Tiny Trixie Talesby ZodiacspearChaptersThe Great and Powerful is Clean Enough!You Will Know My Name!Magic is so Dumb!It's Only FairDidn't You Hear the Great and Powerful?The Great and Powerful Cold...Officer Trixie and the Cookie CapperThe Great and Powerful is Clean Enough!The Great and Powerful is Clean Enough! “Beatrice Lulamoon! You come out of hiding this instant!” the voice of Maximus Lulamoon called out from their living room. The sky-blue unicorn peeked under the coffee table for the elusive little filly, but no such luck. “Trixie, you better come out or you’re in big trouble, little missy!” His ears swiveled as he heard a giggle from the next room over, as well as the sound of little hooves scampering across the hardwood floor of their home. An exasperated sigh escaped him as he realized he had his work cut out for him tonight. "Trixie, are you in the kitchen?” “Nuh-uh,” he heard the voice of his daughter say from the kitchen, followed by another giggle. Despite it, Maximus gave a humored grin at his daughter's antics. There were times when she did them for the sole purpose of adding more white hairs to his already silvering blonde mane. “Trixie, come on now, it’s time for your bath.” He walked into the kitchen, his brown eyes searching the suspiciously quiet kitchen. Everything looked normal. Pots were where they were supposed to be, the refrigerator was closed, the cabinets remained unopened; everything seemed like it should be. Until his eyes fell upon the cookie jar as it lay on its side—its contents recently raided. “Trixie! Did you help yourself to the cookies again?” His gaze snapped to the side as he caught something dash away and up the stairs of their home. A quick search turned up cookie crumbs on the kitchen floor—chocolate chip crumbs to be precise. “Little filly, when I get ahold of you, you are in so much trouble!” Another huff escaped him as he used his magic to set the cookie jar upright and deposited the crumbs in the waste bin. ‘That little filly… I swear by Celestia she is going to drive me crazy.’ Clip-clopping up the stairs, he caught sight of a small shadow duck into her room. He pushed the door open and peered around. Her toys were spread across the floor, a few stuffed dolls lay strewn about, as well as hairbrush and assorted hair accessories. He frowned as he saw the new dress he had bought for her the other day was laying haphazardly on the ground. Why is it she couldn’t keep her room clean? Right now, that was beside the point. It was going on bedtime and there was a little filly that needed a bath. "Trixie, I know you’re in here. Quit hiding and come take your bath.” His ears turned at the sound of a muted giggle and he looked at the curtains hanging from her bedroom window. Peeking out from the edges of the curtain, he could see a pair of light blue hooves sticking out—as well as a silvery tail sticking out from the side of the curtain.He grinned beside himself and spoke out loud. “Oh, now where could she have gone? She is a master hide and seeker.” Another muted giggle and he saw the curtain shift a bit. He walked toward her closet. “Let’s see. Are you… in the closet!” He opened the closet suddenly and cast a glance over his shoulder at the still hiding filly. Other than a small movement, she remained still. He walked toward the bed. “No, huh? Well then. Are you… under the bed!” She giggled a bit louder, but held as still as she could. He smiled to himself before he noted something under her mattress. With a charge of his horn he pulled the item out. "Hey, there are my trick cards.” He gave the curtain a bemused frown. “So this is where they went.” There was a guilty shuffle behind the curtain, but she didn’t come out of her not-so-clever hiding spot. Tucking his cards away, he turned and gave a dramatic sigh. “Well, she’s too good for me to find. Guess I’ll just go down stairs and read before bed. Since a certain little filly is going to hide from her poor, old father, he might as well just enjoy the quiet.” As he walked toward the door to the bedroom, he saw her little tail swishing. He made sure to walk just a little bit closer to the curtain. As soon as he did, a dark blue filly popped out from behind the curtain—her forelegs spread wide as she shouted, “Boo!” “Ahh!” he shouted as he jumped away from her. "Got you, Daddy!” Trixie giggled as she tackled into his foreleg, her back legs kicking as she tried to tip him over. He fell over with some dramatics, pulling his daughter along with him as he rolled. “Ugh! You got me! How could you do this to your own father, you little rascal.” She turned her nose up and flipped her mane back out of her eyes. “It was easy. I was hiding from you!” He gave her a humored smirk. “You sure did. Scared me so bad I fell over. So now what are you going to do?” She blinked and tilted her head at him—staring at him with those violet irises that reminded him so much of her mother. “Umm… Get more cookies?” Giving her a flat stare, he shook his head. “You’ve had enough cookies, little missy, time for your bath.” Her eyes widened and she tried scrambling for the doorway. "Oh no you don’t!” he called after her. His horn lit up and lifted her off the ground. She kept running in place—her little hooves working in a blur—before she looked at them then at him. "That’s not fair, Dad! I don’t wanna take a bath!” He got to his hooves and looked at her. “You need to take a bath, Trixie. You have to take one every night so your mane doesn’t get ratted.” He took a discreet sniff. “Besides, you were outside playing in the dirt and you stink.” She crossed her forelegs in a pout, still hovering in his magic. “I don’t stink!” Giving her a firm nod, he carried her towards their bathroom. “Yes you do and you’re getting that bath. No arguments, little missy.” She flailed in his magic as he turned on the bathtub, filling it with warm water. He looked over at her and gave her a sly smirk. “If you stop fighting, I’ll make it a bubble bath.” She shook her head. “Nuh-uh! I don’t need a bath, Dad. I’m clean. Look.” Turning around in his magic, she tried to show that she wasn’t dirty at all. He glanced at the spots of dirt on her coat and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, really clean. In the bath you go.” Levitating her above the water, he prepared to drop her in, but the moment he released her from his magic, she somehow was able to cling to his face. "I don’t wanna take a bath!” "Trixie, quit being so difficult and take your bath!” He pulled at her, but she had a death grip on him that he was afraid she’d take his mane with her. "Nuh-uh! The Great and Powerful Twixie doesn’t need baths! She doesn’t need to be clean!” she yelled as she clung desperately to his face. He grunted as she used that stage name she made for herself. “The Great and Powerful Trixie isn’t going to see the Great and Momentous Maximus’ next show if she isn’t clean! Quit being stubborn and get in!” As he struggled to pry her loose, he bumped into the tub, causing some of the water to spill out across the floor. Unable to see it, he wasn’t able to stop himself as his hooves gave out from under him sending the both of them into the tub with an impressive splash that nearly reached the ceiling above. When the water resettled, he gave his sheepish daughter a flat look. “Well, it seems we both are taking a bath, aren’t we.” She giggled and splashed him. "You little mink.” He splashed her back and she laughed as the water sprayed across her. The two had a quick splashing fight before he was finally able to get the little filly to calm down long enough for him to get some shampoo into her mane and give it a good scrub. As he ran the bath brush over her coat, he caught sight of her glowering. "Something on your mind, Sweet Pea?” he asked as he turned the faucet again to wash the soap from her coat. "Why do I need baths every day, Dad?” She shook the running water from her face. “I’m just gonna get dirty again. It’s a waste of time to take them every day.” He hummed as he pulled the drain from the tub, the soapy water swirling down the drain. “Maybe so, but you’ve always have to remember that a showmare must look her best every time. If she doesn’t take pride in her appearance, how can she expect her audience to take her seriously?” He lifted a towel from the rack and began to scrub her down. “You do want to be a showpony like your old man, don’t you?” She nodded quickly even as she squirmed from the rough drying. “But it’s so… boring…” she groused. A smirk tugged at his face. “Maybe so, but it’s something you have to do. So no arguing.” Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout and he couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Oh, don’t give me the pouty lip, or it’ll get stuck that way” He hung the towel on the rack to dry. “You don’t want to go through life with a pouty lip all the time, do you?” She blinked and sucked her lip back in. “N-no, I’d look silly.” "Right.” He ushered her out and towards her bedroom. “Come on now. Time for bed.” Her ears pinned back, and she gave him the cute, filly eyes routine. “But I’m not tired yet…” He shook his head. “No buts, little missy. You got into the cookie jar when you weren’t supposed to, so it’s time for bed.” "Aww…” she lowered her head and peeked up at him, her lip jutting out just a bit again. A firmer shake of his head sealed the deal. “Not happening. Come on, bed.” "Can I at least get a story?” she asked in a quiet sort of voice. ‘Blast it all…’ "Fine…” he groused, knowing she won that round. "Yay!” She sprang away into her room and quickly settled under her dark blue blankets. She patted the side of her bed for him to sit. “Come on, Dad. Tell me about the show in Manehatten again.” He sighed as he sat on the side of the bed—the wooden frame creaking under his weight. “I’ve told you that story a dozen times already, Trixie, how about a new one?” She shook her head firmly. “Uh-uh, I wanna hear it again. I like that one.” A warm smile crossed his face. “All right, all right. I’ll tell you one more time, but you’ve got to promise to go to sleep, okay?” "Promise!” She blinked before she look around her bed, lifting up a pillow to search under it. “Where’s Lulu? I can’t sleep without her.” His gaze swept the room until it fell on a stuffed doll of a mare made of an off white material with light pink strands of cloth that counted as a mane. "Here she is,” he said as he levitated the doll to her. She eagerly took the doll in her forelegs and gave it a tight squeeze before settling under her blankets again. “All right, Daddy, tell me the story, please?” He ran a hoof through her still damp mane, and smiled again. “Well, there I was on the stage of Manehatten’s most prestigious theater. The lights were dim, I couldn’t really make out the faces of my audience, but I could hear their awed gasps and cries of amazement as I put on a lights display of Princess Celestia as she vanquished the dreaded sea serpent. The crowd squealed as the sea serpent flew above their heads and many more would…” As he told his story of that long ago show that made his name a common household mention, he would watch as Trixie watched him with fascinated eyes. But as time passed, he saw those little eyes grow a bit more distant and her eyelids weigh down on her. Even though she was falling asleep, he kept up with his story. Soon enough, he paused in his telling as he saw her blankets rise and fall with rhythmic breathing—she snuggled so tightly with her little doll, he was afraid she’d tear it. Now that was a tragedy he wanted to avoid at all costs. Despite it all, he gently climbed off her bed and watched her for a moment before leaning in close and kissing her atop her head. She gave a soft moan and snuggled deeper, a light smile on her face. "Dream big, Sweet Pea, dream big,” he whispered as he used his magic to bring the blankets up around her shoulders. With a final look her way, he turned off the lights to the room and stepped out. Author's Note “I giggled so evilly after I murdered everyone and won.” Foals Errand via skype chat 8/20/15 Proof she is evil! Beware the adorably evilness of Foals Errand! You Will Know My Name!You Will Know My Name! The stage was set, the lights were dim, a hush had fallen over the crowd, an anxious breath was held for what was to come. A rustle of the curtain was preceded by the arrival of Equestria’s greatest entertainer. She walked on her hind hooves, her head bowed—her star-covered cap covering her features, save for the locks of silvery mane that peeked out from under the brim. She kept her cloak tight about her frame as the spotlight fell upon her, and as she made the middle of the stage, she paused. Audience members squirmed in their seats as a long, dramatic moment passed. "My dear ponies…” The crowd inched to the edge of their seats, some chewing at their lips. “I welcome you…” The entertainer lifted her head and they could see her violet eyes scanning them before a smirk erupted across her face. “To the amazing magic show of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” With a flourish, she tossed aside her cape and a pair of party cannons went off, showering the cheering throng with confetti and streamers. "Thank you! Thank you!” the young filly cried over their cheers, bringing her forelegs up to calm them. “Trixie thanks you all for your adoration!” She settled back on all fours. “And now, my dear audience, watch and be amazed by the fantastically entertaining abilities of the Grrreat and Powerful Trrrrixie!” The sky above burst into many colored explosions of light and sound. The crowd watched wide eyes, and the sole bear among the crowd clapped his meaty paws at the display. "For my first act, I—er, the Great and Powerful Trixie shall make this piece of string dance!” She produced a bit of yarn from her cap and tossed it into the air. Her horn glowed and the string starting dancing in many swirls, figure eights, and even around in broad arcs. The crowd cheered and a griffon whistled at her amazing talents. With a loud, “Ta da!” she tossed the string behind her and bowed. “Thank you, thank you ever so much.” She raised her head and smiled as the manticore was on the edge of its seat, watching her with excited eyes. “For my next trick, I need a volunteer.” Hooves, paws, and a stingered tail shot up into the air and waved around like party favors. Trixie hummed before she pointed. “You there! Come join the Great and Powerful Trixie on stage!” The crowd gave a mixed chorus of cheers and groans as a white mare with a pink mane trotted for the stage. The sphinx in the audience huffed and crossed his forelegs as she trotted past him. Trixie smiled as the mare joined her. “And what is your name?” "I’m Lulu.” The mare squealed and pranced in place. “I’m so excited to be here. I’m such a huge fan!” "A huge fan of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Then she shall make sure that you have the time of your life, Lulu.” Trixie turned back for the crowd. “Who here would like to see the Great and Powerful Trixie made our special volunteer invisible?” The crowd cheered and Trixie turned back to her volunteer. “So how about it, Lulu? Would you like to become invisible?” Lulu’s white cheeks took on a rosey hue. “It would make it easier for us to get a cookie from the jar.” Trixie blinked. “It would! Why hasn’t Trixie thought of that—” Someone from the audience cleared their throat. “—Right, back to our show!” She gave a broad sweep of a foreleg and a large, brightly decorated box appeared on stage. “Now, my assistant will step inside and the Great and Powerful Trixie shall make her vanish before your very eyes!” The crowed ‘ooohed’ at her and many squirmed anxiously in their seats. As Trixie began to close the door, Lulu gave her a cautious look. “Worry not, dear assistant, the Great and Powerful Trixie will keep you safe.” Lulu nodded even as Trixie closed the door. She turned back to the crowd and threw her forelegs out wide. “Witness the amazing magical skills of the Great and Powerful Trrrixie!” She turned and waved her forehooves around mysteriously. “Presto, chango, begone… oh!” The box gave a bright flash, causing the crowd to look away. When the looked back they saw that the box stood wide open, Lulu having completely vanished. The crowd erupted into cheers, the manticore roaring its approval. "But where’d she go?” the griffon asked. "Worry not, Gerard, the Great and Powerful Trixie will make her appear—” her horn lit and Lulu appeared back in her seat, an awed expression on her face. “—just like that!” The crowd cheered wildly for her, howls of approval echoed around her even as Lulu blushed brightly from the attention. "And now, for the final act!” Trixie cried as she stood tall on her hind legs and spread her forelegs out, causing all gazes to fall upon her. “Trixie shall do the most wonderful, stupendous magical act that Equestria has ever seen before!” "What’cha gonna do?” the bear called out. She turned her wide grin to him. “Glad you asked, Burly, the Great and Powerful Trixie is going to make everyone here… fly!” Astonished gasps from the crowd hilled the area, and they began talking excitedly with each other. "That’s right, everyone, to the sky with all of you!” Her horn glowed and her entire audience was surrounded in her magical aura. As one they lifted up into the sky and flew around—much to the delight of every audience member. Happy cheers, squeaks of surprise, and shouts amazement filled her stage as the magician pulled off the greatest magical feat ever! -0- Maximus Lulamoon leaned against the doorframe to his daughter’s room, watching her tossing her stuffed animals into the air. A warm smile crossed his face as she giggled to herself. Whatever she was imagining, he knew she was enjoying it. Finally, tiring herself out, she collapsed onto her bed and hugged her stuffed mare closely. "That’s right, Lulu. Twixie is going to be a great magician one day. Just like Daddy is.” His smile grew wider and he stepped out of the room. “Hold on to that dream, Sweet Pea,” he whispered as he walked down the stairwell. Author's Note Foals Errand: as if Trixie can out cute Twilight! Zodiacspear: Trixie is easily more adorable than Twilight! Foals Errand: not on your life! Zodiacspear: Trixie is the Great and Powerful, this cannot be argued! It is in her name! The moment when the gauntlet was thrown down... Magic is so Dumb!Magic is so Dumb! “Just concentrate, Sweet Pea,” Maximus Lulamoon said as he watched his daughter strain with the little pebble. “Don’t over think it; focus only on the rock.” Trixie’s tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth as her horn fizzled with a few violet sparks. Her eyes squeezed shut as her magic tried so hard to lift the small rock from the dirt. The small pebble shook, but refused to leave the ground. “Nngh!” she grunted before her magic flashed, and the stone grew still once more. She blinked as she stared at the stone before flopping onto her haunches with a frustrated moan. “This is so hard! It’s too heavy!” A soft smile tugged at his lips as he considered her frustration. He easily remembered the same frustration when he was her age—everything was so much more difficult back then. “Don’t be like that, Trixie. All it takes is more practice and determination, and you’ll be lifting rocks and other things like the best of them.” She flopped to her belly and huffed. “Not when it’s so hard, Daddy. I wanna lift things and make them dance like you do, but it’s just so tough.” He walked over and settled in the grass beside her, ruffling her mane a bit. “It always starts out that way, Sweet Pea.” Her ears pinned back at the affection and shook her mane out when he stopped. “Not for you. You always make it look so easy.” She turned her wide eyes up at him. “Tell me how to do it, Daddy. I wanna be as good as you.” A warm laugh escaped him. “Trixie, you’ll be better than I am. I know you will. You just have to practice and want to do it.” He nuzzled her a bit. “You’re a smart filly; I know you’ll figure it out in no time.” She harrumphed but giggled anyway. “You think so?” “I know so.” Standing back up, he nodded toward the rock. “Try again. Just remember not to overthink it.” Sighing through her nose, Trixie got back to her hooves and glared at the rock. “All right, rock, you’re going to listen to the Gweat and Powewful Twixie, and you’re going to like it!” She spread her legs out and shut her eyes tightly, her horn again sparking to life. Maximus watched as her horn continued to spark and spit wild magic. He knew that her magic hadn’t fully developed yet, but he also knew that constant practice would help it along. A filly her age needed to learn to control her magic sooner rather than later. He cringed as he remembered the scorch marks in her room when she tried practicing without him. Grunting with effort, the sparks started increasing, and, once again, her aura surrounded the rock—the stone shaking and struggling to leave the dirt it called home. “You can do it, Trixie. Just focus and remember that it obeys you and not the other way around. Your magic is yours. It heeds your call.” He watched her closely as the sparks started getting brighter. “I-I’m trying, Daddy. It’s just so—” She screamed in fright as her magic flared and poofed out at the tip of her horn. He winced as he looked at the little burn mark that now marred her horn, and walked toward her. “Are you all right, Sweet Pea?” She gingerly touched at the mark before wincing. “No! This is stupid! Magic is stupid! I’ll never get it right!” His gaze hardened. “Stop that now! You know better than to act like that.” Turning her gaze up to him again, she hunkered down a bit at his tone. “But, Dad, it is! I’ll never be as good as you.” Taking in a long breath and letting it out slowly, he let the edge of his tone fade away. “Yes, you can, Trixie. You can’t expect to get everything right the first time. That is why you practice.” His eyes shifted to the mark on her horn. “Does that hurt?” “A little…” she said in a soft voice. Again, a soft smile tugged at his lips. “Come on. Let’s go inside and put a bandage on it, and you’ll feel better.” She perked up, her eyes sparkling a bit. “Ice cream?” He gave her a flat glare. “Don’t push it.” “Aww…” She followed after him into their home where she took a seat in the living room before he came back with a first-aid kit. He levitated some ointment from the box before he spoke, “This might sting a little, okay?” Her eyes widened a bit and she hunkered down as if he had told her she was about to get a shot. Removing some of the ointment from the tube, she clenched her teeth and hissed as he spread it across her horn. “Owie!” He smiled a bit at her antics. “Come now, it can’t hurt that badly.” She glared at him defiantly. “Oh yeah? You never had your horn burned like mine did, Daddy.” “Actually,” he said as he floated a gauze and bandage over the spot, “I burned my horn more times than I can count when I was your age.” She blinked a few times, her ears standing a bit straighter. “You? But, Daddy, you’re so perfect at magic. You don’t ever make a mistake.” “And do you know why that is?” he asked as he sat down on the couch beside her. She tilted her head at him. “Why?” “Because I never gave up, Sweet Pea.” He floated a book from a nearby bookshelf and flipped open the first few pages. The photo album was full of pictures depicting a much younger Maximus alongside a unicorn mare that Trixie recognized as her grandmother. “Mom used to tell me the exact same thing I’m telling you. If you put your mind to it, you can do it.” Trixie looked over the old picture of her father rubbing at a singed horn while her grandmother was putting a number of bandages over it. She smiled sadly, remembering the days she spent with her grandmother. “Did Grandma teach you any twicks?” she asked, looking up at her father. He smiled wistfully, looking at the picture. “She taught me many things after I learned to control my magic.” He turned, smiling warmly. “And I’ll do the same for you once you learn to control yours.” Trixie’s eyes widened, as did her smile. “Even how to make moving ponies with lights?” A smile tugged at his lips. “That will be the first lesson.” “Yay!” She hopped off the couch and ran outside—her burn now completely forgotten. Maximus chuckled as he put the old photoalbum away, and turned to watch Trixie from the window. She was once again focusing on the little rock, her little horn sputtering with magical sparks. A smile grew as each time she failed to lift the rock; it didn’t dissuade her from trying again. He knew that resolve would help her in the long run and was glad to see it develop. Seeing that fiery determination in her eyes, he knew she would succeed eventually. He sighed as she gave another whine when her magic misfired and he gathered the first-aid kit once more. Author's Note [8:21:02 PM] Foals Errand: I'll pre read ^^ [8:21:18 PM] StableStahl: I was literally about to ask you if you wanted to read the first chapter :P [8:21:36 PM] Foals Errand: I am psycho! [8:21:38 PM] Foals Errand: ... [8:21:44 PM] Foals Errand: or is it psychic? [8:21:47 PM] Foals Errand: hmmm [8:21:50 PM] Foals Errand: both? What further proof do you need? The Foals Errand is evil. I mean look at her (current) avatar! Such depravity! Wuv you, Foalsie. It's Only FairIt’s Only Fair! She gave an excited squeal and rushed ahead to the brightly colored booth, her little stuffed mare bouncing around on her back. “Hurry up, Daddy! I wanna play!” “Beatrix Lulamoon, what did I tell you about running ahead like that?” her father called after her, but it went ignored as she stood up on her hind legs to look over the counter to marvel at all of the stuffed animals that hung on the walls of the booth. The bored-looking attendant smirked as Trixie looked at all the balloons that hung in neat rows along the back wall. He bounced a trio of small, plastic darts in his hoof as he flew toward her. “Wanna try your luck, kid? Pop a balloon and win a prize.” She practically shook in her excitement. “Yes!” She looked over her shoulders as her father finally caught up to her. “Daddy, I wanna play! I wanna get Lulu a new friend to play with.” Maximus winced as he looked first at the cheaply made stuffed animals and then at the sly-smirking attendant. “Trixie, you already have enough stuffed animals. I’m sure Lulu can go on without another one.” “But she’s lonely. Look!” She took her off-white colored stuffed mare from her back and presented it to him to see up close. “See? She’s all sad.” He looked into the button eyes of Lulu before he glanced at the attendant when he snickered. “Yes, very sad. Come on, Trixie. There is still more of the fair we haven’t seen yet. We can’t stop at every booth we walk across.” Seeing that her father was being adamant about it, she tried for the one thing she knew always worked. Her eyes irises grew wider, and she stuck out a bottom lip just enough to count as a pout. “Pweeasssse…” Her father’s resistance melted away like butter and he sighed. “Fine. But this is the only one. I don’t want to hear any complaining again. You understand?” A wide smile burst across her face and she hugged his foreleg tightly. “Yes, Daddy. I pwomise!” Maximus sighed again, looking back at the attendant as Trixie once again stood on her hind legs. “How much a game?” “One bit,” the attendant said. “First balloon that pops, she gets whatever prize is under the tag.” Maximus passed over the single coin, and the attendant set the darts in front of her. “All right, kid. Pop one and you get your prize.” Even as her father moved to stand behind her, she looked over her shoulder at him. “I wanna try, Daddy.” He blinked before looking at her. “You do?” She nodded quickly. “Mmhm! I’ve been practicing. I can do it!” A smile grew across her father’s face. “All right then. It’s all you.” Rubbing her hooves together, she concentrated on one of the colored darts. Her horn gave a few sputters of magic, but her aura surrounded the dart and shook as it lifted from the counter. With a grunt, she got the dart to face the right way, and she gave it a toss. It barely got halfway before thunking into the floor. “Two more to go,” the attendant said as he scooped up the fallen dart. Biting at her lip, she concentrated on the second dart—a bead of sweat forming on her brow. Gritting her teeth, she lifted the dart up, and, with a grunt, sent it flying at the board. It hit the balloon, but bounced away harmlessly. “Oooh!” She thumped a hoof on the counter. “Need help, Sweat Pea?” she heard her father ask. She shook her head stubbornly. “Nuh-uh, I’m gonna do it on my own, Daddy. Just you wait and see.” He gave her a knowing smile. “All right.” She turned her gaze back at the evil dart and glared at it. “All wight, you. The Gweat and Poweful Twixie wants Lulu to have a new fwiend, and you're gonna get it for her!” Standing resolutely, she closed her eyes and concentrated real hard on the dart. As the sweat started to appear on her brow again, her tongue poked out of the side of her mouth. “I’m gonna get it. I’m gonna do it,” she repeated to herself over and over as the dart floated in the air. With her eyes shut, she didn’t see that when she threw the dart, a flash of her father’s aura sped it along. When she heard the balloon pop, her eyes flew open and she saw that her dart was stuck into the board. “And we have a winner!” the attendant announced, giving a sly glance to her father. She bounced around her father, gleefully shouting, “I did it! I did it! I did it!” Turning a look at Maximus, she beamed with pride. “Did you see me, Daddy? I popped the balloon all on my own!” “I did see.” He ruffled her mane, a warm smile on his face. “You’re getting better, Trixie.” “So which one do you want, kid?” the attendant asked, sweeping a foreleg out to the assembled toys. She hummed a moment before pointing. “That one!” The attendant raised an eyebrow before looking at her. “You sure?” She nodding vigorously. “Uh-huh, that one,” she said again, motioning to a stuffed, bug-like doll. “Huh. Never had anyone want one of those before.” He flew up and presented her prize to her. “Enjoy it, kid.” As Trixie hugged her new stuffed animal, Maximus could only stare at it with a bemused frown. “That has got to be one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen. Why did you choose that one, Trixie?” She gave it another hug. “Because it looked lonely.” He again looked at the black, insectoid stuffed animal and its black covering and blue eyes before shaking his head. “What are you going to name it?” Tilting her head, she frowned a bit before her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. “I’ll name him Cuddles!” “...Cuddles?” “Mhmm.” She nodded as she set ‘Cuddles’ behind Lulu on her back. “Because he’s so cuddly.” In her excitement, she didn’t hear her father’s groan. “Oh! Dad, they’ve got funnel cakes!” She tugged at his foreleg. “Come on! Come on! We can get one with strawberries and share!” He sighed as his daughter dragged him along past other carnival goers. “All of this carnival food is not going to agree with me.” “That’s why you got your tummy medicine, Daddy,” she said as her little hooves scampered to pull him along in her haste. He rolled his eyes and sighed. “All right, all right. Don’t pull my leg off.” Later on that night, as the Mare-in-the-Moon shined down brightly upon the carnival, Trixie’s eyes widen and she gasped. “Daddy! Daddy! Let’s ride the ferris wheel! Please?” Maximus looked to the brightly lit up ferris wheel for a moment before looking down at her. “Trixie, it’s getting late. Aren’t you getting tired yet?” “Nuh-uh. I’m wide awake. See?” She opened her eyes big and wide, her violent irises reflecting the lights of the carnival. “The Sand Stallion hasn’t found me yet.” He looked into those eyes and sighed. “All right, one ride on the wheel, then we go home. It is well past your bedtime.” She wrapped a tight hug around his leg. “You’re the bestest, Daddy.” Sighing, he got in line for the ferris wheel, his daughter bouncing beside him in barely restrained eagerness. The closer they got to the front of the line, the more Trixie’s excitement grew. By the time they made it, Maximus was surprised she hadn’t keeled over. When the attendant lifted the bar for them to climb in, Trixie hopped into her seat and patted next to her, setting both Lulu and Cuddles on her other side. “Come on, Daddy. This is going to be so much fun!” Smirking to himself he climbed into the seat beside her and used his magic to secure their seatbelts before the attendant lowered the guard bar. When the machine roared to life, Trixie gave another happy squeal as the wheel started forward. When they reached the highest point of the ride, Trixie pointed toward the mountain that Canterlot resided upon. “Look, Daddy, I can see home from here.” His gaze followed her hoof. “Sure can. We can see pretty far from up here, can’t we?” “Uh-huh!” She looked around before the ferris wheel began its journey back down. She gave a gleeful cheer as the wheel started back up. “Whee! This is fun!” Her father smiled. “Sure is, Sweet Pea.” When the wheel reached its zenith, Trixie stood as tall as she could to look around. “Do you think we can see Mommy from up here?” When her father didn’t respond, she looked back to see him looking away, his brow furrowed. “Daddy?” The furrow lessened when he looked back at her, a smile on his face. “I’m sorry, Trixie. I don’t think we’ll be able to see Mommy from here.” She blinked, there was something wrong with his smile. “Daddy, are you okay?” She grabbed Lulu and offered her to him. “Lulu likes to share hugs.” His smile widened a bit more. “I’m fine, Sweat Pea. Don’t worry.” A startled squeak escaped her as the wheel gave a jolt and came to a halt. They looked over the side of the seat to see the attendant working furiously at the controls. “What’s going on?” Maximus called down. “Sorry, sir. There’s something wrong with the controls.” The attendant swore under this breath as the controls sparked at him. “We’ll get this fixed as soon as we can.” “Daddy, what’s going on?” Trixie asked as he settled down beside her. “Looks like the ride is broke.” He sighed as the wind blew through their manes. “We might be up here for a while.” “B-but, I don’t wanna stay up here! Can’t we climb down?” He shook his head. “No, we could get hurt.” Looking around, he frowned. “At least we’re up high, we can still enjoy the view.” “But we need someone to go get help,” she said, her eyes widening some. “We might starve up here!” Maximus smiled. “We’ll get down before that, Sweet Pea.” Her eyes widened again and she smiled. “I know!” He tilted his head at her. “Hmm?” She picked up her newly won doll. “All right, Cuddles, go get help.” Before he could stop her, she tossed the insect-pony thing over the side of the cart. The stuffed animal bounced off of a rail before landing pitifully on the ground not far away. “He’ll get us help,” Trixie said with a smile. Maximus rubbed between his eyes. -o- A few hours later, just as pony rescuers were helping those in the lower carts back to the ground, Maximus rested against the back of their seat. His hoof running over the mane and side of the sleeping filly who nuzzled into his side. She shifted a bit, mumbling in her sleep as she slept peacefully. A slow smile grew across his face as he looked at her. Charging his horn, he brought Lulu to her side. His eyes turned from her sleeping form to the full moon above. ‘The Mare-in-the-Moon is bright tonight.’ Another breeze blew through, causing Trixie to shiver and snuggle closer with to him. Despite it all, the horrible fair food, dealing with a hyper filly, and being reminded of her mother, Maximus concluded that being stuck on the ferris wheel was the best part of his night that night. Author's Note Take that, Cuddles. Didn't You Hear the Great and Powerful?Even as Maximus poured over a map of Equestria and a pile of notes, he couldn’t help but wonder where he should perform next. His quill hung by his face as he mused the possibilities. The annual Pumpkin Festival was going to be held in Fillydelphia soon—and it always attracted a large crowd—but it was a rather long distance from Canterlot. There was always Manehatten. The big city ponies were always eager for new entertainment, and his name was a household mention there. Maybe he and Trixie could plan another showing there? Then there was Greensborough. The forested town was smaller, but the working ponies were always friendly and welcoming of anything that would break— A door slamming open caused him to drop his quill, and he turned to see a rain-and-mud soaked Trixie run through the room. She beamed happily as she dripped rainwater all over their hardwood floor. “Dad! Dad! Are you busy?” He watched the mud fall to the floor with a sigh. “I’m busy planning, Sweet Pea. What’s wrong?” She shook her coat out—effectively splashing more rainwater and mud around. “I’m getting hungry. What’re we having for lunch?” A frown tugged at his lips. “Beatrice Lulamoon, what have I told you about splashing mud in the house?” Her eyes widened as she looked at the mess she had made. “Whoops…” she looked back at her father, lowering her gaze and pinning back her ears. “I’m sorry, Daddy.” Another sigh escaped him, and he ran a hoof down his face. He sniffed and gave her a firm glare. “Go to the bathroom and dry off, and then come back and clean up. I’ll make you something to eat while you do that.” “Yes, Daddy,” she said as she trotted off for the bathroom. With a tired sigh, he stood up and walked for the kitchen. Tried as he was, the thought of standing near a hot stove was a pleasant one. “Trixie, how does a sandwich and chips sound?” “That sounds good!” came her call from the living room. “What do you want on your sandwich?” he asked as he levitated bread, hay, and other things to make her lunch. “Can the Gweat and Powewful Twixie have mayo on it?” A small smile played at the corners of his mouth. “Just mayo?” “Mhmm,” she said as she trotted into the kitchen, and he saw that she had missed a splotch of mud on her cheek. She fidgeted as he floated over a cloth and wiped her face clean. “I was clean, Daddy.” “Sure you were, Sweet Pea.” He chuckled as he put together her meal. Once it was done, he floated the plate over to the table where she had sat in her chair for it. “Thanks, Daddy.” She beamed at him before lifting up her sandwich and took a bite. She chewed once before she stopped, her eyes widening. Maximus tilted his head. “Something wrong, Trixie?” She lifted up her bread and then looked at him. “Twixie thinks she wants something else on her sandwich.” He blinked. “You said you wanted mayo on it.” “Can Trixie have mustard instead?” she asked as she pushed her plate away. Sighing quietly, he picked up the plate and set it on the counter. He quickly made another sandwich before she called over at him. “Can Twixie have it with the crusts cut off?” He looked ahead for a moment, before he spoke. “The crusts off?” She smiled at him, nodding. “Mhmm!” Floating a knife over, he deftly cut the crusts of her sandwich off. Yet, even as he started to lift the plate, she spoke again. “And some lettuce and a tomato, please?” “Trixie, please make up your mind,” he said as he took the requested toppings out of the refrigerator. “I don’t want to waste the food.” “Okay, Twixie is sure that’s all she wants.” He turned to look at her for a moment, and she only gave him a small little smile, squirming in her seat for her food. “All right then.” Just as he made the requested sandwich, she spoke again. “Actually, Twixie doesn’t want the tomato now.” “Beatrice Lulamoon!” She hunkered down as he glared at her. “Sorry, Daddy.” Gritting his teeth a bit, he ran a hoof over his eyes a moment. “I’m sorry to shout, Sweat Pea, but you’re overdoing it.” He set his hoof back to the ground and looked at her, putting a small smile on his face. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll make it, okay?” Nodding, she sat back up in her chair. “Twixie wants ketchup instead of tomato. She’s sure of it.” “Nothing else?” She gave a definite shake of her head. “Nuh-uh.” “You’re sure?” “Yep!” As he turned to make the sandwich, he glanced over his shoulder at her. She sat there, watching him with those wide violet irises of hers. Just as he started working, the looked over his shoulder again. A growl erupted from her belly, and she placed a hoof over it. “I’m really hungry, Daddy,” she said, the faintest of a blush on her cheeks. Laughing quietly, he floated the lettuce over and cut away a healthy leaf. The ketchup soon followed and he put the cut-off crusts in the trashcan. “All right, Sweet Pea, here’s your—” His eyes widened as she took the final bite of her original sandwich. It took him a moment to finally find the ability to speak. “Trixie, I thought you didn’t want a sandwich with mayo or the crusts on it?” She stuffed the last bite into her mouth, her cheeks pouching. “I was hungry waiting.” If so much as a breeze had blown through, it would have knocked Maximus over in that instant. Hopping off her chair, she trotted over to him and gave him a tight hug on the leg. “You’re the best daddy ever.” She motioned him lower. “What is it, Sweat Pea?” he asked, a timbre of weariness creeping its way into his tone as he lowered his head to hear whatever she wanted to say. Hopping on her back hooves, she planted a little kiss on the cheek. “I love you, Daddy.” With that she galloped for the front door of their home and back out into the rain. He stood there for a time, watching after his daughter. A touched, helpless laugh escaped him as he realized that the other sandwich needed to be eaten. Author's Note After finally escaping the dungeons of Twilight's castle for writing a story about best pony that is not her, I finally got an update out! You'll pay for turning me in, Foalsie... Just you wait! No steel cage nor mental reprograming can stop the War of the Fluff! The Great and Powerful Cold...A shout of, “Whee-hehehe!” preceded the sled as a certain little filly raced down the snow-covered hill. Powdered snow flew past her face as she and her two passengers ramped a small cliff—landing with synchronized grunts before continuing on down in their slide. “Whoo hoo!” shouted the changeling as he held his forelegs up high. “This is so much fun!” Trixie laughed as she steered them away from an incoming tree. “You’re right, Cuddles! I’m so glad Daddy let me go sledding today!” “Trixie! Watchout for that tree!” cried her other passenger. With a squeak, Trixie pulled on the rope of her sled, grazing past the evergreen tree with only a few pine needles to show for the effort. Trixie laughed as they sped down the hill. “Don’t worry, Lulu, I’m a good driv—” “Snowbank!” the other two shouted before the little sled crashed headlong into a mound of snow, launching the trio through the air. Flailing about, the three vanished in an explosion of cold, powdery snow. When the snow settled, Trixie popped her head from underneath, still giggling. “Sorry!” Lulu was the next to pop up from the snow, the off-white mare wiping at her eyes as the snow clung to her pink mane. “Ugh, Trixie, you said you’d be careful.” Trixie shook the snow from her coat before readjusting her pink and white striped scarf. “I was careful, Lulu. I hit the snow instead of the stream, right?” Lulu looked over at the nearby, not-quite frozen stream and shuddered. “I guess…” “Haha!” laughed a giddy Cuddles as he erupted from the snow. “That was the best ever!” He tackled Trixie into a tight hug, nuzzling against her cheek. “You sure know how to have fun, Trixie!” Trixie squirmed under the crushing embrace. “Cuddles… too...tight!” The changeling’s eyes widened and he let her go. “Sorry! Sorry! Just got excited!” “You always get over excited about hugs,” Lulu said as she helped Trixie back to her hooves, giving the changeling an admonishing stare. “It’s an addiction…” Trixie shook her head, snowflakes sticking to her bangs. “It’s all right, Cuddles. Just don’t squeeze so hard, it’s hard to breathe when you do.” The changeling’s shoulders slumped, his gaze lowering too. “I said I was sorry…” She smiled brightly before giving her friend a hug. “It’s all right, I forgive you.” He hummed and nuzzled her. “Hugs are the best.” Lulu gave her mane a toss, a few pine needles falling free. “How about we head back and get some hot cocoa, Trixie? You have to be getting cold by now, and I bet Daddy is getting worried.” Trixie sniffed and rubbed at her nose, looking at all of the pine trees and their branches that were weighed with snow. “Yeah, it is getting kinda cold.” “Can’t we go down the hill one more time?” Cuddles asked, looking between the two. “Just once more before we call it a day?” A frown tugged at Lulu’s lips. “Cuddles, we don’t want Trixie to get a cold.” He smiled at her. “She’s fine, Lulu. Besides, what’s one more slide?” “Another dunk in the snow, that’s what,” Lulu protested as she stood tall. “Come on, Trixie, let’s get the sled and get some hot chocolate. I bet Daddy even has some cookies waiting for us too.” The little filly beamed at the idea of warm peanut butter cookies waiting for her. “Okay!” She stopped as she felt something cling to her back leg. Looking back, she saw Cuddles give her the wide, sad eyes routine. “Pleeeeeeease, just once more? I’m not ready to go back yet! One more time and then we’ll have all the hot chocolate and peanut butter cookies we could want!” Her tummy gave off a small growl and she placed a hoof over it. “I don’t know…” “PAHLEEEEEAAAAASE!” the changeling pleaded, clinging to her leg tighter. Giggling, she nodded. “Okay, one more time, then we get cookies!” “Yay!” Cuddle’s wings beat so fast as to whirl up the loose snow. Lulu spat as she got a fresh coat of snow all over her. “Cuddles!” Trixie laughed again before she gathered the sled’s rope in her magic. “Come on. Let’s see how fast we can go this time.” As Trixie pulled the slide behind her—Lulu and Cuddles both walking beside her—she couldn’t help but wonder what her Daddy was doing. She remembered how he smiled when she begged him to stay home for the day so she could enjoy the snow a bit longer before school. At first he was firm that she was going, but a few sad looks and a little kiss later, and her father caved in like a cavern. “I’m so glad Daddy let me go sledding. I wonder what all the other foals are doing right now instead of having fun like us?” she asked as they climbed back up the hill. “Probably sitting around bored, listening to the teacher talk,” Cuddles said as he looked over at her. “Prof. Inkwell likes to talk a lot, doesn’t she?” “But she’s funny,” Lulu said as they looked back down the path that lead to home. “She tells some funny stories and we know you enjoy them, Trixie.” She sniffed and lifted her nose. “Yeah, but her’s aren’t as good as Daddy’s.” “Mm-hm.” The other two nodded. “Still, I wonder what I missed today?” Trixie said as the made the top of the hill, letting the rope fall to the ground. “Oh, come on, Trixie!” Cuddles said as he buzzed his wings. “We’re about to have fun and you’re thinking of school?” He hopped on the sled and made room for them. “Come on, let’s see how fast we can go.” As Trixie bit her lip, Lulu glanced over at her. “Are you sure about this, Trixie?” Trixie peered down the hill again, looking first at their snow path they made earlier and then at her home that wasn’t all that far away. “Well, we did climb all the way up here, didn’t we?” “You’re not scared, are you?” Cuddles asked, a timbre of worry making itself into his tone. She shook her head quickly, standing tall. “The Great and Powerful Trixie isn’t scared! She’s just thinking of the best way to go down faster.” “That’s the spirit!” Cuddles said as he squirmed on the sled. “Trixie…” Lulu said, her voice soft as she watched her best friend. The filly nodded. “Get on, Lulu. We’re going to show the hill just how amazing we are!” As Lulu took her place behind Cuddles, Trixie took the rope in her magic as she sat in the front. “Are you ready?” Cuddles nodded, a wide smile on his face. Lulu frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Trixie dug her leg into the snow and kicked. With a crunch of snow, the sled began its trek down the hill again to the excited laughter of a little filly. As her friends cheered for her, Trixie leaned forward, staring down the hill as if were a challenge to be met. Even as the snow sprayed out in their wake, her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth as she tried to get the sled to go faster. “Faster, Trixie, faster!” Cuddles cheered. “Slower, Trixie, slower!” Lulu cried. “We’re going too fast!” “It’s okay, Lulu!” she yelled back. “I’ve got everything under control!” Just as she finished, they ramped over a small hump on the hill and Trixie looked over her shoulder at a frightened squeak. She saw Lulu fly off the sled to go rolling down the hill. “Lulu!” Cuddles pointed ahead. “Trixie! The stream!” Her gaze darted back just in time to see herself fly for the cold water. -0- “Of all the things you could have ran into, Beatrice Lulamoon, the stream was perhaps the worst one—minus a tree,” her father scolded as he carried a bowl of warm soup into her room. “What were you thinking going down the hill so fast you couldn’t control the sled?” Trixie moaned and rolled over to look at him, shivering under her blankets. “I’m sorry, Daddy,” she said past the thermometer that poked out of her mouth, a loud sniff escaping her. “You should be, little missy.” He sat the bowl down and lifted the thermometer to peer at the level. “And you’re running a temperature, you likely caught a cold too.” A squeak of a sneeze escaped her, and she sniffed. “I was just having some fun.” He groaned as he rubbed a hoof over his face, sitting on the side of her bed. “Trixie, I…” he sighed before running a hoof over her cheek. “What am I going to do with you? I don’t mind you having fun, Sweat Pea, but you shouldn’t take unnecessary risks over stuff like that.” He let his hoof fall back to his side as he smiled at her. “Save that for the stage, and even then, you have to be careful. I don’t want to hear about you getting hurt because of a stunt, okay?” She nodded and snuggled up with her stuffed mare. “Lulu and Cuddles were with me too, shouldn’t they be in trouble too?” He looked first at the doll she held, then at the stuffed changeling that still smelled of the stream on a chair nearby. “They both look sorry enough, Trixie, but you are the one who is going to be in bed for a couple days.” He floated over a spoon and dipped into the broth. “Open your mouth.” As she ‘awed’, he carefully tipped the steaming soup into her mouth. He repeated the process until she shook her head. “I’m full, Daddy,” she said before a little belch escaped her. Her eyes widened and she put a hoof over her mouth. “‘Scuse me.” A smile again tugged at the corners of his mouth as he put the spoon back in the bowl. “Well, you should rest, Sweat Pea, it’s getting late. Is there anything else you need?” She tilted her head a bit before asking, “A bedtime story?” Laughing, he stood to collect the bowl and thermometer. “All right, let me put this away and I’ll be right back.” As her father stepped out of her room, she snuggled a bit deeper into her bed, holding on to Lulu as she did. Getting settled, she shot a glare at the stuffed changeling nearby. “I blame you, Cuddles,” she said before another little sneeze took her. Author's Note I swear I haven't died! Officer Trixie and the Cookie CapperCautiously peeking around the doorframe, Officer Trixie spotted the nefarious criminal as he sat hunched over a table covered with papers. “—then I can hit Fillydelphia. They pay well there,” she heard him mumble to himself. “Maybe Canterlot after that. It’s a hotbed for the well-paying customers…” “Planning his next heist,” she whispered to the pair of fellow officers who peeked to see themselves. “We’ve got him this time.” “The villain,” Officer Cuddles growled and buzzed his wings briefly. “Bet he’s planning something super nefarious this time around.” “We have to be quiet, else he’ll get away,” Captain Lulu whispered, pushing her oversized, homemade police helmet back on her head. Strands of pink mane still poked out everywhere, and she tried to organize them until she gave up with a splutter. She turned to Trixie, who sat glaring at the criminal mastermind. “We should go around, keep him from escaping.” Cuddles ducked back behind the wall. “Once we’re all in place, we’ll jump 'em and—” “No,” Officer Trixie said, her curt tone silencing them both. “This criminal is mine to take down.” The changeling turned a wide-eyed look her way. “No fair, Trixie, we’re in this together!” Lulu shushed him. All three took a quick look to see if the mastermind had noticed the outburst. Thankfully, he seemed too absorbed in his papers not to have noticed. “It’s Officer Trixie, Cuddles, and I’m going to be the one to take him down for his crimes,” Officer Trixie said as her police hat fell over her snout. “Trixie,” Lulu said, her tone sympathetic. With a charge of her horn, Officer Trixie set her police hat back behind said horn. “He took something very important from me, Captain Lulu, he’s going down and paying big time.” “You can’t let what happened—” Trixie turned an angry—if not pouty—look Lulu’s way. “I’m doing this, Captain. I will be the one to take him in. No matter what.” “So intense,” Cuddles awed. “Just like that story Dad read us.” “You think so?” she asked him, her visage alighting. “Definitely!” he said, wings buzzing excitedly. Putting on her most confident look, Officer Trixie pushed her hat forward. “I’m going in.” “Be careful,” Lulu said, the mare’s worried tone never leaving her. “Trust the Great and Powerful Officer Trixie, Captain.” Creeping on her belly, Trixie made her way across the hardwood floor. Keeping a close eye on the perp, she slid behind the recliner, waiting for him to focus once more before crawling again. As she made her way to the couch, she stopped as he floated a glass of water to drink. Staying as still as she could, she waited until he set it back to the end table before moving again, making sure not to bump the table and give herself away. As she crawled behind the couch, she spotted something underneath. Giving him a quick glance, she lit her horn and pulled the item to her, hoping the sound of her magic wasn’t too loud. It was one of her favorite hair bows. “So that’s where it went,” she whispered. “Hmm?” the criminal said, looking around. “Eep,” she squeaked, slapping a hoof over her muzzle to silence herself. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Captain Lulu and Officer Cuddles making frantic motions for her to be still. After a bit, the criminal grunted and returned to his paperwork, making notes. Letting a quiet sigh escape her, Officer Trixie continued her stealthy crawl until she got to the other end of the couch. So absorbed in his work, the criminal never even saw the small, blue filly peek her head over the armrest of the couch, her little tail swishing. “I bet if I took Trixie there, she’d—” “RAAGH!” “OOMPH!” he grunted as she tackled. “Beatrice Lulamoon, what’re you—” She pinned him down, clinging to his back so he couldn’t escape. “I got you now, Mr. Criminal, you’re under arrest!” “What in Celestia’s name are you doing?” Maximus demanded of her. “Did you finish your homework?” “You’re a criminal, daddy, and I’m the police officer arresting you,” she whispered to him. He blinked a few times before saying, “Oh.” “You’re coming with me to jail to answer for your crimes, Mr. Criminal,” she declared, posing a dramatic pose. “I got him, Captain Lulu! Officer Cuddles, bring me the rope!” “The what now?” he asked before looking in the direction she had and spotting the two stuffed animals nearby. “Oh boy…” Dashing over to get the string, she ran back and placed a small loop over his forelegs. “All right, you’re coming with me,” she said before asking in a quieter tone. “It’s not too tight, is it, Daddy?” “No, Sweet Pea, it isn’t,” he whispered back as he stood for her to lead him away, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Taking the other end of the string in her magic, she led the criminal with her head held high and a proud spring in her step. Prancing into the jail, she let the string fall back to the floor. “All right, we’re at the jail now.” He looked around at all the counters, cabinets, table, oven, and sink. “The kitchen?” “It’s jail, Daddy.” “Right,” he said with aplomb. “So what’s my crime?” “You know what you did, Mr. Criminal,” she proclaimed, mustering he toughest look she could manage and hitting him with it full force—a full on pouty lip. “So now you have to pay for your crime.” “I’m still not sure what I’m guilty of,” he said, stepping out of the string and floating it to the table. “So what am I to do to get out of jail?” She motioned to a tall cabinet, on top of which rested a blue jar with the blocky word ‘Cookies’. “The Great and Powerful Officer Trixie can’t reach the cookies.” Maximus’s jaw dropped, his expression aghast. “Are you kidding me?” She gave him the sweetest pleading look she could muster. “Please?” -0- As his daughter sat with her two stuffed animals, happily eating a hoofful of cookies with a half-drank glass of milk nearby, Maximus could only give her a bemused look. “I’ve created a monster…” he grumbled, shaking his head with a small chuckle.
The Great and Powerful is Clean Enough!The Great and Powerful is Clean Enough! “Beatrice Lulamoon! You come out of hiding this instant!” the voice of Maximus Lulamoon called out from their living room. The sky-blue unicorn peeked under the coffee table for the elusive little filly, but no such luck. “Trixie, you better come out or you’re in big trouble, little missy!” His ears swiveled as he heard a giggle from the next room over, as well as the sound of little hooves scampering across the hardwood floor of their home. An exasperated sigh escaped him as he realized he had his work cut out for him tonight. "Trixie, are you in the kitchen?” “Nuh-uh,” he heard the voice of his daughter say from the kitchen, followed by another giggle. Despite it, Maximus gave a humored grin at his daughter's antics. There were times when she did them for the sole purpose of adding more white hairs to his already silvering blonde mane. “Trixie, come on now, it’s time for your bath.” He walked into the kitchen, his brown eyes searching the suspiciously quiet kitchen. Everything looked normal. Pots were where they were supposed to be, the refrigerator was closed, the cabinets remained unopened; everything seemed like it should be. Until his eyes fell upon the cookie jar as it lay on its side—its contents recently raided. “Trixie! Did you help yourself to the cookies again?” His gaze snapped to the side as he caught something dash away and up the stairs of their home. A quick search turned up cookie crumbs on the kitchen floor—chocolate chip crumbs to be precise. “Little filly, when I get ahold of you, you are in so much trouble!” Another huff escaped him as he used his magic to set the cookie jar upright and deposited the crumbs in the waste bin. ‘That little filly… I swear by Celestia she is going to drive me crazy.’ Clip-clopping up the stairs, he caught sight of a small shadow duck into her room. He pushed the door open and peered around. Her toys were spread across the floor, a few stuffed dolls lay strewn about, as well as hairbrush and assorted hair accessories. He frowned as he saw the new dress he had bought for her the other day was laying haphazardly on the ground. Why is it she couldn’t keep her room clean? Right now, that was beside the point. It was going on bedtime and there was a little filly that needed a bath. "Trixie, I know you’re in here. Quit hiding and come take your bath.” His ears turned at the sound of a muted giggle and he looked at the curtains hanging from her bedroom window. Peeking out from the edges of the curtain, he could see a pair of light blue hooves sticking out—as well as a silvery tail sticking out from the side of the curtain.He grinned beside himself and spoke out loud. “Oh, now where could she have gone? She is a master hide and seeker.” Another muted giggle and he saw the curtain shift a bit. He walked toward her closet. “Let’s see. Are you… in the closet!” He opened the closet suddenly and cast a glance over his shoulder at the still hiding filly. Other than a small movement, she remained still. He walked toward the bed. “No, huh? Well then. Are you… under the bed!” She giggled a bit louder, but held as still as she could. He smiled to himself before he noted something under her mattress. With a charge of his horn he pulled the item out. "Hey, there are my trick cards.” He gave the curtain a bemused frown. “So this is where they went.” There was a guilty shuffle behind the curtain, but she didn’t come out of her not-so-clever hiding spot. Tucking his cards away, he turned and gave a dramatic sigh. “Well, she’s too good for me to find. Guess I’ll just go down stairs and read before bed. Since a certain little filly is going to hide from her poor, old father, he might as well just enjoy the quiet.” As he walked toward the door to the bedroom, he saw her little tail swishing. He made sure to walk just a little bit closer to the curtain. As soon as he did, a dark blue filly popped out from behind the curtain—her forelegs spread wide as she shouted, “Boo!” “Ahh!” he shouted as he jumped away from her. "Got you, Daddy!” Trixie giggled as she tackled into his foreleg, her back legs kicking as she tried to tip him over. He fell over with some dramatics, pulling his daughter along with him as he rolled. “Ugh! You got me! How could you do this to your own father, you little rascal.” She turned her nose up and flipped her mane back out of her eyes. “It was easy. I was hiding from you!” He gave her a humored smirk. “You sure did. Scared me so bad I fell over. So now what are you going to do?” She blinked and tilted her head at him—staring at him with those violet irises that reminded him so much of her mother. “Umm… Get more cookies?” Giving her a flat stare, he shook his head. “You’ve had enough cookies, little missy, time for your bath.” Her eyes widened and she tried scrambling for the doorway. "Oh no you don’t!” he called after her. His horn lit up and lifted her off the ground. She kept running in place—her little hooves working in a blur—before she looked at them then at him. "That’s not fair, Dad! I don’t wanna take a bath!” He got to his hooves and looked at her. “You need to take a bath, Trixie. You have to take one every night so your mane doesn’t get ratted.” He took a discreet sniff. “Besides, you were outside playing in the dirt and you stink.” She crossed her forelegs in a pout, still hovering in his magic. “I don’t stink!” Giving her a firm nod, he carried her towards their bathroom. “Yes you do and you’re getting that bath. No arguments, little missy.” She flailed in his magic as he turned on the bathtub, filling it with warm water. He looked over at her and gave her a sly smirk. “If you stop fighting, I’ll make it a bubble bath.” She shook her head. “Nuh-uh! I don’t need a bath, Dad. I’m clean. Look.” Turning around in his magic, she tried to show that she wasn’t dirty at all. He glanced at the spots of dirt on her coat and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, really clean. In the bath you go.” Levitating her above the water, he prepared to drop her in, but the moment he released her from his magic, she somehow was able to cling to his face. "I don’t wanna take a bath!” "Trixie, quit being so difficult and take your bath!” He pulled at her, but she had a death grip on him that he was afraid she’d take his mane with her. "Nuh-uh! The Great and Powerful Twixie doesn’t need baths! She doesn’t need to be clean!” she yelled as she clung desperately to his face. He grunted as she used that stage name she made for herself. “The Great and Powerful Trixie isn’t going to see the Great and Momentous Maximus’ next show if she isn’t clean! Quit being stubborn and get in!” As he struggled to pry her loose, he bumped into the tub, causing some of the water to spill out across the floor. Unable to see it, he wasn’t able to stop himself as his hooves gave out from under him sending the both of them into the tub with an impressive splash that nearly reached the ceiling above. When the water resettled, he gave his sheepish daughter a flat look. “Well, it seems we both are taking a bath, aren’t we.” She giggled and splashed him. "You little mink.” He splashed her back and she laughed as the water sprayed across her. The two had a quick splashing fight before he was finally able to get the little filly to calm down long enough for him to get some shampoo into her mane and give it a good scrub. As he ran the bath brush over her coat, he caught sight of her glowering. "Something on your mind, Sweet Pea?” he asked as he turned the faucet again to wash the soap from her coat. "Why do I need baths every day, Dad?” She shook the running water from her face. “I’m just gonna get dirty again. It’s a waste of time to take them every day.” He hummed as he pulled the drain from the tub, the soapy water swirling down the drain. “Maybe so, but you’ve always have to remember that a showmare must look her best every time. If she doesn’t take pride in her appearance, how can she expect her audience to take her seriously?” He lifted a towel from the rack and began to scrub her down. “You do want to be a showpony like your old man, don’t you?” She nodded quickly even as she squirmed from the rough drying. “But it’s so… boring…” she groused. A smirk tugged at his face. “Maybe so, but it’s something you have to do. So no arguing.” Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout and he couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Oh, don’t give me the pouty lip, or it’ll get stuck that way” He hung the towel on the rack to dry. “You don’t want to go through life with a pouty lip all the time, do you?” She blinked and sucked her lip back in. “N-no, I’d look silly.” "Right.” He ushered her out and towards her bedroom. “Come on now. Time for bed.” Her ears pinned back, and she gave him the cute, filly eyes routine. “But I’m not tired yet…” He shook his head. “No buts, little missy. You got into the cookie jar when you weren’t supposed to, so it’s time for bed.” "Aww…” she lowered her head and peeked up at him, her lip jutting out just a bit again. A firmer shake of his head sealed the deal. “Not happening. Come on, bed.” "Can I at least get a story?” she asked in a quiet sort of voice. ‘Blast it all…’ "Fine…” he groused, knowing she won that round. "Yay!” She sprang away into her room and quickly settled under her dark blue blankets. She patted the side of her bed for him to sit. “Come on, Dad. Tell me about the show in Manehatten again.” He sighed as he sat on the side of the bed—the wooden frame creaking under his weight. “I’ve told you that story a dozen times already, Trixie, how about a new one?” She shook her head firmly. “Uh-uh, I wanna hear it again. I like that one.” A warm smile crossed his face. “All right, all right. I’ll tell you one more time, but you’ve got to promise to go to sleep, okay?” "Promise!” She blinked before she look around her bed, lifting up a pillow to search under it. “Where’s Lulu? I can’t sleep without her.” His gaze swept the room until it fell on a stuffed doll of a mare made of an off white material with light pink strands of cloth that counted as a mane. "Here she is,” he said as he levitated the doll to her. She eagerly took the doll in her forelegs and gave it a tight squeeze before settling under her blankets again. “All right, Daddy, tell me the story, please?” He ran a hoof through her still damp mane, and smiled again. “Well, there I was on the stage of Manehatten’s most prestigious theater. The lights were dim, I couldn’t really make out the faces of my audience, but I could hear their awed gasps and cries of amazement as I put on a lights display of Princess Celestia as she vanquished the dreaded sea serpent. The crowd squealed as the sea serpent flew above their heads and many more would…” As he told his story of that long ago show that made his name a common household mention, he would watch as Trixie watched him with fascinated eyes. But as time passed, he saw those little eyes grow a bit more distant and her eyelids weigh down on her. Even though she was falling asleep, he kept up with his story. Soon enough, he paused in his telling as he saw her blankets rise and fall with rhythmic breathing—she snuggled so tightly with her little doll, he was afraid she’d tear it. Now that was a tragedy he wanted to avoid at all costs. Despite it all, he gently climbed off her bed and watched her for a moment before leaning in close and kissing her atop her head. She gave a soft moan and snuggled deeper, a light smile on her face. "Dream big, Sweet Pea, dream big,” he whispered as he used his magic to bring the blankets up around her shoulders. With a final look her way, he turned off the lights to the room and stepped out. Author's Note “I giggled so evilly after I murdered everyone and won.” Foals Errand via skype chat 8/20/15 Proof she is evil! Beware the adorably evilness of Foals Errand!
You Will Know My Name!You Will Know My Name! The stage was set, the lights were dim, a hush had fallen over the crowd, an anxious breath was held for what was to come. A rustle of the curtain was preceded by the arrival of Equestria’s greatest entertainer. She walked on her hind hooves, her head bowed—her star-covered cap covering her features, save for the locks of silvery mane that peeked out from under the brim. She kept her cloak tight about her frame as the spotlight fell upon her, and as she made the middle of the stage, she paused. Audience members squirmed in their seats as a long, dramatic moment passed. "My dear ponies…” The crowd inched to the edge of their seats, some chewing at their lips. “I welcome you…” The entertainer lifted her head and they could see her violet eyes scanning them before a smirk erupted across her face. “To the amazing magic show of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” With a flourish, she tossed aside her cape and a pair of party cannons went off, showering the cheering throng with confetti and streamers. "Thank you! Thank you!” the young filly cried over their cheers, bringing her forelegs up to calm them. “Trixie thanks you all for your adoration!” She settled back on all fours. “And now, my dear audience, watch and be amazed by the fantastically entertaining abilities of the Grrreat and Powerful Trrrrixie!” The sky above burst into many colored explosions of light and sound. The crowd watched wide eyes, and the sole bear among the crowd clapped his meaty paws at the display. "For my first act, I—er, the Great and Powerful Trixie shall make this piece of string dance!” She produced a bit of yarn from her cap and tossed it into the air. Her horn glowed and the string starting dancing in many swirls, figure eights, and even around in broad arcs. The crowd cheered and a griffon whistled at her amazing talents. With a loud, “Ta da!” she tossed the string behind her and bowed. “Thank you, thank you ever so much.” She raised her head and smiled as the manticore was on the edge of its seat, watching her with excited eyes. “For my next trick, I need a volunteer.” Hooves, paws, and a stingered tail shot up into the air and waved around like party favors. Trixie hummed before she pointed. “You there! Come join the Great and Powerful Trixie on stage!” The crowd gave a mixed chorus of cheers and groans as a white mare with a pink mane trotted for the stage. The sphinx in the audience huffed and crossed his forelegs as she trotted past him. Trixie smiled as the mare joined her. “And what is your name?” "I’m Lulu.” The mare squealed and pranced in place. “I’m so excited to be here. I’m such a huge fan!” "A huge fan of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Then she shall make sure that you have the time of your life, Lulu.” Trixie turned back for the crowd. “Who here would like to see the Great and Powerful Trixie made our special volunteer invisible?” The crowd cheered and Trixie turned back to her volunteer. “So how about it, Lulu? Would you like to become invisible?” Lulu’s white cheeks took on a rosey hue. “It would make it easier for us to get a cookie from the jar.” Trixie blinked. “It would! Why hasn’t Trixie thought of that—” Someone from the audience cleared their throat. “—Right, back to our show!” She gave a broad sweep of a foreleg and a large, brightly decorated box appeared on stage. “Now, my assistant will step inside and the Great and Powerful Trixie shall make her vanish before your very eyes!” The crowed ‘ooohed’ at her and many squirmed anxiously in their seats. As Trixie began to close the door, Lulu gave her a cautious look. “Worry not, dear assistant, the Great and Powerful Trixie will keep you safe.” Lulu nodded even as Trixie closed the door. She turned back to the crowd and threw her forelegs out wide. “Witness the amazing magical skills of the Great and Powerful Trrrixie!” She turned and waved her forehooves around mysteriously. “Presto, chango, begone… oh!” The box gave a bright flash, causing the crowd to look away. When the looked back they saw that the box stood wide open, Lulu having completely vanished. The crowd erupted into cheers, the manticore roaring its approval. "But where’d she go?” the griffon asked. "Worry not, Gerard, the Great and Powerful Trixie will make her appear—” her horn lit and Lulu appeared back in her seat, an awed expression on her face. “—just like that!” The crowd cheered wildly for her, howls of approval echoed around her even as Lulu blushed brightly from the attention. "And now, for the final act!” Trixie cried as she stood tall on her hind legs and spread her forelegs out, causing all gazes to fall upon her. “Trixie shall do the most wonderful, stupendous magical act that Equestria has ever seen before!” "What’cha gonna do?” the bear called out. She turned her wide grin to him. “Glad you asked, Burly, the Great and Powerful Trixie is going to make everyone here… fly!” Astonished gasps from the crowd hilled the area, and they began talking excitedly with each other. "That’s right, everyone, to the sky with all of you!” Her horn glowed and her entire audience was surrounded in her magical aura. As one they lifted up into the sky and flew around—much to the delight of every audience member. Happy cheers, squeaks of surprise, and shouts amazement filled her stage as the magician pulled off the greatest magical feat ever! -0- Maximus Lulamoon leaned against the doorframe to his daughter’s room, watching her tossing her stuffed animals into the air. A warm smile crossed his face as she giggled to herself. Whatever she was imagining, he knew she was enjoying it. Finally, tiring herself out, she collapsed onto her bed and hugged her stuffed mare closely. "That’s right, Lulu. Twixie is going to be a great magician one day. Just like Daddy is.” His smile grew wider and he stepped out of the room. “Hold on to that dream, Sweet Pea,” he whispered as he walked down the stairwell. Author's Note Foals Errand: as if Trixie can out cute Twilight! Zodiacspear: Trixie is easily more adorable than Twilight! Foals Errand: not on your life! Zodiacspear: Trixie is the Great and Powerful, this cannot be argued! It is in her name! The moment when the gauntlet was thrown down...
Magic is so Dumb!Magic is so Dumb! “Just concentrate, Sweet Pea,” Maximus Lulamoon said as he watched his daughter strain with the little pebble. “Don’t over think it; focus only on the rock.” Trixie’s tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth as her horn fizzled with a few violet sparks. Her eyes squeezed shut as her magic tried so hard to lift the small rock from the dirt. The small pebble shook, but refused to leave the ground. “Nngh!” she grunted before her magic flashed, and the stone grew still once more. She blinked as she stared at the stone before flopping onto her haunches with a frustrated moan. “This is so hard! It’s too heavy!” A soft smile tugged at his lips as he considered her frustration. He easily remembered the same frustration when he was her age—everything was so much more difficult back then. “Don’t be like that, Trixie. All it takes is more practice and determination, and you’ll be lifting rocks and other things like the best of them.” She flopped to her belly and huffed. “Not when it’s so hard, Daddy. I wanna lift things and make them dance like you do, but it’s just so tough.” He walked over and settled in the grass beside her, ruffling her mane a bit. “It always starts out that way, Sweet Pea.” Her ears pinned back at the affection and shook her mane out when he stopped. “Not for you. You always make it look so easy.” She turned her wide eyes up at him. “Tell me how to do it, Daddy. I wanna be as good as you.” A warm laugh escaped him. “Trixie, you’ll be better than I am. I know you will. You just have to practice and want to do it.” He nuzzled her a bit. “You’re a smart filly; I know you’ll figure it out in no time.” She harrumphed but giggled anyway. “You think so?” “I know so.” Standing back up, he nodded toward the rock. “Try again. Just remember not to overthink it.” Sighing through her nose, Trixie got back to her hooves and glared at the rock. “All right, rock, you’re going to listen to the Gweat and Powewful Twixie, and you’re going to like it!” She spread her legs out and shut her eyes tightly, her horn again sparking to life. Maximus watched as her horn continued to spark and spit wild magic. He knew that her magic hadn’t fully developed yet, but he also knew that constant practice would help it along. A filly her age needed to learn to control her magic sooner rather than later. He cringed as he remembered the scorch marks in her room when she tried practicing without him. Grunting with effort, the sparks started increasing, and, once again, her aura surrounded the rock—the stone shaking and struggling to leave the dirt it called home. “You can do it, Trixie. Just focus and remember that it obeys you and not the other way around. Your magic is yours. It heeds your call.” He watched her closely as the sparks started getting brighter. “I-I’m trying, Daddy. It’s just so—” She screamed in fright as her magic flared and poofed out at the tip of her horn. He winced as he looked at the little burn mark that now marred her horn, and walked toward her. “Are you all right, Sweet Pea?” She gingerly touched at the mark before wincing. “No! This is stupid! Magic is stupid! I’ll never get it right!” His gaze hardened. “Stop that now! You know better than to act like that.” Turning her gaze up to him again, she hunkered down a bit at his tone. “But, Dad, it is! I’ll never be as good as you.” Taking in a long breath and letting it out slowly, he let the edge of his tone fade away. “Yes, you can, Trixie. You can’t expect to get everything right the first time. That is why you practice.” His eyes shifted to the mark on her horn. “Does that hurt?” “A little…” she said in a soft voice. Again, a soft smile tugged at his lips. “Come on. Let’s go inside and put a bandage on it, and you’ll feel better.” She perked up, her eyes sparkling a bit. “Ice cream?” He gave her a flat glare. “Don’t push it.” “Aww…” She followed after him into their home where she took a seat in the living room before he came back with a first-aid kit. He levitated some ointment from the box before he spoke, “This might sting a little, okay?” Her eyes widened a bit and she hunkered down as if he had told her she was about to get a shot. Removing some of the ointment from the tube, she clenched her teeth and hissed as he spread it across her horn. “Owie!” He smiled a bit at her antics. “Come now, it can’t hurt that badly.” She glared at him defiantly. “Oh yeah? You never had your horn burned like mine did, Daddy.” “Actually,” he said as he floated a gauze and bandage over the spot, “I burned my horn more times than I can count when I was your age.” She blinked a few times, her ears standing a bit straighter. “You? But, Daddy, you’re so perfect at magic. You don’t ever make a mistake.” “And do you know why that is?” he asked as he sat down on the couch beside her. She tilted her head at him. “Why?” “Because I never gave up, Sweet Pea.” He floated a book from a nearby bookshelf and flipped open the first few pages. The photo album was full of pictures depicting a much younger Maximus alongside a unicorn mare that Trixie recognized as her grandmother. “Mom used to tell me the exact same thing I’m telling you. If you put your mind to it, you can do it.” Trixie looked over the old picture of her father rubbing at a singed horn while her grandmother was putting a number of bandages over it. She smiled sadly, remembering the days she spent with her grandmother. “Did Grandma teach you any twicks?” she asked, looking up at her father. He smiled wistfully, looking at the picture. “She taught me many things after I learned to control my magic.” He turned, smiling warmly. “And I’ll do the same for you once you learn to control yours.” Trixie’s eyes widened, as did her smile. “Even how to make moving ponies with lights?” A smile tugged at his lips. “That will be the first lesson.” “Yay!” She hopped off the couch and ran outside—her burn now completely forgotten. Maximus chuckled as he put the old photoalbum away, and turned to watch Trixie from the window. She was once again focusing on the little rock, her little horn sputtering with magical sparks. A smile grew as each time she failed to lift the rock; it didn’t dissuade her from trying again. He knew that resolve would help her in the long run and was glad to see it develop. Seeing that fiery determination in her eyes, he knew she would succeed eventually. He sighed as she gave another whine when her magic misfired and he gathered the first-aid kit once more. Author's Note [8:21:02 PM] Foals Errand: I'll pre read ^^ [8:21:18 PM] StableStahl: I was literally about to ask you if you wanted to read the first chapter :P [8:21:36 PM] Foals Errand: I am psycho! [8:21:38 PM] Foals Errand: ... [8:21:44 PM] Foals Errand: or is it psychic? [8:21:47 PM] Foals Errand: hmmm [8:21:50 PM] Foals Errand: both? What further proof do you need? The Foals Errand is evil. I mean look at her (current) avatar! Such depravity! Wuv you, Foalsie.
It's Only FairIt’s Only Fair! She gave an excited squeal and rushed ahead to the brightly colored booth, her little stuffed mare bouncing around on her back. “Hurry up, Daddy! I wanna play!” “Beatrix Lulamoon, what did I tell you about running ahead like that?” her father called after her, but it went ignored as she stood up on her hind legs to look over the counter to marvel at all of the stuffed animals that hung on the walls of the booth. The bored-looking attendant smirked as Trixie looked at all the balloons that hung in neat rows along the back wall. He bounced a trio of small, plastic darts in his hoof as he flew toward her. “Wanna try your luck, kid? Pop a balloon and win a prize.” She practically shook in her excitement. “Yes!” She looked over her shoulders as her father finally caught up to her. “Daddy, I wanna play! I wanna get Lulu a new friend to play with.” Maximus winced as he looked first at the cheaply made stuffed animals and then at the sly-smirking attendant. “Trixie, you already have enough stuffed animals. I’m sure Lulu can go on without another one.” “But she’s lonely. Look!” She took her off-white colored stuffed mare from her back and presented it to him to see up close. “See? She’s all sad.” He looked into the button eyes of Lulu before he glanced at the attendant when he snickered. “Yes, very sad. Come on, Trixie. There is still more of the fair we haven’t seen yet. We can’t stop at every booth we walk across.” Seeing that her father was being adamant about it, she tried for the one thing she knew always worked. Her eyes irises grew wider, and she stuck out a bottom lip just enough to count as a pout. “Pweeasssse…” Her father’s resistance melted away like butter and he sighed. “Fine. But this is the only one. I don’t want to hear any complaining again. You understand?” A wide smile burst across her face and she hugged his foreleg tightly. “Yes, Daddy. I pwomise!” Maximus sighed again, looking back at the attendant as Trixie once again stood on her hind legs. “How much a game?” “One bit,” the attendant said. “First balloon that pops, she gets whatever prize is under the tag.” Maximus passed over the single coin, and the attendant set the darts in front of her. “All right, kid. Pop one and you get your prize.” Even as her father moved to stand behind her, she looked over her shoulder at him. “I wanna try, Daddy.” He blinked before looking at her. “You do?” She nodded quickly. “Mmhm! I’ve been practicing. I can do it!” A smile grew across her father’s face. “All right then. It’s all you.” Rubbing her hooves together, she concentrated on one of the colored darts. Her horn gave a few sputters of magic, but her aura surrounded the dart and shook as it lifted from the counter. With a grunt, she got the dart to face the right way, and she gave it a toss. It barely got halfway before thunking into the floor. “Two more to go,” the attendant said as he scooped up the fallen dart. Biting at her lip, she concentrated on the second dart—a bead of sweat forming on her brow. Gritting her teeth, she lifted the dart up, and, with a grunt, sent it flying at the board. It hit the balloon, but bounced away harmlessly. “Oooh!” She thumped a hoof on the counter. “Need help, Sweat Pea?” she heard her father ask. She shook her head stubbornly. “Nuh-uh, I’m gonna do it on my own, Daddy. Just you wait and see.” He gave her a knowing smile. “All right.” She turned her gaze back at the evil dart and glared at it. “All wight, you. The Gweat and Poweful Twixie wants Lulu to have a new fwiend, and you're gonna get it for her!” Standing resolutely, she closed her eyes and concentrated real hard on the dart. As the sweat started to appear on her brow again, her tongue poked out of the side of her mouth. “I’m gonna get it. I’m gonna do it,” she repeated to herself over and over as the dart floated in the air. With her eyes shut, she didn’t see that when she threw the dart, a flash of her father’s aura sped it along. When she heard the balloon pop, her eyes flew open and she saw that her dart was stuck into the board. “And we have a winner!” the attendant announced, giving a sly glance to her father. She bounced around her father, gleefully shouting, “I did it! I did it! I did it!” Turning a look at Maximus, she beamed with pride. “Did you see me, Daddy? I popped the balloon all on my own!” “I did see.” He ruffled her mane, a warm smile on his face. “You’re getting better, Trixie.” “So which one do you want, kid?” the attendant asked, sweeping a foreleg out to the assembled toys. She hummed a moment before pointing. “That one!” The attendant raised an eyebrow before looking at her. “You sure?” She nodding vigorously. “Uh-huh, that one,” she said again, motioning to a stuffed, bug-like doll. “Huh. Never had anyone want one of those before.” He flew up and presented her prize to her. “Enjoy it, kid.” As Trixie hugged her new stuffed animal, Maximus could only stare at it with a bemused frown. “That has got to be one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen. Why did you choose that one, Trixie?” She gave it another hug. “Because it looked lonely.” He again looked at the black, insectoid stuffed animal and its black covering and blue eyes before shaking his head. “What are you going to name it?” Tilting her head, she frowned a bit before her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. “I’ll name him Cuddles!” “...Cuddles?” “Mhmm.” She nodded as she set ‘Cuddles’ behind Lulu on her back. “Because he’s so cuddly.” In her excitement, she didn’t hear her father’s groan. “Oh! Dad, they’ve got funnel cakes!” She tugged at his foreleg. “Come on! Come on! We can get one with strawberries and share!” He sighed as his daughter dragged him along past other carnival goers. “All of this carnival food is not going to agree with me.” “That’s why you got your tummy medicine, Daddy,” she said as her little hooves scampered to pull him along in her haste. He rolled his eyes and sighed. “All right, all right. Don’t pull my leg off.” Later on that night, as the Mare-in-the-Moon shined down brightly upon the carnival, Trixie’s eyes widen and she gasped. “Daddy! Daddy! Let’s ride the ferris wheel! Please?” Maximus looked to the brightly lit up ferris wheel for a moment before looking down at her. “Trixie, it’s getting late. Aren’t you getting tired yet?” “Nuh-uh. I’m wide awake. See?” She opened her eyes big and wide, her violent irises reflecting the lights of the carnival. “The Sand Stallion hasn’t found me yet.” He looked into those eyes and sighed. “All right, one ride on the wheel, then we go home. It is well past your bedtime.” She wrapped a tight hug around his leg. “You’re the bestest, Daddy.” Sighing, he got in line for the ferris wheel, his daughter bouncing beside him in barely restrained eagerness. The closer they got to the front of the line, the more Trixie’s excitement grew. By the time they made it, Maximus was surprised she hadn’t keeled over. When the attendant lifted the bar for them to climb in, Trixie hopped into her seat and patted next to her, setting both Lulu and Cuddles on her other side. “Come on, Daddy. This is going to be so much fun!” Smirking to himself he climbed into the seat beside her and used his magic to secure their seatbelts before the attendant lowered the guard bar. When the machine roared to life, Trixie gave another happy squeal as the wheel started forward. When they reached the highest point of the ride, Trixie pointed toward the mountain that Canterlot resided upon. “Look, Daddy, I can see home from here.” His gaze followed her hoof. “Sure can. We can see pretty far from up here, can’t we?” “Uh-huh!” She looked around before the ferris wheel began its journey back down. She gave a gleeful cheer as the wheel started back up. “Whee! This is fun!” Her father smiled. “Sure is, Sweet Pea.” When the wheel reached its zenith, Trixie stood as tall as she could to look around. “Do you think we can see Mommy from up here?” When her father didn’t respond, she looked back to see him looking away, his brow furrowed. “Daddy?” The furrow lessened when he looked back at her, a smile on his face. “I’m sorry, Trixie. I don’t think we’ll be able to see Mommy from here.” She blinked, there was something wrong with his smile. “Daddy, are you okay?” She grabbed Lulu and offered her to him. “Lulu likes to share hugs.” His smile widened a bit more. “I’m fine, Sweat Pea. Don’t worry.” A startled squeak escaped her as the wheel gave a jolt and came to a halt. They looked over the side of the seat to see the attendant working furiously at the controls. “What’s going on?” Maximus called down. “Sorry, sir. There’s something wrong with the controls.” The attendant swore under this breath as the controls sparked at him. “We’ll get this fixed as soon as we can.” “Daddy, what’s going on?” Trixie asked as he settled down beside her. “Looks like the ride is broke.” He sighed as the wind blew through their manes. “We might be up here for a while.” “B-but, I don’t wanna stay up here! Can’t we climb down?” He shook his head. “No, we could get hurt.” Looking around, he frowned. “At least we’re up high, we can still enjoy the view.” “But we need someone to go get help,” she said, her eyes widening some. “We might starve up here!” Maximus smiled. “We’ll get down before that, Sweet Pea.” Her eyes widened again and she smiled. “I know!” He tilted his head at her. “Hmm?” She picked up her newly won doll. “All right, Cuddles, go get help.” Before he could stop her, she tossed the insect-pony thing over the side of the cart. The stuffed animal bounced off of a rail before landing pitifully on the ground not far away. “He’ll get us help,” Trixie said with a smile. Maximus rubbed between his eyes. -o- A few hours later, just as pony rescuers were helping those in the lower carts back to the ground, Maximus rested against the back of their seat. His hoof running over the mane and side of the sleeping filly who nuzzled into his side. She shifted a bit, mumbling in her sleep as she slept peacefully. A slow smile grew across his face as he looked at her. Charging his horn, he brought Lulu to her side. His eyes turned from her sleeping form to the full moon above. ‘The Mare-in-the-Moon is bright tonight.’ Another breeze blew through, causing Trixie to shiver and snuggle closer with to him. Despite it all, the horrible fair food, dealing with a hyper filly, and being reminded of her mother, Maximus concluded that being stuck on the ferris wheel was the best part of his night that night. Author's Note Take that, Cuddles.
Didn't You Hear the Great and Powerful?Even as Maximus poured over a map of Equestria and a pile of notes, he couldn’t help but wonder where he should perform next. His quill hung by his face as he mused the possibilities. The annual Pumpkin Festival was going to be held in Fillydelphia soon—and it always attracted a large crowd—but it was a rather long distance from Canterlot. There was always Manehatten. The big city ponies were always eager for new entertainment, and his name was a household mention there. Maybe he and Trixie could plan another showing there? Then there was Greensborough. The forested town was smaller, but the working ponies were always friendly and welcoming of anything that would break— A door slamming open caused him to drop his quill, and he turned to see a rain-and-mud soaked Trixie run through the room. She beamed happily as she dripped rainwater all over their hardwood floor. “Dad! Dad! Are you busy?” He watched the mud fall to the floor with a sigh. “I’m busy planning, Sweet Pea. What’s wrong?” She shook her coat out—effectively splashing more rainwater and mud around. “I’m getting hungry. What’re we having for lunch?” A frown tugged at his lips. “Beatrice Lulamoon, what have I told you about splashing mud in the house?” Her eyes widened as she looked at the mess she had made. “Whoops…” she looked back at her father, lowering her gaze and pinning back her ears. “I’m sorry, Daddy.” Another sigh escaped him, and he ran a hoof down his face. He sniffed and gave her a firm glare. “Go to the bathroom and dry off, and then come back and clean up. I’ll make you something to eat while you do that.” “Yes, Daddy,” she said as she trotted off for the bathroom. With a tired sigh, he stood up and walked for the kitchen. Tried as he was, the thought of standing near a hot stove was a pleasant one. “Trixie, how does a sandwich and chips sound?” “That sounds good!” came her call from the living room. “What do you want on your sandwich?” he asked as he levitated bread, hay, and other things to make her lunch. “Can the Gweat and Powewful Twixie have mayo on it?” A small smile played at the corners of his mouth. “Just mayo?” “Mhmm,” she said as she trotted into the kitchen, and he saw that she had missed a splotch of mud on her cheek. She fidgeted as he floated over a cloth and wiped her face clean. “I was clean, Daddy.” “Sure you were, Sweet Pea.” He chuckled as he put together her meal. Once it was done, he floated the plate over to the table where she had sat in her chair for it. “Thanks, Daddy.” She beamed at him before lifting up her sandwich and took a bite. She chewed once before she stopped, her eyes widening. Maximus tilted his head. “Something wrong, Trixie?” She lifted up her bread and then looked at him. “Twixie thinks she wants something else on her sandwich.” He blinked. “You said you wanted mayo on it.” “Can Trixie have mustard instead?” she asked as she pushed her plate away. Sighing quietly, he picked up the plate and set it on the counter. He quickly made another sandwich before she called over at him. “Can Twixie have it with the crusts cut off?” He looked ahead for a moment, before he spoke. “The crusts off?” She smiled at him, nodding. “Mhmm!” Floating a knife over, he deftly cut the crusts of her sandwich off. Yet, even as he started to lift the plate, she spoke again. “And some lettuce and a tomato, please?” “Trixie, please make up your mind,” he said as he took the requested toppings out of the refrigerator. “I don’t want to waste the food.” “Okay, Twixie is sure that’s all she wants.” He turned to look at her for a moment, and she only gave him a small little smile, squirming in her seat for her food. “All right then.” Just as he made the requested sandwich, she spoke again. “Actually, Twixie doesn’t want the tomato now.” “Beatrice Lulamoon!” She hunkered down as he glared at her. “Sorry, Daddy.” Gritting his teeth a bit, he ran a hoof over his eyes a moment. “I’m sorry to shout, Sweat Pea, but you’re overdoing it.” He set his hoof back to the ground and looked at her, putting a small smile on his face. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll make it, okay?” Nodding, she sat back up in her chair. “Twixie wants ketchup instead of tomato. She’s sure of it.” “Nothing else?” She gave a definite shake of her head. “Nuh-uh.” “You’re sure?” “Yep!” As he turned to make the sandwich, he glanced over his shoulder at her. She sat there, watching him with those wide violet irises of hers. Just as he started working, the looked over his shoulder again. A growl erupted from her belly, and she placed a hoof over it. “I’m really hungry, Daddy,” she said, the faintest of a blush on her cheeks. Laughing quietly, he floated the lettuce over and cut away a healthy leaf. The ketchup soon followed and he put the cut-off crusts in the trashcan. “All right, Sweet Pea, here’s your—” His eyes widened as she took the final bite of her original sandwich. It took him a moment to finally find the ability to speak. “Trixie, I thought you didn’t want a sandwich with mayo or the crusts on it?” She stuffed the last bite into her mouth, her cheeks pouching. “I was hungry waiting.” If so much as a breeze had blown through, it would have knocked Maximus over in that instant. Hopping off her chair, she trotted over to him and gave him a tight hug on the leg. “You’re the best daddy ever.” She motioned him lower. “What is it, Sweat Pea?” he asked, a timbre of weariness creeping its way into his tone as he lowered his head to hear whatever she wanted to say. Hopping on her back hooves, she planted a little kiss on the cheek. “I love you, Daddy.” With that she galloped for the front door of their home and back out into the rain. He stood there for a time, watching after his daughter. A touched, helpless laugh escaped him as he realized that the other sandwich needed to be eaten. Author's Note After finally escaping the dungeons of Twilight's castle for writing a story about best pony that is not her, I finally got an update out! You'll pay for turning me in, Foalsie... Just you wait! No steel cage nor mental reprograming can stop the War of the Fluff!
The Great and Powerful Cold...A shout of, “Whee-hehehe!” preceded the sled as a certain little filly raced down the snow-covered hill. Powdered snow flew past her face as she and her two passengers ramped a small cliff—landing with synchronized grunts before continuing on down in their slide. “Whoo hoo!” shouted the changeling as he held his forelegs up high. “This is so much fun!” Trixie laughed as she steered them away from an incoming tree. “You’re right, Cuddles! I’m so glad Daddy let me go sledding today!” “Trixie! Watchout for that tree!” cried her other passenger. With a squeak, Trixie pulled on the rope of her sled, grazing past the evergreen tree with only a few pine needles to show for the effort. Trixie laughed as they sped down the hill. “Don’t worry, Lulu, I’m a good driv—” “Snowbank!” the other two shouted before the little sled crashed headlong into a mound of snow, launching the trio through the air. Flailing about, the three vanished in an explosion of cold, powdery snow. When the snow settled, Trixie popped her head from underneath, still giggling. “Sorry!” Lulu was the next to pop up from the snow, the off-white mare wiping at her eyes as the snow clung to her pink mane. “Ugh, Trixie, you said you’d be careful.” Trixie shook the snow from her coat before readjusting her pink and white striped scarf. “I was careful, Lulu. I hit the snow instead of the stream, right?” Lulu looked over at the nearby, not-quite frozen stream and shuddered. “I guess…” “Haha!” laughed a giddy Cuddles as he erupted from the snow. “That was the best ever!” He tackled Trixie into a tight hug, nuzzling against her cheek. “You sure know how to have fun, Trixie!” Trixie squirmed under the crushing embrace. “Cuddles… too...tight!” The changeling’s eyes widened and he let her go. “Sorry! Sorry! Just got excited!” “You always get over excited about hugs,” Lulu said as she helped Trixie back to her hooves, giving the changeling an admonishing stare. “It’s an addiction…” Trixie shook her head, snowflakes sticking to her bangs. “It’s all right, Cuddles. Just don’t squeeze so hard, it’s hard to breathe when you do.” The changeling’s shoulders slumped, his gaze lowering too. “I said I was sorry…” She smiled brightly before giving her friend a hug. “It’s all right, I forgive you.” He hummed and nuzzled her. “Hugs are the best.” Lulu gave her mane a toss, a few pine needles falling free. “How about we head back and get some hot cocoa, Trixie? You have to be getting cold by now, and I bet Daddy is getting worried.” Trixie sniffed and rubbed at her nose, looking at all of the pine trees and their branches that were weighed with snow. “Yeah, it is getting kinda cold.” “Can’t we go down the hill one more time?” Cuddles asked, looking between the two. “Just once more before we call it a day?” A frown tugged at Lulu’s lips. “Cuddles, we don’t want Trixie to get a cold.” He smiled at her. “She’s fine, Lulu. Besides, what’s one more slide?” “Another dunk in the snow, that’s what,” Lulu protested as she stood tall. “Come on, Trixie, let’s get the sled and get some hot chocolate. I bet Daddy even has some cookies waiting for us too.” The little filly beamed at the idea of warm peanut butter cookies waiting for her. “Okay!” She stopped as she felt something cling to her back leg. Looking back, she saw Cuddles give her the wide, sad eyes routine. “Pleeeeeeease, just once more? I’m not ready to go back yet! One more time and then we’ll have all the hot chocolate and peanut butter cookies we could want!” Her tummy gave off a small growl and she placed a hoof over it. “I don’t know…” “PAHLEEEEEAAAAASE!” the changeling pleaded, clinging to her leg tighter. Giggling, she nodded. “Okay, one more time, then we get cookies!” “Yay!” Cuddle’s wings beat so fast as to whirl up the loose snow. Lulu spat as she got a fresh coat of snow all over her. “Cuddles!” Trixie laughed again before she gathered the sled’s rope in her magic. “Come on. Let’s see how fast we can go this time.” As Trixie pulled the slide behind her—Lulu and Cuddles both walking beside her—she couldn’t help but wonder what her Daddy was doing. She remembered how he smiled when she begged him to stay home for the day so she could enjoy the snow a bit longer before school. At first he was firm that she was going, but a few sad looks and a little kiss later, and her father caved in like a cavern. “I’m so glad Daddy let me go sledding. I wonder what all the other foals are doing right now instead of having fun like us?” she asked as they climbed back up the hill. “Probably sitting around bored, listening to the teacher talk,” Cuddles said as he looked over at her. “Prof. Inkwell likes to talk a lot, doesn’t she?” “But she’s funny,” Lulu said as they looked back down the path that lead to home. “She tells some funny stories and we know you enjoy them, Trixie.” She sniffed and lifted her nose. “Yeah, but her’s aren’t as good as Daddy’s.” “Mm-hm.” The other two nodded. “Still, I wonder what I missed today?” Trixie said as the made the top of the hill, letting the rope fall to the ground. “Oh, come on, Trixie!” Cuddles said as he buzzed his wings. “We’re about to have fun and you’re thinking of school?” He hopped on the sled and made room for them. “Come on, let’s see how fast we can go.” As Trixie bit her lip, Lulu glanced over at her. “Are you sure about this, Trixie?” Trixie peered down the hill again, looking first at their snow path they made earlier and then at her home that wasn’t all that far away. “Well, we did climb all the way up here, didn’t we?” “You’re not scared, are you?” Cuddles asked, a timbre of worry making itself into his tone. She shook her head quickly, standing tall. “The Great and Powerful Trixie isn’t scared! She’s just thinking of the best way to go down faster.” “That’s the spirit!” Cuddles said as he squirmed on the sled. “Trixie…” Lulu said, her voice soft as she watched her best friend. The filly nodded. “Get on, Lulu. We’re going to show the hill just how amazing we are!” As Lulu took her place behind Cuddles, Trixie took the rope in her magic as she sat in the front. “Are you ready?” Cuddles nodded, a wide smile on his face. Lulu frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Trixie dug her leg into the snow and kicked. With a crunch of snow, the sled began its trek down the hill again to the excited laughter of a little filly. As her friends cheered for her, Trixie leaned forward, staring down the hill as if were a challenge to be met. Even as the snow sprayed out in their wake, her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth as she tried to get the sled to go faster. “Faster, Trixie, faster!” Cuddles cheered. “Slower, Trixie, slower!” Lulu cried. “We’re going too fast!” “It’s okay, Lulu!” she yelled back. “I’ve got everything under control!” Just as she finished, they ramped over a small hump on the hill and Trixie looked over her shoulder at a frightened squeak. She saw Lulu fly off the sled to go rolling down the hill. “Lulu!” Cuddles pointed ahead. “Trixie! The stream!” Her gaze darted back just in time to see herself fly for the cold water. -0- “Of all the things you could have ran into, Beatrice Lulamoon, the stream was perhaps the worst one—minus a tree,” her father scolded as he carried a bowl of warm soup into her room. “What were you thinking going down the hill so fast you couldn’t control the sled?” Trixie moaned and rolled over to look at him, shivering under her blankets. “I’m sorry, Daddy,” she said past the thermometer that poked out of her mouth, a loud sniff escaping her. “You should be, little missy.” He sat the bowl down and lifted the thermometer to peer at the level. “And you’re running a temperature, you likely caught a cold too.” A squeak of a sneeze escaped her, and she sniffed. “I was just having some fun.” He groaned as he rubbed a hoof over his face, sitting on the side of her bed. “Trixie, I…” he sighed before running a hoof over her cheek. “What am I going to do with you? I don’t mind you having fun, Sweat Pea, but you shouldn’t take unnecessary risks over stuff like that.” He let his hoof fall back to his side as he smiled at her. “Save that for the stage, and even then, you have to be careful. I don’t want to hear about you getting hurt because of a stunt, okay?” She nodded and snuggled up with her stuffed mare. “Lulu and Cuddles were with me too, shouldn’t they be in trouble too?” He looked first at the doll she held, then at the stuffed changeling that still smelled of the stream on a chair nearby. “They both look sorry enough, Trixie, but you are the one who is going to be in bed for a couple days.” He floated over a spoon and dipped into the broth. “Open your mouth.” As she ‘awed’, he carefully tipped the steaming soup into her mouth. He repeated the process until she shook her head. “I’m full, Daddy,” she said before a little belch escaped her. Her eyes widened and she put a hoof over her mouth. “‘Scuse me.” A smile again tugged at the corners of his mouth as he put the spoon back in the bowl. “Well, you should rest, Sweat Pea, it’s getting late. Is there anything else you need?” She tilted her head a bit before asking, “A bedtime story?” Laughing, he stood to collect the bowl and thermometer. “All right, let me put this away and I’ll be right back.” As her father stepped out of her room, she snuggled a bit deeper into her bed, holding on to Lulu as she did. Getting settled, she shot a glare at the stuffed changeling nearby. “I blame you, Cuddles,” she said before another little sneeze took her. Author's Note I swear I haven't died!
Officer Trixie and the Cookie CapperCautiously peeking around the doorframe, Officer Trixie spotted the nefarious criminal as he sat hunched over a table covered with papers. “—then I can hit Fillydelphia. They pay well there,” she heard him mumble to himself. “Maybe Canterlot after that. It’s a hotbed for the well-paying customers…” “Planning his next heist,” she whispered to the pair of fellow officers who peeked to see themselves. “We’ve got him this time.” “The villain,” Officer Cuddles growled and buzzed his wings briefly. “Bet he’s planning something super nefarious this time around.” “We have to be quiet, else he’ll get away,” Captain Lulu whispered, pushing her oversized, homemade police helmet back on her head. Strands of pink mane still poked out everywhere, and she tried to organize them until she gave up with a splutter. She turned to Trixie, who sat glaring at the criminal mastermind. “We should go around, keep him from escaping.” Cuddles ducked back behind the wall. “Once we’re all in place, we’ll jump 'em and—” “No,” Officer Trixie said, her curt tone silencing them both. “This criminal is mine to take down.” The changeling turned a wide-eyed look her way. “No fair, Trixie, we’re in this together!” Lulu shushed him. All three took a quick look to see if the mastermind had noticed the outburst. Thankfully, he seemed too absorbed in his papers not to have noticed. “It’s Officer Trixie, Cuddles, and I’m going to be the one to take him down for his crimes,” Officer Trixie said as her police hat fell over her snout. “Trixie,” Lulu said, her tone sympathetic. With a charge of her horn, Officer Trixie set her police hat back behind said horn. “He took something very important from me, Captain Lulu, he’s going down and paying big time.” “You can’t let what happened—” Trixie turned an angry—if not pouty—look Lulu’s way. “I’m doing this, Captain. I will be the one to take him in. No matter what.” “So intense,” Cuddles awed. “Just like that story Dad read us.” “You think so?” she asked him, her visage alighting. “Definitely!” he said, wings buzzing excitedly. Putting on her most confident look, Officer Trixie pushed her hat forward. “I’m going in.” “Be careful,” Lulu said, the mare’s worried tone never leaving her. “Trust the Great and Powerful Officer Trixie, Captain.” Creeping on her belly, Trixie made her way across the hardwood floor. Keeping a close eye on the perp, she slid behind the recliner, waiting for him to focus once more before crawling again. As she made her way to the couch, she stopped as he floated a glass of water to drink. Staying as still as she could, she waited until he set it back to the end table before moving again, making sure not to bump the table and give herself away. As she crawled behind the couch, she spotted something underneath. Giving him a quick glance, she lit her horn and pulled the item to her, hoping the sound of her magic wasn’t too loud. It was one of her favorite hair bows. “So that’s where it went,” she whispered. “Hmm?” the criminal said, looking around. “Eep,” she squeaked, slapping a hoof over her muzzle to silence herself. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Captain Lulu and Officer Cuddles making frantic motions for her to be still. After a bit, the criminal grunted and returned to his paperwork, making notes. Letting a quiet sigh escape her, Officer Trixie continued her stealthy crawl until she got to the other end of the couch. So absorbed in his work, the criminal never even saw the small, blue filly peek her head over the armrest of the couch, her little tail swishing. “I bet if I took Trixie there, she’d—” “RAAGH!” “OOMPH!” he grunted as she tackled. “Beatrice Lulamoon, what’re you—” She pinned him down, clinging to his back so he couldn’t escape. “I got you now, Mr. Criminal, you’re under arrest!” “What in Celestia’s name are you doing?” Maximus demanded of her. “Did you finish your homework?” “You’re a criminal, daddy, and I’m the police officer arresting you,” she whispered to him. He blinked a few times before saying, “Oh.” “You’re coming with me to jail to answer for your crimes, Mr. Criminal,” she declared, posing a dramatic pose. “I got him, Captain Lulu! Officer Cuddles, bring me the rope!” “The what now?” he asked before looking in the direction she had and spotting the two stuffed animals nearby. “Oh boy…” Dashing over to get the string, she ran back and placed a small loop over his forelegs. “All right, you’re coming with me,” she said before asking in a quieter tone. “It’s not too tight, is it, Daddy?” “No, Sweet Pea, it isn’t,” he whispered back as he stood for her to lead him away, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Taking the other end of the string in her magic, she led the criminal with her head held high and a proud spring in her step. Prancing into the jail, she let the string fall back to the floor. “All right, we’re at the jail now.” He looked around at all the counters, cabinets, table, oven, and sink. “The kitchen?” “It’s jail, Daddy.” “Right,” he said with aplomb. “So what’s my crime?” “You know what you did, Mr. Criminal,” she proclaimed, mustering he toughest look she could manage and hitting him with it full force—a full on pouty lip. “So now you have to pay for your crime.” “I’m still not sure what I’m guilty of,” he said, stepping out of the string and floating it to the table. “So what am I to do to get out of jail?” She motioned to a tall cabinet, on top of which rested a blue jar with the blocky word ‘Cookies’. “The Great and Powerful Officer Trixie can’t reach the cookies.” Maximus’s jaw dropped, his expression aghast. “Are you kidding me?” She gave him the sweetest pleading look she could muster. “Please?” -0- As his daughter sat with her two stuffed animals, happily eating a hoofful of cookies with a half-drank glass of milk nearby, Maximus could only give her a bemused look. “I’ve created a monster…” he grumbled, shaking his head with a small chuckle.
