She paced nervously in the backstage trying to regain her composure from the swirling tide of emotions threatening to pull her under. She had nerves before when performing, but there was always her confidence by her side that quelled these worries. After all, she was Great and Powerful. Now it seemed not even this was a constant means of confidence. She didn’t feel Great or Powerful at all, just a scared mare ready to prepare for her return to the public with no certainty as to how said public would react.

The mare knew what she did, all the ponies she hurt with her bragging and quest for power and fame. That is why she retreated in a self-imposed exile, hoping that time would heal things or at least erase the memories of the past. There was no certainty in this, but then again there was no certainty in anything in her life now. She went from living to existing, throwing off all traces of comfort and security in her life. This was her chance to regain perhaps a small amount of that back, a gleam of gold in the dirt.

She could hear the crowd getting reckless on the other side of the curtain. They were no doubt wondering what this show would be, as the blue mare made little attempt to reveal herself before the show. She even snuck into town in the dead of night so as not to be seen and placed posters around simply stating:

There were no frills in these posters, no loud proclamations or fancy designs made to captivate ponies and draw them in like she did many times before. It was simple and hopefully enough to bring some crowd in. From the murmurs behind the crimson screen, the blue unicorn felt like she did her job.

“Here goes nothing,” she said steeling her nerves as she fixed her cape and straightened her hat. With her horn glowing a blue aura she pulled open the curtain, revealing her presence to the ponies attending.

“Behold, the Great and Powerful Trixie here to preform amazing feats of magic to leave you astounded!” Trixie proclaimed albeit a little shakily. Clearly it had been a while since she put on a show, but no matter. She hoped it was enough. To her surprise though there was no applause, no cheering like when she first came to Ponyville a few years ago. There were just faces staring at her, many of them surprised but some looking very upset at her presence. For some reason though, Trixie began to wonder if they weren’t amazed at seeing her but how she looked. Granted her cape and hat were faded and patched in certain places, her mane and tail unkempt and dirty like a frayed rope, and her coat dull like she hadn’t bathed in a week. Still she was Trixie and with what she would be doing hopefully would overshadow that.

“For my first trick, Trixie will take this box and create an exact duplicate of it on the other side of the stage,” she said confidently and was about to use her magic when she heard the crowd suddenly become very agitated. Turning from her trick she could see that the look of surprise worn off of the ponies’ faces now replaced with looks of disgust.

“You appear as though you have seen this trick before, but can a two bit magician do so with style and grace as the Great and Powerful…”

Her appealing to the crowd in a vain attempt to calm them only was met by a chorus of booing and shouts as the ponies rose from their seats and approached the stage like a menacing rainbow tide.

“Get off the stage!” a voice shouted in the back.

“You’re not welcome here!” a mare replied.

“Why don’t you just make yourself disappear, for good!” another added to which the others only cheered louder at the barb.

“Please everypony,” Trixie said as she slowly backed away at the crowd all confidence gone, “Trixie is different from before! She only wishes to perform and for your friendship.”

Her plea was answered as the tide roared with shouts and jeering laughter. Then from the shifting mass of ponies a rotten tomato was lobbed from the back striking the mare on stage square on the face as she turned. As the juice of the fruit ran down her face the crowd exploded into laughter that crushed her heart.

“Come on ponies, let’s show Trixie what we really feel about her!” a voice replied as another fruit, this time an apple, struck the mare in the side with a sickening squelching noise. Soon fruit and vegetables rained from the crowd, aimed at the one target on stage. Trixie desperately tried to shield her face from the onslaught but in doing so only backed up into the box on stage, causing her to fall back over it and collapse on stage with a thud. More laughter and produce issued forth as tears flowed down Trixie’s face, the revelation that nothing could save her from this fate.

“ENOUGH!!!” a voice thundered as if from the night sky above, quickly silencing most of the voices. The scared Trixie, now covered in rotten everything was even more scared at this threatening sound. Strangely though it seemed familiar but in her distress she couldn’t tell how. She didn’t have to wonder long as just a short time after hearing the voice an explosion of magical energy the likes of which Trixie never felt before spread as another pony now stood on stage.

Looking up through the film of oozing plant matter that ran down her face, there was no mistaking the form of Twilight Sparkle with the mare’s lavender coat and straight mane and tail. There was something different though, she looked more powerful that when the blue unicorn last encountered her. But then she saw it, something that made her jaw open in amazement: wings. Unicorns didn’t have wings, but yet they were there opened wide to quell the crowd but also to shield her from any attacks. The revelation hit home like any piece of produce or hitting the stage could. Twilight Sparkle, her greatest rival, was now a Princess blessed with unfathomable power. The very thought of it made Trixie feel small, like a filly in the presence of an adult.

Suddenly a single tomato flew from the crowd, aimed at one final note of revenge against the showpony as Twilight made her entrance. Right as it was inches away from the two ponies on stage, the fruit stopped in midair as if an invisible hoof caught it before doing any damage. Twilight looked incredulously at the crowd and the tomato as it hovered in the air before crushing it easily and stepping forward.

“Citizens of Ponyville, I as the Princess of Friendship am disgusted by this act of revenge against a pony. When have your hearts become so filled with anger? Are you so easy to give into a mob mentality acting like mad ponies? Yes, I know who is on stage with me, and yes I know what she has done in the past. I was there to witness it all and my friends and I have become victims to her schemes as much as you have, maybe more. But she offered to what I have seen, no ill will to us, only wishing to do what her talent is, to perform. Is there anypony that would disagree with what I said?”

The alicorn looked down at the silent crowd, offering no signs of opposition before lightening her tone a little.

“As the Princess of Friendship, I want Ponyville, my home to be a shining example of friendship where ponies can do amazing things when working in harmony and not in opposition. We have all had moments of tragedy, but with the love of friendship we will weather any storm and be a town where anything is possible. I want you all to consider your actions this night and how contrary to friendship they are and with a stern warning not to harm Trixie ever again with your words or actions. Now, I must ask you all to disperse and go about your night.”

The crowd, still with looks of disdain in their eyes, reluctantly fanned out from the stage area destined for their homes with the revelation on their minds that maybe they went too far with their anger. Satisfied with her words as she watched the crowd leave, Twilight turned to the helpless looking Trixie. Never did the Princess see her in such a low state, looking like she hadn’t had a good meal or a hot bath for a week and now her entire mind shattered by such an event.

“Trixie, are you ok?” Twilight said calmly as she offered to help her up.

“No Twilight, Trixie is not alright,” she said as she wept and ran off the stage as quickly as possible.

“Trixie, wait,” Twilight pleaded as she took off into the air, hoping to find the mare before it was too late to help her.

Next Chapter: Chapter 2- An Offer Estimated time remaining: 4 Minutes