Author's Note

Fun Fact, this was meant to be the first chapter, with the original version only being chapters long. I changed my mind and added two more to make everything more fleshed out.

And Puppydog Tails

Trixie stared at her reflection, a suave smile on her face. She was the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria; it was undeniable. Soon, she’d show her beauty to all of Ponyville one last time.

She stood from her seat with a pep in her step. She was ready to give this town the show of their lives! They were expecting it, after all.

Trixie pranced from her wagon, the setting sun warming her skin. She inhaled, taking in the crisp air. Trixie hadn’t put her wagon far from the stage, only being parked about ten feet away. It was much easier to travel from stage to home this way. The moment Trixie’s show ended, she could prepare for her departure. She had planned it a million times over.

Her peace was broken the moment she heard a shrill, whiny voice call to her.

“Oh, Trixiiee!” Snips sang out. He galloped to the mare, a smile smeared on his face. Trixie held a grimace, turning to the colts. Sure enough, Snips and Snails were galloping toward her.

She should’ve known Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dumb would come scampering to her. It was like that every day.

“Hello, boys.” Trixie greeted through gritted teeth. While she didn’t exactly like them, it would be wrong to be rude. They were still children. The buck-toothed child stared up at her, happily tapping his hooves against the ground.

“We got you a going away present!” Snips announced, pointing to Snips. Snails stood close behind, a basket of muffins in his mouth. The promising-looking muffins nearly spilled from the basket.

Trixie’s stomach growled, and she began to salivate. Her rumbling stomach reminded her that she had skipped breakfast. For the first time, these two brats did something right. She didn’t need their constant nagging; she needed food.

The mare levitated the basket from Snails’ mouth, bringing them toward her. They looked even better up close.

“These look satisfactory.” Trixie half-complimented with an upturned nose. “Trixie should eat one now.”

“No!” Snips shouted, nearly scaring Trixie out of her skin. The colt gave a sheepish smile. “You should save them for after the show! They’ll taste better.”

Trixie hummed, looking at the food. She supposed he was right. Performing on a full stomach was uncomfortable at best.

“I’ll see you on stage!” Snips sang, prancing away. Snails followed after.

Trixie blinked in surprise. He didn’t even give her a chance to answer! Normally, he’d love to hear every word that came from her mouth. That conversation was…brief. Usually, the short one would talk her ear off. But today was quick; suspiciously quick, at that.

Honestly, Trixie should see that brief interaction as a blessing. She would rather die than talk to Snips for another minute.

In a flash, she teleported the basket to her wagon. They could be her after-show treat.

The amazing magician turned on the heels of her hooves, making her way to the stage. As she stepped up, the old wood creaked under her weight. Trixie was far too happy to have her last performance here. Soon, she’d be in Las Pegasus, performing for the greatest magicians of all time!

Her ear twitched, listening to the arriving audience through the curtain. For a moment, her heart pattered in her chest. What was wrong with her? Her body suddenly felt like it was in ice water.

Trixie never gets stage fright; it was just unheard of for her. But her legs trembled, and her head ached. Every nerve in her body was screaming at her to not do this.

But this was her final show in Ponyville, and she needed to make it good. When had her feelings ever gotten in the way of a good show?

Trixie steadied her breathing. She put on her award-winning smile, magically pulling back the curtains. Her eyes locked onto the crowd.

The crowd was thin, only a few dozen ponies. Trixie swallowed her disappointment, only smiling wider. That meant these few ponies had marvelous taste!

“Come one, come all, to see the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She announced, throwing her hooves in the air. The audience cheered at her presence.

In a quick flash, a bouquet of flowers appeared, floating in front of her face. The crowd gasped. Trixie smirked.

These ponies were far too easy to impress. It was just one simple trick after another.

Light shows

Illusions

Card tricks

Trixie didn’t even have to try. Everyone in this town was so easily impressed. This was child's play!

Soon enough, she had made it to the end of her show. It wasn’t a difficult feat to keep ponies interested; she was amazing, after all.

The unicorn scanned the audience, knowing that they were at the edge of their seats. They were waiting on her final move; she just knew it. As she looked through the crowd, her eyes locked with Snips.

His black eyes drilled into her very soul. He grinned ear to ear, not moving an inch. Trixie held back a shudder. What was wrong with this kid?

It felt like he knew something she didn’t. Like he had a looming secret that only he knew. Trixie huffed, pushing aside her nerves. This was a child. The only thing he had to worry about was his homework.

“Thank you all for seeing the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She cheered, throwing her hooves into the air.

With a quick spark of magic, fireworks launched into the air. The sky was sprinkled with marvelous blues and purples. The audience erupted into cheers, filling Trixie with pride.

She bowed, yanking the curtains shut with her magic. Trixie popped up, wiping the sweat from her brow. As easy as the show was, she had to admit that it took a bit of a toll on her.

Trixie’s adoring fans weren’t calling for an encore, but that was just fine. She’d rather rest. Trixie stepped from the stage, her hooves settling on the ground.

Something was off.

For the first time all week, those two colts weren’t there. Usually, they’d flock to her hooves, begging for her attention.

Trixie quickly shuffled to her wagon, not wanting to wait for the pair to show up. If she could avoid them, she would be blessed.

The unicorn hopped into her wagon, slamming the door shut. The sweet bliss of being home felt nice.

Trixie threw her cape off, letting it fall to the floor. The unicorn flopped onto her bed, her heart bubbling with excitement.

She would leave early before the sun rose. She knew Snips and Snails would come flocking to her the moment it was light outside. There wasn’t anything wrong with the pair, but they just gave Trixie the creeps. Especially Snips.

Something about that colt was off. Maybe it was his strange buck teeth or his peering black eyes. He hadn’t actually done anything, but she still felt weary.

Trixie’s stomach rumbled, breaking her from her thoughts. She had forgotten about the muffins.
The basket of muffins sat on her bed, looking delicious as ever.

The muffins were sweet yet hid a bitter undertone. Every bite was soft, being interrupted by a ‘crunch’ every few bites. Trixie smacked her lips. It wasn’t the worst thing she had eaten. She shouldn’t expect the best food from Snips and Snails; They were children.

Trixie continued to scarf down the muffins as if it were her final meal. When she finished, she licked the crumbs from her lips.

She flopped onto her bed, a satisfied sigh leaving her lungs.

“Las Pegasus, here I come!” Trixie cheered. She could finally leave this redneck town and go straight to the top!

It wasn’t that Ponyville wasn’t good, it just wasn’t comparable to the big city! The moment she got to Las Pegasus she would…would

Her heart suddenly felt slow, and her head felt heavy. Trixie attempted to sit up, but her body worked against her. Every move she tried felt massive like someone dropped a weight on her.

Trixie couldn’t think, her thoughts suddenly becoming foggy. What had happened? Was she sick? The great and powerful Trixie never got sick.

The unicorn scoured her dazed brain, trying to track down any change in her day. She had gotten ready, performed her show, and went home. Everything was the same except for….

The muffins.

What was in those muffins? Trixie’s head began to whirl, and her chest felt tight. Those little turds had done something to her.

Trixie needed to get help. She bolted up, her legs collapsing in on themselves. She stumbled onto the floor with a hardy ‘bang’.

Trixie’s tried to move, but her body had gone numb. The room spun around her, nearly stopping her heart.

The unicorn rasped a few breaths, her eyes unwillingly pulling shut. As she lay on the floor, the door creaked open.