Trixie turned towards the sound of the door opening, her tail swaying without her knowing it until she felt it. It was, at the same instant, familiar and alien. "Say, where is Trixie's cape?" She raised a hoof to tap around her neck. "You said fully clothed, but that clearly isn't true."

Fetlock lifted her shoulders as she snatched a photo from Trixie's folder and brought it over to look at. "Ah, you are correct, Trixie. A subtle flaw, but it explains things. I wouldn't worry about it. The Great and Powerful Trixie has an employer to impress."

As if summoned by the words, a new pony strode into view, his cigar dangling from his lips. It wasn't lit, as if it was purely an accessory. His thick brow furrowed at the sight of Trixie. "Huh, you really can do it." He approached at a more brisk pace, picking up into a trot. "I happen to know the ot--"

Fetlock thrust forward a hoof. "Stop. It would be best to not bring up... others. This is the true Trixie Lulamoon."

Trixie nodded uncertainly before flashing a brilliant smile. "The Great and Powerful," she added helpfully. She stepped towards the gangster pony. "You appear to have something stuck behind your ear. Trixie will get it for you."

"What?" He reared back slightly with surprise, but Trixie marched right up and yanked a long string of colorful cloth from behind his ear, tickling it as it brushed past. "Ha! She can do magic, great!"

Trixie balled up the cloth, looking at it curiously. She wasn't sure how she had done that, but she had, and it felt great. She was a unicorn, a magic unicorn, just as promised by... someone. She frowned, trying to remember who had given her such a gift.

Fetlock stepped around Trixie, eyes on her would-be customer. "I trust you are satisfied? A few reminders, she will be slightly confused at first. Remind her what she is to do and she will come around."

"Yeah, yeah." He pointed up at himself. "I am Don. Don Keyworks." He nodded firmly at his newest acquisition. "You are my employee, Trixie."

Trixie visibly balked. She thought she would be doing some magical jobs for some random nice pony, not some literal don! "I--Trixie is a magician, not a common thug."

Don raised a bushy brow. "You're new, so I'll forgive that, this time. Ain't nothing we do that's common." He brushed some imagined dust off of his suit. "And we leave thuggery to brutes. No, I got my eyes set higher than that, miss."

"Are you satisfied?" repeated Fetlock, looking at Don intently.

"Yeah, yeah, give me time with my new mare." He threw a leg over Trixie's withers, pulling her towards the exit. "We have plenty to discuss."

Trixie tensed as she was pulled. His new mare? "Trixie is not... interested."

He barked out a laugh at that, an equine snort escaping with it. "It ain't like that. I got a marefriend, and she's a fine piece." He guided her down the narrow hallway towards the escape. "I want you for other things, big things! Great and Powerful things."

That got Trixie's attention, drawn to the promise of her title. "Trixie is listening..." She wondered what she had been drawn into. She was sure she agreed to the situation expecting something less crime-ridden, but she didn't want to stop being Trixie. Maybe it was just his daughter's birthday party?

He reached up with a hoof even as he leaned in, mouthing the knob. It opened to a brighter front of the warehouse. There was a griffon secretary tapping busily on a typewriter, and two thugs that were staring at the don and the new mare with him. They rose from seating as one. "Boss!"

Don waved them away with his free hoof, the other still holding Trixie. "Everything's copacetic, boys. Meet our new magical expert, Trixie Lulamoon."

Trixie advanced, escaping Don's hold as she threw her head back. "You can call me the Great and Powerful Trixie!" She reared up on two legs and felt a pang, throwing her off. Standing on two legs felt... normal. She... had done it many times. She shook off the feeling a moment to throw out her hooves wide, confetti and sparkles flying in both directions. "And she is in dire need of a new cape." She landed on all fours with a clop. "She trusts you will make this happen?" She was looking at the don.

Don set his hooves on the ground and began walking through the area for the door leading outside. "Yeah, yeah. We'll get you suited up." One of his ponies rushed up to open the door for him, so he could walk without even slowing down.

"Have a nice day," bid Gudrun without looking up from her work.

They emerged into the bright sunlight of Manehattan. The city was alive with bustling ponies, but not right there. They appeared to be in a run-down portion of town filled with warehouses and other big buildings. Noises of work came from them, but few ponies were wandering between them. The clip-clop of traffic could be heard in the distance, the entire city making a steady low sound of life.

"Want a bite?" Don gestured at a stand offering roast carrots. "I treat my boys right, and you're one of us now. Right, boys?"

"Yes, Don." They echoed in sync, walking in a flanking position around their don.

Trixie peered at the stand, nostalgia teasing her. She remembered... an episode with such a stand. Spike had received a roast carrot on a bun. A bird had stolen it. Poor Spike, he deserved better. No matter, that was her chance to try one. She giggled softly, looking forward to the snack. "Trixie gladly accepts."

"Good good." He advanced, pointing at the grilling veggies. "We'll take four of those, the works."

"No pickles," quickly added Trixie. Had Trixie ever mentioned not liking pickles? Oh, right. She was a person, with memories. She remembered not liking pickles. She thought back, trying to reach into her human memories. Ah, humanity; she was one of those, had two legs, fingers. She had a stupid job. She shook her head softly, much of it starting to rise in her mind. It was like a movie she had watched a thousand times. Yes, she remembered herself. It was comforting.

Then a grilled carrot was thrust at her, perched on a hoof. Trixie blinked, focusing on the present. She grabbed the snack and gently brushed away a few bits of dirt. Earth pony hooves were not sanitary, she decided. Regardless of that, she gave the snack a soft sniffing at, even as her eyes darted about for any hungry birds.

It smelled deeply of carrots, butter, some garlic and other spices she couldn't put a fin--hoof on. The bun was fresh, composed of... rye? She smelled seeds mixed in along with ketchup, mustard, and some relish. Enough smelling, she wanted a taste. She opened her mouth wide and took a big bite, chomping contently for a moment. The flavors dances across her tongue in a riot of new sensations and she gave an appreciative mmm as she processed it.

"Not bad," agreed the Don as he snarfed his down without delay. "Keep the change." He flipped a bit onto the cart and moved to walk past without looking back.

Trixie held her food in her magic as she hurried to catch up, sneaking another bite to let to flavor explode in her mouth. If pony food was that good at a food cart, she found herself looking forward to trying actual restaurant fare. But... "Say, Don, how much am I being paid?" She had forgotten to say 'Trixie', but it felt like not that big of a deal. The don knew who she was.

"Hm? Well, ain't you getting right down to the brass tacks." He turned to face her, giving her an intense look. "First I need to know how well you do what you do. We'll arrange a test, a little something..." He tapped at the pavement beneath him. "Tell ya what, ten bits, good or bad. That's worth the price of knowing where we stand, capiche?"

Trixie had no idea how far a bit went! The knowledge hadn't been imparted on her with her lovely blue form, nor did any human memory have any knowledge of bits besides knowing they were money for ponies. "I'll take that, this time, then we'll talk about rates after you're blown away by my ability." Did she have ability? It had come naturally to her so far, and she hoped it would continue to do so if she went with the flow.

She popped the last of her carrot treat into her snout and chomped it into a fine paste, mourning that it would be the last for a little while. She ran her tongue over her lips as if to rescue any bits that had escaped her. "Now then, where are we going?"

"We're getting a taxi." The Don's words were enough to send one of his minions advancing hurriedly to the next corner and sticking out a hoof. A pony pulling a cart painted in yellow with checkerboard design came to a stop. "And there it is. Everyone aboard," ordered Don Keyworks, hopping up first. Once everyone had settled in, he pointed forward. "West-side, fourth and Twentieth."

"You got it." The taxi-puller broke into an easy trot, unhindered by the weight of his passengers. They were quickly passing into more lively portions of the cities, with ponies on either side of the street, filling the sidewalk. Trixie noted that the majority of them were clothed, though still not all. Some were quite bare, even indecently so, in her human-tainted mind.

It was a curious thing, seeing things wagging about. Ponies just didn't care, and didn't lower their eyes to where they would be peering at such parts. They may as well not be there. Ponies faced ponies face-to-face, with all those bits behind behind them, out of sight and out of mind of the two holding a conversation. They weren't out of Trixie's sight, or mind. She shook her head violently. There she was, in Equestria, gawking at ponies like a dolt.

A familiar sight caught her attention suddenly. It was Rarity's Manehattan division! There were ponies coming and going from it with content smiles. He remembered that episode. Was spoon mare still working there? "Don? They'd have capes." She pointed at the store as it passed by.

Don cast his eyes to the right at it. "Yeah, sure, good as any other place." He held up his hoof and the taxi slowed to a stop. "Here ya go." He flipped a coin to the puller even as he stepped down. "Rarity For You? Never been. You guys?" He looked back at his minions stepping off the taxi.

"No boss," grunted one.

"Just once," admitted the second. "New place. I got something nice for my sis."

Trixie hopped down and staggered, her balance uncertain a moment before it came back to her. She still had to get used to hooves, even if her lovely body seemed to come with an auto-pilot of sorts. "I haven't been here, but I know the owner." She bobbed her head as she stepped closer to the store, a smile spreading. "It'll be nice to visit. I wonder if she's here."

"I won't say no to a little discount..." Don Keynotes advanced a little behind and to the right of Trixie. "We'll get you something nice, as a token of faith. You're family, for now. Maybe for life? We'll see, but I treat my mares right."

Trixie felt a shudder run down along her spine. She was not ready to be any pony's mare. She was a stall--man, not that long ago. She remembered what that was, and its identity had not fled her entirely. She was... She couldn't remember her old name still. But she was he. She remembered that.

Shaking herself into focus, Trixie opened the door with her magic, a honk sounding from above.

Author's Note

Welcome to Rarity For You! Our seamstresses don't leave any typos in the stitches so you can look your absolute best.

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