Getting Back On Your Hooves Ch. 7 Part 1

Fun and Games

By Kendell2 and Raikou Artist

Trixie stared at the three fillies, jaw almost to the floor. "So the story that inspired Trixie's act that earned her Cutie Mark was about your grandmother?" Trixie asked Applebloom, eyes wide with shock.

Applebloom nodded nervously. "Yeah, that sounds about right…"

"And that means Trixie publicly humiliated the granddaughter of the one who is indirectly responsible for her Cutie Mark?"

"Yeah…I guess you could say that…" said Sweetie Belle, only to be elbowed by Scootaloo.

Trixie lowered her head and pinned her ears, looking miserable all of a sudden. "Now look, it ain't your fault, yah didn't know," said Applebloom, trying to comfort the mare turned filly.

"But Trixie shouldn't have done it at all…"

"Yeah, yah are probably right, but has Applejack accepted your apology?" asked Applebloom, a little surprised to see Trixie acting this way. She recognized the way the unicorn was holding herself. It was how a foal acted when they expected to be punished for something. The Crusaders were…well acquainted with it, but this seemed like a really strange thing to expect to be punished for.

"…Applejack forgave Trixie, yes…" Trixie replied unsurely. After all, she hadn't exactly apologized. It hadn't bothered her before…but now it just felt so wrong that she hadn't. Something just seemed to click…what was it? She'd been forgiven, so why did she feel like she'd forgotten something?

"Well then its water under the bridge!" said Applebloom, in as serious a tone as a filly could put something. "She forgave yah, so the only thing yah need to do is make sure it don't happen again, ok?"

Trixie still looked unsure, wanting to listen, but not sure if it was right or not. "…Trixie guesses that makes sense…"

"Good," said Scootaloo, eager to move on. "Now lets do something fun, ok?"

Trixie looked about as confused as Princess Luna had when confronted with the concept. "Um…Exactly what do foals do for…fun?"

Scootaloo rubbed her head with her hoof, remembering Trixie's childhood hadn't included much playtime with other foals. "Let's see…How about we play a board game? We've got a lot of them around here we tried to earn our Cutie Marks with."

Trixie once more looked uncertain. "Um…sure, that sounds like…fun…"
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"Alright, my employees, we're about to get to work," said Checker in her normal detached fashion, like a boss speaking to office workers in their cubical instead of hired guns. "And no, it does not involve kidnapping or brute force," she stated, cutting off Rover as he tried to respond. "We're doing things my way…you work for me, remember," she stated, then gave a genuine chuckle, something that scared Rover and his pack mates even more than her cold attitude. "Dig underground and hide near that bin over there," she said, pointing to the bin containing the pile of the Apple Family's perfect apples. "When Trixie is as close as possible to the door, open it. That is all you have to do."

"But how do you-"

"My way, that is all you need to know," replied Checker in her cold tone and accompanied by an icy glare. "Now go," she ordered. "Do it, and you'll get your paycheck." As the dogs rushed off, she gave another disturbing chuckle, as if seeing her minions obey her actually rose a bit of joy under her icy cold exterior. She looked back at her yes stallion. "Helping Hoof, you know you're expendable, correct? That I could fire you and get another hundred like you as easily as I can breathe, correct?" she asked, in her normal cold tone.

"Yes, Miss Monarch," replied Helping Hoof, not seeming to find the subject unnerving…on the surface.

"But then again, even if I did, you'd still probably be working for me," said Checker, her cold personality unchanging, but giving a cruel smirk. "So many ponies work for me and they never know it. I'm a privileged sort that way, you know, and that's just how I like it."

"Yes, Miss Monarch."

Checker turned away, watching the Apples and their friends on one side, specifically Rainbow Dash, then looking back to the Diamond Dogs.

"There are two types in the world, or so you're told
The strong who care only for themselves and no other
And the weak who treat everypony like their brother.
But what you won't find in that saying of old
Is one who is above all the rest," Checker sung, projecting her chessboard once more, all the pieces moving on their own with their real life counterparts. Her singing was rather like a dance in its pitch and tone, but actually had a bit of passion in it, since she was the subject.

"That is the place to which I do belong
She who controls both the weak and the strong.
The one who is the best of the best," she continued, watching out events from the side lines.

"It's something that long ago I realized
Just something I always have possessed
To me the world is my own game of chess
At least it is through my eyes," sung Checker, looking at her little chessboard as she did so, pieces moving this way and that with their real life counterparts.

"I discovered my talent when I just was a filly
How easy it is to make my puppets dance
I just point the way and away they prance
How do I do it? It's quite simple really
All it takes is knowing the tricks
Knowing how to twist someone's heart
Make them think they've lost from the start.
Add a little deceit into the mix
Or you can wear just the right disguise
If you hide behind the right mask
Manipulation becomes an easy task
Especially if you see the world through my eyes." Checker continued, her pace picking up, but keeping the same calm tone as it began with. She was watching Applejack closely, her and Rainbow Dash, analyzing their every movement. Rainbow Dash was running on the treadmill with Big Mac to power the cider maker and Applejack was bucking trees for apples, facing the opposite direction as Rainbow Dash. Checker's horn glowed and an apple moved a few inches to the right in a basket so that it was lined up just right.

"It's not very hard, this I promise
Move one little piece just right
And you can start a big fight
And I am the master of this."

She motioned Helping Hoof to move and check the alignment of the apple from the bushes with a small extending telescope produced from his pocket. He motioned her to the right a little and she adjusted accordingly until he gave her a nod and stealthily returned to her.

"I am the one who guides their fate
If only the strongest will thrive
Then why is it any surprise?
That for me it's always check and mate?"

Right as Applejack bucked again, Checker's horn glowed and Applejack's front hooves did the same, slipping and causing her to miss. Checker's magic subtlety guided her hind legs right into the apple, launching it so that it slammed right into Rainbow's flank, throwing her off balance and making her trip. She fell on the moving treadmill, causing her to be spun around in the treadmill until Pinkie Pie tried pulling the break lever, but it jammed, briefly flashing with Checker's magic. Rarity ran to help her as she tried to pull the lever.

"If you don't know, it's time you realized
Nothing is out of my reach
Your life hangs on my speech
That's how it is through my eyes
To resist me is so unwise
So just sit back and relax
There's no need for your will to tax
Just look at the world…" Checker sung, never changing from the soft, dance like pace she used as she released her magic hold, allowing Pinkie to pull the break at just the right moment, launching Rainbow Dash out of the treadmill and right into Applejack as the Earth Pony ran to help her friend.

"…though my eyes," finished Checker, giving a cruel, cold smirk.

Rainbow snarled as she stood up, already not in the best of moods from her lack of sleep and Trixie's presence in Ponyville. "What's the big idea nailing me with an apple!" she yelled at AJ.

Applejack gave a growl. "Yah think Ah'd do that on purpose?" she replied, looking rather Insulted by the assumption.

Checker looked to her chessboard and moved the pieces for Rainbow and Applejack so they faced each other. She gave it a thoughtful look. "Mate in…six…" she stated, giving a cold glare at the Trixie piece.
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Trixie telekinetically moved one of her two remaining checkers and jumped Scootaloo's last three. "Aww, I lost!" exclaimed Scootaloo, a little disappointed in tone.

Trixie suddenly cringed, as if expecting something bad to happen.

"Good job Trixie, you're really good!" Sweetie Belle stated, with a bit smile.

"Yeah, way to go, Trixie!" Applebloom added, also giving the blue unicorn a smile.

Trixie blinked, looking up. "Y-You're not mad Trixie won?" she asked, cocking her head in bewilderment.

Scootaloo blinked, giving the mare turned filly a confused look. "Uh, no…Nopony likes losing, but I'm not gonna get mad just because somepony beat me fair and square!"

Applebloom looked concerned. "Why did yah think we'd be mad?"

Trixie pinned her ears back and lowered her head. "The only pony Trixie has ever played games with was her elder sister, and she was…a sore loser to say the least. The one time Trixie actually won her sister's favorite game, her sister put a hole in the neighbor's window."

The Crusaders cringed. "Baseball?" Scootaloo asked.

Trixie shook her head. "Chess."

"Wow, sore loser," Sweetie Belle replied, with wide eyes.

"Well we're not like that," Scootaloo said, as reassuringly as she knew how to be. She wasn't that good at that kind of thing after all. "You beat me fair and square, good job."

Trixie gave a small, timid smile. "T-thank you…" she said softly, then looked up. "So…what should we do now?"

"Well we could play another game, or go outside and play," said Scootaloo, thinking it out.

"What do you want to do, Trixie?" asked Sweetie Belle, the trio looking at her expectantly.

Trixie shifted nervously, swinging one of her legs back and forth uncomfortably, having little to no knowledge of this subject. "Well…i-it is a pretty day outside…"

"Alright, let's go then," said Applebloom, leading the way outside.
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Checker Monarch watched closely from her hiding place as Rainbow Dash was taking a break while Big Macintosh took over the treadmill. The droswy Pegasus walked over to tree to try and rest as Applejack did the same thing on the other side of the same tree. Checker smirked at the opportunity. When both Applejack and Rainbow Dash laid down on the tree, Checker's horn lit up and she magically shifted the apples off their stems and dropped them on both ponies in mass.

Rainbow growled, popping out of the pile of apples, still cranky from lack of sleep. "Hey! Watch where you're going, Applejack!" she yelled, glaring at the Earth Pony.

"Ah was! Ah don't know about you!" AJ yelled back, glaring right back.

Checker gave a cruel smirk as the two argued. "Let's see, what next?" she asked, looking over everypony and everything with her analytic eyes. Her eyes fell on Pinkie collecting apples and bringing them to the sorters.
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The Cutie Mark Crusaders bounced a ball back and forth between them with headbutts, each seeming to have a good time with it, while Trixie just watched nervously from the sidelines. "Yah want to play, Trixie?" asked Applebloom as she bounced the ball to Scootaloo.

Trixie looked uncertain, swinging her front leg back and forth nervously. "But what if…you know…" she said, pointing to her horn.

"Don't worry, Twilight put a special spell on this ball so it won't pop," said Sweetie Belle, bouncing it to Applebloom, making sure her horn hit it to prove the point. "She gave it to me for my birthday a few months ago."

"Oh…o-ok," said Trixie, moving forwards as the group made room for her and began bouncing the ball back and forth once more. Finally, it was sent her way by Applebloom. She closed her eyes and bounced it towards Scootaloo with a grunt, then blinked as the Pegasus bounced it to Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle then passed it back to Trixie, who sent it to Applebloom. The third time it was sent to her, by Scootaloo, Trixie actually gave a real, genuine smile. "This is actually kind of fun…" she admitted it. 'I can't believe it, I'm actually having fun playing ball with a bunch of foals…is this what I was missing all those times father wouldn't let me play with the other foals?'

"See! Told yah it was!" said Applebloom, before sending it her way again. "Heads up!"

Trixie happily headbutted it and sent it to Sweetie Belle, smiling brightly.
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"Now how in Celestia's name did this happen?" asked Applejack, looking at the now broken treadmill, scratching her head with her hoof. One of the gears was missing completely, rendering it effectively useless without a replacement. She didn't notice the disturbed ground next to the machine, as if a hole had been dug and filled in. She gave a very aggravated sigh. "Ah guess we'll just need to get another gear…Can anythin' else go wrong today?" she asked, looking over to see Rarity and Pinkie picking up apples from several baskets that's bottoms had broken while being carried, and she herself covered in apple cider from a barrel that had sprung a leak while she was carrying it.

Checker coldly pocketed the gear. "Good job Spot, I knew it was an excellent idea to send you," she said, her tone as if she'd done all the work. She took out a few gems and deposited them in the Diamond Dog's paw. "Now get back to your place and wait for the time to be right," she ordered, in her cold, unemotional tone, causing the Diamond Dog to run off. She looked out as Applejack examined the machine, frustrated from Checker's manipulations, while Rainbow Dash stood nearby sulking from just how things were going before laying down and trying to rest. "Well they look suitably angry…Time to check how our other little pawns are doing," she said, walking over with Helping Hoof following closely.

She peaked out of the bushes to see Trixie still happily playing ball with the Crusaders. "Aw look, she's happy…We can't have that, now can we?"

"No, Miss Monarch…" answered Helping Hoof. "Um…Miss Monarch," he said, professionally, but with a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "It has occurred to me that this course of action may cause considerable losses to the Apple Family, it's not a one hundred percent certain thing, but it is still a considerable possibility. Not a certain one, they could very well end up fine…but it's quite possible they'll lose a great deal of money."

"And?"

"Well, is it really necessary to risk harming some ponies we don't even know to ruin this mare? I mean clearly, what you say goes, but aren't there…other options?"

Checker gave him the look of someone consulting someone about a business decision. "And is there a benefit to me if I choose not to make this move? Does pursuing this course of action harm me or my company in any fashion?"

"Well…no, Miss Monarch."

"Then why should it concern me?" asked Checker callously, turning back to Trixie and the Crusaders. "I have no use for apples, there is no gain to be had by changing my course of action, therefore, I won't, and that is final," she stated in an absolutely cold, detached voice, even more than normal. "Understood?"

"…Yes, Miss Monarch."

Checker turned as the four fillies continued playing with their ball, the mare looking at Trixie's smiling face like it was some hideous thing that shouldn't even exist. Her horn flashed as she changed the trajectory of the ball by a few inches, causing it to miss Applebloom and bounce close to the bush. Checker stuck her horn out, keeping the ball between the four fillies and herself to hide her from sight. She touched her glowing horn to the ball carefully, causing it to glow momentarily before she pulled back into the bush as Applebloom ran over.

"Got it!" the Earth Pony filly called as she picked up the ball. She looked down at it and her eyes suddenly seemed to roll over, getting hearts in them.

"Applebloom?" asked Scootaloo, noticing Applebloom had froze up.

"Applebloom, is everything alright?" Trixie asked, she and the others walking over. The moment they looked at the ball, their eyes too rolled over into hearts. They all looked at the ball like it was something they couldn't live without, like they absolutely had to have it.

"Hey! Let me have it!" called Scootaloo, trying to pull it from Applebloom's grasp.

"Its mine anyway! I want it back!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, joining in the tugging match.

"No! Trixie wants it!" Trixie yelled, trying to pull it from the others. "Trixie must have it!"

Checker gave another cruel smirk. "Now that they're under my spell too deep to know what's going on…" she said, grabbing the ball with telekinesis and bouncing it from their grasp, all four blindly running after it as she guided it where she wanted it to go. As they got closer, she moved small rocks and tripped the Crusaders one by one, allowing Trixie to move on ahead and finally catch the ball, spinning head over hills with it.

"Trixie got it!" exclaimed Trixie, looking at the ball adoringly.

Rover stuck one of his long arms out of the ground and undid the latch on the bin of perfect apples…which Trixie was right in front of.

Checker gave a cruel smile and concentrated on the ball, shattering her spell.

Trixie groaned as the Want It, Need It Spell was broken. "What…what happened?" she asked, shaking her head in a disorientated fashion, then turned as the door swung open and the apples fell on her in an avalanche, causing her to let out a loud scream.
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"That was Trixie!" exclaimed Rarity as the group heard the scream and took off towards it, except Rainbow, who'd fallen fast asleep.

When they arrived, Applejack looked at the scattered apples in shock and despair. "No…" she said, rushing over and looking over the mess in complete shock. Fixing up the farm road on these apples that were now all over the ground, some obviously would be unusable now from bruising, but she had no idea how many. And the longer they set on the ground, the more likely something might happen to them or worms might get in them or something! She desperately tried to pick them up. "Don't just stand there! Help me pick 'em up! Hurry!" she plead to her friends, who instantly took to helping.

Trixie looked in shock as she climbed out of the apples covering her, she didn't know what happened….But she'd been the only one around and something bad had happened…She looked up at Applejack, seeing how whatever happened must've hurt her…how SHE must've hurt her. She felt her heart sink looking up at the mare. "Applejack…Trixie…I'm-"

"Do yah have any idea what yah did?!" snapped Applejack, causing Trixie to recoil in surprise and fear. "These apples are the only thing that's gonna help us fix up this farm! These were really important to my family! We needed em to fix up the farm! And yah all might have ruined that!" she yelled in rage, a day's worth of frustration suddenly erupting to the surface in one moment…then she saw the look on little Trixie's face. A look of pain and fear, tears welling up in her eyes. Applejack instantly felt like someone stabbed her in the heart, rage cooled by bitter guilt. "Trixie…A-Ah…"

Before Applejack could finish, Trixie ran off in the opposite direction, crying her eyes out.

"Trixie!" called Applejack, but she could only watch as the poor girl ran off and vanished into some bushes next to the farm. Applejack pinned her ears in guilt and sorrow. "A-Ah…Ah'm sorry…"
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Checker gave a cruel, cold smirk as she watched this, then looked to her chessboard. "Mate in…two," she stated, turning and noticing Rainbow Dash had fallen asleep. "On second thought…make that three…" she said thoughtfully, turning and looking to the Pegasus. She closed her eyes and her horn lit up dark violet. Almost instantly, Rainbow began to contort in fear as slept.
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Rainbow Dash stood, looking at her friends, who were all sobbing, sitting on street corners begging for money, looking like homeless mares no better than Trixie had looked when Twilight found her.

"What happened?! W-who did this?!" asked Rainbow, looking at the scene in horror, finding herself in the same fashion as her friends when she looked upon herself. She felt rage, sorrow, and pain fill her mind.

"That would be Trixie," said Trixie's voice, almost proudly. Rainbow turned to see Trixie, dressed in fine clothing in an extremely fancy chariot.

"You!" yelled Rainbow Dash, glaring daggers at Trixie.

"Yes, it was Trixie, Rainbow Crash," said Trixie, giving a chuckle as she opened the door telekinetically, her horn glowing dark violet. Rainbow couldn't put her hoof on it, but Trixie's eyes seemed…wrong…just wrong, she just couldn't describe what it was. "Trixie tricked your friends into giving her everything, well, some of them. Others she just took great satisfaction in ruining in every way she could. You were all so gullible. You really believed all those lies Trixie told to earn your sympathy?" she asked with a cruel laugh. "Pathetic."

Rainbow looked up at her in anger, staring daggers through her as the mare laughed.

"Now, Trixie has a show to put on, and you're going to be the star," said Trixie, giving a cold, sadistic smirk. "Ready for the spotlight, Rainbow Crash?"
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Checker opened her eyes as Rainbow sprung awake with a shout a few minutes later and looked around in a panic. Checker turned to Helping Hoof and the returning Diamond Dogs. She shushed them until Rainbow regained her wits and noticed she'd been left behind, then ran off to find the others. "Alright, speak," Checker said calmly, ignoring the act she just committed as she floated a large pouch of gems out of her pocket and threw them to Rover. "Good job, I knew it was a bright idea to hire you," she stated, as always sounding more like bragging than praise.

Rover opened the pouch and looked at the gems eagerly, but then looked to Checker with uncertainty. "What you do to pony?" he asked, having seen her do it the night before, but not understanding it. It honestly scared the Diamond Dog for reasons he didn't know.

"Oh, just a dream infiltration spell used by psychiatrist ponies to better analyze the dreams of their patients. Psychology is a major part of business and manipulation, both of which are my forte, so it falls within my realm of expertise," explained Checker, not seeming all that interested in it, more like speaking about a trivial note. Rover and the Diamond Dogs all gave her a shocked look, even their simple minds able to understand what she said, but none of them spoke. "Of course unless you're a licensed therapist, using it at all, let alone on somepony without their permission, is highly illegal, at least it is if you get caught. Not that anypony would believe your word over mine, and of course things would end…messy for you if you did, which is naturally why I'm telling you this…Now come, let's go watch the fireworks," she said, in a plain, uninterested tone as she lead them on.
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"…So Ah blew my top and yelled at her," Applejack explained to Twilight, looking and sounding absolutely guilt ridden. "Ah was just so frustrated Ah lost it…Ah know Trixie wouldn't do somethin' like this on purpose…Ah just lost my cool…"

Rainbow scoffed. "Don't be so sure," she muttered, knowing no one else still distrusted Trixie like she did. That dream…it seemed off but…it was what she was afraid of, it'd just brought the fear back to the surface. Just like the dream the night before had reopened her old wounds from being bullied in flight school.

"It's alright, Applejack, I know you'd never hurt Trixie on purpose," Twilight consoled with a hoof on her friend's shoulder, but she still looked worried. Trixie had the personality and emotional state of herself as a filly, Twilight couldn't imagine what the poor mare was going through right now.

"We don't know how it happened sis…" said Applebloom, looking just as guilty as her sister. "We were just playin' ball and then…this happened…" she said, she nor her friends remembering anything after Checker's spell was put on them until it was broken. The apples had been collected, and only a few were bruised, but it still hurt to know not only had their game hurt her own family, but hurt Trixie as well.

"It's alright, Applebloom, we've still got enough apples for the fair," said Applejack. Though with the loss of some of the apples, their odds of winning still decreased, but she didn't want anypony to be worried by it. "But poor Trixie, the poor mare's heart must be broken after what Ah said…"

Zecora, having returned with Twilight and Fluttershy to make up the antidote, watched nearby, her saddlebags full of the necessary herbs. "Healing hearts can wait for now, now Trixie must be found," she said, showing concern. Even if she'd never met Trixie, she was still worried. After all, she was Twilight's friend; that was good enough for the zebra. "You cannot make up for your outburst, if we do not find her first."

"Zecora's right," said Twilight. "Girls, lets split up and find Trixie!" she called out, then looked to Rainbow. "ALL of us!"

Rainbow growled. "Fine!" she yelled, still angry and bitter. She took off and flew away to search, though not really caring or putting an effort into it.
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Checker kept moving pieces on her chessboard. "Almost done," she said, looking over as the Diamond Dogs returned. "You found her?" she asked, a tad surprised they could smell Trixie's scent through their own appalling stench.

The trio gave a nod, though they now watched her more closely, almost fearfully. While they did still want her gems and intended to follow her orders to receive them, they now knew just how dangerous their boss was, how even someone's dreams were not safe from her. To a pony, this was a disturbing thought, but at least a unicorn understood how their magic worked and understood all Checker did was misuse her own natural power in a wrong and highly illegal fashion. A disturbing thought, but they at least knew what she did. But to the more simpleminded Diamond Dogs who knew very little of how it actually worked? They had little intention of seeing what else she had in her arsenal, especially seeing it used on them. Checker didn't seem to mind, in fact, she even seemed to enjoy it. The control their fear gave her over them was something she seemed to relish.

"Good, now let's make sure my little pawn does too," the insidious mare said, looking at the Rainbow Dash piece.
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Rainbow Dash grumbled as she headed through the woods, it being too thick to look properly from the air. She half wanted to just fly home and get some much needed sleep, give up on Trixie all together, but of course Twilight would just chew her out if she did that. Plus, if she found Trixie first, she could give her a serious piece of her mind, which she fully intended to do. "Stupid Trixie…who does she think she's got fooled?" she grumbled as she walked. "She probably spilled all those apples on purpose, just to mess up Applejack and her family…Why am I the only one who sees her for the…bully she is!" she exclaimed, letting out her frustration by bucking the air.

Suddenly, she heard a rustling in the woods near her. "Huh?" she asked, approaching, barely missing Spot shaking a tree as the Diamond Dog fled off as quietly as he could. She walked that way until she began to hear something else. "Is someone there?" she muttered, slowly walking forwards and poking her head through some branches, seeing Trixie sitting in a clearing, her back to her. Rainbow growled at the sight of her…then realized something. Trixie didn't know she was there.

Checker watched from nearby, a cruel grin on her face. "Come on. We know you want to do it. Yell at the little brat so much she runs far, far away from here," she whispered, looking to her chessboard. "And from any possibility of ever getting back on her hooves."

Rainbow got a rather disturbing smirk, a nasty thought brewing in her head as she slowly snuck up behind Trixie, her hoofs making little to no noise, a little thing she'd learned from hanging out with Fluttershy.

Checker got a cruel smirk as she moved the Rainbow Dash piece into position. "Checkmate…"

'Nows the time to show her. I'll never let her mess with me, or my friends, again,' thought Rainbow as she approached, spreading her wings to their full length to appear more threatening…Then, as she got closer, she heard the foal…sniffling? No…sobbing…

Refolding her wings, Dash stood perfectly still, listening closely.

"...I didn't mean to...I'm so sorry...please don't hate me...it was an a-accid-d-dent...please..." The little filly sobbed.

'The hay?' Rainbow Dash studied her target. Trixie was hunched over, and even from behind, Rainbow Dash could tell her eyes were clenched. Trixie had curled inwards into a little ball, and was pretty much crying her eyes out. She let out another sob as her mantra continued.

"I didn't mean to…I didn't want to hurt anyone…I just was playing and…"

Rainbow Dash's eyes went wide in surprise. There was no one around, or at least it was clear Trixie didn't think there was. She was all alone…and she was crying her eyes out over what she'd done on accident…And Rainbow had been about to give her hay for something that'd happened months ago and something she was afraid might happen in the future. "Man, what was I doing?" she whispered as she realized something that shook her to her core. Images of a little rainbow haired Pegasus curled up on the clouds crying her eyes out with her hooves over her ears in Flight School as she was mocked by the entire class filled her mind, followed by the image of a little blue unicorn doing the exact same as the same pegasus yelled her head off at her for something everyone except her tormentor was smart enough to forgive and move on from.

Rainbow Dash shook that image away as her expression changed to one of concern and she set down next to the filly. "Trixie, are you ok?" she asked in a genuinely concerned tone.

Trixie jumped at the sound of Rainbow's voice, eyes wide in fear before she recognized Rainbow. "Oh…it's…i-it's you," she said, looking up at Rainbow Dash shamefully, ears pinned. "I'm …I'm so sorry about the apples! It was an accident!" the little filly exclaimed in a panic, then looked down, with that 'I'm about to be punished' look. "I just…I just didn't want you all to hate me…not again…" she said, lowering her head and looking like she was about to cry again.

Rainbow looked down at the filly, at a loss of what to say. She wasn't used to these kinds of situations, it was Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie's thing. What was she supposed to do? "You're really sorry?" she asked after a few seconds, looking down at the filly.

Trixie nodded, looking up at her, tears streaming down her face.

"…Well…I guess it didn't cause too much trouble…and it WAS an accident…" said Rainbow Dash, rubbing the back of her head with her hoof, not believing she was saying it after all this. But she couldn't believe how close she'd come to something she knew she'd have regretted. She was just glad she'd snapped out of it before it was too late. "I forgive you…I guess…"

Trixie looked shocked. "You…you do?"

Rainbow Dash gave her a little smile and put her wing on her back to comfort her. "Yeah, yeah, now come on, let's go get you cleaned up…I don't like seeing foals cry…too many bad memories from flight school…" she said, leading the way.

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Checker looked on at the scene in utter shock for a few seconds before she smacked the Rainbow Dash chess piece with her hoof and sent it flying into a tree where it shattered into magic dust, the only sign of her anger being a small growl.

"Pony's plan fail," Spot whispered to his pack mates.

Checker suddenly spun around, giving the Diamond Dog a glare that made his heart skip a beat from terror. "MY plan didn't fail. MY plans NEVER fail.…SHE… SHE just should've hated Trixie more! And call me BOSS or Miss Monarch, not pony!" the mare snarled before regaining her composure again and recollecting her chessboard with her normal cold, detached look on her face, the only inclination she'd been angry at all was her hair having been slightly messed up. "Let's go, it's time for Plan B."
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The group reassembled back at the farm, Rainbow still not back. "I couldn't find Trixie anywhere," Fluttershy said, worry clear in her tone and voice.

Rarity sighed sadly. "I couldn't either…" she said, looking around. Applejack looked the most upset of them all, she understood why and put a hoof on her back.

Zecora shook her head. "I looked high and low, but Trixie was nowhere I did go."

Twilight paced. "She has to be somewhere, she's in the body of a filly, where could she have gone?" she asked, looking around worriedly for any sign of her.

"Hey girls!" called Rainbow Dash's voice, getting everyone's attention as the rainbow maned Pegasus touched down. "Looking for somepony?" she asked, turning to reveal Trixie riding on her back.

"Trixie!" exclaimed everypony as they ran over, exclaiming their relieved comments at finding her safe and sound.

Applejack looked to Trixie, guilt clear on her face. "Look…Ah feel just plain awful for what Ah said…It wasn't right…" she said, taking off her hat and putting it over her chest as she looked down in remorse. "Ah'm sorry…Can yah forgive me?"

Trixie looked surprised by this but then slowly nodded. "…O-of course…I'm really sorry I messed up like that, it was my fault…"

Applejack nodded, giving a small smile. "Ah've already forgiven yah, sugercube, accidents happen all the time," she said, putting a hoof on the little filly's shoulder.

Twilight looked in shock at Rainbow Dash, who didn't seem to mind Trixie's presence anymore. "Rainbow…What happened?"

Rainbow looked to Twilight, trying to look nonchalant. "Oh, nothing much. I just found her in the woods over there."

Twilight didn't buy it for a second. "Should I get Spike?"

"…Later, ok?" asked Rainbow in a low voice, but gave a small smile.

Twilight smiled back, glad Rainbow had a change of heart. She gave a nod, then looked to Trixie. "Trixie, this is my friend Zecora, she's got the antidote to the Poison Joke ready to go," she introduced, though she was a little uncertain of how Trixie would react to the Zebra.

Trixie looked up at Zecora. "Habari, bibi."

Zecora gave a surprised gasp, but then smiled warmly. "Habari, bibi," she replied, politely.

The group just blinked as they looked at the scene. "Ok…what just happened?" asked Rainbow, giving the two a confused look.

"Trixie's magic instructor as a filly was a Zebra, he taught her illusionary tricks with simple herbal dust, he also taught Trixie that phrase. It simply means 'hello, madam' in their language," Trixie explained, looking to Zecora.

Zecora nodded. "And it does my heart good to hear, a greeting from my homeland dear," she replied, rather happy. "Now, mare who has been made young again, are you ready for your healing to begin?"

Trixie was about to answer…then looked to the Crusaders. "Um…Could Trixie maybe stay a filly just a little bit longer?…Please?"
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Twilight watched Trixie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders playing ball once again, Zecora waiting nearby until Trixie was ready to return to her true age. After the last accident, it was decided a watch would be helpful. Strangely, all the problems they'd faced all day seemed to have been resolved, though she'd been absent for most of them. Twilight smiled, glad to see Trixie having fun for a change, she looked so happy. Twilight turned and got back to work as the four continued their game.

See Part 2