Two weeks.
It's been two weeks since Trixie ran away from Ponyville once again.
Two weeks since Trixie was freed from the corruptive powers of the Alicorn Amulet. All thanks to the purple mare from Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle. When Twilight fooled Trixie into taking the Amulet off, she could no longer hear the whispers from that evil charm. No more was she a slave to the sinister thoughts corrupting her mind. Once Trixie was freed, she was finally able to see the error of her ways. She had single-hoofedly seized control of a rural pony town all in the pursuit of vengeance.
She cast an iron, totalitarian grip over the entire town and struck fear and hatred into the hearts of Ponyville's residents. Looking back on it now, Trixie thought that it wasn't the best idea ever, but at the time, her behavior and personality allowed it. Now that the duel was over, Trixie believed that the best course of action was to get out of Ponyville to avoid any retaliation from its residents but before that, however, Trixie felt like she should make amends with Twilight.
On her way out, Trixie noticed that Twilight was putting on a show for Princess Celestia and her associates from Saddle Arabia. Trixie thought that Twilight's animal show could use a little more...flair. Summoning her showmare magic, Trixie unleashed a volley of fireworks from her horn and exploded them around Twilight's levitating animals. When asked why, Trixie explained it was her way of atoning to Twilight and her friends. In the back of her mind, Trixie was afraid that Twilight would reject her apology and shun her from her life forever.
Despite her concerns, Trixie threw caution to the wind and carried out with her apology. "You can forgive me, can you?" With that, Trixie mustered the best puppy dog eyes and pouty lip that she could to maximize her apology. The wait for Twilight's response felt like an eternity, but after a few seconds, Twilight gladly accepted Trixie's apology. With relief coursing through her veins, Trixie threw a smoke bomb and galloped (and tripped) off into the night.
Since her departure from Ponyville, Trixie decided to take up showmareship once again. The closest city for her to restart her career was Manehatten. It was a fairly large city with lots of residents as well as talented ponies performing a wide range of entertainment there. Also, the city had a few parks that would fit Trixie's love of performing outside. With all the features that city had to offer, Manehatten seemed like the best bet for Trixie. So without a second thought, Trixie set a course for Manehatten.
In as little as a day, Trixie arrived to the bustling city of Manehatten. Trixe was amazed at the sheer size of the bustling city. Everywhere she looked she saw ponies going to work, catching taxi carriages, or simply relaxing and enjoying themselves. As soon as she was done taking in all the sights, Trixie then started to focus on restarting her life and her career. Her first idea was to reserve a spot at one of Manehatten's theaters, but there were two problems with that. First, getting into one of those theaters was extremely difficult. In order to perform in the theater, one would either have to be a part of a production group or know a very good agent who could get them in.
Unfortunately for Trixie, she was strictly a solo act who never relied on an agent to get her work. Whenever she roamed around, she was able to easily find opportunities to perform. The second problem was that the Manehatten theaters only accepted ponies who had the skill to keep the shows fresh and exciting. Since Trixie was a traveling showmare, she only had to stick to one type of show. At every town that she visited, the residents were oblivious to the fact that Trixie could only put on one show. For them, her show was a new and exciting experience. If Trixie did go into the theater, she would probably only last a few days before her act became incredibly monotonous.
It was easy for Trixie to see that the theater was not the place for her. Thinking back to her time on the road Trixie realized that all of her shows were held outdoors. They didn't require much setting up, they allowed for a large group of ponies to see her shows comfortably, and Trixie enjoyed performing outside on a beautiful day. Whenever Trixie weighed her best options for restarting her career, they all pointed back to her performing outside. Without a second thought, Trixie decided to start putting on shows in Manehatten's park.
For the first week, everything was going well for Trixie. At first, Trixie performed free side shows in the park and would have her hat off to the side to allow for donations. When she started off, a few ponies would stop and check out some of Trixie's magic acts, which consisted of basic tricks such as levitation, summoning objects out of nowhere, and card tricks. Knowing to avoid past mistakes, Trixie only focused on the well-being of the audience, and left her pride behind. Since her duel with Twilight, Trixie had become a new mare.
No more did she demand attention from her viewers. No more did she humiliate her hecklers in front of the audience. She started viewing things from the perspectives of other ponies and how she appeared in their eyes. As a result, Trixie started to attract more and more ponies to her outdoor sideshow which, in turn, brought in more donated bits which helped to put her up in a basic motel room until she could afford a place of her own.
For once in her life, Trixie was finally happy. Ponies were starting to respect Trixie for her given talent rather than giving it to her whenever she demanded it. Trixie's shows in the park were popular with ponies of all ages, especially with little colts and fillies. Whenever Trixie was performing, she always heard the excited shrieks of foals begging their parents to go see her show. Things were starting to look up for Trixie, and for once, she believed that her life could get drastically better.
That is, until the nightmares started happening. By her second week in Manehatten, Trixie started to suffer from severe nightmares. At first, they seemed like an isolated incident to Trixie. Everypony had nightmares from time to time, it was a normal, albeit terrifying, part of life. As the week went on, Trixie's nightmares started to become more and more disturbing.
Now, it's time for you to leave Ponyville, FOREVER!
That was supposed to make you writhe in agony.
Anything you can do, I can do better.
I expected better from you, Trixie.
My daughter is a disappointment to me.
I am embarrassed and disgusted to call you my child.
Every night, Trixie would wake up in her motel bed in a cold sweat with her heart beating rapidly. Whenever she woke up from her nightmares, Trixie would break down and start crying while feeling a combination of guilt and sorrow, the former from her past actions in PonyVille, the latter from her personal life. Ever since the nightmares started happening, Trixie's shows started to degrade in quality. Onstage, Trixie always looked like she was tired and distracted. Her normal attendants became less entertained by her acts and would usually walk away without donating any bits. Even the foals who were always excited by her shows were disappointed in Trixie and would always leave with a frown on their face.
Towards the end of the week, Trixie was at wits end. As her nightmares grew worse, her shows became boring and unpleasant, and her mental health was starting to degrade. In her mind, Trixie knew that she could not go on any longer like this, she needed to get help before her nightmares consumed her. But where could she turn? Psychiatrists were too expensive, and they tended to go in depth. Trixie did not feel comfortable sharing certain parts of her past to a complete stranger as well.
Trixie couldn't get help from anypony in Manehatten due to the fact that she had no friends or relatives living in the city. Family members weren't possible since they were in Fillydelphia and Trixie had left there for...personal reasons. Other towns were out of the question as well. During her time on the road, Trixie had humiliated some hecklers in front of her audience and left a bad image with the town populace. Who can I turn to? Trixie thought to herself. Ponies either don't know me well enough or they hate me. I need help but I don't know who I can trust. Wait a minute, this may be a long shot, but what about Twilight Sparkle?! Sure Trixie apologized to her about her past actions, but what if she was still holding a secret grudge?
What if Twilight angrily turned Trixie away and shunned her from Ponyville? How would she get help then? Even though returning to Ponyville once more was a big risk, Trixie decided it was better than dealing with more nightmares. Settling in for the night, Trixie attempted to get a good night's rest for once.
Early in the morning, Trixie put on her iconic hat and cape, checked out of the motel and departed from Manehatten to Ponyville. The previous night had, unfortunately, yielded another nightmare for Trixie. If anything, the past night had only steeled her resolve to seek out Twilight once more. On the walk to Ponyville, Trixie was deeply thinking about herself and her life up to this point.
"How is this my fate? Why must life be so cruel to me? After all the struggles, all the hardships...all the abuse, why is my life still horrible? I've atoned for my past grievances and I left my troubled years behind me. Isn't that enough? Why can't I just be happy?"
Even after asking herself those questions, Trixie couldn't come up with answers to any of them.
After what felt like an eternity, Trixie finally made it to the outskirts of Ponyville. She was exhausted, tired, hungry, thirsty, and her hooves ached from walking all day. It was fairly late at night and Trixie noticed that most of the buildings in PonyVille were dark. At first, Trixie was worried that Twilight had gone to bed already. Trixie did not want to face another round of nightmares, her sanity just couldn't take it. After a fair amount of trotting through the empty streets, Trixie finally found the Golden Oaks Library, the home of Twilight Sparkle. To Trixie's relief, she noticed that there was still some lights on in the library, which meant that someone was still up. In a few seconds, Trixie soon found herself face to face with the door of the library.
After taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Trixie raised a hoof and knocked on the door five times. As soon as Trixie put her hoof back down to the ground, she could hear the sound of the door opening. In an instant, Trixie was bathed in the warm light of the library and was graced by the presence of a confused looking Twilight. "Trixie?" asked Twilight, "What are you doing back in Ponyville?" Slowly glancing up, Trixie stared into Twilight's rich violet eyes with the most solemn expression on her face, she simply asked, "Can I come in, please?"
To say that Twilight was surprised would be an understatement. After their duel two weeks ago, Twilight expected Trixie to go on with her life and rebuild her showmare career. Now, the azure mare was standing in the middle of her living room with a look of distress on her face.
"Trixie, what's the matter? I thought that after you left Ponyville you would restart your showmare career. Why are you back in town?"
At first, Trixie did not respond to Twilight. Her initial thought would be to lie to Twilight about the nightmares plaguing her. Maybe tell her that she was just passing through and thought that she would stop and say hello. Trixie quickly thought against that idea. She came to Ponyville to seek out Twilight Sparkle specifically so that she could get help with her nightmares. "If she could free me from the Alicorn Amulet, she can free me from these horrible dreams."
"I need your help, Twilight. You helped bring me to my senses two weeks ago and I need your help now more than ever."
"What's going on Trixie? Have you hit a snag in your life? Is somepony after you?"
"You could say that I have hit a snag, a pretty big one at that."
Immediately, Twilight was struck with curiosity and concern. Two short weeks ago, Trixie seemed fine when she left Ponyville. She was a changed mare with a new outlook on life. How could something have gone wrong in such a short time?
"What kind of a snag are we talking about here Trixie?" Twilight asked. "Are you having financial difficulties? Is it tough re-adjusting to life on the road again or is this a more...personal problem?"
Trixie simple sighed. "You actually guessed right Twilight. I've actually been having some bad personal problems recently. I'm suffering and I need help, and you're the only pony I can trust to help me get through this."
At this, Twilight couldn't say no to the blue mare before her. Something was seriously bothering Trixie, and Twilight was the only pony that she felt like she could turn to. Before Twilight could help her, she needed to know what was wrong with Trixie. Even though Twilight knew she would be delving into private information, she needed to know if she was going to properly help out Trixie.
"Okay then Trixie, I think I can help you out. But before I do, I just need to know what's been causing you so much pain."
"Do you have somewhere we could sit? Trixie has a fairly long story behind her problems, and she feels that we should at least be comfortable."
"Absolutely, go make yourself at home, Spike is out of town on royal business so its just you and me right now. I'll go get us something to drink. Does hot tea sound good?"
"That would be wonderful, yes Twilight."
"Alright then, go make yourself comfortable Trixie, I'll be out in a few minutes."
At this, Twilight turned around and made way for her kitchen, leaving Trixie alone in the living room. Trixie took a look around the library, for it being filled with books, it was actually pretty homey. The last couple of times that Trixie was in PonyVille, she never actually went inside Twilight's library.
Sure she knew where Twilight lived after their first duel, but she never got the chance to view the interior of the library. The walls and the floor were all natural wood carved from the tree the library was made out of. The walls were adorned with shelves that seemed to hold an infinite number of books. "Somepony likes to read", thought Trixie.
In the center of the room sat a dark red couch with a mahogany coffee table a foot in front of it. Directly in front of the couch sat a medium sized fireplace with a fire burning in it already. Upon sitting on it, Trixie noticed that it was a very well used couch as she sunk into the plush cushions. Trixie nearly drifted of to sleep on the couch but was interrupted by the sound of tinkling porcelain. Emerging out of the kitchen, Twilight was levitating a silver tray with two teacups, a steaming teapot, and a bowl filled with sugar cubes.
Setting the tray down on the table, Twilight took a seat next to Trixie on the couch. As soon as Twilight sat down, she started pouring tea for both her and Trixie. The pleasing aroma of peaches soon filled the living room as Twilight poured the cups. Upon receiving her cup of tea, Trixie blew on the black, herbal drink to cool it slightly. Once it was cool enough, Trixie took a couple sips of it and she could feel the warm liquid coursing its way through her body. The tea was so comforting, that Trixie didn't notice that she let out a contented sigh.
"Well, looks like somepony really likes peach black tea. That's okay, it's understandable. This is my favorite."
The sound of Twilight's voice quickly brought Trixie back to reality. " Ah, yes. Trixie
a-agrees with you, Twilight. T-this tea is very soothing to Trixie. After what I've been through this week, this has made Trixie feel just a little bit better."
"Speaking of which, you said that you were having some personal issues that you needed help with. If its not to much trouble, would you mind telling me?"
"Well, I might as well come clean with you Twilight." Trixie took a second to compose herself before diving into the truth. "You see Twilight, all of last week, I've been suffering from a nonstop marathon of nightmares. Very disturbing ones at that. Whenever I close my eyes, I am constantly reliving my past here in Ponyville. It's...frightening to see the harm that I caused to this town whenever I lie down for the night and whenever I wake up from them, I am overwhelmed with guilt. And if that's not enough, I also have to witness moments from my filly hood that I...thought was forgotten. Moments that have caused me an incredible amount of grief."
Throughout Trixie's explanation, Twilight was listening carefully with genuine concern. Clearly, Trixie was very bothered by these bad dreams, but there was something connecting the two types of nightmares together. While she was listening, Twilight's mind was going through the possible connections between Trixie's grievances in Ponyville and her fillyhood. If she wanted to find out, Twilight knew that she was going to have to ask Trixie if her nightmares were tied together.
"If you don't mind me asking, Trixie, is there a link between your dreams? So far from what you've told me, it sounds like there is a connection between your younger years and your actions here in Ponyville."
"There's no hiding anything from you Twilight. My troubled fillyhood was the cause of my egotistical nature and the cause of my past crimes here in town" Trixie admitted. "My past drove me to enslave the entire town and kick you out as well. As I said, I didn't have the best times as a filly. Growing up was tough, especially when I turned ten, thats when things started to go downhill. If you have the time, Twilight, I can tell you all about it in depth. That is, if you want to hear it."
With care, Twilight reached a comforting hoof out to Trixie and rested it on her shoulder.
"Of course I would like to hear it, Trixie. I'm here for you and I want to help you."
Upon feeling Twilight's hoof, Trixie felt a comforting warmth wash over her. At that time, Trixie felt safe and secure in the presence of Twilight. For once in a long time, Trixie didn't feel alone.
"Alright, get comfortable, Twilight. This is going to take a while. You might want to brace yourself as well, for it is not a happy tale."
Leaning back into the couch, Twilight levitated over a box of tissues just in case her or Trixie needed one. "Just start whenever you're ready, Trixie."
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Trixie delved into her story of woe.
I grew up in a suburb in the city of Fillydelphia. It was a nice city to grow up in, most ponies living there were at least in the middle class so the city had a fairly comfortable standard of living. When I was in elementary school, I was fascinated with how to use my natural magic abilities. Whenever my teacher lectured on great unicorns of the past, I would always give my undivided attention to them. I figured, that every scrap of knowledge that I obtained would eventually help me tap into my magic. Every night, I would review the information in my books just to find any hint on how to use magic. Eventually my reviewing soon proved to be fruitless, but I was determined to not give up, so I decided to turn to a closer source. I figured I could ask my mother, Starlight Lulamoon, for magic lessons.
"Hey mom," squeaked a young Trixie, "can you teach me how to use my magic?"
"I suppose I can, but why do you want to know? Most unicorns your age haven't even started thinking about that yet."
"Well, after learning about all of the great unicorns in history, like Starswirl the Bearded, I decided that I want to be just like them" said a beaming Trixie.
Starlight couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable determination of her daughter. Here was her little filly, with dreams to ascend to unicorn greatness.
"Alright then Trixie, I'll show you how to use and control your magic. It's going to take while, just so you know. Magic isn't something you master overnight. So if you find that you are struggling, don't get discouraged, just keep at it and you'll get it soon enough.
Whenever I came home from school, I would always have a magic lesson with my mother before I started on my homework. I'll admit, it was tough starting out. My mother wasn't kidding when she said that magic was going to take while to master.
"NNNnnGGGgg, HHHNNnnngGG, GYAH!" Trixie shouted as she collapsed to the floor exhausted. "Wow mom, you were right. This is hard work. Was it this hard for you when you learned magic?"
Hugging her daughter, Starlight replied "Yes it was, Trixie. When I began exploring the the boundaries of my magic, I found it to be a very frustrating experience. There were times when I even believed that I would never be able to use my magic. Despite the trouble, I still kept at it and everyday, I noticed myself getting a little bit better. One day, I finally got my magic down and it became a normal part of my everyday life. Don't get discouraged Trixie, you'll get it soon enough.
"But, whenever I try, my magic just doesn't come on and I just get tired right after. What's the point in going on if I'll never get it?"
"Now Trixie, don't say that, you are only frustrated because your magic is not coming to you. As I said before, it's going to be a lengthy process. I promise you this though, you WILL be able to use your magic in due time and soon, you'll be able to fulfill your dream of being a great unicorn."
"Thanks mom. I feel a little better hearing you say that. Anyway, can we keep practicing?"
The sessions that I had with my mother soon proved to be invaluable. As the weeks went by, I noticed that I was able to tap into my magic easier than before. The teachings that my mother gave me were so easy to understand and in time, magic became almost as normal as breathing. You should have seen me the first time I was finally able to use magic, Twilight. I was so excited I was practically galloping through the house with glee. I felt like I was on my way to the ranks of the great unicorns. Silly, I know, but back then, I felt like I was on top of the world.
My...father, Jupiter Lulamoon, heard my excitement and wanted to know why I was so happy. Ever since I was little, I always looked up to my father. He was a strong, dependent, and providing unicorn stallion. As I grew up, I wanted to do anything in my power to make him proud of me. When I used my magic successfully, I felt like I was finally going to make him proud.
"What is going on here? Trixie, why are you running around the house and shouting so loudly?"
"DAD, DAD, DAD! I JUST USED MY MAGIC RIGHTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME! You see that little box over there?!"
Trixie pointed a hoof over to the living room where a small cardboard box was sitting on its side next to Starlight.
"Mom told me to relax, take a deep breath, and picture my mind the box floating. It was real easy to do. All I did was listen to mom, I pictured the box floating in my mind and with my magic, I was able to make it happen!"
"Congratulations Trixie! Learning how to use magic is a big, important step in a unicorn's life. Why, a unicorn who can't use magic is like a pegasus who can't fly. Unicorns who are skilled in their magic are productive members of Equestria's society, they can excel in areas where earth ponies and pegasai can't. Trixie, my daughter, I feel as if you will grow to be a contributing pony when you grow up."
Right then and there, I felt like I had just accomplished an incredible feat. I had finally made my father proud. The feeling was just fantastic. From that moment on, I saw my magic as a special gift. Now that I knew how to summon and control magic, I began practicing on my own. One day after school, I went to the Fillydelphia library to see If they had any books on magic arts as well as magic tricks. To my luck, I was able to find a good amount of books and guides on how to flourish your magic into something captivating.
Every night, after my homework was done, I would practice the magic that was outlined in the books that I borrowed. I soon began to to learn how to pull off common magic tricks. After a week and a half of practicing tricks, I soon became very good at them and decided to move on to more advanced moves. Magic tricks basically became second nature to me. Little did I know, however, that my mother had been secretly observing my skill in magic tricks. When my tenth birthday rolled around, I was in for a pleasant surprise.
"Happy birthday, Trixie!"
So far, the day had been absolutely perfect for Trixie. Fortunately, her birthday fell on a Saturday so she didn't have to go to school. Her parents surprised her with a special birthday breakfast which consisted of chocolate chip pancakes, hay bacon, fried eggs, blueberry muffins, and freshly squeezed orange juice. After breakfast, Starlight and Jupiter took Trixie out on the town to do whatever she wanted.
At this, Trixie's mind was awash with opportunities, there were so many things that she wanted to do that she just couldn't decide what sounded best. As they were walking around, something caught Trixie's attention out of the corner of her eye. To her right was the Fillydelphia museum, usually an area of disinterest for Trixie, but one of the posters out front got her attention. For a limited time, the museum was having a special interactive exhibit on the important unicorns of Equestria. Immediately, Trixie was struck with interest and gleefully asked her parents if they could go.
"It's your day Trixie, if you want to go to that exhibit, then by all means, lets go" replied Jupiter.
Trixie had the best time at the exhibit. She learned about some of the greatest unicorns in Equestrian history and the incredible feats they accomplished. There were even some basic spells used by them for visitors to try out themselves. Trixie tried her hoof at some of them and were able to perform them with minimal strife to the amazement of her parents.
Later in the afternoon, the Lulamoons went back home so that Trixie could open her gifts which was all leading up to this point. "Happy Birthday, Trixie!" Exclaimed both of her parents as they handed Trixie her gifts. Trixie had received a fair amount of birthday cards from her relatives and each of them had bits in them just for her. Trixie had one more present to open and it was from her parents. It was a large, rectangular box that was wrapped in star and moon paper. As Trixie tore away the paper and found out what it was, she squealed in delight.
"A MARELIN MAGIC SET?! YES! Thank you so much mom and dad!"
"You're very welcome, Trixie" replied Starlight. "I noticed that you had taken a particular liking to magic tricks so I thought that you would enjoy this."
"Thank you again mom and dad, this is the best birthday I ever had."
You wouldn't believe how much I loved that magic set, Twilight. Even though it was just basic tricks for colts and fillies, it was still fun to perform the tricks. Eventually, I became so good at magic tricks that I got an interesting idea in my mind: what if I can perform magic tricks for everypony when I grow up? It was a crazy idea at the time, but I noticed something at school that solidified that idea.
"Do you have a special talent that you love showing off to everypony? Can you sing? Dance? Play an instrument? Perform show magic? Can you pull off incredible physical stunts? Can make others roar in laughter? Then the talent show may be for you. At the end of the month, Fillydelphia Elementary is going to be holding a talent show on the last Friday of this month at 7PM. Interested in performing? Sign up below for a spot. Good luck to everypony participating!"
As Trixie finished reading the poster, she was seriously contemplating signing up. I want to perform to others besides my parents. It will definitely be scary, being up on stage in front of ponies I don't know. Should I, or shouldn't I? For a little bit, Trixie was going over the ups and downs of signing up. After a few minutes of pondering, Trixie levitated a pencil from her saddlebag and wrote down her name on the bottom of the poster.
Once I got home from school, I dove right into practicing for the talent show. I wanted to blow away the crowd with the magic that I had learned. To make that happen, I would have to practice the tricks that I was best at. My main trick repertoire for the talent show would consist of novice illusionary tricks, card tricks, and summoning basic objects, things that were considered challenging for a filly of my age.
Soon after weeks of practicing, I felt ready. The talent show was on Friday and I knew that I was going to wow not only the crowd, but my parents as well. Before the show, my mother wanted to talk with me, she said the she had some advice on how to do win the show as well as a little surprise for me.
"Now Trixie, when you perform your magic on Friday, it is important to maintain your calm throughout the entire act. If you start to get stage fright, you going to start stuttering which will cause you to panic which will make a bad impact on the judges. When you perform your act, just keep taking deep breaths to help calm you down. Also, imagine that you are performing your tricks for your father and I in the comfort of our home. Just follow my advice and you should be able to steal the show on Friday night."
"Thanks mom, I'm sure that I will do just fine. Is there anything else I should know?"
Putting her hoof to her chin, Starlight tried to think of any final bits of information to help her daughter to succeed. All of a sudden, Starlight's face lit up with an idea.
"How about a stage name for you dear? Anypony who performs on stage should have a special name that will stick with the crowd."
"Are you sure that would be a good idea mom? I've never heard of ponies doing that before."
"Of course it is, Trixie! Many famous ponies are well known because of their stage names. It's a common practice in the world of entertaining."
"Alright then, if you say so. Hmmm...how about, the Amazing and Astounding Trixie?"
"That would do, but it sounds to simple and basic and ponies might forget it. Try to be creative with your stage name."
"Okay mom. Oh! How about this? The Shocking and Captivating Trixie?"
"That does sound quite good, but there's one thing that jumped out at me. Having the word "shocking" in your name makes it sound like you like to scare ponies or you've done something wrong before. Try to be simple and creative," said Starlight with a reassuring smile.
Once again, Trixie put a hoof to her chin as she delved deep into thought. She was trying to come up with a stage name that would be simple, creative, and memorable. Finally, after a few moments of thinking, Trixie's face lit up with glee as she came up with a name that fit her just perfectly.
"Hey mom, how about this? The Great and Powerful Trixie! It's simple, easy to remember, and it describes me perfectly."
"Hmm, sounds good to me, it's simple and it certainly fits you my dear. I already know that you are great and powerful, but your name will tell the audience that you are one of the most gifted unicorn fillies out there," beamed Starlight.
"Thank you so much mom," said Trixie as she gave her mother a hug. "I'm really glad I have a great mom like you to help me prepare for the show. I feel even more prepared and confident now!"
"One more thing Trixie, I noticed that you do not have a costume ready for the show. Seeing as how you are going to do a magic act, I felt like you needed some appropriate stage wear to go along with it. While you have been practicing, I have been making a costume that I feel will fit you and your act perfectly. They may be a little big, but they will be functional for the show."
At this, Starlight levitated a flat white box over to Trixie. With eagerness, Trixie removed the lid and gazed upon the contents of the box. Inside was a purple magician's hat and cap adorned with a multicolored star pattern on them. Carefully, Trixie took the apparel out of the box and put them on. The hat was a little bit loose on Trixie's head and she felt herself having to push it up from time to time. The cap was slightly long in the back and Trixie had some trouble with the gem clasp in the front.
Other than that, the outfit was comfortable to be in. The linen hat and cape allowed the garment to breathe easily. As a result, the costume kept Trixie at a cool, comfortable temperature. After adjusting to her new outfit, Trixie ran into the bathroom to see how she looked in it. While looking in the mirror, Trixie had an overwhelming sense of glee, she finally looked like the great unicorns of the past. The costume made it look like Trixie had the utmost control over the arcane arts.
"Mom, this is one of the greatest gifts you have ever given me! I now look like a famous unicorn! I love it so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"You are quite welcome Trixie. I love you and I just want to make you happy," said Starlight as she nuzzled her daughter.
At the end of the week, the big night finally arrived: The Fillydelphia Elementary Talent Show. The auditorium was filled to capacity with family members who were all excited to see their colt or filly put on an amazing show. The situation backstage, however, was an entirely different story. All the performers who had signed up were very nervous. For many of them, this was their first show in front of many different ponies, Trixie being one of them. She was doing her best to keep her nervousness under control. She was practicing the breathing techniques her mother taught her to help her manage her anxiety, which helped her out a little bit. Trixie had everything she needed to help her with the show, cards, props, and most importantly, her hat and cape.
When the clock hit 7, the show began. The first few acts were musical and comedy performances. They were nice to listen to and they helped ease up some of the tension that Trixie was feeling, she even found herself laughing at some of the jokes being told. As the minutes went by, Trixie's anxiety was slowly starting to return to her. It didn't help that she was one of the last few acts and the sight of a few performers running and crying offstage didn't offset her nervousness at all. What if that happens to me? What will everypony in the audience think of me...what would my father think of me? Trixie's train of thought was interrupted as she heard her name being called.
"And now, please put your hooves together for our next act, the magical performance of Trixie!"
Trixie quickly scrambled to her hooves and got all of her things together. As she emerged from behind the curtain, Trixie felt her heart beat speed up. In front of her was a sea of ponies of all ages staring back at her. At first, Trixie just wanted to turn around and run off stage and hide, but then, I wouldn't be living up to my Great and Powerful status, and my father is out there, I want to show him how far I've come in magic. Taking a deep breath, Trixie set her eyes on the crowd and began her show.
"Fillies and gentlecolts! Prepare to be amazed by the magical talent of The Great and Powerful, Trixie! Tonight, you will witness incredible magic for a little filly!"
The audience gave a polite round of applause at Trixie's miniature monologue in anticipation of her act.
"Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the mystical sight's of Trixie's magic!"
With a hint of confidence, Trixie fired up her magic and began her show. Most of the tricks that she performed were ones that she could do herself, such as making objects appear and pulling off illusionary spells. The only time she needed a volunteer was when she went into her card trick section. To help her through that section, Trixie called on a random colt from the audience who was more than willing to help her out. Trixie found herself giggling softly at how amazed he was at her magic. As the show went on, Trixie became more relaxed with her act.
She found out that since she was doing something she loved, the talent show turned out to be much less stressful. Before she knew it, her act was over and it was time for her to retreat backstage. As she went for the curtain, she glanced out into the audience and noticed her parents sitting off to the side. Starlight had a large smile on her face and was clapping her hooves with pride. Jupiter, however, seemed less enthused about Trixie's act. Granted, he was still clapping, but it lacked the energy that Starlight had, and, he wasn't beaming with pride. All he had on his face was a small smirk. Trixie just shrugged it off as stress from work and thought nothing of it.
After the last few acts went on, the moment that all the participants had been waiting for finally arrived: the handing out of awards. Trixie, along with all the other competitors, walked out onstage and lines up so that each of them were facing the audience.
"Fillies and gentlecolts, please, put your hooves together for our talented students!" After a round of applause, the announcer began to talk again. "We have seen many great acts tonight, from dancing to comedy to music to magic, all were very well done. Now, the time has come to pass out awards for the best acts. The award for the best music act goes to..."
At this time, Trixie spaced out as the awards were being given out. She didn't care about the rest of the acts, she just wanted to know if she wowed the audience and the judges enough to win. All of a sudden, Trixie's ears perked up as she heard the announcement for the magic award.
"And the award for the best magic act goes to...Trixie Lulamoon!"
Trixie couldn't believe her ears, she won the magic section of the talent show? Trixie never expected that she would win in the talent show. The only thing that brought Trixie out of her stupor was the feeling of a medal being placed around her neck. Glancing down at the gold medal, Trixie loved the simple beauty of it. The design on the face of the medal had an upside down top hat with two criss-crossing wands at the bottom of it. Trixie felt an incredible sense of pride and accomplishment, she finally won something in her life. The best part about it is that she won doing something that she loved.
Trixie was soon broken out of her reverie with a slight tingling sensation on her flank. Looking back through her cape, Trixie discovered that her flank was now adorned with a cutie mark. Her cutie mark consisted of a magic star wand with a celestial wave behind it. At this point, Trixie could hardly contain her glee. In one night, she had managed to win the magic section of the talent show, and get her cutie mark in the process. She now knew what her destiny was: to become an awe inspiring showmare that could captivate hundreds of ponies. Her parents were going to be proud of her.
That night was one of the best of my life. I had finally learned what my special talent was and I won as well. Unfortunately, it was also the night that my life began spiraling downwards.
At this time, Trixie's eyes were starting to water over just slightly. Without thinking, Twilight levitated a tissue over to Trixie so that she could wipe her eyes. After her eyes were clear, she resumed telling her sob story.
So as I said, that night was when my life started to get bad fast. It all started when my parents and I returned from the talent show, they told me that they were proud of me and congratulated me on getting my cutie mark. My mother even told me that she had a feeling magic tricks and showmareship would be my secret talent, but something wasn't right. My father seemed, distant, hollow. Sure he gave me his share of congratulations, but they lacked the joy he had when I first learned magic.
At first, I thought he was disappointed in me, that I had failed him, but I just shrugged it off as stress in his life. It was only until I went to bed that I realized that my worst fears were confirmed. My parents were having a discussion, and what I heard shocked me for the rest of my childhood.
As soon as Trixie was finished brushing her teeth, she gave a long yawn and headed off to her room to turn in for the day. As she was passing by her parents room, she heard that they were having an argument.
"I don't know why you're making such a big deal out of this, Jupiter. Trixie's life is her own, not yours, you have no right to decide what she should do."
"But she is going down a dead end path, Starlight. Magicians are a dying and pointless branch of unicorns here in Equestria. What do magicians have to offer? All they do is entertain crowds, that's it. They don't come up with new spells, they don't contribute to Equestria's well-being, and they don't contribute anything worthwhile to society. If Trixie is truly going to be a magician, she is going to be an embarrassment to the Lulamoon heritage, and a disgrace to me!"
"Stop right there Jupiter! That's going to far. Trixie is still your one and only daughter. You need to support whatever life decision she makes even if it's not what you want."
"The way she's going, she doesn't even deserve my support. All she's becoming is a Celestia-damned disappointment!
Jupiter's last sentence cut Trixie like a knife. Her father, the stallion that she looked up to and adored, had just labeled her as a disappointment. Even after all she accomplished, winning the talent show and discovering her showmareship destiny wasn't enough to satisfy him. It had done the very opposite. With tears in her eyes and a shattered heart, Trixie trudged away from the door and went off to bed.
In a few minutes, my father turned my night of joy into a night of heartbreak. All I wanted was for my father to be proud of me, but instead, I became a failure in his eyes just because showmareship was my destiny. That night, I silently cried myself to sleep, feeling broken and distraught. The next morning, I asked my dad what he thought about my destiny. Needless to say, he wasn't happy.
"I expected better from you, Trixie."
"B-but dad, I thought you would be happy for me. I finally discovered my destiny of being a showmare, why are you mad at me?"
"Because you are going down the wrong path in life, Trixie. Magicians are worthless in Equestria. They don't possess the ability to contribute to society and it shames me to see that you are following that direction."
"But, I l-love doing magic tricks," whimpered Trixie.
"This conversation is over Trixie."
Things only got worse from there. As I grew older, my dad would talk to me less and less. It's almost as if I didn't exist in his eyes. My mother was always on my side throughout the rest of my fillyhood. She supported me as I continued on my path to become a showmare. As I grew up, I would still compete in talent shows to help further my magician skills. The only thing different was that my father never showed up for any of them. It hurt to see that he wouldn't even show up for those.
By now, Trixie had tears running down both sides of her face. Telling her past to Twilight was no easy task. Throughout her time on the road, Trixie had done everything in her power to suppress her past. Twilight even found herself tearing up listening to Trixie's story. She had no idea that Trixie had such a hard time growing up. She just couldn't imagine what it would be like to have a verbally abusive father like Trixie's. Taking a tissue in her hoof, Trixie wiped her eyes and finished telling her story.
Anyway, once I got to high school, that's when I was determined to not let my dad stand in the way of my destiny. At any school event, if they needed entertainment be it a pep rally or a half time show, I was more than happy to provide them. Whenever I did one of my acts at my old high school, they were always a success. My audience would give me their attention and they were always amazed by how well my shows were. Once I became a senior, There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to become a showmare. I didn't care what my dad wanted, if being a magician made me happy, then that's what I was going to do. Towards the end of senior year, I approached my father one last time before I started fulfilling my destiny.
"Dad?"
"What do you want," replied Jupiter with no emotion in his voice.
"I just wanted to tell you that, I honestly don't give a damn about what you think about my life's choice. My life is my own, not yours. If doing magic tricks for crowds is what makes me happy then that's what I'm going to do. Once I graduate, I am leaving here to begin my life as a showmare."
There was a long pause before Jupiter finally spoke, and when he did, it shook Trixie to her core. Looking up from his newspaper, Jupiter officially broke all ties with Trixie.
"You honestly think being a magician is a legitimate life path? Hmpf, you're no daughter of mine, Trixie. I am embarrassed and disgusted to call you my child. You know what? Go ahead, leave, ruin your life because you know what, I no longer care about you, Trixie."
As soon as those words were spoken, Jupiter leaned back and resumed reading as if nothing had happened. Trixie was trying her best to not break down into sobs. She wanted to remain strong to show her father that she would not be broken by him. After a few seconds of standing in front of him, Trixie turned around and went up to her room. There, with tears running down her cheeks, she began making a list of all the things she would need for her life as a showmare.
In an instant, my father disowned me without a second thought. It really hurt knowing that I wasn't even his own flesh and blood in his eyes anymore, Twilight. When my graduation day finally came around, he was nowhere to be seen. My mother had showed up to congratulate me on making it through high school. When we came home, she had one more surprise for me.
"Once again, congratulations, Trixie," said Starlight as she gave her daughter a warm smile.
"Thank you mother, I'm glad that you still love me, unlike my so called father."
"I'm so sorry for his attitude, Trixie. I never expected him to do this to you. Even I'm shocked with how bad he's treated you. I don't remember him being this cold when I married him."
Trixie and Starlight were silent for the rest of the trip back to the Lulamoon residence. Once they got back, Trixie made a beeline for her room to get her things. When she came back out, she noticed that Starlight was still standing by the doorway.
"Trixie, wait, before you go, I just want to give you one last thing."
Starlight led Trixie into the backyard to where the shed was standing. Using her magic, Starlight opened up the double doors and revealed what was inside to Trixie. Standing in the shed was a decent sized wagon that could easily house one pony. The wood on the wagon was its natural tan color whereas the roof was adorned with red shingles. In the back there was one single door and both sides had a single shutter window with two wooden plank to seal them up. Lastly, the front had a yoke so that a pony could easily pull it.
"You're going to need a place to stay while you're out on the road. It's not much, but I saved up as many bits as I could so that you wouldn't be homeless while you pursued your dream."
At this, Trixie could not contain it any longer. Trixie broke into a full sob and hugged her mother as tightly as she could. Starlight hugged back with the same intensity, she just wanted to show her daughter that she still loved her even if Jupiter didn't.
"Mom, you are, without a doubt, the greatest mother a mare could ever ask for. You stood by me when I thought no pony would. Thank you, for everything."
"Of course Trixie, anything for you, as long as you're happy. Anyway, you should probably head out on the road. Your future is out there but know this, I will always love you, Trixie. And when you are out there and you are feeling lonely, just know this, I will always be thinking about you."
Starlight and Trixie shared one last, tear-filled hug before Trixie hitched herself up to the wagon. With one last wave of her hoof, Trixie set out to fulfill her destiny
"So now you know the whole story, Twilight. Because I was rejected by my own father, I just couldn't take rejection from my crowds. Whenever somepony would call me a fake or a sad excuse for a magician, I would hear my dad and it filled me with utter rage. When I was upstaged by your friends, I heard my father's voice. When you defeated that Ursa, I thought that my father was actually right. So, now you know why I caused so much harm to this town."
At this point, both Twilight and Trixie had rivers of tears running down their cheeks. The area around them was littered with used tissues, whatever was left of the tea had gone cold, the fire had dwindled down to an orange glow, and a light thunderstorm had begun outside.
"Trixie, you poor thing," wailed Twilight as she pulled the blue mare into a comforting hug. "I had no idea that you had such a bad time growing up. I swear, I am going to help you get over this to the best of my ability."
"Thank you Twilight," said Trixie wiping her eyes. "I'm glad that even after all I've done, I deserve a second chance in your eyes."
"It's no problem at all, Trixie. You can even stay here with me until you are all over this. I have a spare bed in the guest bedroom and it's fine by me if you use it."
"Thank you again, Twilight. You're the first pony to show me any kindness in a long time."
After another hug, Twilight led Trixie upstairs to show her where the bedroom was. Before Trixie settled in for the night, she called out to Twilight once more.
"Good night Twilight, and thank you again."
"Good night Trixie. Sweet dreams."
As soon as Twilight shut off the light and closed the door, Trixie snuggled into the bed, hoping for a night free of nightmares.
With weary hooves, Trixie trudged through Ponyville on her way to the Golden Oaks Library. It was very late and the only thing that Trixie wanted to do was to find Twilight. Looking around, Trixie noticed that something was off about Ponyville. The buildings around her resembled what they looked like, but they were made out of oily shadows that were going down and off of the structures. The sky above her did not look promising at all. Black and grey clouds were swirling around the entire town. Ponyville did not look warm and comforting like the last few times that Trixie visited, it all looked cold and threatening.
Something's not right here, thought Trixie. The town looks, nightmarish, haunting. It looks like Nightmare Moon took over this town. I need to find Twilight, and fast!
At that, Trixie took off into a full gallop. She didn't want to spend another second in the frightening, shadowy PonyVille. Trixie galloped through the blackened streets turning her head constantly in an attempt to find the library. All the while, Trixie kept thinking about this darker PonyVille. What's causing all these shadows, Trixie pondered to herself. Why does the sky look so ominous? This isn't another nightmare, is it? I really hope it isn't, I just can't take anymore.
Finally, like a lighthouse in a storm, Trixie finally found the Golden Oaks Library. Like all the other building in PonyVille, the library had shadows rolling off of it as well. All that didn't matter to Trixie, she had finally found the home of Twilight Sparkle! She can help me out, she can tell me what's going on, thought Trixie. Without a second thought, Trixie raised her hoof and knocked on the door of the library. After a few seconds of waiting, Trixie was soon graced by the presence of Twilight who had a skeptical look on her face.
"Twilight! Thank Celestia I found you! Trixie has been running through this horrifying town trying to find you. Trixie needs your help Twilight, you see-"
"You want me to help you?! Even after all you've done?!"
Twilight's harsh response caught Trixie off guard. She thought that she and Twilight were on decent terms. Everything that had happened was all water under the bridge between them. Why was she being so hostile all of a sudden?
"T-Twilight, Trixie doesn't u-understand, after the duel I apologized and you forgave me, why are you acting like this?"
"You've got some nerve showing your face here in PonyVille again, Trixie, and to say that you need my help is just plain laughable," replied Twilight with an evil look on her face.
"P-please, Twilight, Trixie really needs your help, I-"
"No Trixie, you don't deserve anything after what you did to me, my friends, and Ponyville. I don't care what you are suffering from because quite frankly, you deserve it. Now get out of my sight Trixie, leave and never come back again."
At that, Twilght slammed the door of the library which dissolved into shadows, leaving Trixie screaming Twilight's name.
"ARGHH, NO! TWILIGHT!" Shouted Trixie as she sat upright in her bed. Panting heavily, Trixie looked around the room she was in. Fortunately for her, she was still in Twilight's guest bedroom. The clock on the wall read 3:17 AM, way too early to get up for the day. The only thing that she could hear was the sound of the thunderstorm outside and her own breathing. The fact that she had another nightmare, however, caused her to break down into another fit of tears. Her nightmare felt so real, the sting of Twilight's words, the feeling of loneliness, it all felt real. As Trixie sat there crying, she heard the sound of the bedroom door being opened.
"Trixie, are you okay? I heard you shouting my name," said Twilight as she trotted over to Trixie's bedside.
"Twilight! Thank Celestia you're here. I had another nightmare, one that was far worse than all the other ones."
At this point, Twilight had climbed onto the bed next Trixie and pulled her into a hug. Just the feeling of being hugged by Twilight helped to calm down Trixie a little. Her sobs turned into soft crying which eventually turned into faint whimpers and sniffles. Using a hoof, Twilight reached down to Trixie's face and dried up the river of tears on her cheeks.
"It's okay, Trixie," said Twilight gently, "I'm here, just tell me what happened."
Wiping her eyes one more time, Trixie lifted her head and looked Twilight in the eye.
"W-well, in the nightmare that Trixie just had, I dreamt about coming back to Ponyville to ask for your help getting over my past."
Without breaking eye contact, Twilight only nodded in understanding. She could already tell that Trixie's newest nightmare probably involved her.
"So anyway, when I got to your door, I knocked on it and waited for you to come. When you finally opened the door, you had an evil look to you. When Trixie explained to you her plight, you interrupted me and told me that after all I've done, I deserved to suffer in life. It shocked me that even after I had apologized, you still had a grudge against me, even in my time of need. After all that was said and done, you slammed the door in my face and I was plunged into darkness. The worst part about it, is that it all felt real, the loneliness, the sting of your words, i-it all, felt, real. I didn't know what else to do so, I shouted out for your name. I'm sorry that I woke you."
Upon hearing this, Twilight was struck with pure empathy for Trixie. She had a just had a nightmare that shook her to the core. Trixie was afraid of being lonely, she was afraid of being left behind, but most of all, she was afraid of being abandoned by somepony she trusted. It happened once before to Trixie and she thought that it was happening again.
"Oh Trixie, I'm so sorry to hear that. If I had a horrible dream about losing somepony I trusted, I would be pretty shaken up too. Don't worry though Trixie, I'm here for you, I care for you, and I want to help you get better," said Twilight with a comforting voice.
Trixie looked up at Twilight with a hopeful smile on her face. Twilight really did want to help her, her promise sounded genuine.
"Thank you Twilight," said Trixie as she buried her head in Twilight's chest. "Just hearing you say that has made Trixie feel much better."
As Trixie laid her head into Twilight's chest, she heard a familiar, biological sound: thump-thump, thump-thump. Trixie's ear was positioned close enough to Twilight's chest that she could hear Twilight's heartbeat. Thump-thump, thump-thump. Even though it was a simple bodily sound, Trixie found it quite comforting. It reminded her that Twilight was still there for her whenever she needed somepony.
The beat of Twilight's heart, along with the sound of the rain outside created a very soothing environment for Trixie. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
For once in a long time, Trixie felt safe and secure. Being held by Twilight made her feel cared for, a feeling she had not felt ever since she left home.
"Twilight?"
Thump-thump.
"Yes Trixie?"
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
"Will you stay here with me, until I fall back asleep? I don't want to have another nightmare."
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
"Absolutely, Trixie, anything to help you out."
"Thank you, Twilight, Trixie," yawn, "appreciates it."
With that, Trixie closed her eyes and kept her head pressed against Twilight's chest. The warmth of her fur and the sound of Twilight's heart made it easy for Trixie to nod off to sleep. The last thing that she heard before fully drifting off to sleep, was a gentle thump-thump.
As Trixie started to fall asleep, Twilight couldn't help but to feel a sense of accomplishment. Here, she was able to comfort Trixie and calm her down enough to the point that she was able to settle down for the rest of the night. Yawning to herself, Twilight just remembered that she was jolted awake by Trixie and she was starting to feel the effects of an interrupted sleep.
With the utmost care, Twilight lowered Trixie onto her bed and used her magic to put the covers over her. After making sure that Trixie was fully comfortable, Twilight headed for her room. Before she left, however, she took one more glance back at the sleeping mare.
She looks so peaceful, thought Twilight to herself. I really hope that I can help her get over her past.
Without thinking, Twilight went over to Trixie's side and gave her a comforting nuzzle which caused Trixie to let out a soft coo. After she was done, Twilight headed off to her own bed.
"Sleep well Trixie, I'll see you in the morning."
With that, Twilight softly closed the door and went off to bed once again.
The warmth of the morning sun on her face served as a gentle wake-up call to Trixie. With care, Trixie opened her eyes and gazed out of the window next to her bed. Ponyville was graced with a beautiful early spring morning. A few birds were out singing, and several ponies were setting up their stands in the market for another day of business. Trixie was just content to lie in bed and just look out on the tranquil morning before her. The coolness of the sheets contrasted perfectly with the warmth of the blanket over her creating the ultimate environment of comfort.
Eventually, a faint rumbling in her stomach convinced her to finally get out of bed. Sitting up, Trixie raised both of her front hooves to the ceiling and flexed her rear legs to help stretch out all the tired muscles in her body. Hopping out of bed, Trixie strolled over to the room's dresser to fix her tangled mane. While she was brushing, Trixie's mind began to reminisce the events of last night, particularly her dream. Every time Trixie thought about it, she cringed at what she saw last night. It was as if she was feeling the same abuse that her father had given her years ago, but it was coming from a pony that she was putting all of her trust in.
But then, Trixie remembered the events immediately following her nightmare: Twilight coming in to comfort her. Thinking about it brought a small smile to Trixie's face. In the dead of night, Twilight had heard her anguished cries and came to her side. Even though she was abruptly woken up from a peaceful sleep, Twilight took it upon herself to make sure that Trixie would be alright. Twilight held Trixie close to her and told her that she would be there for the blue mare no matter what. She even helped her fall back asleep after all was said and done.
I woke her up in the middle of the night just because I couldn't control myself. She was probably enjoying a nice, relaxing sleep and then I took it away from her, Trixie mused. Twilight took me into her house, listened to my problems, and even agreed to help me after everything I've done to her. What do I do? I scream at the top of my lungs because I can't keep my emotions under control.
The more Trixie thought about it, the more guilty she became. Immediately, Trixie was going over ways that she could make it up to Twilight. Finally, after much though, Trixie decided that she would make breakfast for Twilight. After years of living on the road, Trixie had become a fairly decent cook so she was confident that she could whip up something delicious for the two of them.
With care, Trixie opened up her door and listened carefully for any sound of Twilight to see if she was up or not. After a few moments of silence, Trixie quietly made her way downstairs to get breakfast started.
The kitchen was situated on the ground floor of the library away from all of the bookshelves. As she walked inside, Trixie noticed that the kitchen still retained that natural, rustic look found throughout the rest of library. As she glanced around the kitchen, something on a shelf caught Trixie's eye. Sitting above the counter were several medium-sized bags of buttermilk pancake mix. Without a second thought, Trixie lit up her horn and levitated one of the bags down to her.
These should do just fine, pancakes are easy and delicious, Twilight is sure to love them!
As soon as she was done thinking to herself, Trixie started gathering bowls and cooking utensils to begin breakfast. With her magic, Trixie grabbed one of the bags of pancake mix and ripped it open with care and poured the powder into a mixing bowl. With a flick of her horn, Trixie turned on the water faucet and measured out the proper amount of water for the pancakes. Looking through the spice cabinet, Trixie was fortunate enough to find some cinnamon and nutmeg. The finishing touches, she thought. Once the batter was all thick and free of clumps, Trixie was ready to cook.
Let's see, does Twilight have a griddle by any chance? I really hope that mare has one, using a frying pan for pancakes is just a pain in the flank, mused Trixie. To her fortune, Trixie eyed a small griddle tucked away between some cooking sheets. Without a second thought, Trixie took the griddle in her hooves greased it up with cooking oil, and set it down by her bowl of pancake mix.
As soon as the batter was laid out on the griddle in circles, Trixie turned the heat up and started watching them carefully. Once both sides were golden brown, Trixie telekinetically removed the pancakes and placed three of them on two separate plates on the table. Looking at the current spread, Trixie thought that it looked a little too basic. Hmm, this is missing something, I wonder if she has, AH HA! On the counter there was a bowl filled with pears, all ripened to perfection. Using her magic, Trixie grabbed two of the soft, yellow fruits along with a knife and began preparing a side dish for her and Twilight. As she was working, Trixie heard the faint sounds of hoof steps behind her and a soft voice to accompany them.
"Trixie? What is all of this? Why are you up so early?"
Turning around, Trixie noticed a tired and confused Twilight standing at the entrance to the kitchen. Her mane was frazzled with several strands sticking out and her eyes had fairly noticeable lines underneath them, all clear signs of interrupted sleep. Seeing Twilight in that state made Trixie feel guilty about waking her up last night.
"Oh, good morning Twilight, Trixie woke up before you and decided to make breakfast to surprise you, and, to apologize for last night as well."
"What for Trixie?" Asked Twilight with a puzzled look. "Last night you had a nightmare that was horrible enough to jolt you awake. It was only natural that you would cry out for somepony. If it makes you feel any better I would call for my parents whenever I had a bad dream because it made me feel better knowing that there was someone there for me. So please Trixie, don't worry about waking me up" said Twilight as she put her hoof on Trixie's shoulder.
The showmare looked up and stared into Twilight's beautiful violet eyes and saw that they reflected honest care and concern for her. For a moment, Trixie lost herself in Twilight's gaze. She's such a sweet mare, looking out for me like this. It feels good to have somepony care for me after so long...I've never noticed how gorgeous her eyes were. I could just lie for hours staring into her rich, purple, wait! WHAT AM I THINKING!
Looking away, Trixie set the two bowls containing the sliced pears on the table, hoping that Twilight didn't notice her blush. "W-well anyway, lets eat! Trixie worked hard this morning and she thinks you will enjoy it.
With a smile, Twilight took her place at one end of the table and Trixie took her place opposite of her and the two began eating. Twilight was surprised at how well the breakfast was. For something as simple as pancakes, they were surprisingly well done. They were light and fluffy with a hint of something rich and sweet.
"Well, looks like somepony enjoy's Trixie's cooking" said the azure unicorn with a bright smile.
"Yeah, its really good! How did you learn to make something as common as pancakes so incredible?" Asked Twilight.
"When you spend a lot of time on the road like me, you learn a thing or two about cooking for yourself. Pancakes were an easy breakfast while I was traveling between towns, but after a while, they became a bit bland. After passing through a few towns, Trixie picked up a few spices to try and make her meals a little more interesting. With a little nutmeg and a little cinnamon, Trixie was able to cook up those pancakes that you are enjoying now. Trixie is just glad that she has somepony to share it with."
Twilight let out a satisfied grunt and continued eating her breakfast as Trixie went back to hers. Eventually the two mares fell into an amicable silence, just the two of them enjoying breakfast on a peaceful morning. After a little, while, Trixie was starting to become anxious to the silence hanging between the two. This has started to become a little bit uncomfortable. Why won't she say anything?! We were talkative last night but now we're having trouble making conversation?! Ugh, guess I'm going to be the one to start talking. Well, here goes...
"So Twilight, how about you tell Trixie about yourself? We never had the chance to properly get to know each other, and now seems like a good time as any!"
Setting down her fork, Twilight flashed a bright smile at the show mare "Of course, Trixie! What do you want to know?"
"Well for starters, what do you do here in PonyVille that allows you to live in a library?"
"That's a great question! Well, not to sound all high and mighty or anything, but I'm actually Princess Celestia's star student and she sent me here to learn about the wonders of friendship. The library is just-"
"Whoa whoa whoa! Sorry for interrupting Twilight, but you're going to have to go in depth here! You don't just casually move on after dropping a huge bomb like that! Please, tell Trixie more."
"Alright then" chuckled Twilight. "Well, back when I was a foal growing up in Canterlot, I was obsessed with learning about magic. Like you, Trixie, I read dozens of books to learn how to tap into my abilities. Eventually, I was able to perform basic spells that were advanced for my age. As a result, my parents decided to enroll me in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. You should have seen how excited I was! To know that I would be going to one of the most prestigious schools in Equestria was almost too good to be true! But as it turned out there was one minor...detail."
"What do you mean Twilight?"
"Apparently, any potential student had to pass an entrance exam" said Twilight with a sour look on her face. "When we got to the exam room, I began to panic. To pass the exam, I had to hatch a baby dragon while under the watchful eyes of the judges! Sure my parents were there for moral support, but I just kept feeling the pressure. I tried my best to try and hatch the egg, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't do it. I saw the judges writing down the results in their clipboards and I knew that it was all over. Just when I thought all hope was lost, a huge sonic rainboom exploded across the sky! When I heard it, I just don't know what came over me. I was able to summon magical energy that was not only strong enough to hatch the egg, but it also levitated the judges and turned my parents into plants! The light from the energy was so intense that Celestia was able to see it while she was walking around the school grounds in broad daylight. She came into the exam room and calmed me down, which helped stop the power coursing through me. Once my parents were reverted back and the judges were released, Celestia saw my potential and offered me a position as her faithful student."
"Wow, just, wow. Trixie is at a loss for words!"
"Yeah, it was a crazy experience. Although, I did get into the school and get my cutie mark at the same time so everything turned out for the best" said Twilight with a bright smile on her face.
"Well, Trixie would like to tell you about herself, but she feels like it won't be as grand of a story as yours" said Trixie looking mildly downtrodden.
"It's okay Trixie, this isn't a contest. I really want to know more about" said Twilight with a sweet, reassuring smile.
"Alright then, well, after I left Fillydelphia, I began putting on magic shows in towns all over Equestria. It was pretty fun to be finally out and doing what I wanted to do with my life. In the towns that I performed at, the ponies there would adore my performances, save for the occasional heckler, but I was always able to deal with them. Even though I was living the dream, life on the road did start to feel...lonely" said Trixie who was starting to look a little sad.
"I met hundreds of ponies on my travels, but they would always fade into memory whenever I left towns. I wouldn't dwell on the thought for long since I would be practicing tricks for upcoming shows. But no matter how much I tried to ignore it, the feeling of loneliness would be dredged up from time to time and it would make me feel empty."
Feeling sympathetic once again, Twilight decided to help put Trixie's mind at ease.
"I understand how feel, Trixie. I went through the same thing myself. When I was studying in Canterlot, I too began to feel lonesome. Sure Spike was around to keep me company when I was there, but I was so focused on my studies that I detached myself from the other students at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Like you, I was empty and I used my studies to hide from the fact. As I said, I know how you feel Trixie, and if it makes you feel any better, you're not alone anymore, I'm here for you."
For a moment, Trixie was once again lost in the assurance in Twilight's eyes and the warmth in her smile. All Trixie could do was smile back at her and say "Thank you so much Twilight, you are the best pony I have ever known."
"You are very welcome Trixie. Anyway, last night, I came up with an idea on how to begin your redemption in PonyVille, and I think it will be fairly simple" said Twilight with a hint of confidence. "We are going to do some shopping at the market today!"
Author's Note
FINALLY, THIS CHAPTER IS DONE! For a while, this chapter was hanging in my pages app since early June. Every now and then I would work on snippets of it here and there, but I never found the motivation to work on it. Once I got out for the semester, I was determined to get this done over break. I figured you all waited long enough. Anyway, next chapter may, ideally, be out around my spring break.
Thanks to BassDrop6 for pre-reading the chapter.
