//------------------------------// // Rule Number Three: Grating as the may be, keep someone around who challenges you // Story: The Curse of the Wolf-Pony // by Taxus //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle was unimpressed. Yes, it was a beautiful day—the combination of clear summer skies and a cool breeze would normally lift her spirits—but the visibly nervous wolf-pony walking beside her kept the morbid possibilities ahead of her front and centre in her mind. It wouldn’t do to have Heart wound up before they even reached the train station, and she needed to be able to focus during the ride. Goodness that sounded heartless. This was definitely one of the harder parts of being a princess; knowing when to turn off the by-example leader and turn on the equine empathy. That’s what Heart needed, and that’s what he would get. “You seem nervous, Heart. Is everything all right?” The large stallion rolled his shoulders, his ears held flat and his mouth a firm, flat line. “Bit nervous, Miss Twilight.” “Are you worried to be around so many ponies after so long alone?” She ran through her mental checklist: wings just slightly spread, eye-contact maintained with sympathetic expression, head tilted to indicate interest and focus, all for maximum display of empathy. Heart hesitated, then nodded. “Yes. Never been comfortable around bigger groups, and keeping a rein on my feelings keeps the…,” motions to his chest with his hoof, “monster in his cage.” All right, she could do this. Stop and turn to him, make eye contact, and touch his shoulder to establish an emotional connection. “I have complete faith in you, Heart. You have demonstrated exceptional self-control so far, and I have no doubt you will perform admirably on the ride to Canterlot.” There. A compelling, logical argument plus the thorough use of empathetic body language equals one comforted pony. Wait. Something was wrong. No. Oh no. It didn’t’ work. His smile was forced, strained. It should have worked! Every book she had ever read on psychology said that should have worked, but his smile was forced and his body was tense. How could she fix it? Okay, don’t panic, keep smiling, she would figure out something… “I believe in you too, Woody!” Pinkie had hopped in front of both of them and was beaming at the taciturn stallion. Twilight pricked up her ears and focused her full attention on the two of them; if Pinkie was successful in comforting Heart, she needed to know how. Heart turned his head and cocked an eyebrow. “Why?” “Because I know you care about ponies, silly!” Pinkie wrapped a hoof around his back and guided him forward again, somehow walking without any difficulty. “What kind of pony hides himself away from the world for years because he might hurt somepony? One who cares too much to let himself hurt anypony, that’s who! I saw you shatter your hoof, paw, thingy on that rock when you were saving us. That must have hurt! You did that to keep your control, didn’t you? Do wolf-ponies have super healing, or something? Gasp! Do you have super powers? Spill the beans, mister!” Okay, that taciturn stallion was laughing as Pinkie lead him to the station platform, and Twilight had no idea how what Pinkie had done was different from her approach. This was getting ridiculous. She activated the elements of harmony, studied the magic of friendship, ascended to alicorn-hood through applying the magic of friendship, and now she couldn’t even comfort a pony in need. “How’s it going, Star-butt?” “Star-butt?” That voice was familiar. No one in the crowd was approaching her—oh, wait, that was a voice-throwing spell, and what was that? The faintest hint of a complex spell matrix, one she recognized. It felt like the invisibility spell which she had included in a paper for publication, but that matrix was both theoretical and unfinished—oh boy. Twilight set her face in a tight frown, the corners of her mouth lifting in just the faintest hint of a smile. “Hello, Trixie.” Lo and behold, a certain azure unicorn wearing a permanently cocky smile materialized in front of Twilight. Lacking her usual cape and wizard’s hat, she wore an uncharacteristically plain brown pair of saddlebags. Heart Wood simply sat down in wide-eyed shock at her sudden appearance while Pinkie clapped her hooves. “That was great! Twilight, how did you know it was Trixie? Did you guys set this up?” “Thank you, Pinkie,” Trixie said with a bow. “No, we did not plan this beforehand. You got it in one, though, Sparky, what gave me away?” “Trixie, you are quite literally the only pony in Equestria who would call me Star-butt. The use of illusion magic to mess with me only made it more certain.” “Ah, I suppose I should have known better than to try and sneak an invisibility spell past the puissant Princess Star-butt, much less one which she wrote.” Turning her attention to Pinkie and Heart Wood, Trixie paused, eyeing them up and down. Her cocky smile settled into a smirk. Now what was she grinning at? “Greetings! I don’t believe we have met. While I’m sure you recognize the Great and Powerful Trixie—” “Trixie, he’s been living as a hermit in the Everfree for nearly a decade. I doubt he—” “And yet word of my grandeur has reached you even there! However, proper introductions will have to wait until I’ve caught up with Sparkle. It’s a long ride, plenty of time to talk, and we have a few minutes until the train arrives. Why don’t you take these bits and buy yourself and Pinkie a snack?” Pinkie snatched up the offered bits and grabbed hold of the massive stallion, effortlessly pulling him towards the station café. “Oh, dinner and a show! What should we get, Woody?” “Their pastries are divine!” Trixie called after the rapidly retreating pair. Looking back at Twilight, she found that the purple alicorn was staring her down with a cocked eyebrow. “What?” “Why are you here, Trixie?” “Sparkle!” Trixie held a hoof against her chest and put on a show of being hurt. “Are you not happy to see me? It’s been ages!” “I’m generally ambivalent towards meeting my sarcastic, aggrandizing, pseudo-rival.” “Pseudo-rival?” she exclaimed with a stomp of her hoof. “I’ll have you know that—ah, you’re getting better at this, Sparkle. I had thought you would be a little rusty with all the time since our last back-and-forth.” “It has been a while, two years, nearly three? I didn’t get to be Princess Celestia’s personal protégée by being a slow learner, though.” Twilight rolled shoulders, hesitating. Trixie certainly didn’t need to hear this, but it was true. “I suppose you were a decent teacher, when it comes to verbal sparring.” “Sparkle, I’m touched! I had no idea I had such a lasting effect on you.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head, your ego is big enough already. Seriously, though, what brings you here, and where did that finished invisibility spell come from? You kind of dropped off that map for that last two years.” “An excellent question! For I am no longer merely the Great and Powerful Trixie.” She took a step back, reared onto her hind legs, and illusionary pyrotechnics exploded into life from beneath her. “I am now Trixie, the Great and Powerful M.M.A!” Cue the train station going still and silent, and, wait one moment, there’s the wide-eyed look of fear and realization; Trixie remembered where she just pulled that little stunt. Gingerly dropping to her hooves and walking over to Twilight, Trixie tried to shrink into herself while pressing up against Twilight. “Regretting proclaiming your glory in front of a crowd of ponies you likely once tried to enslave?” “Yes.” “You don’t think you might be standing a bit close?” “Yes, but I am operating under the assumption that the safest place I can be is as close as possible to the local purple princess.” Trixie winked and rubbed against Twilight’s side. “That, and your wings are really soft. Are you using a special conditioner?” Twilight simply shook her head and gave herself a bit of space with a gentle flap of her wings. “So you went back to school. Congratulations! Master of Magical Applications is a prestigious degree.” Straightening back up and adopting her usual air of bravado, Trixie rubbed a hoof against her chest. “Indeed it is, which also brings us to why I am here. I can’t give you the full details of my thesis out in the open, what with is being classified—” “Classified?” “Yes, classified. I can tell you, though, that it dealt with the practical applications of illusion magic, including the completion of that elegant invisibility spell of yours.” She must have been in an excellent mood, offering a concession like that. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome. With the success of my Master’s Thesis, I decided to pursue my doctorate. Who should insist on being my doctoral advisor but the pony who declared said thesis to be classified: Princess Luna herself.” “I don’t think you could look any more smug than you do right now.” “Not likely, no. It turns out having a moon on one’s flank is a common theme among those talented with illusions. Princess Luna has been treating my need to conduct field research as an excuse to send me on little missions where illusionary magic would be a considerable asset. Last night, I was briefed on your current situation and told to surprise you. She says hello, by the way.” “Thank you. You didn’t quite surprise me though, did you Trixie?” “No, but you recognizing the invisibility spell is more helpful for my research. That is how you figured out it was me, wasn’t it? You recognized your matrix.” “I did. I suppose you’re happy that we’ve both studied directly under a princess? “Oh, we have, haven’t we? I hadn’t even noticed.” “Of course not. Did you send Pinkie and Heart Wood away just to tell me this?” “So that’s his real name? No, I just felt they would appreciate some time with just the two of them.” “Trixie, they just met. There isn’t anything going on between the two of them.” “Please Sparkle, I could practically smell the chemistry between the two of them.” Trixie placed a hoof against her own chest. “One of us is a practiced stage magician,” she paused, leaning up against Twilight and booping her on the nose, “and the other is an adorkable book princess. I think one of us is possibly better at reading ponies.” Twilight smacked Trixie’s hoof away from her nose. “I am not adorkable!” Trixie only leaned against her harder. “You are so adorkable.” Using one wing to hide her blushing and the other to bat away Trixie, Twilight kept moving towards Pinkie and Heart Wood. “You are a horrible pony.” “That may be, but I do enjoy it.” Luckily for Trixie—certainly not for Twilight, she definitely had an excellent comeback ready—the noise of the train rolling in and their earth pony companions joining them cut off their back and forth. “Trixie, are you teasing Twilight again?” Pinkie asked. “Yes, I have some catching up to do. I’ve been neglected my duty for some time now.” Pinkie snorted and Heart Wood stepped forward. “Friend of yours, Miss Sparkle?” “You could say so. Heart Wood, this is Trixie Lulamoon. Princess Luna sent her to accompany us.” “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Lulamoon.” “Such a gentlecolt! The pleasure is mine. Ignore Start-butt’s snarkiness, she just doesn’t like it when I get the best of her. We’re friendly rivals.” “So what have you been up to, Trixie? You haven’t visited Ponyville in forever, and Twilight never tells us about your letters anymore! Oh! Were you training to be a Night Guard super-spy? Are you Luna’s personal student now? Did you have to disarm a bomb with your teeth to save the Princesses? Did you—“ Trixie touched Pinkie on the shoulder. “Nothing quite so adventurous. Princess Luna is supervising my doctoral thesis. I went back to school, so I’ve been too busy to come for a visit for the last few years.” Twilight motioned for them all to follow her toward the passenger car. “Remember the last letter I received from her, Pinkie? It read, and I quote, ‘Sparkle, I’m going to be too busy to write for a while. Next time you hear about me, I’m counting on surprising you.” Twilight paused to rear up on her hind hooves. “Yours, The Great and Powerful Trixie!” “Hmpff. I don’t remember including an exclamation point.” “Oh, there definitely was one.” Twilight stopped in front of the conductor. “Good morning, Stopwatch. I have three ponies with me, all on royal business.” “And good morning to you, Twilight. I know Pinkie’s information, but could you please fill me in on the other two for the expense report?” Trixie stepped up next to Twilight and tossed her mane. “I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, am escorting Princess Twilight today.” Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “Really? Trixie, if anyone needs guarding, it’s you.” “Who said anything about guarding?” she asked with a wink and a wiggle of her hips. “Stopwatch?” Twilight asked with her hoof against her face. “I don’t suppose you could do me a favour and throw her off the train when no one’s looking?” “I’m sure I could make it look like an accident.” “Fantastic. I owe you one. This is Heart Wood. He is consulting on some magical research. Trixie belongs to Luna.” “Thank you, Twilight. In that case, you will have to cover up any foul play yourself. As a government employee, I probably shouldn’t damage anything belonging to another princess. I’m sure you understand.” “Of course. Is that everything?” “It is,” he answered, stepping aside. “You folks enjoy your ride!” “Thank you Stopwatch, I’m sure we will. Let’s go everypony.” Having taken so long to board, there weren’t four open seats together. There were two empty benches separated by only one row, and Trixie subtly hinted that Pinkie and Heartwood should sit together, winking at Twilight when the other two weren’t looking. Taking their own seats, it wasn’t long until the train jerked to a start and pulled out of the station. Twilight turned to Trixie to find her smiling at her with a satisfied smirk. “What?” “Brag to the whole town about my letters?” “No, you silly pony. I just let the girls know when I heard from you, or saw you on a trip to Canterlot. We had all come to enjoy your visits.” “Trixie’s smirk grew wider. “Of course you had. Who can resist the charms of the Great and Powerful Trixie?” “Most of the town, it seems, and it took the girls a while to warm up to you. Rainbow and Rarity are similar enough to you that they ended up enjoying trading barbs with you. Pinkie likes everyone, and Fluttershy’s incapable of holding a grudge. If you hadn’t performed at the school without your, ‘Great and Powerful,’ bit and won over Applebloom, Applejack probably wouldn’t have ever come around.” “And what about you, Princess? What won you over to Trixie’s side?” In spite of Twilight’s firm insistence that she was lucky to be tolerated, Trixie still goaded Twilight with a jovial tone and a satisfied smirk. No, Twilight wouldn’t play along this time. “It’s nice to have somepony around who challenges me, one with whom I can discuss magical theory. I could always count on a letter from you to brighten a week of hard work and give me a boost of motivation, which is why I told the girls right away about such a disappointing letter.” Trixie’s smirk faltered and her posture drooped. She finally seemed to realize that Twilight wasn’t joking around. “Disappointing?” “Yes, disappointing.” To Tartarus with the silly posturing and jockeying for the upper hoof. Some things needed to be said, and it was time they came out. “I’m sure you noticed I paraphrased that letter a bit.” Twilight straightened her posture and cleared her throat. ‘Sparkle, I’m going to be too busy to write for a while. Next time you hear about me, I’m counting on surprising you. I’m moving, and my new address will be part of the surprise. Don’t’ worry, I’ll find you. Yours, The Great and Powerful Trixie!’ I can quote that letter exactly because I certainly read it enough times, trying to figure out what was going on. Friends don’t just disappear on each other.” The azure unicorn shifted in her seat. “Trixie wanted to focus on her studies.” Oh no. There she went, slipping back into the third pony without a trace of sarcasm or bravado. She was losing her. It didn’t work with Heart Wood, but it was worth a second try with Trixie. Twilight lightly rested her hoof on Trixie’s shoulder and attempted to make eye contact, both strong signals for empathy. “I would have understood that, of all ponies. I would have loved to hear that you were pursuing a master’s degree. Couldn’t you have told me?” Trixie kept her eyes down, away from Twilight’s. “No. It was something Trixie had to do alone.” “Why?” Twilight asked, her voice catching. Shoot, now she was going to cry. “Is that all our friendship is? This silly rivalry?” Wincing at the catch in Twilight’s voice, Trixie finally looked up. “No! No, that’s why I kept to myself.” Really? She only got Trixie to open up out of pity when she’s about to cry? Fine, she would take what she could get, but Twilight really needed to work on making ponies comfortable enough to open up to her. Unaware of Twilight’s meandering inner monologue, Trixie took Twilight’s silence as an invitation to continue. “I wrote a different letter first, but when I read it to myself I realized it was all about you. All I did was brag about getting into the Master’s program and boast about how I would surpass you with my thesis alone. I realized I wasn’t going back to school for me; I was just doing it to beat you. If I was going to do this, I had to do it for me. So I decided I was going to be the greatest illusion mage of our time, not to beat you, but because I could be. I cut off contact with you and dove headfirst into my research” Trixie snorted. “Even then, I couldn’t quite get away from you. I came across your paper on a theoretical improved invisibility spell, and I couldn’t help myself. I incorporated finishing it into my thesis, thinking that if I did, I would at least have something I could surprise you with when I did see you again. Live up to the bravado of that last letter.” “It sounds like you’ve held on to this for a while.” “Well, I didn’t exactly go about making any friends at school. I devoted myself fully to studying and my research. This is the closest thing to a vacation I’ve taken in nearly three years.” Twilight wasn’t sure what to say, or if words would even do any good. So, she used a wing to pull her into a hug. “Well, I’m glad you’re back. I missed you.” “I missed you too, Twilight.” The two friends sat there for a moment, holding onto each other, both relieved at the closure brought about by their openness. It was starting to get a little awkward, though. Yes, this hug had definitely lasted a while. Twilight could feel the blood rushing to her face. Was Trixie doing this just to mess with her again? Fine, two could play at that game. Sweet and easy time was over. “Those saddlebags clash with your obnoxious coat colour.” “Ha!” Trixie let go of Twilight and laughed. “Good to see you’re not going soft on me, Sparkle.” “No need to worry about that. You still haven’t told me how you perfected my invisibility spell.” “Now that is interesting. What I ended up doing to cut down the energy cost and bypass magical resistance was design the matrix to charge any reflected photons with the altered image…”