Love-locked and Breathless

After many back-and-forth antics from you and Trixie, the show finally ends with a standing ovation, and is even prolonged with an encore. You’ve been watching the jittery theatre-owner, Whipchat, having a fit in the dressing room for the past twenty minutes. No, the good kind of fit.

“Did you see that!? Oh, of course you did, you were that! The way your tricks kept everypony‘s attention, Trixie, and the way your assistant kept slithering out of each situation, nopony could tell what was going to be a magic trick and what was going to be an escape act! It sure kept them on the tip of their hooves, I’ll tell you that much! And that box trick, I thought you were gonna saw him in half for real until he escaped…”

“Believe me, Trixie wanted to,” Trixie grumbles dryly, turning her attention to you and letting the theatre-owner babble incoherently in the background, “You should have at least told me that you were planning to act like a foal on your debut. Embarrassing me during the hoist-and-chains trick… what were you thinking? ”

“Sorry, I didn’t really plan it,” you shrug, “I just made it up as I went along. What’s that called again? Improv?”

“No, that’s not the word you’re looking for.” she fires back, “I think you mean immaturity. Or was it idiocy?”

“I call it a stroke of genius!” the hysterical landlord butts in, “Everypony in that crowd loved it! Ponies are already buying reservations for next weekend’s performance! We might just have the first sold-out gig in nearly a year coming up!”

Trixie’s jaw drops at the news. When she picks it back up again, her mouth is suspiciously smirk-shaped.

“Well, it looks like you’re turning out for the better,” she says, “You should pull stupid risks like that more often.”

“This. Changes. Everything!” Whipchat still hasn’t come down from his high-horse yet. But then again, he said he’s never had a sold-out gig in nearly a year, so he’s probably thrilled for that popularity drought to end, “I can see it now, guys; The poster outside of this theatre - The Great and Powerful Trixie - with a “Sold Out” sign plastered all over it!”

“Ahem?” you cough loudly.

He snaps out of it momentarily when you get his attention. Then he falls right back into his daydream, “I mean, The Great and Powerful Trixie and her Eminent and Obedient Assistant!”

“Ugh, what a mouthful,” the silvery-haired magic-mare pulls a face like she had just drunk sour milk, “Besides, I didn’t see anything ‘obedient’ about him this past show. It’s not why they’re paying bits to see us…”

“Bits! Ohmygoshsomanybits…”

“They’re paying for a real show; they’re paying to see me stick him in a neigh-inescapable magical prop and watch him escape. They’re paying for my powerful magic playing off his sneaky tactics. My incredible illusions with his slippery slight-of-hoof. They’re paying to see Trixie and… and…”

*******

Trixie and the Scoundrel
Every Friday and Saturday Evening
Show time: 19:30 - 21:30

The poster still stands proudly outside the theatre, displaying its bright colours to the Manehatten streets. It’s hard to believe that only two months had passed since your fateful first performance, yet here you are. Outside the theatre with your alias displayed to the public.

More and more ponies had been keen on watching these fresh, new stage shows. As soon as one Friday show had been booked, there was a cluster of customers trying to book next Friday’s. Eventually, the show got so popular, you both decided to put on a repeat-show every Saturday. It’s been easier to handle since then, plus you, Trixie and her theatre-owning friend are effectively gaining twice the amount of money in a single week.

The owner even suggested putting shows on every day of the week. No such chance; you have to train and think up new tricks and gimmicks throughout the weekdays, keeping it fresh for customers rich enough to return.

You let out a sigh, not for any present situation, but for the one you had long ago. You don’t have to break into houses anymore. You don’t have to unlock doors and safes, or threaten weaker ponies into giving up their money. Here, you can use your talents, and ponies are actually cheering for you. They like you because you’re unlocking things. Why didn’t you follow this path in life before!?

Last week you were suspended over a snake pit (although the inhabitants were all conveniently defanged in the interest of safety, but hey, the crowd didn‘t know that). They all cheered and whooped for joy as you undid the usual padlocks, using the chain you dangled from to swing yourself out of ‘harm’s way’.

They also cheered when Trixie disappeared in a puff of smoke as you chased her for not telling you that the snakes were actually defanged. It was magic from both sides of the spectrum for the audience. And the ‘rivalry’ you and Trixie shared on stage kept the show interesting, but most of it was just pandering to the interests of the crowd.

“It’s a good thing Whipchat’s a health and safety guy on the side,” an unmistakable voice muses from behind you, “Or else I’d have never convinced you to pull off half the stuff you do.”

You turn to face Trixie standing behind you. Apparently she was also eyeballing the fancy poster. You give her a quick nod in acknowledgement. “Yeah. Heights. Snakes. Sword-coffins. Locking me in a safe and having me unlock it from the inside; that was a real challenge, I’ve not had to face a combination lock in years.”

“Wait until you see what we’ve got set up next.”

“Oh?” it seems Trixie’s been dipping into the profits again. Every once in a while, she buys or rents something that would either make a great prop or trick for the show. In all honesty, you feel she should spend more bits on the things that really matter. Like alcohol. “What have you bought this time? More smoke bombs for your disappearing act? Harder padlocks for me? Some doves to hide in your hat?”

“You’re half-right about the padlocks, among other things,” she says, not letting on any further than that, “We’ve also got a half-ton weight and a giant tank now.”

“Wh- what?” you just know she has to be joking there, “What in Equestria possessed you to buy a giant tank!? How do you intend to fit it on stage!?”

“A glass tank that you fill with water, you foal. Not a tank that you drive.”

“Oh.” That made slightly more sense to you, “But really, what in Equestria possessed you to buy a giant water tank?”

“I’ll tell you more about it tonight,” Trixie whispers, taking a step closer to you, until her mane lightly brushes against the side of your face. This doesn’t surprise you much; she’s been a tease for almost as long as you’ve known her, “You and me, out on the town. Perhaps we’ll find a nice bar that serves food.”

“Why, of all things I expected today,” you coo gently in response, “Is the Great and Powerful Trixie asking this scoundrel for a date?”

“You wish,” she light-heartedly bumps her flank into yours in jest, “just a humble celebration of our rise to success since you’ve joined us.”

“Is Whipchat coming too?”

“Pfft, no.”

“Okay, good; I wouldn’t be able to put up with him twittering about money for the whole date.”

“It’s not a date, scoundrel.”

“Suuure it isn’t.”