Twilight Sparkle was frantically searching through Ponyville's library for her only, ancient copy of "A Treatise on the Elements" by Starswirl the Bearded as if the life of Celestia herself was at stake. As was always the case when Twilight was searching for something and having trouble finding it.
"Spike!" she yelled in the general direction of the baby purple dragon, "I know for a fact I put it in the "Unexplained and Mysterious" section when I organized this place last week! You are the only one who has been in there since then, and seeing as I can't find it, you must have done something with it!"
"I swear, Twilight," he stammered nervously as he shuffled through a large pile of books, "I didn't touch it! The only reason I ever went in here in the first place was so that I could get the one with the pictures of all the Quarias and Pilsos."
"The what?"
"They're these rare gemstones that don't even exist anymore for some reason," he said, beaming slightly from pride in his knowledge.
"Spike that's ridiculous, how can a rock become extinct? They don't even live! They're rocks, Spike! The entire situation is just absurd! Whoever wrote that was obviously misinformed. As a matter of fact, who did write it? I need to pull it off the shelves before anypony else reads it and gets the wrong message," she said, completely forgetting, to Spike's delight, about yelling at him.
Twilight never got to find out who wrote that horrendous book, however, because at that moment a wild Rainbow Dash appeared and came in crashing through the library window.
Rainbow always appeared in that manner. Twilight was never annoyed, because Rainbow was a friend and it never seemed to really cause any damage (except for the one time when she had just finished restocking the shelves, but that turned out to be good anyway because it led her to visit Cloudsdale for that weekend and support Rainbow in the Best Young Fliers Competition), but she couldn't help but wonder how a pegasus with such great aerial dexterity could somehow never be able to master the simple art of flying through a window. As Twilight's mind began to wander off on a tangent of aerodynamics and the odd physiology of pegasi, Rainbow Dash was getting up and shaking herself off.
"Twilight, what are all these books doing just thrown all around the place? Don't you ever clean up in here?"
"Of course I do, I was just... Why are you even here anyway? I'm a bit busy, and I know you didn't come just to tell me how dirty my library is," she quipped. Rainbow Dash couldn’t even keep track of her pet turtle; she should have been the last pony questioning the state of Twilight’s library.
"Oh yeah, right. So I was nap.... err, clearing the skies near the forest and I looked down and you'll never guess who I see just trotting down the road toward Ponyville like she owned the place!"
"I hate guessing games, just tell me."
"Trixie!" A look of disgust crossed Rainbow's face.
Trixie, like the Trixie who was the most arrogant pony Twilight had ever seen? The Trixie whowas rude and spiteful and caused those idiots Snips and Snails to think that bringing an ursa major into town for her to fight would be a good idea? The very same Trixie whose natural talent for shown=manship made even a mare like Twilight just a little jealous?
"You mean Trixie the magician?" Twilight asked casually.
"Yeah, that's the one! We’re getting a lynch mob together to go and punish her for showing her face in town!” Rainbow fell to the floor and began laughing hysterically.
"Are you... serious?" Twilight sometimes couldn't tell with the wild pegasus.
Rainbow laughed even harder for a moment as Spike finally managed to pull himself out from under a huge pile of books he had been trapped under. "Of course not, Twilight, do you really think were that crazy?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Me, Pinkie, and Fluttershy are going to the town square to meet her when she gets here and see what she wants. I just stopped by to see if you wanted to come, but since you're said you’re busy, I guess--"
"I can come! I can't really even remember exactly what I was doing before you came anyway." There was a reason Trixie had suddenly reappeared, and Twilight was just the mare to find it.
"Sweet, I guess I'll meet you there. Right now I have to go see if Applejack wants to come, too. I was also going to ask Rarity, but she was working on some big order and I didn't feel like bothering her."
"Okay, I'll see you in a little bit then Rainbow," said Twilight as the colorful pegasus flew off toward Sweet Apple Acres.
Twilight trotted up the stairs into her room to get ready. She had started searching for the book as soon as she got up and hadn't noticed the time fly by before Rainbow showed up, so she hadn't showered or eaten yet. "Spike!" she yelled, "Could you go into the kitchen and make a dandelion sandwich for me while I take a shower? I don't have time to do both before I leave!"
"Why do I always have to make the food?" he complained, although telling from his tone he was just as hungry as she was and would stop griping before long. She ignored him as she magically turned the knobs on the shower and began her belated refreshment.
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After showering and eating, Twilight and Spike walked to the town square where they found Rainbow, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. "I thought you said you were leaving to go get Applejack." said Twilight, speaking to Rainbow Dash.
"She did," responded Pinkie, "but when she got there, the cows were running and jumping around all over the place, and then there was this crash, and her shed fell, and then all of the cows started--"
"She was busy," interupted Rainbow Dash, "so we left."
"We?" asked Twilight.
"Pinkie Pie went with her while I kept watch for Trixie here," answered Fluttershy. "I was worried that she would arrive sooner than they thought and she would stare at me, and use her magic to humiliate me, and then everypony would laugh at me, and..."
"Why didn't you bring that up if it was an issue?" Rainbow asked, concerned.
"Well, I... I didn't want to impose, and you asked me to stay, so..." Fluttershy trailed off.
"You really should bring up your concerns more often, Fluutershy. Nopony would think you were imposing," chimed in Twilight. Everypony else shook their heads in agreement.
"Ummm, girls..." murmured Fluttershy too softly for anyone to hear.
"...and also you seem to have trouble with trying to speak up in a conversation..."
"Girls, if you don't mind..." Fluttershy shrank back as if afraid of something.
"It's not interrupting if they won't give you a chance to--"
Fluttershy gathered up her courage enough to yell "Girls!!" just loud enough for her friends to hear her and stop talking.
"What is it, Fluttershy?" Asked Twilight.
"Well... while you girls were talking, she... arrived..." she answered, the last word barely audible even in the silence.
Her friends turned around, surprised to see Trixie standing there looking somewhat more... humble... than they ever imagined she could.
Pinkie Pie immediately bounced up to the dark blue mare and exclaimed excitedly, "Hi Trixie! What brings you back here? I thought you ran away to never come back after Snips and Snails brought the ursa minor into town and you couldn't deal with it even though you said you could take on an ursa major with no problem. Why'd you say that anyway if it wasn't true, huh? Ponies can be so silly sometimes!" At this point she started laughing hysterically but regained her composure quickly and continued, "All of my friends are really angry at you after you embarrassed them with your show and were a big braggy-pants McMeanie face, but I thought your show was kinda funny even if it was a teensy bit mean and I don't think you're actually that bad. Anyway, why are you back? Tellmetellmetellmetellmetellme!!! Please????"
Trixie was stunned, to say the least, and ignored the barrage of questions from Pinkie.
"Ummm... I know you girls never expected me to come back, and I know you must kind of hate me, but... this really weird for me, sorry. I guess I came back to say... to ask for your forgiveness."
Everypony was at a loss for words as far as what to say next except for Pinkie, who was jumping up and down in excitement shouting "Yay! I knew it," among other things. The first of the rest to recover, however, was Twilight, who proceeded to respond in a heated flurry of emotion.
"Forgive you? You want us to forgive you after everything you've done? After you embarrassed Rainbow, Rarity, and Applejack in front of that crowd? It took almost a week to get the green out of Rarity's hair, half of which was spent figuring out that it wasn't just an illusion; it was actual, amazingly strong hair dye! Poor Rainbow is still recovering from the tornado and electrocution you put her through. Ponyville itself hasn't yet been completely rebuilt from the ursa minor that only showed up because you lied to everyone about your abilities. Tell us, Trixie, why exactly do you think you can just walk in here and ask us to forgive you and we will, just like that?"
"Well, I know it's a lot to ask, but--" Trixie started to respond.
"You bet your hoof it's a lot to ask. Why should we ever forgive you?"
"Calm down, Twilight!" interjected Rainbow, "An apology is nothing to get angry over. If she's sincere, and she sounds like she is, you have to forgive her. No matter what she's done to you in the past."
"I will not calm down! And yes it does matter what she's done to us. I don't even understand how you girls can just stand there and accept her apology with no questions asked. It's just insane to forgive her so easily. How could you possibly expect me to forgive her this easily?" Rainbow Dash noticed that the way Twilight said 'me' sounded suspiciously like she was referring to herself more than the others.
"Twilight, just listen to me for one teensie-weensie moment," Pinkie pleaded as she started to sing.
"Again with the singing," Rainbow muttered under her breath.
"Sometimes everypony does some things that hurt other ponies,
Even I sometimes do something so bad I want to disown me.
But when you’re sorry I'm sure that you want to be forgiven,
So that the past can stay in the past and you can just keep on living..."
As the chorus picked up tempo, other random ponies from the town started to group up behind her and sing along. "What the hay...." Rainbow Dash started to mumble.
"You've gotta forgive! If you want to live,
A happier life with much less strife, it's healthier by a mile!
You've gotta let go! It just goes to show,
It won't be sappy, but you'll be so happy you'll put on the world's biggest smile!!!!!
The greatest, perfectest gift somepony can give...
You've gotta forgive!!! You've gotta forgive!!!
The awesomest way to ever show your style...
You've gotta forgive!!! You've gotta forgive!!!
You've gotta forgive!!!!!"
All the ponies who had shown up to sing were now dispersing. "How did they even learn that song? I'm pretty sure Pinkie just made it up on the spot," said Rainbow, confused, to Twilight.
"It's simple, really, Dashie!" responded Pinkie Pie, "If you start something with enough enthusiasm, other ponies will naturally start to follow along.”
"Oh... Well..."
"Anyway, whadaya say, Twilight? Pretty pretty please can you bring yourself to forgive her at least just a little bit?"
Twilight looked into Pinkie's pleading eyes, at Trixie's ashamed, humbled posture, and back to Pinkie's eyes. Maybe she really has changed. Maybe I'm holding just a little too much of a grudge... and besides... she looked into Pinkie's deep blue eyes again, I'm pretty sure I can't say no to that.
"I... I guess," She answered as both Trixie and Pinkie's faces lightened considerably. "I forgive you... for now," she told Trixie, who looked thankfully back at her in turn. "But so you know, I don't trust you completely again just yet. I can't so soon, not after what you've done." There was something fishy about the way Twilight was speaking to Trixie, but Rainbow Dash couldn’t quite put her hoof on it.
"And to prove to you... and myself, I guess... that I really do forgive you," she continued, "I, uh... I know your caravan was wrecked last time, so do you... do you need a place to stay? I wouldn't want anypony to have to stay out in the cold."
"Hmmm... I hadn't really thought about it before, but... I guess a roof over my head would be greatly appreciated," she smiled, "Are you... offering, or--"
"Oh, of course. I would love it if you would stay in the library with me. Take it as proof that I accept your apology." She would hate this, but Twilight couldn't morally let her stay out in the cold. And she would hate to see her have to stay under the same roof as Pinkie Pie. She could only imagine what might happen if that became the case.
"Well, thanks, I guess. I'd love to." She was now starting to blush in addition to smiling.
"Yay!!!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie. "I just can't wait to give you the grand tour! You never really got it last time, did you? I guess you really didn't have time, but..." She continued to talk, but the conversation was already moving on without her.
"I hope you like Ponyville, Trixie. It really is such a nice town," said Fluttershy timidly.
"I don't think I've caught your name yet. What was it?"
"Oh, I'm Fluttershy. Pleased to meet you again."
"Thanks. And I hope I've made a better first impression this time than last time."
"Oh, you definitely have. Last time you were horrendous.... Oh, sorry, I mean... you could have been a little bit nicer. But now you’re a lot nicer and more polite, too..." Fluttershy smiled.
"Anyway," interrupted Twilight, "I should probably show you the library. It's near the middle of town, about five minutes away. Are you ready to go see it?"
"Sure," answered Trixie as Pinkie Pie finally stopped rambling on and came back to Earth. "Pinkie, the tour will have to wait until tomorrow, Twilight's going to show me the library. That's okay with you right?"
"Okie dokie lokie!"
"Umm… okay, I assume that means yes. Let's go, Twilight."
Twilight began leading Trixie to the library while Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy followed, Pinkie bouncing along happily. The voice in Trixie’s head spoke up again. “That was perfect, my dear! These small-minded ponies don't expect a thing! You played the part of the modest pony looking for forgiveness amazingly, I must say. I couldn't have done better myself.”
I thought I told you to stop calling me that.
“Oh right, my apologies. I just got so caught up in how well you did that I must have forgotten.”
It was obvious Nightmare’s words were simple flattery and nothing more, but it was nice to hear such gushing praise once in a while. It helped with one's ego, she always told herself. I'm glad to hear you say that. I likewise thought I did spectacular, but it's nice to have a second opinion. Trixie pondered to herself for a moment. By the way, do you have any idea what's wrong with the pink one? Pinkie Pie is what they called her I think.
“I have no idea whatsoever. As a matter of fact, I was planning on asking you the same thing.”
Trixie chuckled out loud at the coincidence. She had a feeling that this partnership was going to work out very well for the both of them.