"This seems familiar," said Sweetie Belle, looking around, ducking under a big creepy tree limb looking like a claw.
"Yeah, Scootaloo, Ah think this is the same way we went last time," said Applebloom, looking around at their surroundings. The deep, dark, foreboding forest stretched on in all directions with no end in sight.
"Yeah, but that's just cause the path goes the same way," replied Scootaloo, leading the group confidently. "Trust me, have I ever got us lost?"
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked to each other nervously, then back to Scootaloo. "Yah sure Rainbow Dash taught you this way?"
Scootaloo nodded swiftly. "Yeah, she took me there one time, it's AWESOME, trust me!"
"Alright, Ah guess if Rainbow Dash taught yah, she knows what she's doin'," said Applebloom, a little reassured. "But Ah still ain't sure we should be going the same way we did before, considerin' we ran into a Cockatrice that time. Yah all remember what Fluttershy said when we tried bein' Cutie Mark Crusader Park Rangers?"
"Don't make bear sounds or you'll attract them?" asked Sweetie Belle, rubbing her head with her hoof.
"No, before that!…Besides, yah didn't sound anything like a bear anyway. What I mean is how she told us animals have a territory that they claim and don't wander from? What if this is that Cockatrice's turf?"
Scootaloo scoffed. "Yeah, but it's daylight, it's probably asleep," she said…before suddenly stopping, the other two crashing into her flank before looking around, seeing a green, snake-like tail with red spikes laid out over the path, it's owner in a bush next to it. "Uh oh…"
The trio prepared for the owner of the tail to strike…but nothing happened. "What's goin' on?" asked Applebloom, a little surprised.
The trio waited a few moments…then heard a strange noise, like a snoring chicken.
Scootaloo and the others peeked into the bush the tail lead into, finding the chicken-headed, snake-bodied monster sound asleep inside. Scootaloo gave the other two a smirk. And shushed them, the trio pulling out and tiptoeing ahead a good distance ahead. "See, told you it'd be sleeping."
"Yeah, I guess you were right…" said Sweetie Belle, surprised by this, not that she was complaining.
"Come on, let's get goin' before it wakes up," said Applebloom, the other two nodding and continuing on their path.
The Cockatrice poked its head out with a yawn, looking in all directions and seeing nothing. It gave a growl of annoyance, but simply went back to sleep, leaving it's tail stretched out across the path…
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"So you had to chase them into the Everfree Forest once too?" asked Trixie as the two followed the fillys' hoofprints through the dark forest. It honestly gave her the creeps. In all directions nothing but deep, dark woods. The canopy was so thick that only a tiny bit of light made it through to light their path, giving it an even more surreal feeling. It was the kind of place you'd expect a horror story to be written about. And Trixie couldn't help the feeling something would jump out of nowhere to attack her.
Fluttershy nodded, looking down at her hooves timidly. "Yes…But please don't let anypony know, it's kind of between me, Twilight, and the girls." Fluttershy would've liked to move faster, but she knew Trixie wasn't in the best of shape right now and couldn't run for very long, so they'd kept it to sprints, walking slower when Trixie had to catch her breath.
Trixie gave a small nod. "You are keeping Trixie's secret, so she shall keep yours…"
"Pinkie Pie Swear?"
Trixie sighed. "Alright…cross Trixie's heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in her-" Trixie screamed out in pain as she accidentally jabbed her hoof into her eye.
"Twilight always does that too…"
Trixie gave a sigh, but was relieved it wasn't just HER. "Anyway, what happened?"
"They wondered off into Everfree after Elizabeak, one of my chickens and got attacked by a Cockatrice, who turned Elizabeak to stone, I had to protect them," explained Fluttershy, remembering it vividly. "I ended up having to use the Stare to scare it away."
"Ah…That was when you saved Twilight, correct?" asked Trixie, getting a small nod. "She told Trixie that much, and that you saved fillies from it, but didn't go into detail on the matter…"
Fluttershy nodded, but blushed at the mention she'd saved her friend. "It was honestly one of the scariest things that has ever happened to me," she continued, giving a shudder. She then looked around the area. "Come to think about it, it was actually right about here."
Trixie blinked, looking around a tad fearfully. That feeling like she was in a horror story reared its ugly head again. "Really?"
Fluttershy nodded, looking at the ground. "We should be very careful, this is probably the Cockatrice's territory…But it should be sleeping during the day, they're nocturnal, we just have to make sure we don't wake it up…"
Trixie nodded, keeping her eyes out in all directions as they continued. "And hope those three loud fillies haven't already done that…"
Trixie suddenly tripped over something in the middle of the path. "Ow! What was that?!" she exclaimed, quite loudly.
Fluttershy's eyes went wide as she saw just what Trixie had tripped over. "Trixie! Run!" she yelled, running over and helping Trixie to her feet, trying to pull her, all the while looking back in complete panic. "Hurry! We have to get out of here!"
"What?" asked Trixie, looking back to see the long tail of the Cockatrice recede back into the bush. Trixie promptly screamed and ran along with Fluttershy as the now furious Cockatrice, having been trying to get back to sleep, took off after the two fleeing mares with a roar.
"You already beat it once! Why are we running?!" asked Trixie, panting as she did so. She knew she should've trusted that "you're in a horror story" feeling…
"I'm sorry! I-I can't!" replied Fluttershy, fear induced tears streaming down her cheeks. "I can't control when that happens!"
Trixie just kept running, realizing that it probably was best to do so if they could get away without fighting the dang thing. She then peaked back to see if it was still following them.
Big mistake.
The Cockatrice narrowed its eyes as they met Trixie's and Trixie suddenly felt a cold feeling begin up her hind legs, falling flat on her face, thankfully breaking eye contact. Trixie groaned, looking back and giving a gasp of surprise as she found her hind legs partially turned to grey stone, rendering them completely useless. Trixie quickly gave a scream and covered her eyes as the Cockatrice flew over her and landed with a loud thud in front of her, giving a screech.
Trixie trembled in fear, keeping her foreleg over her eyes so tight it hurt, feeling and smelling the Cockatrice's hot breath on it as it kept its eyes focused where hers were, just waiting for the chance to turn the rest of her to stone. 'Is this how it ends? Turned to stone by a monster in Everfree Forest?'
"P-Please! Stop! I'm sorry I woke you, but don't turn me into a statue!" begged Trixie, absolute terror in her voice, heart racing from blind panic as she tried to keep her hoof over her eyes and not look.
The furious Cockatrice batted her hoof off her face with its wing and locked eyes with her before she could close them. Trixie couldn't force herself to break eye contact, despite the bone chilling feeling of cold, lifeless stone creeping up her body. She tried screaming, but felt her jaw and mouth turn to stone before the sound could escape. She couldn't move or speak as she felt the stone slowly closing in around her eyes, terror utterly consuming her as she tried to think of any way to save herself, fear induced tears running down her face. 'Please Celestia, don't let me die here! Please!' she begged in her mind, praying for anypony or anything to save her.
"Stop that right now, young man!"
The Cockatrice's head snapped away to look at the source of the scream. Trixie, the only things not turned to stone being her eyes and part of her nose, moved her eyes to look over at the source of the sound seeing Fluttershy glaring daggers at the Cockatrice. At least she thought it was Fluttershy. Instead of the shy, meek little pegasus she was used to, Fluttershy stood strong, not a hint of fear in her tone or appearance at all. Instead it was the Cockatrice that suddenly looked terrified when it recognized her.
"What did I tell you about turning others into stone?" asked Fluttershy with the sternest voice Trixie had ever heard, that was clear despite how muffled it sounded to her petrified ears. "You turn her back to normal this very second, before I find your mother and tell her you've been turning innocent creatures to stone again!"
The Cockatrice whimpered and gave a squawk, pointing to Trixie.
"Yes, I know she woke you up, and I'm very sorry about that, but you should know better than to leave your tail across a path ponies and creatures walk on, you or someone else could get hurt," stated Fluttershy, not giving an inch, but her tone became somewhat sympathetic, almost motherly. "Now you turn her and any other innocent creature you've turned to stone back to normal right this instant!"
The Cockatrice gave a fearful nod, turning and concentrating on Trixie, who felt stone glow and shatter off her body. Trixie gave a gasp as she could move again. She panted as she shakily forced herself back to her hooves, only to find Fluttershy hugging her, once more the timid, scared little pegasus she'd come to know.
"Trixie, are you alright? I heard you scream and realized you must've tripped. I'm so sorry I didn't notice you'd fallen, please forgive me!" begged Fluttershy, looking worried half to death, Trixie could feel her heart racing a mile a minute.
"You…you saved me…" muttered Trixie, staring at Fluttershy in complete awe. Sure, she'd heard stories, but that was next to nothing to seeing something like this with your own two eyes. She looked up and saw the Cockatrice running away from Fluttershy, squawking like a frightened chicken. If Trixie hadn't seen it with her own two eyes, she'd never have imagined this soft-spoken, sweet little pony in front of her had sent it running for the hills… "But…I thought you could only do something that if one of your friends was in danger…"
Fluttershy smiled warmly. "One of my friends was in danger."
Trixie gave a small gasp of surprise. "…I'm your…friend?" she asked, in complete shock.
Fluttershy nodded without question. "Of course, and I'd never leave a friend behind…Well, except for that one time when we accidentally left Rarity and Pinkie Pie in Dodge Junction, but that was an accident and we all felt really, really, REALLY guilty about it when they got back."
Trixie didn't know what to say. All that she could think is this little pegasus just saved her life because she actually cared about her. Trixie figured even the ones she'd previously thought cared about her before her return to Ponyville would've left her to the Cockatrice and saved themselves.
"Trixie…Real friends? They're the ones that still care about you when you're down on your luck…In fact that's when they care the most…"
"…I don't know what to say except…thank you, for saving my life…"
"It was nothing, really. I was just doing the right thing is all…Can you walk?" asked Fluttershy, concern clear in her voice as she looked over the unicorn worriedly.
Trixie nodded slowly, wiping the fear induced tears on her face away. "Yes, Trixie can…We should continue, those fillies might be in danger…" she said, walking on, side by side with the timid little pegasus, trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened.
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"Alright, we're almost there," said Scootaloo, leading the way forwards down a dirt path.
"Wait!" called Sweetie Belle, recognizing the path. "If we go that way, we go right past Zecora's hut!"
"So?
"So she'll see us!"
Applebloom gasped in realization. "Yeah, and then she'll tell the other grownups and we'll get in big trouble!"
Scootaloo stopped and rubbed her head. "Yeah, I hadn't thought about that…" she muttered, looking around and seeing a second path heading through the forest. "This looks like it leads the same way; we just cut through here and come out up there around Zecora's."
"Sounds good to me," said Sweetie Belle, giving a nod.
Applebloom looked down the path, something in her telling her it was a bad idea. She then gave a gasp as the location of this path clicked in her mind. "Oh no, we ain't goin' that way, trust me," she stated, suddenly seeming scared. "Ah've been that way, it's WAY too dangerous."
Scootaloo blinked, about to say something, but relenting when she saw Applebloom was dead serious and seemed a bit afraid. "Alright….So then how do we get past Zecora's place?"
"Well…let's just cut through the woods over there, it shouldn't be that far from the path, right?" asked Sweetie Belle, getting nods from the others before leading the way.
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Fluttershy and Trixie continued along as fast as they were able, Trixie not sure how to feel right now. "Fluttershy…All Trixie's life, she's believed caring for others made one weak, it's how she was raised…Now that she's seen what you and the others have done, despite how caring you all are…Trixie doesn't know what to believe…" she stated, confusion clear in her tone, along with a little pain.
Fluttershy gave a small gasp, but looked to her kindly. "Um…I'm not the philosophical one, but…I know if I didn't care for other ponies nearly as much as I do, then I'd never have been able to save my friends from that dragon, or the girls, and you, from the Cockatrice…That's something I know, not just something I believe…"
Trixie gasped, listening to the soft, soothing voice of the tenderhearted pony walking along, unsure of how to react to what she was being told. But the more she listened, the more she saw, the more she thought…the more Fluttershy seemed right, no matter how much Trixie's own mind tried to support the contrary…
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Trixie and Fluttershy galloped up to the area were the Cutie Mark Crusaders had headed into the forest, following the three little sets of hoof prints, which were fresher now than before, meaning they were catching up. "This isn't good; they left the path…" said Fluttershy softly, worry clear in her face. "They could get lost or worse, run into something that lives out here!"
Trixie nodded, finding worry that surprised even her slipping into her mind. "Trixie understands…In that case, we'd best move quickly," she said, starting into the forest with Fluttershy before she realized something. "But what if we get lost following them?"
Fluttershy gave it some thought. "Sorry, I hadn't thought of that…"
Trixie scratched her head, thinking. 'Come on, Trixie, you're a traveling pony, this should be easy to figure out…' she thought, looking around.
"We could mark the trail…but I didn't bring anything we could use…" muttered Fluttershy, looking concerned.
Trixie gave it some thought, and then it hit her. Trixie's horn glowed as she manifested some brightly colored confetti and floated it in the air. "We'll leave a trail of this."
"But isn't that littering?"
"It's magically generated, that means that Trixie can decide how long the spell lasts. When the spell ends, the confetti vanishes," explained Trixie. "Surely you've seen Twilight do something similar."
Fluttershy nodded. "The spell she used to make our coach and the horses to pull it for the Gala only lasted till midnight…though the horses didn't work out so well, she used mice and they were…well…"
"Trixie understands," said Trixie, shuddering at how that probably ended. "Now let's hurry, shall we?" she asked, sticking some on a tree branch so it wouldn't blow away. "10 hours should do," she said, the two galloping along, Trixie telekinetically placing the confetti in trees were it was plainly visible to them as they ran.
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"Scootaloo, we're lost," said Sweetie Belle.
"What makes you say that?"
"Well for starters, we're in a cave," said Sweetie Belle, the trio standing in the middle of dark cave.
"How did we even get in here?" asked Applebloom, looking rather perplexed.
"…Well…we wouldn't have gotten lost if you hadn't brought up Zecora's!" retorted Scootaloo, glaring at her and vice versa.
"Well we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place if you hadn't decided to lead us into the Everfree Forest!" yelled back Sweetie Belle.
"Girls, let's settle down," said Applebloom, trying to separate the two.
"Oh, and you're innocent? If you hadn't decided to lead us off course!" yelled Scootaloo, snarling at Applebloom.
"If Ah hadn't we'd be in big trouble!" Applebloom yelled back. "Besides, we wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for your dumb campin' spot!"
"Yeah!" shouted Sweetie Belle, before her ears twitched. "Hey, wait…" she said before Scootaloo could retort, hearing something that sounded like heavy breathing. "Do you guys hear something?"
The other two stopped and looked around them, hearing it as well. "Yeah…It's kind of creepy…" said Scootaloo, a chill going down her spine.
Applebloom nodded, looking around fearfully. "It sounds like breathin'…" she said, getting frightened. She then felt something wet land on her head. "Uh gals, I think somethin' just landed on my head…"
The trio gulped, then looked up at the ceiling and into the blank eyes of a large bat-like creature which lit up white as it spread its massive wingspread with a loud screech.
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Trixie galloped along with Fluttershy, adrenaline pumping. Part of her was downright furious at those three for dragging her through all this. Not only where they in the heart of a forest of death, she'd nearly been turned into stone! It was just too much to put somepony through…
"Help! Somepony! Anypony!" screamed three young voices, screeches cutting through the air.
And somehow, she forgot all of that hearing them scream, something that made her blood run cold. Without hesitation, she sped up.
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The girls ran out of the cave, the creature flying low after them. It was a massive vampire bat-like beast with pal grey fur, but giving off a white light all around it. Its eyes were blank, grey, and it had a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.
"What is that?!" yelled Sweetie Belle, screaming as they jumped out of the way of a dive from creature.
"Ah don't know! But let's just get away from the darn thing before it eats us!" yelled Applebloom, ducking as the creature dove overhead, barely missing her with its talons as it flew back up with a vicious screech. "That was too close!"
Scootaloo nodded, giving a scream as the trio hit the dirt, the wind from the creature's passing blowing through their manes. They quickly resumed their run, the creature's shining form circling them as it screeched, like a banshee hunting its prey.
Sweetie suddenly tripped and fell, looking back to find her hind hooves caught in a tangle of vines laying on the ground. "Scootaloo! Applebloom! Help!" she screamed, trying to untangle herself.
"Sweetie Belle!" the other two screamed, instantly racing back and trying in vain to free the white unicorn filly.
The monster sensed its chance, giving screech as it dove at them, teeth gleaming in its own light. The trio screamed and covered up…only for a fireworks style explosion to go off between them and the flying monster. The creature screamed and flew back, seemingly disorientated by the explosion.
"Huh?" asked Scootaloo as Trixie dashed between them and the beast.
"T-Trixie?!" all three Crusaders asked at once.
Fluttershy ran up, to her surprise having been left in the dust by Trixie. "Are you girls alright?" she asked, worry clear in her voice.
"F-Fluttershy?!" asked Applebloom. "What are you doing here?"
"Trixie came to make sure you were safe, she picked me up on the way," the pegasus explained, trying to free Sweetie's hooves.
Scootaloo looked up at Trixie, who was standing between them and the monster, not taking her eyes off of it. She didn't look scared at all. "You…you came to save us?" "Mainly Sweetie Belle, but yes," said Trixie, horn lighting up. Sweetie Belle had stood up for her and seemed to like her, that meant something to Trixie...But she wouldn't say the other two meant nothing to her. "Besides, if anything happened to you, your families would never forgive Trixie!…And Trixie would probably never forgive herself," she muttered, a blue smoke beginning to form around them. "Now quiet…" she whispered, the smoke hiding them from sight.
Fluttershy gasped. "But Trixie! That won-"
As Fluttershy said that, the monster dove through the smoke and Trixie narrowly evaded its gapping maw, being knocked to the ground by its wing. "That didn't work?" she asked, surprised it was able to find them in the magically generated smoke.
"It's a Ropen!" stated Fluttershy as she continued to try and free Sweetie.
"A Ropen?" asked Trixie, blinking, seeing the monster coming at them again and setting off another explosion of magical fireworks, driving it back once more.
"They're huge bat-like creatures that hunt by sound!" replied Fluttershy, urgency clear in her voice. "It's blind, but can see with echolocation! The light is just to lure prey closer in the dark, like an angler fish!"
Trixie gave a nod, seeing it come at them again and jumped back to avoid a bite, giving her enough time to set off another fireworks explosion and force it back, realizing it was the sound of the explosions that worked. 'If it can't see, that means "the Stare" won't work on it either. At least loud noise works. Looks like my first show still has some value to me after all these years after all.'
"Trixie is getting tired, Fluttershy!" Trixie called back, summoning another explosion as it dove at them to keep it at bay. "She can't keep this up forever!"
"Almost done!" called back Fluttershy, working furiously, the Crusaders helping her as well..
Trixie set off another firework blast to drive it back again, panting heavily. The Ropen was relentless, it just wouldn't quit and she was beginning to lose strength. 'Think Trixie! It sees with sound, but the fireworks aren't enough to drive it off! You need to do something to keep it occupied so we can get her hooves free!' Trixie took the opportunity to look around quickly, seeing the vines laying around. She gave a gasp of realization.
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The rope slithered up like a snake under Trixie's control, Applejack watching its movements in confusion as the other end rose up, wrapping around an apple in a tree. The other end lassoed the mare's legs and hoisted her into the air, the rest of the rope stuffing a red apple in her mouth.
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"Well, it's worth a shot I suppose…" muttered Trixie, horn lighting up as she caused a long vine to slither up like a snake, moving back and forth in place like a cobra following a flute. Trixie made it hit leaves to make more noise, attracting the Ropen's attention. Giving a screech, it dove for what it presumed was easier prey. The vine snaked around as the Ropen tried to bite it, the other end snaking up and suddenly wrapping around the creature from behind, ensnaring its wings and talons, sending it crashing to the ground with a screech. As it struggled, the remaining end of the vine wrapped around its jaws, clamping them shut.
Trixie rushed over and began helping Fluttershy at freeing Sweetie Belle as the monster struggled in its bindings. "Hurry! That won't hold it for long!" she pleaded, the Crusaders helping as well.
"Wow! Where'd yah learn to do that?" asked Applebloom as they tried to free their friend.
"Actually, that was how Trixie…humiliated your sister," said Trixie with a nervous tone. "The irony does not escape Trixie! Hurry up!" she pleaded as the Ropen began breaking the vine entangling it.
"Got it!" yelled Fluttershy, Sweetie Belle's hooves coming free at last as the Ropen's bonds snapped and it tore off the vine around its mouth, giving a screech and diving at the group, slamming into Trixie and knocking her off her feet.
Trixie panted and struggled to her feet, seeing it come back, aiming at the girls. She growled and jumped in the way. "Beast, you shall not harm these girls! So says the Great and Powerful Trixie!" she announced, horn lighting up as she waited for it to get close. She reared up on her hind legs and brought them down as it dove, setting off as big of an explosion of fireworks and smoke as she could, the Ropen screaming out in pain as it was blinded from all the sound.
It flew through the smoke, the group having vanished. Still blinded, the creature's echolocation didn't return to normal until it was too late. It gave a screech and slammed full on into a tree. It gave a groan as it slid down the tree and fell unconscious to the ground with a thud.
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Trixie panted heavily, her lungs felt like they were on fire. They'd practically ran top speed all the way back from the cave, following the trail of confetti, only stopping once they'd returned to the trail. "Do you girls…have any…any idea what you…what you put Trixie through today?" she asked, rather sternly, sweating heavily and barely able to breathe. She couldn't remember being this tired before.
"Trixie's right, if she hadn't heard you saying where you were going, you could've been hurt or worse," said a worried Fluttershy, somewhat stern as well.
The three fillies nodded slightly, looking down, Applebloom and Scootaloo seeming more ashamed than Sweetie Belle. "We're sorry…" they all three said at once.
Trixie sighed, finding herself unable to stay mad at fillies. "…Well at least you're all alright…Trixie supposes that's what's most important…"
Applebloom looked up at her, feeling just plain rotten. "…And Ah reckon we owe yah an apology for treatin' yah like dirt before…" she said, then heard Sweetie Belle clear her throat. "Well…Most of us…" she said, Scootaloo nodding slowly.
Trixie gave a small smile, looking gratefully to all of them, but especially Sweetie Belle. "It's alright…Trixie forgives you…Trixie would not have learned a valuable lesson today if you hadn't…Trixie is just glad you're safe…"
Scootaloo nodded, then filly excitability kicked in. "But you were awesome back there! With all the explosions and vines! You kicked that thing's tail!"
"Yeah, it was so cool!" added Sweetie Belle, looking up to Trixie with a big smile.
"And that big explosion at the end that let us get away! You were like a ninja or somethin'!" continued Applebloom, sharing her friends' excitement. "You're a great magician! Think yah could teach us stuff like that?"
Scootaloo nodded rapidly. "Yeah! Maybe we could earn a magic Cutie Mark!"
Trixie found herself blushing slightly at the genuine praise. "Well…only one of you is a unicorn, but Trixie does know some stage tricks anypony can do…" she stated, before her adrenaline rush finally ended and their words just caught up with her, as well as her fatigue. She gasped in surprise. "I…I saved them from…the Ropen…" she said, realizing just what she'd done. "I just went into a forest of death, nearly got turned to stone by a Cockatrice, and fought and defeated a Ropen all to save three fillies I only met today…" she stated, eyes wide as it hit her. Especially the fact she hadn't felt afraid of the Ropen at all while fighting it to protect them.
"Yeah! And it was awesome!" exclaimed the Cutie Mark Crusaders together.
"…T-Trixie needs to lie down now…" said Trixie as her eyes rolled back and she fainted in an overly dramatic fashion.
"Hey, she faints just like Rarity!" announced Sweetie Belle, rather cheerfully as they gathered around the mare to help her recover.
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"Ah keep tellin' yah, Rarity, Ah ain't got no accent!" yelled Applejack as the two walked back towards Rarity's boutique.
Rarity sighed. "Applejack, everypony has an accent, even me. I'm just saying, we might want to make you sound a tad more refined to fit in at the fair is all. I'm not insulting you, I'm just saying it'd help make you look more professional."
Applejack sighed. "Fine. But Ah don't need no lessons," she said, thinking hard and trying to remember her time in Manehatten. "I picked this up in Manehatten, is it good enough for the fair?" she asked, in a near perfect Manehatten accent.
Rarity's jaw dropped. "You…You can talk like that?" she asked, a dumbfounded look on her face.
"Yes, when I was staying with my Aunt and Uncle Orange in Manehatten as a filly, they arranged for me learn how to speak like a 'proper' Manehatten pony, at least as far as they saw it," continued Applejack, still keeping up the Manehatten accent. She shook her head. "But dang, Ah don't like doin' it, it don't even sound a thing like me."
Rarity smiled, though still clearly shaken by it. "I agree, Applejack, but it'll probably help at the fair," she said, then blinked, hearing the sounds of three cheering fillies.
"That's very good, girls, Trixie approves," said Trixie's voice.
"What's going on?" asked Rarity, leading the way over to where Trixie and Fluttershy watched the Cutie Mark Crusaders each standing by a top hat, dressed like magicians. Rarity looked to Trixie.
"Oh, hello Rarity, Applejack, Trixie is just teaching the girls a little stage magic. We…spent some time together today and they decided they wanted to be Cutie Mark Crusader Magicians," replied Trixie, keeping her mouth shut about the Ropen and Everfree. Not only did she not want her new fans to get in trouble, but she figured there was absolutely no way Rarity and Applejack would believe her. She hardly believed her!
Trixie looked back to the girls. "Alright, girls, show them what Trixie taught you."
"Alright, here we go! Watch this sis!" said Applebloom, reaching into her top hat and pulling out an apple in her mouth. Applejack smiled and applauded her baby sister.
"I'm next! Watch, Rarity!" yelled Sweetie Belle, reaching into hers and pulling out a rabbit, Angel to be exact. The bunny gave Fluttershy a rather annoyed look with his front legs crossed as Rarity clapped.
"Sorry, Angel..." said Fluttershy in a sheepish tone. "But it makes the girls happy."
Angel sighed and looked at Sweetie Belle's smiling face. He sighed and gave a small smile.
"Alright, my turn! I wish Rainbow Dash could see this!" called Scootaloo, reaching into her hat and pulling. She had trouble, whatever it was wouldn't budge. "Oh come on!"
"Trixie felt that since she ruined their camping trip, she should do something to make up for it," said Trixie, giving Rarity and Applejack a smile. 'Well, at least if I go on the road when I get back on my hooves, I'll have a REAL story to tell…Strange, all it took to be the hero I've lied about being is to have something I care about enough to protect it.'
"Well that was right nice of yah, Trixie," said Applejack, looking up as the other two Crusaders helped Scootaloo pull. "Ah wonder what's in that hat."
"Tada!" they exclaimed as they finally pulled something out of the hat…Pinkie Pie, she exclaiming the same along with them, causing the watching mares to clop their hooves in praise.
"Hey wait a minute…" said Scootaloo, rubbing her head in confusion. "When did Pinkie Pie get in there?" she asked, the other two joining in with her confusion.
Trixie blinked as that fact hit her. "That's…that's a good question…"
Pinkie Pie simply chuckled.
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"Wow, Trixie, it sounds like you had quite the adventure today," said Twilight, sitting at the table with Trixie for dinner.
Trixie nodded. "Yes, Twilight, quite…" she then gave a sigh. "It's a shame no pony will ever believe Trixie…Trixie hardly believes it!"
Twilight smiled, putting a hoof on Trixie's shoulder. "I do…" she said, getting Trixie to give a small smile.
Trixie gave it something a thought, thinking about the day, how she'd managed to do something she was VERY certain she'd never had if she'd not cared for the wellbeing of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. How strong that had made her. How brave it had made her…And the fact that doing it made her actually felt truly happy for the first time in a months. '…I think grandmother was strong after all…I was just too much of a fool to see it…'
"…Twilight…you said any of your friends who learned a friendship lesson may send a letter to Princess Celestia about it?"
Twilight nodded quickly. "Yes, that was what the Princess said. Any time one of my friends learns something about Friendship, they have Spike take a letter and send it to the Princess."
"Trixie sees…Spike…Could you please take a letter?"
Twilight and Spike both gasped. "Trixie…you actually want to send a friendship report?" asked Twilight, startled. Not an unpleasant startled, mind you, but startled nonetheless.
"Yes, Trixie believes she's learned one," replied Trixie, with a serious ton. "So can she?"
Twilight gave a small smile. "Of course, Trixie."
"Alright, Spike, will you take the letter?"
Spike pulled out a scroll and a quill. "Ready!"
Trixie cleared her throat and gave it serious thought as to what to say. After all, she was a sending a letter to THE Princess Celestia, even if it was based on friendship, she wouldn't be sloppy about it.
"Dear Princess Celestia;
I am a new…friend of your student, Twilight Sparkle, so please excuse me if I do this incorrectly, I am not used to this sort of thing. Today, I learned an important lesson about friendship… All my life, I believed that showing kindness and caring for others made you weak, that nice ponies finish last. But thanks to your student and her friends, I now know that the opposite is true. Not only can a kindhearted pony still be strong and successful, caring for others can actually make a pony stronger, not weaker. I used to tell lies to try to make myself seem better than I really was, but because I cared for the wellbeing of three of your youngest subjects, I was able to be the heroine I always pretended to be, and I didn't have to tell a single lie to be her.
Trixie Mon-" she stated, then stopped when she got to her last name.
"What was that?" asked Spike, blinking as he looked up at the mare.
"Trixie…Midsummer," finished Trixie quickly. "How was that, Twilight?"
Twilight smiled. "Wonderful Trixie, good job," she said, happy to hear Trixie learn such a valuable lesson.
Spike nodded. "Yeah, and you've got a really cool last name. Now all that's left is to send it…" he said, walking over to the window and breathing fire on the letter, sending it on its way.
Twilight looked back to Trixie. "Well it seems like you had a good day."
Trixie nodded with a smile. "Yes, not only did Trixie realize something extremely valuable, she found this lovely blue flower in the woods on the way back," she said, pulling out a multi-petaled blue flower, then noticed both her friends suddenly recoil from it. "What?"