A little more than twenty-four hours had passed since Top Billing finished 'convincing' Iron Will and Trixie to go on stage for the amusement of their fans and the fattening of his wallet. There was little to no time for the two to discuss how they could possibly work with each other and use their respective talents to keep the show going without it devolving into chaos. As important as something like that was, they preferred to part ways as soon as they left the administrative area once they had gotten all of the bickering out of their systems and leave things up to fate.
Once they had arrived at their respective rooms later that evening, however, they started to regret not sticking around and writing up some last minute material. This was a unique situation they were stuck in, and such things required a unique approach. Granted, they generally worked alone, but perhaps just this once they could suck it up and go talk to their co-star?
Bah! They'll be fine!
The show was starting in an hour, and Iron Will paced back and forth in his luxury hotel room in front of the mirror on the dresser. His goats stood by the door, staring blankly as their boss hummed and hawed to himself, trying to piece together things he could do make the night go as painlessly as possible for himself and, with any luck, as painfully as possible for Trixie. Between potential ideas, one dismissed after another in a string of constant frustration, he muttered his annoyance over sharing the stage out loud.
"Iron Will can't believe this. Being forced to work with some ridiculous showboating unicorn. Doesn't she realize that real magic comes from inside? From how you feel about yourself?" he asked his companions, not receiving a response. Flexing quickly and proudly for his mirror image, punctuating the act with a kiss to his bicep, he continued his pep talk. "Heck, with enough self-confidence, you can do anything you want, like...working with somepony you'd rather not work with."
Despite his desire for them not to, Iron Will's thoughts kept drifting back to the arrogant little pony for some reason. He had never dealt with anypony with such brass before. He couldn't deny that a part of him was rather impressed. Lowering his arms and curiously rubbing his chin, he mumbled to himself further about his four-legged adversary.
"Y'know, I don't recall ever seeing her at any of my shows. Iron Will would have remembered somepony as assertive and confident as Trixie. I must admit it was rather attractive when she– "
He froze up briefly, flabbergasted at what suddenly just slipped out of his mouth. What was he going on about? This mare was getting in the way of his workshop and what his fans came to see! She doesn't deserve any kind words! He scowled at his reflection, trying to intimidate the silly thoughts from his head.
Still, in a little while, he'll have to go on stage with her and figure out on the fly how to deal with such a ludicrous situation. It was only one time, after all. Once tonight was finished, he wouldn't have to worry about it again. Heck, he'll probably be able to look back and laugh at how silly it will turn out anyway. Surely, Trixie will buckle under the pressure he was used to being able to shrug off and he would come out smiling like roses.
Snorting confidently with his head held high, he snapped his fingers and, in a flash, his goats appeared by his side ready for orders.
"We better get going. Places like this like to," he gagged audibly, "pretty you up before a show. To wardrobe!" the minotaur commanded, thrusting a finger to the door, a snap echoing in the air as he did.
Saluting, his entourage spun around, and the oversized bull hopped daintily onto their backs, ready to face the inevitable.
-----
The Great and Powerful Trixie relaxed in the plush chair she noisily requested in front of the make-up mirror in the dressing room backstage. She watched meticulously as the curly-maned, salmon-colored unicorn stallion putting her together for the show brushed her mane and applied gentle touches of make-up to what was her already immaculate face.
It seemed like every few minutes, however, her attention was pulled away from her perfect reflection and found their way to that big, obnoxious oaf, Iron Will. How could she have let herself be sucked into such a predicament? Clearly, Top Billing must have manipulated the whole thing somehow just to try and make her look bad like everypony else. But she'll show them! It took a while, but she made a comeback and was just as sensational as ever!
Still, as long as she was going to be dealing with the windbag, even if only just once, perhaps she could use him. Trixie had been writing down some plans for a few new tricks on paper for a while now, but they required an extra bit of oomph that she just couldn't produce on her own. Iron Will was a rather large pony. Bull, whatever. Surely, with the right words – something of which Trixie was very, very good at – she could convince him to use those big, strong arms of his to...
Wait, why she complimenting him on his obviously powerful physique? Ugh, not again! Stop it!
Grunting in dismay, she addressed her stylist. "You know what the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't understand?"
"What is it, sweetie?" he responded effeminately.
"Trixie is obviously the most amazing unicorn Equestria's ever seen. Perhaps you're unaware, but I got stuck performing side by side with some hack motivational speaker or something named Iron Will. He's such a boor that it's unbecoming of a true talent like myself to even be seen in the same room as him."
"What's your question, dear?" The stallion spritzed a dab of hair spray into her mane and continued to listen to Trixie's rant.
"Though it's nothing Trixie has to worry about, she can understand why he chose the career he did. No doubt he could probably get whatever he wanted if he put his mind to it instead of his mouth, and those muscles of his could be quite useful if he ever needed them to be," the magician calmly explained.
"Oooo-ooo! Sounds like somepony's got a certain stallion on the brain!"
Trixie's cheeks lit up and she scrunched her nose at the ridiculous insinuation. Almost stuttering incoherently, she sharply retaliated in a desperate attempt at defending her pride. "Oh, come on, that's preposterous! You should have seen him! He was nothing but a bag of hot air! It's almost like he thinks you can get what you want out of life by shouting loud enough at it! The Great and Powerful Trixie is above such idiocies! She got where she is today with her limitless talent, not by ogling burly hunks! Gah!"
She instantly slammed her hoof over her embarrassed lips, unable to fathom how such a thing slipped out of her mouth. The pink stallion shook his head. He was more than aware of what was going on. He had heard it plenty of times in this business from stronger mares than this one.
"I'm sure you know there's nothing wrong with that, sister," he replied with a playful nudge.
"That's not what I meant and you know it!"
"Uh huh."
"Be realistic! Trixie has always– "
A squeaky hinge cut the unicorn's argument off. They glanced over at the source to see Iron Will – from the shoulders down – and a pair of googly-eyed goats staring back at them through the open door. The minotaur hopped to the floor and paused once he spotted the two ponies already in the room. The tension in the air could have been cut with a knife. The magician and the bull exchanged nasty glares the second their eyes met. Unconcerned in the least with their personal issues, the stallion resumed his work and hovered a pair of scissors up to the magician, snipping off split ends here and there.
"You two head out. I'll see you during the show," Iron Will said to his assistants. Without a word, the goats continued their march down the hall. Turning back to the dressing room, the bull snarled his disapproval of her presence. "Iron Will was told this was where he was to be taken care of before this debacle got started. Why are you here?"
"This is Trixie's dressing room. Clearly, there must have been a mistake. Must be something going around lately," she deadpanned, playing on recent events. "Trixie saw another door just down the hall with a star on it like that one. Try there."
Irate at being shooed away like a common household pest, he yanked the door closed and quickly left, grumbling under his breath. At least he wouldn't have to worry about being near that brat while they dolled him up.
She did have a point though. This was the second screw up in as many days. Completely inexcusable! He'd have to have another word with Top Billing after this mess was over and done with. Not fifteen paces later, he arrived at said door and sure enough, it had a big yellow star on it. What do you know? Trixie was telling the truth. Who'd have guessed?
The room he found was too dark for him to see as he entered, and he fumbled around on the wall to his left looking for the light switch. Finding it after a moment, he flicked the lights on and stopped himself from taking another step inside. His relatively annoyance-free state of mind did an instant one-eighty upon taking in what he saw before him. Growling, he ferociously slammed the door shut, the impact sending a few things crashing to the floor behind it, and stomped his way back.
Whipping the dressing room's door open and barreling through, Iron Will made a beeline for the startled azure pony, an icy stare painted across his face.
"What are you doing? I already told you this was – hey, put me down!" Trixie shrieked as he effortlessly snatched her off her chair and away from the beautician, tucking her under his arm. She kicked and flailed as Iron Will unwillingly dragged her outside and down the hall. "He had those scissors right by my head! You could have poked one of my eyes out or something, you maniac! What the hay is wrong with you?!"
"Shuuut uuup," he groaned at the little blue banshee. It felt as if her shrill voice was going to cause his ears to start gushing blood at any moment.
"If you think Trixie is going to take part in whatever disgusting ideas you have swimming around in that empty head of yours of her own accord, you're crazy! Return me to my room this instant!" she hollered as they came to a halt in front of Iron Will's room.
With a thunderous kick, nearly tearing it off its hinges, Iron Will burst the door in to reveal a small, one-pony sized bathroom barely any bigger than a janitor's closet. Various cleaning supplies and toiletries laid scattered on the floor thanks to his earlier outburst.
"They put a star here?" Trixie remarked, still furious that she was being lugged around like a toy. "Another of this pathetic casino's foul ups! What, did you expect me to care about your problems if you brought me here?"
Before she could continue talking down to him, Iron Will thrust his face squarely into hers, their noses separated by maybe an inch. She could feel his hot, angry breaths tickling the short fur on her snout. A very, very small part of her couldn't deny that she kind of enjoyed the sensation that came with it.
The look in his eyes spoke volumes. If he wasn't a gentlecolt, he may have been tempted to send the mare straight to the moon, carried only by the category-five winds his lungs could contain. His glare into her soul was relentless, but still, she didn't budge.
"...What? Are you implying I had something to do with this?"
He replied with a throaty growl and nudged just a hair closer to her face.
"Get off your high horse! Where's your proof that– "
"How else would you know to send me to this door if you had nothing to do with it?!"
Alright, that much breath left a bit to be desired.
After a tense moment, she rolled her eyes and sneered, defeated. With her ploy having been discovered, the star glowed pink and poofed out of existence, revealing a small sign indicating a stallion's lavatory behind it.
"Sue me, I figured this was where all the crap on stage went," she admitted before suddenly finding herself falling onto the floor with a hard 'thud'. "Oof!"
The magician shook off the impact and screamed furious obscenities as Iron Will swaggered away. Seeing her insults roll off him like water off a duck's back, she snarled and got to her hooves. Frothing at the mouth, she followed the arrogant bull back to their dressing room, thinking of other more effective ways to give the big jerk a real piece of her mind.
As Trixie turned the corner and re-entered the dressing room, she witnessed Iron Will, with two folding chair that he must have grabbed from beside the wall securely in his grasp, violently kicking her small plush sofa into the wall with a single, hard attack. With the area clear, he set up his own more economical seats and flopped down onto the left one.
"What are you doing?! Do you have any idea what kind of a hassle it was to bring that here?!" Trixie snapped.
"I'm guessing 'none' since they probably brought it for you. Now sit down so we can get this over with."
Cringing at the commoner's chair sitting between her and the mangy beast, she tiptoed up to it and gingerly sat down. Ugh, it didn't even have any cushioning anywhere. How tacky!
Hoping they were past the worst, the two stars decided it best to simply try to ignore each other, sharing a wordless glance before looking away. Even so, the amount of tension and drama floating through the air continued to grow. Groaning, the chic stallion returned to trimming Trixie's mane, choosing not to stick his snout in their affairs. He wasn't about to stir up the hornet's nest sitting in front of him. Perhaps he could sit down with Gabby Gums and talk about this whole ordeal at some point in the future. That was undoubtedly sure to get a few laughs not to mention a few extra bits in his pocket.
Once satisfied with Trixie's hair, he took a fresh brush and swished it through Iron Will's mohawk, much to the minotaur's chagrin. This was no way for a real bull to be treated, what with all the sprays and scents and froo froo nonsense. After applying a polishing agent primarily used on hooves to a towel, the beautician aggressively waxed Iron Will's large horns until they shined glamorously under the mirror's lights.
In the back of the spacious room was a mostly empty clothing rack. Hanging from it was Trixie's hat and cape and a choice selection of ties. The stallion pranced over and studied each neck piece carefully, scoping for any loose threads or the tiniest of stains. As he fussed for several minutes deciding on the best one to pick, the two stage performers repeatedly gazed at each other through the eyes of their reflections.
Those several minutes were probably the longest they occupied the same space together without wanting to bite each other's heads off. If they could look into the thoughts of the other, however, they would likely have started arguing all over again. Despite the disdain they still felt, they tried their hardest to keep their cool. Anything to help make the night as tolerable as possible.
"Can't believe they made us share a dressing room," Trixie murmured, fidgeting in her uncomfortable seat as she opted to try and make somewhat civilized conversation.
"Yup. What's next? They going to try and make us share a suite or something?"
"Yickkkk! Don't. Even," the mare retched.
"Hey, Iron Will will have you know that no mare has ever been able to resist these!" He struck another of his trademark series of dramatic poses and flexes, not terribly interested in impressing the cheeky pony. In fact, it almost appeared as if he was most interested in impressing himself, as he smiled narcissistically at his own rippling muscles in the mirror.
Trixie grimaced painfully and looked away, mumbling to herself. "There's always a first."
Just as she finished snubbing him , the unicorn felt a powerful blow upside her head that threw her from the chair and landed her on the floor. Again.
So much for keeping their cool.
"You miserable cretin! You did that on purpose!"
The wild accusations brought Iron Will's flaunting to an immediate conclusion and angrily snapped him back to his senses. Enraged, he launched himself to his hooves and blasted back, "Don't be stupid! I've never hit a filly in my life, and I'm not going to start now!"
"Please stop it!" the stylist cried out as he brought over his selected tie. He grabbed hold of Iron Will's shoulders and slammed him back onto the seat, wrapped the garment firmly around his broad neck and chewed them out as he went, stunning the insufferable pair with his sudden bout of aggressiveness. "I saw the whole thing! It was an accident! Dear Celestia, listening to you two is giving me a headache! Now sit down, be quiet, and let me do my work!"
With a final adjustment to Iron Will's tie, the large gray stud grinned surprisingly at the little pink pony. "Hey, that was pretty good! You been to one of my workshops?"
"No!"
"Oh." The boastful bull wouldn't be deterred so easily. "Y'know, if you wanted, I could always use– "
"No!"
"Fine, fine."
Meanwhile, Trixie had managed to find her seat again, rubbing her head in the process. The throbbing would stop in a few minutes or maybe when Iron Will finally figured out how to shut his yap. Almost in tandem, as she got relatively comfortable again, her second most hated enemy rose and walked to the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Trixie snapped.
He turned and faced her just before exiting. "I'm going to the little colt's room. What, do you want to come help me?"
Her face contorted in revulsion. She looked at him as if he didn't even bother to try making it to the bathroom and decided to do his business right there on the floor in front of her. She listlessly turned back to the mirror, barely able to keep her dinner down as she pictured the lummox taking her by the hoof and making her...
"Ugh, just go."
Not having asked permission anyway, Iron Will departed and left the sickened mare alone. Even if it was only for a few minutes, she relished every second he was gone. But, despite the momentary peace, she sighed in frustration. Tonight's performance was going to be a disaster, she just knew it. Her career was done. Completely over. And she'll have the Excoltibur to thank for that in just a short while.
The purple, starry hat and cape found their way onto her head and neck, guided by a faint green aura. "There," the coiffure uttered, "finally finished. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to find my boss and demand a raise."
Trixie glanced over her reflection as the stallion left in a hurry. He did certainly do some nice work. She didn't think it was possible, but she looked even more amazing than she usually did. Unfortunately, one thing nopony was able to do was make her feel amazing. Not right now. The last twenty-four hours had been some of the most mentally draining of her life. Not quite as bad as the day after her first and only visit to Ponyville, but still. She closed her heavy eyes and wished it would all just somehow undo itself. If only her magic was powerful enough to fix that, she'd be all set.
A slight tug on her cape brought her back to reality. She quickly turned and bore witness to a horror she would never have imagined up until now. Her eyes shrank and her jaw fell open at the sight of Iron Will drying his hands off with her magnificent cloak.
"Wh...wh-what are you doing?!" she gasped.
The now-damp cape fell lazily when he let go. Here and there on the fabric were a series of small spots where the cloth had absorbed the water.
"Turns out my 'dressing room' ran out of paper towels," he replied smugly.
"This cape is dry-clean only! I had it pressed this morning and you...y-you leave stains on it?! Are you insane?!" she roared at the top of her lungs. For a moment, she could have sworn she felt a blood vessel trying to force its way out her temple.
"It's. Just. Water! For crying out loud, the edge of the stage will be about fifteen feet away from the first row! Nopony will see it, the theater itself will be dark, and it'll be dry in five minutes anyway!" Iron Will argued.
"That's beside the point!"
As tempted as he was to yell right back, he was getting tired of defending himself to this minx. She's deserved everything she's received tonight, given the way she's acted! Jeez, why couldn't the evening be finished already?
Almost as if Celestia herself mockingly responded to his plea, a voice spoke up from the hallway. "Trixie and Iron Will?"
"What?!" they hollered together, swinging around to face the source.
A lemon-colored stallion with an olive green mane stood before them, carrying a clipboard and two headsets. He barely hid his annoyance at being yelled at by a couple of psychotic performers that he could probably hear halfway to Manehattan. It wasn't the first time that sort of thing had happened, and likely wouldn't be the last, but it was still difficult for him to simply brush off all the same.
"You go on in fifteen minutes."