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// Act 1, Scene 4 
// Story: When Two Fly As One 
// by John H 
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	Similarities with their first encounter resonated through the circumstances. Trixie once again shoved Twilight into the spotlight in front of ponies anxiously waiting for any kind of reaction. She struggled to peer through Trixie’s showmanship at her ulterior motives. Last time, Trixie’s challenge served only to bolster her performance for her audience. She was the kind of pony who wouldn’t face off if she had to, and was more than willing to bluff her way out of a tough crowd. But as Twilight watched Trixie pace around her, never breaking eye contact, the way she so carefully placed the rose in her mane with her magic, Twilight realized Trixie wasn’t trying to impress the audience. She suppressed a shudder.

“Look before you, faithful witnesses of Trixie! It would seem her lucky new assistant is speechless at Trixie’s great and powerful proposition! I assure all of you that she is the only unicorn in all of Ponyville who can aid me in creating the most powerful illusions in all of Equestria!” The showmare set a rising mist around them and changing the colors of the stage lights do a deep blue. Standing on her hind legs with hooves in the air, she used her horn once more to turn off all but the one spotlight on Twilight. All of her energy she seemed to pour into this one moment, and she showed no signs of slowing down.

Twilight, who cringed at the thought of being the object of her captor’s obsessions, watched Trixie set to work. Why was the crowd ecstatic? Twilight couldn’t believe they were eating this up, especially after what happened last time. She felt their fanfare and Trixie’s attention lock her in place. Would Trixie just teleport her back onto the stage again if she tried to escape? It was just as difficult to dismiss how her discomfort seemed to fascinate the ponies watching her. She couldn’t help but wonder where this newfound confidence came from and why Trixie insisted on sharing her personal space on stage.

Right now Twilight just wanted to go home and get ready for her big day. If she could just hop off that platform and trot to her house down the street, she’d be one step closer to Rainbow Dash. All she needed to was to draw Trixie’s attention away from herself. The audience’s hoof-stomping and callouts gave her time to think of an escape plan. As soon as the applause died down, she cleared her throat and turned to the audience. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a chat with our most esteemed magician.”

Trixie took a step back. “By all means, share with all of us what you feel the Great and Powerful Trixie should hear. I’m sure you don’t mind talking to Trixie with a few bystanders around?” The magician gave her eyes to Twilight and her smile to the audience. “Trixie’s offer is quite tempting, isn’t it?”

“I don’t see what’s so tempting.” Twilight casually trotted up and down the front of the stage as she spoke. The audience was so quiet she could hear her own hoofsteps. This is a good thing, she thought to herself. A silent audience was as good as no audience. Her plan would work as long as she didn’t crack under the pressure. “What do you need me for, anyway? You’re great. You’re powerful. I see you’ve even learned a new trick or two.”

“Only after being moved by our last magical encounter, my dear.” Trixie flipped her cape around for dramatic effect and used a trick to envelop the stage in darkness. A single light emanated from her horn, putting her at the center of the drama once again. “After that regretful misunderstanding with the Ursa Minor incident, Trixie could think of nothing but running. Outmatched, out-hooved, and alone! Trixie lost faith in her talents -- her destiny.”

“Your destiny?” Twilight egged her on. “I’m not sure you’ve told anypony about that.” It was working better than she hoped. She slipped through the darkness towards the side of the stage while Trixie dramatized her story for the audience with showy gestures.

“Why, all of us have a destiny, Twilight Sparkle.” Trixie whirled her cape and turned her back to the audience. She disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke, only to reemerge at the center of the stage to the shocked but enthralled gasps of the audience. “But once in a lifetime somepony great and powerful rises from the smoke to manifest a future far more spectacular than the fate of a simple pony!” The crowd rewarded her with another round of applause.

Twilight stood a jump’s distance from the curtain. She kept her eye on Trixie, who continued to captivate the audience with her tale. She took a quick look around to make sure the no other pony was paying attention to her as well. When looked again, Trixie was gone. Blue smoke crept up from under Twilight’s hooves, followed by the appearance self-absorbed performer in front of her.

“What would hold Trixie back from the glory awaiting her down the path of magic mastery? The Great and Powerful Trixie knew only after facing a true monster that there was more to magic than the flare and beauty that came so easily to me...” Trixie was on the corner of the stage with her back to Twilight, reaching out with both hooves to the rest of the ponies.

Twilight sighed in relief. Trixie didn’t even notice her loud yelp at the sudden teleportation. Though the magician still stood in her way, she found another chance in the back of the stage. The crowd grew loud enough for her to dart to the center curtains and jump through. The caress of the curtains against her coat made her long for the comfort of her bed. Twilight smiled victoriously. She escaped Trixie’s entanglement; she’d be safe in her home and get some much-need rest for the big day ahead of her. She waited a few seconds to see if anypony saw her disappear. When she heard Trixie’s muffled voice go on uninterrupted, she rushed forward. Straight into a Pony.

“Eh, excuse me.” Twilight regained her footing. The pony she ran into was a white unicorn colt with a black mane whom she didn’t recognize. She shifted to the side, but the pony moved with her, blocking her way.

“I was told to stay back and watch out for any lavender unicorns trying to sneak out. Sorry miss, Trixie’s orders.” His speech was polite, but he lowered his head and his horn glowed in preparation for a spell.

“What does she want with me? Just let me go home already!” Twilight winced as a bright flash enveloped her once again, forcing her back into Trixie’s trap. The showmare stopped mid-sentence, cut on the lights with a spell and trotted towards her. Twilight backed away until her back hoof missed the ledge, only to be caught and pushed back up by a handful of onlookers. She thought of teleporting, but managing a spell under the stress was hard, especially around two other unicorns pouring their efforts into keeping her in place.

She could no longer hear herself think. She saw Trixie point to her and shout something, but her heartbeat drowned out everything. Overcome by the pressure, Twilight’s mind went completely blank. With her head cocked back towards the sky, she screamed one name. She had no idea where the pegasus was or what she was doing; she could’ve been racing around Cloudsdale for all she knew. But deep down, she knew Rainbow Dash was the only pony who could free her.