Author's Notes:

Here it is everypony! Episode 08 of Season 01! Hope you all enjoy, and remember to check out the official adjoining website to see the new biographies and more.

An elephantine explosion rings loudly throughout the streets of the now apocalyptic Canterlot central sector. Screams of sheer, absolute panic are heard echoing between the burning buildings, and in every direction, ponies are running in terror as they attempt to evade the falling debris. A young mare is suddenly crushed by a falling shop sign, her innards exploding out of her body while her husband stands there screaming. They had gone out this morning for a simple cup of tea. How could something like this even happen!? She can't be dead, she just can't. As the stallion stands there, sobbing in despair, large chunks of the building above him begin to fall. But before they can take him from the world as well, a blue aura suddenly surrounds the debris, sending it safely off into the alleyway a few feet to his left.

Soaring around the city skies, Princess Aurora looks around at the destruction, eyes wide in fear. Summoning her magic, she tries to save the fleeing citizens as they escape the town. However, not even somepony as powerful as her can be in more than one place at a time. The screams of dying ponies sends shivers down her spine, and brings bitter tears to her eyes. She feels hopeless, unable to save everyone like she'd wish. This is just horrible. What could have brought these monstrous beasts upon them, and why now?

Equestria's been feeling months of peace since the last incident with the evil Oblivion. Everything's been going well, and ponies have been able to just move on with their lives as if the dark star incident never happened. Could this possibly be his doing? His way of telling them all that he's still there, lurking in the shadows and awaiting his time to attack? She'd hope not, but it's the only thing that makes any sense. Only someone as malevolent as he could cause such a catastrophic attack on the capital city of Equestria. They haven't faced a threat like this since...since the horrible incidents fifteen years back.

She looks solemnly down at the streets below, seeing a cerulean-coated mare quickly running away from an alleyway. A stallion standing there seems to have avoided certain death, and now joins the rest of the ponies in escaping. The mysterious mare dons a purple satin cloak and matching hat, and is rushing around and trying to save everyone that she can from being crushed, or worse. At that moment, a scream captures the attention of the princess, and she flies off in a hurry to rescue the pony attached to it. Meanwhile, the mare in the streets below is on the verge of screaming herself, eyes cascading with sorrowful tears as she tries to make this all right. After all, this is all her fault.

"What...what am I going to do? I can't possibly save everypony. I couldn't even get there in time to save that mare from her death. It's all my fault that this is happening. This is all because of me, because of my arrogance and pride. It's...it's all my fault."

That's when a sudden thought comes to the mare's mind, memories from long ago. She remembers that day when she first went to Ponyville to perform her spectacular show for all the ponies of the town. A purple mare and her friends showed her up and made her out to be a fool. Almost a year after that, she had found an ancient artifact called the Alicorn Amulet. Her hate had blinded her and she tried to get revenge by taking over all of Ponyville. She wanted that same purple pony to suffer for putting her life into a tailspin. And then, there was her last visit there. The one that went as horrible wrong as one could.

She wanted to make amends for all of the horrible things she had done to them in the past. She only wanted Twilight and her friends to forgive her, despite her not deserving it in the slightest. But in the end, everything only became worse. Her anger had gotten the better of her, and she slipped back into her old ways and tried to hurt those she came to apologize to. She left as an enemy of Ponyville, and was never given another chance. For it was only a few days later that Twilight Sparkle and the other princesses disappeared, never to be seen of again.
She's felt absolutely terrible ever since, and wished that she could've only left Ponyville on a better note. It's been fifteen years since then, and she hasn't been back. However, one thought keeps coming to the forefront of her mind. There was one small part of that last visit that gives her hope. She remembers how Twilight had reacted after she told the truth, after she revealed that she was jealous of the connections the purple mare had with her friends.

"You act like this because you don't have friendships like mine?" the princess had asked, staring down at the defeated showmare with a raised eyebrow, "That's it? Then why don't you make some friends, Trixie? Friendship is the glue that binds us all together. In the end, they can save anypony. There was another mare I knew who once had trouble making friends. Because of it, she let herself be overcome with jealousy and hate, almost causing the destruction of two worlds. I stopped her and she changed her ways. She embraced friendship and has been working to make things right ever since. No one is great and powerful on their own. You need friends."
That's got to be it; she now knows exactly what she needs to do. It's true that since she was a child, she's always found it hard to make friends. Her ego kept others at a distance, but it never really seemed to affect her. She's never seen the merit in needing to make any friends. It's just never been something that's mattered to her. Her studies and magic have always kept her company, and her performances have always allowed her to keep smiling.

So why does she now feel so saddened? Why has this dark cloud covered her life for so long? With Canterlot in peril, she needs to do as Twilight had instructed her to all those years ago. She has to finally take that advice and return to Ponyville one more time. Only one of Twilight's friends remain, and she needs to meet with her. If she can become friends with Fluttershy, she might be able to get the help she needs. Otherwise Canterlot, and maybe all of Equestria, is doomed.

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Nary a cloud rests in the peaceful, bright, blue sky as the golden sun glares down on the homely little town below. Everything has been peaceful for such a long time; much too long it seems. The six destined ponies have begun to worry, especially Star. She knows that there has to be a reason for the sudden inactivity of the Oblivion force. It can't have just disappeared like that. So, in an attempt to get everything figured out, she's come to the small cottage on the Eastern end of Ponyville near the Everfree Forest to meet with Fluttershy and Spike. They need to figure all of this out and plan for the next inevitable attack.

Just recently they managed to happen upon one of the mysterious Elements of Harmony that went missing at the same time as the princesses. A golden choker embedded with the purple Element of Faith. It was Agelian that it appeared to, and him who has best represented it. However, it was not the only thing he had been given, and it's the other thing that now concerns them all; a small letter addressed to Bri that was given to the stallion by a mysterious pony from Germaney calling himself Babe Chenko. This has definitely become the most pressing matter for them, though they don't yet know if it has anything to do with the evil force that plagued the town only a short time back.

Scanning the parchment curiously as the seven ponies listen in, Spike reads aloud, "I know who you are Briance Happer, and I know what you want. You're looking for Pinkamena Diane Pie, and I know where she is and where she's been this entire time. She's been in hiding these past fifteen years in a hidden village, but recently has been spotted in the capital city of Canterlot. I happen to know that she will not be there for too much longer though, so if you wish to catch her, you might want to hurry. And by the way, I advise that you tread carefully, my little pony. If you don't, she will tear you to pieces. This is not the same Pinkie Pie you think you know. Be warned, and be careful."

"But...but this just doesn't make any sense," Fluttershy protests, flying up into the air, "Pinkie would never hurt anypony! She's not like that!"

"I don't think so either," Bri replies, staring down at the ground, "but whatever the case may be, I think that this is something we need to look into. We need her."

She has been searching for Pinkie for such a long time now; almost her entire life. This news distresses her more than any she had received before. It's true that she wanted so badly to find her, but at the same time, this doesn't sound right at all. She has never even heard of this Babe Chenko before, not even during her recent trip to Germaney. So who is he, and why is he suddenly come to give her this news? Not to mention, if he knows her like he claims, then why would he even tell her something this horrible? It's not the kind of thing she'd ever want to hear. She sighs and leans back in her chair, looking over to Fluttershy who tells them that she doesn't understand one part of the letter.

"According to this, Pinkie has been hiding out in some hidden village? And we're just supposed to believe something like that? I mean, what does this all even mean? Why in the wide world of Equestria would somepony like her do this? Think about it. Wouldn't she sooner return to her family's rock farm?"

"This could all be a trap you know," Star suddenly speaks up. She doesn't want to sound pessimistic, but can't help but look at the most realistic side of this all, "It could all be Oblivion's doing. He might be trying to get us to leave Ponyville for some reason."

"No, I don't think so. This is different than his past actions and methods," Terra says, pacing around the room as he thinks about all the details they know, "I cannot be sure that I'm right in this, but it just doesn't feel like something he'd do. That being said, I don't know who the real culprit might be. This Babe Chenko guy could be the one in the end, could he not? We don't know anything about him, and now we're suddenly supposed to believe what he's telling us here? It seems awfully fishy to me."

The seven ponies, as well as their dragon friend, begin to discuss this further, hoping to figure out what this letter could possibly mean for them all, and if Pinkie Pie is even truly in Canterlot to begin with, as the letter says, or if it's just a trap. On one hoof, if this is real, then to find the party pony and get her to return would definitely be top priority. Her help would greatly improve their chances of defeating Oblivion. However, if it turns out to be a false lead, then they don't know what could be awaiting them in the capital. Even with Everglade and the elite royal guard there, they can't be sure that they'd be safe if they were to go.

As they continue to chat amongst themselves, each giving a possible scenario and idea of how to take things from this point on, the door to the cottage suddenly implodes inward, surprising them all and stealing their attention away from their previous conversation. As it happens, Fluttershy is the first to react, letting out a loud squeak and falling to the floor below with a heavy thud. The others quickly respond as well, getting to their hooves and staring down the threshold, ready to attack whatever's invading the home. Their guard soon lowers as quickly as it was raised, however, as the eight of them watch an injured cerulean mare slowly trot in.

With every step she takes, it appears to be a struggle. Her body is covered in deep, bleeding gashes, and her mane is disheveled. She seems barely alive, and falls over as soon as she enters. Jumping into action, the six destined ponies rush to help her. Neither Fluttershy nor Spike follow suit, and both seem to be glaring at the mare with a vicious intensity. Agelian helps her back to her hooves, and with the assistance of Chupa and Devlin, brings her over to the couch. Star then quickly rushes into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a glass of water. She assists the pony in drinking it down as Bri removes the mare's hat and sets a pillow behind her head. They do everything that they possibly can, despite not even knowing the mare. But Fluttershy and Spike know her, and they can't see the hurt, helpless victim that the others do. All they see is bad memories.

Using his magic, Devlin begins to heal the mare of her injuries. This catches his friends off guard, as he's a rare sort of unicorn to not like or use his powers often. He'd rather work manual, hard labor any day. They often joke that he's an Earth pony trapped in a unicorn's body. However, they don't question him doing this, as it's the only quick way to help the injured pony, and he's the only unicorn amongst them. It's much faster and more efficient than trying to heal her the old fashioned way. They soon breathe a sigh of relief as she comes to, her eyes fluttering open and looking weakly around.

But who are these ponies? She doesn't recognize even one of them. Where's Fluttershy, and why is she not helping her? This is the shy mare's cottage, is it not? And Fluttershy has always been known to take care of anypony who needs it. Strength quickly returning to her, the mare shifts into a sitting position with the assistance of the others, and looks around the room. She soon sees Fluttershy on the floor not far away, not having moved since falling there a minute back. The kind pony is glaring at her like she's never seen before. Truthfully, she knows why and can't blame her in the slightest.

"Are you ok?" Star frantically asks her, sweat dripping from her forehead as she worried over the unknown mare. She tells the young, dark blue mare that she's doing a lot better, thanking her. However, Fluttershy doesn't seem to want to listen anymore, and storms forward towards them all, and most specifically, the newcomer. Getting right into the mare's face, she demands to know why she's here, and what she's planning this time. The destined six all look at Fluttershy in shock, never having seen her this aggressive before. But it's easy for them to put together that these two ponies must have a connection to each other, and very possibly a troubled past.

"I'm sorry Fluttershy," the mare tells her, tears slowly starting to form, "for everything I did to you and the others back then. I hurt you all so much, and treated you like dirt. I let my ego get the better of me and boasted about my magical abilities. I even tried to take over Ponyville, and then...then there was that last time. But I truly am sorry, and I hope you can understand that right now, I desperately need your help!"

Fluttershy raises an eyebrow, but remains silent. While she may not fully trust her, she can still hear the honesty in her voice. It almost reminds her of Applejack. She can't just accuse her of lying when she knows it might be otherwise. So she sits back and listens, suggesting to the others to stay close to her. Star and her friends look confused, but listen to her and get back to take a seat. Agelian turns to the yellow-coated pony though, questioning what this is all about and who this mare even is.

"Her name is Trixie Lulamoon, a showmare from Canterlot. Let's just say that she did horrible things to my friends and I when they were all still alive."

"It's true," Trixie responds sorrowfully, "I did do horrible things back then. It's been fifteen years though, and whether you believe me or not, I have changed. But...I'm not here about myself. I need your help Fluttershy; Canterlot is under attack!"

While Fluttershy definitely seems surprised at this startling revelation, especially right after they had been discussing the capital city, she is still unsure of whether or not she can trust the mare's word. However, the other six seem horrified by this news. Their mouths hang and eyes open wide. This is not something they had expected at all. They've been contemplating over this letter for a couple days now before deciding to meet with Fluttershy about it. If they had gone to Canterlot originally, who knows where they'd be now. Sighing, Fluttershy tells Trixie to explain herself.

"Ok, I guess I should start from the beginning," the mare tells them all, leaning back on the couch and looking quietly at the ceiling above, "It started last night. I was performing at the Canterlot Garden Party that Fancy Pants was hosting. It was a grand occasion, and all of the city's elite were there. I was honestly surprised they wanted me there. My show isn't the kind of thing one would expect to see at a fancy party like that, but Fancy Pants insisted. So I accepted, knowing that the pay would be good for a high class event."

"I was performing my usual tricks, and everypony seemed fascinated, but not impressed. I needed to do something that would skyrocket things, so to speak. So during intermission I went to find Princess Aurora, and asked her if I might be able to summon her from the throne room with my magic. She seemed perfectly fine with the idea, and so I went back to my stage. Something went wrong though. While I was using my summoning spell, I became distracted. Fancy Pants was talking to someone I didn't recognize. A tall, brown Earth pony with blonde hair."

Agelian nearly cries out, recognizing that description. It has to be Babe Chenko, the mysterious Germaney pony who gave him the letter for Bri. The others look to him as well, having been given his description. Trixie notices their reactions to this, and gives them all a quizzical look. However, she decides to move on, continuing her story, "I overheard them discussing something about Princess Twilight. Can I be sure that you all know what happens when a unicorn loses concentration while casting such a spell?" The others nod, having done their research in the past. They know that for spells such as summoning and teleportation, one needs to have good focus.

"Well, because I lost my focus on the spell, something went horribly wrong. I...I did complete the spell, but it wasn't Princess Aurora that I summoned. When I heard Princess Twilight's name, I thought back to the time when we first met. I remembered the incident with the Ursa Minor, and, well...I summoned an entire pack of them. But, it's worse than that. Their parents, Ursa Majors, sniffed out their babies and soon came upon Canterlot as well. Before I knew it, the entire city was under attack by the beasts. Dozens of them roaming around, destroying everything. I tried to save everypony, but I couldn't help them all. I watched ponies die as building collapsed on them, and as the bears devoured them."

The bitter tears that now flow down Trixie's cheeks tell the eight of them all they need to know; she is telling them the truth. She had accidentally set a pack of the vicious, starry bears upon Canterlot, and because of it, their parents joined in. It's mortifying to even imagine something like that, considering how amazingly large one Ursa Minor is, and that's just a baby. To have a whole group of them attacking the same city at one time, with fully-grown adult Ursa's there as well. It's just not comprehensible to even think about. That kind of attack would put the city in mortal peril, and even Princess Aurora would have trouble fighting off a threat like that.

"We have no reason to help you," Fluttershy tells her, shocking everyone else there. They look at the pony in complete, utter disbelief. How could she say that? The capital is under attack and she doesn't want to help at all? Sighing, Fluttershy gets to her hooves and trots over, adding, "After what you did to us before, you don't deserve my help. However, I'd be remiss if I just ignored this. I mean, I certainly can't do anything to help you, and I honestly don't much care to. But these six are stronger than I, and they can help. Talk to them."

With not a single other word, the normally shy mare turns her back to Trixie and trots up the stair and into her room, slamming the door behind her. Spike then leaves himself, headed back to the Princess Twilight Sparkle Memorial Library. Trixie seems devastated, and turns now to the six ponies still before her. She needs to fix this mistake of hers, but she isn't able to get it done alone. She once again asks them to help her, and after looking at her friends, Star steps forward and agrees, telling her that they'll do whatever they can to save Canterlot. Almost jumping for joy, the showmare thanks them all graciously, and tells them that she'll be ready and waiting outside the cottage, and that she'll just teleport them all to Canterlot when they're ready. Star agrees to this as well, and
Trixie takes her hat as she trots back out of the open door, closing it calmly behind her.

At that moment, Star turns on the spot and heads over to the staircase, climbing up to the top floor. She reaches Fluttershy's room quickly and cautiously knocks on the door. A few seconds later, it opens and standing there is the still angry pony, fuming over seeing Trixie again after fifteen years. Star and the others can't exactly understand Fluttershy's painful memories, and they have to get going. But for some reason, she needs to know why her friend is so bitter towards the showmare. She seems so nice and forgivable, so why is it that Fluttershy can't give her another chance? She asks this, and the shy pony comes out to tell them everything.

They head back downstairs and into the kitchen, where Fluttershy takes a seat and rubs her hoof against the center of her forehead, wishing she didn't have to remember that horrible day. She knows that simply telling them about Trixie's first two visits wouldn't mean much. She wasn't as bad then, and her actions, while horrible, were easily fixed. It was the last visit, fifteen years ago and only days before the disappearance of her friend Twilight. It seems so long ago, but at the same time, she remembers it as if it were just yesterday.

"Everything seemed normal. Just an average, ordinary day," she begins to explain to them, breathing heavily at the very thought of it all, "all of us had the day off of work, which was surprising considering how busy Sugarcube Corner had gotten by that time. Even I didn't have much to do for my little animal friends that day. So we decided to just have some fun together. We went to the day spa and had a nice, relaxing time. After that, we all went to the Ponytones rehearsal. I was finally starting to feel comfortable with performing in front of people, so Rarity and Big Mac made me a permanent part of the group. We even got to have lunch at the Hayburger. It seemed like a perfect day, until she came around."

"It seemed out of nowhere too. We were walking down the road when we saw her stage set up. Ponies were gathering around it. Now, on her last visit she tried to take over Ponyville. However, we all know it was because of the Alicorn Amulet, which was heightening her aggression. She apologized and Twilight seemed to forgive her, so we all did too. So when we saw her that day, we were willing to give her show the benefit of the doubt. We hoped she wouldn't be the same braggart she had been in the past."

"So we grabbed some seats right in the front of the crowd, deciding to give her a chance and take a look. It actually ended up being a really good show, and for once Trixie wasn't being egotistical and cruel. We were even enjoying it. Well, eventually everything just had to go downhill. She was ready for her big finale, and asked for some volunteers to come up to the stage. It was a little friend of ours, Pipsqueak, who agreed without a second’s hesitation. She then asked him to choose two more, and so he had his schoolmates Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie come up. All three of them were just young foals. They wanted to feel special and become involved with such a wonderful act."

"Well," the mare continues as she begins to tear up, "Trixie brought them all on stage and had them lay down in three separate boxes, which they then levitated, stacking on top of each other. She had planned to do her famous sawing in half trick, which was always a crowd favorite. This time though, she was going to do it with three ponies at once, something that's never even been considered before."

"So she summoned a saw and without another word, began slicing right down the center of the boxes. It was being done as normal, and all of us cheered her on. The three foals began to scream, but they were laughing at the same time. We knew that they were just having fun with all of it, that is, until their screams began to change. No longer cries of fun, they became filled with pain and terror. None of us knew how to act until we noticed blood begin to seep from the boxes. Trixie noticed this at about the same time, and tried to stop, but it was too late."

"All three of them died that day. Three innocent little children murdered as part of a magic trick. I've tried to convince myself that it was all just an accident, just as it ended up being this time. I'd like to think that Trixie didn't mean for any of this to happen, but we have to look at the facts. Those three foals never got to grow up and experience the wonders that their lives would've brought. And Pipsqueak...he never even got to discover what makes him special and earn his cutie mark."

Fluttershy begins to sob harder than ever, tears streaming down her face and onto the floor. Reaching forward, Star embraces and comforts her friend, giving her a loving and understanding huge. She now knows exactly why she was so apprehensive towards Trixie before; why she seemed to glare at her and wasn't even willing to lend her a hoof. However, while she understands, she cannot turn a blind eye and ignore this terrible tragedy befalling the capital. Trixie might have done some terrible things in the past, but right now she needs their help to save her hometown. Canterlot is on the verge of destruction, and they have to go and put a stop to these Ursas.

She doubts that Trixie would have knowingly murdered three little foals in front of a big crowd like that. Nopony could ever be that cruel, apart from Oblivion of course. There has to be more behind that incident, but right now she can't focus on the past. She can ask Trixie about that later. Turning to face her friends, Star tells them that they have to do whatever they can, and that the future of Canterlot rests squarely on their shoulders. They all nod in agreement, knowing how important a task like this is, and so they head back down the stairs, out of Fluttershy's cottage, and up to the blue pony awaiting them outside.

"About time you...I mean, thank you for coming. We need to hurry," Trixie says, pointing her hoof towards the city far off in the mountains. They can see where the city is by the large clouds of smoke billowing out of it, and the flames licking at it's uppermost reaches. They tell the unicorn that they're ready to go, and summoning up the height of her magical prowess, Trixie casts her teleportation spell.

The seven ponies open their eyes as a shrill scream pierces the air, followed closely by an ear-splitting roar. They've arrived in Canterlot, and are surrounded by the destruction Trixie had told them about. The buildings around them are crumbling into ash, and flames blaze everywhere. They can see the corpses of many a pony laying around, crushed by falling debris. Some burn in flames that now engulf them, and others are mutilated beyond belief, having their heads crushed, guts spilled, and bodies torn apart.

Not too far away they can see a multitude of terrible looking bears storming around. Light blue in color, though translucent, the Ursas tear up the place; rampaging over buildings and devouring the terrified citizens. Up above they see some of the elite royal guard trying to fight off the bears with their magic, and others on the ground gathering up the survivors and trying to herd them away.

"You!?" Everglade yells out, running up in full armor, "what are you all doing here!?"

"Captain, we've come on behalf of Trixie Lulamoon here to help stop the attack," Terra proclaims, saluting his replacement with respect. Everglade salutes back and tells them that Princess Aurora has managed to corner the Ursa Majors in one corner of the city, and is fighting them now, but that the Minors are still out of control. Taking charge of the group, Terra tells her that they will do what they can to help. Everglade salutes him again and runs off to do her part, leaving the seven ponies standing there.

"Ok, we need a plan," Terra tells them all, remaining calm, "Trixie, tell us everything you know about the Ursas!"
"I...I don't know much of anything about them. I've only seen one before this, and that was over fifteen years ago. I couldn't even stop that one Ursa Minor back then."

"Figures," the former captain of the guard replies, sighing. Reaching into the saddlebag he always carries with him, Terra pulls out a piece of parchment and a pencil, which he begins to diagram things out with, "Ok everypony, we've got to think about this logically. The Princess has got the Majors under control, so we've got only the babies to worry about. Star, Agelian, you two fly overhead and try to force the Ursas into one section, just like Princess Aurora did with their parents! Bri, you and Devlin go and try to help anyone and everyone you can! Chupa, you and I will assist the royal guard in their mission! Trixie, when Star and Agelian round up the bears, I'll need you to do a reversal on your spell from last night! You can do that, can't you? Put those Ursa Minors back where you brought them from?"

"I should be able to do that," the mare nervously replies, nodding her head while swallowing hard. The others all nod and begin to head off, ready to accomplish their assigned missions. Star, Agelian, and Trixie remain standing there in the street, all a part of the same group. However, before much longer, the two pegasi take flight and begin to speed towards the attacking bears. After talking it out, they've decided that the best place to corner them in at would be by the Wonderbolts Stadium. Trixie, meanwhile, gallops along on the ground, following them closely so that she doesn't fall behind. This is all her fault. She has to do whatever she can to help.

Terrifying roars pierce the smog-filled air, joined by the immense screaming of the panicking ponies all running away in every direction. In the air, Agelian has put on his goggles and is now flying around a group of three Ursa Minors. Like Terra, he too is always prepared for any situation, having his saddlebag on and stocked at all times. Reaching in, he pulls out not parchment and a pencil though, but instead a large smoke capsule that his fiancee Dinky had made for him. Releasing it into the air, a red stream of smoke billows out, frightening the bears and causing them to back away, towards the direction of the stadium.

He follows the smoke up with flares and fire capsules, causing huge pops of flames in mid-air that get the three Ursas back even further. Meanwhile, not far away, Star has rounded up a group of the bears herself. Though without the use of capsules, she has been forced to rely on brute force. Flying at top speed, she rams into the bears over and over, screaming out to get their attention. Though they swipe their claws at her, this method seems to surprisingly work, getting them to flee off towards Agelian's group. The two soon merge, and the pegasi take the opportunity to work together.

Giving her some of his capsules, Agelian throws firework capsules out. The large explosions and noises startle the Ursas, sending them running towards where the stadium is. After a while, the two manage to corral all of the Minors by the stadium, unfortunately partially destroying it in the process; a necessary sacrifice. Trixie runs up at that point, having kept up with the two this entire time. She's surprised by how easily they were able to do this all. Their friendship and trust in Terra gave them the courage they needed to follow his plans and accomplish their goal. Maybe, just maybe, friendship is the one thing she's been missing all this time.

Shaking her head, Trixie focuses on the problem at hand. All the Ursa Minors are now gathered in one place, and so with great focus, she summons up the entirety of her remaining magic, using a reversal spell on them. At first, nothing seems to happen, and she wonders if she just didn't have enough power left. However, the bears soon begin to fade, disappearing into the night just as quickly as they came. The three of them are about to celebrate when the sound of a collapsing house nearby captures their attention. Their job is not done yet. Looking to Trixie, Star shouts out, asking if she knows any spells to summon water.

"There are no spells that can just summon water, at least not that I know of!" the showmare yells back, nearly crying from the horrible atmosphere of the flames and smoke, "but there is one spell I know about! I can go to the Highland Resevoir back near Ponyville and force the water here to Canterlot, putting out all the flames and clearing everything up! It's risky though! I don't know if I have enough magic left in me right now!"

"We believe in you Trixie! You can do this, I have faith in you!" Agelian yells out, smiling down at her.

The tears in her eyes now are of happiness. No one's been this kind to her in fifteen years, not since the mercy that Twilight had shown her after she killed those little children. It was all a mistake. She had meant it to be a trick, and doesn't know why or how it went wrong. All she knows is that she didn't have control of her magic for some reason, and couldn't stop until it was too late and the three of them had been sliced in half. Even though it wasn't her fault, she always felt like it had been. She had those three foals come up in the first place.

Now these two ponies who have no reason to like her, or to believe in her, are not only doing that, but practically pushing her to do her best and save Canterlot. She can't help but cry; overjoyed and overwhelmed by the sheer impact of this moment on her. So without another word, but instead a warm smile to her newfound friends, Trixie teleports away to the Highland Resevoir. Agelian and Star begin to fly off when Princess Aurora suddenly comes up to them, surprising the two. She seems pleased, but still worried about everything, landing on the ground to take a breather after all the work she's done so far.

"Thank you for coming," she tells them, breathing heavily, "Everglade told me everything. When I saw the Ursa Minors disappear, I knew it was you all. And the Majors left soon after, apparently going off to wherever their young were teleported to. And speaking of such, where's Trixie? I wanted to thank her for the services she's done for Canterlot and all of Equestria today."

Suddenly, as she finishes speaking, a wall of water seems to come down upon them, spreading over the entirety of the city and snuffing out the flames. The three of them stand there, soaked from head to hoof, but smiling. Laughing a little, Star tells the princess, "Right on cue. Trixie has saved the city today, so I hope you can forgive her for causing this all in the first place. She needs forgiveness for once." A smile spreads across the princess' face and she nods in understanding before flying off to care for the survivors of the attack.

A few days later, the six friends sit by the Ponyville Fountain in the central sector, enjoying the bright, beautiful day. Once again, all of Equestria is at peace, and Oblivion still has yet to be seen or heard from again. But one thing still bugs them. Babe Chenko has now been spotted in Canterlot. He was there when the incident with Trixie happened, and had mentioned something about Princess Twilight Sparkle. They have no idea who he could be, and even the princess couldn't tell them when they asked her. So the six of them decided to visit Fancy Pants in the hospital to ask him.

He had been caught up in the initial attack when the Ursa Minors were first brought into the city, and was gravely injured. However, when the six of them got there, he had just passed away. For now, the secret of Babe Chenko ,and what he meant in the letter for Bri, shall remain a mystery. They can't help but think he's got something to do with all of this; with not only the Ursa Incident, but also the incidents from fifteen years ago, maybe even the disappearances of the princesses. He could even be in league with Oblivion for all they know, but that's just blind speculation as of now. They know nothing about him, and who knows if they ever will.

So, warm smiles spread across their faces, the six of them try to focus on the now, and not worry about the problems that they will need to focus on in the near future. Before them is a wonderful show being put on. A stage set up in the center of town, feats of extraordinary magic entertaining the masses of ponies. In the direct middle of it all stands Trixie, laughing and enjoying herself as she is able to give the crowd a reason to smile and be happy. She's able to give back to the town that gave her a second chance, and she's ready to prove herself to them all; and right in the front row, having finally decided to do as Twilight would have and give the showmare another chance, is Fluttershy, smiling and laughing right along with The Great & Powerful Trixie Lulamoon.

Preview for Episode 09
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It's coming! We can't believe it's coming to Ponyville! Wait, is that...DEVLIN!? What is he doing competing!? What could his talent be!?