It Is Recommendsday, My Dudes #118 · 8:34pm Jun 21st, 2023
So today is the Summer Solstice and Celestia Day! So let's do some Princess Celestia stories!
...nah, too easy.
Let's do some Luna stories. For balance and/or spite.
We'll start with the short: Trixie and Luna Go to The Pound by Skijarama.
The summary is relatively simple: it's a day of celebration following the reformation of the changelings and the defeat of Queen Chrysalis. Trixie proceeds to Trixie and provoke Starlight Glimmer into giving her the overpowered unicorn version of a smack upside the head: a combat-grade blast of concussive force. This blasts Trixie into Princess Luna by accident, which then sends them through the mirror portal to the Canterlot High universe. It also mucks with the physical transformation matrix, popping them out the other side as ponies. Very small ponies. Which would be why they're picked up in short order by Animal Control. Now Sunset Shimmer has to stage a breakout to rescue them.
So needless to say, this is a comedy and every character involved is an idiot. (There is a reason the story opens discussing The Idiocyverse.) But that's why it's funny. They're all so, so dumb. Trixie is turned up to 11, Starlight has panic attacks and solves everything with brute force magic, Luna and Sunset are, uh, relatively stable, and Fluttershy... well, this is one of the stories that inspired my personal headcanon of Fluttershy being a closet revolutionary. Because hooboy does she have Opinions about the pound and she does not consider moderate amounts of terrorism to be an issue.
It's not a horribly complex story, but it is a delightful romp where everybody makes the worst possible choice at any given moment.
Also, again: terrorist Fluttershy fighting against The Man.
On the longer and more dramatic side, we hop to a story by early fandom titan Hoopy McGee with Trixie Lulamoon of the Dreamguard.
Following her return, Princess Luna has (re)started a division of the Guard to assist her in patrolling the dream realm and fight against nightmares. Her first admitted member: Trixie Lulamoon, who's just happy to have a steady job where she does cool stuff. Of course, dreams are just a bit more dangerous than Trixie expects - Luna says it best when she comments "You don't know enough, yet, to discern what is dangerous and what is not."
First of all, I should clarify that this story features Competent Trixie, the version of her that's a worthy rival for early season Twilight. Egotistical, brash, often not thinking things through, but a very different character from the later seasons and Walking Disaster Trixie. Both have a role, but it's useful to go into this one with the right frame of mind.
Because that's key to really appreciating the story: one of the foundation parts is Trixie's ego, hubris, and her battle against feeling inferior. It's a great tale like that, going into Trixie's character and crossing that with the just-weird-enough dream realm.
It isn't just about her, though. Her friend-slash-rival (gee isn't that familiar?) Smidgen is an adorable foil, Luna is her regal self at her knowledgeable height, and then there's Puka who's just a wonderful little bastard. Plus just enough Twilight Sparkle for spice.
All of it ends up in something that's half adventure tale, half relationship drama. That second half is maybe not intended, but I got some real distinct vibes of toxic codependent relationships starting towards the end of chapter 6. Together it's a great mix that's engaging and just a little bit sad.
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So, Trixie usurped everything in the end? 😁
Neat-o. Love myself some competent version of the character. Had no idea how to write her, it is a welcoming insight
Trixie is a character I strongly suggest every author get a feel for. She's incredibly useful to have in your quiver because of her flexibility: she can play nearly any role in a plot effectively.
These two stories are great examples of it, too. In the first one she's a complete disaster that causes events to happen purely because of being a pain in the ass, while in the second she's a highly competent and motivated character who's facing down her own ego and hubris.
For further good examples, I've got a few others in the block I'd suggest:
The Legend of Trixie
Friendmaker
Killing Me Softly
Take The Long Way Home
The Destiny Trap
Pony Go Boom
Shoot, I should re-read that. Deep cut and a favorite classic.