Trixie cleared her throat and spoke tentatively to Rainbow Dash. “You mean, the two of you are going on a double-date, right? Like, you with a pegasus and she with a unicorn?”
“Uh, no. Was I not clear? Twi-” Rainbow Dash stopped herself. She remembered Twilight was trying to get her attention when Trixie pressed for more answers. Twilight feared the two of them butting heads would lead to something; Rainbow Dash just had no clue know what that was. She couldn’t think of what she said to both insult Trixie and scare Twilight. It could be how she told Trixie to back off, but the onlookers wouldn’t be surprised watching Rainbow Dash act like she normally does. Rainbow Dash didn’t think she said anything offensive, and Trixie wasn’t a sensitive pony by any means. The only new thing she mentioned that wasn’t a reiteration of “leave Twilight alone” was their plans for tomorrow.
Rainbow Dash broke a sweat at the thought. Right. The date. Somehow during this whole mess she forgot to keep Twilight’s feelings in mind. Twilight must have wanted her to keep it secret, or at least on the down-low. She wasn’t too familiar with the subject of dating, but she was definitely sure nothing was appropriate about gawking and horrified responses to wanting to be with one’s special somepony.
She wanted to tell off Trixie and her audience so dearly. Rainbow Dash craved to give all of them a piece of her mind about what was going on, but speaking her mind caused enough damage as it was. Keeping Twilight’s feelings in mind and shifting gears seemed to be a better plan if she wanted to fix things.
“Can’t you just get a grip and leave Twilight alone?” Changing the subject wasn’t the best idea, but it was the first to come to mind.
Trixie scoffed at Rainbow Dash, leaned to her side and appealed to Twilight. “Please don’t tell Trixie this is true? What this ruffian, this mundane weather-pony, is telling her?”
Twilight raised to all fours and found some of her composure again to answer, though most of her efforts went into staying up. Her voice was broken, but not completely gone. “I didn’t want to say anything, but yes.”
Trixie continued to plead through a forced smile. “Now, now, just because everypony is watching doesn’t mean you have to answer right away! Take your time for Trixie.” Rainbow Dash heard the desperation in her voice. She’d never seen anypony so pathetic in her life as to scare somepony to death to get what she wanted, then beg for an explanation.
Twilight found the strength in her voice to and broke through Trixie’s persistence. “I don’t need time. All I need is to get off this stage and back in my house. The only pony who can make me happy is Rainbow Dash.” Twilight laid her hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder.
Rainbow Dash blushed. She was worried Twilight would want to distance herself from her to downplay the accidental announcement. She made things worse by playing hero, she ignored Twilight’s plea and spoke before thinking at the cost of Twilight’s apparent desire for discretion. There was no excuse for her shortsightedness. She’s been forgiven by her friends before for her hard-headedness, but this felt so much more... personal. It was more than just forgiveness; Twilight defended Rainbow Dash’s behavior.
With her nose up in the air and lips pursed, Trixie snorted with contempt. Her zeal was gone along with her obnoxious smirk. “Hmph. Trixie’s patience is taxed by this turn of events, as unbelievable as it may seem. I suppose Trixie must call upon her stage-hoof to handle this. Cheap Trick!”
An excited gasp could be heard from behind the curtains. A white colt Rainbow Dash didn’t recognize stumbled onto the stage through the curtains with a dumb grin on his face. “Yes, Miss Trixie? Is it time for the finale already?”
Trixie’s cold stare wiped the smile off his face. “You see these two ponies?”
Trick didn’t even turn his head and nodded hurriedly.
Trixie held the back of her hoof against her forehead, turning away from Trick melodramatically. “The antics of these two ponies confound Trixie. Trixie is now too flustered to cast a even a simple spell to diffuse the sudden chaos before her.”
He took a look around the stage, narrowing his eyes at Twilight and Rainbow Dash, then looked back at Trixie with a tilted head. “Uh, what chaos? It’s just the four of us standing around.”
Unamused, Trixie snapped around and stared him down. “Did you not hear anything,” she growled, “while you were back there waiting for my signal?”
Trick swallowed hard and spoke cautiously. “Sorry Trixie! The curtains are rather... thick?”
Trixie threw a hoof around his shoulder, gripping him tightly and pointing accusingly at Rainbow. “The chaos rears its ugly head before you, simpleton! If you could only imagine what poison this brash cloud-hugger must have poured into poor Twilight’s ear that would dispel the wonders of magic to the eyes of one Twilight Sparkle!
Rainbow Dash scowled, scrounging for any patience left in her not to pounce Trixie and her horrible excuse for a goon. “Cloud-hugger?! Nopony insults me like that!”
Trixie waved her hoof to silence Rainbow Dash, then grumbled loudly into Trick’s ear. “Faithful stage-hoof, Trixie will spell it out for you.” She directed his attention to her free hoof, which she used to wildly exaggerate motions to assist in her explanation. “Trixie sees somepony who is ungrateful and reluctant to accept Trixie’s reasonable proposal. She is particularly weary of the especially aggravating pegasus getting in the way.”
Trick squinted from his ear ringing and processed the story. “You’re sure you’re not making a haystack out of a straw?”
Trixie squeezed him to get the message across. “Then pretend for a moment this is serious to you. Trixie is in no position to perform magic. So can you do this for Trixie, or shall she find someone to replace you?”
Undaunted by the abuse, Trick saluted. “You can count on me, milady!”
His loyalty put Rainbow Dash on her guard. It was a relief Trixie couldn’t cast any spells, but Rainbow Dash didn’t know what to make of what Trick was capable of. Although he showed no signs of discipline, balance or common sense, he could still pose a threat. A botched spell could do as much harm as a successful one. She needed to prepare herself for anything. Considering Trixie’s track record with fans, her hooves were crossed that he wouldn’t amount to much.
Rainbow Dash turned to Twilight. She was squinting in concentration and sparks flew from her horn, but she couldn’t get her a spell going. Rainbow hovered over and wrapped her hooves around Twilight, feeling her chest expand from gasping. “Don’t strain yourself,” she whispered into her ear. “If he tries anything I’ll fly us outta here so brace yourself, okay? And... I’m sorry about earlier.”
Twilight hesitated. She whispered something under her breath that sounded like a question, and soon after she relaxed and the glow disappeared from her horn. “It’s okay, Dash.”
“Ready when you are, Miss Trixie. What shall I do?” Trick pointed his horn, which now shone brightly, towards Rainbow Dash and Twilight. He smirked with the zeal that a colt or filly would have from discovering their cutie mark. Rainbow Dash saw the eagerness in his demeanor all too well. Willing to go to great lengths herself for Twilight, she knew to recognize a desperate-to-please pony when she saw one.
Whatever happens next, Rainbow Dash thought, it all comes down to my speed.
Trixie surveyed the action in front of her, snorting in contempt at the gallant display of readiness from Rainbow Dash. Whipping around to get in her face, Trixie scrutinized Rainbow Dash before slowly revealing a devilish grin.
“Why are you so foolhardy to test Trixie’s assistant?” Trixie paused as if expecting a response, but continued in spite of Rainbow Dash’s silence. “Your despondency almost puts Trixie in the mood to watch some magic put you in your place after all. But not quite. Just leave.”
“What? Do you mean-” Rainbow Dash failed to hide the surprise in her voice.
“Yes!” she sneered. “Just flap those little wings of yours and do whatever it is you pegasi do with your friends. Trixie only wishes to remind you that this scene of yours is merely prologue to unfinished business.”
Trixie then looked down to Twilight, who avoided making eye contact. “Oh, and Twilight? Trixie wishes you the best of luck in finding whatever it is you think makes you happy. Just bear in mind that when her wings fail you, magic won’t be far behind.”
The night’s stress already exhausted any desire in Rainbow Dash to ask what she meant, and she had enough of Trixie’s voice to last a lifetime. As much as she was sure Trixie enjoyed giving her and Twilight permission to leave, she didn’t waste the opportunity. As soon as she saw Trick’s horn revert to normal, she took off with Twilight safe in her hooves. Rainbow Dash and Twilight went from breaking sweat to breaking clouds, with each push from Rainbow Dash’s wings putting more distance between them and their anxieties.
After lots of planning, several re-writes and a few revisions, the next bits are finally in. I will make up this tardiness however I can in the updates to come.
Okay, what the hell is Trixie up to? Her actions in this chapter made we want to strangle her. Update!
Yeah racism! makes for good stories, most of the time. Good job
TwiDash vs. Twi/Trixie.
A battle of the ages!
And almost everyone wants Dashie to win!
I can't wait for the next update.
This should be interesting my friend
1157414 If you wish to strangle Trixie, then I'm doing a good job!
1157426 Thanks! It's difficult to write about without going overboard or too deep.
1157438 I actually have time this week to get one or two drafts going, so let's hope I don't get distracted.
1157542
So we're supposed to want to strangle her? 'Cause I don't want to strangle her.
No, I want Dash to strangle her. I'd say Twilight should do it, but Twi's so pacifistic she'd probably let the little bint get away.
I beseech you, in your authorly wisdom, to allow Dash to strangle that whiny strumpet!
1157606 Maybe I'll write a tl;dr parody of my fic:
"Twilight you so hot let's kiss"
"I'd love to but Trixie is trying to sex me up with magic!"
"Trixie thinks that Trixie should have Twilight for herself!"
*strangle*
"Twilight let's fly together until the wings of our love fail to carry our weight, then we will let the clouds of our dreams catch us"
"Oh Dash your poetry is so terrible let's kiss"
1157653
I like it.
1157677 oh hey look it's my scary, I mean loving and caring editor! I'm glad you like my abridged edition.
Some how I see Trixie trying to sabotage Dash during the date...
Keep at it!
1157653
And thus ends the ignoble life of the Great and Powerful Trixie. She was an endlessly annoying little blighter to any and all she did lay her eyes upon, and her many enemies were duly saddened that they had had no hand in her timely passing.
And upon her tombstone were inscribed three simple words. Words that perfectly described all that she had been to those many, many lives she had touched upon in some mildly irksome way:
The Great and Powerful Trixie
1991 - 2012
An Ineffable Twat
1157737 She's not THAT bad. She's just a bit obsessive and is showing complete disregard for another pony's privacy, personal space and liberties.
I should probably add the OC tag.
1157685
Stop making me sound like a COMPLETE monster. I simply take my role very seriously.
1157824
Translation: Ineffable Twat
1157827 You're no monster! You wouldn't make me feel so bad if I wasn't such a bad wri- I will stop talking before my self-deprecation motivates you to throw an axe at my head.
btw Your first chapter of Stars Abide gets my thumbs up.
1157844
*looks up from whetstone* What was that?
More
1157542
Okie Dokie Loki!
1157414
I remember you! I think I just commented on, like, 5 of your TwiDash art things on Deviant art! =)
1157983 define "more."
I sense an Aladin reference here...
Am I the only one who gets the feeling that Trixie's assistant, Cheap Trick, is actually the stronger of the two magically?
Damn Trixie's a bigot. Hopefully she won't cause to much trouble..... What am I saying, trouble follows these ponies around like a cat you feed once.
1160022 Ah, you've reminded me to add OC tag. Now watch in awe as I get no more new readers due to OC butthurt lol
Kinda wished readers gave a comment when they gave a thumbs down... I can't improve if they don't criticize.
1160244
Your story sucks, it does not contain the cuteness of your avatar. People come here just to stare at your avatar for hours on end.
loljk, story's good. I think the down-voters are either butthurt about shipping, or butthurt about their OTP not showing up.
1162294 Perhaps. Either way, I wish I knew.
Oh, incidentally a smarty-pants analyze my story and they said that, according to how I presented things, the way I present the prejudice in the story is more like classism and not racism. (Or at least in the expsotion of chapter 1)
1158065 Oh really? Well, I'm quite flattered. I'll have to check out my DA now. All I can say right now is I hope you liked them.
1166377 link?
1166385 Deviant Art
Enjoy!
1166516 draw more Twidash pls
Trixie! What are you thinking! ruining TwiDash is pure evil!
(I must admit its nice to have somepony stir things up for them)
Keep up the good work!
Why is it that all the fics I like have Trixie being a complete bitch?
I like where this is headed.
1181152 For me, I prefer Trixie being an antagonist more than creating some "here's a backstory for Trixie to make you feel sad feels and such."
1181348 I suppose that's a good way to think about it, much better to have someone you hate in a story than someone you feel sorry for, for me at least.
I feel like I'm missing something here. Why isn't Twilight just blasting Trixie/leaving? She's always struck me as the sort of character who responded to continued frustration/irritation with increasing anger, and probably has the magical strength to overpower anyone trying to stop her from leaving... so why is she letting Trixie and her lackey keep her on stage?
1181348
I prefer Trixie as an antagonist as well. It doesn't even require that she be a bad pony; it could be argued that it's practically her job to be an obnoxious ego. I like to think that after her episode Trixie got a new wagon and continued doing the same thing she'd always done (if not concocting an even more ridiculous story than before), since she didn't appear to learn anything judging by her smoke-bomb exit.
1197419 the smoke-bomb exit was classic.
I appreciate the critical thinking on what is transpiring, because I don't see too many comments which actually bring up the substance in what I am writing.
I haven't clearly conveyed yet what Twilight's issue is, but it's evident that there are a few things on her mind which prevent her from thinking clearly and performing at optimum-Twilight levels we have come to expect from the OCD student.
Oh OK. I was wondering if I'd missed her frying her magic or something after that botched memory spell.
1197502 nah. I may have to rewrite a few sentences to clarify in chapter 3 and 4, but I was trying to subtly enforce the idea that magic requires concentration and Trixie's advantage over Twilight in this night is a clear mind to perform magic. Twilight is mulling over Rainbow Dash and the blot in her past, so she can't focus on performing any effective magic. I do remember echoing how Twilight feels when judging eyes are on her, like how she is when Trixie puts her on the spot in front of everypony and also during her magic school entrance exam.