Trixie Will Be Performing The Greatestest Tricks Today

Twilight had grown up with a rare condition which left her physically feeble. Even the smallest bit of excitement could end with vast consequences. That was one of the main reasons the best she had gotten out of her life had been books. Not that she was complaining. Her papa had told her that smart ponies didn’t complain and Twilight was a smart pony.

But even smart ponies wanted more out of the world than pictures and words. She knew the way from home to the hospital and that was her knowledge of the world. To her, the city of Canterlot was only streets which ended in crossings, of those only one path actually lead somewhere. To Twilight, Canterlot was the Cadenza Street, with its sweets shop that had an image of the ancient princess on its windows. It was the nice mare in it that had been super close to Shining Armor. To Twilight, Canterlot was the street that went by the new city hall. A large, black building with guards posted in front of it, wearing the blue coats of the republican guard and really neat hats. To Twilight, Canterlot was filled with brown and red houses and the alleys in between them. To Twilight, Canterlot was the pubs and places her papa went to forget that mama had died and his dear son hadn’t wanted to go to the military school.

They crawled beneath the ruined branches of the bushes and over the paling grass. Trixie keeping her package firm between her remaining teeth while lending Twilight help whenever she got too weak to walk on her own. For Twilight that lifted any remaining suspicions she had about the other unicorn.

While they hurried through the hospital's garden, Twilight noticed that some ponies saw them, but didn’t pay them any mind. Lucky for them, Twilight thought, if nopony really noticed them, miss Redheart wouldn’t find out. She didn’t want Redheart to be upset. The other nurses seemed to be always upset, so she really, really wanted to keep at least one nice pony to remain here.

By the time they reached the gate the small brown filly felt ecstatic. Trixie just gave a casual nod to the guard that was placed there. His answer was a dull gaze in their direction, telling them how little he cared about his work here. It reminded her of one of the Sherclop Pones stories she had read, only that had been an asylum, and he had a princess in companionship.

“We’re going to our meeting point,” Trixie announced as they went unto the streets. Twilight had to bob her head.

“Meeting point?”

“Yes,” Trixie answered, “you should see the others too.” Twilight strained to hear Trixie as the noise from the city overtook her entirely. She saw the mouth of the other filly still moving, but couldn’t make out anything she said. Was she explaining something important? Twilight didn't know, but didn't say anything herself. Truth was, she had enough trouble keeping up with the other filly.

She had never walked through Canterlot, the best look she had gotten was through the windows of home, the hospital or during the rides with the motorized carriage. So her eyes went from one side to another and for these moments, she forgot the bed bound, sickly filly with the books. She simply took it in. The stallions with their top hats and the mares with their fancy headdresses trotting around on the sidewalks. Carriages, both motorized and with ponies pulling them, went over the streets, creating the loud noises of high noon traffic. They rushed over the street, past some pegasus, who was probably a soldier of some sort, standing with his family, boasting to what might’ve been his daughter.

“Daddy’ll go soon to seriously kick some griffon flank! Really, RD, there’s nothing to worry about.”

All Twilight had was a short moment to take it in, his black uniform with the golden buttons marking him as a high-ranking military from Cloudsdale. Twilight knew because one of the picture books her own father had given Shining had all equestrian military ranks in it. Though that wasn't what got her attention, instead she looked to the filly who seemed to weep in the arms of the mare that might’ve been her mother. Twilight didn’t know, however she noted that “RD’s” mane had six colors, from black to pale blonde. Now, Trixie didn’t look so weird anymore.

Seconds later her legs had given in and she had fallen into a puddle in the middle of a small alley, trash all around her and small rats looking at her with minor interest. The filly had started coughing again and the pain had come back. Her meal was coming up again, too.

“Breathe Twilight, breathe!” she heard a voice beside her, “calm, like me . . . Look at me, watch me! Look at Trixie! Look at her! You need to follow Trixie!.”

She looked at the paling filly who breathed in and that in a manner most over the top. Still, Twilight did as wanted, breathing in and out, slowly calming down. The pain stopped and her tummy felt better too, after a few moments. Trixie stood by her side the whole time, offering a hug. She whispered reassuring words into Twilight’s ear; that she wouldn’t let anything bad happen to her, that she was her friend, that she’d never leave anypony alone, that Twilight could trust her, because Trixie was honest.

Twilight noted that the other filly had suddenly started talking in the third person but didn’t really make anything of it, still it was a good thought to keep her occupied as she faded away into the land of dreams again.

She woke up under another blanket with Trixie looking at her with a worried expression which immediately turned into relief. “Oh, by Celestia, you’re awake again,” she told Twilight and gave her another hug.

“Y-yeah,” the filly said, giving a hug back herself. After that was done she leaned back, finding herself on some kind of sofa. She looked around, they were in a large hall with all kinds of stuff in it. She spotted old toasters, beds, tables, she spotted carpets that were filled with holes and so much more stuff. Everything seemed old and broken, even the ceiling above had holes in it. She also noted a window and saw that the grey and black clouds were now right above Canterlot, which got her to question something: “How long was I out?”

“Maybe an hour, tops,” Trixie answered.

“When I break down, I usually wake up much later.” Twilight lifted her hoof to her horn, she had dreamt of something, something important this time but couldn’t remember what. So she tried to change the topic, “We’re not back in the hospital.”

Trixie looked away from her, “T-Trixie panicked and when Trixie panics she always goes here first . . . BUT! Trixie went back after she had gotten you here safely and then found some pills beneath all your books.”

She lifted about four different bottles up, all with their names printed on in elder Equestrian and beneath in new Equestrian. Twilight took them gladly and swallowed one pill from each. Trixie just watched again.

“Still, Trixie didn’t know you had . . .” she stopped. She knew, Twilight understood then and inhaled deeply.

“Doesn’t matter,” she said, “however, you wanted to show me what’s in your box.”

Twilight was still intent on making this trip count. Even though she knew what had happened on the streets, she still wanted to go on. At least Trixie seemed happy to oblige as she hopped away and towards the box, which had been placed away from the sofa and apparently, right in the middle of the hall. Trixie kicked it open and took something out of it. With a swirl she fastened the purple cloak around her neck and Twilight watched the glittering stars on it in awe. Trixie placed a hat of the same scheme, also with stars on it, and stood up on her hind legs.

“Now watch in awe, since Trixie will be performing the greatestest tricks today!” she exclaimed, lifting her front hooves up to the air.

A magician’s show. Now that was something Twilight had never seen. She clapped her hooves together, all giddy. Whatever would happen next, would be great, she thought. Alas, what happened wasn’t quite the thing she expected. Instead there appeared a voice in the hall. A small voice, but strong, full of of innocent believes and childish dreams. A voice that filled Twilight with wonder and Trixie with loathing as it seemed. The voice only spoke one question, for the filly cared only about one thing whenever she saw a wizard or magician performing.

“Could you grow me hands?” Lyra asked.