It was a relatively peaceful morning in Ponyville, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. But from a distance, a cloaked figure was observing the town, specifically the Golden Oaks Library. "That's where she lives." the figure thought to itself "Not exactly the most ideal location for a princess, but it'll do." And with that, the figure set off.
Nopony was aware of the cloaked figure's presence, and as Spike headed outside to check the mail, he did not think today would be any different from yesterday. Spike opened the mailbox, took out the letters, closed the mailbox, and went back inside. "Mail's here!" he called.
"Just set them on the table Spike, I'll have a look at them in a minute." Twilight replied, and indeed she did. She searched through the mail as quickly as she could, looking for something that would confirm what she really wanted to know. "Please be a yes, please be a yes, please be a yes..." she said to herself. Then, amongst the letters, Twilight discovered one with a familiar crystal seal. Recognizing who it had come from, Twilight opened the letter and read it without hesitation. When she had finished reading, her eyes lit up and a huge smile formed on her face. "Yes! She can make it, she can make it!" she exclaimed happily.
"Going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing that Princess Cadence said she can come this weekend, right?" Spike guessed.
"I'm finally gonna get to spend some quality time with my sister-in-law!" Twilight said eagerly, her face still sporting that huge smile. "This is the best news ever!"
Just then, there was a knock on the door. When Spike opened it, in walked Fluttershy. Like Twilight, she seemed very excited about something. "Um, so sorry for barging in like this." she apologized.
"Oh, don't be silly Fluttershy, you're not interrupting anything." Twilight said kindly.
"I'm so excited, I just can't wait to tell somepony!" Fluttershy replied, and explained "The Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures have given me permission to observe the rarest, tiniest, most adorable magical creatures in all of Equestria – the Breezies!"
Twilight and Spike were impressed, the Breezies were among the hardest to find creatures in Equestria. Being allowed to observe them was quite an achivement. "Wow, Fluttershy, that's fantastic!" Twilight smiled "I'm so happy for you!"
"Oh, it's not just fantastic; it just might be the best news ever!" Fluttershy said happily.
Just then, Pinkie Pie came barging in. Just like with Fluttershy and Twilight, she seemed excited about something. And it didn't take her long to explain what that something was. "It's a letter from the great Ponyaci himself, that guy was my role model!" she told Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike, all the while holding up a flyer depicting the famous circus clown "He's opening up a new school for circus performances in Ponypalooza, that's the town with the rock farm I grew up on! And he's asked me to be his guest of honor at the opening ceremony!"
"That must be quite an honor for you, Pinkie Pie! Congratulations!" Twilight said with a smile.
"Could this day get any better?" Pinkie Pie asked happily.
A few seconds later, there was another knock on the front door. "Who could it be this time?" Spike asked.
"I wasn't expecting company." Twilight replied, but went to open the door anyway. When she did, she was shocked at who had been knocking. Looking back at her was a mare with a familiar light blue coat, with an even lighter blue mane and tail styled into a curl, complete with a light purple wizard hat and matching cape. Twilight recognized in an instant who it was. "Trixie?!" she exclaimed "What are you doing here?!"
"Twilight, as much as it pains Trixie to say this, she needs your help." Trixie replied in a raspy voice. No sooner had those words escaped her lips, when the showmare collapsed onto the ground.
"What is going on here?!" Twilight thought to herself.
Twilight wasted no time, and quickly brought Trixie inside. Whatever was going on, she couldn't just leave Trixie after she had specifically sought out help.
"Is everything alright?" Fluttershy asked.
"I don't know." Twilight replied, as she carefully placed Trixie in the guest bed with her magic. Now that she got a good look at the showmare, Twilight could see that Trixie wasn't herself. Her face seemed pale, almost completely void of color. Her eyes had noticeable bangs underneath them, as if Trixie had not slept well in a long time. When Twilight pressed a hoof to Trixie's forehead, she almost screamed in pain at how hot it was.
"Well, this is certainly turning out to be a day for surprises." Spike commented.
"Just what has Trixie come down with?" Pinkie Pie wondered, before she gasped "What if it's some sort of contagious disease?!" And she quickly disappeared in a pink blur, only to reappear seconds later in a hazmat suit.
"What are you-" Fluttershy began.
"There's no time to explain, just put these on! Whatever Trixie's coming down with, we can't let it spread to us!" Pinkie Pie interrupted, and tossed Fluttershy and Spike a pair of matching hazmat suits.
"I'm pretty sure what Trixie has isn't a disease, Pinkie Pie." Twilight replied.
"How can you be certain?" Spike asked.
"Well, Trixie is displaying all the symptoms of a typical flu." Twilight explained "Her pale face and burning hot forehead certainly indicate such a thing. Although, this particular flu seems to be stronger than most cases. Unfortunately, I won't know for certain that such is the case until I can talk with Trixie."
"Shouldn't we get her to a hospital?" Fluttershy asked.
"No!" Trixie shouted in reply, her voice barely audiable due to how raspy it was. "Trixie doesn't need a hospital."
"I'll be the judge of that." Twilight said serious "Just what in the world have you come down with now, Trixie. Or is it, The Great and Apologetic Trixie?"
"Just Trixie will do." Trixie replied, as Twilight sat by the foot of the guest bed.
"Well then, Trixie, do you mind telling me just what in the wide world of Equestria you've come down with?" Twilight asked "I don't think I've ever seen you so weak before."
"It is a long and boring story, Princess Twilight Sparkle." Trixie said somberly.
"There's no need for such formalities, you can just call me Twilight." Twilight insisted.
"But, I thought only your friends could call you that, or was Trixie mistaken?" Trixie asked.
"Don't you get it yet, Trixie? You and Twilight are friends now." Spike replied.
"Friends? After everything Trixie has tried to do, even calling us acquaintances would be a stretch." Trixie said to Spike, then she turned her attention back to Twilight "To spare you the details, Trixie caught a nasty flu bug from one of her shows in Los Pegasus. All those shows wore her down, and before she knew it, she was starting to feel under the weather."
"And let me guess, rather than just take a sick day or two, you kept on performing." Twilight replied.
"Unfortunately, you are correct." Trixie said, coughing slightly "Trixie felt that she didn't have time to get sick, so she continued to perform. Eventually, Trixie woke up one morning to find that she could barely get out of bed."
"If that's the case, why did you come all the way here to see me?" Twilight asked "If you wanted to come see me, all you had to do was send a letter."
"Trixie believes a written request to see Equestria's newest princess would've have been rejected." Trixie replied weakly "She did not expect to find that said princess still lives in the same old dingy library, even after all this time."
"This library is more of a home to me then any castle!" Twilight said seriously "Besides all that, it's not like a castle would just magically appear overnight. Even if I wanted my own castle, it would take months to build. And why go through all that bother, if I can conduct my royal duties just as effectively from here?"
"Well, one thing is for certain." Trixie said, coughing some more (Twilight was grateful that Trixie had the decency to turn her head when she did so).
"What's that?" Twilight asked.
"Your humbleness still hasn't changed, even with your new title." Trixie explained "If Trixie weren't sick, she is certain she could best you in another magic duel."
"That's what this is all about, isn't it?" Spike asked crossly "You're just using this as an opportunity to catch Twilight off guard with some fake 'illness'. And all so you can settle some old grudge match. After all this time, you're still the same egotistical magician that you were when we first met."
"Leave Trixie alone! Can't you see she's in no mood for your 'lectures'?" Trixie hissed.
"Oh please, you don't really think you're fooling anypony with that routine, do you?" Spike said coldly "Just admit it, this is all another attempt at revenge because your last one worked oh so well."
"Spike, don't you think you're being just a little too mean?" Fluttershy asked.
"You don't know Trixie like I do! She never did anything to you!" Spike snorted "She tried to use me as a basketball!"
"Hey, Trixie said she was sorry!" Trixie replied.
"It's true, she did. I heard it myself." Pinkie Pie nodded.
"Oh believe me, that's the least of the things she did to me that made me mad." Spike said crossly "She messed up my home, just to get to Twilight. And then, when she defeated Twilight, she had the nerve to throw her out of Ponyville like yesterday's news! And all without any regard for the fact that she was seperating me from my mother!"
"Spike, Trixie did all those things under the influence of the Alicorn Amulet." Twilight scolded "She apologized afterwards. You know that she never intended to hurt you!"
"Well she did!" Spike replied.
"Excuse me, Trixie. But I believe my son and I need to have a little talk about his behavior." Twilight said seriously "In the meantime, I'll leave you in the capable hooves of Doctor Fluttershy, and her trusty assistant, Nurse Pinkie Pie." Twilight walked over to where Spike was, and the two of them went into another room to talk in private.
Now, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were alone with Trixie. Fluttershy turned to Pinkie Pie and gave her a wink. "You know what to do Pinkie." she smiled.
"Time to prep for a housecall. I'll go get the bag!" Pinkie Pie replied, and disappeared in a pink blur once again. She returned a few seconds later, with a white medicine bag, with a red cross printed onto either side.
"I swear, I will never understand how she works. How ever do you manage to live with her randomness?" Trixie asked Fluttershy, as Pinkie Pie began to dig through the medicine bag.
"Trust me, in time you get use to it. Before long, nothing phases you. Then again, Pinkie Pie is a lot more tame compared to Discord." Fluttershy replied.
"Alright, I've got the costumes." Pinkie Pie spoke up, and pulled out a doctor outfit. Fluttershy quickly put it on, while Pinkie Pie slipped into a matching nurse outfit. She then raced over to the bathroom sink, and rinsed her hooves "Don't touch me, I'm sterile!" she proclaimed.
"Okay, let's get to work." Fluttershy said, as she dug into the medicine bag and pulled out a thermometer, a stethoscope, and a tongue depressor.
Down in the basement lab, Twilight was clearing a small space for her and Spike to talk. Spike, for his part, said nothing and just stood off to the side in silence.
In just a few seconds, Twilight had finished rearranging things to the point where she was satisfied. Now she could focus on talking with Spike. "Now then, Spike. We need to talk about Trixie." Twilight said seriously, looking Spike in the eyes.
"Why do we need to talk about her?" Spike asked, trying to sneak around the subject.
"Spike, I know that Trixie did a lot of mean things to you in the past." Twilight began.
"So?" Spike asked.
"You and I both know that Trixie did those things under the influence of the Alicorn Amulet. She said she was sorry, and in the end nopony got hurt." Twilight replied.
"That's not the only reason why I'm not thrilled she's staying here." Spike snorted "She thinks she's the greatest thing since sliced bread! You don't know what it's like listening to her constantly boast over and over again about how 'Great and Powerful' she is! I'm sick and tired of it!"
"She's a magician, it's her job to attract a crowd by any means necessary!" Twilight replied.
"Then why does she continue to refer to herself in the third pony even when she's not performing?" Spike asked crossly "She claims that she's changed, but I don't see any signs that she's truly learned her lesson! If you ask me, I don't think she's sorry at all! She is still a great and powerful pain in my scales, and now I'm suppose to put up with her just because she's sick?!"
"Spike, you're certainly not one to judge!" Twilight scolded "Remember the time when you thought Owlowiscious was going to replace you? Or the time when you felt you had to serve Applejack for the rest of your life because of some 'code'? And what about that time you let your greed get the best of you, and you very nearly destroyed all of Ponyville?"
"You said you wouldn't bring that up!" Spike shouted.
"I know it hurts to be reminded of your past mistakes, but now you know how Trixie must feel." Twilight explained "You think you're the only one who hurt by Trixie's behavior while the Alicorn Amulet was influncing her? How do you think I felt, being seperated from my number one assistant and only son? Do you think I wasn't worried at all what Trixie might do to you?"
"I... guess the thought of that never crossed my mind." Spike considered.
"But I forgave Trixie, because deep down I could sense that she was sorry for what she had said and done." Twilight replied "Let that sink in for a moment. After everything Trixie had done, I had every right to be mad with her. But I forgave her, and gave her a second chance. If there's one thing I've tried my hardest to teach you, my son, it's that you should never let your anger control you. Sometimes, you need to stop and think, before you do something you'll regret later."
"So, you're saying I should just forgive Trixie?" Spike asked.
"You don't have to forgive her if you really don't want to." Twilight explained "It takes a lot to forgive somepony when they've done things to hurt you, even if they weren't intentional. But the least you could do is let go of your hatred towards her, and try to see her for what she is now. Anyone is capable of change if given the chance, Discord himself is a living testament to that."
"I don't know if I will ever be able to completely forgive her." Spike began.
"Like I said, you don't have to forgive her if you really don't want to. There are times when forgiveness isn't possible, but that still doesn't mean you should hold onto your hatred." Twilight explained "That being said, forgiving does not mean forgetting. You can forgive somepony for what they've done, but you won't always forget what they did in the past. The important thing is, to not let what happened in the past, taint the possibilites of the future. Do you get what I'm saying?"
Spike said nothing for a moment, he just stood there in silence. Pondering what his mother had just told him. All this time, he'd been focusing solely on the Trixie that use to be, not the Trixie that was now here. Like it or not, Trixie was just as much his guest as Twilight's, and the least he could do was ease off on her for the time being. "I guess, I could at least try to show Trixie some compassion, for now." he said at last.
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm sure Trixie will be happy to hear that." she replied.
"But that doesn't mean I'm going to just let my guard down, and you shouldn't either." Spike continued "You have to at least consider the possibility, that Trixie could be faking her illness. And if she tries to do anything to hurt you or me, I'll make sure she regrets it in an instant."
"I've been considering that possibility since Trixie showed up at my doorstep." Twilight told Spike.
"Well then, as long as Trixie truly has turned over a new leaf, I'm willing to give her a second chance." Spike said seriously "But I just don't have it in my heart to forgive her, just yet. Perhaps, in time, that will change as well."
"If there's ever anything troubling you, you can come talk to me Spike." Twilight said, embracing him in a hug "I'm very proud of you for letting go of the past. Now, I think we'd better check and see how our little 'patient' is doing."
"Okay Nurse Pinkie, can you please hoof me the thermometer?" Fluttershy asked, holding her hoof out.
"No sooner said than done, Doctor Fluttershy." Pinkie Pie replied, and hoofed the thermometer to Fluttershy, who proceeded to place it into Trixie's mouth.
"How's everything coming along?" Twilight asked, as she and Spike came to check up on Trixie.
"Pretty good so far." Fluttershy said with a smile.
"If Trixie keeps this up, she's going to get a nice, tasty lollipop when everything is said and done." Pinkie Pie added.
"Well, that's just fantastic." Twilight said happily, and turned to Trixie "Feeling any better yet?"
"Not really." Trixie replied, her voice still raspy. Then, all of a sudden, she sneezed, and the thermometer shot out of her mouth like a rocket.
Reacting quickly, Twilight caught the thermometer with her magic, seconds before it would've hit the ground and shattered into pieces. "Goodness, what a sneeze." Twilight commented, as she carefully cleaned the themometer, before giving it back to Fluttershy.
"Okay Trixie, we're almost done. There's just one little teensy weensy thing left to do." Pinkie Pie told Trixie.
"You're not going to give Trixie a shot, are you?" Trixie asked.
"Of course not, silly. Nopony likes getting shots." Pinkie Pie replied.
Trixie sighed with relief "That's good. The last thing The Great and Apologetic Trixie needs right now is a shot to her rump." she said honestly. But she was still surprised when Fluttershy pulled out a bottle of some kind, along with a spoon.
"I know what you're thinking." Fluttershy said, when she looked at Trixie "You're thinking 'Just what is that stuff?'."
"It's like you read Trixie's mind." Trixie replied weakly, coughing some more.
"It's medicine that will help to bring down your fever." Fluttershy explained, as she unscrewed the lid on the bottle, and poured a drop of the medicine onto the spoon.
Trixie took one look at the medicine, and immediately gagged. The brownish green color of the medicine did not look very appealing at all, more than likely it would taste awful. "There is no way Trixie's taking that stuff." Trixie protested.
"You'll never get better if you don't take your medicine." Fluttershy told Trixie.
Trixie shook her head "Trixe is not taking that stuff, and you can't make her." she said, and turned her head away.
"Oh come on, there's no need to be such a big baby." Spike said to Trixie "Is The Great and Apologetic Trixie afraid of a little fever medicine?"
"Trixie is not afraid!" Trixie replied.
"Then what's the big deal?" Spike asked "What's so wrong with a little medicine?"
"It's going to taste really bad, that's what's wrong with it." Trixie explained.
"And how would you know, you haven't actually had any, yet." Spike said seriously.
"Trixie is not taking bad tasting medicine, and nothing you say or do is going to make her change her mind." Trixie huffed, and turned her head away once again.
"Ah, what a shame. And here I thought you always considered yourself Great and Powerful." Spike teased "Guess I thought wrong."
"Spike, what are you doing?" Twilight asked crossly.
"Just using the same old technique you used on me when you use to give me medicine." Spike whispered in reply, and went on teasing Trixie "You can't really call yourself Great and Powerful if you're afraid of a little medicine. So who cares if tastes awful? Do you really want to continue to feel weak and helpless all the time?"
"Trixie may be many things, but she is NOT weak! Trixie is not afraid of anything!" Trixie shouted.
"Then prove it! Take that medicine if you're really not afraid!" Spike urged.
"Trixie shall do so, if for no other reason than to shut you up!" Trixie said angrily, and turned to Fluttershy "Just hurry and give that stuff to Trixie, so she can show that dragon over there a thing or two about calling Trixie weak!"
"Told you it would work." Spike whispered to Twilight.
"Okay then Trixie, open your mouth and say 'aah'." Fluttershy instructed, as she moved the spoon with the medicine closer to Trixie.
Trixie reluctantly obeyed. "Aah" she said, opening her mouth as wide as she could. As it turned out, the medicine didn't taste as bad as Trixie had thought it would. But it still had quite an overwhelming taste to it, and Trixie began to cough up a storm.
"See? Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Spike asked Trixie.
Trixie could only nod her head in reply.
"Are you alright, Trixie?" Twilight asked.
"Trixie... has felt better." Trixie responded, her voice as raspy as ever. "Could you maybe bring Trixie a glass of water to wash out the taste? And a few hankerchiefs while you're at it?"
"I'll get the hankerchiefs." Spike volunteered, and raced away, much to the surprise of both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Twilight could only smile, as she went to fetch a glass of water for Trixie. "I think Spike's really starting to patch things up with Trixie." she thought to herself.
The next two days passed relatively uneventfully. Twilight, with help from Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike, continued to nurse Trixie back to health as best she could. She was hoping to have Trixie better before the weekend, but as that deadline drew closer and closer, Twilight realized that it would take at least a little longer for Trixie's illness to go away.
As much as she hated to do so, Twilight realized she would have to reschedule her bonding time with Cadence. A sick friend took priority over a visit from her sister-in-law. Reluctantly, Twilight wrote Princess Cadence a letter explanining the situation as best she could, and it went something like this:
Dear Princess Cadence,
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid I will have to take a rain check on our bonding time together this weekend.
A friend showed up at my doorstep a few days ago, and she was suffering from a particulary nasty flu. She has improved a little, but I believe she will need at least the weekend before she can fully recover.
Since I don't want to seem like an inconsiderate friend, and because I don't want you to catch Trixie's illness, I will be unable to spend time with you. It a shame though, because I was really looking forward to your visit.
Your sister-in-law,
Twilight Sparkle
Twilight was quite surprised when she recieved a reply about a day later, from Princess Cadence herself. The reply read as follows:
Dear Twilight,
Unfortunately, it seems that Shining Armor has already made arrangements for my trip to Ponyville, and it is too late to cancel them.
I am certain, however, that we can still spend a little time together. Just not as much time as we had originally planned.
Look out for me at the train station at the designated time. I have a feeling that you'll be surprised at the sort of accommodations that the crystal princess receives.
Your sister-in-law,
Princess Cadence
P.S. We're both royalty now, so you do not need to always address me as Princess Cadence. Cadence will be fine enough.
"Well, this is certainly unexpected." Twilight said when she had finished reading the letter. She sighed, as she considered her options. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were going away on the very day that Cadence would be arriving. And even if Spike had started to warm up to Trixie a little, she certainly couldn't just leave him to look after Trixie. She would have to make other arrangements, and so she set out to talk to Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. "I just hope they don't have somewhere else they need to be this weekend." she thought to herself.
The day of Cadence's visit arrived, and although Trixie was much better off than she was at the start of the week, Twilight wasn't convinced Trixie was well enough to leave just yet. Her concerns were proved true when Trixie's temperature was still higher than usual. "Another day of bed rest and medicine should do the trick." she said to Trixie "I'll be away for a few hours, visiting with somepony very important. The rest of my friends should stop by to check up on you."
"Go ahead and enjoy yourself, Twilight Sparkle." Trixie replied. Her voice wasn't as raspy as it had been, but it still wasn't quite back to normal just yet. "Trixie won't be going anywhere."
"See that you don't." Twilight said seriously, and she and Spike headed to the train station to see Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie off.
Fluttershy's train was to leave first, bound for Western Equestria. Pinkie Pie's train was scheduled to leave soon afterward on a non-stop trip to Ponypalooza. And not long after both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie's trains had left, Princess Cadence was slated to arrive on her own private train.
Twilight, Spike, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, had all gathered at the train station to say goodbye to their friends. It would certainly feel odd to have two of their friends away on trips for a couple of days.
"It can get pretty cold sometimes out in Western Equestria." Rarity said to Fluttershy, and levitated a small sheet over to the pegasus with her magic "So here's a wrap, in case you need it."
"And I packed both you and Pinkie Pie a basket of nice fresh apples in case either of you get hungry." Applejack added.
"Have a great time!" Twilight called "Make sure you and Pinkie Pie send us a postcard when you get to your destinations."
"I will, and I'm sure Pinkie Pie will do so as well." Fluttershy replied "I hope you have fun with Cadence."
Just then, the train's whistle blew. This was the signal that it was ready for departure, and all passengers were to board at once if they did not wish to be left behind. "All aboard!" the conductor shouted, as Fluttershy stepped onto the train. A few second later, the doors closed, the train blew its whistle again, and with a chuff of steam it departed the station. Everypony on the platform waved at Fluttershy.
"Goodbye! Goodbye, everypony! See you in a few days!" Fluttershy called, waving back from the rear of the train. And she continued to wave until she was out of sight.
With the train bond for Western Equestria having left, the train bound for Ponypalooza emerged from the siding it had been diverted onto and puffed into the station, announcing its presence with a puff of steam from the smokestack.
"All aboard!" the conductor shouted, as the coach doors were opened and the passengers made their way onto the train.
"Well girls, looks like I'd better get going. Ponyaci will be expecting me." Pinkie Pie said to her friends, and stepped aboard.
"If you see your parents while you're in Ponypaloooza, tell them we said hi." Twilight called.
"Will do!" Pinkie Pie replied. A few moments later, when the points had been properly set, the train bound for Ponypalooza departed. Like with Fluttershy, everypony on the platform waved at Pinkie Pie, and Pinkie Pie waved back until the train disappeared into the distance.
"Now girls, are you absolutely sure you know what to do?" Twilight asked her remaining friends.
"Now, now, don't you worry about a thing!" Rarity said in reply.
"We got the message." Rainbow Dash added.
"If Trixie wasn't any trouble for you, Fluttershy, or Pinkie Pie, I doubt she'll be any trouble for us." Applejack finished "We'll take good care of her. In the meantime, you go ahead and have a hootenanny with your kinfolk."
"It's just, I'm a bit nervous about Cadence's visit. That's all." Twilight admitted.
"What could you be nervous about, Twilight? Cadence just loves ya to pieces, and you know it!" Applejack replied.
"I know, but I really want her visit to go along without a hitch for once!" Twilight went on "First it was changelings, then it was some evil tyrant out for revenge, and then there was the whole games inspector fiasco."
"The fate of Equestria has hung in the balance during most of your visits with her." Rarity acknowledged "Though, they all worked out for the best in the end."
"That may be so, but my point still stands. Cadence and I haven't really had a chance to just enjoy hanging out again, like we use to do." Twilight explained "Which is why it's so important that this visit just be about the two of us having some real quality time together. It's not like that's too much to ask for or anything, right?"
"So, what exactly's your plan for makin' sure it goes that way?" Applejack asked.
"Knowing Twilight, it's probably some sort of exhibit that she finds fascinating." Rainbow Dash replied "And something tells me it's not a Daring Do convention."
"It's a one day only exhibit, right here in Ponyville." Twilight explained, and pointed to a poster showing a white unicorn stallion with a long white beard, and a pointy blue wizard hat, with a series of bells hanging from it. The stallion depicted seemed to give off a vibe of wisdom and power, as well as some degree of enigma.
"If my eyes don't decieve me, I've seen that image before." Rarity commented.
"It's an advertisment for the Star Swirl the Bearded Traveling Museum!" Twilight told Rarity "The timing couldn't be more perfect!"
"Sounds to me like a perfect drama-free way to spend the day with Cadence." Rarity replied.
"Not counting the drama surrounding which one of the bells from his cloak they've chosen to put on display." Twilight said, before pointing to the bell on the lower left corner of the poster "Spoiler alert: it's this one!"
"Well, thanks for telling us about it!" Rainbow Dash replied sarcastically.
"Sorry, I kind of thought that was common knowledge at this point." Twilight apologized.
"Just don't try to pull that sort thing on me with the next Daring Do book! I'd rather not have a major event in the story spoiled, thank you very much." Rainbow Dash said seriously.
A second later, in the distance there come an unfamiliar whistling sound. It still sounded like a train whistle, but it was unlike any sort of train whistle that anypony had ever heard before. Everypony on the platform looked back along the line, and what they saw fascinated them to no end.
"I don't believe what I'm seeing!" Spike exclaimed, as he and everyone else saw a streamlined steam locomotive shrouded in crystals pulling a series of highly stylized coaches. It pulled into the station, and halted with some very loud screeches from the brakes. Then, with much fanfare, a red carpet was rolled out, as Princess Cadence emerged from her private car accompanied by two crystal guards.
Both Princess Cadence and Twilight bowed to greet each other. "Your Highness." Princess Cadence greeted.
"Your highness." Twilight replied, before she and Cadence giggled, and did their secret hoofshake. "Sunshine, sunshine, lady bugs awake. Clap your hooves, and do a little shake."
"It's good to see you again Cadence, I can't wait to spend time with you." Twilight said happily
"Knowing you, you've already made some plans." Cadence said to Twilight, as the crystal train left the station platform and pulled into a siding to clear the line for other trains.
"Boy, have I. Hang on just one second, there's something I need to arrange." Twilight told Cadence, and turned to Spike. "Spike, you know how to get in touch with me, right?' she asked him.
Spike nodded "Of course." he told Twilight.
"Good, then you go with the girls and keep an eye on Trixie for me." Twilight instructed "If anything happens, let me know."
"Are you sure about that Twilight? I think Rarity and the others can manage just fine on their own." Spike replied.
"I'm sure they can as well, but it never hurts to have a plan in place should any sort of emergencies pop up." Twilight explained "If I have to cut my time with Cadence short to come help, she'll understand."
"Well, alright. If you're needed back at the library, you'll know in an instant." Spike said seriously "I won't let you down, Mom."
"I knew I could count on you, my son." Twilight said kindly, and sent him to meet up with Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, who were on their way to the Golden Oaks Library to check up on Trixie. Twilight smiled. "Hopefully, everything will be okay." she thought to herself, as she and Cadence headed for the Ponyville market square, where the traveling museum had been set up.
The Star Swirl the Bearded Traveling Museum was a fine exhibit, and both Twilight and Cadence enjoyed themselves enormously. Cadence was every bit a Star Swirl fan as Twilight, and the two of them enjoyed exchanging information about him that they thought the other wouldn't know.
"A whole day just to celebrate Star Swirl the Bearded. What could be better?" Twilight asked, as she and Cadence moved from one display to the next. Twilight was dressed up in her Star Swirl the Bearded costume she'd saved from Nightmare Night. It had needed some adjustments to accommodate her wings, but it still fit surprisingly well.
"Absolutely nothing." Cadence replied "I'm glad that despite our roles in Equestria, we can still spend time together."
"I'm glad too." Twilight said happily.
Just then, Cadence spotted a display that really caught her eye. "Is that the candlestick he used to light the way when he was exploring the caverns of Maretania?" she gasped, and raced over to get a good look at it.
"It sure is!" Twilight said eagerly. At first glance the candlestick didn't seem very special, it just looked like any other candlestick. But if one looked closely enough, they would see that the candlestick had a slightly burned out look to it, as if it had been used quite heavily.
"Oh, I can't believe I'm getting to see it in real life!" Cadence exclaimed "Life in the Crystal Empire has been great, but sometimes it's nice to be able get away from the stress that comes with being the head of an entire empire."
"No kidding. It's not easy being in charge of a country." Twilight replied.
"Shining Armor feels the same way." Cadence added "On some evenings, we're so tired that we don't even have time to stay up and say goodnight to one another."
"I never knew it was that exhausting." Twilight commented.
"Well, it is. That's why Shining Armor was so insistent I take this weekend off and just spend time with you." Cadence told Twilight "I'm sure Shining Armor would've loved to come and see you as well."
"Well, somepony's got to make sure everything in the Crystal Empire keeps running smoothly." Twilight replied "Maybe you could bring him home a souvenir. You know, as a sort of 'Thank you' present."
"Great idea Twilight!" Cadence said happily, and pointed to a small tent not far from the current display. "That looks like the gift shop, why don't we take a look and see what they're selling." And they did, Cadence eventually settled on a bell similar to the one that been chosen for the traveling museum. It was said that the soothing sound it gave off, was a great stress reliever.
Since Cadence was staying for the weekend, Twilight had to make arrangements to accommodate her guest. Rather than boot Trixie out of the guest bed, Twilight (with some convincing) managed to get Rarity to part with her fainting couch.
"It certainly doesn't compare to what you're probably use to sleeping on, but it should be comfortable enough for a good night's rest." Twilight told Cadence "Even if I had Trixie leave the guest bed, I'd still have to wash the sheets so you don't catch whatever she came down with."
"I don't mind at all, Twilight." Cadence replied, as she climbed onto the couch "See you in the morning." And she let out a massive yawn.
"See you in the morning as well, Cadence." Twilight called, and headed upstairs. After checking on Trixie (and seeing that she was fast asleep), Twilight climbed into her bed and went to sleep.
Next morning, Twilight was surprised to see Trixie up and about. She seemed much better, almost as if her illness had never happened.
"Well, it looks like somepony's back to full strength." Twilight commented.
"Indeed. Trixie is well rested, refreshed, and ready to take on all of Equestria." Trixie replied eagerly.
Spike just simply shrugged "I guess some things never change."
Trixie ignored Spike, and turned to Twilight "Trixie thanks you for your hospitality, Twilight Sparkle." she said kindly.
"Don't mention it. As the old saying goes 'A friend in need is a friend indeed'." Twilight replied.
"But, now that The Great and Apologetic Trixie is back to full strength, she believes the time has come for us to settle the score once and all." Trixie went on.
"What?!" Twilight gasped.
"You heard Trixie, it's time the two of us had another magic duel! Don't think you'll beat Trixie just because you're an alicorn." Trixie said seriously.
"You're crazy! You can't beat me Trixie, or did you forget what happened last time?" Twilight asked.
"Our last duel did not count, because Trixie was using that amulet to boost her power. This time, it will be an honorable duel." Trixie explained "My magical power against yours."
"Will you not listen to reason?" Spike asked crossly "Twilight will wipe the floor with you in ten seconds, and that's if you're lucky."
"Trixie has been practicing." Trixie boasted "She is certain that she will be more than a match for Twilight Sparkle. Or is the so called 'Princess of Friendship' afraid of a little competition?"
"Hardly." Twilight replied "If you really think you stand a chance, then I'll take your challenge. Does this mean we can settle this so called 'rivalry' once and for all?"
"Of course." Trixie nodded "After today, we'll know for sure which of us is better."
"Fine by me!" Twilight said seriously "Name the time and place, and I'll be there!"
"Trixie knows of the perfect location for us to hold our duel." Trixie replied, and brought up an image of a lonely hill overlooking miles and miles of barren land unoccupied by anyone, be they pony, zebra, dragon, or anything else. The only detail that stood out, was a single flower that rested atop the hill. "Nothing but wide open spaces as far as the eye can see."
"How am I suppose to get there?" Twilight asked.
"Trixie can teleport you there, or would you rather fly all the way there on your own power?" Trixie offered.
"And since when can you teleport?" Spike asked "Last time I checked, you couldn't even pull off an escape trick."
"That was then, and this is now. But if you don't believe Trixie's words, perhaps this demonstration will provide you with the proof you need." Trixie explained, and lit up her horn. She disappeared in a pink flash, and reappeared only seconds later, standing right behind Spike.
"What?! But how did you-" Spike began.
"Trixie has been practicing." Trixie interrupted, and turned once again to Twilight "So, what will it be? Will you take Trixie up on her offer, or will you chicken out?"
"If it's a magic duel you want, it's a magic duel you'll get." Twilight said seriously "May the best mare win."
"Excellent." Trixie smiled "You have five minutes to prepare, then we're off! Don't keep Trixie waiting."
"I won't. You'd just better be ready to leave when those five minutes are up." Twilight replied.
"Are you sure you really want to do this?" Spike asked Twilight.
"Trixie certainly seems hung up on it, and something tells me she won't back off until this duel is concluded." Twilight told Spike "I don't like it anymore than you do, but hopefully the outcome of this duel will be enough to encourage Trixie not to challenge me again."
"Well, even if it's just to provide moral support, I'm coming with you!" Spike said seriously "I'll be darned if Trixie thinks she can seperate us again!"
"I'm coming too." Cadence spoke up.
Twilight was quite surprised "This is between Trixie and I. Why are you so interested in our duel?" she asked Cadence.
"My life in the Crystal Empire has been fine, and Shining Armor is a wonderful husband, but even so I've been a bit bored." Cadence explained "A magic duel sounds just as exciting to me, as a traveling museum centered on Star Swirl the Bearded."
"Well, if you two want to come along and cheer Twilight Sparkle on, be Trixie's guest." Trixie said crossly "Just don't get any ideas about trying to join in. This will be a fair fight!"
"She's right." Twilight added "Unless I say otherwise, I don't want either of you interfering with the duel. Knowing Trixie, it won't take long."
"Now then, if everything is ready, let's be off!" Trixie said seriously, and in a flash of pink magic, she, Twilight, Cadence, and Spike, all disappeared. They reappeared a second later at the location Trixie had showed earlier.
Spike and Cadence watched, as both Twilight and Trixie took up positions at opposite ends of the hill. The tension seemed to be so thick that you could cut it with a knife.
"There is only one rule that will be needed for this duel." Trixie explained to Twilight "The last mare standing will be the winner."
"Fine by me." Twilight replied "I'm ready when you are!"
But before either Twilight or Trixie could make a move, the ground suddenly began to shake violently, as if something big and alive was beneath it. Spike and Cadence could feel it as well, and they didn't like it. "Wait a minute, something is not right here." Twilight said, as the ground continued to shake.
"What's going on?! Is this some sort of trick?!" Trixie asked furiously.
"It's no trick!" Twilight replied "I don't think we're alone!"
"Just who or what could be living underneath this hill?" Spike asked Cadence.
"I don't know, but I have a very bad feeling we're about to find out." Cadence said to Spike. And, she was right. A second later, the flower that had been on top of the hill disappeared, as a giant worm like creature burrowed its way to the surface. Twilight, Trixie, Cadence, and Spike, all screamed in horror.
"That thing is huge!" Spike exclaimed.
"And it doesn't look friendly!" Twilight added.
"Just what in the world of Equestria is that thing?!" Trixie exclaimed.
The worm like creature did not reply, it simply burrowed its way back underneath the surface of the hill. Unfortunately, the ground continued to shake. Cadence realized what was going on. "We have to get out of here, now!" she shouted. Spike wasted no time, and quickly hopped onto Cadence's back.
Unfortunately, Twilight and Trixie were not so lucky. Before they had a chance to move, the ground gave way beneath them. Cadence was barely able to take off just before the place she had been standing on collapsed.
Spike was frantic. "Twilight!" he shouted, horrified at the thought that his mother was trapped underground with some sort of monster worm. "What are we gonna do?!" he asked Cadence.
"We need to get to someplace where we'll be safe from that worm!" Cadence replied "Once we've done, we can start working on a plan to save Twilight and Trixie!"
"But they're down there with that, that, that thing!" Spike stuttered.
"Twilight can manage just fine, I'm sure of it!" Cadence reassured Spike.
"And what about Trixie?!" Spike asked.
"Hopefully, she can hold out until either Twilight or I can get to her!" Cadence replied, and set Spike down on a patch of ground far from where the worm like creature had originally surfaced. "If I'm not back in ten minutes, send a message to Princess Celestia requesting back up!" She instructed, and set off to find Twilight and Trixie. "Just hope they're not trying to duel each other with that worm like creature on the loose." she thought to herself.
Twilight wasn't too worried for her own safety, she had been in tougher situations than this before, and she was more than capable of defending herself if need be. But outside of the Ursa Minor incident, Trixie had never been involved in life threatening situations. And Twilight was worried that such a thing would put Trixie in danger. "Trixie! Trixie! Where are you, Trixie?!" Twilight called, hoping beyond hope that the giant worm hadn't gotten to her yet.
"Twilight?" came a muffled replied.
"Trixie?! Trixie, is that you?!" Twilight called back.
"Where are you, Twilight?!" the muffled voice asked.
"I'm not sure exactly." Twilight replied.
"We've got to think of a way out of here!" Trixie said seriously "I don't wanna be worm food!"
"Calm down Trixie, we're gonna be okay!" Twilight said reassuringly.
But Trixie wasn't convinced, by now she had dropped her third pony speech pattern due to fright. "We're not gonna be okay! We're stuck down in these tunnels, and that worm monster could strike at any second!"
"Trixie, we're never going to find a way out if you keep panicking like this!" Twilight told Trixie "Just stay calm and listen. If we follow each other's voices, we should be able to meet up."
"Then what will we do?" Trixie asked frantically.
"Leave that to me!" Twilight said seriously, as she made her way through the system of tunnels, using her horn to light the way "Just keep talking." she instructed to Trixie.
"What is there to even talk about?!" Trixie replied.
"I don't know! Just think of something, anything!" Twilight told Trixie "Maybe you could tell me why you're still so hung up on trying to best me in a contest of magic. I really want to know just why you're so set on being my rival."
"You wouldn't understand, nopony understands me." Trixie complained.
"That's not true at all!" Twilight said seriously.
"Oh, it's true all right." Trixie went on, Twilight could hear her sigh "For as long as I can remember, I've always had to prove myself to be better than others. Whether it be a fellow classmate in school, or Celestia's prized pupil. Every time I tried to perform, I would never truly be able to reach the crowds I wanted. It seemed like someone or something else was always upstaging me. Eventually, I started making up stories to make myself sound important. I figured that, if others thought I was this Great and Powerful being, I'd start to believe it myself."
"So that's where this whole Great and Powerful shtick comes from." Twilight realized. Trixie's voice was growing louder, so she figured the two of them were getting closer. "Just keep talking Trixie, we've almost found each other." she thought to herself.
"Indeed, and that is why I made up that tale about the Ursa Major." Trixie explained "And when that story was revealed as a lie, my life took a turn for the worst. Then the whole 'Alicorn Amulet Incident' occurred and we both know how that turned out. But when it had finally ended, I thought I was finally going to be able to live the life I wanted. If only I'd realized how foolish that was."
"What do you mean? What was so wrong with thinking your life would look up after you turned over a new leaf?" Twilight asked Trixie. "Just a few more seconds Trixie, we're practically on top of each other."
"I had only been performing for the better half of a couple of months, when word reached my ears that Celestia's prized pupil had done the impossible and ascended into alicornhood as a princess." Trixie explained sadly "And in that moment, I realized that as much as I might want to deny it, there would always be somepony better than me. Somepony who could not only do what I do, but also do it better. Furious at myself, I threw my mind into a way to make ponies notice me! I tried everything I could think of, but nothing worked. At that point, I just stopped caring. I didn't care what I did, or where I went. I traveled all around, hoping that I might be able to forget the source of my anger. I eventually settled for a brief stint in Los Pegasus, that ended with me getting so sick they wanted nothing to do with me. And that, is the sad story of my life."
"Well, you've been through more than I expected." Twilight said, as she and Trixie finally met up with each other. "But for now, let's focus on getting back to the surface."
"How are we gonna do that?!" Trixie asked.
"I'm gonna blow a hole in the ceiling with a spell." Twilight explained "Then I'm gonna let my wings do the rest of the work."
"You're crazy, there's no way that will work!" Trixie replied.
Before Twilight could offer up a response, a familiar light bue aurora appeared directly overhead. She knew at once who it belonged to, and as the aurora expanded, she realized what she needed to do. Wasting no time, she cast a shield spell, and pulled Trixie close to her. Just seconds later, a massive hole appeared and rays of sunlight shined down through it.
"Twilight?! Trixie?! Are you there?!" Cadence called.
"We're right here Cadence!" Twilight called back "We'll be out in a matter of seconds!"
"You'd better hurry up, I think that worm creature is coming back for round two!" Cadence said seriously, as the sound of dirt moving could be heard.
"Hold on tight Trixie!" Twilight instructed, as Trixie wrapped her hooves around Twilight's body. Twilight flapped her wings as hard as she could, and slowly but surely she lifted herself and Trixie back up to ground level. Just a few seconds later, the worm like creature from earlier came burrowing up through the opened hole.
"Trixie, you get to safety!" Twilight said to Trixie.
"But what about you?!" Trixie asked, as she began to back away.
"Cadence and I will make sure that creature doesn't bother us anymore! Now go!" Twilight said seriously, Trixie didn't need to be told twice.
Cadence turned to Twilight "Ready when you are." she said seriously.
"Thought you'd never ask." Twilight replied, and the two alicorns took off into the sky. The worm like creature was no match for them, and in a matter of seconds it was defeated, despite one or two close calls. After the worm had been defeated and driven back, the hole from which it had burrowed out of was covered up with a massive pile of rocks. For good measure, the remaining holes were sealed up as well.
"That should keep it from popping back up unexpectedly." Cadence said, panting heavily. The fight had been exhausting, and both she and Twilight were taking a moment to catch their breath.
"I'm sorry this all had to happen." Twilight apologized to Cadence.
"Well, I said I wanted some excitement in my life and I most certainly got it." Cadence joked "Guess that will teach me to be more careful what I wish for in the future."
"Wow! That was both incredibly amazing, and really scary at the same time!" Spike commented, as he and Trixie approached. They had seen the entire battle from a distance, and what they saw would stick with them for some time.
"I'm just glad it's all over. I don't know about the rest of you, but I think I've had enough excitement for one day." Twilight replied, then she noticed something in the distance. When she picked it up with her magic, she saw that the object was a familiar light purple hat. "Hey, Trixie! You forgot something!" Twilight called, and used her magic to toss the hat to Trixie.
Trixie looked at the hat for a moment, then she gave it back to Twilight and said "You keep it, Twilight. As of this day, Trixie is Great and Powerful no more." and to emphasize her point, she removed her cape. Twilight could've sworn she saw a tear form in Trixie's eye, as the stage mare disappeared in a flash of pink magic, and a puff of smoke.
Twilight said nothing, as she brought the cape over to her. It seemed a bit dirty, and torn in some places, but otherwise it was relatively unscathed considering what it had been through. She clutched the cape and the hat firmly in her grasp, as she, Cadence, and Spike, teleported back home.
"Think we've seen the last of Trixie?" Spike asked, once they had all teleported back to the first floor of the Golden Oaks Library. He didn't want to admit it, especially not to Twilight, but he had started to consider Trixie a friend. He still hadn't quite forgiven her for what she'd done in the past, but he'd come to realize that it just wasn't worth staying angry at her.
"Somehow, I don't think so." Twilight replied, as she stored the items away in the basement. "Somehow, someway, I get the feeling that we'll run into her again at somepoint."
The next day, Cadence returned to the Crystal Empire, and both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie came back. Needless to say, they were as surprised as everypony else when Twilight and Spike told them what had happened with Trixie.
"I always knew she was a bit crazy, but I never would've thought she'd ever drop her Great and Powerful routine." Rainbow Dash said, once Twilight had finished telling her friends.
"I'd be more than willing to fix up the hat and cape, in case Trixie ever wants them back." Rarity offered.
"Thanks, but I think I'll hang onto the items as they currently are." Twilight replied "And you know, I think both Trixie and I learned something from each other."
"You did?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight nodded "I learned just being with friends can make even the most chaotic of days good ones. It doesn't always matter how you spend a given day, as much as it matters who you spend it with. And Trixie learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to others. If you do, you'll never be satisfied with yourself. And that will only lead to anger and hatred at yourself."
"Sounds like a very important lesson to have learned if you ask me." Applejack agreed.
"I can't believe I missed out on all of that." Pinkie Pie complained "Even if it was nice getting to spend time with my role model, and my family."
"Speaking of which, how were your trips?" Spike asked Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie "Anything exciting happen to either of you?"
"Well, it all depends on how you look at it." Fluttershy said in reply, Pinkie Pie just nodded.