Alternative Trixie peeked out at the original from behind the curtain, watching her struggle with a glowing horn beneath the water. "Is she alright?" she asked of no one particular, staring at her challenger with worry and awe in a heady combination.

"Hope so." Vinyl walked up beside her, watching the spectacle as she sat down. "Part of me wants to make some musical accompaniment." She shrugged softly. "But I'm on your tab, not hers, no matter the similarities."

The original Trixie gave a powerful flex of her held arms, her hooves swishing through the water as her magic got into just the right position. With a click heard through the startled-quiet crowd, the first lock came free, and with it, she gained some mobility.

She turned slightly in her cage of iron, turning her focus onto the second lock with a determined look in her eyes. All she had to do was... The tumbler slipped from her arcane grip as if the water was making it greasy, or was that her? Trixie refused to believe she was in trouble and set back to picking the second lock. The burn in her lungs was all part of the act!

Starlight rubbed her forehooves together slowly, pressed against one another tightly in her worry. She didn't like the way Trixie's movements were looking. She didn't like how long it was taking. She didn't like the trail of bubbles that just never seemed to stop escaping her friend. She didn't like a lot of things about the show! "Get out of there," she urged in a stressed whisper.

The crowd collectively gasped when Trixie went limp, a fresh wave of bubbles escaping her. From the crowd and the back, ponies sprang to their hooves, ready to burst into action, but Trixie started moving again. With a sudden twist, the wriggled free of the chains and swam to the top of the tank in a burst of speed few had expected. She crested it like a dolphin and came down on the wooden stage, water splashing all around her.

On wobbling hooves, she turned to the crowd and gave a delirious looking bow towards them all. "Behold! Death has been... defied!"

Hooves stomped the ground and clopped together in wild applause. The adoration seemed to reinvigorate Trixie, her smile deepening as her stance lost that shaking. Though, that could also have been the renewal of oxygen in her lungs. "But that was just the first act, dear attendees. You didn't pay for just one little trick, hmm? No, the Great and Powerful Trixie has so much more for you!"

She pointed into the crowd and wobbled her hoof left and right as her other covered her eyes. "And... you!" An elderly stallion pointed at himself with surprise. "Yes, you, come on up here. You get to be Trixie's assistant!"

The crowd helped him get up to the stage in a wave of assisting hooves, practically tossing him up onto the stage beside Trixie. She smiled at him easily. "Tonight is your lucky night. Trixie will be doing a little dance, using a trick a dear friend taught to me. Do you know how to dance?"

He nodded, glancing at the crowd nervously. "A little?"

"That is more than enough," she assured, patting the older stallion on the shoulder. "Your goal is to be under Trixie and wave this--" She pulls out a large ring of neon green and blue. "--over Trixie to show there are no wires involved."

Her horn glowing, music began to play. It sounded like a record playing, because it was one. Trixie had not gotten a live DJ for her performance. Still, it was spirited and served the purpose. She lowered her forehooves to her sides then slowly raised them with theatrical purpose. As her hooves lifted, her body went with it as if she were somehow picking herself up, her horn glowing fiercely. "Behold as Trixie defies the lines between tribes. Did you know unicorns can fly? Well, only the very special ones."

Soft gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. The older pony recovered from his shock and grabbed for the ring. He waved it over Trixie, sweeping it all over her as if actively searching for the wires that could be holding her up, but he couldn't find any, because magic didn't work that way.

She laughed merrily as she did a slow twirl in the air, her hooves moving in the beat of the music, no longer holding her up, but making her a living art piece as magic began to explode around her in brilliant flashes of light and color. Each strike of light across the crowd and stage lit her satisfied face and let her see their applauding expressions all the better.

Starlight was flopped on the ground, recovering from the stress of watching that first act. The second wasn't nearly as exciting, especially for her, who had taught her the trick in the first place. "Damn mare..."

Alternative Trixie nodded at the other Trixie. "I didn't know she could do that. That's pretty cool."

Vinyl perked an ear. "Yeah? If she wins for it, will it still be cool?"

AT shrugged softly. "Yeah? I'm not trying to say she's not Trixie after all. She's Great and Powerful." She smiled a little lopsidedly. "She also has an ego bigger than the city we're in and can be a pain, but she's great."

Vinyl nudged her. "Hey, glad to hear you say that. I'd hate to think I was helping someone be bitter to a pony. Fetlock doesn't get to tell us we're 'better' than the original." She pointed to where the music was coming from. "However, I can't stand this. My music sensibilities demand it end."

Trixie jerked to a stop as the record stopped with a squeak. "What?" New music began. It was far more electronic. She recognized it quickly. "Ah ha! Even her musician recognizes the greatness of Trixie." Grinning with triumph, she launched into the next act of her magic show, pulling an entire family of rabbits free of her soggy hat without a problem. Each little creature launched out onto the stage, though each had to jump a smaller distance as Trixie lowered to a landing.

When she bowed, they did as well, getting a fresh wave of applause.

"But now for something larger!" She waved a hoof at the tank that still sat there taking up space. "Trixie will make this entire thing vanish!"

Starlight sat up quickly, shaking her head fiercely back and forth. Teleporting that much, especially fluid, was beyond what she thought Trixie could do. She started waving her hooves just as frantically, hoping against hope that Trixie would abort the trick, as unlikely as that was.

All eyes were on the tank as Trixie reared up onto her hind legs and began gesturing at it. "By the powers that be and Trixie's amazing magic, I send you away into the abyss. Begone from her sight!" Her horn flared with a fresh wave of magic, encompassing the tank and willing it away.

It obeyed.

The water hovered there for a precious moment, ponies peering at it with confusion before it crashed down onto the stage and spilled out in all directions. Trixie began to be washed from the stage, carried along in the tide before her magic plucked her free of it to a vantage point where she could wash it wash over the first few rows of the crowd, yelps of surprise sounding out.

Those not in the splash zone were going wild, thinking it was part of the act. Trixie saw no reason to argue with the idea and landed gently on the stage, bowing proudly. Her trick had been both great and powerful, and that was all that mattered. "Trixie apologizes for not clearly marking the areas that would become wet, but if she did that, that would have ruined the surprise, hm?"

Starlight snorted softly as she shook herself free of some of the water. She knew with fair confidence that Trixie had not planned that in the slightest. Still, it was about the safest possible result of that trick, so her anger didn't rise above mild irritation. She trotted up towards the stage. "I think we've seen enough, Trix. You are Great and also Powerful."

Trixie nodded at her friend. "Trixie cannot argue this. If you are in such a rush, we can put it to a vote of applause now. Who is the most Trixiest Trixie of the Trixies?" She waved behind the stage. "Come forward, supposed Trixie."

Alternative Trixie swallowed nervously but emerged into the light with a nervous smile. She trotted out to stand beside the original, waving awkwardly at the crowd that still seemed perhaps a touch or two too large.

"Here she is," declared Trixie. "She who would call herself Trixie." She held up a hoof over the other Trixie. "Is she Trixie?"

The crowd looked between the two Trixies, confused murmuring going from pony to pony. Trixie turned her hoof towards herself. "Or am I Trixie, wizard and stagemare beyond compare?" The fact that she was comparing herself was entirely lost on her.

Hooves began to raise, pointing at the original. Even if they didn't like her show, it was clear to them which of the Trixies was Trixie. Trixie was a showmare, a magician. Agreement began to rise. The storytelling was nice, but it wasn't Trixie. Soon most of the hooves were pointing to Trixie, including Starlight's.

"Only Trixie would risk killing herself just to get some applause," sighed out Starlight as she rolled her eyes. "Are you happy now then?"

Trixie nodded with confidence. "She is." Her eyes settled on her doppelganger, a predatory smile on her face. "But there is one little matter... You lost, and with it, Trixie takes her name." She made a yanking motion with a hoof and the glowing word of 'Trixie' was pulled free of the copy. It was a magical illusion, but the symbology was clear enough. Trixie pulled her name over and tucked it under an arm. "You'll need a new name, not Trixie." She waved a hoof over the crowd. "Now, announce your true name for everypony here to know."

Not-Trixie's ears fell. Just like that? "You said you'd help pick a name," she weakly murmured. She had hoped to win the show, somehow, but that hadn't happened.

"Did she say that? That doesn't sound like a very Tr--" trixie's statement was cut off by a sudden bop on the head delivered by her friend.

Starlight smiled at the Not Trixie. "She's being dramatic, it's what she does. What she meant is that she'd be happy to help you with that."

"She would?" asked Trixie with a cocked brow. "We mean, of course she would!" She smiled at the crowd that was watching the exchange. "She was only kidding. Very well, we'll save the announcement for later, after Trixie magnanimously assists her doppelganger in selecting the perfect title to emphasize her talents, and that she is not Trixie."

The crowd began to disperse, detecting the show had run its course. Most seemed pleased by the spectacle offered to them that night. Starlight's eyes were on the Not Trixie. "So, really, what's your story? You didn't just... happen." She rolled a hoof. "What happened? Are you an alternative timeline Trixie?"

Not Trixie blinked at that. That would have been a great excuse! Why hadn't she thought of that! Still, it wasn't true, and she didn't feel like lying at that moment. "No..."

A hoof came between them. It was attached to Vinyl. "Long story. Let me pack my equipment and we can do a second story time once we're not standing on a stage, alright? Wanna help? More hooves makes the work go faster."

Starlight shrugged softly. "If it means I get some answers, sure, lead the way."

Trixie watched her friend go off with Vinyl before looking at her doppelganger. "What about Long Story?"

Author's Note

The story continues! How was the performance? Which Trixie would you vote for?

How's Long Story for a name?

Want this story updated faster? Want to get your own story written? Want to just support the author in his writing? Join the atreon!

Join my discord to chat!