Chapter 1: Tears of a Showmare

Twilight Sparkle walked into her bedroom inside of her castle. The purple alicorn was very eager to get some well deserved and much needed sleep. She along with her friends had just defeated the comic book villainess known as the Mane-iac. Twilight Sparkle took off her superhero costume and put it inside of her closet. The purple alicorn then walked into her bathroom and brushed her teeth. She then went back into her bedroom and looked in the direction of Spike's basket. The young dragon was curled up and sleeping peacefully. He hadn't bothered to take off his costume and he had his red cape draped over himself like a blanket. Smiling a little to herself, Twilight Sparkle grabbed Spike's blanket and placed it on top of him.

"Good night Spike." she whispered quietly.

The purple alicorn got into her bed, pulled her blanket over herself, and closed her eyes. Twilight Sparkle was very exhausted from the battle that she had been in. She and her friends had to fight a monstrous version of Spike that had been corrupted by the Mane-iac. Twilight Sparkle also had to duel with a possessed version of her good friend Trixie Lulamoon. The showmare had been captured and brainwashed by the Mane-iac. Twilight Sparkle just couldn't defeat Trixie since the unicorn was talented and she was backed by a lot of powerful hatred. Eventually Twilight Sparkle gave up and offered Trixie a choice. She could either destroy Twilight Sparkle or spare her. The purple alicorn had promised Trixie that she would help her rebuild her career. She said that if Trixie killed her then a part of herself would die as well. Little did Twilight Sparkle know, she wasn't the only one who was thinking about that moment.

Trixie Lulamoon was sitting in her bed alone. She couldn't believe that she had been possessed by the Mane-iac. She had almost killed Twilight Sparkle. Whether or not the purple alicorn had destroyed her career, that would have been a very foolish thing for Trixie to do. The former showmare would have been in very serious trouble if she killed Twilight Sparkle since the purple pony was a princess. Trixie remembered how Twilight Sparkle had promised to help her rebuild her career shortly after their duel.

Trixie had a flashback to several months ago when she had been defeated by Twilight Sparkle. The fireworks show had ended and Trixie was sitting by herself. She was sobbing quietly. She had hoped that nopony would ever find her. Trixie had a lot of pride and being seen in this state would have been very damaging to her reputation.

"Who is Trixie kidding?" the former showmare had said to herself. "Trixie's reputation is already destroyed. It couldn't get any worse than it is."

The blue unicorn sobbed again. Her life had been ruined. She used to be a very successful showmare. But when two colts brought an Ursa Minor into Ponyville, that's when everything went wrong. Trixie had been boasting about how she had defeated a beast known as an Ursa Major. The two colts had taken her words to heart and dragged what they thought was the Ursa Major into their town. Trixie tried to defeat it but she failed. The beast went on a rampage until it was stopped by Twilight Sparkle. This lead to Trixie's career being destroyed since everypony now thought that she was a fraud.

The disgraced showmare then decided to take some revenge. She bought an object known as the Alicorn Amulet. She then returned to Ponyville and challenged Twilight Sparkle to a magic duel. Trixie won and Twilight Sparkle was forced to leave Ponyville and go into exile. Trixie then took over the village and became a dictator. This had not been part of her plan. Trixie had just wanted to get her career back. She only exiled Twilight Sparkle so that she wouldn't have the chance to make her look bad again. Twilight Sparkle returned and managed to defeat Trixie. The former showmare had been humiliated once again.

"Trixie?" a voice asked.

The blue unicorn stiffened. She knew that voice. That was the voice of Twilight Sparkle.

"Are you okay?" the purple unicorn asked gently.

Trixie stayed silent. Twilight Sparkle had humiliated her twice already. Now the purple unicorn was seeing Trixie at her weakest moment in life.

"Trixie's life is ruined." the blue unicorn muttered. "Trixie shall never have her life back."

"Trixie it's okay." Twilight Sparkle began but Trixie cut her off.

"No it's not!" she shouted angrily as she turned to face Twilight Sparkle. "Don't you get it? I've been humiliated twice already. Everypony thinks I'm a joke and a fake. Everypony thinks that I'm weak and pathetic."

Trixie turned away from Twilight Sparkle.

"Not everypony." the purple unicorn said. "Trixie I don't think you're weak."

"I don't believe you." Trixie said.

Twilight Sparkle realized that Trixie Lulamoon was speaking differently than normal. Usually she referred to herself in third pony. Now however she had forgotten her usual speaking habits. This made the situation just that much more serious to Twilight Sparkle.

"Trixie I know you're upset but don't give up." Twilight Sparkle urged her. "You can still get your career back."

"How?" Trixie demanded. "Everypony in Equestria says I'm a fraud. Nopony will ever go to my shows and if they do it will just be to make fun of me."

Trixie pulled off her hat and cape and tossed them to Twilight Sparkle.

"Take them." she said. "I don't deserve them. I'm not the Great and Powerful Trixie. I'm just some pathetic pony who can't even defend her own career."

"Trixie you're not pathetic." Twilight Sparkle said. "I know you're having a really rough time right now but it will get better."

"And how would you know that?" Trixie asked.

"Because I'm going to help you get your career back." Twilight Sparkle said.

A moment of silence passed between the two unicorns before Trixie spoke up.

"What?" Trixie asked in a stunned tone.

"Trixie I promise you that I will do everything I can to help you." Twilight Sparkle said seriously.

"But why would you help me?" Trixie asked.

"Because it's my fault that you ended up like this." Twilight Sparkle said. "I didn't mean to upstage you with the Ursa Minor. I was just trying to protect my friends. But it's because of me that you lost your career. I want to make it up to you. It may take weeks, months, or even years, but I promise that I will be there for you every step of the way until you get your life back on track."

"I appreciate the offer Twilight Sparkle." Trixie said. "But how can I be the Great and Powerful Trixie if I can't even get my own life back by myself?"

"Maybe you don't have to be the Great and Powerful Trixie." Twilight Sparkle told her. "Maybe you should just humble yourself a bit. Maybe that might help you get your career back."

"Do you really think it will work?" Trixie asked.

"I don't know." Twilight Sparkle replied honestly. "But it's worth a shot and if it doesn't work I'll still be here to help you."

"Trixie shall try." the blue unicorn said, referring to herself in third pony as was her custom. She picked herself up off of the ground and spoke. "Thank you Twilight Sparkle and good bye." Trixie said and then she ran off as Twilight Sparkle watched her. The purple unicorn then gazed down at the purple starry cape and hat that had been left behind by the former showmare. Twilight Sparkle picked them up, dusted them off, and put them on. They didn't suit her well but she was going to take good care of them until Trixie hopefully returned.

Trixie's flashback ended and she was alone in her bedroom inside of Twilight Sparkle's castle.

Or so she thought.

"Trixie?" a voice asked uncertainly.

Trixie knew who was talking to her. With a strange sense of Deja vu, she turned to face Twilight Sparkle.