Popularity isn't Everything
In the middle of the town square in Ponyville, a small crowd of ponies cheered in delight as Trixie used her unicorn magic to create a flock of transparent, pink-colored birds that fluttered their wings and flew all around them. As the magical birds flew upwards, they burst into colorful fireworks that gradually faded away. The audience clapped their hooves at Trixie's performance. In response, Trixie bowed. Twilight Sparkle, who was in the midst of the crowd, was also impressed with her performance. Trixie had grown more elaborate with her magic tricks. Ever since she and Twilight had reconciled with the help of Starlight Glimmer, they all had become very good friends. And throughout that time, Twilight had seen Trixie grow more polite and humble.
"Thank you!" she cordially replied with a smile. "Thank you!"
Then, she used her magic to produce pink-colored ribbons of magic that twirled and spun elegantly about her.
"And now," she declared, "the Great and Powerful Trixie will absolutely dazzle your minds with—!"
Her magic suddenly dissipated as she stopped mid-sentence and gasped. Another unicorn was also performing magic tricks just across the street from her before a larger crowd of ponies—about three times the size of Trixie's audience.
That—that pony! How—how does she have a bigger audience than me?! She's not even half as good at magic as I am! And yet, she has more ponies watching her performance than me! That's—that's just not fair!
She looked back at the crowd and sighed, her countenance hinting a sense of sadness.
"The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you all for coming today. Sadly, this show has come to an end. Have a splendid, magical day, Everypony."
With that, she turned and proceeded off the stage as her pony spectators dispersed. Twilight was the only one left standing as she watched Trixie sadly trot away to her small wooden trailer next to the stage and went inside, promptly shutting the door behind her with her magic. Twilight was perplexed. What happened that made Trixie so sad? And why did she suddenly stop the show like that?
She trotted over to Trixie's trailer and knocked on the door.
"Trixie? It's Twilight. Can I come in?"
"Go away, Twilight Sparkle," Trixie's voice replied from inside. "I like to be left alone right now."
"Trixie, I just want to talk to you," Twilight insisted.
At that moment, the door opened and Trixie appeared from inside, her face registering a look of irritation.
"Do you mind?" she exclaimed in a direct voice. "I'm busy!"
She gestured her hoof behind her to several opened cardboard boxes scattered throughout her residence, each box filled with various odds and ends that looked as if they had been carelessly tossed into them.
"With what?" Twilight asked, leaning slightly to one side in hopes of getting a better look.
"My, my, aren't you the busybody today!" Trixie retorted. "Well, if you must know, I'm done with magic. I'm quitting!"
Twilight's eyes widened. Trixie was quitting magic?
"B-but why?" she exclaimed. "You've always loved magic!"
"Well, I've changed my mind," Trixie replied. "Magic's just not my thing anymore. I'll probably go into fashion design or baking instead. Who knows?"
Twilight's eyebrow cocked. Fashion design? Baking? She couldn't imagine Trixie doing any of those things.
"Now, if you'll excuse me," Trixie finished, "I have some junk to sell!"
She was about to slam the door with her magic when Twilight stopped her by using her own magic to keep the door open.
"W-wait a minute!" Twilight shouted in response. "I don't understand!"
Trixie's eyes narrowed.
"Then read the Great and Powerful Trixie's impeccable lips..." she said in a low but clear tone of voice as she pronounced every syllable, "I...QUIT! END...OF...STORY! Now, let go of the door, Twilight!"
After a moment of struggling, Twilight strained, "Please, Trixie...just...give me a minute first before you shut the door on me!"
For a moment, the two ponies stood at a standstill. Then, Trixie let out a sigh and released her magical grip on the door.
"Fine. But only for a minute. The Great and quite Preoccupied Trixie has important work to do."
With that, she turned and trotted inside with Twilight following close behind. At this point, Twilight could see that the opened boxes scattered throughout the trailer's interior were filled with magical trinkets, hats, cloaks, and vials containing mysterious liquids of different colors. Aside from the boxes, a small bed and a desk with a starry night lamp on top, the room looked quite bare, almost lonely.
As the two ponies entered the room, Trixie sat on her night-themed bed and let out a sigh.
"Like I said, Twilight Sparkle," she explained as she levitated her pointy purple hat so that it rested next to her, "magic's just...not my thing anymore. It was fun while it lasted, but now's the time to move on."
Although her voice tried to convey a sense of conviction in her words, her facial expression rendered otherwise. Twilight could see it.
"Trixie," she said, "I can tell that there's something you're not telling me."
Trixie's head rose as her eyes locked onto Twilight's.
"Oh, is there, Twilight? Or is it because the Great and Powerful Trixie is simply telling it like it is!"
Twilight rolled her eyes. She had seen this tactic from her too many times before.
"Come on, Trixie!" she sighed. "Who are you trying to kid right now? I know there's something else that's bothering you!"
Trixie only let out an annoyed huff, folded her hooves and turned away.
"You can't just quit practicing magic!" Twilight continued. "You've always enjoyed it! It's been your life!"
Trixie let out a snort.
"Yeah? Well, not anymore! Can't a mare change her mind about what she wants to do in life once in a while?"
"Of course, as long as it's what you want."
"Well, it is!"
Again, her words were inconsistent with her delivery, this time it was her voice—it was strained, as if it was threatening to crack.
"Now, if we're quite done with this little interrogation, I have work to do—junk to sell, opportunities to seek out and a new life to begin!"
She turned slightly and added with a low growl, "Now scram!"
Although her voice sounded threatening, Twilight wouldn't back down. But instead of saying anything, she only stood where she was and waited. After several moments of silence, she could hear faint sniffing coming from Trixie. She knew it! There was something else that was bothering her!
"Trixie...?"
Trixie immediately raised her head.
"You're still here?" she exclaimed in a slightly cracked voice.
Twilight stepped closer to her.
"Please, Trixie. I'm your friend. I want to help you."
Trixie rolled her eyes and let out an irritated grunt in response.
"We're not friends! Why do you keep thinking that we are? The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need—!"
She stopped and hung her head as she sadly uttered the last word.
"...friends."
She swallowed and was silent again for a long period of time. Again, Twilight wanted to say something but something inside her told her to wait for her to speak first. Finally, Trixie spoke in a soft, broken voice.
"Fine...I'll tell you."
She turned to look at Twilight with tears spread across the bottom of her eyes.
"Just...promise me that you won't do one of your 'friendship lectures' until I'm done, okay?"
At first, Twilight was taken back.
Friendship lectures?
But she only nodded in response.
"You were right," Trixie explained. "I do still enjoy practicing magic and performing in my magic shows. I have the greatest feeling in the world every time I see ponies' eyes light up when I perform. I've been trying my best not to be so much of a 'show-off' and I've been consistently trying to improve myself and my magic, as you told me. But—"
She looked down and shook her head as she sniffed again.
"Today, I realized something...for the first time in my life. I'm no pony. No pony will see my shows. Instead, they go and see other magicians that are just as skilled—if not less skilled—than I am. I don't understand it! I've been trying to always improve my skills and to use my magic to inspire other ponies. Yet, no pony will come and see my shows! I never felt so crushed in all my life! It made me not want to practice magic ever again! That's why I was thinking about quitting magic forever. That's why...I thought that magic was not working out for me anymore."
Twilight trotted over to her and sat beside her.
"You mean that filly across the street?" she asked. "What was her name...?"
"Dusk Shine, I think," she scoffed. "Even the name sounds fake!"
"Well, I was at your show today," Twilight commented. "You were very good and you have been improving."
Trixie managed a slight smile.
"Thanks."
"I saw a few ponies there watching the show," Twilight pointed out. "They weren't exactly 'no pony'."
Trixie shook her head as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"No, you don't understand, Twilight!" she exclaimed through her teeth. "Sure, there were a few ponies there today but I just...expected more. That's all."
Twilight straightened.
"May I give one of my...friendship lectures?"
Trixie rolled her eyes and groaned.
"I suppose."
Twilight took a deep breath.
"Even though there were only a few ponies who watched your show today, I bet that every one of those ponies enjoyed and appreciated all the hard work that you put into it. In the end, it doesn't matter whether you have a few or many ponies watching your shows. What matters is that you're having fun doing it. And trust me when I say that popularity really isn't everything."
Trixie's eyes widened as she turned and looked back at Twilight.
"'Popularity...isn't...everything'?"
Then, with a snort, she declared, "You're one to talk, Princess Twilight Sparkle! You have everypony in all of Equestria looking up to you and following you wherever you go! You get to 'save the day' with all your little friends and get the praises of everypony! Popularity is everything, Twilight Sparkle! You would feel a lot differently if you were in my horseshoes! No pony looks up to me! No pony—!"
She turned away as her voice cracked again.
"No pony even cares."
"Yes they do!" Twilight protested, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "I'm sure that there are ponies who look up to you. I'm sure of it! You just don't see it."
"That's not good enough for me!" she suddenly shouted, swiping Twilight's hoof away and trotting a few steps away from her. Then, her voice softened as she further said, "I want more than that!"
Twilight was taken back by Trixie's sudden outburst.
"Trixie, I still don't understand you!" she finally exclaimed, puzzled. "Why are you so driven to be popular, anyway?"
Trixie turned slightly, her face tightening as if trying desperately to withhold the answer.
"I—! I—!"
Finally, she caved in.
"I look up to you, too!"
Twilight was again taken back.
"I'm flattered, Trixie, but what's this got to do with you wanting to become popular?"
"Because...!" Trixie exclaimed as she spun towards her and stomped her hoof onto the wooden floor of her trailer. "Because I want to inspire other ponies just like you! I want to be noticed by other ponies just like you! I want—!"
She broke down in sobs.
"I want to be like you! But...no matter how much I try, I can't—I can never be like you!"
With unfeigned compassion, Twilight went over to her and put a hoof around her.
"Trixie...you don't have to be me or become popular to get other ponies to notice you. All you can be is yourself."
The other mare looked up at her with wet eyes.
"But—but you get to save Equestria! You get to do what other ponies can only dream of doing! You—you get the praises of everypony everywhere you go!"
Twilight smiled back.
"You want to know a secret? Popularity is so overrated!"
Trixie's eyebrow cocked as she looked back at her with a puzzled expression.
"Wh—what?"
"Popularity's like...puffs of smoke," Twilight explained. "When one appears, it eventually fades away. Popularity may be all fun and games at the moment but, in the end, it doesn't last forever. Eventually, it fades away until another puff of smoke appears someplace else. As for saving Equestria, me and my friends may get a fanfare from it, but afterwards it's back to normal life here in Ponyville. Sure, other ponies talk about it for a while but, in the end, they forget about it and move on with everyday life."
Trixie coughed on her tears.
"But—your a princess! You're very different from the rest of us! You get to do important things and be an example to many other ponies just by being you!"
Twilight let out a chuckle.
"Being a princess isn't as glamorous as everypony thinks it is, Trixie. First of all, I have three other princesses who know a whole lot more than I do! They get to do important things like raising the sun and moon and protecting their kingdoms. Me? I just smile and wave. That's all I do as a princess, really! Nothing much there!"
Trixie sniffed and wiped the last of her tears away.
"But—but I still want to—!"
"I know. You want other ponies to see and to appreciate what you do. I'm sure that many ponies feel the same way. But always remember, Trixie—popularity doesn't last for long, but the love for what you do does. In other words, if you love what you do and you're happy with who you are, then you don't need to become popular to be happy. Actually, you can inspire other ponies by being the pony you are right now! Sure, you might not have many ponies looking up to you, at first. But, in the end, the size of the group doesn't matter so long as you like what you do. You still like practicing magic and performing in your magic shows, right?"
Trixie swallowed and nodded with a "um-hm."
"Then, there's nothing to worry about. Let popularity come when it comes. But for now, don't quit with what you do best."
She pointed to the star-shaped wand and crescent moon Cutie Mark on Trixie's flank.
"And you know what that is more than anypony else!"
For a moment, Trixie looked down at the ground, her expression thoughtful. Then, she let out a deep sigh and smiled as she looked up at her friend.
"Thank you, Twilight. I feel much better now."
She cleared her throat and declared with her head held high.
"The Great and Powerful Trixie will not be quitting magic anytime soon! Trixie will become the greatest magician that Equestria's ever seen...someday. Until then, Trixie will be the greatest magician that she can be in her little corner of Ponyville."
Twilight smiled brightly. Trixie was back to her old, confident self again.
"So...does this mean we're friends?" she asked, smiling hopefully at her.
Trixie looked back and thoughtfully pursed her lips.
"Hmm...we'll see."
She turned and Twilight silently groaned as she hung her head. When was Trixie finally going to let her be her friend?
Then, Trixie turned her head and added with a wink, "But now, I know who I can turn to when I need help or advice."
Author's Note
This story is short but it's something that has impacted me a lot as I wrote it. I feel that the moral is very applicable, especially when it comes to the Arts. I believe that all of us want to feel appreciated for the work that we do. However, we can easily fall into the trap of wanting to become popular. We start to forget why we even write or draw or whatever we do. I can understand that because I fell into that same trap at one point. I hope that this story inspires others that popularity really isn't everything in the end—what does matter is if we are happy with what we do.
“You told her what?” Rarity gasped, her shrill voice echoing throughout the boutique like a church bell.
“Did I do something wrong, Rarity?” Twilight asked timidly, crossing her hooves nervously.
“W-well, not quite but. . .yes!” Rarity replied. “Twilight, darling, I’m surprised that you don’t know this about show business! It may be that ‘popularity isn’t everything’ in the long-run, but for ponies like Trixie, popularity is everything. It is their living, after all! Without the crowds, ponies like her would no longer be able to raise the funds necessary to support themselves in doing what they do. What if ponies stopped coming to my boutique and, instead, went to a different boutique nearby because its fashion and style was more appealing?”
Twilight lowered her head.
“Oh. Right.”
“And what about Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts? If ponies suddenly didn’t like their performances anymore and stopped going to their shows, they would no longer gain any popularity and, therefore, they could no longer host any more of their shows.”
Twilight nodded with a sigh.
“Right. I’m sorry, Rarity. I thought I was saying the right thing at the moment. Guess I didn’t after all.”
Rarity put a hoof to her chin.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that you said the wrong thing necessarily. After all, you did manage to convince her to continue performing in her magic shows. What she needs is a way to stand out!”
She tapped her head.
“Which reminds me. . .I recall that there is a filly performing in magic shows here in Ponyville as well? What was her name again?”
Twilight recalled what Trixie said.
“Dusk Shine, I believe.”
Rarity scowled.
“That’s her name? Sounds more like a brand of furniture polish to me.”
She shook her head.
“Anyway, I was thinking that perhaps she and Trixie could perform together in a show of their own.”
Twilight straightened.
“Ah, you mean like a collaboration!”
“Exactly, Darling! That way, more ponies can come and watch them both and see them at their best — working together!”
She clapped her hooves.
“Perfect! Now, Twilight, have Trixie come over here. I’ll invite Dusk Shine. Together, they’ll promote the biggest magic show in all of Equestria! They’ll just need our help to do it.”
Twilight grinned.
“Sounds like a plan, Rarity! I’ll go get Trixie!”
She galloped out of the boutique and headed straight for Trixie’s trailer.
***
The door to the boutique opened and Twilight and Trixie walked in. Inside waiting for them were Rarity and Dusk Shine, a yellowish-orange unicorn wearing a black starry cloak and a black top hat. When Trixie saw Dusk Shine standing there, she stopped abruptly.
“What is she doing here?” she whispered to Twilight.
“Rarity and I thought you both could work together on a magic show,” Twilight replied. “That way, ponies in Ponyville can see both of you doing what you do best.”
Trixie shook her head rapidly and started backing away.
“I. . .I don’t know about this.”
Twilight stopped Trixie by touching her hoof.
“Please, Trixie? We only want to help.”
Trixie scowled.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t need anypony’s help!”
She sighed.
“But I suppose I must be more open to it. Lead on, Twilight.”
She hesitantly stepped forward and allowed Twilight to lead her to Rarity and Dusk Shine.
“All right, Rarity,” Twilight said, motioning to Trixie. “Trixie’s here with me.”
Rarity smiled.
“Very good!”
She turned to Dusk Shine.
“Dusk Shine, may I present — ”
Dusk Shine suddenly lept in the air, her eyes wide and sparkling like stars.
“Trixie!? The Great and Powerful Trixie!?”
She came and shook Trixie’s hoof so rapidly that Trixie’s hat flew off.
“I am a huge fan of your shows, especially that one trick where you shot off a firework and it turned into a manticore! Ha ha! I never got tired of seeing that one!”
Trixie stared at Dusk in disbelief.
“You — you know of me?”
“Why of course!” Dusk exclaimed. “You were the one that got me performing in magic shows in the first place!”
Trixie’s eyes widened.
“I — I was?”
“Yep! Ever since I was a filly, I went to every single one of your shows. Even when fewer ponies showed up, I still went.”
Trixie cocked one eyebrow.
“Why? After what I did to Ponyville, why did you keep seeing my shows?”
“Because. . .well, I wanted to be confident like you. Back then, I wasn’t confident to do anything really, especially hosting a magic show. But seeing you perform made me have the courage to do it anyway. Because of that, I found that I was good at hosting and performing in magic shows! That’s how I got my Cutie Mark, too!”
She turned and lifted her cloak, revealing her Cutie Mark: a black top hat with a black magician’s wand hovering over the top. All the while, Trixie stood and stared at her. This filly who had more crowds attending her shows looked up to her? When Dusk showed her her Cutie Mark, Trixie could no longer hold back the tears.
“You — you looked up to me? But. . .why?”
Dusk stared back at her with a puzzled expression.
“Why?”
She chuckled.
“Because you were the best, that’s why!”
Trixie smiled a little sadly.
“Yes, well, the Great and Powerful Trixie is the best, but. . .”
She turned to Twilight.
“I wasn’t the best back then. I let my pride get the best of me until Twilight stepped in and stopped me from further using that alicorn amulet to cause more damage to Ponyville. I must admit, I was far from being the best then.”
Dusk Shine shrugged.
“Well, I knew you weren’t perfect, but I also know one other thing: I’m now a performing magician thanks to you, and I love it!”
Twilight leaned to Trixie.
“See, Trixie?” she quietly said. “You never know whose life you’ll touch.”
Trixie smiled back.
“I suppose so. Thanks, Twilight.”
“All right!” Rarity declared. “Let’s get started! If you both like, I can supply the costumes and the props.”
Dusk nodded.
“I think that’s a splendid idea, Rarity! Um, if that’s all right with the Great and Powerful Trixie, that is.”
They turned to Trixie, who blushed and crossed her hooves.
“That. . .would be nice. Thanks. And, please, call me Trixie, Dusk Shine.”
Dusk smiled brightly.
“If you call me Dusk, then you’ve got a deal!”
***
Trixie and Dusk Shine’s performance was a huge success. Ponies from all over Ponyville came to watch the performance while Twilight and Rarity watched from backstage.
“Trixie’s come a long way,” Twilight commented as she watched the two magicians perform onstage.
Rarity nodded.
“That she has. Do you remember how we first met her?”
Twilight chuckled.
“How can I forget! She bragged that she bested an Ursa Minor! When I called her bluff, she came back and tried to take over Ponyville with the alicorn amulet. She wanted so badly to be better than me.”
She sighed.
“And yet, do you know what she told me this morning?”
Rarity shook her head.
“She told me she wanted to be just like me. Weird that Trixie of all ponies would say that.”
“Quite.”
Rarity looked back at the magic performance.
“You know, I’ve been thinking. It’s fairly easy to become jealous of other ponies’ successes. You remember that time when Photo Finish chose Fluttershy as her new model? I felt cheated that Fluttershy got to work with Photo Finish and not with me. Looking back, I can see why Trixie was so driven to best you with magic. She was jealous that you got all the attention and not her. It’s strange but, in some ways, I can actually relate to her.”
Twilight nodded. She remembered how jealous she felt when her friends were socializing and having fun with Discord without her. She was so convinced that it was all one of Discord’s tricks that she had Zecora make a brew that would supposedly “cure” her friends from his spell. What it all really was was simply a mask to hide her jealousy towards him.
“Well, I guess being jealous happens to the best of us,” she commented as Trixie and Dusk Shine finished their final magic trick and took a bow towards the audience. The crowds cheered and Twilight and Rarity joined in the applause.
As Trixie and Dusk retreated backstage, Twilight gave each of them a hug.
“You two were amazing!”
“Just listen to that crowd out there!” Rarity exclaimed. “You both were simply fabulous!”
Trixie took off her hat and gave a slight bow.
“Thank you, Twilight, Rarity. Dusk Shine is quite the magician herself!”
Dusk shrugged as she blushed.
“Aw,” she giggled, “I’m just learning. You’re quite the magician.”
“Now, don’t be so modest,” Trixie grinned, placing her hat back on her head. “The Great and Powerful Trixie approves of your performance!”
Dusk smiled.
“Gee, thanks, O Great and Powerful Trixie!”
Trixie’s ears perked up.
“Say, that reminds me. . .we still need to come up with a worthy title for you. After all, Great and Powerful magicians have titles. Now, let’s see. . .how’s this?”
She stood tall and poised as she dramatically declared, “The Amazing and Dazzling Dusk Shine!”
Dusk’s eyes sparkled like fireworks in the night sky.
“Ooh! I love it—I love it—I love it—I love it!” she squealed, hopping up and down like a schoolfilly.
“Looks like you have a new student!” Twilight chuckled.
Trixie’s smile grew as she held her head high.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie will teach her new student everything that she knows!”
Dusk’s eyes widened in awe.
“So. . .awesome!”
Trixie took off her hat and laughed.
“Of course, it seems that you already know more about magic show performance than I do. In reality, you don’t need my help.”
“Well, I would absolutely love it if I was taught by the master herself,” Dusk said. “Besides, there’s still more things I can learn from you.”
Trixie placed her hat back on her head and nodded.
“Very well. Then, I, the Great and Powerful Trixie will be your teacher!”
Dusk bowed.
“Thank you, Master Trixie!”
Trixie grinned.
“Trixie likes that title. I think I’ll keep it.”
She turned and saw Twilight and Rarity glaring at her. She giggled nervously as she bowed her head.
“But I won’t let it get to my head. I promise.”
