The sun was shining bright in the midday sun, bathing the markets and shops in a blanket of yellow. Naturally, townsquare was bustling with ponies, eager to enjoy the beautiful weather during their daily commute. Starlight couldn't help but envy them for having so much free time on their hooves. As much as she enjoyed being Princess Twilight's prized pupil, the constant demand and responsibility made her sometimes question if it was all it was chalked up to be.
But even despite having practically no time for herself, she had never felt more fulfilled. All those years lying to herself and putting on a dominating facade just pushed her deeper into self loathing. If Twilight hadn't walked in and showed her the proper way, she'd surely be dead by now.
She brushed her past and Twilight out of her mind as she trotted through the town, avoiding walking into scampering foals as she went. Today was a day for herself, and she wanted to take full advantage of it. No worrying or overthinking. She needed to keep a level head, and her dear friend Trixie's proposition to chill at the best cafe in town was the perfect way. Starlight hummed a quiet tune while she made her way towards the cafe.
Upon approaching the small building, she could make out Trixie through the glass. The blue mare was quick to notice and waved excitedly, mouthing something that Starlight couldn't quite make out.
The bells above the doors chimed as Starlight pushed inside the establishment, signalling to Trixie to jump from her seat and greet her friend.
In a manner reminiscent of Pinkie Pie, Trixie hopped up and down and beamed. "You're here, you're here! You have no idea how excited Trixie was when you said you were free!"
Starlight giggled at her enthusiasm, waving a hoof at her to calm her. "It's great to see you too, Trixie! Ugh, life's been so hectic lately. I've barely had time to-"
"You must see what Trixie found!" Trixie interrupted her abruptly, smiling from ear to ear. Starlight was used to her abrupt nature, and didn't mind much that she had been cut off. And by the looks of the smile on Trixie's face, whatever she had found, it must be good.
"Alright," she sighed. "But show me at the table. We're sorta blocking the line." She gestured at the growing line of ponies behind them, giving her annoyed looks in return.
Trixie waved her hoof dismissively. "Please, they can wait. The Great and Powerful Trixie is of much higher priority."
In an attempt to spare a fight from breaking out, Starlight slapped a hoof over Trixie's mouth and turned to the crowd. "Excuse us!" She said with a nervous laugh before booking it towards the back. It wasn't until the two were sat far away that Starlight turned to her friend. "Sorry."
Once Starlight dropped her hoof, Trixie turned up her nose. "Hmph." Her attitude didn't last for long however, as she suddenly remembered the main point of the visit. She nearly hopped out of her own skin as she dug through her saddle bag. "But you won't believe this!" she exclaimed, finally withdrawing the poster. She all but levitated it into Starlight's face, too enthralled to realize she wouldn't be able to read it.
Starlight snorted and took the poster in her own magic. "A movie poster?" she asked slowly, her eyes following the words.
Trixie slapped her hooves on the table. "Yes! These ponies are looking for a good actress! And as we all know, The Great and Powerful Trixie is the best actress." She beamed with pride, making Starlight subtly roll her eyes.
After digesting everything, Starlight looked up at her friend. She chewed on her bottom lip. "It says it's a controversial film," she pointed out with a frown.
That fact didn't bother Trixie however, who shrugged it off. "Not a problem. Trixie is quite controversial herself."
Starlight still seemed uneasy. "Do you know the crew?" Seemingly lost in her own world, Trixie just nodded. As much as Starlight wanted to pester, she knew better than to drag the mare out of her dream world. All she could do was sigh, reading over the poster again. It wasn't very informal, only describing the production as controversial and nothing more. Though she did have to admit, the pay was very alluring. She imagined Trixie was surely seeing dollar signs.
After what felt like an eternity, Trixie spoke. "Starlight, this is my chance." Her eyes were practically sparkling with excitement. "I've lost my name, but not my talent. This could be my saving grace." Hearing Trixie refer to herself in first person was alien to her, and really accentuated how dire the situation was. Trixie placed her hoof on Starlight's suddenly. "You support me in this, don't you?"
Starlight chewed on her bottom lip. She always supported Trixie in her wild endeavors, but this wasn't something either were accustomed to. "Of course," she managed to say after much diliberation. "I'll always support you!" She offered her friend a reassuring smile, which Trixie gave in return.
"You don't need to worry about me so much," the magician said with a roll of her eyes. "I can take care of myself." Starlight's smile faltered, but she still did not protest.
As if suddenly remembering they hadn't ordered anything, Starlight magicked the menu towards her. "You're right," she said with a hearty sigh. After deciding what she was gonna order, she passed the menu over to Trixie.
Trixie waved her off. "I'll be heading out. I don't just want to be punctual, I want to be early!" Satrlight's rebuttal didn't reach her as she took off towards the door.
The purple unicorn simply sighed, inching over so she could comfortably sit in the booth. She placed the menu down on the table and glanced out the glass window next to her. She could just barely make out Trixie's blue and white streaked mane before it disappeared in the crowd. A waitress approached her booth, her attention now on her instead of the window. She absentmindedly ordered her latte and slouched into her seat as the mare cantered off. Starlight couldn't get her mind off how vague the ad was. She swallowed thickly and gazed out at the bustling ponies lining the street. She couldn't help but get a bad feeling. She considered running after her friend, but figured that was in vain. She traced the design on the oak table and let her mind wander as she waited for her beverage.
Chapter 2: The Preparation
Trixie got to the building very quick. It was on a deserted side street, the last house on the left. It was a small place; barely standing taller than some of the marketplaces in town. It was one of the few industrial buildings in town, made entirely of steel with few windows. The bleak look didn't phase her; she was accustomed to off-putting sets. Although, she did have to admit, it seemed rather unfit for the location of a film. Nevertheless, Trxie happily cantered up the cobblestone path and to the front door. Unlike the house, it was made of wood, applepine trees presumably. There were some scars and indents in the bark, some deeper than others.
Skip in her step, she eagerly rapped her hooves on the door. It wasn't long before a burly stallion opened the doors. He had a tan hide, raven hair, and an oddball cutiemark of a camera and rope. He offered Trixie a kind grin. "Ah, you must be interested in being our lead actress."
Trixie nodded her head enthusiastically. "Trixie saw your ad and wanted to be your star!"
The stallion chuckled at her enthusiasm and ushered her inside. "Please, come in. Make yourself at home." He nudged the door shut behind them and latched it. "Our director isn't here right now, but you may acquaintance yourself with your fellow actors. I'm Cinder, and you just have to call if you need anything." Trixie nodded her head in understanding and collapsed into a black sofa in the center of the room.
Cinder excused himself and exited the room, leaving her with the rest of the cast. She was unbothered to find they were all males. If anything, that fact excited her all the more. She looked around and saw the six of them sitting around a table making bets. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, so she hopped from her seat to introduce herself.
"Hello," she said with a proud grin. "The Great and Powerful Trixie will accommodate you while she waits for further instruction." Nopony protested, so she sat down on her rump to watch.
One of the stallions smirked. "Nice to meet ya," he said in a strong voice and reached out a big red hoof. "We're mighty happy to have you here. I'm Big Macintosh."
Trixie's ears perked up at his name. "Applejack's brother?" she asked, mouth gaping. He smiled and nodded his head, making her heart skip a beat. She had only ever heard of him, she had never in her wildest dreams imagined he'd be that attractive. His golden hair hung in his face, just barely obscuring one of his green eyes. Even still, she could feel his gaze linger on her even as she focused elsewhere.
The pony sat beside Mac shoved him playfully. "Look what you did, Mac. You made her all flustered." The two shared a laugh at Trixie's expense, who simply pouted and tried to ignore how hot her face was. "You starting early?"
Mac grinned mischievously. "There's no shame in that, is there?"
Trixie cocked her head to the side. "Starting what early?" she asked innocently.
No response came before another stallion entered the room. He was wearing a deep navy suit coupled with a white tie to hide his cream-colored fur, and his blue locks slicked back against his head. The coat he was wearing successfully hid his mark, though she could barely make out an arrow. His eyes fell on the lone mare in the room and he beamed. "Ah, finally, a mare befitting of this role!"
Trixie got back to her hooves and approached him. "You must be the director. I'm-"
"Dearest, I could recognize you anywhere," he interrupted her with a smile. "I was pining for you to join this production. I'm so thrilled you came!" She couldn't help but blush, especially as he scrutinized her. She tensed up when he ran a hoof down her side, sneaking a quick flank touch before retreating his arm. "You're perfect for this role."
She just laughed uncomfortably, playing it off. "Aha, yeah."
"You must be wondering what your role is," he said matter-of-factly. She opened her mouth to confirm, but he produced a stack of papers out of seemingly nowhere. "This is your script."
Perplexed, she looked down at the stack of papers. She enveloped them in her purple aura and brought them up to eye level. She observed slowly, digesting everything. She felt unease settle into her gut when she read the title. "Her last show?" Trixie asked, unsure as to what to think.
The director paid her hesitance no heed. "I did say this would be a controversial film," he reminded her, his smile falling. He looked at the conflict in her eyes and turned away. "But of course, if you aren't willing to be a part of this…"
Her heart sank and she jumped. "Of course not!" she exclaimed quickly, missing the sly grin that split his face. "It's just.. well, kinda ominous, don't you think?"
He simply chuckled, turning around and ruffling her soft mane. "You need to calm yourself, dear," he said with a smile.
Despite his reassurance, Trixie still felt uneasy. She pushed her thoughts away and flipped from the title page. The following page was detailing the cast, and she was taken aback to already see her name listed. Had he just made these? She looked over at him. He was with her crew, chatting it up without a care in the world. Even though she wanted to say something, she couldn't bring herself to.
The director cantered back up to Trixie, wearing his trademark smile. "Do you like it?" he asked.
His tone didn't seem genuine, more expectant. "Yes," she replied quickly.
"Excellent!" he yelled, catching the stallion's attention as well. "I think we've done enough sitting around. It's time to review your scripts. We want to get this thing shot by tonight
Trixie shivered in her boots. "Tonight?" she asked in disbelief.
He waved her off with a hoof. "Yes, tonight. Now enough talking and more practicing."
She just couldn't bring herself to argue, resorting to nodding her head and reading through the script. He left the room and shut the door behind him, leaving her and her crew to their own devices. The ponies around her seemed far less motivated to learn, but she paid them no heed. It was their pay they were jeopardizing, not hers. She flipped through the script, finding it rather short. Though, she found it was so because the script was just made of simple plot lines where the actors would improvise their lines. Improv wasn't exactly her forte, but she had been on the stage many times before and had faith she'd be fine.
She spared a glance in the direction of the stallions. They all stared back, and even though they were smiling, Trixie felt her heart skip a beat. There was something off, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
The script had set her up as a damsel in distress of sorts, kidnapped and used for ransom. She had to admit, she'd never intended on playing such a submissive role, but she swallowed her pride. This could be your saving grace, she reminded herself.
With a sigh, she slumped down and began rereading the script again. That director wanted it filmed by the end of the day, and Trixie didn't want to disappoint. She ignored the concerned voice in her head and ultimately decided.
The show must go on.
A few long hours passed until the director returned, Cinder in toe. Cinder greeted Trixie briefly before hurrying towards the stallions in the back of the room. The director happily approached Trixie, who smiled in return. Her smile faltered however when he announced, "shooting in five minutes."
Trixie shuffled her hooves nervously, following Cinder to the dressing room down the hall.
Once the two were out of earshot, she sighed. "I don't know if I'm ready for this," she admitted sadly. "I'm gonna be honest, I didn't expect my role to be so submissive."
Cinder just chuckled. "It's a one and done. It'll be over before you know it." Trixie opened her mouth to say something, but her words died in her throat. He nudged her towards the closet. "You're on soon, put on a nice dress."
Trixie was confused as to why she had to wear a dress seeing as the script never specified, but she shrugged and approached the doors. She pushed them open with her magic and dug around until one peaked her fancy. She couldn't help but voice her approval as she pulled an extravagant blue gown off its hanger. It was big, puffy, and embossed with patterns of constellations made from gorgeous gems. The cuffs of the arms and neck were silk and iridescent.
Cinder grew impatient and nearly shoved the mare towards the restroom. "Enough gawking. You have three minutes."
Trixie feebly apologized and ran for the restroom. She made quick work of putting on the frilly dress, taking a few seconds to admire herself in the stained mirror. The stomping of hooves alerted her and she quickly dashed back down the hall to the main room.
She discovered that they had put together the 'set' in her absence. She bit her lip checking everything, feeling the wave of unease wash over her once again. All that was there was a filthy mattress and a thick bundle of rope. "Is," she began slowly, "is this all?"
The director, who was now sat in his own personal chair, nodded. "We're low budget," he explained.
She shuddered as the six stallions approached her, eyeing her with hungry expressions. She looked to each face, suddenly feeling ill. "W-why a mattress?" she asked in a trembling voice.
Cinder reentered the room with the tripod. He set it down in front of the dirty mattress and position the camera on top. "You need to relax," he advised as he tweaked the angle. "This is all just an act."
His words of reassurance did little to ease her fear and she yelped when a hoof pushed her gown up. She backed away quickly, whimpering as the stallions approached. "This seems pretty real for an act," she whispered, her ears folding back against her head.
The director looked to Cinder for confirming and grinned when he nodded. "Oh, Trixie," he said in a sickly sweet voice. "That's because it isn't. The cardboard clapped, signalling the scene to begin.
