“L-Luna?”
Trixie gazed, lips slightly parted, eyes blinking. Then the alarm and fear kicked in. “Luna!” She scoured the area, but there was no sign of the princess.
“Whoa.” Rainbow flew high, her gaze going to the sky. “What just happened?”
“I did.”
Trixie’s blood went cold. She heard the collective gasps and turned to find her friends bowed as a bright light illumianted the courtyard. Trixie’s gaze turned skyward and she bared her teeth as Celestia – encased in a brilliant gold aura – descended from the dark clouds.
Trixie wasn’t about to bow. “What did you do to her?!”
Celestia landed gracefully, but her face bore a tight frown. “I sent her to the moon. What did you expect?”
Trixie stomped her hoof and lowered to a threatening stance. “Bring her back!”
“No.” Celestia’s voice was as sharp as her eyes. “She is too dangerous. And you will watch your tongue before royalty.”
Trixie’s anger flared, but before she could say anything Twilight was up and running for Celestia.
“Princess, you didn’t have to do that. Luna – we’ve cured her!”
Trixie’s anger shifted to alarm. “Twilight, no!”
Twilight ignored Trixie. She slid to a halt before Celestia with a big grin. “We did it! You’re sister is final—”
A sharp crack filled the air as Twilight was struck by the back of Celestia’s hoof and sent flying. The princess’ lips pulled back into a grimace.
“You ignorant foal. You’ve ruined a thousand years of work! Did you actually believe I wanted Luna freed from her torment?”
The others gathered around Twilight, who slowly sat up and rubbed her bruised cheek. She stared at her teacher with disbelieving eyes.
“B-but… But I thought you’d be happy…”
“Happy?” Celestia leaned back, wings flapping and eyes going white. “Happy? You wretched pony, why did I ever think you’d make a good apprentice?”
A small gasp escaped Twilight’s lips as she gaped at her mentor with glassy eyes.
Seeing her new friend so hurt, Rainbow Dash flew to hover directly before the princess. “Hey, what’s the big idea? Do you know what we just went through to save your sister?”
Celestia’s eyes lost their white-hot anger as she looked up at the pegasus. “Rainbow. You had such promise. It’s a shame to see you meddling with a pony like Trixie. I am disappointed.”
“What are you talking about?” Rainbow waved at the princess. “We’re doing this for you!”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” Celestia countered softly. “After all the work put into you, you’re bothering to care for somepony else? After what you did to your best friend?”
The color drained from Rainbow’s face. She flew back slowly, her aggression fading. “W-what does that have to with anything?”
“It has everything to do with everything!” Celestia leveled a brooding stare at her. “After I went and changed the rules of the tournament. After I forced you into that violent position. After I played with Lightning Dust to make her want a fight to the death…
“You should be a veritable monster by now.”
Rainbow’s wings snapped closed and her eyes went wide in tandem. She fell to the grass in a sitting position and her lips quivered as she gaped. “You… Y-you did what…?”
“Why would you do something so mean?” Pinkie asked, coming to hold Rainbow in a tight hug.
“Why?”
Celestia laughed. It was the coldest laugh Trixie had ever heard. “Because it was fun! You would know all about fun, wouldn’t you Pinkamina? You were entertaining to watch, by the way. Such a shame Trixie got rid of your clones; your misery could have entertained me for decades.”
Pinkie glared up at the princess, but didn’t say anything.
Celestia turned to eye the other ponies present. Her smirk fell upon Rarity. “Oh, my personal tailor too. It’s a shame, Rarity – you really were the best. And the way you chased after my sister was simply adorable!”
Rarity’s cheeks flushed as she averted her eyes. “Be silent! My relationship with Luna has nothing to do with you.”
“Oh, but it does,” Celestia declared with a grin. “Why do you think Luna started ignoring you, hmm?”
Rarity hesitated, ears folding back as she cowered beneath the princess’ gaze. “I… Well…”
Celestia leaned forward, her wicked grin reflected in her eyes. “Because you have a little sister. It would be such a shame if Sweetie were to… disappear.”
Rarity’s jaw dropped. “Y-you wouldn’t!”
Celestia stood straight once more, brushing her mane aside with a wink. “Luna played along, so no, I didn’t.”
Trixie felt a rage filling her and took a daring step forward. “Is there anything you didn’t have your dirty hooves in?”
A blast of energy struck at her hooves, knocking her into a sitting position.
“Don’t interrupt,” Celestia ordered with eyebrows raised and lips pursed. “I’m trying to find some entertainment in this fiasco.”
“Hey!” Applejack jumped before Trixie to stare Celestia down. “Leave her alone!”
“Applejack!” Celestia’s eyes lit up. “You have no idea how pleased I am to see you. Tell me, how’s the farm? Jet Set and Upper Crust run it into the ground yet?”
Applejack only grimaced.
“Oh, that’s right, you don’t even live there anymore!”
Celestia laughed once again, leaning her head back as the sound echoed through the courtyard. “Fired from your own farm – isn’t it delightfully horrible? I knew awarding those foals the rights to the place would pay off in the long run!”
Applejack let out a vicious growl, but didn’t dare attack.
“Now, who am I missing?” Celestia turned to survey the other ponies once more. Her eyes locked on the pony cowering by Twilight. “Fluttershy.”
The fearful pegasus shook her head vehemently. “N-no…”
“Yes.”
Celestia peered at her, her expression relaxing. “Out of all the ponies here, I think your pain was the most… exquisite. I am sorry about all your pets, though,” she added with a smirk. “I was having a bad day – you know how it is.”
Fluttershy lowered her head and shook like a leaf, tears running down her cheeks.
Celestia’s voice lowered to a silken purr. She lowered her head with a sly smile. “But you know, I hear things. Rumor has it you gave my sister quite a bit of comfort. I might want to sample that. I could make the problems go away... if you were interested.”
Fluttershy backed away, body low and pupils shrinking. “K-keep away from m-me, you m-m-monster...”
Celestia laughed. “Ooh, that is such a wonderful expression!”
“Celestia?”
Twilight stood, her face twisted in a terrible mix of disbelief and horror. “I… I don’t understand...”
Celestia’s smile dropped, her eyes going hard as she studied her student. “I know, and that’s why you’ve failed as my protégé. After all the effort, all the torment I put you through. You were supposed to let the pain eat away at you. Did you think I made you do all those terrible things for no reason? I wanted you to hate. Instead you’re here, working together with these cretins, talking about harmony. You’re pathetic, Twilight.”
Twilight sat, her wide-eyed gaze dropping to the grass as tears spilled down her cheeks. “I… I believed in you. I th-thought the world of you…”
“Enough!”
Trixie was back on her hooves. She stood tall beside Applejack. “Why the buck are you even here? Why did you send Luna to the moon?!”
Celestia’s motion was gradual, a sharp, tight-lipped glare upon her face as she turned to address Trixie once more.
“You. You just won’t die. If you’re here, then you must understand that tormenting my sister was my greatest pleasure. But now you’ve gone and brought the two halves together and fixed her.”
Golden light flickered in sparks around her horn as her voice rose. “Knowing that Luna was suffering gave me such comfort. I’ve been carefully manipulating her for a millennium, and it was all going so beautifully until you came along. One ignorant, weak, miserable little unicorn bucked up everything!”
“And I’d do it again in an instant,” Trixie shouted. she matched the princess glare for glare. “I don’t care about your motivations – I want Luna back! Return her, or so help me—”
“You’ll what?” Celestia huffed, a haughty, frightening laugh escaping her lips. “Fight me? You wretched bug! She couldn’t even protect the statue from you, and you think I’m going to forgive her? She’ll rot on that hunk of rock for another millennium before I’ll even consider it.”
“So you did send her here!” Trixie’s horn shined as her blood boiled. “And you blame us for defending ourselves?”
Celestia stomped a hoof and a flash of light blinded Trixie, who reared back and shouted in frustration. “Damn you, stop playing games!”
“I have.”
Trixie’s vision cleared after a few seconds. She looked around to see that Celestia was gone. “No… You witch! Come back here! We’re not done!”
“Oh, yes we are.” Trixie looked up and felt her heart sink; Celestia hovered high overhead, the statue floating in a sphere of light beside her. “I’m done with you. All of you! You've become too much of a nuisance, and it's time you were squashed. As of this moment you are all enemies of Equestria, and if you are ever caught I will personally see each and every one of you mounted in my throne room!
“As for this—” she tapped the statue’s cheek with a wicked grin, “—she’s coming with me for safekeeping. Clearly I can’t trust anypony else with the responsibility. Goodbye, Trixie. I hope you’re as unhappy with the prize of your great quest as I am.”
Trixie let out a scream as the princess flew off, the statue trailing not far behind. “Get back here! Goddess damn you to Tartarus, when I get my hooves on you—”
A hoof touched her chest, and Trixie glared at Applejack. The Earth pony shook her head with a grim frown.
“It’s no use, Sugarcube. She’s gone.”
Trixie knocked the hoof away. “Don’t say that! I have to get her back – I can’t let it end here!”
Applejack rubbed her hoof with a glower. “I meant Celestia.”
Trixie grimaced as she realized her mistake, but was too angry to bother apologizing. She looked at the other ponies, however, and her anger began to fade. Celestia’s words had affected them all: Rainbow Dash still sat in the grass, eyes wide and pupils small as she rubbed her hooves against the scar on her chest; Pinkie had moved over to hold the openly weeping Fluttershy even while her own lip quivered; Rarity lay on her belly, head beneath her hooves and shaking like a leaf. Twilight… poor Twilight gaped up at the sky, tears streaming down her cheeks from misty eyes. About the only pony not in a state of terror or disbelief was Applejack, who’d traded those emotions for a quiet but visible fury.
Trixie sighed and lowered her head.
“This is a mess…”
“More than you know.”
Trixie’s ears shot skyward as she jerked around. Standing at the edge of the courtyard was one of the last ponies she wanted to see:
Fine Crime.
“What the buck are you doing here, you bastard?”
Fine set his lips into a tight frown as he studied Trixie. “Relaying a message.”
“Yer a little late fer that,” Applejack noted, scrutinizing him with a sneer.
Fine didn’t even acknowledge her; his eyes remained locked on Trixie. “What are you going to do now, oh lover of Luna?”
“Shut up!” Trixie’s horn flashed; she was more than prepared to take her anger out on him. “What the buck do you want? Get out of here before I turn you into a crater!”
Fine maintained his usual, calm composure. “Do you want to save Luna or not?”
Trixie swallowed her words, cringing as she considered what he’d just said. But given everything she knew about him, how was she to know if he was being honest about anything?
“Don’t believe ’im,” Applejack hissed in her ear. Trixie glanced at her and saw total vehemence in the pony’s glare.
“B-but he might be able to help.” Fluttershy appeared at Applejack’s side.
“He’s just gonna lie to us!” Rainbow Dash hovered overhead, pounding her hooves together and casting a sneer in Fine’s direction.
“I say we don’t even give him a chance to talk.” Rarity stepped up beside Trixie with horn flashing and a scowl on her lips.
“Wait!” Pinkie stood in their way, though she appeared hesitant. “We should take whatever chance we can get, right?”
“No.” Twilight – tears still streaking down her cheeks – stood beside Fluttershy. “I know that bastard – he’s literally owned by Celestia!”
Fine’s eyebrows lowered as he turned his head away. “So I’m guilty by association now, am I?”
Trixie glanced around at her friends, a battle raging within her. Even if their reactions to Fine were mixed – and in spite of Celestia's biting words – they'd moved quickly. They had all voiced their opinions, but none of them were acting on them. Why?
Fine raised an eyebrow. “Well, Trixie?”
So they were leaving it up to her. What was she supposed to be – their leader? She didn’t like the idea, but she weighed the risks anyway. She knew he wasn’t trustworthy, but at the same time…
She had to find a way to get Luna back. That meant defeating Celestia – a truly scary concept – and Fine was about the only pony in the world who might have an idea of how. But how could she trust a single word he said?
“Say what you’re here to say,” Trixie snapped. “Just remember that we have no reason to do anything you suggest.”
He nodded, expression as solemn and unreadable as she'd ever seen. “I’m not here to give you advice on what to do next. I’m not even here to manipulate your direction for once. I already know what you’re going to do.”
“Oh yeah?” Rainbow flew close to get in his face. “So why didn’t you try to stop us, huh?”
Fine eyed the pegasus with a haughty expression and sidestepped from her. “Why would I do that?”
Still struggling to piece together the puzzle, Trixie took a step forward to catch his attention. “Why did you guide me here? Did you know I was going to be here at the same time as them?”
He rolled his eyes with a sigh. “Of course I knew.”
“Then you know the truth? You know what’s really going on with Celestia, Luna. The statue?”
He nodded. “I pride myself on my analytical skills, Trixie. I gathered the truth and located the statue years ago.”
Rarity stepped forward, eyes simmering. “So what do you want?”
Applejack copied the motion… and the expression. “Yeah, who do ya really serve? What the buck are ya tryin’ ta do?”
An indignant sneer crept across Fine’s face as he glared. “I serve Equestria – no more, no less. And yes, Celestia knows I’m here. She knows what I’m going to tell you. She’s confident enough that she doesn’t care.”
His eyes turned on Trixie. “I hope you’ll be smart enough to take advantage of that.”
Trixie pawed the stones with a snarl. “You expect me to believe that you want us to defeat her?”
“I don’t expect you to believe a word I say,” he snapped. “But here’s some real news for you, something you’d best seriously consider: the Order of Shadows has come together in Canterlot. If you and your new friends do decide to go there, you’ll have to get through them.”
“You mean you,” Twilight corrected. “You are the head of the Order, are you not?”
Rainbow shifted her shoulders so they popped as she peered at Fine. “I knew it, you really are out to get us.”
But then Fine smiled. It was a wicked, crooked smile, one that left Trixie feeling… on edge. “You have no idea how long I’ve been looking forward to this. It’s been something of a dream of mine. We are going to fight, and then all my efforts will bear fruit.”
Trixie stepped forward lowered her heart with a dark glint in her eyes. “So why wait? Let’s get this over with now.”
“Oh, no.” Fine retreated just a little, yet maintained that smug smile. “These things must be done properly. I’ll see you in Canterlot, Trixie. I’ll see all of you, one way or another.”
“Wait!” Trixie raised a hoof towards him, but it was too late; he was gone in a cloud of black smoke.
Rainbow landed before Trixie with a snarl. “That bastard. We can’t let them get away with this!”
Most of the others voiced their agreement.
“They’re trying to goad us.” Twilight raised her hooves to catch their attention. “We can’t let them do that.”
“Then what do we do?” Fluttershy’s body dropped low to match her wispy voice. “I mean, we either go into hiding, leave the country or…or…”
Applejack adjusted her hat as if she were preparing for a fight. “Or take the fight ta Canterlot.”
“I never thought Celestia was behind all of it.” Rarity scowled as she spoke the name. “To think, all this time we were blaming Luna for our problems.”
“Yeah, and now she’s gone.” Pinkie set a hoof around Fluttershy’s shoulder, but it seemed more for herself than the pegasus. “We can’t even apologize.”
A growl rose from Rainbow’s throat. “I don’t know why we’re wasting time thinking on it. We should be marching up to that castle right now!”
Twilight shook her head. “But you heard Fine, they’re waiting for us. They’re expecting us to come.”
“Well whaddaya suggest?” Applejack swung a hoof as she retorted. “That we just hide and never do anythin’ about it?”
Fluttershy’s eyes grew hard. “I’m tired of hiding…”
“Pinkie.”
Everypony went silent. All eyes turned to Trixie, who locked the pink pony in a firm, determined gaze. “You still have that restaurant outside of Ponyville?”
Pinkie cocked her head with a frown, but nodded. “Yeah, for now.”
“Then I’m going in,” Trixie announced. “Luna is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I will fight for her.”
“I see.” Twilight rubbed her chin. “So you’ll sneak in through the slums. You can certainly avoid the town guards that way.”
Trixie nodded. “Fine Crime’s going to be expecting it. I’ve been around him enough by now to know that he’s got a plan for just about everything. Even so, it’s better than fighting my way through an entire city full of ponies.”
“But what about the ponies in the slums?” Rarity’s lip twisted in a disgusted sneer. “Aren’t they dangerous, too?”
“I have a reputation down there,” Trixie replied with confidence. “They won’t come after me. Besides, I might even be able to use them.”
Fluttershy shot Pinkie a questioning look. “Use them? How?”
Trixie turned away from them all, adopting a proud stance. “Don’t worry about that. I’m going. I’ll waste no time!”
“Wait!”
Twilight stood in front of her. “Don’t go, not yet. Come with us to Ponyville first.”
Trixie blinked. “What? Why?”
Applejack set a hoof to her shoulder. “If yer goin’, so are we.”
“We can take a day to prepare ourselves,” Rarity added.
Twilight nodded. “A plan of attack would be nice.”
“Fine might be expecting us to come charging in,” Rainbow Dash admitted.
“We don’t want to play into their hooves that easily,” Fluttershy pointed out.
“Yeah!” Pinkie bounced with a grin. “Besides, if we don’t go to Ponyville how can we give you your gift?”
“Pinkie!”
She dropped back at the combined shouts of the others, blushing and rubbing the back of her head. “Oh, hehe, oops. I wasn’t supposed to say that, was I?”
Trixie blinked again and turned her eyes on Twilight. “A gift? Really?”
Twilight sighed and shot Pinkie a lecturing look, but then nodded with a charming smile. “We all worked on it. You’ve already done so much for us and… well, let’s face it: the odds are against us. This may be the only chance we have to give it to you.”
Trixie gazed at her, then at the others. They all beamed upon her, somehow managing happy smiles despite the dire task before them. Why did her chest feel so… odd? She had the urge to embrace them – all of them – and had to fight not to give in to it. “I… Well, I guess we could go…”
They cheered and all crowded in for a group hug. At first the closeness made Trixie uncomfortable.
But then she realized she liked it.
The return to Ponyville took the rest of the night, the journey plagued by the constant reminder of their challenge: the moon. Trixie spent the whole trip fighting not to look up at the fresh silhouette of the infamous Mare in the Moon, the shadowy apparition that had returned just that night. Her anxiety was tiring, and by the time they arrived in the morning she was worn out.
Despite Celestia’s decree that they were all enemies of the state, nopony in town paid them any mind; clearly the news hadn’t hit Ponyville. They counted their blessings and made straight for Twilight’s library, the ominous tower standing tall and blatant amongst the smaller houses.
Trixie couldn’t help but hesitate; this place was the source of many a bad dream for her in the past. Twilight did her best to make her new friend feel welcome, but entering that structure was by no means easy.
“Spike!” Twilight called as they entered, and the baby dragon came running quick.
“Hey guys. Did you find anything?” He rubbed his claws together in a slow fashion. When he spotted Trixie his eyes went wide. “Whoa, Trixie! You finally came! I was really starting to wonder.”
Twilight waved a hoof at him as she trudged for the kitchens. “You’ve met my little brother, haven’t you?”
Trixie’s anxiety regarding the library faded at this information. “Brother?” She eyed Spike with a thoughtful frown. “I thought you were Rarity’s apprentice.”
“I am.” He struck a gallant pose and grinned Rarity’s way. Though she was clearly worn out, Rarity still took the time to give him a nuzzle and a warm smile. “I am here for whatever she needs. But Twilight hatched me. Raised me, too. So we're as good as siblings.”
“Really?” Trixie looked back towards the kitchen, but Twilight had disappeared. “I had no idea.”
“You’re here!”
Trixie jumped at the familiar voice, her eyes going to the nearby stairs. There was the last pony she’d ever expected to see.
“Nye!” She met him at the bottom of the stairs, but froze as he embraced her. “W-what are you doing here?”
“Celestia booted me from the castle,” he explained, sagging as he pulled back from the hug. “She said I was no longer of any use. I hadn’t heard from Luna in ages, so I came here hoping I might appeal to Twilight for some interference. Has she come back yet?”
Trixie felt her heart miss a beat. She chewed her lip and stepped back, shame filling her. “Nye… I’m sorry.”
He’d been looking about the library at the other ponies, but now his piercing gaze locked with hers. “What happened?”
Trixie bowed her head and let out a deep sigh; this was going to hurt. “We defeated Nightmare Moon—”
He grabbed her, eyes lighting up and a grin forming on his face. “Seriously? She’s gone?”
Trixie set a hoof to his lips. “Nye… Celestia sent Luna back to the moon.”
For a moment he only stared, not comprehending. Then his eyes widened.
“No...”
Trixie glanced back at the others, who were all watching with forlorn expressions. “I’m sorry, Nye.”
A strained, shaky breath trembled from his lips. He grabbed her with both hooves and shook her so hard she thought she could hear her brain rattling in her skull.
“Don’t tell me that! You were supposed to help her. She can’t be gone!” There was panic in his eyes, and Trixie had to fight to make him release her. “Why would Celestia do that? You’ve got to bring her back, you have to!”
“Nye, calm down,” Fluttershy urged, approaching to touch him on the shoulder.
He knocked her hoof away. “Don’t tell me to calm down! Luna is my entire life, and you want me to calm down? What am I supposed to do now, huh? What am I supposed to do?”
Fluttershy fell back at his anger, and Trixie forced herself between them. “That’s enough! We’re doing what we can, Nye.”
The stallion collapsed, his furious energy already giving way to despair. “Sh-she can’t be gone… My princess… P-please, don’t tell me she’s g-gone…”
Applejack and Rainbow were there, lifting him off the floor. “Come on, Sugarcube,” Applejack whispered into his ear, “You need to lie down.” Together the mares dragged him back up the stairs, his miserable mutterings trailing behind.
Trixie watched them go with a heavy heart; she’d not even thought about him all this time. How could she have forgotten Luna’s only real ally?
Twilight returned with a tray of steaming teacups, and the ponies all settled on couches in the center of the library to recoup. A few minutes later Rainbow and Applejack returned, dragging their hooves with their head bowed.
“He’ll be alright.” Applejack took a seat next to Rarity and grabbed a cup of tea.
“Well, I hope so,” Rainbow muttered, sitting by Pinkie.
“He showed up a few hours ago.” Spike climbed onto the sofa with Twilight. The two shared a tender hug before he continued, “I remembered him from the castle, so I let him stick around. I figured that any friend of Luna’s would be welcome.”
“You did good, Spike,” Twilight assured him.
“Indeed.” Rarity looked up at the ceiling with a forlorn frown. “The poor stallion. I knew he was close to her, but I wasn’t expecting such an extreme reaction.”
Several silent, uncomfortable minutes passed, unbroken save by the occasional sip of tea or self-conscious cough. They were all worn out; eyes darkened, bodies sagging, coats dirty. It was as if the energy had left them as a whole.
At last Trixie could take no more. “So now what?”
“We’ll stay here for the rest of the day, get some sleep,” Twilight said. “There wouldn’t be any benefit going to Canterlot now.”
“We’d best keep an eye out, though,” Pinkie noted. “Nothing travels faster than bad news, so you know the ponies here in Ponyville will hear about our problems soon enough.”
“She’s right, they may come looking for us.” Rainbow gestured to herself. “I’ll take first watch and trade with somepony in a few hours. Deal?” Nopony said anything, which was as clear a sign of agreement as any.
“So… where are we supposed to sleep?” Trixie glanced around at the couches.
“Wherever you can,” Twilight replied. “I’ve got three beds – though Nye’s taking one right now – and plenty of couches.”
“Twilight gets one bed, o’course,” Applejack declared. “It’s her place, after all.”
Rarity struck a regal pose. “Well, I guess we all know who gets the other bed.”
“Yep.” Pinkie grinned and, using her mane to hold her teacup, pointed both hooves. “Trixie!”
Rarity’s jaw dropped, but after a second’s thought she crossed her hooves and nodded with a pout.
“Me?” Trixie stifled a yawn. “Why do I get a bed?”
“Umm, duh.” Rainbow patted her on the shoulder. “Because you’re awesome.”
“I don’t feel very ‘awesome’,” she confessed, gazing into her half-empty teacup.
“You’re the hero of this story,” Pinkie announced as she poured tea down her throat, the cup still hanging from one of her curls.
Twilight nodded with a warm but weary smile. “Besides, we’ve already got your gift on your bed.”
“Already?” Trixie raised an eyebrow at her. “You’ve been planning this for some time?”
Twilight nodded. “Ever since I sent Rainbow out to find you. Of course the gifts weren’t ready then, but you get the idea.”
“You’re all being far too kind.” Despite her hesitation, she simply didn't have the energy to debate the matter. “If you really insist, I’ll take the bed.”
Rainbow leaned back on the couch with a smug grin. “We do.”
“It’s a small comfort, we know,” Applejack added with an apologetic tone.
Rarity was still pouting. “I don’t think so.”
Twilight set her empty teacup down and stood. “We should go ahead and get some sleep. We’ve got a big night ahead of us. Come on, Trixie, I’ll show you the place.”
Trixie set her cup down and followed, heart heavy and mind wandering. She eyed her old rival, not sure what to think of her anymore. She had a simple question, but it felt… private. So she let Twilight lead her up the stairs to the third floor, which was apparently where all three bedrooms were. One of the doors was closed, but Nye’s crying was still audible through the wood. That sound nearly broke Trixie’s heart all over again.
“There ya go,” Twilight said, waving to the doorway furthest from the stairs. “It’s no castle suite, but it’s comfy enough. Try to get some sleep, okay?”
Twilight turned to head to her room.
“Wait.”
She looked back at Trixie, weary but patient. “Yeah?”
Trixie paused, head bowed as she considered her words. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer to her question… Finally she leveled a sharp, scrutinizing gaze upon Twilight.
“Back when we first met… and that second time. I want to know why you were so mean to me.”
Twilight’s expression fell in an instant and she rapidly turned away. An anxious silence passed between them, punctuated by the sobs that still crept through Nye’s door. Trixie didn’t press the pony. She gave her time, for they both knew that Twilight’s answer was important.
It took a while, but at last Twilight was able to respond. Her voice came slow and quiet and she stood rigid.
“I was trying to be Celestia’s student. She was always pressing me to do things, things I hated. I was so sure they were for a good cause, that she was preparing me for something terrible. So I… I tried it out. I didn’t like doing it Trixie, and I’m sorry it was you who ended up on the receiving end.”
Trixie thought on this for a moment, a strange mixture of bitterness and sympathy swirling within her. “If you didn’t like doing it, why did you?”
Twilight turned to her with imploring eyes. “I thought Celestia was preparing me for something. I thought it was necessary! I thought… I mean…”
She dropped to her haunches and sagged. Trixie’s old enemy appeared on the verge of tears. “I’m s-so sorry, Trixie. You must hate me so much! And I deserve it…”
Trixie leaned back, the wave of emotions within her hard to fathom. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to think? Twilight had been a source of nightmares! But to think that she’d been manipulated by Celestia into such wicked behavior…
Part of her still hated Twilight. Part of Trixie wanted to laugh at the misery she was witnessing, to wallow in it like a hot bubble bath. But then she thought of Luna – her precious princess, manipualted for a thousand years – and her hatred just couldn’t last. If Luna couldn’t stand up to Celestia’s control, what possible chance could a pony like Twilight have? With that realization, Trixie felt she could understand.
So she did the only thing she could think of; she stepped forward and embraced her old foe. Twilight shifted, tensed… but then returned the hug, gripping Trixie as if her life depended on it.
Trixie patted her back, a strange new sensation coming over her.
“I used to hate you. I used to think you were the most terrible, evil pony in Equestria. But y’know what? I’m tired of all this discord. Whaddaya say we give harmony a chance for once?”
Twilight leaned back, eyes wide and bright. “Y-you mean…?”
Trixie nodded, offering her most reassuring smile. “I forgive you, Twilight.”
Twilight shook, pursing her lips together in a visible effort to control herself. She couldn’t do it; she lowered her head and wept.
“Th-thank you. Thank you so m-much, Trixie!”
It took some time to get Twilight to calm down, but they at last parted ways and went to their individual bedrooms. Trixie couldn’t help feeling… good. It was like a terrible weight had been lifted off her shoulders. As she went to her bed, she found a large package sitting next to the pillow. It was covered in multicolored wrapping paper and complete with balloons. She couldn’t resist a chuckle; it was pretty clear who had been in charge of wrapping the gift.
She contemplated waiting to open it when they were all watching, but decided against it; they’d left it there for her, hadn’t they? Clearly they meant for her to open it on her own. So she did, pulling the wrapping paper off carefully with her magic. It was a simple box, and it took her no time to open it, despite the tape.
When she looked inside, her heart hit her throat. For a few seconds she couldn’t even breathe. Slowly, carefully, she used her magic to pull the item out.
It was a dark-blue hat, wide-brimmed and pointed. The stars that decorated it shimmered as if they were real and been plucked from the sky. The brim's edges glowed as if to suggest a deep reservoir of magic. Hoof shaking, Trixie reached forward and touched its soft, sturdy form. It felt like silk…
Her eyes tearing up, she slowly set the hat atop her head. It felt wonderful. She let herself breathe for a few seconds, trying to get over the sheer thrill of what her new friends were trying to do for her. Then she noted more blue, and a moment later she unfurled a dark cape.
But what a cape it was! The gold interior, the diamond buttons at the throat, the flared collar... and the starscape on the midnight-blue back that slowly shifted and sparkled before her eyes. It was warm to the touch, softer than anything she’d ever felt before. She tried it on, hooves trembling with the buttons. It fit her just right, and as the cloth covered her shoulders she was encased in a deep, comforting warmth. It was real warmth, like a flickering hearth pit during winter… but it was an emotional warmth, too.
She went to the bathroom to stare at herself. She looked so…she couldn’t put a word to it. She brushed her mane back from her eyes and simply stared, tears streaming down her cheeks. The light of the hat’s brim illuminated her face, showing an aspect of her she’d never recognized before.
She felt confident. Proud. Strong. She continued to stare at herself, and she liked what she saw. If only Luna could see her now.
For the first time in ages, she truly felt like the Great and Powerful Trixie.