//------------------------------// // Chapter 18 - Trixie’s Comeback // Story: Little Lost Raichu // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Little Lost Raichu - Chapter 18 - Trixie’s Comeback Nica shouted as she jumped from Pharynx’s back a hundred meters above the ground, like commandos leaping from an airplane without a parachute. As expected, her legs hit the soil softly as she now stood in front of the large entrance into the Friendship Castle. Twilight and Starlight were already awaiting her arrival at the entrance. “Nica, you’re back!” Starlight shouted and galloped in excitement. The pokemon ran into Starlight’s embrace, jumping weakly enough not to tackle the unicorn into the door, though Starlight’s hooves left short trails in the dirt. Their faces blushed as they embraced each other in a vice grip. Nica’s paws and cheek pressed into the unicorn’s neck, and she felt hooves sinking into the fur on her back. Her long tail waved from excitement. “I missed you sooo much!” Starlight shouted, tightening her hug. Nica responded. Was it selfish of her that she had a fun time helping and interacting with the changelings while missing the delicacies that ponies feed her with? Starlight released Nica and looked at another Raichu who was holding a saddlebag between his paws. Blinking in confusion, she asked, “Are there two of you now? What’s going on?” Twilight spread her wings and flew closer. “As appealing as meeting another member of Raichu’s species is, I don’t think that’s the case.” In a burst of green flames, Pharynx returned to normal and reasserted the saddlebag on his arm. “Sorry to disappoint.” He approached with firm steps, his head raised authoritatively. “My name’s Pharynx, chief of the patrol in the Changeling Swarm and Thorax’s brother. You must be Princess Twilight Sparkle.” He glanced at the unicorn. “...and of course your famous student, Starlight. It takes serious guts to infiltrate the hive.” “Correct, I take it that Nica told you about us,” Twilight said, landing in front of the changeling while raising her foreleg in a welcoming gesture. She lowered it a few seconds later as the changeling refused to shake it. “She gave quite a few words of praise, but didn’t provide any information that our intelligence didn’t gather in the past,” Pharynx responded and saluted. “I must thank you personally for sending Nica to assist us. It’s nice to know that our new allies are dependable.” He turned to Starlight and added, “As for you, while I don’t approve of ruining the plans of our previous ruler and overthrowing her, I’m grateful that you assisted my brother. The hive no longer suffers from hunger thanks to his leadership.” “Y-you’re… welcome.” Starlight lowered her head to Nica’s ear and whispered, “He’s a walking example of formality, what’s up with that?” Pharynx frowned and looked down at Nica. “So… was I understanding and kind enough just now?” She nodded and smiled widely. Starlight’s eyes widened and she immediately lowered her head, examining the Raichu’s features. She pointed at several small bruises. “You’re hurt!” She stomped in aggravation. “Who did this to you?” Twilight glanced at Nica’s injuries before noticing some burns on the changeling. “What happened to you? Were you attacked? Do you need aid?” Pharynx poked his armored chest with metallic thuds. “We just had a friendly duel to sharpen our skills. Your little helper is a natural at combat. She even defeated me after I transformed into this superior form.” He glanced at Nica with a grin. “But unlike our first battle, this time I gave her a solid challenge.” Nica’s ears drooped as she looked away from the ponies’ judging stares. “Yet another battle, you say?” Starlight asked with a raised eyebrow. Pharynx lowered his hoof. “Oh, right, I forgot you ponies disapprove of violence.” He walked towards Nica and patted her on top of her head. “Don’t worry. Your little warrior knows how to be gentle as much as she know how to kick flanks and hides. She fought only for the good of the swarm and to sharpen our skills.” He patted her back, pushing her forward from the impact. “She helped me get along with my brother and worked diligently when teaching self-defense.” “That’s good… I guess,” Twilight said hesitantly. In a rush of returning enthusiasm, she spread her wings and smiled. “Nica, I have great news. While you were on a mission, I took the liberty of visiting the royal archives to create a translation spell.” Nica’s ears perked upward and her eyes were now on a pointed box at the entrance. Twilight’s horn lit up with a lavender aura and opened the box, levitating some sort of grey metallic attachment over. She exposed her paws, allowing for said metal to land on the bronze patches. “Attach it to your nametag and wait for the magic to happen,” Twilight explained with glee. “Go on, you’ll love it,” Starlight encouraged. Nica nodded before doing as she was told. The pupils in her eyes shrank as her collar shone brightly. The metallic attachment merged with the collar and vanished among the light. After taking a few calming breaths and blinking in confusion, she poked the collar and asked, “What was that all about?” Pharynx took a step back, his face filled with curiosity. “It worked, it worked!” Twilight shouted before hovering in mid air in excitement, clapping her forehooves. “We can understand you now, at least as long as you wear your collar. No more need for writing messages.” She landed and shook her forehoof. “I mean… writing is almost as important as reading… so don’t give up on it.” She held her forehooves together. “Please?” Nica looked at Starlight and asked, “Is this true, can you understand me?” “Of course I can. Think of it as a reward for a job well done.” In a rush of excitement, Nica bent her legs for a few seconds and jumped up like a rocket, taking several seconds before landing in the same spot as her paws sank into the soil with a loud thud and weak quake. She pulled her legs from the dirt and performed a few tiny jumps while waving with her paws. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Pharynx rolled his eyes. “Pity you didn’t equip her with this device a week ago. It would have saved me the need to transform into a Raichu just to talk… On the other hoof, I would never gain a powerful and agile form capable of attacking with electricity. Forget I said anything.” “You’ve changed quite a bit since we first met you, we’re so proud,” Twilight said, embracing the pokemon with her wing. ‘Proud’, this very word caused caused tears of joy to form in Nica’s eyes and her mouth to shake. The pleasant warmth she felt reaching a critical mass. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to return to my hive. There’s still a lot of work to be done.” Pharynx opened his saddlebag and picked up several scrolls, throwing them towards the alicorn. “Lady Nica is tired of being a burden and wishes to take action to earn her keep. Outside of her weekly report, she listed all planned activities on the checklist.” Nica nodded energetically. “I did! Oh, I’m so excited.” “I bid you farewell and wish you luck, you’ll need it,” Pharynx said with a grin before waving at Nica, who returned the gesture. His wings buzzed as he flew away. “Wait! Don’t you need to rest and recover? You flew all the way from the badlands while covered in bruises!” Starlight shouted. “I’ll rest in the hive. Don’t underestimate the stamina of my improved body,” Pharynx shouted before shapeshifting into a black pegasus for a slight boost in speed, quickly vanishing on the horizon. Starlight looked away from the changeling and gave Twilight a curious glance. “So, what did she write?” Twilight levitated the checklist over to Starlight and looked at Nica in shock. “You can’t be serious.” “Oh, but I am serious,” Nica responded, bouncing on her feet in a cheerful dance. If she was serious, her carefree and cheerful actions said otherwise. Starlight took a closer look and read aloud, “Step one - train with the Princess Twilight Sparkle to improve her combat abilities and reflexes. Step two - become a mercenary and find various jobs, (Pharynx suggests to pick the most dangerous tasks to fully utilize my talents). Step three - protect national heroines from potential threats like Queen Chrysalis.” She lowered the checklist and gasped. “W-what happened to you… this last week? You weren’t like this before.” Nica calmed down and raised one paw in a lecturing gesture, her face suddenly serious. “This last week I learned a lot about my past from my dreams, and now I know that my duty was to assist my trainer in protecting others. I also practiced my combat skills and re-learned how to use ‘Thunderbolt’ and “Volt Tackle’.” She placed her forepaws on her hips and looked at the alicorn with a judging stare. “I believe that those who possess power have responsibility to use it the best they can, and I’m going to help with that.” “What are you talking about? I’m always diligent when studying magic,” Twilight said, taking a step back. Starlight sat next to her mentor and nodded. “Exactly.” Nica looked between them and pointed at Starlight, “You’re a unicorn, correct?” She nodded in confusion. “And you were a unicorn once, but you evolved into an alicorn, correct?” “I did… wait… evolved?” Twilight asked and rubbed her chin. “I’m not sure if it’s a correct term considering–” “Alicorn magic is more powerful than unicorn magic, right?” Nica asked, her tone surprisingly serious. “It is,” Twilight said with a nod. “With the magic of four alicorns, I went toe to toe with Tirek, who had the power of half of Equestria in his grasp. Also, alicorns have earth pony magic and pegasus magic as well, not that I use those all that much.” Nica approached Starlight and looked her deeply in the eyes. “If alicorns are more powerful, shouldn’t Twilight surpass you in raw power?” She stood on the tips of her rear paws and grabbed the unicorn’s cheeks. “Please, be honest with me. When you took over a village or when you tried to have your revenge, you faced Twilight’s magic. Who won?” Twilight blushed and covered her face with both wings. Starlight raised her head, freeing herself from the Raichu’s hold and started whistling. After several seconds as Nica’s eyes were still looking into her very soul, she sighed and said, “First, I stole her and her friend’s cutie marks, making them defenseless. During my revenge, I defeated Twilight a few times in a row while levitating myself at the same time.” She gave her mentor an embarrassed smile. “Sorry about that.” “It’s fine…” Twilight said, her voice showing a lack of self-confidence. “And why did you win against someone more evolved?” Nica asked, her paws once again on her hips. “Because…” She rubbed her forearm nervously. “I trained in combat magic a lot… My power gets stronger with my emotions… and unlike Twilight, I never hold back.” “Exactly,” Nica said firmly. She turned and pointed at the alicorn. “Princess Twilight, you’re a national heroine with many great friends who’re counting on you. As an alicorn, you’ve a lot of raw power. Your skills may decide the well-being of those you care about.” “Oh…” Twilight took a step back, her mouth agape. “I… can’t argue with that logic.” Nica nodded. “I believe that those with greater power or who are more evolved need to work hard to make best use of their powers and talents.” She poked her own chest. “That’s why I volunteer to train with you. Your defenses, your reflexes. I won’t rest until you master practical use of your powerful magic.” Twilight chuckled nervously as drops of sweat appeared on her face. “Y-yes… that’s great…” “What about me?” Starlight asked. Nica shook her head. “Sorry, but I think in your case, you need to learn how to hold back rather than get even stronger.” Starlight’s ears drooped. B-but… I want to test your newly gained abilities… and a friendly duel would be fun… She sighed in disappointment. A battle between Nica and Twilight at the outskirt of the town ended up filled with defensive barriers, thunderous noises, bolts of electricity, beams of magic, and several tons of pressure squeezing the pokemon. Though Starlight couldn’t help but wonder how much time Twilight and Nica spend apologizing to each other. It didn’t take an expert to figure out that Twilight’s magic greatly surpassed Nica’s electricity in terms of power, and even ‘Volt Tackle’ wasn’t strong enough to break through the magical barrier. In terms of skills and agility, however, the pokemon showed a full dominance. After escorting an exhausted Twilight to her bedroom, Starlight did the same with her little friend, perching the large critter on the bed. It didn’t take long before a familiar spider climbed onto Nica’s belly. “Where are my other friends?” Nica asked, looking around her room in confusion. “Oh, about that. The rat got in an argument with the cockroach who returned back into the basement. The rat left for Fluttershy’s a day later since you weren’t around, but I’m sure he’ll come back to see you again.” Nica nodded, carefully perching her head on the pillow. Starlight nuzzled the critter and stroke her cheek. “Goodnight and sweet dreams, you deserve a rest.” “Goodnight, Starlight, and thank you for caring for me. I appreciate it more than you think.” Starlight gave Nica a warm smile before leaving the room, now trotting through the dark hallway and deep in thought. You’ve changed a lot over those two weeks. At first you were so scared of me and of your own abilities, always doing what we told you to do without question. And now you’re bold enough to challenge Twilight to a battle so she can better protect her friends. She looked at the ceiling, thinking, What memories have you possibly recovered that changed you this much? I can’t wait to check your report. Starlight grinned. If we’re really going to set you up as a mercenary, we’ll need to leave the castle for a day or two, and I know just the pony who can keep you entertained. I’m sure you both will get along with each other just fine. After an unfortunate meeting with an elite hitman in Kanto, the Johto region became their next destination. Three months wasn’t much time to earn badges for the upcoming league, especially with Gym Leaders bringing in their A game against an experienced trainer like Astra. Nica didn’t mind. For the first time in years, her battle against pokemon commanded by Gym Leaders didn’t seem extremely unfair. This time, her body was capable of taking a hit or two. It didn’t mean she could take it easy, though. Being a Pikachu meant she had to train even harder to properly utilize her improved powers and be worthy of them. However, reaching the league wasn’t their only goal. During their investigation, they found out about Team Rocket’s activity who were still recovering from their many losses against the Guardians’, trying to replace their lost outposts in the Johto region. Raiding two such outposts to slow down Team Rocket’s growing influence left Nica and her trainer with a feeling of satisfaction, at least until they delivered some low ranking members to the police. The attitude the local police force had in dealing with Team Rocket seemed odd at best. Were they underestimating Team Rocket, not seeing them as a threat? Or was there a pressure from the higher-ups not to take action against this criminal organization? It was difficult to tell. Something didn’t seem right. There were however three big positives that took place during their journey. First one being the evolution of both Chansey and Ivysaur. Earning a Plain Badge from Gym Leader Whitney seemed to Nica like a battle between two brick walls, and Chansey pulled her weight despite her feeble defenses. Also, Chansey had a very pleasant singing voice, like a lullaby that Nica’s mother sang to her whenever she was hurt or depressed. As difficult it was to stay awake, Nica couldn’t help herself but listen to Chansey’s voice in pleasure while being reminded of her caring family. Defeating Gym Leader Pryce to earn the Glacier Badge gave Ivysaur a hard time, forcing him to push his very limits while holding up against the devastating cold. In short, the evolution was well earned. The second one was the addition of a sixth team member, Gligar, a bat-like creature with claws and a poisonous stinger at the end of his tail. Nica’s relationship with Gligar was… a mix of respect, awkwardness and fear… for a lack of better words. While her electric typing always put her at advantage against a flying pokemon and at a disadvantage against the ground type, the idea of a flying/ground pokemon with immunity to electricity gave her a headache. Not to mention that seeing or feeling a move ‘Earthquake’ used in action send chills through her every bone. The weirdest part however was… Gligar said with a salute, standing proudly with the rest of the squad standing in line behind him. He turned around and lowered himself, placing his wing on the ground. In short, the sixth member of the team was a walking description of formality with no idea what ‘chill out’ meant. The last and best part however was learning how to use ‘Iron Tail’ from a gigantic pokemon called Steelix, which her trainer befriended without capturing. Being a tiny creature while having a teacher as tall as a building made of hard metal and weighing a few tons felt somewhat awkward. Still, it was nowhere as weird as practicing balance under a small waterfall. “Rise and shine in the bright presence of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Nica’s ears twitched and she rubbed her eyes. Someone was waking her up, it was a given, but it didn’t sounds like Starlight, Twilight, Spike or Pharynx. Using her right paw for support, she sat and blinked sleepiness from her eyes. She poked the collar on her neck to make sure it was there before asking, “Who… are you?” She pointed at the unicorn wearing a cape and a pointy hat. “I’ve never seen you before. Are you an intruder or a thief?” “Intruder or thief? Don’t insult Trixie with such petty accusations.” She stood on her rear hooves and spoke in an excited tone, “I am the Great and Powerful Trixie and Starlight’s Closest and Bestest Friend!” “Really? She didn’t tell me about… oh wait… you’re that magician who helped her and Thorax deal with Queen Chrysalis.” “Oh, so you have heard of Trixie’s greatest accomplishment.” She held her forehoof on her chest. “Trixie is touched.” “You talk weird,” Nica pointed out, receiving an annoyed frown in return. “Speaks a creature who, according to Starlight, can only use the same words over and over without a translating collar.” “Fair enough.“ Nica looked at her belly and next at the spider who was resting on a web in the top corner of the room, making sure her friend was safe. “If you’re looking for Starlight, you mistook the rooms.” “Trixie wasn’t looking for Starlight, but was asked by her to entertain you for today.” She raised her head in pride. “After reading your report, Twilight and Starlight went out to find you a job. She tasked Trixie, her most competent friend, with accompanying you and taking care of this castle. And our time will be magical!” Nica’s eyes widened and she opened her mouth with a smile at the sight of colorful fireworks. She clapped her paws cheerfully. “More, more!” “Can’t get enough of Trixie’s fireworks? Now that’s what I can call an audience with a good taste,” Trixie said before causing more fireworks to explode in the room. These ones being bright yellow, red and blue. “How about we move the show into a more spacious room?” Nica nodded before hopping from the bed, flying over Trixie’s head and landing on her back. “Sounds great, teleport us when ready.” “T-teleport?” Nica nodded. “Yes, teleport. You keep saying how great and powerful you are, so you must know how to disappear and reappear across great distances. Twilight and Starlight do it all the time.” “T-Trixie is not in the mood,” the mare said with a nervous smile. “How about a pleasant walk while we get to know each other better?” “Sounds good,” Nica said in excitement. She sensed that her ride felt nervous for some reason, but decided to ignore it for now. “Sooo… what kind of heroic accomplishments have you achieved? Outside of helping Thorax defeat the evil Queen.” “Well… Trixie did vanquish an Ursa Major…” “Why are you lying?” “W-what? Trixie’s not lying…” Nica narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. “Your aura of emotions tells otherwise. My changeling friend gave me a few lesson how to tell if someone’s lying based on their emotions.” Trixie bit her lip. “W-well… Trixie admits it… It was Twilight who saved Trixie that day from an Ursa Minor… but Trixie was too focused on her wounded pride and thought of Twilight as a rival.” “So in other words, playing a part in defeating Queen Chrysalis was your only heroic accomplishment,” Nica said in disappointment. There seemed to be something arrogant in the way this mare was speaking, and she didn’t like it one bit. “N-no, of course not,” Trixie said. The long-tailed pokemon climbed onto Trixie’s head, perching herself on the hat, and looked the unicorn in the eyes from an upside down position. “Lying again, are we?” “Alright… it was the only heroical deed Trixie did,” she admitted in annoyance. “Stupid lie-detecting abilities of yours.” Nica backflipped, perching herself on the long star-filled cape. “So, how did you and Starlight meet?” “Oh, that’s a very long and touching story… it all started in the spa…” Mayor Mare looked between the Raichu’s resume and the Princess of Friendship herself, gazing at her in confusion. “So, if I understand you correctly, a representative of a pokemon species called ‘Raichu’ somehow migrated over the ocean and ended up in the Everfree Forest, someone sealed her memories with dark magic, and now she’s living with you under your care.” After receiving a nod of confirmation, she asked, “And you want to register her as a mercenary and want to find her a job?” “Correct. I even suggested her that ‘Help for Hire’ or ‘Hero for Hire; would be more appropriate, but she decided that the title ‘Mercenary’ sounds  cooler and have more weight to it…” Twilight chuckled nervously. “Now, I know it may sounds insane, but…” She was cut off. “This is Ponyville, it is hardly the weirdest thing I have heard, but I need to confirm if the data and abilities listed here are accurate,” Mayor Mare said and poked the paper, her eyes on the picture of a smiling long-tailed critter standing on one rear paw with her forpaws spread out. Not the most professional picture, but certainly filled with enthusiasm. “Your friend’s name is ‘Nica’, her weight is around 25 kilograms and she is 0.67 meters tall.” “Exactly,” Twilight said with a nod. “I checked her parameters today personally.” “The list of her abilities is as follow: Ability to produce and unleash powerful electricity without the need of a stormcloud. Ability to reach three hundred twenty five meters of height with a single jump. Ability to sense the aura of emotions of other creatures.” Receiving a nod, Mayor continued. “As for Strengths: Advanced Combat skills, Extreme Stamina, Durability and Reflexes.” “It’s the truth,” Starlight said before smirking. “Yesterday Nica started training Twilight in the art of self-defense. If you doubt our words, we can invite you to one of their combat exercises. Miss Mayor.” “Starlight, this is personal,” Twilight commented. Mayor Mare sighed. “I’ll take your word for it.” She kept looking at the picture. How did something this small and innocent-looking have the ability to train an alicorn in self-defense? Certainly something worth looking into in her spare time. “And if I read it correctly, she has a very calm and friendly personality and loves helping.” “I can vouch for that,” Starlight said with a firm nod. “According to her weekly reports, Nica has been trained in combat by a human trainer so they can defeat and arrest those who abuse pokemon powers. Even if she didn’t recover all of her memories yet, it was her idea to become a mercenary so she can be as helpful as possible,” Twilight said and next pointed to the Raichu’s picture on the resume. “We made a collar for her to absorb electricity so she wouldn’t cause any painful accidents. I also recently visited the royal archives in Canterlot in search for translation spells, and improved her collar with them. She can now communicate with us as long as she wears it.” Mayor Mare nodded. “On the scale of how unbelievable it sounds from one to ten, I give it seven. To be honest, if it was somepony else, I wouldn’t give this a second thought, but since Miss Nica is under your care, Princess Twilight, I’ll register her as a mercenary.” She stamped the document and next lead the two ponies into a room surrounded by shelves from all sides. “I heard Miss Ditzy was trying to hire somepony to help her for a while, but no one was brave enough to take the job. If your friend is really durable, it would be a good place to start her career.” “What kind of job exactly?” Starlight asked. “For example; keeping her from causing accidents during her visit to stores selling antiques and porcelain.” Twilight’s wings spread and waved. “Stores with antiques are my favorite. I had no idea Ditzy was into it.” Starlight asked, “Is there anything else?” “Not at the moment I’m afraid,” Mayor Mare said. “Your friend would have better chances in a big city.” Twilight grinned. “Thank you, Mayor Mare, I appreciate your help.” She levitated over the stamped document and went outside with Starlight by her side. “Goodbye, Princess Twilight, and Starlight Glimmer, I wish you luck.” The moment the door closed shut, Mayor Mare lowered her head and massaged her forehead. This headache really gets annoying. I can hardly stay focused on the job. “What do you have in mind?” Starlight asked. “A long-range teleportation spell of-course. Canterlot, Las Pegasus, Baltimare, Fillydelphia and Manehattan. If Nica wants a job that ponies are afraid to do, I’m sure she can find it there.” Starlight rubbed he foreleg. “That’s ambitious. I think I’ll stick with Ponyville and ask Maud and Applejack if they could give her a job.” “Huh? It’s not like you to be so cautious,” Twilight commented. “I was really worried about Nica this past week. Let’s just say I don’t want her to leave me again.” Twilight embraced her student with a comforting wing. “I know how you feel, but if she’s your friend, you need to trust her more. I still remember how hard it was for me to let you go, and you decided to stay.” “I suppose you’re right.” She looked her mentor in the eyes as smile formed on her lips. “We should hurry up. I don’t want to leave Trixie in the castle for too long.” “Come on Starlight, I’m sure they’re doing just fine.” “Trixie requires assistance!” the mare shouted, struggling against the chains. Nica was sitting on a pillow in the library next to the rounded table. Just a moment ago the Great and Powerful unicorn was showing her so called ‘breathtaking spectacle’, only to end up shackled in chains a minute later. So much for the Great Unicorn Escape, Nica thought as she stepped from her pillow and approached the mare. “Are sure you need my help? Can’t you teleport free or blast the chains with your magic? Starlight could do it with ease.” The mare growled. “Don’t tease Trixie and help her!” The long-tailed pokemon rolled her eyes. If she was asked for help by any other pony or creature, she would have jumped at the opportunity. Yet, after listening to Trixie’s story, her unfair accusations and use of a dangerous artifact for revenge against Twilight, who saved her life by stopping a rampaging Ursa, and overall arrogance in her voice, she didn’t feel the urgency to help her right away. “What are you waiting for, help Trixie this instant!” She sighed. It seems a simple ‘please’ is outside of her vocabulary. She raised her long tail towards the chains, thinking back to her last dream. If her returning memories were accurate, a gigantic worm-like metallic monster called ‘Steelix’ was teaching her how to turn her own tail into a boulder cutting weapon. Nica bit her bottom lip and focused, mimicking the technique she used as a Pikachu. As she’d hoped for, her tail flashed brightly, suddenly becoming heavier, stronger, and looked to be covered by metal. With a careful and slow swing, she struck the chains, cutting a few of them with ease while leaving a small cut in the crystal floor. She took a step back and gulped. One false move and her tail would sink into this pony’s flesh. Drops of sweat started to fall down her forehead as she was striking each chain as carefully as she could, freeing Trixie several half a minute later. “Ah, much better,” Trixie said and stretched herself. “That’s an interesting trick you got there. Starlight told Trixie that you can use electricity, but she didn’t mention your tail could cut metal.” Nica focused on releasing power from her tail, waiting for it to return to normal before she shot Trixie a sheepish smile. Using electricity to destroy the chains crossed her mind, if not for the risk of shocking the pony as a side-effect. “I learned how to do this from my dream last night. My memories are still recovering.” “W-wait… are you saying you improvised?” Trixie’s face turned pale and she chuckled nervously. “W-well, it worked…” Feeling growing awkwardness in the air, Nica asked, “Why do you keep lying about yourself?” “W-what?” She returned to her pillow, gesturing for Trixie to sit on the other side. The mare did so hesitantly. “Why do you keep calling yourself great and powerful? Why such arrogance? Instead of thanking the pony who saved your life, you started threatening her like a rival, even though she’s superior to you in magic a hundred times over.” “W-what… Trixie’s not inferior to Twilight when it comes to magic!” “Another lie, why do you keep lying?” The unicorn slammed her hoof against the table. “Trixie doesn’t like where this is going.” Nica took a deep breath, regretting that she didn’t know how to prepare tea as having two teacups would certainly help in the coming conversation. She climbed onto the table and sat on it, now looking directly at the unicorn mare. “Wouldn’t it be easier to just humbly accept your limitations and celebrate what you accomplished?” Trixie raised her head arrogantly and held forehoof on her neck. “Trixie is a great and powerful magician who saved ponykind from their ultimate doom… with some small help from Starlight, Thorax, and Discord… that’s the truth.” “If you’re great and powerful, shouldn't you have saved ponykind many times over like Twilight and her friends did? This is what powerful beings like yourself should do after all, they should protect those who can’t defend themselves and use their powers to their limits,” Nica pointed out. “W-well…” “What I’m trying to say is that; if you were just a normal illusionist who doesn’t possess great magic or superpowers, but managed to play an important role in saving a country, it would make you amazing.” “Huh?” Trixie asked, her mouth agape. “What?” “But if you’re a super powerful unicorn as you claim to be, helping Starlight to save everypony isn’t anything special.” Trixie kept staring at the large critter in confusion, her mind a mess. I would be amazing… if I saved the day while not being great and powerful? What does she mean by that? “What’s a more impressive feat? A powerful warrior saving a village by easily defeating a large monster? Or a normal pony who ran into a burning building to save one life while putting himself in peril?” Trixie rubbed top of her head. “Defeating a monster… I suppose? I mean… it’s more spectacular.” Nica shook her head. “Even if said experienced warrior defeated the beast with little risk? The pony running into the building could end up burned alive or have permanent burns.” “I suppose you have a point,” Trixie said. “Even if it wouldn't be as spectacular, it would still require a lot of courage.” “For Twilight and her friends who possess great powers and wield powerful artifacts, saving Equestria is something they’re used to, but for you, a pony with plenty of skills but without powerful magic…” “It was something special?” Trixie asked, receiving a nod of confirmation. “Actually, the fact that our magic couldn’t work inside the hive meant that Trixie’s skills were even more helpful.” Nica smiled and approached, step by step until she reached the edge of the table and embraced the unicorn’s neck. “I think what you did was really brave and heroic. The fact that you entered the changeling hive and did your best while being defenseless was incredibly brave and noble. You don’t need to be great and powerful to be great.” She whimpered. “To be honest, my powers are stronger than yours, yet I wish I was half as useful and great as you were.” Trixie’s eyes watered as she immediately embraced the Raichu, her heart melting like a block of ice in the middle of the desert. “Nica, Trixie, I’m back!” Starlight said as she walked through the hallway, wondering what her favorite duo was up to. In a cloud of smoke, Trixie appeared in the middle of the hallway with Nica emerging from under her cape. She took off her hat and performed a polite bow. “The not Powerful but still a little Great Trixie welcomes you back, Starlight Glimmer. How was your day?” “T-Trixie… are you feeling okay?” “Better than okay. Thanks to meeting with your skilled companion, Trixie has seen the errors of her ways.” She rubbed the top of Nica’s head, who returned the gesture by rubbing Trixie behind her ear with her tail, which the mare clearly enjoyed while showing a pleasant smile. “Trixie can’t wait for Twilight to come back so that Trixie can apologize, thank her for saving Trixie’s life, and publicly admit that Princess Twilight Sparkle is the most talented and powerful scholar in the land.” “What have you done!?” In a rush of panic, Starlight levitated over the Raichu, her muzzle touching Nica’s nose. “I leave you for half a day,” she took a quick breath, “half a day! And you already broke Trixie!" “Is that a good or bad thing?” Nica asked. “Certainly good,” Trixie said with a wide smile. “Certainly bad!” Starlight shouted with an expression of pure terror on her face.