The night was alive with singing. A huge variety of food created a rich aroma through the crowd. Vanhoover's theatrical group was recounting the founding of their town on the main stage. Fleethoof was pulling cart after cart of young ponies around the park while Starlight told them a variety of stories about the constellations. And Hoover, the pegasus with the vacuum cleaner mark, had taken to assisting Blaze Dancer with his spectacular ability in juggling fire sticks and other flaming items.

Trixie was busy making final adjustments to the fireworks display during all of that. Vanhoover really did know how to throw a celebration that entertained everypony. And she would be a part of that. She had only been there a week, and already other ponies greeted her with a smile and a wave. Such a turn around from before, all because she had just made a simple contribution. To Vanhoover however, it was far more than just another fun thing to watch.

"There, now all that this needs is a whole lot of hoping it doesn't blow up! And some magic of course." At last, she was able to set the final box back into place. It had taken quite a bit of fine tuning on her part, and a lot of magic dust to ensure it would be perfect. But the result would definitely live up to the town's expectations. And the best part of course was that she'd be in bed by the time it finished.

The play concluded at that moment. Another pony band would deliver the final songs of the night, then her fireworks display would conclude the celebration. She at long last had time to enjoy the festivities for herself now. And the food pavilion would be her first stop, that rich aroma too strong to resist. A little food wouldn't go amiss, especially after all those last minute adjustments she had made.

"It can't hurt to treat yourself, can it Trixie?" She was in the middle of biting a cherry tomato when her heart skipped a beat. Twilight Sparkle was there in the crowd?! The one pony that she had been thinking about for the past month was now there, right in front of her eyes. Did she go to celebrations in other towns on a regular basis? Or was this a freak coincidence that not even her good luck streak could be the cause of?

Whatever the reason, Trixie couldn't let herself be seen there in Vanhoover too. Twilight could very well inform the town of the alicorn amulet incident. And there was no telling what that would do to her improving reputation with the resident ponies. Much as she wanted to show Twilight just how much she had changed, the risk of undoing everything she had accomplished so far was too great.

"Stay calm, get the fireworks ready, and go to bed. And stop talking to yourself out loud while you're at it Trixie." Her trademark hat and cape had been left back in her room. Without those, she would be somewhat less obvious in the crowd. She still didn't feel safe enough to resume eating until the side curtains concealed her from the listening crowd entirely.

At last, with the music in the background of her eating, there was time to think properly. Maybe she had just overreacted, Twilight wouldn't bring up an incident like that without reason surely. She was too nice to do a horrible thing like that. Then again, would she even care if Trixie had found a new home? It wasn't Ponyville after all. And it certainly wasn't anywhere that would be of daily concern to her.

The band concluded their performance sooner than she had expected. But the kebab could wait, all she had to do now was set the fireworks off. And at long last she would be able to return to bed. Stage Fright was making his way onto the main stage when he paused to speak with her. "I hope you don't mind sticking around after the fireworks Trixie. The town wants to give you a proper welcome." In one go, her plans for the night had been changed completely.

"Sure, I'll stick around..." Perhaps she might as well visit Twilight in the meantime. At least that way the surprise wouldn't be when she went up on stage in front of everypony. But for now, she had a very simple task to perform. Lighting up the display only required a simple touch of her horn to the fuse. A very humble beginning to a dazzling display.

The original plan for taking her leave of the celebration was to use the darkness outside the circle of tents to sneak away unseen. Now that cloak of darkness concealed her approach towards Twilight Sparkle. She was at the back of the crowd, an open book lying in front of her How typical. Even during a night of celebration, she couldn't draw herself away from books.

"Starlight is a lot like you." Twilight hadn't expected that anypony would pay much attention to her, let alone walk over and begin a conversation. But she couldn't have ever imagined that it would be Trixie who would do that. "The name for one thing, and her voice for another. Third night I was here, she showed me a look out in the mountains where you can see the crystal aurora. And, she cares about everypony she knows. She's always willing to forgive."

There was a certain undertone to what she was saying. Twilight eventually caught on. "Trixie, you had no way of knowing what the alicorn amulet would make you do. If you're looking for forgiveness, you had that before you even left Ponyville. Don't you have a home to go back to?" She bit onto her tongue as s. She had two homes. One in Ponyville, with Spike and her friends, the other in Canterlot with her parents. The parents who provided for her studies, and enrolled her in the best school. But would a pony who had all that make the decisions Trixie had?

Trixie was relieved that her worries were indeed pointless. Of course Twilight wouldn't be spiteful enough to ruin her reputation, how could anypony think that? But then, she was reminded of home. If she could even consider it one any more. Would a pony who had a family that actually wanted her around be travelling around Equestria, performing magic acts for a living?

"I don't need a home to go back to. I've changed, and Vanhoover accepts me for who I want to be. I'm not the Great and Powerful Trixie anymore." She may have been too quick to assume that Twilight had spoken out of place, but that didn't matter. Twilight now knew that she was around, that was all she had intended to inform her of. Trixie had a new life to fulfil, not an old one to feel sorry over. "I doubt I'll see you around, but in case we do... Thanks for at least giving me a chance. I have a welcoming ceremony to attend now."

It felt easier to leave at that moment, given she hadn't actually sat down. She had been polite, and explained her position. Could anypony ask more of Trixie? The answer seemed clear as she made her way back to the stage, where a few of the more important ponies had gathered. If welcoming a new resident to their town was a tradition, then she was very lucky to be part of that.

---

The infamous Vanhoover rainfall decided to make it's appearance right before the start of the welcome. In the scramble to pack up, she had negotiated that they save it for a clearer day. At least then she wouldn't be up on stage in front of Twilight. How lame would that insistence on having changed look if she still had everypony watching her like that?

"But why do I have to prove to her that I've changed?" Starlight entered her room with a look of concern. Obviously her question to the universe hadn't been as private as she would have liked. Still, her friend must have noticed something had happened. There hadn't been any attempt to conceal her conversation with Twilight, and outside the gathering they probably stood out.

"I couldn't help but notice that you were conversing with another stranger. Is she an old friend?" There was a long silence. Trixie didn't know anymore. Was Twilight ever really a friend? Sure, she went to great lengths in order to free her from the alicorn amulet's influence. But that was more to save Ponyville than her. It was commendable. But the hard truth of the matter was that Trixie wasn't as important to the unicorn named Twilight Sparkle, as her actual friends were.

"No. Just somepony I met a few years ago. I don't think I'll be seeing her again, really. Nothing important..."