Ever since Twilight had assigned her the task of making a new friend, Starlight had become closely acquainted with Trixie. Their friendship grew from what they had in common: a dark and troubled past. It was their newfound friendship, however, that revealed to them the prospects of a bright future. It even helped Twilight, the Princess of Friendship, to see that even a mischievous pony deserves to be given a second chance. Friendship is magic and something from which nopony could ever stop learning.
Over the past several days, Starlight had been accompanying Trixie on her travels across the countryside as she put on her magic shows. She saw this as a great opportunity to get to know her new best friend. This apple-scented afternoon found Starlight and Trixie in Appleloosa. The townsponies watched in awe as Trixie, with Starlight as her assistant, performed amazing tricks.
Starlight trotted onto the stage with a shiny silver loop-de-hoop around her neck. She stepped half way through it and began to twirl it around her waist. Standing up on her hind legs, she let the loop-de-hoop rise until she was twirling it around her neck. Returning to all four's, she motioned her head around and the loop-de-hoop flew above her. As the crowd cheered, Starlight gave a nervous smile. Though she had performed this routine over the past few days, she didn't want to ruin it by missing the hoop. She didn't want to let Trixie down either. Gravity brought the loop-de-hoop back down. Starlight extended a foreleg, caught it, and, without a pause, twirled it around her hoof. After a few rotations, she tossed it into the air again. When it came back down, she caught it, stood it on the stage, holding it up with one foreleg, the other outstretched. She balanced on one hind leg with the other extending out behind her. Striking her pose, the audience stomped and clapped their hooves together.
"Thank you, Starlight, thank you," said Trixie as she came onto the stage wearing three loop-de-hoops around her neck. She addressed the audience, "Prepare to once again be amazed as the Great and Powerful Trixie and her Great and Powerful Assistant, Starlight the Magnificent, will link all four of these loop-de-hoops together!"
Trixie and Starlight began to toss the loop-de-hoops, one at a time, back and forth to each other. Next, they tossed two hoops at a time. When they each caught the two hoops, they spread them out to show that they had become linked together. The two magical mares approached each other at center stage. Together, they threw their linked loop-de-hoops above their heads into the air. The loop-de-hoops lined up perfectly with each other, looking like a single hoop. When gravity brought them back down, Trixie and Starlight took hold of them. They stepped back, spreading out the chain of loop-de-hoops. They took a bow as the audience applauded them. Starlight and Trixie exchanged smiles.
Trixie turned to the audience of awestruck Appleloosans. "For my final trick, I will be performing the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive!"
A curtain was raised, revealing a tall box adorned with a star on its door and a manticore, who upon seeing the audience, began to roar and swat the air with its massive paws.
"Behold, the mighty manticore!" Starlight exclaimed.
The crowd gasped and shuddered with fear at the sight of the Everfree Forest native. He'd just as soon jump down had it not been for the chain around his neck.
Trixie's voice rang out, "I will now climb into the cannon at the back of the audience and fire myself into the mouth of the manticore!"
As Starlight discreetly slipped out of sight, Trixie stepped down from the stage and trotted to the large cannon positioned behind the crowd. Everypony watched in hoof-biting wonderment as she climbed into its dark barrel. Before she disappeared from their view, she used her Unicorn magic to ignite a spark at the end of the fuse. To the spectators, the fuse could not burn slower. Boom! Trixie was launched from the maw of the cannon towards that of the manticore. Everypony watched as she soared above their heads. As she neared the manticore's mouth, some ponies shuddered, some shut their eyes and turned their heads, while others stood frozen in their places. They gasped in disbelief as Trixie disappeared into the manticore's gaping jaws which then shut tightly like a bear trap. One or two ponies fainted at the thought of something going horribly wrong. The manticore swallowed. He opened his mouth to show that it was empty. Poof! The door of the tall box opened. The ponies excitedly stomped their hooves with whoops and hollers, throwing their hats in the air as the Great and Powerful Trixie stepped out unscathed. Starlight trotted to her side and they bowed.
"Fillies and gentlecolts, the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Starlight announced.
Trixie added, "And my Great and Powerful Assistant, Starlight the Magnificent!"
Everypony roared with applause and cheers. Trixie and Starlight took one more bow and then the curtains closed. Backstage, they excitedly reflected upon the afternoon's performance.
"Wasn't that just amazing? I think it was our best show yet," said Trixie, the thrill of the show coursing through her.
"It certainly was," Starlight replied. "And I think I'm getting better with the loop-de-hoops, wouldn't you say?"
"Getting better? You couldn't be better."
Starlight blushed. "You're just saying that."
After they had finished packing, they opened the door to exit backstage and were greeted by Braeburn.
"Yee-haw!" the Apple stallion exclaimed. "That was one hog-killin' time! Thank you all so much for comin' out here."
"The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you for having us."
"You're mighty welcome. Now before y'all vamoose, let me offer you some of Appleloosa's most delicious pastries."
Braeburn presented Trixie and Starlight with a variety of cakes, pies, tarts, and fritters.
"These look so good," said Starlight.
"I guarantee they taste better!" Braeburn replied.
With help from Braeburn, Starlight and Trixie loaded up their magic wagon, then set out for the Whitetail Woods with the manticore following on a leash.
In the late afternoon, Trixie and Starlight crossed Ghastly Gorge. By early evening, they were passing through the Everfree Forest. Their travels had been calm and quiet, a perfect lazy day. It provided the two friends with an opportunity to talk.
Just then, the manticore gave a low growl. Starlight and Trixie turned to see what was agitating him when they heard a rustling in the bushes.
"What was that?" Starlight asked nervously.
The manticore's growl grew into a roar.
"I sure hope it's not an ursa major," Trixie replied.
Strange chittering noises sounded around them. Starlight and Trixie huddled close to each other, the comfort of one another giving them sanctuary. The manticore's presence also helped them to feel safe. Whatever that strange noise was, it grew louder and more frantic.
"Aahh!" the two friends cried out and took shelter under the wagon.
As the darkness of the night spread across the woods, it became difficult to tell what was happening. Somepony, or something, seemed to be prancing around the wagon. Neither Trixie nor Starlight dared to move. All they could do was listen to the chittering of the mysterious figure and the growling and roaring of the manticore.
Silence.
Trixie opened her eyes. Should she be thankful or afraid that the commotion had settled? Not even the manticore made a sound.
"Well that's over," Trixie said, a bit irked that they had to put their travel on hold for what appeared to be nothing. "I'm getting out."
"Trixie, wait! You don't know if it's safe," Starlight kept her voice low, unsure of whether or not the coast was clear.
Trixie crawled out from under the wagon, stood up, and dusted herself off. She looked around to see what the fuss was about. When she turned around, she couldn't believe her eyes.
"Star Swirl's beard!" she exclaimed in shock, her eyes widened. "The manticore--" That was all she could say before a scream of terror escaped her mouth.
"Trixie! Trixie, are you okay?" Starlight called out from under the wagon, fear for her friend's safety overcoming her fear of what was out there.
She hurried out from her hiding place and stood in horror at the sight. Stone. The manticore and Trixie. They were both turned to stone.
"No, no, no," Starlight's eyes filled with tears as she rushed to her petrified friend. "Trixie, I'll get you out of this. I promise."
There came a rustling from the bushes. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Starlight looked around. Who, or what, was there?
"Hello?" her voice was a little shaky from crying.
There stood a shadowy figure, blending almost completely with the darkness of the night. Starlight squinted her eyes to get a better look. The figure began to approach her. She saw two flaming red eyes glare at her. Before she could do anything, the ominous figure began to emit the chittering noises she and Trixie had heard before. Then the figure began to shake, almost uncontrollably, as if it were having some kind of convulsion. It turned and vanished into the night. Starlight looked out in the direction in which the figure had fled. Once she was sure that it was gone, she returned to Trixie.
"Don't worry, Trixie," Starlight assured, "I'll get you some help."
She hurried as quickly as she could up the trail to Ponyville.