“Wait, so she isn’t the Starlight Glimmer we met the other day?” Applejack asked.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. After that rather embarrassing encounter she had with Starlight, they went to their practice room as they usually do after school. Sunset’s friends couldn’t help but press her more about what had happened earlier.

“If I remember correctly, Starlight- well, the other one- was my- I mean my other self- student,” Twilight tried to make sense of everything.

“Yes, she’s Princess Twilight’s protege,” Sunset confirmed. “Gosh, I feel so dumb… I should have known it wasn’t the same Starlight. Of course the Starlight of this world was bound to run into us eventually. I mean, we did with Twilight even if you all met the one from my original world.”

“Does this mean she’ll be our Twilight’s student eventually?” Rarity asked.

“I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of responsibility,” Twilight replied, looking down.

“No one is expecting that from you,” Sunset said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Not everything has to be one-to-one between our worlds…”

“I know, but… knowing the other me is this amazing and powerful princess feels intimidating sometimes. Like I'm not up to… well, myself.”

“You are your own person, you don't have to be like Princess Twilight,” Sunset tried to reassure her.

“I know, but still-”

“Hey, sorry to interrupt, but are we going to practice or what?” Rainbow Dash suddenly said.

“Rainbow Dash!” Appledash scolded.

“What? This is why we are here, isn't it?” Dash argued.

“Rainbow Dash is right, we won't have access to the room for all day so we should start practicing,” Twilight said.

“Still, I can't shake the feeling there's something odd with this Starlight Glimmer,” Sunset suddenly added.

“Oh come on! Less talking about that girl and more music already!” Dash let out, exasperated.

“I'm being serious! The way she flinched when I tried to reach out to her… it felt like she was wary somehow.”

“Sunset, darling, I don't want to be rude, but… most people would feel uncomfortable if a stranger was suddenly trying to touch them without warning,” Rarity said.

“But I wasn't going to hurt her or anything! She looked so… worried. Like I was going to harm her somehow…”

“Speaking from personal experience, I used to be very wary if someone tried to touch me, especially a stranger,” Twilight said. “I would still feel uneasy if a stranger was trying to touch me, even in an innocent way.”

Fluttershy nodded in agreement with this statement. Sunset sighed.

“I suppose you are right. I got so caught up with the fact I was friends with the other Starlight that I forgot that this Starlight was her own person and didn't know me. She must have felt intimidated to have this random stranger act as if she knew her, and then try to grab her… ugh, now I see what you mean. I should apologize to her later.”

“If she is anything like the Starlight we met, I'm sure she will understand,” Applejack said.

“Hmmm…” Pinkie Pie looked unusually serious, rubbing her chin as she was lost in her thoughts.

“What's wrong Pinkie?” Sunset asked.

“I just have the strange feeling we are forgetting something important about Starlight,” Pinkie Pie said.

“I also have this feeling-” Fluttershy said softly.

“Oh well, if I can't remember it probably isn't important!” Pinkie exclaimed cheerfully. “Let's get the music starting!”

“Finally! Let's rock and roll!” Rainbow Dash let out, grabbing her guitar.

“... Nevermind…” Fluttershy muttered.

The others grabbed their respective instruments, quickly forgetting about Starlight Glimmer.

The Great and Powerful Trixie wasn’t feeling so great and powerful lately. Sure, she wasn’t doubting her greatness and power, that she would never- those were simply irrefutable facts- but she couldn’t help but feel like her great and powerful talents were underappreciated lately.

Her magic shows, as amazing as they were, were getting less and less attraction. And it wasn’t that Trixie herself was any less incredible than she always was. No, there was something completely out of her control that made people less interested in her shows, as insane as it sounded.

And she knew exactly what it was.

Music came from one of the school’s rooms as Trixie passed by. She didn’t even need to check in to know it was the Rainboom practicing, probably getting their usual pony ears, tail and wings as they did so.

Trixie tried to push away the ugly feeling rising in her heart. No, she was absolutely not envious of their magic. As if the Great and Powerful Trixie would ever be jealous of anyone!

*But she be damned, magic being real sure wasn't good for business as a trickster.*

Trixie sighed and looked down, walking to her locker to pick up her magic kit, lost in her thoughts. She didn't see that someone was walking in the same direction as her and ran into them.

“Ack!”

Trixie ungracefully and painfully fell on her butt.

“Oops, I'm so sorry-” a feminine voice said.

“You better be! Do you know who I am!?” Trixie let out.

“Uh… no?”

Trixie internally gasped. Someone, not knowing who she was? It was completely unfathomable! Unacceptable, even.

The magician raised her head, ready to glare at the impertinent girl who dared not know her greatness, until she realized her mistake (yes, even Trixie makes mistakes).

Trixie didn't know that girl. Sure, it wasn't unusual for Trixie to not be familiar with her fellow students- after all none of them were as great and memorable as her- but it wasn't just that didn't know that girl’s name, she also never saw her before.

“I'm new here so I haven't had the chance to know everyone here yet,” she said

“I figured,” Trixie mumbled.

The other girl offered her a warm smile as she stretched her hand.

“I'm Starlight Glimmer. So sorry for bumping into you. I forgot something in my locker and I was in a hurry, I mustn't have been careful where I was going.”

Trixie felt taken aback. She wasn't used to people being so friendly towards her, especially not people her age. She was not unpopular by any means (the Great and Powerful Trixie was popular of course), but people were unable to really grasp her greatness and treat her accordingly. They would (wrongfully) assume she was a “boast” and avoid her.

Not that Trixie cared. She was too great to lower herself to something as futile as “friendship”. As long as she was recognized for her talents it was all that mattered. She was not feeling lonely at all.

Right?

Trixie realized Starlight was looking at her with a curious expression. The magician looked at the hand she was offering her and with some hesitation, seized it. Starlight helped her get back on her feet.

“Sorry again.”

“No, there's no need to apologize, I wasn't looking where I went either. But since you don't know who I am, allow me to introduce myself!”

At least since Starlight was a new student she could impress her with her tricks. She was probably not desensitized to magic already like the other students.

Trixie opened her locker and quickly grabbed a few items, making sure Starlight couldn't see them.

“Behold, the Great, and Powerful, Trrrrixie!”

Like on cue, Trixie threw a smoke bomb to the ground.

“Woah!” Starlight cried out, taken by surprise.

When the smoke dissipated, Trixie was now wearing her magician hat and cape, striking a dramatic pose.

“Tada!”

Starlight just stood there, emotionless, staring at Trixie.

“... are you what they call a ‘cosplayer’?” Starlight asked.

Trixie’s jaw nearly fell.

“... It appears Trixie will need to give you a demonstration,” the magician said, picking up another item from her locker.

She then showed a card deck to Starlight.

“Pick a card! Any card!” Trixie exclaimed. “And then put it back in the deck!”

Starlight cocked her head but didn’t protest, picking a card from the deck. She took a good look at it before putting it back in the deck.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie will now perform her magic!”

Starlight raised an eyebrow at that. It seemed what Trixie said had caught her interest.

“Is this your card?” Trixie asked with a cocky grin, holding one of the cards.

Starlight smirked. For a split second, Trixie had a bad feeling until Starlight opened her mouth.

“Yes.”

Trixie immediately beamed with joy and pride.

“It worked!” Trixie exclaimed before regaining her composure. “O-of course it worked! My Great and Powerful magic never fails!”

Starlight let out a chuckle. Trixie frowned.

“I'm sorry, but did Trixie say anything funny?”

“I just think you're… interesting,” Starlight replied with an enigmatic smile.

“Huh? Are you making fun of Trixie!?”

“No, no, you got it wrong,” Starlight’s smile became comforting. “I think you're an interesting person and I'd like to get to know you better.”

Trixie was surprised. She didn't recall the last time someone told her something like that. Not that she didn’t already know she was interesting, but it felt good to finally have someone recognizing it. With how down she felt recently, this was certainly welcomed.

“W-well, if you’d like, Trixie could show you more of her amazing magic tricks!”

“I would love to, but I don’t want to take too much of your time-”

“Nonsense! The Great and Powerful Trixie has always time for those who truly appreciate the art of prestidigitation!”

But as she grabbed her magic kit she suddenly recalled a certain detail.

“Trixie isn’t busy, but didn’t you say you were in a hurry?”

“O-oh, right, I did say that…” Starlight replied, looking away. “Well, one cannot be too busy to witness more magic tricks from the great and powerful Trixie. Don’t worry, whatever I had to do before, you are much more interesting to me now.”

“Hmmm… Trixie can’t argue with that. She is definitely more interesting than anything else!”

Trixie was filled with a great feeling of pride to know this girl would rather watch her magic tricks than do whatever else she was in such a hurry to do. She felt great and powerful again.

Trixie wrapped her arm around Starlight's shoulders, guiding her through the corridor. Starlight didn't seem to mind the sudden physical contact and let herself be led by the magician.

“Well then, let's go find ourselves an empty room so Trixie can amaze you with her incredible magic!”

Author's Note

Trixie joined the story! Writing her was very fun!
Thanks for everyone's feedback on the story and I hope you liked this chapter ^^
btw, the card trick is inspired by this art piece