It was a beautiful morning, but a young mare living in an old yellow wagon didn’t think so. She slowly lifted her head from her hammock with a grumble. It wasn’t fair, she wanted to wake up from this nightmare that started when she was a filly. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a nightmare at all. It was reality, and she hated it. Trixie lifted her blanket off her body and looked at her flank in disgust.
It was still there, the mark that changed her life forever was still there. That horrible silver wand in front of a magical swirl she hated to see, she felt bitter when she ever saw it. She hated magic shows, she got her cutie mark after she jokingly did a magic trick to mock magicians. Now she became one, it was like one heard her and put a curse on her.
Trixie’d much rather have gotten her cutiemark at dancing! But everything she tried it ended with chaos. Singing or acting would have been a good one, but she tried to sign up for plays on many occasions and always lost to another pony who had a cutie mark dedicated to it. Birds were tweeting out the window, she sighed regretfully, jealous of those birds. Birds didn’t need a job to survive, and a magical mark didn’t determine their talent.
Trixie hated this life, any other cutie mark would have suited her! She would have much rather been stuck with a job like sports or building, or even a plumber! She grabbed a stale pancake. She loved fans and having a crowd in front of her, she loved being on stage and being the star. But not like this.
It felt more like a curse, she wished she could just remove her mark. Trixie ate her breakfast and got ready to enter the next village.
She pulled her wagon to the middle of the village and got ready, ignoring the glances she knew would see her as a magician instead of some amazing singer. Trixie went inside her wagon and got ready. Annoyed, she slowly put her hat on, she hated it, it just looked stupid, it made her look like a nerd. The cape just felt weird to her, she disliked the texture on her soft fur.
Soon she heard the noise of mumbling and excitement outside her wagon, she peeked her head out and saw a crowd forming! She sighed and looked at the buttons that would turn her wagon wall into a stage, it was in a spot where it couldn’t be pressed accidentally.
“Here we go again...” She said sadly after a long sigh. It was time to act like a magician because she was one, and she hated it, she had a pit of jealousy in her stomach. Trixie could have been any type of performer, but no, she had to be some stupid magician. Trixie used a spell to amplify her voice for her intro, that she must have said hundreds of times already. At least actors acted out all different adventures and stuff and be different characters and do all types of genre, it sounded lovely!
”Come one, come all!” Trixie shouted, “Come and witness the amazing magic of the great and powerful Trixie!” She said before her wagon turned to a stage, and she appeared in a puff of smoke. Cape flapping and her having an annoyed expression, because of all the ponies in the crowd with better lives than her!
”And ignore her grief of not having a good job,” She thought to herself. The crowd looked on amazed, one of the only good things about being a magician. But being an actor was far better because in one act she can be a loveable goofball. But in another she can be a pony who kicks butt, but here she was one thing, a pony who hated her job.
Trixie forced herself to not look upset or sigh out loud. “Watch in awe as Trixie does amazing tricks never seen before pony eyes! Like-” She said as fireworks blew up above her. She stopped herself from adding “Blah blah blah,” at the end.
She heard a white unicorn with a purple curled mane. “My, my, my, what boasting!” She said annoyed.
Trixie grumbled slightly and thought to herself, “Well, what’d you expect? A song? Magicians don’t sing because they’re foolish.”
She then overheard the white unicorn talk to a purple one and orange earth pony as she made a bunch of flowers seem to appear from nowhere. Trixie overheard every word, and she was unhappy about it.
“Well, well, well... Seems there are some unappreciative ponies in the audience! If you don’t appreciate the show, then why don’t you just leave!? I don’t need-“
The white one, seemly named Rarity, made a face, “Just who does she think she is, bossing us around?”
“A pony’s who’s been forced to be a magician and whom doesn’t need any more negative energy!?” Trixie thought to herself.
The purple dragon and the unicorn had seemed to have ran off to talk to each other. Soon enough a light blue pegasus with a rainbow mane flew into her face with an annoyed expression. Trixie stood on her hind legs. Also annoyed as this pegasus hovered in her face.
”Sooo... What is it again? Great and Powerful Trixie?” The pegasus asked, only for Trixie to grunt in annoyance. “What makes you so awesome anyway?” The pegasus asked.
Trixie gasped, she saw this as an opportunity! If she makes up a big and believablestory, then she might just become a story writer or an actress at last! She just needed to think of something. “Heh,” Trixie said with a grin, thinking of a dangerous beast that would make an amazing story to tell. “Dontcha know that Trixie... Is the pony who saved a town against a dreaded manti-ursa major!?” She said in a very dramatic tone.
The ponies all gasped in shock, Tricia was doing great, her acting career was at a start! Goodbye magic tricks and hello acting! Trixie smiled with pride and she looked at everyone.
”Hol-up, how’d you manage that, Missy?” Asked the orange earth pony.
Trixie kept her cool as she thought of something from the top of her head, “Uh...” She did a fake cough, “Ahem! When the town, Hoofingvile was in danger from being devoured by an Ursa Major. Trixie stepped in and sung an awesome musical number that send it back to its cave in the Everfree Forest!”
”Woah... No way...” Two colts said in amazement. Everyone doomed amazed and shocked, Trixie grinned proudly, her acting and storytelling was getting better and better! The small blue unicorn colt jumped up happily. ”Trixie is the most magical unicorn in Equestria!”
Trixie’s eyes widen in shock, she was going for ‘amazing’ or ‘realistic’ storyteller or actor! She didn’t expect them to actually believe it was true, she was just telling a story! But she didn’t say anything, she adored the crowd and wanted to keep it for as long as possible. She sighed, before she could do or say anything, the orange unicorn colt spoke up. ”I bet you’re all too weak against you, she can defeat all, of you!”
”That’s right!” The blue one challenged, “Anyone want to try and prove it!?”
Trixie sighed, well it was worth a shot. Now she was being seen and praised as a smelly, ugly magician instead of a graceful storyteller. “Anything you can do, she can do, better,” The blue colt added.
”That’s it, I had enough of this nonsense, I’m booing this uptight unicorn outta here,” The orange earth pony said as she got on the stage.
”What’s your name?” Trixie asked, tired of referring to her as the orange earth pony.
”Applejack, and ah’ will defeat y’all!” She said determinedly.
Trixie sighed before thinking to herself, “How bout defeating this curse?”
“Applejack!” Rarity called out, “Get down, you stand zero chance. You need to be a unicorn to win against the likes of her!”
”I’ll take her on alright!” Applejack shouted, “You’ll have your turn after!”
Trixie rolled her eyes and watched as she twirled a rope around with her tail. It looked like a lot of fun, unfortunately she has tried that on many occasions. One occasion ending with her getting a trip to the hospital with a broken leg.
She watched as Applejack grabbed an apple from a tree with it and ate the apple in one gulp. It looked like fun, and every rodeo she had seen looked like a blast! She’d much rather be a famous rodeo player than a magician.
She looked at Applejack sadly. “What’s wrong,” She asked happily, “Know you won’t be able to match that!?”. Trixie didn’t respond, she only looked at her sadly, wishing that she had the talent she had instead.
Rainbow Dash got on stage and shooed Applejack off, “No, she feels bad because she knows she’ll kick your butt!”
“What are you? A mind reader?” Thought Trixie.
”Okay, I know you won’t be able to beat this one!” Rainbow called proudly.
Trixie felt trapped, this felt like a prison. But this job was how she got money, ponies sometimes threw bits on stage if it was in a place like Ponyville. But somewhere like Manehattan or Canterlot where she could put a show in a stage in a large theatre where ponies paid to see. She would get many bits. Most of the time she would get profit as in the end she would get paid more than what renting the stage costed her in the first place.
She watched as Rainbow Dash dashed through clouds, puncturing holes in them,. Trixie had to pretend to not be amazed as she watched her.
Rainbow then spin around and around the blades of a windmill, it was an interesting sight. Soon, Rainbow Dash landed on the stage with spread wings, plus a rainbow appearing over her. The crowd’s gasp’s drowned out Trixie’s.
Trixie would have loved to be a pegasus, make amazing shapes with clouds or create beautiful things like rainbows.
“They don’t call me ‘Rainbow’ and ‘Dash’ for nothin’” Rainbow Dash boasted proudly.
Trixie wanted to make the rainbow big enough to go over her stage, so she excitedly zapped it! Unfortunately it didn’t go the way she wanted, the rainbow span around Rainbow like a twister, she was trapped in it! It went into the air before landing in some dirt and disappearing with Rainbow Dash on the ground, dizzy and dirty.
She gulped in shock, she felt terrible for Rainbow! Trixie zapped the air above her as she got up, hoping to teleport a rain cloud that would clean her up, but it only made things worse!
The thundercloud zapped Rainbow Dash in the rump! The crowd laughed at Rainbow Dash, but to Trixie it felt they were laughing at her! She took a step back with a very regretful expression. “Guess I should have had a dash of good sense before making her act better...” She said quietly.
”We need a unicorn to show this unicorn who’s boss!” Rainbow Dash shouted.
Applejack chuckled as she looked at the purple one whom Trixie didn’t know the name of yet. “A real unicorn to unicorn tussle,”
“Rarity had enough of this! You two are such uncultured ruffians, so this is my job, I use beauty and grace!” Rarity interrupted them and marched on stage. Trixie let out a defeated sigh, and she sat on the ground. She looked at Rarity’s cutie mark, it was beautiful, so much better than a boring old wand.
“Like I have a choice...” Trixie said quietly.
Rarity ignored her, “Enough! I’ll show you that unicorns need more than just magic and muscle! We need to be majestic!”
The audience seemed amazed by Rarity. Trixie rolled her eyes, wanting this torture to end! She watched Rarity snatch a curtain from her stage and turn it into a dress. It seemed Rarity was a designer, Trixie was impressed, she had a look at her mane and had an idea!
Maybe she could surprise her with a style! She blasted Rarity’s hair, but messed up badly! It ended with her running off-stage with ugly green hair and tears.
Trixie sighed in shame, her attempted at designing a mane went horrible. She wiped a tear and watched the audience, they didn’t seem to notice her pain. “Anyone else?” She asked, “Maybe Mc-purple-I-never-got-your-name over there,” Trixie said as she pointed at Twilight.
”Noope, no pony special! Just an ordinary pony, gotta go!” She said before running away.
Trixie sighed, “Well, it’s over, go home...” She turned around, “Trixie failed at having a different talent... Again... Was there ever any doubt?”
Trixie brushed her mane as she looked into the mirror, it was cracked from the multiple times she kicked it in anger. She started to drink a smoothie with extra hay she had brought herself. Soon the two unicorn colts, now she knew they were named Snip and Snails, ran over to her.
”What?” She asked.
”Can you tell us more about-“ Snips asked quickly.
“Trixie’d,” She gasped, speaking in third person had become a habit, she hated it. “I’d rather not- I’m far too exhausted, and I need alone time!” She said dramatically.
”Olay, G and P T... I wanna be a magician like you when I’m older!” He said to be happy for Trixie’s likening.
Trixie sighed, feeling bad she tarnished their minds. A magician is a curse, not a fun thing. “You don’t...” She sighed before they ran away, “You really don’t...”
That night, Trixie laid in her hammock, looking at her cutiemark. “Why me,” sighed, “I never asked for this!”
Soon she heard the noise of hooves rapidly knocking at her door, she opened it to see Snips and Snails again.
”You two?” She questioned, “What are you doing?”
”We have a teeny, tiny problem-“ Snips started.
”A biiiiiiig one!” Snails interrupted.
Trixie sighed, “If it’s about becoming a magician, Trix-I will not tell you because-“ She was cut off by a loud roar. Nervously she looked up and saw a large blue bear coming out from some trees.
Ursa majors are real! This whole time, Trixie thought they were just a pony-tale. Before she could ask if it was a real one the two colts ran away screaming, Trixie followed, also screaming.
The Ursa crushed her wagon with a foot! That would be a good thing if her parents wouldn’t end up shouting at her for getting her wagon ruined. They were so happy, Trixie was a magician, so she could follow in the dad’s hoof-prints. Near a wall, the three stopped, Snips shouted.
”Sing that awesome musical number and send it away!”
Trixie gasped in shock, “Wh-what!?” She looked at them, “You can’t just sing a song to stop a rampaging monster!” She gasped, “We need experts!”
”It can’t be a bad song!” Snips shouted.
Snails agreed, “Yeah, it was hard to lead it here!”
”You did what!?” Tricia screeched at them, “Are you- what the heck made you think that was a good idea!?”
”So could sing that awesome song and get rid of us like you told us!” Snips exclaimed.
Trixie gasped, “What!? Do you two believe everything you hear? That was just an act! A story! Do you really believe every play or pony-tale is based on a true story!?” She ranted, “I only made that up because I saw a chance to be something amazing! Not some stupid magician everyone expects me to be because of my cutiemark!”
”Huh?” The colts said in unison.
”Its fake!?” Snails shouted.
”I never chose my cutiemark!” Trixie exclaimed as her voice cracked as she started crying. “Ever since I got this thing on my butt everypony was proud, o didn’t want to disappoint my family, so I went with it for years! I wanted to be an actor or a singer, not this! This is unfair!” She cried. Trixie curled up into a ball, “And I’m gonna die because I attempted to be a story-writer,” She said as she cried into her tail as she hugged it in her hooves. “I’m gonna die being known as a pointless, stupid magician!”
Soon some music played, Trixie lifted her head to see Twilight playing on an instrument as her horn was glowing. It was to put the Ursa to sleep. It was a relaxing tune, Trixie didn’t understand where it was coming from, but it at least working.
The Ursa was lifted in magic and drunk from a makeshift bottle, filled with milk, as it floated towards the forest. She was amazed but scared, she saw her wagon in ruins! If her family found out what happened and how it happened, she would be disowned for sure!
She wasn’t exactly focused on what anypony else was saying. But she heard, “It was just a baby, Ursa Minor.”
Trixie gasped, “It was just a baby!? And Ursas are real!?” Everypony stared at her in annoyance. The small dragon and Twilight had a chat, Trixie grumbled.
“Well, you may have gotten me grounded by my parents for trying to be something other than a magician, but... You don’t have to rub it in that you have better talents!” She said before running away.
She ran as far as she could from them. This life was horrible! Trixie found herself seeking shelter in a hollowed out tree, not knowing what to do next. Not wanting to do much, she hated her life, she hated her cutiemark. What did she do to deserve this? She didn’t know, she laid on the damp soil and thought of what to do next.
The next morning, she walked along the dirty path, alone. Earlier, she had managed to go to her wagon’s ruins to pack a pair of saddlebags and escape. Ponyville was now far in the distance.
“What do I tell my parents?” Trixie whispered to herself as she trudged along with head low. “Maybe Manehattan will give me another chance at going for a play?” She asked sadly as she dragged her hooves further and further from Ponyville.
”I’m a disappointment...” She tried holding in her tears as she looked at the path ahead, not even knowing what direction she was heading. “I hope wherever I end up, I’ll have another chance...” Trixie then looked back, tears now flowing, “Fairwell Ponyville, thanks for... Nothing...”
She decided that wherever she’d end up she’d possibly start a new life, maybe she might find somepony who can change her mark. Her gut hurt in regret as she looked ahead.
