The day was utterly gorgeous when Trixie awoke, as it always was. The sun was shining, and there was a heavenly choir of birds singing somewhere nearby. The air was fresh and clean, and Trixie found she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She felt good! No! She felt GREAT! The massage, or the dinner, or both in tandem last night must have had something to do with it. She hastily rejected the concept that it might have been the company, and climbed out of bed with a glittering smile about her lips. The type of smile that screamed “Look out world, here, comes, TRIXIE!”

The bedroom door opened, and Trixie clip clopped into the kitchen where she discovered breakfast was waiting. Daffodils on toast, a side of eggs, and orange juice…and Twilight sitting at the table, reading over one of Trixie's books from her collection, and next to her; A washed and dried cape and hat.

“Y,you washed Trixie’s clothes?” Trixie sputtered in disbelief. Twilight did not reply, peering into the book and flipping a page quietly. For a moment, Trixie almost, almost lost herself to a violent rant about how one does NOT ignore the great and powerful Trixie, but paused briefly to wave a hoof towards Twilight experimentally. No response.

“…Twilight?” She asked, but Twilight didn’t respond. For a brief heart stopping moment, Trixie thought something was wrong. Perhaps she was sick, or required a doctor. Medication of some sort Trixie didn’t bother to grab when she kidnapped Twilight in the first place! But the horrific thoughts all trickled into nothing when Twilight leisurely turned a page in the book, and Trixie realized she was completely engulfed in the text. Experimentally Trixie reached forward and nudged the other unicorn’s arm, and was rewarded with a sharp squeak of surprise, followed by Twilight tumbling from the chair and onto the floor. Somewhere, in the back of Trixie’s head, the sight of Twilight sprawled on the floor, book at one side, with her mane frizzled in surprise was rewardingly cute, and the blue mage stifled a quiet giggle.

“GAH! Trixie! Hahaha, um, sorry, uh, good morning! I washed your clothes! They were just so dirty when you got home and I got up early and had nothing to do, so…” Twilight explained with a bright smile, while Trixie found she couldn’t help but copy it. The blue unicorn ate quickly, before she casually donned her cape and hat and gave it an experimental flourish. It was perfect.

“The great and powerful Trixie hopes you aren’t trying to butter her up to get out of your torture, Twilight Sparkle. You WILL suffer tonight, regardless of how spring fresh and lovely this cape feels. Prepare yourself ….after….Trixie runs an errand. Trixie is going to attempt a second intervi, err, um…Dragon…slaying. Yes. She is going to slay the dragon……………………….again.” Trixie sputtered, paused and coughed, before giving Twilight the most convincing smile she could muster. (With an inescapable *Squee* sound to make it twenty percent more convincing)

Twilight, of course rolled her eyes, but chose not to pop Trixie’s fantasy bubble and instead reached out to tentatively adjust her cape so it sat squarely on her shoulders-something she was quite surprised Trixie stood still for.

“Well, if you’re slaying a dragon TWICE it must be an undead dragon. Veeeery dangerous, but if ANYpony can handle it, it is the great and powerful Trixie!” Twilight giggled, resting both of her hooves on Trixie’s shoulders. The unicorn gave a sharp scowl and smacked Twilight’s hooves away with a sour snort.

“Do NOT mock Trixie!” She snapped, only to find Twilight’s hooves on her shoulder’s again.

“I’m not Trixie. You’re the best illusionist I have EVER seen.” Twilight said softly, much to Trixie’s surprise. They stood there momentarily, while Trixie scanned every inch of Twilight’s muzzle for even the faintest hint of sarcasm. There wasn’t an speck to be had. Twilight smiled warmly and reached up to adjust Trixie’s hat.

“The very best Illusionist I know. There is no dragon that stands a chance.” Twilight giggled with a twinkling smile that made Trxie’s cheeks flush warm and red. The blue unicorn sputtered softly and took a step back, flashing Twilight a bright showmare’s smile, and flourished her cape once more, and turned sharply on her hooves towards the door.

“Trixie shall return this evening. Be prepared, Twilight Sparkle. “ The mare boasted and with that, she let her showmare’s strut carry her out the door, leaving Twilight to smile warmly in return.

In the short few hours it had been since Trixie left the house; the day had grown cold and bitter- a sharp contrast from what the morning had provided. The colors faded from the sky, like the last flicker of life from a candle, and the warmth of the music that peppered Trixie when she had awoken was sucked into a bitter drone of tasteless sound. The little blue unicorn dragged herself down the dirt path towards her cottage, and let the door flutter open with a morose thrust of magic. She didn’t notice Twilight had reorganized the house, top to bottom, books in alphabetical order, spell components organized by weight and type, the floor spotless with a loving touch of dedication. She didn’t notice lunch was freshly picked berries in a salad of leafy greens sitting on the table and she didn’t notice Twilight, noticing her.

But Twilight knew, sadly, that all too often, slaying the ‘dragon of the day’ was not just a difficult task- but an impossible one. A task Trixie had most obviously failed, slumping down onto the modest little couch that occupied her home, not even offering to acknowledge the existence of her torture victim. She didn’t even pull off her hat and cape, rolling onto her side with a bitter sigh of depression and defeat.

For Twilight- this was unacceptable. Even if they were enemies, Twilight didn’t like to see another pony unhappy, and her and Trixie weren’t enemies. They weren't exactly friends, of course, but Twilight didn’t have the heart to let any pony sit in silent suffering. Nopony deserved that.

Twilight's first instinct, had been the intellectual approach. To simply ask what was wrong, and isolate the problem, devise a solution, solve the problem, and then write a paper about it. But recently, Twilight had come to discover her logic and Trixie's behavior often didn't meld well. Pinkie would have come up with a joke, something so bubbly and cheerful, anypony listening wouldn't have a choice but to smile. Fluttershy would have sat down and pulled the problem away with her hypnotic dulcet tones, cozy and comforting and filled to the brim with the strength of Kindness. Applejack wouldn't be much for talking, but she wouldn't need to. She was there for you, with all of her strength, no matter what the problem, she'd hold you up. Everypony who knew her knew that, and Rainbow Dash would tackle the problem head on...but Rarity....Rarity would use subterfuge...

“Trixie Lulamoon." Twilight announced, without so much as a flicker from Trixie's ear. But she was listening- Twilight was loud enough to make a show of what she was doing- a performance; big and bold and bright; what better way than to get through to a showmare? Twilight continued, undaunted by Trixie's silence.

"Only pony that I know who managed to walk into a town and in ten minutes, convince every single pony that you’d slain an Ursa Major. The only pony I know so brash and so bold, that you can brandish your own tongue like a silver whip. The only pony I know who beat the elements of harmony in one try without even breaking a sweat- and the only pony I know who MIGHT be capable of defeating ME in a duel. “ Twilight explained with an air of sickly confidence in her voice. A ghost of a smirk twisted across her lips when Trixie’s ears perked at the last line. THAT got her attention.

The voice was quiet- almost inaudible, just a grunting whisper, really. But it was there. Twilight had to strain to hear it- but it was there. “And just what would YOU know about dueling?” Trixie snorted quietly, although she didn’t bother to maneuver away from her slouched position on the couch. Twilight drank in a quiet breath and racked her brain for the perfect response. Rarity wouldn't have had to try. Rarity would have been able to pluck the words from the air like invisible poetry, without sounding too overtly aggressive, yet meek. Another silver tongue, a trait Twilight's magic couldn't match, but she'd come this far now and she'd drawn a response from Trixie, so it was now or never. Think Twilight think...Rarity...Rarity was here, she's standing right here with you, right here next to you! What would she say...How would she make this work...

"Oh not much. Just what I've read of your collection while you were gone." Twilight said, twisting her voice into an airy drawl of superiority. Trixie, to Twilight's surprise, had quite the collection of books regarding magic dueling, ancient and old, new and practical. From finer techniques to different schools of magic, to signed and autographed books by famous duelists. This too, caused a twitch from one of Trixie's exposed ears.

"You read my dueling volumes while I was gone? I have over forty seven books. " Trixie quipped quietly, while Twilight's cheeks reddened.

"I'm....I'm a fast reader. " The purple mare coughed. "But, hey, if you don't think you can cut it, I understand. I'll be outside. " Twilight announced before Trixie could get a word in edgewise, and swept herself outside, closing the door behind her. Thats where Twilight crumpled under the weight of her own plan. She'd been stupid to think it would have worked. She should have tried something else, should have came to a faster conclusion, a better answer! She was trying to help, but now she just looked like a total jacka-

The door opened behind her, snapping Twilight from her thoughts, and suddenly, Trixie had stepped out next to her, hat and cape dramatically covering her entirely, leaving just the glint of one of her eyes visible.

"Twilight? Trixie's about to kick that pretty purple flank of yours so hard, you'll have a hoofprint cutie mark when she's finished. " Trixie snarled, but all Twilight could hear, was a resounding cheer of success within her own head.

"YESSSSSS!"

Author's Note

This...this took WAY to long to finish!! BUT IT'S NOT DEAD DARLINGS!