The Duel

Trixie paced back and forth in her room. “What can I do? I need to do something. I have to! I’m not going to be humiliated again…I can’t be humiliated again,” she stated to herself. She then gave a desperate look. “Well…there is one option…”

She walked over to a deck drawer and produced a piece of paper and a quill. She wrote down an address from memory. After a few moments of thinking hard, the showmare sat for a second, looking at it.

Sally blinked, looking up at Trixie.

“Admittedly…Trixie didn’t always have the best intentions, Sally,” said the azure mare to her pet. “This is the location of something called the Alicorn Amulet. Trixie heard of it in Las Pegasus once and may have…intended to get it to gain unholy power and repair her reputation by crushing everypony who stood in her way. But all her attempts to get a job seemed to crash and burn…and admittedly, the idea of doing something like that reminded her too much of Checker. It felt like taking out Trixie's frustrations on others was what she'd do. Either way…Trixie just never tried to get it even after she discovered where it was. And using it on Checker made no sense, considering she wasn‘t somepony physical force would truly defeat.”

She looked at the paper. “If Trixie had the Amulet, she’d be even stronger than Twilight and could defeat her. It’s far away, but Trixie can teleport now, she could make it there and use the Alicorn Amulet’s power to teleport back in time for the duel…Trixie has the bits for it now…”

Sally whimpered, looking at her master with what appeared to be concern.

Trixie looked thoughtfully at the address for a few moments…then floated it up and burned it to ash with a small little flame spell. “…But that’d be cheating…both herself and Twilight…I’ve still got my pride. I’m not going to bruise it by taking the easy way out…“ she admitted with a somewhat prideful smirk. “…Even if this is very much going to stink worse than your musk…” she finished, ears pinning back and giving a gulp…

“GAH! What am I going to do?!” Twilight asked, searching more and more frantically through books and friendship reports.

Spike picked one up and blinked. “Uh, what about this one? ‘Being a good friend means being able to keep a secret, but you should never be afraid to share your feelings with a good friend?’”

Twilight shook her head. “I thought about that one, but this isn’t about secrets, it’s about not hurting Trixie! And it feels like no matter what I do, that’s exactly what I’ll do! If I tell her, it‘ll hurt her too!”

Spike sighed. “I suppose…still seems like we’re missing something…”

Twilight got a somewhat unhinged look. “I know! Maybe I should find a way to cancel it altogether! Maybe I can set off a freak snow storm of something! Then nopony-”

“Twilight stop!” Spike called, jumping up on the frazzled unicorn’s back and throwing yet another bucket of water in her face.

“Where do you keep getting buckets of water?!”

“Not important. What is important is you’re starting to sound like the Smartypants Incident all over again,” the little dragon pointed out.

Twilight’s eyes widened and she shook her head to clear it.. “Y-yeah…I guess I was…T-Thanks Spike.”

“I know you can’t help feeling nervous right now, but if you suggest something like that again, I’m sending a letter to the Princess and I don’t care what she’s doing, okay?” Spike stated with a serious expression.

Twilight gulped and nodded. “Crystal.”

“Hoo!”

The two looked over to a certain owl, who pointed to an almost empty hour glass.

Twilight pinned her ears. “Oh no…we’re out of time…”

It was time. The stage was set. Twilight stared out from behind the stage, her mane a disheveled mess. She gasped, eyes falling on the large number of ponies in attendance. There were even more than she expected.

“This isn’t good, this is not good!” she exclaimed. Thankfully, the Smartypants Incident and Spike’s warning was still fresh in her memory. “Spike’s right, I can’t do anything crazy, I can’t…but…I don’t know what to do!”

Not to far away, Trixie peaked out at the same audience a gulped. “So many ponies…so many…” she muttered, shuddering in fear as she saw all the eyes that would soon be upon her. She gasped as her gaze fell on a certain someone.

“T-There she is…”

Princess Celestia herself stood in her balcony seat, with a couple of what looked like giant ponies next to her. The unicorn knew they had to be Saddle Arabian delegates.

“They’re here…they’re here and they’re going to watch me fail…I’m is going to be a laughingstock again!”

Nearby, Spike blinked, watching Twilight and Trixie. “Wait…they’re both nervous wrecks?” he asked.

“I’m every bit as surprised as you are…”

Spike blinked, looking to Stage Hoof. “Really?”

“Yes, Trixie’s been worried sick all day after overhearing some ponies saying Twilight would demolish her without even trying,” the stallion replied. “She was just…a tad too prideful to admit it…

Spike promptly faceclawed. “And Twilight was too afraid of hurting Trixie’s ego to tell.”

Stage Hoof raised an eyebrow. “So they’re both terrified of the same exact thing and didn’t tell one another for the exact same reasons?”

Spike gave an annoyed sigh, watching as the two unicorns now curled into fetal positions, Twilight stroking her tail . “Yep…should‘ve expected this, stuff like this always happens to us…”

“So…should we probably do something?”

“Probably…looks like the sidekicks will have to save the day…” Spike replied dryly, giving some thought. He looked over to the crowd, his eyes falling on an orange mare chatting excitedly with a rainbow maned pegasus in particular. “Come on, let’s get some back up to get it through their thick heads.”

Spike walked over to the stands, Stage Hoof with him. “Ah, Applejack,” Stage Hoof said with a smile. “That’s a good idea, who better to help them see the truth than the most honest pony we know?”

Spike blinked. “Uh…yeah! That’s exactly why we’re going to her…not because she and Rainbow were closest and we‘ve only got like fifteen minutes left…”

“This is gonna be awesome! It’s about time Trix gets to show us what she’s really got!” Rainbow exclaimed, giving a smirk.

“Yeah, haven’t really seen her cut loose since we did that charity play! Should be a real hoot!” Applejack replied. “Ah just hope this show doesn’t take as long as some of our contests though.”

“Ha! No way are they going to outlast us!”

Spike blinked as he approached the mares. “Uh…girls…are you excited about this?”

“You bet!” Applejack replied, giving a smirk. “What ain’t tah like about a little friendly competition?”

“So you…don’t think Trixie’s going to get flattened by Twilight?”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Uh…no.”

“Well…everypony else thinks so…including Twilight and Trixie…And they kinda need your help…”

Twilight slowly got up and gulped. “Well…it’s almost time…”

“Twilight?”

The mare gave a jump. “A-Applejack?” she asked, looking at the stern but concerned expression on the mare’s face.

“Twili, yah really have been worryin’ yerself sick, haven’t yah?” asked the farm pony with a frown.

“Uh…no, whatever would I have to be worried about?” Twilight asked, giving a nervous smile.

“How about worryin’ yer gonna humiliate yer friend?”

Twilight’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks. “What?! Me? Worried about that? Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Rainbow Dash! Release Trixie!”

Twilight blinked, watching Rainbow Dash fly Trixie over and put her down. “Trix, relax! Twilight‘s freaking out too!”

“Trixie’s just as worried about it as you are,” Applejack stated.

Trixie and Twilight both blinked. “Wait…what?!”

Applejack gave a sigh. “Yah are BOTH worried about the same thin’ and bein’ too dang stubborn and prideful tah realize it!”

This got her a couple looks from her friends, with Twilight raising an eyebrow.

“…Alright, Ah guess Ah’m in no position tah call somepony else stubborn and prideful, but point is: yah’ve spent the day on pins and needles over the same thin’ and could’ve saved yourselves a lot of trouble if yah’d just talked it out.”

Trixie and Twilight blinked, looking at one another. “T-Trixie…you’re worried that…well…”

Trixie sighed. “…Well…Trixie may have been a little nervous that…”

Applejack facehoofed. “No wonder the little guy needed our help…” she muttered.

“Your both worried about hurting each others‘ feelings, now just talk about it!” Rainbow Dash said in her typical bluntness.

Applejack gave her a glare.

Rainbow glared back. “What? One of us was going to have to say it, did you want to be it?”

“…Point…”

“What’s the point of being the brash one if I can’t do put it to good use?”

Trixie sighed. “…Yes, it isn’t easy for Trixie…it isn’t easy for me to admit but…I am afraid, Twilight. I heard some towns ponies talking about it and…I…I just can’t bare the idea of being a laughingstock again after the Ursa…I was so scared…But…well, I’m…”

“You’re you…” Twilight replied, giving a sympathetic smile. “And that’s why I was so scared of telling you. I was terrified of humiliating you. I knew it’d hurt your pride if I did…and after all Checker put you through, I didn’t want to be the one to hurt you…I’m sorry…”

Trixie gave a small, but somewhat hurt smile. “I-It’s quite alright…okay, not exactly alright…it does hurt…quite a bit…“

Twilight hugged her. “I’m so sorry…I didn’t want to hurt you…“

Trixie returned the hug. “…At least you cared if you hurt me…that’s more like a sister than Checkmate ever was…And it is good to know we were both worried about the same thing…sort of…”

“And I guess just telling you would have been more practical than faking being sick to try and get out of it…”

Trixie blinked. “Wait…you faked being sick?”

Twilight gave a nervous look. “Y-Yeah…I got the idea from Fluttershy…” she admitted, getting Rainbow Dash to facehoof. “Are you mad?”

Trixie gave a relieved sigh. “No, Trixie is actually quite relieved at that, assuming it means you don’t know instant healing spells…”

“No, I don’t. The closest thing I know is some of Zecora’s potions, and even then she‘s a lot better than I am at it…”

Trixie couldn’t help giving a laugh. “So let Trixie get this straight: Trixie spent the day training while you spent the day trying to figure out a way to pull out of the same competition Trixie was training for and both of us did so for the same reason?”

Twilight gave a chuckle of her own. “It is kind of silly when you think about it…”

“Yah see, this is why it’s important we be honest with each other!” Applejack pointed out, getting the two unicorns to blush.

“Yeah, and besides, I don’t get why you’re worried about it,” Rainbow Dash stated.

Trixie and Twilight both blinked. “Uh…why shouldn’t we have been?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, Twilight is the Element of Magic and the strongest Unicorn in Equestria, why should Trixie not be worried?” Trixie asked, pinning her ears at having to admit it. The fact she wasn’t the only one who believed she was going to be demolished certainly hadn’t helped matters.

“Because we’ve been waiting all day to finally see you cut loose, Trix!” Rainbow Dash said, giving smirk.

Trixie blinked. “Wait…you don’t think Trixie is going to get trounced? Because Trixie does…”

“That’s cause yah are thinkin’ about it as power versus power, not about Twilight versus Trixie,” Applejack pointed out, giving a small smile. “Look at meh and Rainbow for instance. Rainbow’s the fastest Pegasus in Equestria, but does that stop meh and her from havin’ a good competition with each other?”

Twilight blinked. “…No…actually…if anything, you two are the most competitive ponies I‘ve ever met…sometimes too much so.”

Rainbow Dash rubbed her head. “Yeah…we can get kinda carried away sometimes…”

Applejack nodded with a blush. “But that’s the point: we’re still tied in kinda everythin‘…”

Rainbow chuckled. “Yeah, we need a tiebreaker sometime…but I haven’t smoked Applejack in everything! And do you see me just wiping the floor in every flying contest I ever compete in? Heck, I was worried about Rarity beating me in the best young fliers competition!”

Trixie blinked. “Wait…how is that physically possible?”

“Long story. But the point is, being the fastest Pegasus around doesn’t mean I’m going to win all the time…just a large percentage of it,” she stated with a proud smirk.

Twilight chuckled. “That’s more like our Rainbow Dash…So…you’re saying me and Trixie have been going about this all wrong?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, like Ah said: yer lookin’ at it like power’s all that matters. By that logic Rainbow Dash shoulda beat meh hooves down in everythin’, but that don’t happen. And why is that, Twili? Yer the brainac.”

Twilight blinked, giving it thought. “Because your strengths aren’t the same…because you’ve got Rainbow beat in sheer strength and endurance even if she’s faster than you…”

Rainbow nodded. “Exactly! And I love a good competition! Even if I’m the fastest pegasus alive. It’d be BORNING if that meant the Best Young Fliers Competition was a cake walk!”

Twilight nodded slowly. “But…I’m the strongest unicorn at MAGIC and this is a MAGIC duel.”

“Yeah, but are you as good at the kinda magic Trix is good at?” asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight and Trixie both blinked. “…No…Trixie‘s got a big experience edge on me and it‘s specifically her special talent…I‘ve just picked up a few spells from her I don‘t need to use as often as she does.”

“See?”

Twilight face hoofed when something occurred to her. “UGH! I can’t believe I did that! One of the first things Princess Celestia taught me was my talent being magic did not mean I was the best at everything! And not listening to gossip is a lesson that the Crusaders learned!”

“And Trixie can’t believe she allowed herself to be beaten down by other’s underestimating her! It was once Trixie’s FORTE to shut up neighsayers!” Trixie admitted. “…Trixie now feels extremely foalish…”

Twilight gave a chuckle. “Me too…” She then frowned, pinning her ears. “Trixie…I…I’m so sorry…I should never have underestimated you…”

Trixie hugged her friend. “It’s alright, Twilight, Trixie underestimated herself just as much…At least you felt that way to protect Trixie instead of hurt her…”

Twilight returned the hug. “Doesn’t mean it was right and I can’t feel bad about it…”

“…If there’s one thing that you six have taught Trixie, it’s that friends forgive each other…you forgave Trixie for humiliating your friends…and for occasionally being egotistical…and the multiple messes she made trying to get a job…and that time she got really carried away going pranking with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie…”

Rainbow Dash gave a sheepish smile. “…I probably should’ve kept a closer eye on you…”

“…You’ve forgiven enough of Trixie’s mistakes, Twilight…It’s only right that I forgive you this time…besides, you didn‘t believe anything about Trixie she didn‘t believe about herself…”

“Sugarcubes, we’re only equines, no pony expects us tah be perfect,” Applejack stated, giving a smile.

“Oh, so like the whole thing with Pinkie’s cake?” Twilight asked with a look of realization, giving a smile and a nod. “Everypony made the same mistake, so how can we blame anypony?”

“Let Trixie think…oh! Twilight told Trixie about that one! Yes, Trixie can live with that,” Trixie said, giving a smile of her own. “Everypony messed up so nopony did.”

Applejack facehoofed. “No! Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity ALL got punished by the Cakes for that, remember?!”

Rainbow Dash gave a nervous smile and rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah…they weren’t too happy about that…”

“Mah point is Princess Celestia wouldn’t be expectin’ us tah have lessons tah give her if she expected us tah be perfect. What‘s important is we actually learn the lesson from our mistakes!”

Trixie blushed. “Oh yes…that makes a tad more sense…Trixie is glad she was not present for that adventure…”

Twilight bowed her head. “And I know I’ll have Spike write a proper friendship report about this when all is said and done…”

Trixie nodded, then gave a confused look. “But wait…how did you two know we both felt the same way?”

“Spike and Stage Hoof told us, said you were both freaking out,” Rainbow Dash stated.

Spike and Stage Hoof stood nearby nervously.

“Um…sorry, Trixie…it’s just you two were both freaking out over the same thing, and you needed help, but I didn’t know what else to do and I’m sorry…And I’m sorry I agreed with you that you were weaker than Twilight when it turns out you weren’t…Please don’t hate me! I’m so-”

Trixie promptly hugged him. “Thanks for helping Trixie…”

Stage Hoof gave a blush. “Y-You’re welcome.”

Twilight hugged Spike. “Thank you for helping me and Trixie, Spike…”

“Well, what am I supposed to do when you’re in trouble?” asked Spike, giving a smile.

“Spike really shoulda taught us all not tah underestimate the under diamond dog,” Applejack said, with a smile. “Considerin’ the whole ‘helped Celestia save Canterlot from mutant Cockatrices’ and ‘blew up King Sombra’ things…”

Spike blinked, then gave an embarrassed look. “Yeah…I probably shouldn’t have been one to underestimate someone…”

“Didn’t Trixie help with the cockatrice thing?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Trixie gave a blink and blushed. “Well…she did blind several with fireworks, but she didn’t do anything that special…She didn’t even meet Celestia…Spike was the one who rode on Celestia wielding a trident…And you six were busy dealing with Queen Chrysalis…again…”

Twilight smiled. “Doesn’t mean you didn’t help, or that we were any less wrong to underestimate you.”

Trixie gave a smile and hugged her friend. “Trixie underestimated herself just as much.”

“Um…sorry if I’m interrupting something.”

Everypony looked over to see Mayor Mare staring at them.

“But it’s time for the show.”

Trixie let go of Stage Hoof and stepped back. “Well…shall we give this a try Twilight?”

Twilight gave it a thoughtful look. “…If you’re up to it Trixie, then so am I…”

Trixie nodded, her horn glowed and she teleported her stage attire to herself, giving a theatrical spin as she did so. “The Magnificent Trixie is ready when you are!”

Twilight smiled, glad to see Trixie’s characteristic grin back on her face.

Applejack smiled. “We’ll be watching from the stands! Good luck you two!” she said, she and Rainbow Dash trotting off.

“I wish you luck, Trixie,” Stage Hoof said, giving a hug to the azure unicorn.

“Knock ‘em dead Twilight!” Spike called as the two trotted off to join the others in the stands.

Rarity and Fluttershy nervously found their seats next to Applejack and Spike. “Um…is everything okay?” Fluttershy asked, looking to Spike.

The little dragon gave a nod. “Yeah…it turns out we may have been worried for nothing.”

Rarity blinked. “Wait…what?”

Applejack looked over. “Turns out they were both worried sick over nothin’, just sit back and enjoy the show.”

“But…wait…what did we miss?!” Rarity asked, blinking in confusion.

“Apparently the plot being resolved!” Pinkie chimed in, hopping up and joining her friends. “Aww. I was hardly in this!”

Everypony just stared for a moment before turning their attention to the stage as the spotlights turned on.

“Hello ladies and gentlecolts!” announced Mayor Mare, stepping on stage. She seemed to quickly check to make sure the Princess was still in her seat and hadn’t vanished due to an ancient evil returning…again. She panicked slightly when she saw an empty balcony seat…until her aid pointed to the Princess herself seated safely in an entirely different one. The mayor gave a sigh of relief. “And welcome to the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of Harmony in all of Equestria, Princess Celestia! And her honored guests, the delegates from Saddle Arabia!”

Celestia seemed to zone out slightly as her lengthy title was recited, but quickly shook it off and smiled in return. “Thank you, Mayor Mare! We are looking forwards to a wonderful evening!” The Arabian horses nodded with a smile.

“For your entertainment, it is my honor to introduce Miss Twilight Sparkle and…” The Earth Pony looked at a small note card. “The Magnificent Trixie presenting an exhibition magic duel!”

Twilight trotted up to the front of the stage while Trixie dramatically teleported out. Both gave a bow to the Princess of the Day, though Trixie seemed much giddier about it than the purple unicorn.

“I’m performing in front of Princess Celestia…” she practically giggled to herself now that her nerves weren’t shot.

The two looked to the crowd, noting some looking at Trixie with looks ranging from worry to anticipation. The unicorns simply walked to the middle and hugged one another before going to opposite sides of the stage.

Trixie and Twilight took a fighting stance as Mayor Mare stepped back and watched them both get ready. “Begin!”

Trixie quickly fired what looked like a firework spell from her horn. The Bearer of Magic sidestepped quickly, allowing it to explode on the stage next to her…releasing a green gas instead of the normal pyrotechnic explosion.

Twilight blinked, sniffing lightly and gagging. “Ugh! Peeyew! A stink bomb spell?!” she exclaimed, coughing and putting a hoof over her nose tightly.

The showmare chuckled. “Just a little joke, Twilight, this is a friendly duel, after all,” she said, but her smirk made Twilight feel uneasy. “You shouldn’t be surprised, considering Trixie has been pranking with Rainbow and Pinkie.”

Celestia’s student’s horn glowed and she produced a wind spell, blowing the putrid smoke back at Trixie.

The azure unicorn coughed on the awful smell and struggled to keep her footing against the wind. Her horn glowed and scarves manifested and pinned themselves to the stage, wrapping around her hooves and keeping her grounded while another wrapped around her snout to block the stench.

Twilight’s spell faded and the purple unicorn gave a groan. “Ugh, it stuck to me a little bit…” she muttered, sticking out her tongue in disgust. “What was your plan, Trixie? You’re too smart to waste your first move on a prank…” she said under her breath. “Unless you want me to think that…or are trying to make me have nostalgic flashbacks to Spike stink bombing Blueblood?”

While Twilight over thought Trixie’s strategy, the showmare unwrapped the scarves and cast another spell, surrounding herself in a swirl of rose petals to remove the smell. She then focused back at Twilight. “Alright, now it’s time to be serious.”

Trixie concentrated magic into her horn and commanded her magically generated scarves to wrap around Twilight. The Bearer of Magic blasted a hole through the ones coming from the front, only for her opponent to sneak two others from behind and wrap Twilight up.

Trixie teleported back out of harms way as Twilight blew the scarves away and freed herself. Twilight quickly fired a beam of magic from her horn, hitting Trixie and causing her to float into the air like gravity had been reversed.

The showmare flailed for a moment, then smirked and manifested a bunch of pies in front of her, bucking each of them. Twilight jumped, dodging two before a third hit her in the face, allowing two more to hit her, knocking her on her flank.

Celestia’s student blasted the pies off her and fired another magic beam at Trixie.

However, the azure unicorn magically manifested a table behind her and bucked off it, dodging the beam and letting it fly harmlessly into the sky. Trixie took advantage of her positioning and hit Twilight with a magic beam, trapping her in a magician’s box, her head and hind hoofs sticking out of it.

Trixie smirked and fired a pink beam from her horn that made Twilight laugh uncontrollably as it tickled her.

The lavender unicorn teleported out of the box and shot Trixie with a beam, causing her to give a scream as the gravity spell was finally reversed and she fell to the stage with an grunt.

Trixie groaned as she got back to her hooves, just before Twilight shot a beam onto the stage, causing vines to sprout out and wrap around the showmare, tying her up. Trixie struggled to escape the vines until they entirely covered her…and then teleported out of the vines and appeared behind her rival, trying to blast her with a magic beam, but was dodged in turn by Twilight’s teleportation.

The two spent a couple moments teleporting and trying to get a spell on the other until Twilight stopped so not to waste mana…but Trixie teleported once more and finally got a spell on her from above, manifesting another magician’s scarf around her which she pulled with telekinesis as she landed, spinning Twilight around like a top.

The bookworm unicorn staggered dizzily, struggling to get her footing back. She shook it off and fired a beam at Trixie, wrapping her in a straight jacket and chains. Trixie tried to teleport out and blinked. “Huh?”

“Anti-teleportation enchantment,” Twilight stated, giving a smirk.

However, Trixie gave one a proud smirk. One spell later, the chains unlocked and fell off as she slipped out of the straight jacket.

Twilight facehoofed. “And stage magic includes escape tricks…”

“Also, you probably shouldn’t explain your spells out loud. But if you’re going to turn up the heat, then so is Trixie!” Trixie announced, concentrating. Trixie teleported and when she reappeared, Twilight was surrounded by a circle of copies of the showmare.

The Bearer of Magic blinked, looking from Trixie to Trixie. She then gasped when she noticed something. “Why aren’t any of you breathing?!” There was no difference in any of the Trixies, their chests didn’t seem to move with her inhaling and exhaling.

“A magician never reveals her tricks!” the Trixies all announced. They all began firing magic beams at Twilight. The unicorn had to dodge and duck under the spells being flung at her. Twilight gave a thoughtful look…then smirked in realization. “Ha! None of you are breathing! That means the real Trixie must not be in the circl-”

The Trixie directly in front of her in the circle fired a beam, hitting her head on and giving her a mild shock, making her mane stand on end and slightly singeing her (though naturally not nearly enough to actually hurt her).

The showmare gave a confident smile, teleporting again as her copies vanished, reappearing with a fresh batch.

In the crowd, Helena Midsummer gave a proud smile. “Sometimes a few little theatre tricks can make the magic work that much better.”

Twilight shook off the ash on her coat and had to dodge more beams, unsure of which Trixie was real and which ones weren’t. She looked around frantically, trying to figure out which showmare might be the real one, ending up once more blindsided by a spell that caused her mane and tail to frizz up like a sheep‘s, covering her eyes and blinding her. “She really has been practicing…” she muttered

The audience seemed to give a gasp of surprise that Trixie had managed to actually get the upperhoof. Except Rarity who screamed in horror at Twilight‘s mane.

The purple pony magically fixed her mane and tail in time to duck under another beam. Once more, Trixie teleported and scrambled herself with the copies. Twilight responded by magically generating a prism above her and firing a beam into it. The magic reflected off the inside and split, hitting all of the trickster magician’s illusions, as well as the real one, trapping her in a block of ice.

The frozen unicorn’s eyes batted back and forth for a moment before she concentrated and set off several fireworks to blast her way out of the ice. She shook herself off and then had to jump out of the way of another freezing spell.

Trixie panted a bit, noticing Twilight was panting as well. However, the Element of Magic seemed to be a good bit less tired than herself, much to her annoyance. Twilight fired another spell her way and the azure unicorn countered with a beam of her own. The two collided and Trixie found herself being swiftly overpowered, leaving her with no choice but to teleport out of the way.

Trixie landed nearby and cursed to herself for trying to match Celestia’s student for power. “Looks like Trixie will have to pull out all the stops…” she muttered and concentrated, causing an illusion of a dark cave to form around the stage, hiding her from Twilight‘s sight.

Twilight looked around closely at the cave illusion. “She has to be here somewhere…” she muttered…before a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and forced her to dodge. She had to dodge a few more bolts, then blinked. “I…I can’t see any holes in the illusion? But how is she seeing me if the illusion has no openings?”

The crowd watched as lightning clouds Trixie created rained lightning down into the illusion, the showmare somewhere inside with nose twitching and following the scent of a certain stink bomb still stuck to her rival’s fur.

Zecora watched with a smile of her own from the stands, seated next to Helena. “Your granddaughter took my training to heart, but I only improved upon that with which she did start.”

Helena smiled. “Thank you, Zecora. Now let’s see if she can win this.”

Meanwhile, Twilight dove and dodged another bolt, but was shocked by yet another. She grunted and shook it off, feeling tingly but not injured. She teleported but found Trixie had covered the entire stage with her illusion. “Her weather control is a lot better too…” she muttered, having to form a quick shield to block the lightning, but still couldn’t figure out where her rival was. Trixie seemed to realize she’d stopped moving and made the clouds converge, pumping more of the lightning into the shield from all directions.

“I’m a sitting duck here…I can’t hit what I can’t see either and generating the lightning and the illusion won‘t take as much mana once the clouds and base illusion are made…at this rate I‘m going to run out of mana defending myself before she runs out of energy to attack…” Twilight muttered. “That must be Trixie’s plan, my power won’t do me any good if I can’t hit her with it…I need to get rid of this spell.”

Twilight focused and sent out a massive surge of pink energy around her, dispelling the illusion and the clouds with the shockwave.

Twilight panted as she looked at Trixie, the azure unicorn clearly being worn down as well. “That was really impressive Trixie…you actually made me use my failsafe spell…”

Trixie panted, but gave a proud smirk. “You’re quite welcome Twilight, Trixie had been working on that spell with Zecora for awhile…”

The crowd watched with baited breath as the two unicorns circled one another in preparation for their next move.

“Trixie believes we’re both getting tired,” Trixie replied, seeming to be preparing herself for something.

Twilight nodded. “Yeah…”

“Looking forward to a nap?” the showmare asked.

Twilight chuckled, giving a nod. “Yeah…you bet…” She was feeling tired.

Trixie’s horn glowed…but she locked eyes with Twilight as the unicorn prepared for whatever spell the trickster magician was charging up. “That does sound wonderful, doesn’t it? Laying down and taking a nice nap?” she asked, her voice taking a slight echoing quality and the magic in her horn began to swirl.

“Yeah…it does…”

Trixie’s eyes became swirling black and white circles. “Are you listening to the sound of my voice, Twilight?”

“Yeah…I…I hear you Trixie…” Celestia’s student said, feeling drowsy as her eyes matched Trixie‘s.

“You’re getting tired, aren’t you?”

“Kind of…” Twilight’s eyes beginning to droop.

“Your body is getting heavy?”

“Yeah…very…” Twilight muttered, her body sagging.

“You’re getting sleepy?”

Twilight gave a wide yawn. “Yeah…I am…”

“You want to lay down and take a rest?”

“…Kinda…” Twilight said, slipping down to a sitting position and struggling to keep her eyes open.

“Lay down and rest, Twilight. You’ve done well. Nopony will be disappointed in you. You’ve got nothing more to prove tonight. Just go to sleep…”

“Yeah…maybe…” she muttered, laying down slowly and giving a yawn.

“Yes, that’s right,” the azure mare said, her voice calm and soothing as she spoke. “Just enjoy a good rest, Twilight. You deserve it.”

“Yeah…we’ve worked hard…we’ve done a good job…we’ve had a good duel…we entertained the crowd…we entertained the Princess…” Twilight muttered, eyes closing. Then shot open a little. “Wait! The Princess!”

“Yes, she’s watching, but you know she’s proud of you, you don’t need to-”

Celestia’s personal student shot entirely awake. “I’m sorry princess! I didn’t mean to fall asleep in class!” she exclaimed, looking around frantically.

Celestia blushed a little. “Um…it’s fine Twilight…carry on…”

Twilight blinked in confusion and blushed a little before looking to Trixie. “You…You almost hypnotized me?” she asked, giving a look of surprise.

Trixie chuckled. “Well, the smarter somepony is the easier they are to hypnotize. And you’re as smart as they come.”

Twilight smiled. “I’m just impressed you managed to actually get it to work. Stage hypnosis spells normally don‘t work in combat since they need the target to be at least not be opposed to what you‘re trying to make them do.”

“Trixie knows, it only worked because we were already exhausted,” Trixie stated, trying to power up her horn again, but the magic sputtered out. The showmare panted and tried again with the same result.

Twilight frowned. “And that’s why you did it then…you’re out of mana.”

“Trixie believes so. Her storm spell took a lot of mana to set up after all. You? Tell the truth.”

Twilight powered up her horn, which while it was fainter than normal, still glowed steadily. “Yeah…”

Trixie nodded solemnly. “…Then finish it.”

Twilight blinked. “What?”

“End this duel. Now. Trixie is NOT going to give up. So you need to be the one to finish this.”

“Trixie…”

Trixie gave a serious look. “Trixie is not a quitter! The only way this is ending is if you end it! If Trixie loses, she wants it to be in a blaze of glory! Not in a whimper!”

Twilight cringed, then shot Trixie with a beam. The showmare shut her eyes…then blinked when she felt nothing, opening her eyes to find she was in her old Great and Powerful Trixie outfit. “Twilight?”

“The point of this is to finally break free from your past, right? Then it’s only fitting we lay the Great and Powerful Trixie to rest once and for all, right?”

Trixie gave a chuckle. “…Trixie can’t argue that it‘s a nice touch, she wishes she‘d thought of it…Fire away, Twilight. Trixie is ready!”

Celestia’s student slowly gathered mana into her horn, causing it to glow bright white, shining like a star, an audible vibration was heard by the ponies. Trixie closed her eyes as she was blasted full force by the beam, causing the crowd to gasp in shock as it completely engulfed the pony, turning night into day from the light of the spell.

Trixie slowly opened her eyes when she didn’t feel anything. She saw the beam burning away her outfit, tearing it to shreds, obliterating it into nothing…revealing the outfit Rarity had crafted for her beneath it. When the smoke cleared, there wasn’t a scratch on the azure unicorn, simply some ashes over her true garb. Trixie blinked.

Twilight gave a tired smile. “There…I gave the Great and Powerful Trixie her finale with a bang, it’s time for the Magnificent Trixie to take her bow and close this show.”

Trixie chuckled and shared a hug with Twilight. “Touché, Twilight Sparkle. Touché…”

Celestia gave a small chuckle. “Well done, my student…” she whispered.

Trixie staggered, but managed to keep her footing and turned to the stunned crowd alongside the likewise exhausted Twilight, giving a bow.

After a few moments of stunned silence, the audience broke out in applause.

“Great job, Magnificent Trixie!” cheered Snips and Snails, clapping their hooves.

“Way to go Trixie!” called Derpy, sitting with a stunned Carrot Top and the Doctor…and strangely surrounded by muffins, some of which were gigantic.

Applejack and the others, including Stage Hoof and Spike, rushed the stage and hugged their friends.

“See?! We knew yah had it in yah!” Applejack cheered, giving Trixie a hug.

Rarity and Fluttershy looked down. “ Trixie. I’m so very sorry for underestimating you,” the fashionista said with a frown.

Fluttershy nodded. “I’m sorry too, considering how often it happens to me, I don’t think it was right of me…I‘m sorry…Please don‘t hate me…”

Trixie smiled and hugged the two. “It’s fine…Trixie has already had this conversation tonight, long story short: Trixie forgives you because that’s what friends do…”

“Sorry ya didn’t win Trix,” Rainbow consoled. “I was rootin’ for ya.”

Trixie blinked. “R-Really?”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah. I really wanted to see ya cut loose for once! You didn’t disappoint though. Just stinks you didn’t win!”

“My, the Element of Loyalty picking sides,” Trixie teased.

“Hey, I cheered for Twilight the first time…sort of. And besides, I thought you needed support more than Twilight, she already knows how awesome we think she is,” Rainbow said, earning a smirk from Twilight.

Trixie gave a smile and nod. “Thank you, Rainbow…but Trixie is just happy she did better than most, including herself, expected.”

Rainbow smirked. “Still proving the neighsayers wrong, huh?”

Trixie shared a laugh at the irony of the statement. “Oh you know it.”

The show mare then accepted a hug from Stage Hoof. “Good job, Trixie.”

“Thank you, Stage Hoof. And thank you for supporting Trixie as well…”

Celestia spoke a word to the delegates before flying down to the stage. “Well done Twilight Sparkle, and Trixie Midsummer.”

Trixie looked faint as the others stepped back to give the unicorns their moment in the spotlight.. “Y-You know my name?”

“Of course, I remember the names of all my students at my School for Gifted Unicorns,” the Princess announced, seeming to have positioned herself just so that the entire audience heard her, and reacted with multiple gasps of shock.

“And you continue to be a diligent student learning the magic of friendship,” Celestia continued, giving a genuine smile. “I’m very proud of you my little pony.”

Trixie giggled giddily. “Princess Celestia is proud of me…oh! Yes, thank you so much your majesty! That means so much coming from you!”

Celestia smiled. “I can imagine,” she said, looking over to the townsponies. She smiled to the showmare. “Did you two learn anything today?”

The unicorns smiled.

“Yes, we did Princess. We learned you shouldn’t assume you know what a friend is feeling or assume they won’t understand what you are, sometimes they might understand more than you could have imagined,” Trixie recited.

“And also I learned you should probably think long and hard about big decisions before making them. Jumping to conclusions, especially when it comes to friends, can cause more harm than good.”

Celestia smiled. “Well said, my little ponies…And Twilight?”

“Yes?”

“I think you and Trixie should get to taking that nap now.”

Twilight blushed, but then had to try and fail to stifle a yawn.

“Yeah, you’re right…Right Trixie?”

Twilight looked over to see the exhausted unicorn had passed out. She gave a smile. “…Get a good rest, Trixie. You deserve it.”

A couple days later, Twilight heard a knock on the door to the library. She concentrated and tried to open the door, but gave a grunt, rubbing her horn. “Ow…”

“Twilight!” called Spike running in rather worriedly. “Don’t overwork yourself, let me get it.”

However, as the baby dragon went to open it, the door opened, revealing Trixie using her mouth somewhat clumsily to turn the knob.

“Hello, Trixie, still recovering from the duel?” Twilight asked.

“Blech! Yes, Trixie cannot remember the last time she was this low on mana!” the azure mare admitted with a disgusted look at the taste of door knob. “Trixie does not know how Earth Ponies get through life without telekinesis!”

Twilight chuckled. “They probably wonder how we get through it without their connection to nature.”

Spike grumped. “And you could have just let me get it…” he muttered.

“…Valid points…” Trixie admitted, rubbing her sore horn.

“Hornache?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe…” the azure mare groaned, rubbing her horn.

“I have one too, and considering my mana reserves are bigger, it’s no wonder you have one,” she said, trotting over to the kitchen but being stopped by Spike. The little dragon brought back an ice back and put it on Trixie‘s horn.

“Thank you, Spike,” Trixie replied, giving the baby dragon a smile.

“You’re welcome, have to be Twilight’s hooves while she’s recovering.”

Twilight gave the little dragon a hug. She then gave Trixie a thoughtful look. “Hehe, it’s kinda funny when you think about it.”

Trixie blinked. “What?”

“The Ursa Minor didn‘t drain me this much, so I guess in a way, you did finally beat it.”

Trixie blinked then gave a laugh. “Hehe, Trixie supposes you’re right…” she said, then looked out the window to Ponyville. “And it seems she finally beat it in another way…Trixie finally feels like the Ursa Incident and the Great and Powerful Trixie are truly behind her…and that is worth any amount of horn aches and mana depletion.”

Twilight gave a smile in return. “And helping my ‘sister’ do that is worth it to me.”

The two hugged. “Thank you, Twilight.”

Spike gave a smile. “I’m glad everything worked out…you did really well. That big spell at the end was really cool!”

Trixie gave a smile. “Thank you Spike. Trixie believes that was the biggest spell she’s ever performed…She’s quite proud of it.”

“And…sorry for not really thinking things through when it came to to everything…” Spike admitted.

Trixie smiled. “It’s alright, Spike, it all worked out for the best and Trixie now finally has the Ursa behind her. Thank you for coming up with it.”

Spike nodded. “You’re welcome, Trixie.”

“How about we go get something from Sugarcube Corner to celebrate?” asked Twilight, giving a smile.

“That would be lovely, let’s go, Trixie shall lead the way!” Trixie exclaimed in her normal over the top energetic manner, turning to the door…and just looking at it for a moment before Spike politely opened it.

“Maybe I should lead the way?”

The two weakened unicorns blushed and looked at one another with awkward smiles. “That’s probably a better idea…”

The two unicorns followed the baby dragon, supporting each other when their tired bodies stumbled. Trixie couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in the last year. And with the Ursa incident finally behind her, she truly felt her life had begun anew.

Goodbye the Great and Powerful Trixie, the Magnificent Trixie is here to stay.

“…Trixie bets she can eat more ice cream than you Twilight,” Trixie said, giving smirk.

Twilight blinked…then gave a smile when she saw a playfulness in Trixie‘s smirk where smugness used to dwell. “Alright Trixie, you’re on.”

The End