and the rest of her friends.
Trixie reached up to take the element of magic off her head and looked at it before it disappeared along with the rest of the elements. “You did Applejack, the fact that I even had the element of magic on my head proves it. I am happy to call you my friends,” said Trixie with tears rolling down her cheeks.
The newly formed group of friends went together back outside into the streets, the sunrise finally giving life back to the streets of Manehattan. Ponies peered out cautiously from the houses and windows and smiled as they saw the light, they knew Sombra was gone and cheered happily. Pinkie Pie was finally released from her crystal prison and cheered knowing her friends had won. Applejack went with Lyra, Cheerilee and Pinkie Pie back to the train heading to Ponyville with the others following to wave goodbye. Trixie, Surprise and Spitfire all waved a hoof as the train left the station. When Trixie returned to her home, she decided to write a letter.
“Dear Princess Twilight,
Today I learned what it's like to have friends. I realized that friends will try to protect you no matter what. Even someone like me, who thought she could never have friends found one in one particularly honest earth pony. I know we’ve had our differences, but maybe even we could be friends.
Yours truly,
Trixie”
The end