Like Father, Like Daughter
A unicorn stallion sporting a top hat and a dark purple jacket smiled, admiring the scenery as he took in the sights and sounds of a typical Ponyville day. The town was bustling with activity from ponies of all different species, and there were even a few non-ponies thrown into the mix.
But the stallion didn't have much time to admire the view. He had come to Ponyville for a reason, after all. And it wasn't just to be on vacation. No, this was personal. He was here to reunite with his only daughter.
There was just one problem, his daughter apparently resided at a place called The School of Friendship. And the stallion had no idea where that was or what it looked like.
Undeterred, the unicorn decided to simply inquire one of the locals, hoping that they might know where he needed to go. Soon, the stallion's wandering eyes fell upon a cream colored earth pony mare with a mane and tail consisting of dark blue and pink locks. He cleared his throat and trotted up to her. "Excuse me, miss?"
The earth pony spun around and blinked. "Are you talking to me?"
The unicorn nodded. "Yes," And he immediately laid bare his request. "Do you by any chance know where I can find The School of Friendship?"
The earth pony mare blinked anew, something about this unicorn stallion seemed vaguely familiar to her. As if she'd seen somepony who looked just like him, but why that was she couldn't put her hoof on. "And who might you be, sir?" She questioned the stranger.
The stallion bowed his head. "Ah yes, where are my manners?" Using his magic, he lifted off his top hat and proclaimed. "The name's Jackpot, or The Great and Powerful Jackpot as I'm known in the world of performance," Then he explained. "I've been told my daughter works at that school, so I was hoping you could give me directions to it."
The earth pony mare simply pointed a hoof. "Just go down this road and make a right. It's a truly massive structure, you can't miss it. It's right next to the crystal tree that Princess Twilight used to live in. Now, apparently, the school's headmare resides there."
Jackpot smiled, eagerly shaking the hoof of the earth pony. "Oh, thank you!" And then he set off, his destination now a bit clearer in mind.
The earth pony watched Jackpot trot away into the distance, then she sighed and shook her head. "Seems like we get all kinds of visitors in Ponyville nowadays."
At the School of Friendship, classes had long since been dismissed for the summer. But the faculty at the school were still there, finishing up discussions about lesson plans for the next school year and a few other outstanding things that needed to be resolved.
Starlight, the school's headmare, appeared to be in something of a rush as she paced back and forth inside the counselor's office, all the while Trixie and Sunburst watched her with looks of concern (and in Trixie's case impatience). "Are we absolutely sure we've got the lesson plan all worked out for the next year?" She asked her friends and coworkers while biting her hoof. "Things were so much easier when Twilight was here, she's always been good at organizing and scheduling."
"Starlight, relax," Sunburst insisted. "We've been at this since summer break began last month. Heck, summer's only just begun. We've got plenty of time to work things out."
Trixie then chimed in. "Yeah, what Sunburst said. No offense, Starlight, but you really need a vacation. Some time off from the school will do you good. I'm not just saying that as a great and powerful guidance counselor, I'm also saying that as a friend."
Starlight ceased in her pacing even as the nervous look in her eyes did not fade. "Oh, I just can't help worrying. Next year is gonna be my first full year as a headmare. I knew I'd have some big horseshoes to fill when Twilight entrusted me with the school, but I didn't think it'd be this difficult. Are we sure there's nothing outstanding that needs to get done? That this school is up to code?"
Trixie firmly insisted. "Even if it isn't, we've got months to figure it out and get it fixed. You really need to relax, Starlight. Your twilighting is putting Twilight's twilighting to shame."
Sunburst proceeded to speak up in a more reassuring and comforting tone. "Look, Starlight, I was already planning to take this weekend off as it was. It is going to be Father's Day on Sunday. My dad's coming back to Sire's Hollow, and I really want to see him, it's been so long since I have. And I'm sure your dad would love to have you back in Sire's Hollow too."
Reluctantly, Starlight sighed and seemed to agree. "Knowing my dad, he won't stop breathing down my neck until I agree to spend time with him. Still, I guess I could take some time off to clear my head."
Sunburst smiled. "Exactly, Starlight. So let's end this meeting and pop over to the castle to pack up our things so we can catch the train. Mom says that Sire's Hollow is lovely this time of year. And of course, my mother is always right." He delivered that last line with a noticeable nervous laugh.
"And meanwhile, The Great and Powerful Trixie shall be enjoying some much needed r&r here in Ponyville," Trixie insisted. "The school and the castle shall both be safe as long as Trixie is around."
"Don't you have anything special you're planning to do for Father's Day?" Sunburst questioned his fellow unicorn. "I mean, you do have a father, right? I think Starlight said you mentioned him once."
At that the magician turned guidance counselor humphed, frowned, and swished her tail irritably from side to side as her overall posture changed. "I had a father. But far as I'm concerned, he might as well not even have existed. He walked out on my mother and I long ago and never came back. He cared only about his magic career. He barely ever wrote letters."
Starlight locked eyes with her fellow unicorn mare. "Trixe, you know we talked about this. You can't just cut your father out of your life. He's your father for Celestia's sake."
Trixie only protested back. "I wrote him a letter, that's about what he deserves. Why should I forgive him when he's never bothered to be part of Trixie's life at any point?! He's nothing like your father, Starlight. Or even your father, Sunburst. Nopony could understand what it's like to grow up not knowing your father at all."
"Hey, my father was often away due to work," Sunburst tried to argue. "But you never hear me complaining about it."
"And don't forget, I ran away from my father because I couldn't stand the way he was treating me," Starlight reminded Trixie. "Only later did I learn that it wouldn't solve anything. Much as I might not have liked some of the things my father did, I couldn't go on ignoring him and treating him like he didn't exist. I'm sure your father feels much the same, he would love to be able to see you and see the pony you've grown up to be."
Trixie was not persuaded or convinced for a second. "Whatever. Just because it worked for you and Sunburst doesn't mean it'll work for Trixie," She then turned around. "Well, if there's nothing else left to discuss, Trixie shall stay here to lock up the school. You two enjoy your time off together, don't let Trixie get in your way."
"Trixie..." Starlight began.
Trixie merely gestured a hoof to the two other unicorns. "Go on! Go! You both agree you need this vacation. Don't let Trixie be the reason why you were late." And she not so subtly used her magic to all but push them towards the door of the guidance counselor's office.
Reluctantly, Starlight and Sunburst agreed that it was no use trying to argue with Trixie. She was set in her ways and was unlikely to change. So they simply chose to exit the room (and then the entire school building). However, before leaving, Starlight looked to the only other pony she considered her "best friend". "Listen, Trixie. If you ever feel like you wanna talk about... you know what, you can. We can always just communicate through letters."
The off-duty counselor only impatiently snorted. "Why are you still here?! Get going, already!" Then she trotted over to her desk, sat down in it and turned her back to both Starlight and Sunburst (both of whom then departed without another word).
Trixie was not alone in her office for long, though, before there came a frantic and energetic knock at her office door. With another humph, she growled and got up, trotting over to the door to answer it. "Starlight, I swear," She began as she used her magic to open the door. "If this is about my father..." But the rest of her sentence was cut off when she was surprised to find that it wasn't Starlight (or Sunburst for that matter) waiting on the other side of the door.
Instead, Trixie was most surprised to be greeted with the sight of a unicorn stallion who sported the same coat color, and mane and tail (both color and style) the same as her own. Heck, he even had eyes that were similar in color to her own dark purple eyes. She immediately recognized this stallion, even though she'd only truly had photos to draw upon for reference. Her mouth hung open in shock for a moment, before she was able to utter one single word. "Dad?"
The stallion seemed to be struggling not to look guilty as he slowly nodded his head. "Yes, Trixie. It is I, Jackpot, your father. I am... delighted to see you again after all these years."
Trixie's response was not what Jackpot had been expecting. Rather than burst into tears and rush into his embrace, or even simply usher him inside for a talk, she used her magic to slam the doors of her office shut in his face!
Jackpot sighed deeply. He probably should've anticipated such a reaction from his daughter. That last letter he'd gotten from her had made it clear just how much of a "delicate relationship" she had with him right now. But he hadn't come all the way to Ponyville just to be turned away. So instead, completely uninvited and unprompted, he lit up his own horn and pushed open the doors, locking eyes with his daughter once again.
The off duty guidance counselor snarled and turned her back to Jackpot. "This office is closed! Go away!" She snapped!
Jackpot refused to take no for an answer. "Come on, Trixie," He sweetly pleaded as he reached into his hat, producing a small bouquet of flowers from seemingly nowhere. "I know you're mad at me. You have every right to be. But can't you at least hear your old stallion out? Don't you at least want to know why I'm here?"
"If you think I'm gonna just let you back into my life now that I'm a great and powerful guidance counselor on top of being a great and powerful magician, you've got another thing coming," Trixie humphed without turning around to face her father. "You're just here to kiss up! Well it won't work! Trixie has no time for you!"
Jackpot desperately pleaded as he trotted closer to his daughter's desk. "Please, Trixie! You can't really stay mad at me forever, can you?! Your old stallion is sorry he wasn't part of your life when he should be."
"Well sorry doesn't fix it! It's not like you could travel back in time and be a part of Trixie's life like you should've been in the first place!" Trixie coldly hissed! "And now, all of a sudden, you think you can just waltz in and pretend you haven't been absent from my life almost from day one?! I don't think so! Get out of here, and don't let my door hit you on the way out!"
The unicorn stallion felt his lips begin to quiver as he could see clearly just how much resentment and contempt his daughter had for him. It really was silly, now that he thought about it more, to assume that one letter could accurately convey everything Trixie was feeling towards him. Still, he didn't want to just leave. He was determined to make amends with his daughter, or at least try to.
Trixie was surprised at the silence she was now receiving from her father. But she knew he hadn't left like she'd wanted him to, she hadn't heard any hoofsteps. She growled with impatience, turning around to lock eyes with her father. Then, she rose from her seat and trotted up to him, staring him down as she pressed her snout up against his. "What part of 'Get lost' don't you understand?!" She complained, her lips quivering a bit. "Why can't you just leave Trixie alone, like you always have?!"
Jackpot did his best to keep a straight face and not look too guilty. "I'm not going to sugarcoat it, Trixie. I made a bad call," He began to apologize. "Believe me, your mother gave me quite a verbal beatdown when she learned I was planning to leave you and her almost as soon as you were born. I convinced myself it would all be worth it if I could make a name for myself, to be the greatest and most powerful magician ever," He sighed anew as his shoulders slouched. "But I see now that I was foolishly throwing away the things that were truly the most important to me. I wanted to be a great and powerful magician, when I should've been a great and powerful father."
All Trixie could bring herself to say in reply was. "Dad..." The rest of the words she wanted to say died on her tongue.
"If nothing else, though," Jackpot pleaded. "Don't you think you could at least show your father just how great of a magician you've become on your own? Is it really true you honed your skills babysitting foals as a teenager? Because I had to hone my skills in a much more hostile environment. Trust me, the crowds of Las Pegasus are very demanding."
There was a long silence between father and daughter, as neither pony could find the courage to speak.
At last, however, Trixie managed to force out in an uncertain tone of voice. "F...fine! Trixie is never a pony to turn down a request for a magic show, no matter who makes the request."
Some time later, Trixie had hastily set up a stage next to the old wagon she always traveled with (and still often slept inside of). She had proudly donned her periwinkle hat and cape adorned with white stars, an outfit she hadn't worn since... she couldn't remember when. Had it really been that long since the last time she'd put on a show? Siltenly, the unicorn made a mental note to see about occasionally putting on a show for the students now under hers, Starlight and Sunburst's supervision.
But those were thoughts for another time and place. Right now, all that mattered to Trixie was putting on a good performance for her audience of one. After all, it had been quite a long time since the magician had ever done a performance without the aid of her great and powerful assistant.
Jackpot, meanwhile, watched and waited with anticipation. This was his chance to see what his daughter was truly capable of, whether she truly was like him or if she had blazed her own path in his absence.
Trixie ran through her usual routines to the best of her ability on her own. She even saw fit to perform the "terrifying trunk escape", albeit without Starlight on hoof to provide the usual dramatics.
When at last the performance was finished, Trixie respectfully bowed to the only pony in the audience. Then, the curtain was drawn across the stage and the show came to an end. Yet Jackpot's applause with the clapping of his hooves could still be heard.
Jackpot soon saw fit to appear backstage in a flash of magic, flashing a toothy smile at his daughter. "Marvelous! Simply marvelous! You really are the spitting image of your old stallion, Trixie!" He proclaimed proudly and loudly! Then he wiped a tear from his eyes. "You've grown up so much, Trixie."
Trixie sighed. "You're right, I have. And you always will be my father, whether I admit it or not," But she quickly threw up a hoof. "However, that doesn't mean you're going to be part of my life. I don't think I'm ready to forgive you for being absent from my life for so long. And I don't know if I ever will be."
At that, Jackpot frowned but did his best to hide his displeasure. "I... suppose that's fair enough." He conceded to his daughter.
"But..." Trixie hesitantly added. "At the least, maybe, could you promise to stay in touch more often through letters? I don't want to completely cut you out."
"I'll do my best to keep up with your letters, Trixie," Jackpot promised. "And if you ever come to Las Pegasus someday, I hope you'll pay your old stallion a visit," Then he saw fit to ask. "By the way, how's your mother? I haven't really heard anything about her."
The magician mare simply replied. "She's doing about as well as she can be, given the circumstances. But don't expect me to tell her you were here. I don't think she'll ever want to even see your face again."
Jackpot nodded quite slowly. "True, true. The look on her face the day I left, oh, it would've killed if looks could kill."
At that mental image, Trixie couldn't help but giggle. And strangely enough, she was surprised to find her father sharing the laughter. Was this what it felt like to have a bond with your father? To feel like he was part of your life?
Author's Note
Here it is at last, the sequel I'm sure all of you have been waiting for ever since "Trixie Hits The Jackpot" came out.
