“Gems, precious gems!” exclaimed the leader of the Diamond Dogs, Rover, scooping up a pawful from the hole he and his fellow dogs had just dug out, the others joining him in enjoying their find.

“Well well, what have we here?” asked a female voice behind them.

The trio looked up to see Checker standing above them, looking down at them with a cold calculating stare, Luna‘s moon behind her. “A pony!” exclaimed Spot, the smallest of the three.

“Get her!” ordered Rover, Spot and the other one, Fido, jumping up and running Checker.

“Oh, now there‘s no need for that,” Checker said with a detached expression, not seeming moved at all. Her horn lit up as a rock moved several inches to the right in an instant, tripping Fido and causing him to fall on Spot, knocking them both to the ground. As they tried to get up she pulled a gem out of her pocket. Her horn lit up its dark violet as she enchanted the gem, keeping her eyes on the two dogs as she did so. “Fetch,” she said simply as she threw it right in front of the two Diamond Dogs. As they looked at it, their eyes seemed to roll over and be replaced by hearts.

“It’s mine!” exclaimed Spot, jumping on it instantly.

“No, I want gem!” yelled Fido, jumping on Spot and the two getting into a rather large fight.

“What are you doing?!” asked Rover, watching his two cohorts start fighting amongst themselves. “Get the pony!”
Checker gave an uninterested sigh, walking up to him. “Want It, Need It Spell, it’s a personal favorite of mine,” she explained in a cold tone that even made Rover seem a little uneasy. Rover tried to grab her, only for her to duck under his arm and sneak behind him, bringing her hooves down on his back and forcing him to the ground. “Sorry for the inconvenience, but I couldn’t have them attacking me, not until I’ve explained my offer. You seem to be quite fond of gems, correct?”

Rover looked up at her uncomfortably, but looked intrigued by the mention of gems. “Yes, we’re Diamond Dogs we want gems, we want all the gems.”

“Well, I’m a very wealthy pony,” said Checker, giving a false smile. ’Ugh, I had to pick minions with bad breath. Oh well, good help is so hard to find these days.’ “If you work for me, I can get you a lot of gems, and I mean a lot,” she stated, looking him in the eye, keeping her smirk but her detached eyes never changing.

Rover gave a small smirk at the proposition. “I listening...”
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Trixie climbed into her borrowed bed, feeling like a dead weight. She was completely worn out, sore, and generally felt like she’d been through hay…but it was a good tired. For the first time in months she actually felt happy. Maybe it was what she’d accomplished, maybe it was all the praise, or maybe, just maybe, it was finally shedding the belief she’d carried for years that had done nothing but hold her down… Still, she felt like she was missing something…

Then it hit her.

“Spike?” asked Trixie, peaking out to look at the little dragon.

Spike looked up at the mare. “Yeah, Trixie?”

“Can you only send letters to Celestia or to anyone?”

“Anyone, so long as you tell me the address, I can send it,” explained Spike, in a somewhat proud tone.

Trixie gave it some thought, then telekinetically floated a quill, some ink, and a scroll up to herself. “Alright, Trixie has a very important letter she needs sent…”

“I can write it if you want me to,” said Spike, it was his job after all.

“No, that’s quite alright…It’s a very private letter,” Trixie quickly explained, beginning to write.

'Dear Helena Midsummer

Hello, grandmother, it’s been a long time. Too long. I know I haven’t seen you since I was a little filly…I hope you’re well…I know how I’ve acted, how I haven’t visited you in a long time…how I haven’t even wrote you for years…It was wrong to abandon you like I have, especially after all you’ve done for me. It was selfish, and I won’t blame you if you never forgive me…I was told that caring for others made you weak…And I believed it. At present, there are very few mistakes I regret more than that one. I love you, grandmother…I miss you…and I’m sorry…

Your granddaughter, Trixie’

Tears dropped on the scroll, staining the page. Trixie turned her back to Twilight and Spike so she could let herself cry without being seen. Choking back a sob, she added something else.

‘P.S. I’m presently staying in Ponyville with a friend…I’ll include the address if you wish to contact me…I don’t blame you if you don’t…I just had to get this off my chest…’

Trixie let her tears flow for a few moments until she finally composed herself, rolling up the scroll, wiping the tears from her face with her foreleg. “Here you are Spike,” Trixie said, turning and floating it down to the little dragon, who put a different ribbon on it than normal, since the recipient wasn’t the Princess. “Ok, where too?”

“Hoofington,” explained Trixie, before giving the exact address. “Got that?”

Spike nodded, poking his head out of the window and breathing fire onto the letter, sending it off. “Alright, it’s on its way.”

Trixie nodded. “Trixie is grateful…” she said, before a wide yawn interrupted her.

“And tired,” said Twilight, snuggling into her makeshift bed. “Can’t say I blame you, after the day you’ve had.”

Trixie gave a nod of agreement. “Trixie could not agree more. This was probably the most physically and mentally draining day of her entire life…” she said, getting under the covers. “Goodnight, Twilight Sparkle, Spike.”

“Goodnight Trixie,” both of them replied.

“You’re sure the Poison Joke won’t affect you, right?” asked Twilight, not exactly convinced.

“Trixie is immune to plants like Poison Ivy, has been since she was a filly, so she should be fine,” said Trixie, confident as always.

“Alright…Also, tomorrow you’re actually going to be working with Applejack, they found a job that they need done and you can do,” said Twilight, still uncertain, but hopeful.

Trixie blinked. “Uh…What’s the job?” Trixie had not forgotten that the Apple Family didn’t exactly like her outside of Applejack.

“Sorting apples for apple cider,” explained Twilight. “Me and the others are helping too, she decided to give you a job while we’re at it,” she explained. Apparently, Applebloom had had a lot to do with that. Trixie had proved diligent at the tasks she was assigned, it was asking for help afterwards that was the problem, so it seemed like a good idea. “After finding out how effectively we worked together thanks to these two brothers with a cider machine who tried to take Applejack’s farm, we decided it’d work out better to work as a team.”

“Two brothers?” asked Trixie, blinking in confusion, but also a little suspicion.

“Yeah, they called themselves the Flim Flam Brothers…” explained Twilight, looking up to Trixie to see her look rather angry. “You know them?”

“Yes…Trixie knows them,” explained Trixie, growling all the while. “They tricked Trixie into investing in the machine you seem to have run into…then cut town with Trixie’s money, leaving a note rubbing it in her face. Trixie was not their only victim in that town either…Just at the time the only one Trixie cared about.”

"That sounds like them…" Twilight said, remembering the experience with the pair of constallions. "You didn't report it?"

"Of course Trixie did, but...Trixie...kind of didn't read the fine print in the contract she signed when she invested...some legal mumbo jumbo that let them off the hook."

"Anyway, please tell Trixie you kicked their flanks rather thoroughly," Trixie replied with a growl.

“Well actually, we lost…then the town chased them out and Applejack warned her entire family, who own apple orchards all over Equestria, about them…they’re not getting off easy.”

“They’re fortunate Trixie wasn’t here,” Trixie snarled. “Or Trixie would probably have given them the “anything you can do, Trixie can do better” treatment, in the most humiliating way she possibly could.”

“Then bragged about it?” Spike asked.

“Yes, there would also have been much bragging.”

“I’d have liked to see that,” said Spike with a chuckle, getting Trixie to give a smirk.

“I doubt Applejack or Rainbow Dash would’ve argued…Anyway, we should get some sleep,” replied Twilight with a yawn. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Trixie laying down and letting herself fall asleep as the lights shut off and the only thing stirring was Owlowiscious keeping ever vigilant.
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“So the deal is simple, you help me ruin a certain annoying mare’s life, again, and I provide you with a very large amount of gems,” said Checker, sitting across from Rover on a rock. Her speech and posture was like she was talking over a simple business deal as opposed to arranging the ruination of somepony else. Helping Hoof even provided them both with cups of tea. “Do we have a deal?”

Rover gave it about as much thought as a Diamond Dog could, then smirked. “But what if-”

“You kidnapped me for ransom?” asked Checker, slowly setting down her tea… before she telekinetically grabbed the collar around Rover’s neck, pulling him face to face to her. “Then this little mine of yours becomes a parking lot,” she said, giving the Diamond Dog a piercing, hateful glare and dropping all pretense of politeness. “With you and your pack still under it,” she spat, before letting him go. “Understood?” the mare asked, in a perfectly polite tone as she took a drink of tea.

Rover gulped, giving a trembling nod, and then thought it over again as he recovered. “Lots of gems?”

“You’ll be swimming in them. And I mean that literally.”

Rover gave a nod. “We help, we want gems!” he said, extending his paw and taking her hoof for a handshake.

“Good,” said Checker, gagging and flicking her hoof like it had just touched something rotten once the handshake was finished. She turned to the two still fighting Diamond Dogs, horn lighting up as she broke the spell, leaving both laying in confusion over what had just happened. She floated about ten, very high class gems out of her pockets and deposited them at Rover’s paws. “A down payment,” she explained, floating a stick of lipstick out of her purse and applying it absentmindedly. “Welcome to Monarch Incorporated.”

Rover took the gems with a smile. “Spot, Fido, come! We working with pony now! We have deal!”
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Trixie groaned, rolling over in her bed, trying to fall into a peaceful sleep but unable to. She finally sighed and got up with a groan. She looked over to see two big eyes staring at her.

“Hoo.”

“Oh…Hello, Owlowiscious…”

“Hoo.”

Trixie started for the window to the balcony, then looked back at the owl, remembering he was keeping an eye on her. “Trixie is merely getting some fresh air is all, alright?”

“Hoo.”

“…Trixie will take that as a yes…” said the unicorn, trotting through the window onto the balcony, staring up at Luna’s moon and stars, closing the window with her telekinesis. Trixie looked up at the moon. “…I wonder how it was like for you…To suddenly see the entire world change in an instant…” she said, knowing from Twilight how Luna had had difficulty adjusting to the world after her thousand year banishment. “…That’s how I feel right now…It’s just like something has suddenly changed…Everything’s so different than how I thought it was…” she muttered, thinking it out slowly.

“The world is cold, that’s how it seemed to be

You couldn’t count on anyone but you

No one out there cared at all for me

That’s what I thought was true.

Caring for someone made you weak

And anything that’s weak is what dies

Only the selfish made it to the peak

At least that’s how it was through my eyes,” sung Trixie, slowly, somewhat sorrowfully.

“But I was wrong, this I know now

I was deceived somehow along the way

But I can’t remember when or how.

The difference is like night and day.

The world is a much warmer place

It isn’t anything like I thought it’d be

It isn’t cold like the void of space

But all this is just so new to me,” she sung, confusion entering her voice as she continued to look up at the sky.

“Luna, did you feel the same?

When after a thousand years in the moon

Your time finally came

And the world sang a completely different tune?

My world has changed and I don’t know what to do

Everything is so different than I realized.

But how do I change from what I thought I knew?

Now that I see the world through different eyes?” she sung, thinking things out as she watched the stars high above.

“Now that I know what’s true

Now that in me the fires of friendship burn

What am I supposed to do?

I have so much I still need to learn

I’m so lost in this world I’m in

This changes everything I once believed.

But how do I even try to begin?

Now that I’m no longer being deceived?” Trixie continued, seeing a shooting star fly passed in the sky.

“Trixie, don’t go it alone, there‘s no need,” sung another voice behind Trixie.

Trixie turned to see Twilight trot out onto the balcony, up beside her.

“I know how it must be for you

Even if friendship is now my creed

That wasn’t always true.

Books were the only things I knew back then

I thought everything could be analyzed

That I could always plot a trend

That’s what it was like through my eyes,” sung the purple unicorn, walking up next to Trixie and looking up at the sky alongside her.

“I thought true friends were rare

The only ones I knew didn‘t like me for me

My place was the only reason they were there

But there was something I couldn‘t see

True friends are more abundant than I believed

You just have to get out and take a look

Even if you might be deceived

Now it’s a risk I‘m glad that I took,” sung Twilight, looking to Trixie with a smile. “I know it’s not easy, Trixie,” she said softly. “When I first came to Ponyville, I said the fate of Equestria didn’t depend on me making friends. It wasn’t even close to my top priority. It wasn’t even on my…rather extensive checklist. I thought the only reason anypony would be my friend was because I was somepony important. I only saw Spike as my true friend because we’d been together since he was born. Would you know that looking at me now?”

Trixie slowly shook her head. “No…Trixie wouldn’t think that at all, Twilight…”

“There you go,” said Twilight, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “I know you’ve had your world view shaken, that things don’t make as much sense to you as they used to…But I promise, we won’t let you get lost. I‘ll be your guide.” Twilight knew better than to use the phrase “I’ll help you” to Trixie.

Trixie gave it some thought, then nodded slowly. “Alright, Twilight…You shall be Trixie’s guide, everypony needs one when in unfamiliar territory…Pinkie Pie Swear?”

Twilight blinked in surprise, though more that Trixie knew what one was. She then nodded. “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my-” Twilight gave a cry of pain as she jabbed herself in the eye with her hoof.

Trixie chuckled. “Fluttershy told Trixie you had trouble with that part…” she said, giving a smile. “…Get some sleep, Trixie will be in shortly, alright?”

Twilight nodded, rubbing her painful eye, but gave a small chuckle herself. “Alright, just don’t be out too long, ok?” she asked, looking back to Trixie.

Trixie nodded thoughtfully. “Trixie won’t…goodnight, Twilight.”

“Goodnight, Trixie…”

Trixie smiled lightly, looking up at the sky.

“That’s how you got along

You had your sister there for you

I have somewhere I belong

Somepony who will guide me through

I’ll learn what I need to do.

That’s something I now realized.

Now that I’ve got a friend true.

To teach me to see the world through new eyes.

I won’t give up now, I swear

I won’t be tricked anymore by lies.

Now I’m a brand new mare

Who sees the world through new eyes…” Trixie finished, smiling up at the moon, turning and heading back inside.

She gave a wide yawn. “I’d better get to bed or I will not be able to do my job at Sweet Apple Acres in the morning…” she muttered, turning and heading back inside. “With any luck, Rainbow Dash has calmed down…”
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“Ah, so that’s how it is,” said Checker, hidden from sight under the balcony Trixie had stood on just moments before, the Diamond Dogs and Helping Hoof surrounding her.

“We get her for you?” asked Rover, looking to the pony who‘d hired him and his packmates.

“No, not yet,” said Checker, walking on. “Come,” she commanded, leading the way.

“But you said you want to hurt pony,” replied Spot, scratching his head with his paw in confusion.

“Brute force isn’t always the best way of doing things,” replied Checker, looking back to see confusion from the three canines. “You know nothing at all of psychology, do you?” she asked, getting a head shake. “I’m going to force her to play into my hoof through cunning, not by kidnapping her or having you beat her up,” she continued, still able to tell she wasn’t exactly getting through to the trio. She gave a frustrated sigh. “Helping Hoof, make a note that next time I seek to employ some henchmen, give them an IQ test first,” she whispered to him.

“Yes, Miss Monarch,” replied the yes stallion with a simple nod.

Checker looked back at the Diamond Dogs. “My point is that you need not resort to force when there are other, far more effective ways to get the same effect,” she stated, looking back to the path. “All it takes is the intelligence to manipulate ponies and being willing to crush somepony else to do so. What happened when you tried to kidnap that pony you told me about, Rover?”

All three Diamond Dogs winced. “She whined until we let her go…”

“Exactly, because she discovered your sensitive ears were vulnerable to such assaults,” Checker explained as they got closer to Sweet Apple Acres. “She turned the tables on you with her mind, not her hoofs. You used brute force while she used mental force. Since your own mental force is…lesser than hers, you lost.”

“Hey! Are you saying we dumb?!” asked Fido, insulted.

“No, I’m saying she’s smarter,” replied Checker, not looking back. ‘And also that you three are utter imbeciles with less intelligence than the rocks you dig out of the ground.’ she thought. “Now be quiet, we’re almost there.”
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The Apple Family slowly got ready for bed, Granny Smith already there and the three Apple children all preparing themselves. “Now Big Macintosh,” said Applejack, looking her brother’s way. “Ah know you’re still sore about how Trixie treated me before, probably don‘t trust her all that much.”

Big Macintosh didn’t look her direction, but looked somewhat upset. “Eeyup,” was his only response as he continued to prepare for bed.

“But please don’t go bein’ hard on her tomorrow, we need all the hooves we can get.”

Applebloom nudged her big brother, looking up at him. “You’ll give her a chance, won’t yah Big Macintosh?” she asked, giving her brother big quivering puppy dog eyes with her ears pinned. “She’s my friend.”

Big Macintosh couldn’t resist the little filly’s puppy eyes and gave a small smile. “Eeyup…” he said, ruffling the filly’s mane.

Applejack smiled. “Good, now let’s all hit the hay, a lot of work in the morning,” she said, yawning and heading for bed. “Yah get the apples for the fair set up nice and safe?”

Big Macintosh nodded. “Eeyup, they’re not goin’ anywhere. Night, Applejack.”
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“Hmm, interesting,” said Checker, sitting not too far from the house using her eavesdropping spell. She then got a thoughtful look. “Yes, I believe I have a wonderful plan in mind,” she said, taking out a small golden box and opening it to reveal a miniature chess board. Her horn lit up, causing a holographic chessboard to display, a chess piece version herself being the “king” and one of Trixie on the other side, the Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack pieces on that side as well, while her side had pieces for the Diamond Dogs and Helping Hoof..

“Just one more thing, lets check out this Rainbow Dash character, shall we?”
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Rainbow laid on a cloud bed in her home, trying to read another book in the Daring Do Series, but she just couldn’t concentrate on it. She couldn’t get her mind off what happened earlier.
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“Wait, wait, wait,” Rainbow Dash said, looking down at Scootaloo in disbelief. “You’re saying Trixie was actually nice?!”

Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah, she, um, taught us some magic tricks! She was awesome! Not nearly as awesome as you, Rainbow Dash, but still pretty cool! Anyway, I’m supposed to meet the others to be Cutie Mark Crusaders Baseball Players, see yah later!”
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Rainbow Dash threw the book across the room and let her head fall back down on the cloud pillow. “Now even Scootaloo likes her! Come on! Am I the only one that remembers she was a big bully?!” she exclaimed in frustration. She gave a sigh. “Maybe Twilight’s right…No, since when has any bad guy we’ve ever had to deal with done that? Next thing you know they’ll tell me Discord’s become a good guy!”

She looked over at Tank, sitting on his little cloud bed, thanks to Twilight’s cloud walking spell. “I‘m right, aren‘t I Tank?”

The tortoise merely looked at her and blinked, then cocked his head and gave her a look.

“Ok, there was Princess Luna…But she had to get blasted full on with the Elements of Harmony to turn good!” Dash held her head and fell back into bed with a sigh. “Whatever, I’ll find out what’s really going on tomorrow, night Tank.”

Rainbow slowly let herself fall into a restless slumber.
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Rainbow Dash, a blank flank filly back at flight school, stepped forwards, stretching for her turn during a flight exam, taking a deep breath.

“Hey, you better watch out everypony!” announced a big Pegasus colt. “Rainbow Crash is up next!”

“Yeah! Everyone get your helmets on and take cover!” another cried.

Rainbow gave a slightly hurt look but hid it as she took her turn. She took flight when the coach blew his whistle, flying through cloud rings floating here and there throughout the room. She was gonna do it!…Then she bent her wing the wrong way at the wrong time.

Next thing she knew, she crashed landed hard on the clouds. When her head cleared from the crash, she heard something…everyone was laughing.

“Nice one, Rainbow CRASH!”

“Yeah, what do you call that move? Choking?”

“You’ll probably have crashing as your Cutie Mark from the way you’re going!”

Rainbow Dash looked up at the Coach, who, while not laughing, didn’t stop them FROM laughing and merely shook his head in disappointment.

“Rainbow Crash! Rainbow Crash!” chanted the bullies, circling her and laughing.

“Stop it!” yelled Rainbow, covering her ears. “Don’t call me that!”

“What’s wrong, loser?!” asked a familiar voice.

Rainbow opened her eyes and looked up, finding herself on Trixie’s stage in Ponyville. Now the crowd, even her friends, where all laughing, chanting “Rainbow Crash” over and over again.

Trixie chuckled. “Trixie knew you were a loser, Rainbow Crash! Now its time to show everypony else!” she said, her horn glowing a dark violet, almost black as she telekinetically lifted her hat off her head to begin.

“No…S-stop!”
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“No…stop…P-please…don’t…don’t laugh at me…” muttered Rainbow, twisting and turning in her sleep, tears running from her clinched eyes.
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“No…stay away…d-don’t…STAY BACK!”

In an inversion of previous nights, Twilight was the one who found herself stirred in the morning by a mare screaming with nightmares. “Trixie?” she asked, looking up.

“No…don’t…don’t eat me!” Trixie cried in her sleep, hidden by the covers.

Twilight hurried up the ladder. “Trixie! Wake up!” she called, nudging Trixie through the covers. Trixie shot awake…and Twilight’s eyes went wide. “T-Trixie? Are you alright?”

“Y-yes…Trixie just had a nightmare…But I haven‘t had one since I was a filly…”

Spike came up. “What’s the ruckus?” he asked with a yawn, then looked at Trixie and nearly fell off the ledge laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

Twilight hovered a mirror over and floated it in front of Trixie, who found herself staring into the eyes of a blue furred, white maned unicorn filly about the Cutie Mark Crusader’s age.

Twilight groaned, shaking her head to clear it after the scream Trixie let off. “Trixie, calm down…Its ok…I’m sure there’s a perfectly logical explanation for this.”

Trixie pouted like a child. “Trixie doesn’t like this!”

Twilight looked closer and gasped, seeing light blue spots all over Trixie, which had been difficult to see at first glance since they were so close to her natural fur color anyway. “The Poison Joke!”

“Well this isn’t a funny joke!” yelled Trixie, like a child who’d had a mean prank pulled on her.

Spike laughed. “Of course it is! Now, what’s a good nickname?” he asked, thinking…then noticed Trixie looked at him with a genuinely hurt expression. “T-Trixie?” he asked, seeing the little mare turned filly almost on the verge of tears. “Come on…its ok, I didn’t mean it,” he said, now feeling rotten.

Twilight blinked in confusion. Yes, Trixie had feelings like anypony else, but she wasn’t THAT sensitive. “Don’t worry, Trixie, I’ll get you the antidote…which I forgot to get because you said you were immune…”

Trixie lowered her head sorrowfully. “Trixie’s sorry…” she muttered with genuine remorse, as if expecting punishment.
Twilight gave a confused look to Spike and vice verse. Trixie had…apologized?! For something that wasn’t even her fault? Ok, something was weird…

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Rainbow Dash’s head drooped, her bloodshot eyes barely keeping open. “Uh, Rainbow Dash, yah ok?” asked Applejack, looking over to her friend.

Rainbow Dash jumped to full alertness. “I’m fine! Everything’s fine! Why wouldn’t it be?” she replied rapidly.
Fluttershy looked the most concerned. “Rainbow Dash…you look like you had a horrible night last night…er, no offense, you don’t look horrible, you just look like you didn’t sleep well.”

Rainbow Dash gave a big yawn. “Y-yeah, I’m fine…Just had some bad dreams, nothing I can‘t handle…” she stated, shaking her head to try and keep awake.

“Would you like to talk about it?” asked Fluttershy, looking her foalhood friend over with worried eyes.

“No, I’m fine,” said Rainbow Dash, trying not to look as exhausted as she really was, or hurt Shy‘s feelings.

“Well whatever it was, do try not to make this Applebuck Season Part 2. We wouldn‘t want that, would we?” asked Rarity, putting a hoof on her friend’s shoulder as she prepared to help Granny Smith sort apples.

“Ooh! If she does, can I make funny noises into a trophy again?!” asked Pinkie in her normally excitable manner, causing Rarity to facehoof.

Applejack cleared her throat. “Ah thought we all agreed not to bring that up again.”

“Yeah…Wait didn’t you do the same thing when Trixie said that about “Tom”?” asked Pinkie Pie, scratching her head.

Rarity glared. “I said we shall never speak of that embarrassing incident again!”

“Duh! That’s my point, silly!” Pinkie responded.

Rainbow Dash sighed as the three got into an argument over who said not to say what when.

“Rainbow Dash,” asked Fluttershy, putting herself so her and Rainbow’s backs were to the others and Rainbow had a little more privacy. “…Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked, looking deeply worried. “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen.”

Rainbow gave her old friend a smile. “I’m fine…thanks anyway, Fluttershy.”

“Girls!”

“And so I’m left standing there with a rubber chicken and-Oh hey Twilight!” yelled Pinkie as the argument stopped and everyone’s attention fell on the newly arriving Twilight and Spike.

“Hey, Twi’,” said Applejack, embarrassed at the little spat they’d had.

“Where’s Trixie?” asked Rainbow Dash, spitting her name like it was venom.

Twilight sighed. “See for yourself…” she said, turning to reveal Trixie, still a filly, riding on Twilight’s back, much to everyone’s shock.

“Aww! She‘s so cute!” yelled Pinkie Pie, dashing over and looking at Trixie, nearly causing the filly to fall off Twilight‘s back in suprise.

“Alright, Twilight, what spell did you mess up this time?” asked Rainbow Dash, looking to her along with the others, except Pinkie, to get an explanation.

Twilight growled. “None. It turns out Trixie ran into some Poison Joke yesterday, and…wasn’t nearly as immune as we thought she was.”

Rainbow Dash practically fell over laughing at this revelation, no one paid much mind to her.

“Who’s a cute little filly? Trixie is! Yes she is!” said Pinkie in a voice like she was actually talking to a child.

Trixie gave an annoyed growl. “Even if Trixie was as old as she looked, that would still be demeaning!”

“The weird part is it seems at least part of her personality has reverted too,” said Twilight, perplexed as she focused her attention on her friends who actually seemed to care. “She has all her memories, but her personality seems to be like it was when she was just a filly…” she stated, looking a tad concerned. So far, Trixie’s foal personality worried her a bit. She seemed so…delicate emotionally. Twilight couldn’t help but feel concerned.

“Uh, Twi, that don’t make a lick of sense,” said Applejack, giving a confused look.

“I know! But since when does Poison Joke make any sense?” asked Twilight, with a frustrated look. “I’m beginning to think Discord made it when he ruled Equestria!”

“Serves her right,” said Rainbow Dash lowly, earning a stern glare from Twilight. She gave an annoyed look and crossed her forelegs.

Trixie whimpered, looking genuinely hurt by Rainbow‘s words. “Oh no, don’t cry!” said Pinkie as she noticed this, then made funny faces to try and cheer her up. “Here! Watch this!” she said, before pulling a bag of flower out of nowhere and busting it over herself, turning her completely white. Despite trying to act as mature as she could, Trixie couldn’t help laughing at Pinkie’s antics. Prompting Pinkie to give a smile and an aside glance seemingly to no one. “Works every time.”

Trixie blinked, trying to follow Pinkie‘s gaze but seeing nopony, then looking back at her. “You mean you’re HAPPY Trixie laughed at you?”

“Silly, you weren’t laughing AT me! You were just laughing at the silly thing I just did!”

Trixie blinked. “…There’s a difference?”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “Yeah, a really, really, really, REALLY big one! Laughing AT somepony is really mean! I mean really, REALLY mean! Only a bully does that on purpose, or doesn‘t stop laughing when they know they’re hurting them! Laughing when somepony does something funny is fun! But only if they can laugh along with you and think its funny too! Oh, and never be afraid to laugh at yourself too sometimes! Like this!” she said, then pulled out a mirror and laughed at her own reflection. Then she AND her reflection looked back to Trixie. “See?”

Trixie chuckled. “Yes…Trixie guesses she does…Could you teach Trixie that trick?”

“What trick?” asked Pinkie and her reflection, both looking equally confused.

“Um…never mind…”

“So, what we gonna do, Twi’? She ain’t gonna be much help as a filly,” said Applejack, looking a little concerned as well. “And Ah reckon you don’t want her stayin’ that way for long.”

“I tried going to the spa, but they ran out of the Poison Joke cure this morning,” said Twilight with a sigh. “I’m going to have to run to Zecora’s for it. Can she stay here while I do?”

“What? Why?!” asked Rainbow Dash, rather bitterly.

Twilight glared back at her. “Because I don’t think dragging a filly into the middle of that place, even if she’s really a mare, is a bright idea, that’s why.”

“Don’t worry,” said Applejack. “She’s already tight with Applebloom and the girls, they’ll keep an eye on her,” she said, then looked over. “Applebloom! Can yah bring your friends over here?! It’s important!”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were there in a flash. “Yeah, sis?”

“Can yah all keep an eye on Trixie while we‘re workin‘?” asked Applejack, pointing to Trixie, who was now on the ground, trying, and failing, not to laugh as Pinkie pulled balloons out of nowhere and made them into balloon animals, including a full sized, balloon Trixie, which Trixie gave an approving look to.

The CMC did a collective jaw drop. “Whoa, what happened?!” asked Scootaloo in surprise.

“Poison Joke,” replied Twilight. “And I’ve got to run to Zecora’s to get the cure so we can fix her up, will you play with her until I get back?”

The three fillies nodded. “Sure! We had fun with Trixie yesterday, now that we’re the same age, we’ll have even more fun!” announced Sweetie Belle.

Twilight smiled, glad to see the fillies had accepted Trixie as they had. She looked to Rainbow Dash. “Will you please at least try to be nice to her?” she asked, pleadingly.

Rainbow Dash gave a huff. “Fine! Just keep her out of my mane!”

“What’s gotten into her?” asked Spike, noticing Rainbow seemed to be even more of a jerk to Trixie now than before.

“Twilight, I’ll come with you,” said Fluttershy, walking over to her. “Its too dangerous to go into Everfree alone.”

Twilight gave a smile in return. “Thank you, Fluttershy, come on, lets’ go…”

“So, yah got turned into a filly by Poison Joke?” asked Applebloom, looking to Trixie. Then to Pinkie Pie, who had somehow managed to put herself in a giant party balloon and was trying to get out, then realized how much fun bouncing around inside was.

Trixie gave a childish pout. “Unfortunately, Trixie thought she was immune…”

“But you still remember everything?” asked Scootaloo, scratching her head with her hoof.

Trixie nodded. “Yes…some of which suddenly seems much more traumatic…” she said, giving a shudder. Trixie guessed that was why she’d had nightmares and her method of dealing with them hadn’t worked. Well, actually, it was more she was too terrified to remember it at the time.

“Well, want to come to our club house? We can hang out till Twilight gets back with the antidote!” suggested Sweetie Belle excitedly.

Trixie looked confused. “What do you need Trixie to do?” she asked, looking confused.

The three looked at each other in confusion. “Nothin‘, ain’t yah ever been over to a friend’s just to hang out?” asked Applebloom, looking at the mare turned filly with a surprised look.

Trixie shook her head. “No, Trixie’s father did not permit such things. The only time Trixie went to be with other fillies was when her father had business to do with theirs or she had a project to do for school with them…”
The three gave her a sympathetic look. “Well you really missed out. Come on, we’ll show you what you’ve been missing,” said Scootaloo, the three leading Trixie towards their clubhouse.

Rainbow gave a suspicious look their way. “Maybe I should go keep an eye on them…” she said, to no one in particular.

“No way, Rainbow,” said Applejack, pulling her back. “We got Apple Cider to make! And those girls ain’t gonna get into any trouble just goin’ to their clubhouse.”

Rainbow sighed. “Fine, let’s just get to work,” she grumbled, crossing her forelegs in front of her chest.
Pinkie finally burst the balloon she‘d somehow managed to get herself in, landing on her back. She then looked up at the situation at hoof. “What’s gotten into Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie asked Applejack as Rainbow got to look, the pink pony looking concerned. She may have been a little wacky, but she wasn’t blind.

“Ah don’t know, but Ah don’t like it,” said Applejack. “Ah’ve seen honey badgers in better moods than she is.”

“Yeah, Fluttershy had that one, I half expected it to be Rainbow’s pet,” said Pinkie, once more being sidetracked by the analogy.

“I think they’d get along splendidly,” added Rarity in a deadpan fashion. “Now come on, we’ve got plenty of work to do.
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Checker watched from the bushes nearby, giving a subtle, cruel smirk. “Ah, even more perfect. Trixie is a sensitive little foal, this will make things go so much smoother,” she stated, not letting her analytic eyes leave the situation at hoof.

“Why don’t you just zap the ponies and make them hate her?” asked Spot, scratching his head.

“Yeah! Like you did us!” followed Fido, equally as confused.

“Because, and I don’t expect you three to understand the finer points of mind magic, a Want It, Need It Spell makes a person fall in love with something, it’s far easier to make somepony fall in love with something they don’t care one way or another for than to make them hate something they care about,” said Checker, like someone talking more about a hobby than brainwashing. “I don’t understand it myself, I just know making somepony hate somepony takes a lot more effort…speaking of which,” she said, looking at Rainbow Dash, who was struggling to keep awake and grumbling under her breath. “With any luck, I’ve crafted exactly that.”
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“Y-you built this place?…By yourselves?!” asked Trixie, staring up in awe of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ clubhouse as they walked into it.

“Mainly Applebloom,” said Scootaloo, smirking to her friend.

“And it was already here, sis just gave it to us,” said Applebloom. “But when we got it, it was kinda…”

“Condemned?” Scootaloo finished.

Trixie raised a brow. “That bad?”

“Yeah, but we fixed it up good as new, now this is where we plan how we’ll get our Cutie Marks!” announced Sweetie Belle.

“Trixie sees,” Trixie replied, looking at the wall, seeing a poster labeled “list of things we’ve tried to get our Cutie Marks” hanging. “Hang gliding, diving, dancing, baseball, tennis, mountain climbing, ninjas,” she read. “My, you certainly have tried a lot of things…” she said, then saw another poster reading “list of places we’ve been banned from trying to get our Cutie Marks.” It was unnervingly long. “So…what’s on the agenda today?”

“Well, we were gonna try time travel usin’ this flux capacitor from Doctor Whoove’s scrap pile,” said Applebloom. “But he sold it to that Wonderbolt with the crazy white hair.”

“And when we asked him about it, he said ‘no, not again’ for some reason,” continued Sweetie Belle.

“Which is weird, cause we’ve never tried time travel before,” finished Scootaloo.

“Maybe we already went back in time and he stopped us from doing it again?” asked Applebloom.

“But wouldn’t that mean he wouldn’t need to stop us, so he wouldn’t stop us, and then we’d do it anyway and he’d have to stop us,” said Sweetie Belle.

“But then he’d still have no reason to have to stop us in the first place.”

Scootaloo cringed and held her head. “Ow! Stop, you’re making my head hurt!”

Trixie just gave a raised eyebrow. “Uh…right…So, what shall we do now?”

“Well…we could read comic books, or go try being Cutie Mark Crusader Surfers,” said Scootaloo, thinking it out. “But you’ve already got your Cutie Mark, so I guess that wouldn’t work too well…”

“Hey, there’s an idea!” said Sweetie Belle, excitedly.

“What?”

“Trixie, maybe you could tell us how you got your Cutie Mark!” suggested the white unicorn filly.

Trixie blinked. “You…you really want to know how Trixie got her Cutie Mark?” she asked. “No one has ever asked…”

“Of course we do!” said Sweetie Belle, smiling widely.

“We love hearing about how ponies got their Cutie Marks!” Scootaloo continued.

“Yeah, there ain’t nothin’ more special than how yah got your Cutie Mark! Well, except friends, but yah are already our friend,” Applebloom finished.

Trixie nodded, blushing a little at being called their friend. “Alright, please gather round then,” she stated, the three pulling up chairs and sitting to watch. Trixie looked a little self-conscious, but still enjoyed having the eyes on her. “Alright…First, Trixie must let you know how all this started, why she got into magic in the first place…It started a long time ago at the Summer Sun Celebration in Canterlot…Trixie’s father took her there to see Celestia raise the sun. It was so breathtaking…Trixie realized at that moment, Trixie wanted to make spectacles of her own, so she began studying stage magic to become a magician.”

“That sounds familiar,” whispered Sweetie Belle, scratching her head, only for Scootaloo to shush her.

Trixie used her magic to put a projection of events into view for them to help tell the story. Even though she’d reverted to a child, that didn’t change the fact she was good at this kind of thing.
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Trixie, as a little filly, walked the streets of Hoofington, her father, a large, muscular dark blue unicorn stallion with a Spartan shield as his Cutie Mark, walking next to her, an older unicorn filly with darker fur colors than Trixie walking along with them.

“One day, while walking with her family, Trixie saw a sign for a local talent show. She’d been practicing magic for a long time, so she felt it’d be the perfect way to finally show it off.”

Trixie looked up, seeing a poster on the door of a theatre announcing the “Hoofington Junior Talent Show”. “Daddy, can I try?” she asked, excited as could be, but doing her best to hide it and carry herself with a professional like air..
Her father looked over at the poster, not changing his chiseled visage one bit. He then gave a very small, barely noticeable smile if any at all. “A good way to prove yourself in the world and become somepony in town, I approve.”
Trixie gave an excited cry, then noticed a disapproving look from her father. She cleared her throat and bowed to her father. “Thank you, daddy,” she said and trotted into the store, signing up immediately. As she looked back, she saw her sister glaring daggers at her for one moment, but the older filly looked away the moment she noticed Trixie was watching her.
“Trixie began training immediately. It wasn’t an easy task, after all; she had no formal training and mostly just knew simple spells she’d learned from books.”

Trixie growled. “None of these spells are good enough! I can’t enter a talent show unless what I’m going to do is good!” she exclaimed, batting the book off the table, then looking almost depressed.

“Trixie…didn’t take that too well. So she tried looking for other places of inspiration.”

Trixie climbed up a shelf, trying to grab another spell book from the top shelf. She had to balance several books on one shelf to climb up to the one she wanted. For a brief moment, the one she was about to get on glowed dark violet and moved over a few inches. The moment she stepped on it, she lost her balance along with the book. Flailing, she grabbed a book from the bookcase as she fell to the ground below in an attempt to catch herself.
Trixie’s sister walked up to her. “My my, little sister, you certainly are clumsy, aren’t you? You’d best be careful, we wouldn’t want you getting hurt and missing the opportunity of impressing father, would we?” she asked before trotting off.

Trixie groaned, getting up and looking down at the book she’d grabbed, which had opened to a passage on Canterlot. She flipped through the book and found an entry on the founding of a little town near it. As she read, she got a big smile.

“It turns out, the book had a history lesson that Trixie was especially inspired by. Trixie learned some Zebra magic from one who lived in our neighborhood, he would become her magic teacher later on.”

Trixie gulped, waiting for her name to be called so she could do her act. She was shaking in her horseshoes, wearing a homemade version of her hat and cape. Trixie’s sister walked up to her. “Well Trixie, it looks like the big night is here, there has to be at least a hundred ponies out there and all their eyes will be on you, it must be a riveting feeling, huh?”

Trixie shook, giving a gulp, her irises and pupils becoming pinpricks. “A-at l-l-least a h-h-hundred?!” she asked in a frightened, nervous voice.

“Yes, and daddy and me will be right in the front row,” her sister stated, giving a cold smile. “It’d be horrible if you choked in front of all those ponies, especially father, wouldn’t it? Oh well, I’m sure you’ll do fine. Break a leg Trixie!” she said, muttering something under her breath as she walked off.

“All in all, Trixie thinks she handled the stress well.”

Trixie was curled up, trembling in a fetal position in the corner as contestants were called and did their acts.

“But having a little guidance didn’t hurt…”

“Trixie, what’s wrong sweetie?” asked a caring, kind voice.

Trixie didn’t have to look to recognize it. “I’m scared grandma…” she muttered, not moving from her position.

Trixie’s Grandmother, Helena Midsummer, pulled her up gently and set down next to her. “Tell grandma why you’re scared.”

Trixie didn‘t stop trembling. “There’s so many ponies out there…They’re all going to be watching me…I don’t want to mess up in front of them…in front of daddy!”

Helena put a hoof on her back. “Dear, there’s nothing to worry about, you’ve shown me your act, you’re going to do fine.”

Trixie started crying. “But what if I don’t! I don‘t want to disappoint daddy!” she exclaimed, looking terrified.

Helena looked thoughtful, then got a smile. “I think I’ve got just the thing,” she said, as she calmly took out a blue crystal from her saddlebags. “Here,” she said, putting it on Trixie’s cape to replace the pin holding the two sides together. “Its special. I was going to give it to you for your birthday, but now seems like a better time.”

Trixie blinked, looking down at it. “H-how, grandma?”

“It’s a good luck charm. My momma gave it to me when I was just a filly. I can’t promise you you’ll come in first, but I can promise you can’t mess up while you’re wearing this.”

Trixie’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the little stone, then up to her grandmother. “Really?”

“Really,” said Helena, nuzzling her granddaughter. “Don’t tell your papa I gave it to you, you know how he gets. We know it’s a gift, not me pitying you, but he doesn‘t.”

“Trixie! Is there a…Great and Powerful Trixie here!” called an old mare overseeing the contest.

“You’re up,” said Helena, getting a hug from her granddaughter. “Break a leg, alright?”

Trixie nodded, trotting up to the mare. “Here! I…er, Trixie is right here!” she said, clearing her throat.

“Trixie had read that referring to oneself in the third person had a more regal and impressive air to it, so she chose to use it in her act.”

“And it sounds cool!” chimed in Sweetie Belle.

“Yes, it does, doesn’t it?”

Trixie gave one last look back at Helena, who waved her on before heading to her seat. Trixie gulped and took the stage, seeing all the ponies watching her. She saw her sister and father in the front row. Her sister mouthed ‘Better not choke’.

Trixie gulped, it took all her will just to not wet herself from fright right there.

“Yes, Trixie had stage fright. Trixie knows the irony. But remember, Trixie was a filly at the time. It takes time to develop a stage presence such as hers!”

Then she looked down at the jewel her grandmother had given her and steadied herself, looking up at the crowd, seeing Helena sitting in the row behind her father, giving her a smile. Trixie took in a deep breath and regained her composure.

“Gather round! And behold the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” the little blue filly announced, not with as much volume and confidence as she did no, but decently.

She set off several fireworks style explosions around her. She made the fireworks dance and take on different shapes, though they weren’t very fancy or well refined, but fairly good.

“After Trixie dazzled the crowd with her amazing feats of pyrotechnics, she decided to move on to the grand finale!”

Trixie reached into a pouch hidden in her cape and produced some green powder, but hid her hoof from the audience, a trick she‘d learned from the Zebra. She shook slightly, but looked at her grandmother’s jewel and steadied herself again. “Now watch as the Great and Powerful Trixie demonstrates how to fend off a ferocious…” spinning and throwing the powder, causing it to transform into an imperfect, but passable illusion of a vicious wolf made out of wood. “Timber Wolf!”

“Wait a minute, what happened with that whole Ursa Major business you were goin’ on about here?” asked Applebloom.

“That didn’t come until later on, Trixie started with Timber Wolves and did a better job with research back then…As Trixie was saying.”

Trixie made her illusionary beast snarl and approach the edge of the stage, frightening many of the spectators. “Beast! Leave those bystanders be! Your fight is with the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

The illusion snarled in fury, spinning around and charging at the young filly. Trixie stood her ground and waited. Finally, when it got close, Trixie’s horn lit up and a miniature cloud formed overhead. As it leapt at her, the cloud sent off a roar of thunder as she jumped out of the way. The Timber Wolf illusion howled in pain once, then again as the thunder sounded again, sending it running off where it finally vanished.

Trixie turned to the crowd and took a bow as they applauded. A light flashed on her flank and her Cutie Mark came into being.
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“And that’s how Trixie got her Cutie Mark,” said Trixie, giving a smile, though she was still looking somewhat nervous. “The story of how Ponyville was founded, with the Zap Apples and the Timber Wolves, actually inspired Trixie’s act, the book was on Equestrian history, specifically the area around Canterlot. That was actually one of the reasons she visited Ponyville in the first place…”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were looking at her with jaws dropped in surprise.

Trixie looked nervous and fidgeted a little bit. “Was it something Trixie said?”