The Solo Performance

You are Trixie.

You're a travelling unicorn magician in the land of Equestria.

You go from town to town to put on shows for entertainment and money.

Barely anyone doesn't know your name at this point. Especially those in Ponyville.

Because of how often you travel you don't have any static roadies, just some misfits from each town to assist with your stage set up.

This week you're scheduled to make your second stage appearance in Ponyville.

As you walk along, you recall your previous visits.

You had bested five of the six spirits of the Elements of Harmony.

...Then you were driven out by that unruly Twilight Sparkle.

Second visit wasn't any better.

She, with the help of her friends, managed to trick you in your lust for power.

You tip your hat down over your eyes in shame as you run through these memories.

The mix of embarrassment and anger makes you pull your stage coach along faster.

You hope that this time will be better.

You are better. You worked to become better.

"Trixie is better than before... Yeah. She's not just some... Power hungry unicorn anymore."

You talk to yourself for a while as you walk along the dirt roads.

You finally reach Ponyville.

Coming from Canterlot, it's quite a trek for a little pony like yourself.

You drag your stage coach along to the town square.

It was nightfall, so everyone was already indoors, if not asleep.

You give a soft yawn as you use your magic to set down the coach stands and lock them in place.

Slipping out of the harness, you unlock the door and step inside.

It wasn't anything special. Just a small rack for your outfit, a bed, and a night stand with a picture of you on it.

There wasn't any activity right now, but soon you'll have crowds cheering your name.

Levitating your hat onto the rack, you climb into bed and cover up.

Tomorrow was another day.

You wake up some time after dawn.

You went through your normal morning routine.

Stretching, mane and tail brushing, food, brushie brushie...

You step outside.

You feel the bright sun on your coat, causing you o give a satisfied smile.

Today felt like it was going to be a good day.

You unlatch a large storage container from the back of your stage coach.

Opening it up, it contained all the parts and tools to assemble your stage.

You liked how easy it was to build the mechanism that converted your stage coach into a full on stage.

You begin to assemble the structure.

Various ponies come and go as they visit one another, and head to work.

Most turned their noses up to you, others too preoccupied to take mind that you even existed.

While tinkering with some complex internal latches, a mother and her son stopped to see what you were doing.

"Mommy! Mommy! Isn't that the Great and Powerful Trixie!?"

He sounded very excited.

You take your head out of the the parts you were messing with to look at them, your ears perked in hope.

"Come on, Pip. We have things to do. She isn't worth our time."

You watch as she drags her colt along.

Your ears droop down.

You could almost feel your heart breaking.

"Maybe Twilight and her friends would like a friendly hello!"

The thought of them possibly being friendly to you lifted your spirits some.

You went back to work.

You finish up with the construction of your stage mechanism.

With one last bolt in place, you set the tools back into the storage unit and reattach the box to the stage coach.

Looking into the window of the coach, you're able to see in a small hoof mirror on the table.

Your face was covered in oil and your mane was a mess.

"Goodness, Trixie. You're a mess! You can't go out looking like that!"

You quickly step inside to clean up and grab a bag of bits.

It was late afternoon, but you still had things to do.

Your first stop...

You look out into the distance at a large, crystal castle.

With a toss of your mane, you walk through the streets of Ponyville, saddle on your back, bits in the bags.

You see various ponies whispering to one another as they seemingly stare you down.

You try to keep a smile on your face, but it quickly becomes harder and harder to do so.

You're totally unnerved.

Picking up your hooves, you quickly speed up into a sprint as you make your way toward Twilight's castle.

"Wow, it's much bigger in person."

You slowly walk up to the base of the crystal castle tree, looking up at it.

This thing was gigantic.

It almost made your ego look absolutely tiny.

...Almost.

Walking up the front steps, you knock on the door and wait.

No one answered.

You knock again.

No one came.

Eventually you pressed the doorbell twice.

The all too familiar "Dong dong!" echoed through the halls.

Eventually you hear a high pitched voice from behind the door.

"Alright, ALRIGHT! I'm coming, sheesh!"

The door opens a bit, revealing Spike.

"If you're looking for Princess Twilight she---"

He pauses to look at you.

"Oh, it's you."

He didn't sound very pleased.

"What do YOU want, Trixie? Come to try and take over again?"

He leans on the door as you sit down.

That comment stung more than it should have.

You're the Great and Powerful Trixie! You don't have to take shit from this dragon!

Letting out a soft sigh to calm yourself down, you recollect your thoughts.

"Nonono, uh..."

"Spike."

"Right, Spike. Trixie isn't here to take over, she was just in town and she uh..."

He looks at you questioningly.

"Just wanted to stop by and give Twilight a friendly hello... It's been a while, you know?"

"Uh huh? Right... Well, Twilight isn't here right now."

"Oh, that's uh.. That's okay. Could you tell Trixie where the others are?"

Spike rolls his eyes at you.

Second place.

Sugarcube Corner.

You simply couldn't miss the giant confectionery designed building.

Just seeing it made you want to gag.

You walk up to the door and knock.

A light blue mare answered the door.

"Oh, why uh hello there... Trixie..."

She sounded very hesitant to see you.

You tried to brush it off.

"Hi there uh... Mrs. Cake, was it? Is the pink one around?"

You poke your head in through the top of the split door.

"Oh, you mean Pinkie Pie? Oh, no, I'm sorry. She isn't! I think she said something about needing to help her friends with something."

Your ears flatten as your gaze goes to the floor for a moment.

A crash comes from the background.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'd love to stay and chat Trixie, but I think my husband needs help with the foals again. Toodles!"

As quickly as she came, she left again, slamming the door shut on you.

Something ate at the back of your mind.

Probably just overthinking things.

You knock on Ponyville Boutique.

You expect the frilly frou-frou lady Rarity to answer the door.

Probably give you some lip, but still answer regardless.

The door opens.

Without any warning, the Cutie Mark Crusaders barrel out of the Boutique and knock you down.

Their constant shouting and jumping was going to drive you up the wall.

"Oh my gosh it's Trixie!"

"What's she doing here?"

"Hay, wasn't she uh driven off the las' time she wuz here?"

You stand up and dust yourself off.

"Trixie is here for another show, and she decided that she might... Try and make amends with the others."

"Make amends? With you?"

Scootaloo stuck her tongue out at you.

"Why would y'all wanna do that? Nopony 'round here even really likes you!"

"Yeeeeah, you kinda did mess up the town a bit with your take over..."

"But that bubble was really cool!"

They kept going on and on about your past visits.

These fillies wouldn't be of much use.

Dragging yourself along, you go to seek another home.

That little cottage that served as a home for that yellow pegasus.

What was her name...?

"...Fluttershy."

It took you a while, but you finally found that little cottage she called a home.

It actually didn't look that bad from the outside.

You expected it to be a shack of sorts, being torn apart by the supposed wild animals she kept.

You knock.

No answer.

You try the doorbell.

Nothing.

You look in through a window.

Not a single soul.

You felt your heart sink even further.

"Maybe they're just... Out fighting some monster? Yeah, maybe that's it."

You try to convince yourself that was the case...

But you have a sinking feeling that wasn't it.

Walking along, you look up at a bunch of out of place clouds.

This must be where that skittles pegasus lived.

Rainbow Dash.

You called out to her.

"Hello? Rainbow Dash? Anyone home?"

Nothing.

You stand there for a moment and remember when you zapped her ass with a bolt of lightning.

You giggle quietly as the face she made.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, you move on.

On your way back to town you walk past Sweet Apple Acres.

That place looked like a ghost town.

In fact, it felt like a ghost town.

You were there, alone. Not even Snips or Snails came to say hello.

You watch as the sun hits the horizon.

Ponies who were once talking have vacated the streets.

Open windows shut to you as if you were some foreign monster.

You hang your head in silence.

"Well, Trixie probably deserves this. She did try to best everyone, and enslave them..."

You eventually reach your stage coach.

You look at the stage housing mechanism before walking inside of the little room.

"Maybe it's best if Trixie just left town."

You spend the rest of the night in your stage coach.

Alone.

Brooding yourself to sleep.

You toss and turn in your sleep.

You're locked in a nightmare.

"No... No... Trixie isn't like that!"

You're a younger version of yourself.

You seem to be in Magic Kindergarten.

A group of other unicorns begin to surround you.

"Wow, what a loser!"

"I bet she can't even cast any basic spells!"

"Aww, what's the matter? Is the little girl gonna cry?"

You felt tears well up in your eyes.

They continue to berate and tease you.

Suddenly a very smooth, deep stallion voice pierces their laughter.

"My daughter, whatever is the matter?"

You open your eyes to see your father sitting next to you.

"D-Daddy?"

He wraps you in a warm hug.

"Is it the kids from school again?"

You nods and holds onto him as tight as you can.

"They just don't understand that I'm a late bloomer and.. and..!"

Just digging into these feelings began to draw out power from the magical well that resides in all unicorn.

Your eyes glow white as you leave your own body, watching the scene from someone else's view.

Your horn glows as a sudden burst of magic erupts.

Your father is tossed across the room and lays on the floor, smoking.

You lose control and let loose a powerful blast.

Your room has been blown to bits, your father laying on the floor with fear in his eyes.

"Daddy... Daddy I'm sorry, please.. Help me...!"

Everything goes white.

You thrust yourself upright.

Your horn is letting out a small magical discharge, just enough to create some beams of light.

Shaking your head, you regain control of your magic before uncontrollably weeping into your hooves.

At least once a month you see that dream. The same dream every time.

You pick up the photo of yourself and flip the frame over.

A picture of your family was hidden on the back.

"Mom, Dad... I'm sorry.. I wasn't good enough."

You were always teased for not being on-par with your classmates.

This led to many problems, both academically and socially.

You were distant from everyone from that day on.

Learning through each mistake every day on how to better control your magic.

You lay down again and try to sleep some more.

Tomorrow was another day.