//------------------------------//
// Chapter 13 - A Heart Warming Day 
// Story: Start Of A New Life 
// by Madox 
//------------------------------//

Hearth's Warming Eve. The time of the year to celebrate the foundation of Equestria. A time to spend with family and friends. A time of peace and quiet.

"You can say whatever you want, Twilight Sparkle, but I will not open this door!"

At least most of the time.

"Would you at least think about it, Trixie," an annoyed Twilight asked from the cold outside of Trixie's cottage.

"There is nothing to think about in the first place! I will not go to Canterlot with you, and you very well know why!"

"Yes, I know. But you can not run away from your past forever. Please, Trixie, it's just for one night for the Hearth's Warming pageant this evening."

"Yes, the one you and the others will be performing in, so why should I go with you?"

"To not be alone on Hearth's Warming Eve? Lyra is visiting family with Bon Bon and Fuchsia and Lavender are doing the same. Do you really wanna be alone?"

"I have been alone the past twelve years, why should this year be different?"

"Because you got real friends this time that are worried about you."

Trixie didn't say anything in return, and after a few minutes of silence and staring at the closed door in front of her Twilight sighed.

"Very well, Trixie. I won't bother you any longer." Twilight opened her saddlebag and took out an envelope which she placed in Trixie's mailbox. "Please think about it, and if you change your mind, this is your two-way train ticket to Canterlot. You could return home any time you feel like it. The train is leaving in two hours."

Twilight turned around and began walking away, but after a few steps she stopped again.

"Happy Hearth's Warming, Trixie," Twilight said before she resumed her walk.


~*~


The train stood already at the station when Twilight arrived. She looked around the station while she approached her waiting friends and her ears drooped.

"She didn't come?"

"I'm afraid not, darling," Rarity said.

"Yeah, I was the first here and didn't see her," Rainbow remarked. "I flew around the station but couldn't see her anywhere."

"There is still some time left, she could still make it in time," Fluttershy said from behind Rarity.

Twilight looked into town in the direction of Trixie's cottage, hoping that every moment her friend would arrive. "I hope so."

The group waited for several minutes more until the conductor made his last call.

"Well, Ah guess she made her choice," Applejack said. "It's time to get on the train ya'll."

Twilight looked for a last time around before she nodded. The group entered the train just before the doors closed and made their way to the compartment the princesses had reserved for them while the train started its journey. Upon entering, they noticed that there was already somepony inside.

Trixie sat on a bench, clad in her pink scarf and bob cap. Her head was resting on one of her hooves and she was staring out of the window.

"Took you long enough to get inside, I thought I would be alone in Canterlot," she said without looking at her friends.

"Trixie!" Twilight exclaimed in delight as she rushed forward and hugged the mare. "We were waiting for you. I thought you would stay behind."

"I thought the same before you came along this morning," Trixie said while she pushed herself free. "Are you sure that your talent is magic and not 'convincing others to do things they don't want to do'?"

Twilight grinned sheepishly, one hoof on the back of her head. Trixie sighed.

"Doesn't matter, I guess." Trixie narrowed her eyes and frowned. "But to make it clear, the moment I'm not comfortable I will go back to Ponyville. Understood?"

Twilight nodded and took the seat besides Trixie, her friends getting comfortable themselves.

Trixie moved closer to Twilight and whispered. "You didn't tell them about Canterlot, right?"

Knowing what Trixie was talking about Twilight whispered back. "Of course not. I only told them that you had some problems in Canterlot in the past and that I'm not allowed to tell them."

Trixie sighed in relief. "Thank you."

The rest of the ride was uneventful with the group talking about different things until Rarity spoke up.

"I can't wait to go through the boutiques in Canterlot before the pageant starts. New inspiration is sometimes hard to find. What are you all going to do till the evening?"

"Oh, I would like to keep you company, if you don't mind," Fluttershy said.

"Of course not, darling."

"I will go to the stadium, I heard the Wonderbolts are doing a training session," Rainbow Dash threw in from behind Fluttershy.

Applejack rubbed her chin for a moment before she shrugged. "Ah don't know. Ah will probably just walk around a bit, maybe Ah can find somethin' for Applebloom as a present."

"Hey, maybe I can find something for the Cakes as well. I will go with you, Jackie."

Trixie bit down on her bottom lip and grew more nervous with every second, her eyes growing smaller. Was she supposed to walk around the city? Visiting the castle and the theater for the pageant and the night was one thing, but she didn't think about walking around so much. There are way to many places she knows which will remind her of the past, she wasn't sure if she could stand it.

Twilight noticed the uneasiness of her friend soon. It wasn't hard to figure out what the problem was, with her other friends chat topic. She knew what she could do and put on a smile.

"Well, I have been around Canterlot enough before, so I will go visit my parents. What about you, Trixie? From what you told me it's the same for you, so would you like to accompany me?"

Sure, it wasn't the best plan and Trixie would still have to walk through the city for some time, but it was better than walking around for hours. While alone she could talk with Trixie about it and help her if necessary.

According to Trixie's smile she understood what Twilight was doing.

"Sounds good to me, I would like to go with you if I'm not intruding," Trixie said and mouthed a silent 'thanks' to Twilight when the others were not looking.

Not much time later the train pulled into Canterlot and the group split up to meet at the theater for the pageant later.

“So, how has your new job been, Trixie? Are the kids giving you a hard time?”

Trixie laughed. “Surprisingly not much. The first day was the worst, but with Cheerilee's help it went well. After that it was a lot easier than I expected and even really fun.”

Twilight poked her friend in the side. “See, I told you that you could do it.”

“Yeah, yeah, Twilight Sparkle once again knew everything better,” Trixie said with a smile and a roll of her eyes.

After a short walk Twilight and Trixie arrived at a house near the center of Canterlot. Twilight walked right up to the front door while Trixie fidgeted behind her.

"Are you sure it's really okay for me to be here?" Trixie asked worried. "It's your family after all."

"Don't worry, Trixie. You are my friend," Twilight said with a smile while she winked Trixie closer. "My parents would never send any pony away that comes for a friendly visit with me."

That reassured Trixie again while Twilight knocked on the door and waited. But the pony who opened the door was someone Twilight did not expect.

"Twily!"

"Shining Armor!" Twilight's surprise was quickly replaced by joy when she hugged the white stallion which Trixie realized must be her brother she has told her about. Trixie couldn't shake of the feeling that she has seen him before. "I didn't know you would be here for the holiday. Is Cadence with you?"

"Did you really just ask me if I left my wife behind? Of course, she is here. Well, not right now, she is out with mom and dad, but you know what I mean."

Trixie watched the two talking for a minute or two before she coughed to get their attention. Twilight looked over in embarrassment. "Oh, I'm sorry, Trixie, I forgot you for a moment."

She turned again to look at her brother who was looking at Trixie with his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed.

'It seems I'm not the only one who has this feeling of familiarity,' Trixie thought.

"Shining Armor, this is a new friend of mine, Trixie Lulamoon. Trixie, this is my brother, Shining Armor."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Trixie said with her best smile.

Shining on the other hand simply stared at her at first, his eyes wide open and mouth agape.

"Shining? Is everything okay?" Twilight asked in worry.

Shining Armor shook his head. "Yes, of course. You just took me by surprise. Please, come in." He stepped aside for the two mares to walk in and closed the door.

While they walked inside Twilight moved closer to Trixie. "Have you met my brother before?" she whispered.

"I'm not sure. I got this feeling that I have seen him somewhere before, but I can't say where or when," Trixie replied.

The group entered a big living room with a small table in the middle, two couches surrounding it. The walls were decorated with several family pictures and Trixie saw several bookshelves around the room.

They all took places on the couches, Twilight and Trixie together on one, Shining Armor on the other, and for a few minutes no one said anything.

"So, Trixie, how have you been all that time?" Shining Armor finally asked.

Trixie looked at him, her brow furrowed and her head tilted to the side in confusion. "Um, fine, I think?"

"Shining, what are you talking about?" Twilight asked. "How do you know Trixie?"

Shining Armor moved his gaze to the floor with a sigh. "I'm sorry for confusing both of you, I just never really expected to see Trixie again."

He looked up into Trixie's eyes. "Yes, I met Trixie long ago, but I should have known that she would not remember me. It's been over ten years, and she was just a filly. I on the other hoof was a young guard on his first real mission who held her back against her will to keep her from harm."

Trixie's eyes grew when she realized what Twilight's brother was talking about. "Y-you were that unicorn that..."

He nodded. "Yes, I was the one who was with you when your mother died."

No one said anything after that declaration. Shining Armor continued staring at Trixie who was looking at the floor, eyes moving from side to side. Twilight had covered her mouth with one hoof and looked from her brother to Trixie and back again repeatedly.

Finally she looked at her brother. "You told me your first mission went well back then. Why did you lie?"

"I joined the guard to protect other ponies, and on my first mission a filly lost her mother," he said with a sigh. "How could I tell my baby sister that I failed?"

Shining stood up, walked to the window and looked outside. "That evening... it broke me. I couldn't get over the fact that I could do nothing. My instructor in the guard knew what was going on and gave me time off from duty to progress it."

"That's the first time I hear anything about you being broken," Twilight mumbled.

"No wonder, no pony besides Cadence knew about it, not even mum and dad."

He looked away from the window and at Trixie. "I wanted to check on you back then, how you were doing after everything, but I was a coward. I was afraid to face the desperate filly I held back to reach her mother. I thought you would blame me for being alone. It took Cadence weeks to talk enough courage into me to finally look for you, but at that time you had already disappeared from the orphanage."

The room fell silent for several minutes before the quiet was broken.

"You were right," Trixie said without looking up. "I probably would have blamed you for saving me but not my mother..."

Shining Armor looked away in shame. "Trixie, I..."

"But not any longer," she said when she finally looked up. "Thanks to you I'm alive. It's true that these past twelve years have not been easy," -she looked at Twilight with a smile-, "but thanks to Twilight who helped me I found friends, and even a place I can call home."

She looked back at Shining. "So no, I don't blame you for anything. You did everything right at that night."

Shining Armor looked at Trixie in relieve, his eyes glittering with unshed liquid pride. "Thank you, Trixie. That means a lot to me. But I still feel bad for not coming for you sooner. Everything might have turned a different way if I haven't been such a coward."

He leaned down in a small bow before Trixie. "So please, on my honor as a royal guard, whenever you need help, feel free to come to me and ask."

Trixie was taken aback by his offer, but took hold of herself quickly and put a smile on her face. "I don't think that will be necessary, but I will keep it in mind."

"I'm glad that everything is good between you two," Twilight said. "I might have an idea how to start, BBBFF. Trixie really wants to visit the Crystal Empire one day."

"Is that so? Well, I will make sure to invite you all. And I will provide you with one of the best rooms the castle has to offer."

"Oh, that would be..." Trixie stopped in mid sentence and blinked. "Wait, t-the castle?"

Before anypony else could say anything they heard the front door open. "Shining, we are back." Not soon after walked a pair of unicorns in the living room. "Twilight! Oh, it's good to see my little baby," the mare which looked like an older Twilight with different colors said.

Twilight stood up and embraced both unicorns. "Mum, dad. It's been too long."

"Do I hear my favorite sister-in-law over there?"

"Cadence!" Twilight exclaimed when a candy colored alicorn with a three toned mane walked inside the room. She rushed up to her and hugged her. "It's good to see you, too."

Twilight released the alicorn. "I got a new friend I would like to introduce to all of you." She turned around to point at Trixie. "This is... Trixie? Are you alright?"

Twilight looked at her friend in concern who was still sitting on the couch, her mouth agape and eyes wide open, staring at the alicorn in the room.


~*~


"I still can't believe that you never told me that your sister-in-law is a princess and the ruler of the Crystal Empire."

"Trixie, I already told you that it never really came up and I didn't think much about it," Twilight groaned.

It had taken Twilight some time to reconnect Trixie with reality after she met Cadence before she was able to properly introduce her to the rest of her family. At first Trixie was tense around Cadence, but over time she came out of her shell and chatted animated with the princess. But as soon as both mares left the Sparkle household for the theater Trixie made it clear that she was slightly peeved.

"That might be, but still," Trixie said. "First the thing with you being a national hero and now that you are kind of related to royalty. Anything else I should be aware of? You are not an alicorn in disguise, right?"

Twilight couldn't resist laughing at that statement. "Me, an alicorn? Now that would be ridicules."

"True," Trixie chuckled. "Hail the mighty Princess of Books!" Both mares erupted in laughter, but it didn't take them long to calm down again. "But seriously, Princess Cadence is a really nice pony, but a bit creepy."

"Creepy? Why?"

"Well, I saw her sometimes staring at me with a creepy smile on her face. What is up with that?"

Twilight thought for a moment. "Never noticed anything like you described, sorry."

"Hm, maybe it was just my imagination or she was just lost in thought."

"Maybe."

The two mares walked along the streets in silence for some time, until they walked around the theater for the backstage entrance. "So, did you think about helping during the pageant?" Twilight asked. "You could be among the other unicorns in the background."

"I think I will stay backstage. My past has not been forgotten yet, I don't want to draw attention before everything has settled down a bit more."

Before Twilight was able to say anything else the door they were walking up to flew open and Rainbow Dash ran outside. Upon seeing her friends she quickly zipped over. "Twilight, come quick! We got a problem!"

The two mares looked at each other for a second before they followed Rainbow inside. It didn't take them long to reach the backstage area behind the stage, but Twilight and Trixie couldn't believe their eyes.

The area was a mess. All the backdrops visibly were lying around and broken down. The drops hanging from the ceiling had fallen and broken as well, and many surfaces were covered in paint. Ponies were walking around and surveying the damage.

"What happened here?" Twilight stammered in shock.

"I'm sorry!"

Twilight looked over to the source of the voice and saw a certain wall-eyed gray pegasus crying in the corner, Fluttershy standing at her side comforting her.

"Ditzy happened," Rainbow said. "And it happened so fast! She came in, tripped over one of the chairs and tumbled against that backdrop over there which collided with the one besides it. That one hit the sun hanging from the ceiling which flew around and suddenly everything was destroyed!"

"I just don't know what went wrong!"

"Shh, it's okay, Ditzy. It was an accident," Fluttershy said while running a hoof around Ditzy's back.

"What are we gonna do, Twilight?" Spike asked as he came forward from the mass of helpers and actors coming together. "The only back drops that are in one piece are the ones on stage for the first act, and the pageant is supposed to start in one hour."

"That is at least something to work with," Twilight said while she thought for possibilities to safe the pageant. "Any ideas or suggestions? Feel free to say anything that comes to mind, no matter how strange it sounds. It might help to come up with a solution."

After a minute of silence an earth pony stallion spoke up. "Building new props?"

"Not enough time and no tools, the same goes for repairing the broken ones."

"Baking new ones!"

Silence ruled the room while many of the actors stared at Pinkie Pie in disbelief.

"Pinkie, I don't doubt that you could bake us a full set of props, but we got neither the time nor the ingredients to do so," Twilight said calmly.

Pinkie responded by pulling a bag of flour and a full tray of eggs out of her mane and tail with a smug grin, much to the surprise of the surrounding ponies.

"...okay, you got the ingredients, but we still have no time." Pinkie shrugged and put the bag and the tray back where they came from.

Twilight listened to some more ideas from the group before she sighed. "This is not helping. There must be a way to fix everything."

She looked around the destroyed props scattering the floor and walls before her eyes fell on Trixie who had wandered of not long ago and was examining the damage.

"Or maybe we don't really have to fix anything," she said quietly. "I think I got an idea that might work, but it depends fully on Trixie. I need to talk to her."

Twilight wandered of to Trixie while the rest of her friends gathered where they were standing, watching her approach and talk to the mare.

"What do ya think they are talkin' about?" Applejack asked the group.

"I don't know, darling. I wonder what her plan is and why Trixie is the one necessary to realize it."

"Maybe Twilight needs some advice from her experience as a show mare?" Fluttershy said.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure Twilight's plan will work. "Her plans always work," Rainbow said but after a second she added: "Well, most of the time."

"You want me to do what?!"

The groups eyes met after Trixie's outburst and they all walked over to join their friends. They found Trixie who was yelling at Twilight with big eyes and disbelieve on her face.

"Are you insane? Do you have the slightest idea what you are asking me to do? There will be at least two hundred ponies in the audience, not counting the nobles and the princesses!"

"I would do it myself if I could, but I can't, and not because I will be on stage. You are the only one capable to do so right now, and I'm sure everypony available will help you if it safes the pageant. So, do you think you can do it, with help?"

The rest of their friends were surprised. They didn't know what Twilight's plan was, but if Twilight was unable to do so, how could Trixie succeed?

Trixie bit her bottom lip with her eyes wandering around, going through the information she has available. "I don't know. With help, maybe? But I'm not sure. What if I fail? My reputation is already very low."

"So this is a way for you to show everypony what you can do," Twilight said with her hoof on Trixie's shoulder. "And they don't need to know about you if you don't want to. You can do your magic hidden from view and decide in the end if you want to show yourself or not."

Trixie wasn't sure about what to do. On the one side it could be the biggest success in her life if it works out. But on the other side it could be the worst one. Sure, like Twilight said she didn't need to show herself if she fails, but she and her friends would know it.

"Alright, I got no idea what Twilight's plan is, but if she thinks you can do it I think so, too," Rainbow Dash said.

"Yes, darling, Rainbow is right. And whatever happens, we would never judge you," Rarity added.

"I believe in you, too," Fluttershy said quietly.

"An' as long as ya do ya best there's no need to be ashamed of yourself.

"No matter the outcome, I will throw you a party. Either to comfort you or to celebrate."

Trixie did her best to hold back her tears. With such friends by her side, how could she refuse? They all believe in her, and she will show them that she can do it.

"Alright, I will try it. It won't be easy and I need every help available, but I will do my best!"

There was a big applause in the whole room, and as Trixie looked around she noticed every single helper and actor watching and listening to the group. They don't know what is going to happen, but just the knowledge that there was a plan to safe the pageant was enough for them.

"Alright, everypony," Twilight shouted. "Let's get come together, there is not much time left. Here is what we are going to do..."


~*~


The first ponies started to fill out the auditorium of the theater not long after they began their preparations in the back, and they barely finished before the planned start of the pageant. Trixie stood on a quickly build platform behind the wall of the stage, a peephole in front of her through which she can keep an eye on the audience as long as the curtain is open without being seen.

She was breathing slowly to calm her nerves. 'Keep calm, Trixie, you can do it. They are all counting on you,' she thought to herself.

“Are you ready, Trixie?” Twilight said from the side. She was already wearing her costume for the pageant just like the others she could see on stage through the peephole. She simply nodded in reply which Twilight answered with a smile. “Good, then I will go and inform the audience. You will see, everything will be fine.”

Trixie watched her walk away before she turned back to the hole.

“I sure hope so...” she whispered to herself.


~*~


The auditorium was filled to the brim with ponies. Not a single place was vacant and all of them were waiting for the beginning, chatting with each other to pass the time. Celestia and Luna were among the first to take their seats in their private balcony along with Cadence, Shining Armor, Night Light and Twilight Velvet.

The whole room went quiet when the light diminished slowly and Twilight Sparkle walked out from behind the curtain. She stopped in the middle of the stage and looked around.

“Good evening, mares and stallions, and welcome to the yearly Hearth's Warming Eve pageant. My name is Twilight Sparkle and I will play the part of Clover the Clever. But before we start I need to inform you of a few things.”

The audience started whispering to each other about Twilight's speech, and even Luna leaned over to Celestia. “Doth thou know about this, sister?”

“I'm afraid not, Luna, but as long as Twilight has everything under control there is no need to worry.”

Twilight coughed lightly to regain the attention of the audience. “Not long ago there has been a small accident backstage. Luckily nopony got hurt in any way, but some of our equipment has been ruined. We had to came up with a short-time solution to not cancel the play, and thanks to this there need to be a small change. Instead of one larger break after the first half of the play we need to take a small break after each act. Kindly excuse any inconvenience that comes out of this change, and we hope that you will still enjoy the pageant. Oh, and one last thing I would like to add. Please stay calm during the play. Whatever happens, there is no need to worry as long as we actors stay in our roles. Thank you for your understanding.”

Twilight bowed down before she got up again and walked back behind the curtain. As soon has she was gone the audience started whispering to each other again, but only for a few minutes until the curtains opened and Spike walked out, clad in his narrator costume from the last year.

“Once upon a time, long before the peaceful rule of Celestia and Luna, and before ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know harmony. It was a strange and dark time. A time when ponies were torn apart... by hatred!”

“During this frightful age, each of the three tribes – the pegasi, the unicorns, and the Earth ponies – cared not for what befell the other tribes, but only for their own welfare.” He motioned to different parts of the stage were actors of each tribe appeared in a cone of light.

“In those troubled times, as now, the pegasi were the stewards of the weather. But they demanded something in return. Food that could only be grown by the Earth ponies. The unicorns demanded the same, in return for magically bringing forth day and night.” On stage the earth ponies offered the food to the pegasi and the unicorns for the weather and the circle of the day and night.

“And so, mistrust between the tribes festered, until one fateful day, it came to a boil. And what prompted the ponies to clash? 'Twas a mysterious blizzard that overtook the land, and toppled the tribes' precarious peace.” At that moment a dark cloud appeared and covered the top of the stage and the first few rows of seats of the audience before snow began falling from the cloud, covering the ground around the stage. The audience gasped in surprise. Some near the stage even tried to touch the translucent snow, only for their hoofs to go right through it. Just on the edges of the cloud there was something moving along with the storm.

“Sister, is that what We think it is?” Luna whispered.

“Yes, Luna, it is,” Celestia whispered back. “Twilight surprises me time and time again. Using illusions to replace broken props. I wonder how she managed that, illusion magic was never her strong side. But let's think about that mystery later and enjoy the play.” Luna nodded in agreement and they both turned their attention back to the performance.

The play continued to the amazement of the audience. Over time the snow grew more and more with the rising hatred between the tribes without obscuring the sight to the stage and the windigoes over their heads grew as well without really showing themselves. Additional to the snow most of the props had been replaced with illusions as well, creating an astonishing recall of the foundation tale.

The highlight was of course the moment when the leaders of the tribes looked like they were truly engulfed in ice and the windigoes truly showed themselves, flying around the stage in their full glory, only to be topped by the big heart of fire created by friendship that drove away the windigoes.

“The three leaders agreed to share the beautiful land,” Spike continued, “and live in harmony ever afterwards. And together, they named their new land...”

“Equestria!” Twilight and her friends on stage yelled.

The audience erupted in cheers, and Twilight smiled. 'I'm glad that everything worked out, Trixie really outdid herself,' she thought.

She turned her head to Applejack. “Would you check on Trixie while I talk to the audience?” she whispered.

“No problem, sugar cube. Ah will be back soon,” she said before she walked back behind the stage to look for the magician who saved the pageant.

Twilight took a breath and walked forward. “Thank you everypony for your applause. We are all glad that you enjoyed our play, even with the unexpected improvisation, and I'm happy that everything worked as we hoped.” She waited a moment for the applause to subside before she talked again. “I would like to thank everypony who worked hard to make this possible.”

Twilight called out the other ponies, no matter how small their part was in the progress. Applejack came back shortly after and approached Twilight. “Trixie is okay, just exhausted,” she whispered. “And she wants to come out on stage as well.”

“Really?” Twilight said a bit to loud before she whispered again. “I truly thought she wouldn't come out, but I'm glad she wants to.”

“Me too. She is waitin' behind the curtain. Ditzy will help her out to make up for everything.”

Twilight nodded and continued calling out the other ponies to come on stage. When the last one stepped away she cleared her throat.

“And now I would like to announce the pony who saved this pageant. Without her help we would have needed to cancel everything, and she outdid herself in my opinion. A big applause for Trixie Lulamoon!”

The curtain opened slightly to make room for Trixie and Ditzy, the former leaning against the pegasus for support. She was out of breath and her head was hanging low with her eyes half closed. She looked like she would fall asleep any second. Twilight would have walked over in concern for her friend was in not for the small smile on Trixie's face.

Twilight watched as the two mares reached the middle of the stage, looking over the whole room. At that moment Twilight realized that something was amiss.

It was utterly quiet.

Twilight looked back at the audience to see them either staring at Trixie or whispering to each other. With her attention focused on them she could make out what some of the ponies in the first rows were whispering to each other.

“Isn't that this loudmouth who claimed to slay an Ursa Major?”

“Did you hear what she did in Ponyville?”

“What is shedoing here?”

With every word Twilight heard her heart fell. She looked back to Trixie, knowing that if she could hear them that Trixie could as well, and just as expected that was the case.

Slowly Trixie's smile faded away and her head sank down, a tear streaking down her cheek. She whispered something to Ditzy who nodded. They both attempted to turn around when there was the sound of clapping from the audience.

The clapping came from two nobles from one of the side booths. “Marvelous performance, I have never seen anything like it. Do you agree, my dear?” Fancy Pants said loud enough for the whole hall to hear.

“Indeed. It's been a refreshing change from the usual plays from the past years,” Fleur De Lis said just as loud as Fancy Pants.

Slowly more clapping grew from the audience and even some cheers. Trixie took it all in. This was what she has hoped for when she stepped out from the curtain. It's been so long since she had heard a crowd applauding and cheering for her that she has forgotten what it felt like.

Oh, how she has missed it all this time.

“You have earned it, Trixie,” Twilight said after walking to Trixie's side, Ditzy slowly backing away when Twilight took her place on supporting Trixie. “That was truly impressive.”

“Indeed it was.”

Trixie looked on in awe as both princesses landed besides her and Twilight on stage. All the other actors and team members on stage bowed down, but before Twilight and Trixie could even try Luna spoke up.

“Please, 'tis not necessary. We can see that thou can barely stand and We don't want any harm come to thou, Miss Lulamoon.”

“We want to congratulate on your formidable performance,” Celestia said. “It's been a long time since I had seen such a talent for illusion magic. Is it right to assume that all of what we saw this evening was of your own doing?”

The crowd was muttering behind the princess. If the princesses themselves were impressed, maybe there was more about this mare than they thought.

“No, that's not right, your Highness,” Trixie answered. Twilight looked at her in confusion. “It's true that I created the illusions, but I wouldn't have been able to do even half of it without the other unicorns. They shared their magic with me during the breaks so that I could go on. Without them I wouldn't have lasted after the second act.”

Celestia looked over the other unicorns members and realized for the first time how exhausted some of them looked. “I see. Still, it's an impressing display of talent, even with help from others. Please, allow me to help out as well.” Celestia enlightened her horn and a soft glow shone down on Trixie. It took a second before Trixie felt all of her exhaustion leave her body and she felt refreshed. “We don't want you to fall asleep during the celebrations later just because you exhausted yourself. And of course, my sister and I are willing to help the others as well, if you wish.”

“Thank you, your Highnesses,” Trixie said while she looked around to the other ponies who stepped forward to the princesses. After a few minutes the princesses finished helping and Twilight and Trixie approached them again.

“Now, I think there is one thing we are still missing from the pageant which I believe some of you are waiting for, so my sister and I will retreat back to our seats.”

Before they could take to the sky Trixie called out. “Your Highness, would you and your sister like to join us on stage?”

There was a hush whisper in the audience and on stage behind Trixie, and even Twilight looked at her in shock for a moment, before she smiled and looked back at the princess who was as much surprised as she was. After she regained her composure she looked at Luna. “What do you think, sister?”

“We see no reason to decline such an invitation.”

“Very well, we will stay.” Celestia and Luna both walked to the back of the crowd on stage to not block the sight on anypony.

“Thank you all for your patience, and we all wish you a Happy Hearth's Warming Eve,” Twilight said to the audience who erupted in applause before the music started playing.

“The fire of 	friendship lives in our hearts.
As long as it burns, we cannot drift apart.
Though quarrels arise, their numbers are few.
Laughter and singing will see us through (will see us through).
We are a circle of pony friends.
A circle of friends we'll be to the very end.”

The crowed cheered again with Trixie looking over them, glad that Twilight managed to convince her to help. At that moment the lavender unicorn beside her pulled her in a sideway hug.

“Happy Hearth's Warming, Trixie.”

“Happy Hearth's Warming, Twilight.”