Intriguing. That was Twilight's offer to Trixie in one word. Intriguing. Why would the star student of Princess Celestia need the help of her semi-nemesis? Well, she was going to find out, fast.
"Could ya pass the buttah, please?"
The showmare complied, briefly pondering the compatibility of butter and apples. She came to a conclusion that was completely conflicting with happy mustard stallions, who eat buttered apples like they were the best treat in the world. Yet he did just that.
Weird tastes aside, the Apples were a hearty, noisy bunch. Not that it mattered to Trixie in the smallest, since this was her element, so to speak. Being near ponies, that is. Her talent perfectly fit her personality, and as such she had no idea what the lavender unicorn wanted from her. Oh well, it will be revealed soon.
"Applebloom, eat yer potatoes, too!" Applejack chided her sister. The small yellow filly began to pout.
"But they taste like socks! Not that Ah'd know what they taste like!"
What time was it again? She glanced at the grandfather clock near the door. They agreed to meet in an hour. The time will be nigh enough; Sweet Apple Acres was a bit far from the library.
"Hey, Braeburn," came Mac's deep voice, "what did ya talk with Fluttershy about?"
"Sewing."
Trixie's thoughts were interrupted by the long sprinkle of applejuice streaming through the air. Applejack wiped her mouth, glaring at her cousin with disbelief.
"Ya spoke with Fluttershy 'bout sewin', an' ya had enough 'nowledge tah keep her interested? Ya became a tailor since we last met or what?!"
Braeburn was clearly embarassed, yet he tried to salvage the situation.
"Weeell, ya know, bein' in a small settlement has us dealin' with torn clothes all the time, so there ya have it."
"So mending yer vest a few times made ya an expert in fashion, huh?" Applejack deadpanned. Braeburn hung his head in defeat.
"I... might have read a few issues of 'Fashion Extravaganza' by mistake."
"How many?" the orange mare demanded.
"Hrmmmrhm." Braeburn moaned.
"Sorry, didn't quite catch that."
"Thirty-seven, okay?" he snapped. His cousin laughed, and even Mac repressed a small smile.
"So yer tellin' me," Applejack asked, clearing the tears from her eyes, "that ya read girly magazines ta strike up a conversation?"
"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" the mustard earth pony retorted. "I don' see ya runnin' around no stallion."
"Touché." Mac murmured, barely audible. Applejack's ears reddened.
"Ah told ya, it's a delicate situation! Ah have ta keep the farm, the Element schtick an' mah love life balanced! So what if Ah paid a little less attention to one of 'em?" she demanded. Braeburn began to chuckle.
"Sure, cus' it's all because ya have ta work, an' not even remotely connected to the fact that ya terrify most stallions out of their wits."
"What's that 'bout me bein' horrifyin'?!"
Braeburn mockingly raised his hooves in front of his face.
"Nothin' Nothin' Juss' don' hurt me!" he intoned sarcastically.
Jealousy. The good feeling was gone, and she began to feel jealous. Trixie never had a sibling, or a cousin, so conversations like this were out of the picture. Then again, siblings resemble each other, so if she had a brother or a sister, they'd probably compete for the right to talk. It seems no matter what, she'll never have somepony she could bond with like this.
"Thanks for the meal." she said, standing up. Maybe she had something on her face, because the others kept staring at her. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go see Twilight Sparkle. Be back whenever."
She trotted out of the dining room, grabbing her cloak from the coatrack on the way. A moment later, she was already through the front gate.
Silence reigned inside, until Applejack finally spoke up.
"A'ight, was it juss' me, or did she have tears in the corner of her eyes?"
_____________________________________________________________________________
By the time she reached the library, Trixie had calmed down a little. Emotional outbursts were not her type, even if Tartarus broke loose around her. The fact that Tartarus didn't break loose around her helped a little. To be precise, her reception amongst townsfolk was much better than she anticipated; she garnered a few nods, waves, and even some smiles from ponies. Those who pointedly turned their heads were actually a minority. That made her feel better, if only by a hair's breadth.
The great treehouse loomed over her, taunting. Regardless of Sparkle's shut-in tendencies, the library's exterior was kind of flashy, and it bothered the showmare a little. Not enough to voice it, but enough to distract her from any mood swings.
Speaking of flashy, there's no way she's going to knock. She opened the front door with her magic, and rushed in.
"'Sup, Sparkle?" she intoned in a nasal tone. Lo and behold, the lavender unicorn was indeed downstairs, now trying to cope with a minor brain shutdown.
"Don't you ever knock?" she asked, finally finding her voice. She was holding a feather duster, made from pink feathers, curiously, with a white apron hanging from her neck.
"Soooo, the Element of Magic is working as a housemaid in her free time?" she chatted. Twilight looked less than amused, putting down the duster.
"I live here. Of course I'm going to dust once in a while, you poker!"
"I'm a what now?"
"Poker! You know, poking fun on other's expense?"
"Yeesh! It'll never catch on. Stick to being an almighty unicorn, don't try to be the pony to make linguistical breakthroughs. So anyway, why did you want to see me?"
The question was out. Since yesterday, it has been bothering her. What would Twilight Sparkle, Babysitter of Ursa want from her that she couldn't produce herself? Money? Nah, being Celestia's student, she most certeanly didn't have to deal with financial problems. Connections? She doesn't seem like the politicking type. Confession? Polite refusal already rehearsed. Neither of the above? If so, things might be interesting enough.
Twilight slowly took off her apron, and closed the door. She took seat at a weary looking desk, filled to the brim with parchments, quills, and other assorted penmareship accessories. She gestured Trixie to take a seat on a nearby sofa, which she gladly did. Twilight leaned forward a little, taking a position from which she had to look up to Trixie. The showmare immediately pictured her in half-moon glasses, nearly chuckling at her presentation of the 'serious, benevolent mentor' archetype. The lavender unicorn did not notice her improved mood, and began with posing her a question.
"I assume you know Rainbow Dash?"
Trixie pondered for a moment, absent-mindedly tapping her chin.
"I think so. Gray earth pony stallion with white mane, cutie mark of chartered accountancy?"
Twilight shook her head.
"No, that's Numerous Charts, he works at the Trottingham—Is there a problem?"
Trixie was down on the ground, laughing uncontrollably. When she finally stopped, she looked at the librarian with a cocky smile.
"Aw, hay, of course I know who Rainbow Dash is! We even spoke yesterday, y'know. On the other hoof, I just winged that description, but there really exists a pony like that? Poor sap!"
Twilight coughed, a little embarassed.
"As I was saying! She is a very good friend of mine. Her birthday is coming up in two weeks, and I intend to get her a present she'll be very happy with." Her cheeks reddened with embarassment. "My latest forays in the field of presents were... less than succesful, to say the least. Not everypony is happy with a book, even if Rainbow is enthralled with the Daring Do octology. What I want to give her this year is different..."
She took a deep breath.
"I want to give her a day spent with Daring Do."
Trixie furrowed her eyebrow.
"Wait, wait, wait. You intend to create an illusion of that fantasy character for her sake? Is that why you need me?"
Twilight shook her head, straightening up on her seat.
"No. I don't just want to give her an illusion, I intend to create a doppelganger that thinks, feels and acts like the real deal. It'd be a dream come true for her!"
Silence loomed as Trixie pondered the task offered to her.
"I think I know what you mean," she spoke up, "but it would be extremely difficult, not to mention complex to actually proceed with that."
Twilight nodded.
"I know. That's not what encouraged me to seek you out. Because nopony else has tried anything like this, we need creativity in the process—your creativity. Will you help me?"
"Let's see. Creating sentience for our own amusement? Count me in!"
A loud thud could be heard from her back. She turned around, only to see a stack of books twice her size.
"Great!" Twilight beamed. "We can start with these easy books about conjuration!"
"I might have made a terrible mistake." Trixie thought.
