If there was one thing that Trixie had been taught from her father, it was through a favorite quote of his. Neither she nor her dad had any idea who said it, but to Trixie, it was like a personal motto of hers. It went: “Magicians are the most honest ponies in the world; they tell you that they’re gonna fool you, and they do it.”
For better or worse, Trixie took that to heart as soon as she learned how to successfully pull off her first stage magic trick. Of course, her father was there to teach her the secrets behind the illusions he pulls off. Even before she got her cutie mark, back when her father was trying to get off the ground in Las Pegasus and she was there as his assistant, she knew one crucial thing about her father - on or off the stage, her father openly lied, but always for a good reason.
In a way, she was used to that. She was used to having her father telling lies to others. Jack Pot often lied to his audience every time he went on stage about having all these strange powers. He lied when he said that they don’t have enough for Hearth’s Warming. And he also lied to Trixie’s mother that he loved her forever. It wasn’t that Trixie distrust her father because she knew he was lying, but she knew he was doing so for a very good reason. After all, when Jack Pot lies on stage, it's so that he could wow an audience with clever tricks. When he lied about not having enough bits for Hearth’s Warming, it made all those gifts, the tree, and everything else appear like magic. And despite showing Trixie the facade that all was peace between her parents, they waited until she moved out to divorce to spare their daughter the trauma of separation. Never once when her father lied - even to her - that she felt betrayed because she knew he was doing it for her benefit.
That was… until recently.
Trixie waited in her father’s dressing room of the Ponet Fantastique theater. She sat before a lit vanity wherein the mirror reflected a coat rack of costumes and spare clothes, organized props, a wall of sticky notes of various ideas for future acts, a fire extinguisher, and most importantly, the door to the backstage. On the desk with open drawers of makeup, spare tickets, and a mannequin's head that had on dozens of colorful ties, there was a vase that contained a candy bouquet. One that had candy bars glued to sticks, lollipops, and chocolate roses; all arranged elaborately in the glass vase that had a card sticking out. Just looking at the open note added more fuel to the irritable fire burning within Trixie.
Wonderful show tonight! Here’s a little something for my sweetheart before I become officially yours. Hope you like them, Jacky.
- B.B.
She waited, her starry wizard’s hat on the desk that covered a folded-up newspaper. Her ears listening to the familiar sounds of a magic show, an applauding audience, and the muffled voices between the acts. By the sound of it, the finale was going on. The triumphant music, the rush of water, then the stomping and cheering.
“Thank you everypony!” She heard Jack calling out through the door. “You all have been a wonderful audience, give a hoof to our lovely volunteers, weren’t they fantastic? Thank you for coming to our show, goodnight!”
It was only a matter of time now, so Trixie readied herself. Although she doesn’t expect this visit to go well, the one thing she hoped for is to gain some answers. So using her magic, she lifted the hat enough to get the newspaper from underneath, unfold it, and flip it to the announcement page. She eyed the very square bit of text that compelled her to come to Las Pegasus in the first place. One that had her father’s name underneath the Special Announcement section.
“.... reat out there,” she heard a voice from behind the door, but she didn’t turn around.
“Oh let's face it, you were magnificent!” Jack replied happily. “And you were right, that snake charming trick was hilarious. You have no idea how hard it was to keep a straight face throughout that whole time.”
“Well I’m glad that it’s over for tonight,” Trixie heard the other stallion say, no doubt the one who sent the candy bouquet. “And I can’t wait to get back home, ‘cause I want to charm out a certain snake between your-”
“Woah! Slow down there grandpa,” Jack joked, “I know you’re excited for the honeymoon but give it a break, I’m still a bit tired.”
The other stallion snorted, “Grandpa? You’re a few years older than me!”
“So? Age is relative, as they say.” It sounds like he's getting closer to the door. “Anyhow, let’s get changed out of these clothes first. Then we should go out to dinner before heading home.”
“Fine,” the other sighed with an annoyed tone. “But this time let’s go to that new Neighponies place, I’ve heard good things from that.”
“Of course,” Jack said, followed by a pause that Trixie imagined her father was giving a kiss. “Love you.”
“You too, see you in a minute.”
Finally, Trixie heard the doorknob being turned and pushed open.
Then a pause.
“Trixie?” her father asked but she still didn’t turn around. After another awkward pause, he said, “On second thought Bucks, would you give me a few minutes? I promise I’ll be out as soon as I can.” She heard him walk in a bit, closed the door behind him. “Trixie? What are you doing here?”
“You… liar.” She said slowly and coldly like ice in winter.
“I… what?”
Finally, Trixie turned around, lowering the newspaper. “Were you planning on coming out before or after the wedding that you didn’t invite me to?”
Jack winced. Still, in his stage outfit of a large yellow top hat, a purple suit, bowtie, and a yellow bounce, he looked all the more guilty in it. He removed his hat. “Trix, I… I-I could exp-”
“Don’t.” Trixie quickly interrupted. “Whatever it is you’re thinking, just don’t. Right now, I don’t want any excuses.” She got up from her seat. “I don’t know which hurts more, that never once, in all the visits I’ve made that you never seemed to trust me that you have a coltfriend. Or that I found out you were getting married from a newspaper and not through an invitation. Or maybe, that you never loved mom or me at all!” She threw the newspaper in his face.
“Trixie, that’s not true at all.”
“No? You trusted me with your secrets of magic when I grew up, but apparently, you never trusted me with this?! Am I not important to you anymore?!”
“Trixie Lunamoon!” Jack stomped on the ground with a hoof like a bolt of lighting, letting the hard stop ring out like thunder. Although she was a grown adult, her father snapping still held command over her own anger. He paused, breathed, and sternly said, “This is exactly what I was afraid of. I didn’t say anything because of this. Of you lashing out before I could get a word out.”
Sitting back on her hunches and folding her forelegs, Trixie snorted.
“Look, I know you’re probably hurt and confused about all of this. You can hate me all you want and never see me again, but Trix, I just want one thing from you. Could you please listen to me and let me try to give an explanation for all this?”
For a while, Trixie was silent. But finally, she asked, “Does mom know?”
“I… I doubt it.” Jack said, lighting his horn to hang up his top hat. “As far as I know, you’re the only one in the family that is aware that I’m getting married to a stallion.”
“So… are you gay or… what? Did you knew all along that-”
“No.” He said losing his tie, “Honestly Trixie, I still don’t know. I mean… maybe I am?”
“Did you ever love mom?”
There was a long pause, “I… I thought I did once. Don’t get me wrong, I thought I felt an attraction to her at the beginning. I had thought that if I really tried hard and long enough then maybe I could have grown but… well… things kinda fell apart. Still,” he sat and began to remove his overcoat. “Just because things didn’t work out between me and your mom as I hoped, doesn’t mean that it was pointless. I mean, I got you. I wouldn’t change that for anything.”
“So how… why?”
“Again, I didn’t have any idea for a long time.” He said, putting his suit away, “Not even after the divorce when I went into the dating pool again that I had thought that maybe I had an attraction to stallions. Of course, I dated mares for a while; only the more did so, the more it dawned on me that none of those dates were fulfilling. If anything I found it uncomfortable, numb, and awkward. I couldn’t figure out why nothing wasn't able to click. You know, I had considered going to a therapist to see what was wrong with me. But I’ll tell you what,” he lit his horn to pull up a screen between him and his daughter to get change, “for a long time I didn’t consider that I could be gay. I made excuses to myself that maybe I didn’t have much luck with the ladies or perhaps it must be something psychological that I wasn’t seeing.”
“And you never told me this because…?”
“For one, you were already moved out and trying to get yourself on your four hooves.” Jack pointed out. “So I didn’t bother you because I knew you were trying to work out with being on your own - and besides, I didn’t think it was much to write about either. But when I met my partner… well, things became complicated.”
“Speaking of which,” Trixie plucked the card from the candy bouquet, “How exactly did you and Big Bucks become a thing?”
“My… well…”
“Please don’t tell me it was from a one-night stand.”
“Trix!” Jack poked his head out. “You of all ponies know I have standards, even in Las Pegasus.”
“Sorry but, how then? Until recently I thought he was just your stage partner.”
“Well, it… it started like that.” He ducked back behind the screen. “I didn’t think much of it at the time since he had the funds I needed to pull off these shows and he wanted to do magic. So it started out as a relationship of convenience - literally. Then through the years, we’ve gotten to know each other a little better but nothing outside of friendship. I mean, he helped settle my debts and I gave him a new purpose in life. You might say that whatever one of us lacked, the other provided and vice-versa. On stage…? Well, for the first time I had someone that I could be on the same level with. Especially when it came up with new ways to wow our audiences. You should have seen us up there, Trix. But even then I still didn’t even think about taking him out on a date…”
“Until?” Trixie raised an eyebrow.
“Well,” Jack laughed, “It’s kinda a funny story.” He pulled the screen aside to show that he was dressed as he was normally. A white turtleneck with a brown overcoat with a piece of amber that acts as a tie-pin. “Believe it or not, it happened after a show on Hearts and Hooves day - of all things. We were having a few drinks at the bar in the disco area where… I’m embarrassed to say this, but we got completely drunk. All I can remember was I was feeling rather down and I told Bucks that I had this continuous stream of bad luck with mares. But Bucks, being drunk out of his mind, said he wanted to help me out somehow. He even tried getting a few mares to come by to talk with but everyone ended up splashing their drinks in my face. Then… I don’t know what came over him, if it was the alcohol or that he had some feelings about me beforehoof. But either way, he kissed me."
"Let me guess," Trixie commented, "It all became love at first drunken kiss, right?"
“Well... kinda." He waved a hoof, uncertain how to answer that. "Don't get me wrong, you would think that given how unexpected it was that I would have found the kiss unwelcoming - may be disgusting. If I was sober I would have punched him in the eye for it. And yes, I didn't think he would do it at all so I was on some level shocked. Even drunk I was taken completely aback. But the thing was when he did kiss me… Well, it’s kinda hard to describe except it was just… magical.” He saw his daughter rolling her eyes. “I know it’s cliche but really, that was the closest thing I could compare it with. Sure it was different from what I was used to at the time but it just felt… well, right. As off-putting as it was, it was like it was meant to happen - if that made sense. Even when we woke up in bed the next morning; it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Even when he talked me into putting his-”
“Dad! Ew!” Trixie quickly covered her ears. “That is something I don’t need to hear!”
“What?”
“You were about to describe butt sex between two ponies, and one of them is my dad.”
“Oh, sorry there Trixie,” Jack rubbed the back of his neck, blushing. “But still. As I was meant to say, all of that was something I thought would just happen one time. That we could pass it off as us being drunk and while it would be awkward for a while we’ll just forget about it. Only… we didn’t exactly stop with just that one time.”
“I thought you said you had standards,” Trixie deadpanned.
“Hey, we started to go dating shortly after. Yes, I admit we did have sex now and then, but it wasn’t as frequent as you may think. Most of the time, it was just us getting to know each other better. After we do our shows, we would take turns taking each other out on a date. Bucks didn’t just show me his taste in thrill rides and have a sense of humor so sharp it could cut steel - but he trusted me enough that he has insecurities that he was hiding this whole time. That despite all the money he made, he felt he didn’t come close to measure up to certain ponies. That sometimes he wants to stop being serious all the time and find a more playful side that he hardly got to experience as a colt - or a teen no less. And I showed how much of… well… a coward I was. That even when we dated, I didn’t have the guts to come out to you to say that I was dating a stallion that has made me happy for once.”
He went over to put a hoof around her shoulder. “The truth was, Trixie, I didn’t say anything because I was scared. Tartarus, I still am. When I figured out I was falling for Bucks, I got so paranoid that I was afraid of holding his hoof in public. I even had to check over my shoulder to see if there was anyone watching before I could give him a kiss. But Bucks... He has been so patient with me. He took the time to let me get comfortable enough to show affection in public and not care if some stranger was watching. It even took Buck’s help to come out to our friends about this because I couldn’t do it by myself.”
Trixie gently pulled away. “So why didn’t you invite me to the wedding?”
“For the same reason why I haven’t told you about me and Bucks… until now. I didn’t know how you would react, and I was afraid you would react rather… poorly. Almost like what you did not too long ago. I was scared of saying something because I knew I would risk you not… seeing me as your dad anymore. Looking back at it now it seems so silly but… how was I supposed to know? Even Bucks said that I couldn’t keep this away from you forever, that you were bound to find out eventually.”
“And I did.”
Jack nodded, “Look, I know it was cowardly of me, but I knew that this would have been a major shock to you.”
“To find out that not only is your dad gay but is about to get married to his secret coltfriend - I would say that is a big understatement.” Trixie frowned, “Not to mention that you didn’t invite me to your wedding.”
“Again, I didn’t know how you would take it.”
“Then ask me. While I’m still here.”
Jack blinked, “Well… what do you think of this?”
Trixie placed her hat on her head. “Believe it or not, I’m not upset that you’ve dated a stallion. However, I’m more upset with not trusting me enough to let me know about any of this. Or that you were getting married.”
“I know… but you know why, right?”
“Yes, I understand. But as far as I see it, keeping this a secret from me is inexcusable. Though I can see why you wouldn’t want to tell mom-”
“And why would I?” Jack interrupted, “She’s not my wife anymore and I don’t have to tell her about this.”
“But the fact you never said you were seeing someone in our last visits is unfair to me. All this time that you told me all your secrets with magic and such that you never told me this until now is why I’ve come down here. It’s almost a betrayal that you excluded me from something that I wouldn’t find much of a problem with. And don’t say that you didn’t know - you’re my dad. You’re the last pony in the world that I would tell you what to do. You’re the one that flat-out told me to take charge of my life to make my own mistakes to learn from. And you know what? I have! Sure it took forever, but at least I’m improving. I wouldn’t get this far without you saying that I should be able to be free to figure out what to do with my life. And guess what? While I’m still upset at you, telling you that you shouldn’t go out with your stage partner isn’t what I’m mad about.”
Her father’s ears folded back in shame and nodded. “I know you’re right Trix. But what do you want me to do to make this right?”
“Simple.” Trixie went over to one of the coathangers to fetch her cape. “Let me be at the wedding. Even if it's to observe it, at least let me be included in my father’s wedding.”
“Really? You want to come?”
“You’re my dad, wouldn’t you do the same if I was getting married.”
“Absolutely.”
“So let me be there. Also, my caravan is in need of some repairs so would you mind if I stuck around for a few days?”
Jack went over to hug her, “Of course you can. Hey, have you eaten yet? You can come with me to dinner and I can introduce you to Bucks properly. I’m sure he’ll love to meet you.”
Before Trixie could respond, her stomach grumbled. “As long as you could maybe help chip in with enough food to get back to Ponyville.”
“Trixie,” her father said with a stern tone, “when did you eat last?”
“.... I may or not have run out of supplies yesterday.”
Jack sighed, “First, let’s get you fed, and then we’ll take care of the rest.”
“Thanks, dad.”
“No,” he let go of her, “thank you for supporting me.”
“When do you think you might come out to everyone?”
“C’mon Trix, baby steps first.”
“But I want to tell Starlight that I have a gay dad so I can anticipate the look on her face.”
“Speaking of which,” Jack smirked, “when are you going to introduce me to your marefriend? You’ve talked a lot about her.”
“Oh for the millionth time dad! Starlight is not my marefriend!”
Her father mused, “I don’t know, the way you keep talking about her from our last visits, you could have fooled me.”
“We’re just good friends!” Trixie objected loudly, her forehooves waving angrily.
“So was Bucks and I.” Jack chuckled.
“Dad!”
There was a knock on the door. “Hey Jack, is everything okay in there?”
“I’ll be right out.” Then looking over to his daughter he said, “C’mon Trixie, I think it’s about time I introduce my husband-to-be.”
“Very well,” Trixie cleared her throat, “but I’m not going to call him dad - that title belongs strictly to you.”
“Fair enough,” Jack Pot shrugged as he and his daughter head to the door, “I’m the only one that I could call him Daddy.”
“TOO MUCH INFORMATION!” Trixie cried.
