Episode 8: No Second Prances
Episode 8:
No Second Prances
Inside the Castle of Friendship, Twilight was giving (or more accurately trying to give) Starlight Glimmer a friendship lesson, while setting the table for an important dinner that was to take place the following evening.
"All right, first lesson of the day," Twilight began. "We very carefully set the table without using magic, so that-" But she was suddenly cut off, when Starlight used her magic to set the table in a matter of seconds, plates and silverware whizzing past Twilight's head! "Yikes!" She cried as she found herself having to duck down. She only peeked her head back out when she was certain everything had been set. "Did you...?! How? When? What?!" She exclaimed in shock.
"What?" Starlight asked her teacher trying to understand what she did wrong.
Twilight sighed. "I said no magic. You were supposed to do it by hoof so that I could work in a friendship lesson."
Starlight apologetically shrugged as she replied. "Oh, is that all? I kind of heard 'set the table' and just went for it. Though I do wonder how it’s supposed to teach me a thing or two about friendship?"
Twilight steeled her composure in response before answering. "Well, if you hadn't used magic, you'd have heard me say, uh...." She paused, as she realized she really hadn't thought about how it was going to work into a friendship lesson. "This plate represents your head, this spoon is your heart, and the knives... are sharp! Always be careful with knives," She then sighed in defeat. "Okay, it honestly doesn’t actually. But with the recent attacks on the Pride Lands, I’ve haven’t had time to keep to the schedule I had in mind for you."
Understanding now, Starlight asked feeling a bit guilty for jumping the gun there. "So should I... change it back?"
Twilight shook her head to assure it's no big deal. "No, it’s okay. But I just want to make sure you're ready for this dinner. Princess Celestia and King Simba will be joining us tomorrow night to see how your friendship lessons are going!" She then added. "Which means you are expected to be on your best behavior."
Starlight tried hard not to gulp, since she'd only seen Princess Celestia once and while the sun princess had seemed pleasant and friendly, that was when they were dealing with a higher stake situation at the time. Thus the topic of the fact that Starlight herself is responsible for her near-death experience if not for her change of heart was not discussed at the time nor was she confronted about it. Though she hadn’t forgotten about King Simba and while the subject hasn’t been brought up, the guy has been having a rough patch mentally due to the ongoing with Scar. Something that she also had a hoof in as well not to mention her role in assisting Scar nearly killing his own nephew too.
Looking over the set silverware, something caught the unicorn's eye and she asked. "So, if it's just you, me, Kion, King Simba, and Princess Celestia, why are there six seats? Did Spike decide to join us at the last minute?"
"No, he didn’t." Twilight replied, and then with a smile she told Starlight. "That plate is for your friend. But the whole point is for you to bring a new friend. That way, the princess will see for herself just how far you've come. And how good a teacher you have."
"Does it have to be a new friend?" Starlight somewhat nervously asked Twilight. "Because I'm pretty sure a pony who has played a huge role in the ongoing stress for two kingdoms is well known at this point to the point it’s very difficult to befriend someone who’s notorious for fanning Scar’s flames, literally."
Sensing that her student was already stressing out, Twilight walked over to her to both calm her down while asserting it’s a must. "I understand Starlight. But it’s the only way you’ll be able to prove that. To show others that you are not the pony you used to be. Making a new friend will definitely serve as a great testament to that."
"A new friend?" Starlight pondered, then a thought of something. "Hey, maybe I'll just force friendships by magically enslaving the entire population of Ponyville and the Pride Lands!"
"Starlight!" Twilight scolded. "That’s not funny!"
"Just kidding! It was just a joke!" Starlight nervously laughed in response though she has no idea who in Ponyville would want to befriend her even with everything she’s done in the past taken into consideration. Though little did she realize that said new friend will definitely make things interesting for them going forward.
Starlight trotted through Ponyville, trying to jot her head aside from feeling concerned with herself. To her it’s a pop quiz on friendship she has to pass, but she has no idea of how to go on about it. "Let's see. Make new friends in Ponyville, the friendliest place in Equestria. Shouldn't be hard..." She said to herself, looking around various placed through town before eyeing Sugarcube Corner thinking Pinkie Pie and Bunga might have some ideas on who she can befriend while there.”
“So...need to make a new friend, do you?” Bunga asked before laughing it off to assure Starlight he is just messing with her. “Well fear not my friend for we have an idea of how you can do it?”
“You do?”
“Yep!” Pinkie happily replied before moving to guide her to the counter where Mrs. Cake is currently at work with a smile to greet the store’s latest friend and guest. “Starlight Glimmer, meet Mrs. Cake. Mrs. Cake this is Starlight Glimmer, a new friend of ours."
"Hello Starlight. Or should I say the Princess of Friendship new student." Mrs. Cake greeted. "Don’t worry, I’m not one to make a big fuss over royalty. At least when they’re not here." She grinned somewhat nervously.
“Well I’m sure if she or any other princess, king or queen we’re here, they’d say the same thing I’m saying. Mainly, of how the title itself is nothing to fear.” Starlight replied with the similar expressions Mrs. Cake is making. "So, anyways.… you like baking?" Starlight asked, hoping to make small talk and strike up a conversation.
"I do. So very much.," Mrs. Cake warmly replied, then she giggled. "Although I do have a bit of problem counting my cakes and cookies if you know what I mean."
"Oh, you like baking, huh?" Starlight asked, hoping she'd found a connecting point. "Can I help?"
Mrs. Cake looked at Starlight and said to her. "Well that depends on what you have managed to bake before coming here, Starlight. I might have some easy recipes for beginner bakers but aside from that it requires patience and a good attention to detail." But while she was busy trying to explain it to her, Starlight used her magic to whip up a cake in the blink of an eye. "Howza-wowza!" She exclaimed. “What do you just do? Then she realized. “And are those my good baking tools?"
Starlight cringed, realizing that she'd already gotten off on the wrong hoof with what she just did. “Was I not supposed to do that?” She apologetically asked.
Mrs. Cake just sighed before gently responding with a shake of her head. "Dearie, while I do have to say that’s pretty impressive and good looking cake there, there’s no guarantee that a cake like that can taste as good as it looks. Much like friendship, these things take time and you have to follow the instructions exactly as described. Just consider it constructive criticism going forward, okay?"
"I'm really sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep my bounds." Starlight insisted, before she felt a slight twitch on the tip of her nose. She suddenly let out an uncontrollable sneeze, causing her magic to cease and accidentally cause the cake to land on top of Mrs. Cake's forehead. "Oops!"
Mrs. Cake said nothing before opting to excuse herself to wash off the frosting.
Seeing that this isn’t working out, Pinkie moved to offer another alternative. "So.... uh, did I mention the Cake Twins?"
“Or how about my uncles Timon and Pumbaa.” Bunga also asked, but Starlight was quick to leave without another word knowing full well that neither of them, separate and together, or Mrs. Cake is going to work out. “Well on the bright side, at least it was a good tasting cake.”
Pinkie sighed in agreement. “Yeah, too bad that didn’t live to tell the tale.”
So with Pinkie and Bunga’s friend ideas a bust, Starlight decided to go to Sweet Apple Acres and talk to Applejack and Fuli hoping they might know someone who could qualify as a potential new friend for her.
As it turned out, both Applejack and Fuli already had someone in mind for Starlight to meet, and the two friends made their way out to one of the orchards, where Big Macintosh was busy bucking apple trees with his back legs and Sally and Sassy are both carrying carts of apples along with happily gossiping among one another.
"I think I have just the pony for you, Starlight. Meet Big Mac!" Applejack said with a smile.
“Along with both Sassy and Sally.” Fuli added. “Though I have to warn you they have quite a lot of energy today. Energy great enough that I decided a day at the apple orchard is in order to help put that into good use.”
"Hello." Big Macintosh greeted.
“Hey!”
“Hi!”
Both cheetahs followed up all while eager to meet the new unicorn themselves.
Starlight trotted forward and tried to start up a conversation with the stallion and cheetahs. "Nice weather we're having, right?"
“Absolutely! The weather is so gorgeous I wish I could sit back on a recliner sipping apple cider all day long!”
“Sally, we talked about this. That is for when the job and only the job is fully done, besides you’re still bouncing around eager to move around.” She pointed to her running around them non stop.
“I can’t help it! I’m just feeling so super energetic today!”
Big Mac however replied with his trademark, "Eeyup." and nothing else.
Starlight was most puzzled to hear little of him, until Applejack explained to her. "He's not much of a talker, not outside of family and friends in his inner circle."
"Nnope." Big Macintosh replied with a nod.
"Oh, that's too bad. I love a good conversation." Starlight replied, before smiling and acting on an idea that came to her mind. She lit up her horn, and a small stream of magic moved its way into Big Mac's mouth. Applejack looked on concerned and confused as she’s not sure of what Starlight is doing.
“Starlight? What are doing?” Fuli asked suspiciously as she sees the spell cast on the stallion while the other cheetahs eagerly watch to see what happens next.
Big Macintosh had to shake his head to clear his thoughts. But when he opened his mouth to talk, he said something rather unexpected. "Eeyup-yup-yup-yup-yup-yup-yup-yup-y-y-y-y-you did something!" He shouted at Starlight, suddenly unable to keep himself from talking. "Whoa! What's happening? I feel really weird! I'm talkin' so much! And I'm so articulate! Enunciating with such precise pronunciation!" He put a hoof in his mouth to try and stop himself from talking, but he still kept talking. "Annie Apple awoke and accidentally ate an auburn azalea!" He spoke, then he screamed and ran off while shouting! "Make it stop!"
Both Sally and Sassy both laughed and rolled around on the grass finding it very hilarious.
“Wow! Nice one, Starlight!”
“You made him speak non-stop and run for the hills!”
Though both Applejack and Fuli however did not find it funny. Especially the former since she doesn’t like it when someone messes around with one of her kinfolk while the latter sees it rather insensitive.
Applejack immediately glared and scowled at Starlight, who immediately got the message. "What? I can't exactly be friends with somepony who doesn't talk." She tried to explain which only earned her an even harder glare by Applejack. "And I guess my first instinct probably shouldn't be to magically command ponies to act the way I want them to?" Starlight concluded, before finding the pony glaring and scowling very fiercely to the point she’d be dead if looks could kill. "Alright, alright, I'll change him back!" Starlight conceded before running off after Big Mac.
“And you two will go after them and help Starlight catch Big Mac so she can undo her spell on him. Got it?!”
“Uh-huh.”
“Yep.”
They both ran off after the two ponies to do so.
After correcting her mistake with Big Macintosh, Starlight trotted back into town just when the Wonderbolts happened to flew by overhead. As soon as the whoosh went by, she is suddenly greeted by both Ono and Rainbow Dash landing in front of Starlight.
"Hey, Starlight.”
“Glad we come fly on by.”
They both greeted.
“Oh, hi!”
“Everything okay?”
“Because you look a little uncertain.”
They both asked after picking up on her earlier uneasiness.
“I am.”
“What’s troubling you?” Ono asked.
Starlight sighed as she explained. "Tomorrow evening, I’m attending an important dinner with the king and princess, and I’m expected to find a new friend to bring with me there. And before you both ask it’s to help show my progress in learning friendship. But regardless, trying to find a new friend itself isn’t working out the way I hoped.”
“Well, I mean I can understand why it’s hard to want to befriend anyone in the Pride Lands. It’s not uncommon for them to want to distance themselves from a high ranking associate of a would be conqueror. But I’m sure somewhere there’s a pony in town who would be willing to befriend you.”
“I know but the question is where? Now I’m wondering if there is something wrong with the way I look.”
Rainbow Dash laughed it off. "Nopony's gonna make friends with you just because of your outfit. The only thing that you want a new friend to be draped in is coolness."
"Like you?" Starlight asked Rainbow.
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, but you already know me," Then she gasped when she got an idea. "But there is, Spitfire!" She unintentionally spit saliva Ono Starlight's face when she said this. "Oops. Heh. Sorry.”
“That’s an idea.” Ono acknowledged. “And if not there is also Soarin and the other Wonderbolts on the varsity team.”
“That is so true my friend! Both ponies and everyone on that team! Only the Wonderbolt-iest pony in the Wonderbolts! Come on, I'll introduce you!" She zoomed away leaving a small sonic boom rainbow behind. She returned a few seconds later when she saw Starlight wasn't following her. "So, you coming or what?"
"I guess my first question would be, 'What's a Wonderbolt, exactly?'" Starlight nervously asked.
Rainbow gasped, as she could hardly believe what she heard while Ono can only groan and shake his head in response to her comically horrified expressions. "What?!" When Starlight didn't laugh, Rainbow reluctantly came to see that Starlight’s being honest when she asked that question, leaving her further shocked and confused! "You've never heard of the Wonderbolts?! Where have you been?!"
Starlight laughed nervously as Rainbow got up close to her face. "Enslaving villages and helping carry out evil schemes to cripple and take over a kingdom, I guess..." She shrugged, unsure of what else to say.
"Right." Rainbow replied while trying very hard to be understanding of it. “Well, I’ll try but I can’t guarantee anything.”
“It’s okay, I understand.”
“Just keep looking.” Ono advised. “And if I can share some more advice with you, if you hadn’t already tried somewhereyou haven't been yet then that’s probably where you should try next.”
“I’ll definitely take it to heart. But you can at least try to see if Spitfire along with the other Wonderbolts will be willing to try to get know me?”
"Of course," Rainbow answered. "I will do what I can do.”" And with that the athletic pegasus mare zoomed away with Ono flying off after her. But not without saying in her direction.
“Best of luck, Starlight.”
Starlight traveled across town for a while longer, but she seemed to have no luck with befriending anypony. Many ponies looked on with worry, concern, and mostly suspicion. Something she correctly suspected herself considering everyone knows what crimes she’s committed.
"What is going on? This is Ponyville! If I can't make a friend here, there's gotta be something wrong with me!" Starlight groaned seeing that everyone who didn’t show fear and worry to her already had a friend. "Okay, calm down, Starlight," She said to herself. "Nopony's gonna wanna make friends with a total crazy case." But the more she kept looking around, the more her stress and anxiety levels escalated from isolation and loneliness. "Stop stressing..." She said to herself, before she loudly shouted out for everyone to hear! "Stop stressing!" All eyes immediately locked on her, who promptly zipped away and retreated to a more private place in Ponyville before anything else can happen.
Starlight didn't know what she was going to do, but she didn't have the heart to go back to Twilight and come up empty-hoofed. Bur then her previous thoughts were distracted when she heard the sound of a ringing bell, which came from the nearby Ponyville Spa. The mare decided that maybe a little trip there would help her ease her nerves and allow herself to keep trying afterwards.
Pretty soon, Starlight was resting on one of the spa beds, her face covered in a green make-up facial and her eyes covered by cucumbers, while the main spy ponies worked on filing her hooves. With a relaxed sigh, she said to herself. "This is just what I needed."
To Starlight's surprise a voice that sounded like it was right next to her replied with an equally relaxed sigh. "Tell me about it."
"You ever have one of those days?" Starlight asked, hoping that whoever replied to her would respond back.
Said owner of the voice did, and said. "For me, they're all one of those days. But nothing new to me." That prompted Starlight to giggle, before the owner of the voice went on. "I'm gonna start coming here every time I visit Ponyville."
"Well, I'm not from around here either." Starlight confessed to the voice. "I've been trying to make some new friends, but it's not easy. They're not really saying it, but I think everypony knows about my past," She then explained. "The thing is, I may have been a tiny bit... completely and utterly evil?"
"Sure sounds just like me because ponies judge me on my past as well," The voice replied. "And if we’re on the same boat I’ve also done some things I regret to this day and times like this I could only wish to make that problem magically disappear."
Starlight removed the cucumbers from her face. "Finally, a pony I can relate to." She said, and looked over her shoulder to see a very familiar light blue coated unicorn mare, with an even lighter blue mane and tail styled into a curl. With her eyes were obscured by cucumbers, Starlight didn't know what color eyes she had nor the mare herself but she was soon about to.
Back at the castle, Twilight was readjusting the silverware on the table with Kion looking over her shoulder as she personally ensured that everything was in its proper place. "Soup spoon, salad fork, pasta spoon, strawberry pick," She said to herself, as she made sure each item was where it should be. With a smile she added. "I'm beginning to think that after friendship, the greatest magic of all is proper silverware placement!" She then giggled at her comment.
“Great!” Kion complimented. “So I take it everything’s going according to plan for tomorrow night’s dinner with the princess and the king?”
“Yep! All that’s left is Starlight making a new friend!”
“Okay.”
Just then, Starlight came rushing into the room with a huge and eager smile on her face. "Twilight, guess what? I made a new friend!" She proudly announced.
"That's fantastic news!" Twilight replied, equally proud of her already.
"Who’s the lucky pony, Starlight?” Kion asked eager to know who this new friend of hers is.
"Well, she's great!" Starlight began.
"Great!" Twilight and Kion smiled.
"She's powerful!" Starlight added.
"Powerful?" Twilight asked, confused a bit by Starlight's statement.
“Sounds familiar…” Kion commented while sharing a quizzical expression with Twilight wondering where they heard that before.
"She's..." Starlight began, only to be cut off.
"Hello....prince and princess." A familiar voice greeted, and into the room trotted a familiar pony the two alicorns haven’t seen in a while. One with dark violet eyes, and a light purple hat and cape with white stars and swirls on them.
"Trixie?!" Twilight and Kion realized, both equally shocked and surprised to see the unicorn again, especially with the smug grin registered on the unicorn's face.
Starlight seemed to be quite surprised by the looks Twilight, Kion, and Trixie exchanged, since it’s quite evident they know each other with a bit of "bad blood" between them as evident by the unfriendly grins they gave each other was anything to go by. Especially Twilight’s. "You three know each other?" Starlight asked them.
"You could say that, though I must admit it is a surprise to see Trixie again." Twilight said to Starlight, while eyeing Trixie carefully.
“Very surprising.” Kion added while looking on cautiously at her but not with the same scowling eyes like Twilight.
"We've had our differences in the past." Trixie explained. "What matters is Twilight and Kion gave me a second chance, and I appreciate it." She paused for a moment, as she and Twilight seemed intent to just stare each other down, before she made her way over to Starlight.
"So, um, what brings you to Ponyville, Trixie?" Kion asked trying to be calm, collected and friendly about it.
Trixie smiled in response. "The Grrrreat and Powerful Trrrrixie has come to perform a new stage show of grand illusion!" She boasted, waving her hoof through the air in a dramatic gesture. "I am calling it 'The Humble and Penitent Trixie's Equestrian Wide Apology Tour'!"
"Gee, that's kind of a mouthful." Starlight commented in a hushed tone.
Trixie replied in a tone equally as hushed. "It's a working title."
Twilight while happy for Starlight, is however concerned about Trixie's behavior. Something didn't make sense when she considered how she and Trixie had parted ways last time. Clearing her throat, Twilight said to her student seriously. "Starlight? A moment? Over here?" She then used her magic to pull Starlight and whisper to her in a hushed tone. "I know I said you could make friends with anypony, but, well, with Trixie's past, and your past, I'm not sure she's the best... first friend.”
“And why do you say that?” Starlight asked with a skeptical look in return.
“Because she hasn’t given Twilight and I reason to believe that she is a completely trustworthy pony.” Kion explained on her behalf. “Because she once humiliated our other friends and nearly endangered the town by luring an Ursa Minor here…”
“Technically that was Snails and Snips.” Twilight quickly corrected.
“...and then under the influence of the alicorn amulet, proceeded to enslave Ponyville along with kicking me and Twilight out of town out of spite.”
Starlight nodded as she starts putting the pieces together before speaking to her teacher. "I see. Although it’s not like you’ve haven’t done anything to make Trixie’s mistakes look tame. And you have forgiven her, right?"
Twilight nodded and said to Starlight. "Of course, I'm just trying to look out for you that’s all. Trixie isn't exactly the nicest pony, and I'm just concerned she might be a bad influence on you."
Starlight replied by saying. "And while I do appreciate it, I need you to understand that if this is going to work you have to at least be willing to trust me to make friends on my own the same way Princess Celestia trusted you to the same, right?"
Twilight sighed conceding in defeat to her point. "You're right. I trust you." She then cautioned. "Just be back in time for the dinner tomorrow, okay?"
"Thanks, Twilight!" Starlight said happily. "You won't regret it!"
"I hope not." Twilight sighed, as she observed the little figurine Trixie had made out of the silverware. Clearing her throat she turned to Trixie for a quick and stern warning. "I can trust you as much as Starlight trust you, right? Because the last thing I need is to be given one good reason why I shouldn’t kick you out of Ponyville again. I hope for your sake, your bags are all ready packed should it come down to that.”
"Me? Actually harm Starlight Glimmer, the student of princess?!" Trixie brushed it off like she has nothing to worry about. "Oh perish the thought, princess. You have my word.”
“Better make good on it.” Kion reminded. “Because me and my father haven’t forgotten about what happened the last time you were here and if something happens to Starlight because of you, the King himself might not consider giving you a warm welcome in the Pride Lands. So don’t make me or Twilight regret it.”
“Of course, Prince Kion.” Trixie said with a bow to both alicorns before making her leave. “Ta-ta.” And with that, the two unicorns left the castle.
After they left Kion spoke first on his thoughts about Trixie. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Yep.”
“That Trixie’s going to betray that trust someway, somehow?”
“Yep.”
“Should I inform Spike about this and invite him to dinner tomorrow?”
“Yep.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
While the two went their separate ways, both the prince and princess really do want to trust Starlight’s judgement on this, but deep down they just know that friendship like a fully written piece of paper.
Trixie and Starlight quickly made their way to the park near the center of town where the former plans to use the stage to kick start her apology tour, though she refused to say why she was doing it. By this point, she had taken off her hat and cape to prevent anything from happening to them.
While decorating the stage for her performance, Trixie boasted to Starlight. "This magic show's gonna be the greatest thing Ponyville's ever seen!”
As Starlight and Trixie worked on preparing the stage, a couple of ponies walked by. Although they tried to whisper to avoid being overheard, Trixie could still hear the negative words they were saying. "Everypony always says they'll give you a second chance, but deep down, they never forget." She said loudly.
"That's what I'm worried about." Starlight commented to Trixie. "I’m sure you’ve heard of what I did in the past, right?"
Trixie nodded. "Of course. Though with all things taken into consideration I can’t say I probably would have done the same and I’m sure your friend Kion would probably say the same as well. And yet despite all of that, I just wish I wasn’t always second best to Twilight. Yes, Trixie knows that is a very envious desire, especially since she admittedly helped me see the error of my ways, but I just can't get over the fact that she’ superior to me when it comes to magic to the point she can kick my flank whenever she’s wants to."
"I know what you mean." Starlight returned seeing it as another thing they see eye to eye with. "Although with all things considered, at least you were given a chance to prove yourself worthy of be allowed to return here and not burned to ashes when she was at her worst. Though in my case, I’m fortunate I was able to escape while I still could along with along with not being currently behind bars. But still, we’re both lucky we had friends who are willing to give us a chance after everything said and done.”
"Yeah…” Trixie agreed before explaining looking on sadly as she then explained. “And...I heard what Twilight said about me, and she's right. I wasn't very nice. So I'd understand if you didn't want to be friends with me.”
But Starlight dismissed that thought like it’s nonsense. "Are you kidding? You're the first pony I've met all day who has any idea how I feel!"
Trixie looked all around to make sure nopony’s around to hear them, before she whispered to Starlight. "Can you keep a secret?"
"Of course. What are friends for?" Starlight promised.
After looking around again to make sure she wouldn't be overheard, Trixie said in a hushed tone. "Given my past jealously for Twilight well, I only wish for once, just once, I could beat her at something. I'm sincere about my regrets, I really am, but if I could just get this wish, then this upcoming tour would be a dream come true."
"Your secret's safe with me." Starlight whispered to Trixie in return.
"Thanks," Trixie smiled as she then asked Starlight. "So, wanna help me unpack my wagon? Although I do have to say that I tend to spend a lot of time on the road with my wagon, so it might be a tad messy."
Starlight smiled more than willing to assist her. "I think I can help with that?" I'm pretty good at organizing stuff. Magic props, brainwashed crowds, anything that you might have, it can be done…” She had her horn spark to make a finger snap sound. “...just like that." The two unicorns both laughed together before getting right to work.
Meanwhile, from the safety of the castle, Twilight and Kion observed the two unicorns as they went off together.
"You think something is up with Trixie still?" Kion asked Twilight.
"I don’t think so." Twilight whispered in reply. "I mean I’m not 100% sure myself, but so far so good. Aside from the envious desire to one up me.”
“True, true…” Kion acknowledged deep in thought feeling the change of heart is sticking through. “...although I do have I admit this is quite something you got here even if it is a little weird.”
“Thanks, but this something I usually like to keep handy for only when I really need something very important from this surveillance footage. And that’s when we’re usually on a mission and case whether it’s working with the federal agents alongside Sunset in the other world or keeping tabs on whatever Scar and his army are doing.”
“Makes sense.”
“Just do not tell anyone about this no matter what.” She cautioned before they moved to leave the room that is guarded by a high-security door hidden behind a painting of Princess Celestia.
“Okay.”
“Promise?”
“Absolutely!” To prove his point he performed the Pinkie Promise. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
“Thank you.”
Over the course of the next day, Twilight and Kion remained in the castle and prepared for the dinner with both Princess Celestia and King Simba. Meanwhile, Starlight helped Trixie with unpacking her wagon, which included all kinds of magical props and even a few heavy boxes and trunks.
"You know, Trixie," Starlight spoke up, as she pushed another heavy trunk out of the wagon. "I was thinking. You said Twilight is better than you at everything, but that's not actually true. You're better at magic."
Trixie shook her head. "Only when I'm wearing a soul-sucking evil amulet, so I don't think that counts."
"I meant stage magic," Starlight clarified.
"Well, of course!" Trixie smiled. "Great? Yes. Powerful? Obviously. But I'm not the best. As great and powerful as I am, there's one trick I've never been able to do – the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive! Only one magician has ever pulled it off!" She pulled out a few old photographs, all of them depicting a unicorn stallion who looked to be in the prime of his youth. "My hero and inspiration to becoming a magician myself, Hoofdini!” She then showed a series of photographs depicting the magician doing his most famous trick as she moved to explain to Starlight about it. "You are supposed to blast yourself into the open mouth of a hungry manticore! And after the manticore chews you up and swallows you, you magically step out of a box on the other side of the stage! All in one piece!"
Starlight was quite amazed at the detail of the photographs, and what she saw of the trick Trixie had just described. Even so, she was understandably a bit nervous at the trick itself. "That sounds very..." She began.
"Dangerous?"
Starlight shook her head. "I was gonna say cool! Definitely something you don’t see every day."
Trixie smiled in response to Starlight's enthusiasm. "I knew I liked you for a reason, Starlight. I don’t know how Hoofdini did that trick. If I tried it, I'd get chewed up and swallowed by that manticore. And there is only one other way out of that."
"Not if you could use real magic." Starlight pointed out.
"Obviously. Way to rub it in." Trixie complained.
"No!" Starlight corrected herself as she explained. "I mean I could help you! You could start the trick, and right before you got chewed up, I could use magic to save you..." She lit up her horn and teleported Trixie into the nearby black box. "And make you appear in the black box on the stage!"
"I guess that would work," Trixie realized seeing that as something that can be done, before having a consequential thought occur. "But if you made even one mistake, I'd be a goner for sure."
Starlight laughed it off. "When it comes to magic, I don't make mistakes," Then she pondered as she put a hoof to her chin with another idea in mind. "Maybe I could be your... magic show helper pony, or whatever you call it!"
"We call it 'assistant' in the magician biz. And... nopony's ever offered to help before." Trixie said, surprised that anyone was willing to offer her that.
"Well, consider it a first, and of how honored I would be if you say yes." Starlight offered.
Trixie was delighted, as she pulled out a flier for her magic show. It depicted her in her magician's hat, with a giant orange-yellow ball with a red star in the center of it. "You may have just made my great and powerful magic show even better! Which I didn't think was even possible!" She then happily declared. "We're gonna blow them all away tonight!"
But Starlight suddenly groaned and put a hoof to her forehead, as she remembered what else is going at that particular time. "I can't! I meant to tell you, Trixie. Tonight's this incredibly important dinner with Twilight and Princess Celestia, and I'm suppose to bring my new friend along."
"Oh." Trixie realized, her happy mood dropping in an instant.
"Hey, uh, mind if I vent for a second or two?" Starlight asked Trixie.
"What are friends for?" Trixie replied, returning and echoing what Starlight said yesterday.
Starlight sighed. "I'm sure she means well and is just trying to look out for me but I can’t help but have this strong feeling that she is somehow watching me. I wouldn’t want to accuse her of doing anything like murdering some pony or someone with no one the wiser. But it feels like she doesn’t think I can do anything on my own without constant supervision. It’s one thing when on patrol with the Guard but it's still so annoying.
"A pity, but I can't say I'm shocked," Trixie commented. "Well, lucky for Princess Twilight, I have my magic show tonight."
“But I already promised Twilight I’d be there for the dinner, and it’ll not look good for my future if I don’t show up. Are you sure we can’t just reschedule for tomorrow night? Plus, it might give us a chance to properly go over the routine before performing it."
Trixie shook her head even though it is the better option. "I'm sorry but I already made the announcement that the show is happening tonight. And once I made a decision on when it’s going to be, it’s going to happen thus the show must go on. If you have to go to the dinner, I completely understand," Dramatically she added. "I just hope I find a way to pull off the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive without my new assistant!”
And left Starlight feeling very torn and going to regret whatever she chooses no matter what.
Inside the throne room at the Castle of Friendship, Princess Celestia and King Simba were sitting at their designated spots, alongside Twilight, Kion and Spike. An ice sculpture had been placed on the table to add to the mood, but already it was starting to drip, and Starlight along with her friend hadn’t shown up yet.
"Huh, what’s going on? You would think they know they’re expected right now." Spike commented out loud. "I mean it’s one thing if it’s Trixie we’re talking about but it’s not like Starlight to just blow this off like it is nothing to her."
"I know.” Kion said in agreement. “She probably just lost track of time or just got a little lost on the way back home."
Twilight nervously laughed, looking at Princess Celestia who seemed to be looking impatient along on King Simba. "Not to worry, Princess Celestia, King Simba, Starlight will come along with her new friend...eventually." She secretly said to herself quiet enough nobody can hear her.
Princess Celestia just sighed while King Simba just looked aside and frowned, one thing they have in common is that they don’t like being kept waiting, especially without any advanced notice.
“But just to move things along…” Twilight then decided upon seeing that enough is enough and she is determined what the hay is happening when she got out of her seat. “...I’m going to see what’s taking her.”
“Me too.” Kion moved to do the same before assuring his father. “Don’t worry Dad, we’ll be back as soon as possible.”
After the two left the castle, Spike himself tried to help ease both Celestia and Simba’s sour mood with small talk. Hopefully he can strike up a conversation with something interesting with the two.
By now it was nighttime, and both Twilight and Kion walked and trotted through the streets of Ponyville looking for the former’s student. But no matter who she asked and where they looked they found nothing. That is, until she approached the park and noticed the stage had been re-decorated, with a couple of posters advertising a magic show.
“Trixie.”
“Of course.”
Both said in realization before making their way over there.
Meanwhile, inside the park itself, a huge crowd had gathered for Trixie's show. A few ponies were still finding their seats, which is just what Pinkie Pie and Applejack were doing at that very moment along with Bunga and Beshte.
"Huh, so this is the Humble and Penitent Trixie's Equestrian Wide Apology Tour?" Pinkie asked Applejack.
“Sure looks like it.” Beshte returned seeing the words exactly like he read them. “So I guess it’s some kind of progress.”
"Well ain't that a mouthful? Really rolls off the tongue there." Applejack commented.
“Not unless she plans on giving herself a taste of humble pie.” Bunga laughed. “Hope she has some milk ready to go with it.”
"Mmm." Pinkie licked her lips at the very thought. "That actually sounds pretty good right about now." The others simply looked aside in disgust while not even bothering to pursue the matter even further just as the show was now ready to begin.
Trixie poked her head out from the curtains and said quickly, and rather annoyed in response. "It's a working title!" Peaking her head back behind the curtains, Trixie could barely contain her excitement, bobbing up and down as she said. "Oh, this is gonna be the greatest night of my life!" She then quickly corrected herself. "Excuse me. Our lives."
Starlight tried her best to smile, but is still feeling guilty for neglecting the dinner with her teacher. However, she'd felt it was justified to help out a friend more than attend what she think would be is a boring dinner. "Yeah." She nervously chuckled. "Hopefully better than what could and maybe should have been. I mean can you even imagine the look on Twilight’s face if she found out what we were doing here right about now?"
“Yes, imagine that.” Kion’s voice spoke up as he and Twilight both appeared right behind them with both pairs of eyes looking on angrily at the two unicorns.
"So, this is where you've wandered off to, Starlight?" Twilight scolded, looking directly at her student’s eyes. "You just decided to skip our dinner without telling me? I was really beginning to worry about you! I mean you could have at least run it by me before you went off on your own!"
“Not intentionally.” Was all she could say in her defense.
Twilight sighed as she continued to convey her severe disappointment in her own student. "Do you have any idea what this means for you, for me, for Kion, Starlight. I gave you a chance to prove yourself trustworthy on your own. But instead you gave me reason not to. Are you aware that, at this very moment, Princess Celestia and King Simba are waiting for you at a table with exquisite silverware placement?! They along with Spike, who has managed the time to be with them tonight by the way, can't be kept waiting!"
Without nothing Starlight can say in her defense, Kion moved to have a say in the matter. “Do you both have anything to say in your defense?” She asked both unicorns before turning to Trixie. “Because Twilight and I put aside our differences to allow you two bond to become friends with freedom and space. While you are currently on probation, I might add.” He briefly said to Starlight. “And this is where we find you both, planning a magic show on the same night you were both expected to attend. Without first consulting, us about it. Did you both actually think that was going to fly?!”
“No.” Starlight honestly responded.
“Then why did you do it?!”
“Because I agreed to become Trixie’s assistant so she can have help needed to perform the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive.”
"The Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive?! Are you both out of your minds?!” Kion shouted with worried anger. “That’s dangerous! Something that the sole performer himself warned nobody to ever do under no circumstances!”
“And thus giving me all the more reason why I was right not to trust you!" Twilight further scolded with her eyes on Trixie. "I can't believe you talked Starlight into helping you do this! Especially knowing that’s putting your own life at risk.”
With a smirk Trixie then boasted. "Doesn’t matter, because it’s pretty clear that you two still don’t trust me. And guess what princess, when Starlight had to choose between you and me, and she chose me! So it looks like I finally win! Ha!"
But as soon as those words escaped Trixie's mouth, Starlight looked on like that their friendship is actually sham all this time. “You win? That sounds like you just made friends with me to beat Twilight. Even after everything we’ve been through together.”
“Exactly!” Trixie stated without even thinking nor realizing what she was saying to which Starlight reacted with heartbroken shock as tears formed from her eyes. “Wait! I mean no!” She then suddenly realized her poor choice of words just too late. “I got caught up in the moment! I like you! I meant everything I said about you, beating Twilight was just a bonus!" She then gasped and face hoofed herself for digging herself deeper. “Oh, saying that didn’t help did it?”
Even still her words stung Starlight harshly. "I should've known. Nopony else in Ponyville wanted to be my friend. Why would you? I can’t believe I trusted you!” She then ran out the stage door, sobbing to herself with tears falling from her eyes.
"Starlight!"
“Wait!”
Both Twilight and Kion called out as they ran after her.
“Please Starlight! It’s not like that! I am your friend!” Trixie desperately called out to no avail as Starlight had already run for the hills.
Twilight and Kion then turned to look at Trixie, even more angered than before.
“Congratulations Trixie, you won, I hope you’re happy.”
"Not only did you break my student's heart and betrayed her trust, you also proved that I was right to not trust you! And this isn’t the first time this has happened to me!"
Now it was Trixie's turn to cry, as she trotted past Twilight and Kion and back up to the stage. "Looks like The Great and Powerful Trixie is back to being a solo show," She said with a sad sigh. "The entire point of this show was to put the past behind me and start anew to prove to you both, prince and princess, that I truly deserve to be adored and liked by every pony and Pride Lander. But now I guess it is all for naught thanks to you both!”
“Huh?”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying thank you both, Prince Kion and Princess Twilight for getting rid of that annoying pony who wanted to be my first friend! I am not sad at all! I definitely don't feel as if my heart is breaking into a million pieces! No matter, the show will still go on with or without her."
Before either Kion and Twilight could have a chance to react, Trixie shut the stage door and locked it tight!
“Trixie! No! Stop! Please to listen yourself!”
“Doing so now would be suicide! Don’t do it!”
Both the prince and princess pleaded with her to reconsider but she refused to budge along with respond to their voices of reason.
Seeing that their efforts to talk sense into Trixie isn’t going to work, Twilight reluctantly turned around and took off away from the stage. "Keep watch of Trixie’s performance while I find Starlight!”
“I will. But do so fast before she does something she’ll regret and I can't stop her in time!”
“I will!”
With that the two leaders separated so they stop tonight from getting any worse than it already has been.
The stage curtains opened up, and Trixie trotted out on the stage as the spotlight shined down on her. "Come one, come all. Come and see the Pathetic and Friendless Trixie's 'Way-To-Go-Dum-Dum-You-Really-Messed-It-Up-This-Time Repentance Tour'," She said with no drive or passion to perform like she is dreaming this. The crowd exchanged glances and words, with what they are hearing and seeing. "It's a working title!" Trixie bellowed in a screechy voice, and began to perform her tricks and illusions. It soon became obvious that she wasn't even trying at all during her performance, with everyone all jeering and booing with the performance they are seeing.
Reluctantly, Trixie decided to move on to the grand finale, the one trick she knew she does require effort. The audience's boos stopped, replaced by gasps of concern and horror when they saw a chained up manticore appear on the stage. "Behold, your fears come true. A pony-eating manticore. Now, feast your eyes and ears, fillies and gentlecolts. For tonight, the Great and Powerful Trixie will be performing the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive."
The crowd started to gasp with great concern and shock as that’s impossible to for to do and doing so now would be suicide. But the gasps weren’t enough to get Trixie to back off from going through with it. "Now, now, save your gasps for when I defy the beast's jaws of doom and appear inside that black box," She said to the audience, before donning a helmet and climbed into a nearby cannon. Suddenly, her tone of voice changed from uninterested to sorrowful and regretful as she added. "I was supposed to perform this trick with my great and powerful assistant, who was also my great and powerful friend! Starlight? If you're out there and you still want to be friends, let's be great and powerful together!"
While the audience could only watch on with Kion being ready to act when needed before she throws her life away, Starlight was sitting on a nearby hill, watching the show from afar. But she took no pleasure in seeing what she is seeing even when thinking she had it coming. All while still wondering to herself if her previous friendship with Trixie really was a lie or was it true like she thought.
Just then, Twilight approached her student from behind. Seeing that look sadness on her face, Twilight said to her student. "Starlight, when I first came to Ponyville, Princess Celestia gave me room to make my own decisions and my own friends. I need to give you the same freedom. Just like me, you have to make your own decisions and your own friends, even if that means you might get hurt."
Starlight looked at Twilight and sadly asked. "But... what if Trixie really was using me just to one-up you? What if it really was a lie?"
Twilight shook her head unable to answer that herself. "From what I've seen, she's the real thing. But it's not my place to judge. That’s up to you to figure that out yourself. And no matter what you decide, I’ll support you.” She comfortingly said to her student.
Starlight looked at Twilight, then looked down at Trixie. After giving it much thought and consideration for several minutes, she concentrated her magic on the fuse of the cannon. Kion who was already on the side of the stage was ready to pounce over and stop it before being stopped when Starlight quickly put up a force field to keep him from doing so.
"What are doing?!" Kion hissed at the unicorn keeping him from trying to save Trixie from committing suicide.
Trixie at the same time was left Trixie very and visibly surprised to see the fuse on the cannon light up all by itself, since she knows what’s to come. Before she could figure out what this means for her, the cannon fired and launched her through the air. Trixie shrieked and shut her eyes, before finding herself flying into the manticore's mouth.
"Hevi Kabisa!"
The audience looked on equally shocked, as it would appear the manticore had devoured Trixie whole and let out a belch. But suddenly, there was a flash of magic, and the black box on the stage fell apart! When the magic cleared up Trixie herself appeared, with her hat and cape torn in several places, but with no scratches and bruises on her body. "Behold, the Peat and Growerful Triskie...!" She declared while barely steadying herself. Luckily for her Starlight was there by her side to support her. The crowd cheered, as Starlight winked at Trixie, then Kion who sighed in relief when he saw this, before smiling and speaking to the audience. "And now, I'm proud to introduce my great and powerful assistant!" In her normal tone of voice she added. "And best friend," Then went back to her booming voice she said. "Starlight Glimmer!"
Starlight then helped Trixie backstage and quickly checked her for any sign of injury before finding aside from her wardrobe there is not a scratch on her. Nothing other than the smell of a repellent she had coated herself with before she placed herself in the cannon. For all of her talk, she knew better than to do something dangerous without a protection plan in place, even when in depression.
“So does this mean what I think it is?” Trixie asked her friend who briefly fanned the smell coming from her coat.
“Yes. It does.” Starlight nodded. "Since I’m partially to blame for blowing off that important dinner to which that mess could have been avoided had I talked to Twilight about it before hoof."
“Thanks. Though granted Trixie also could have avoided this had I planned to reschedule it and not played with you like a magician's wand like I did just earlier.”
“That’s true.” Starlight didn’t even deny it while putting on a purple magician's hat and cape magically appear on her body. One that matches her mane and tail. “Glad we know see eye to eye on that.” Trixie giggled as she and Starlight embraced each other in a hug.
Just then, Twilight and Kion appeared backstage and called out. "Trixie!"
"What do you want?” Trixie asked. “To tell me off for backstabbing your precious student. Go ahead, I deserve it."
But Twilight instead said to Trixie. "No. I’m sorry. I was wrong to misjudge you the way I did. And I have to hoof it to you. I could never have pulled off a trick quite like that.”
“Neither could I.” Kion said in agreement. “And for someone who’s not quite an expert at magic I can definitely say what you did tonight was very impressive.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” Twilight nodded. “And I’m sure if Hoofdini were here, he’d be as proud of you as I am.”
Starlight smiled at Trixie, who took off her hat and said to Twilight with a bow. "Thank you, princess."
“You’re welcome. Consider it a token of gratitude and forgiveness. On one condition...that you two come with me back to the castle for that dinner party that’s happening now.”
“Of course. That Trixie can do.”
With that agreement, both Starlight and Trixie moved to set off celebratory fireworks before heading on over back to the castle with both Twilight and Kion.
By now, the ice sculpture had all but melted, Spike, Princess Celestia along with King Simba were trying to get by with nothing more than small talk.
“I mean it’s not that I don’t trust Kiara to go out on her own. It’s just it’s a lot harder without company and the ongoing fact that with Scar, Zira, along with the other Outsiders out and large to be willing to give her that freedom and space. Like if I were to let her wander off somewhere just out of my sight in the Pride Lands, would she come out alive and not become my enemies prey?”
“I honestly can’t say for sure.” Spike honestly answered unable to give him that answer that any parent wishes for. “I mean understand that with Kion and the Guard he always has capable and protective friends by his side, not to mention more magic to back him up, to justify going out beyond the borders. But with Kiara well, I think you can do the same for her with a little compromising so that the both of you get what you want. So in answer to your question, I say yes.”
“I suppose I could do that.” Simba said actually taking his suggestion into consideration.
“You’ll definitely know when it’s time.” He assured just when the doors opened where Twilight, Starlight, and Trixie, all arrived and all took their respective seats at the table. “And boy, talk about perfect timing!”
“Yep.” Kion said amazed of how they managed it with all things in consideration. “Amazingly.”
Twilight cleared her throat and apologized to both Princess Celestia and King Simba. "Sorry it took us so long. But we did it. We both found Starlight, and her new friend, Trixie. Or should I say what you would say, the Great and Powerful Trixie.”
“Trixie itself will do just fine.” Trixie said feeling nothing but humble for the moment.
Celestia smiled upon seeing her. "Well said. And you have been away for a long time. I see the weight of your travels and recent life changing experience has changed you.”
“More than you think, Princess.”
“Do tell.”
From there everyone all happily chatted among one another late to the evening. Aside from great annoyance, of the long delay, some much needed apologies for what happened, the night ended up working out well as Trixie proved to be quite a hit with the royals. She even invited them to her next performance to show them what exactly happened while they were waiting. An encore performance later this week since the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive is bound to be town worthy event worth talking about in the coming days to the point everyone is going to want to see it. With lessons learned, and great feats of stage magic performed, it sure was quite a night for everyone involved.
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I was wondering how this episode would be handled given Twilight’s actions in season 4.
Needless to say, it was handled well
11862746
will you please make the other episodes of season 6?