//------------------------------// // Chapter I - Taco Tuesday // Story: Dazzling Illusion // by ChudoJogurt //------------------------------// "Ah, ah-ah, ah-ahh" The silken voice cut through the chatter of the cafeteria, standing out in the din of the crowd, and all the heads turned to see the new girls, as they strolled confidently into the room, singing. Somebody bumped into her, but at that moment, Trixie would not have noticed if a truck would have hit her. She was too busy feasting her eyes on the vision that was the leader of the new girls. The figure, the gorgeous puff of golden hair, but most of all - the impenetrable confidence of a true goddess. The Great And Powerful Trixie was not of timid sort, but this was a different register of self-confidence altogether, something that demanded attention, insisted to be worshiped and Trixie was willing to submit given even half a chance. Why pretend we're all the same When some of us shine brighter? Here's a chance to find your flame Are you a loser or a fighter? Trixie pushed someone out of the way, struggling to get closer, and reward immediately followed: The majestic beauty noticed her, the luscious eyes locking with hers, and a thin pale arm raised to Trixie's chin, holding her in place, like a deer stuck in most wonderful headlights in the world. You're a star and you should know it Yeah, you rise above the rest The warmth of the touch lingered long past the goddess has ascended on the podium of the dining table and moved on. Trixie would never wash that cheek for the rest of her life. Let's have a battle, battle, battle Battle of the bands "I so want this," her involuntary moan was blessedly lost in the rush of the crowd arguing over...something, she could not care about, too deep in the haze to register her surroundings, as the last choruses of "..Battle!" died out around her. BRRRIIING!!!!! The sound of the bell ripped her out of the daze in an empty cafeteria, and the only thing that crossed her mind as she scrambled towards her next class was "Who was that girl?". **** "Who was that girl?" she demanded from Photo Finish. "Zey are ze new girls." calmly replied the school photo club president and fellow illeist, before she was interrupted. "Of course they are new. Trixie would notice them before, if they weren't! What are their names? Where do they come from?" "Patience, my dahling, patience. Photo Finish is telling!" "I asked the journalism club, and zey don't seem to know much either, but at least I got ze names. Ze blue-haired one is Sonata Dusk, ze one with pigtails is Aria Dazzle, and ze fluffy one is Adagio Dazzle." "And?" "And zats it for now. Well, one more thing - I hear that zey have signed up for ze Showcase. With de magics they did in ze cafeteria zey may upstage even ze marvellous Snapshots in ze Showcase." "Well, can you..." "Look at the time!", Photo Finish nearly jumped when she noticed that the break was almost over. "Enough of ze questions. I go." And with a snap of her fingers, she was gone. The rest of the day was a blur for Trixie as she found her thoughts revolving around Adagio Dazzle. Even her name was musical... Trixie sighed. How could she compete with that? How would she make the girl notice her again... hold her face in her hands again... tell her she is a star... her star. Sigh. *** The Great And Powerful Trixie does not mope like a lovesick puppy! - that, of course, was a bold-faced lie. In fact, obsessing over Adagio Dazzle was exactly what she did for most of the previous day. Well, no more! Trixie will talk to Adagio at the lunch break and wow her with the amazing, show-stopping, head-turning ...amazingness that is Trixie. So her plan may have been slightly less detailed than she would have wanted. And maybe cafeteria line was getting thinner every second and the fateful moment was coming way before she was ready... The Great And Powerful Trixie did not need any more preparation time. She was as great at improvising as in anything else! She stole another look at the table where the Dazzlings sat. The luxurious puff of the golden hair, deep violet eyes, the majestic authority with which she talked to the pigtails girl, whatever her name was. Trixie was almost too late to turn away before Adagio raised her eyes. Trixie is not flustered she thought to herself trying to keep the blush away from her cheeks it's... it's not the time yet, that's it. Timing is everything in magic and Trixie knows her timing. Grabbing a bowl of salad and a veggie burger she turned around and started walking (confidently!) towards the Dazzlings' table. Back straight, head high, just like daddy said. A great magician never shows the crowd he is afraid. Her knuckles were white around the tray, and butterflies were stirring up a storm in her belly, but she was Great and she was Powerful, and she would not let it show! She just needed to focus on something, anything else but those burning violet eyes... like the pendant each of the girls wore on their necks, the red stones shining as if they had their own light. It somehow looked familiar, as if it called to her.... and then she was there, by the table. The last few steps were the hardest, but finally, she came to a halt by a free chair. "The Great And Powerful Trixie shall grace you with her amazing company!" she announced, sitting down."Don't get used to it. This is only because you are new here, that Trixie gives you this unique opportunity to bask in her presence". The minion girls sniggered at the presentation, but Trixie was not about to give up so easily, especially since Adagio herself was not laughing. As she sat down in a free chair, Adagio raised her arm cutting off the laughs of the other two instantly - a gesture of such supreme authority that whipped up butterflies in Trixie's stomach anew. "Well, it seems the little star wants to join the big leagues." "The Great and Powerful Trixie is no..." her rebuke was silenced by a peach-colored finger pressed to her lips, as Adagio's eyes peered into her own, freezing her like a rabbit hypnotised by a king cobra. An infinitely long second ticked by as the new girl looked past Trixie's eyes as if examining her very soul. "Well, well, well,", she noted, licking her full lips. Her finger slowly slid down, trailing along Trixie's cheek down to her collarbone "I see some potential over here. But..." her finger touched magician's breastbone and lingered there for a second, "that is all I see so far." A little push of the yellow finger hardly registered on Trixie's skin, yet the rejection hurt worse than if she were stabbed by a knife. The snickers came back again, both brainless minions revelling in the little humiliation she has received. "Impress me, honey. Then come back." *** "Aargh!!", Trixie's screamed in frustration as her bloody fist slammed into the bedpost scattering a dozen broken plectra and tried to wipe away the tears. She’s been practising for hours now, and she just couldn't stop. She wanted to, she really did - her fingers were raw, her muscles ached and cramped, the strings of the guitar became slippery with her blood… but whenever she even thought of taking a break, the memories came back hitting her with the force of the battering ram. The humiliating retreat under the barrage of laughter of those snivelling sycophants who by some miracle got to hang out with the Adagio. The stupefying defeat by the air-headed jock in the shred-off at the shop. The light push of the orange finger against her breastbone that even hours later hurt like a freshly burned brand. She sniffled again and picked up her guitar, smearing blood all over the azure strings. She had to impress Adagio even if she'll have to shred her fingers to the bone practising to do it. "Is everything all right honey?" at least this time Mom knocked before barging into Trixie’s room. "It's fine, Mom." Trixie hid her bloodied hand behind her back and tried to conceal her frustration behind the usual mask of easy confidence. "Just practicing for the Showcase." That did not work - her mom knew her all too well. Walking up Trixie, her mom snatched her bloodied hand, examining it with motherly concern. "A little bit more practice than usual, huh?" she pulled out her kerchief, to clean up the blood. "Come on, pumpkin, talk to me. I can see that something's wrong." As she tried to pry her hand away from her mother's grip, Trixie let slip a bit of the truth, like a captured animal that bites its own leg off to escape the hunters' trap. "It's just not coming together like it should. The Great and Powerful Trixie should be captivating and enchanting. But it's ... it's just not. It's empty and stupid and just not good enough!" "Mhm... " finally Mother released Trixie's hand from her grip. "I see." She gave Trixie a long look. "Pumpkin, can you do the coin trick?" "Ha! Of course, I can. It is the first trick that The Great and Powerful Trixie has mastered! The one she used to astound and amaze since she was seven years old!" Her mother merely raised her eyebrow in expectation. "Trixie knows what you're trying to do, you know." she pouted, but it would not do a magician to disappoint the audience. Even if it was just her Mom. Whit a simple flick of a wrist, a coin appeared atop her fingers, wobbling unsteadily as her tired muscles protested. She turned her hand around, and dropped the coin in her fist, only for it to reappear again, travelling across her knuckles one by one - a little golden blur. Mentally counting down the precise movements of her fingers as she rolled the golden bit across her knuckles, Trixie made a slow roundabout motion, crossing her left hand over the coin and snapped her fingers instantly vanishing it into thin air. She showed her empty hands to the audience and, with a twirl of her thumb, a coin appeared out of nowhere, launched spinning in the air. As it fell, a clap of Trixie's hand covered it for a second, to open up and reveal that it disappeared again. "Ta-da!" the young magician announced in lieu of fireworks. "See? I said I can do it!" Her mother clapped a few times, smiling widely. Her delight and adoration, if obviously biased, still cheered Trixie up. "Never doubted you, my little magician. How did you do it?" "A great magician never reveals her tricks!" Trixie's response came instantly, meeting her mother's smile with her own unsteady grin. "But what does it have to do with the Showcase?" "Well, honey, music is very much like magic. All you need is preparation, practice, and confidence. Just like with the coin trick - you had the coin prepared, you practiced your trick a lot, and since you knew you can do it, you were confident about it. And I know you practiced your music with the girls so much, so I'm sure that all that's left is for you to just be your Great and Powerful self, and you will shine brighter than anyone in your school at the Showcase." Surprisingly, that helped to dispell some of Trixie's blues. Who knew that parents could actually be useful for once? "Thanks, Mom, that… that really helped." That earned her a hug, despite all her halfhearted protests. "Hey, Mom?" "Yes, pumpkin?" "Can you give me uncle Firehazard's phone number? I'm going to need a lot more fireworks."