• Published 5th Dec 2011
  • 9,885 Views, 142 Comments

Festival - Silverquill



Trixie gets a lucky job performing for Equestria's favorite holiday. There, she meets familiar faces

  • ...
8
 142
 9,885

Day 3: Reconciling

Knock! Knock knock knock!

Groan… Trixie slowly reentered the waking world, wrapping her cape around her head to block out the persistent pounding noise coming from outside. The noise came again and she grimaced, setting her impromptu blanket aside and glancing out the window. Outside sat a large sundial out in the hotel’s plaza, the shadow on the clock’s face showing that it was eight o’ clock. The knocking came again and Trixie departed from her room, grinding her teeth. Who dares interrupt Trixie’s beauty sleep?

She glanced around the living room, another round of knocks emanating from the entrance door. She walked over and opened it up, flinching back as a purple hoof almost hit her in the face.

“Oops! Good morning, Trixie.” Twilight smiled at the sleepy mare, while Trixie resisted the urge to slam the door in her face.

“It’s eight in the morning, Sparkle,” Trixie hissed. “Why are you here?”

Twilight looked at her in confusion. “Well, I thought we could stop by the fairgrounds a little before lunch… plus, we have to see my friends, too. It’s not too early, is it?”

Trixie calmed herself down. “Ye-…no, it’s fine. Trixie will be out in a minute. Wait here.” Trixie closed the door, muttering under her breath. She rarely got out of bed early, even when she was out on the road traveling. The things Trixie does for a free meal…

After a quick brush of her mane, Trixie met Twilight outside her door. “Well then, Sparkle, where are we going first?”

The two mares took off, Twilight detailing every minute of their plan for the day as they made their way downstairs. “Well, I know where Applejack and Rarity are… you remember them right? But I have no clue where the other three are. So let’s start by heading to Applejack and Rarity, and hope we run into the others along the way, and then…”

Wait… three more? Trixie pondered, the two unicorns exiting into the lobby. Trixie’s seen three of Twilight’s friends already, now there’s two more? And if they have personalities as ’lovely’ as her other friends… oh, Celestia.

“…and after lunch, we should have enough time to visit the fairground again, unless you‘d rather just get ready for your show.” Twilight raised an eye at her companion. “Is that okay?”

Trixie broke out of her thoughts. “Uh… yes, sure. But humor Trixie… where are we going first?”

Twilight opened the hotel’s entrance door open, letting Trixie slip out into the sunlight. Streams of ponies were already trotting around, getting an early start on another festive day. “First, we go see Applejack and Rarity down on Equest Avenue. The fairgrounds are nearby, so we’ll visit there next. And we’ll keep an eye out for my friends while we’re at it.” Twilight trotted ahead, motioning for Trixie to follow after her. “C’mon, Celestia’s sun waits for nopony!”

Trixie shrugged and picked up the pace, matching her companion’s speed. The two made their way through the crowded streets, their day together having only just begun.


Ten minutes later, and Twilight was still trying to get Trixie to have a conversation with her as they walked through town. What scared Trixie most of all was that Twilight was starting to succeed.

“You’ve really never been to Canterlot?” Twilight asked, the two of them walking through a plaza featuring a flowing fountain in its center.

“Well, Trixie has tried, once or twice. Surely the audience here would be of a higher class than the rest.” She sighed. “Though there’s not much room to maneuver a caravan through these streets,,,”

“Then you have to see it! There’s so many wonders to be seen here, not just during the holidays. In fact, I…”

Rrrmmmmble…

The two mares paused, as well as the other ponies crowding the plaza. Everypony glanced around curiously, before another rumble shook the ground. Gasps sounded around the area as the pristine fountain in the center went dry for a moment. Ponies mumbled amongst themselves with concern until one last rumble shook the ground, causing the fountain to reactivate once more. Out of the fountain flowed a strange brown liquid, replacing the water that had previously flown from it.

Curious ponies gathered around, including Twilight and Trixie. Curiosity turned to confusion as ponies first investigated the fountain‘s new water, and then jumped into it with gleeful shouts. Trixie watched in revulsion as Twilight dipped a hoof into the fountain, bringing a sampling of the brown muck to her mouth for a taste. “That’s just disgusting! Do you even know what that is?”

Twilight gave her hoof another lick. “If I had to guess, I’d say that’s… chocolate.”

“Huh?” Trixie bent down low to the fountain, at last noticing the chocolate-aroma of the strange water. “Trixie doesn’t understand. Why-”

“Watch out!”

Trixie was pulled back swiftly as something burst out of the fountain, splashing gooey chocolate globs everywhere. Trixie glanced at Twilight, who was holding the mare back, and then to the creature that had been lurking in the fountain.

“Hi there, Twilight!” A chocolate covered blob stood in the fountain, waving at the two unicorns. A tongue shot out of the blob, swirling around and clearing away all the chocolate from the creature‘s face, revealing a shock of bright pink hair on top of a pink coat. A pink earth pony smiled widely at them, adjusting the snorkel on its face. “Like the changes I’ve made to the fountain? Isn’t it splenderific? Tastytastic? Oooh, how about…”

“Pinkie… what did you do?” Twilight breathed, watching the pink mare stick her head under the chocolate waterfall, emerging completely coated again. “Is this even legal?!”

Pinkie shrugged. “It’s the Celestial Carnival, silly filly! We’re here to have fun, and what’s more fun than a CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN?”

Twilight looked ready to say something, but just let out a sigh before giving a small smile. “You still find new ways to surprise me, Pinkie Pie.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Pinkie Pie? She’s the one you’re staying with?” Trixie glanced down, noting Twilight’s hoof still placed across her chest. “Also, you can let go of Trixie now, thank you.”

Twilight blushed, releasing Trixie. “Yes, this is one of my friends… I don’t think you two have met before. Pinkie Pie, Trixie; Trixie, Pinkie Pie,” she said, introducing the two.

Pinkie Pie extended a hoof, and Trixie politely shook it. Only too late did she remember that the pink pony had just been bathing in chocolate; Trixie glanced down at her hoof, grimacing at the brown clumps sticking to her coat. “Erm… nice to meet you.”

“You too! Trixie, isn’t it? Twilight’s told me all about you! Oh, I couldn‘t wait to meetcha!”

Trixie smirked at Twilight, watching another hot glow warm up the purple mare’s cheeks. She turned back to Pinkie Pie and asked, “What HAS she said about Trixie?”

Pinkie raised her hoof to her chin. “Well, she said that on that one day I was making that special wedding cake with Mr. and Mrs. Cake, some magician pony walked into town, and it was you, and you were mean, but Twilight felt bad when she and the others harassed you onstage, and she found your stuff in a broken wagon-thingy, and she heard you were coming here, so she wanted to return them, and…”

Twilight shoved a hoof over Pinkie Pie’s mouth, silencing the talkative pony. “That’s enough, Pinkie Pie… hehe… ahem.” She let the talkative pony go. “Anyway, do you happen to know where Rainbow and Fluttershy are? They‘re the only ones I‘m not quite sure how to find.”

“Ooo, that’s easy. I saw them flying around together earlier; they were about halfway to the fairground when I saw them. They looked like they were having so much fun, and I forgot to bring my flying machine which means I couldn’t join them, so I walked around for awhile and that’s when I saw this fountain and…”

“Thank you, Pinkie!” Twilight interrupted. “See you at dinner later?”

“Of course, silly!” Pinkie Pie turned to Trixie. “See you later too, friend!”

Trixie blinked. “W-wha? Friend?”

“Of course! Any friend of Twilight’s is a friend of Pinkie Pie!” The pink pony rearranged the snorkel over her face. “Now if you’ll excuse me…” Pinkie leapt backwards, narrowly avoiding a colt playing in the fountain. With a cry of “DIVE, PINKIE, DIVE,” the party pony sank under the pool of chocolate.

…Friend? Trixie repeated in her mind. A hoof tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned to see Twilight motioning towards her.

“See, it wasn’t so bad, was it? Pinkie’s a little eccentric, but she’s one of the friendliest ponies I know. C’mon, let’s get going; maybe we’ll run into Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy on the way to the fairgrounds.”

“But Trixie wanted to hear how Pinkie sabotaged the fountain.”

Twilight smirked and rolled her eyes. “I’ll ask her for you later. C’mon, let’s go!” Twilight walked off into the crowd, Trixie accelerating to match her pace. Twilight tried to start up another chat, but Trixie’s mind was focused elsewhere.

Trixie has… never had a ‘friend’ before…


“Just what are you looking for?”

Twilight took her eyes off the skies and glanced at Trixie, the only other pony on the backstreet they‘d found. “Well, I was… wait one moment.“ She paused, noticing something on top of a stray cloud. “Rainbow?” She called out to it. “Rainbow Dash!”

Trixie glanced up, keeping an eye on the cloud. After a moment, an unfortunately familiar rainbow-maned pony peeked off the edge of the white fluff. Not long after, a yellow pegasus joined her, its pink hair drooping off the cloud’s edge. “Hold on a sec!” The blue pegasus shouted back, stretching out its wings before dropping off the cloud.

The pegasus reached them quickly, skidding to a stop on the ground in front of Twilight. The yellow pegasus was taking its time, slowly hovering down to the ground. The blue one didn’t bother waiting, “What’s up Twilight?” Noticing Trixie for the first time, the Pegasus shot her a look. “And why do you have that hack following you?”

Hack?! Trixie growled, about to rebuke the insult. Twilight butted in quickly before she had the chance, “Rainbow Dash, you remember Trixie, right?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Yeah… not that I want to.”

“Are you looking to go for another spin cycle?” Trixie growled, the pegasus’ comments grating on her temper.

Twilight butted in again, making sure she was in between the two ponies. “Easy now, girls. Rainbow, I’m showing Trixie around the city, and wanted to reintroduce you two.”

Rainbow Dash huffed. “Sounds like a waste of a day to me.” The arrival of the yellow pegasus was all that kept Trixie from speaking her mind.

“Oh good, Fluttershy,” Twilight breathed. “I wanted to introduce you to Trixie.” She pointed to the blue unicorn, who gave a short, slow wave.

“Erm… s-she isn’t going to put me in a tornado… is she?” Fluttershy asked, nervously hiding behind her hair.

“That was just a misunderstanding,” Twilight promised, ignoring Rainbow Dash’s disagreeable huff. “She isn’t going to do anything.”

Fluttershy slowly peeked around her hair, eyeing Trixie up and down. “Oh… sorry about that… it’s nice to meet you,” she murmured.

“Is something wrong?” Trixie asked, curious about Fluttershy’s quiet speech.

“No, I’m fine… I’ve always been softspoken… sorry.”

Rainbow Dash gently nudged Fluttershy in the side. “Don’t we have somewhere to be?”

Fluttershy gave her a confused look. “No, not that I know of…”

“Of course we do!” Rainbow Dash shouted, starting to hover above the ground. “C’mon, let’s go!” She tossed Twilight a goodbye before taking off, leaving Fluttershy to slowly lift off into the air.

“I guess I can’t stick around for now… sorry… see you later, Twilight… ummm, and you too, Trixie.” Fluttershy took off with a flap of her wings, slowly following the trail of cloud that Rainbow Dash had left behind.

“Looks like you and Fluttershy are off on the right hoof,” Twilight pointed out, smiling.

“Trixie guesses that you’re right. But the other one…” She frowned.

Twilight’s smile turned over. “Well… I’m sure she’ll give you a chance, later on.”

“It isn’t giving Trixie much hope for the other two. Especially since Trixie‘s already off to a bad start with them.”

“I’m sure it’s all in the past; c’mon, they’re not too far away.” With that, the two unicorns began making their way farther into the city.


“Y’all are makin’ a big deal outta nothin’! Whoa!”

Twilight and Trixie ducked low as a couple needles sailed over their head, embedding themselves into a wooden food stand to their left. An orange pony glanced over the counter, glaring at the clothing cart across the street from her. “Now yer askin’ for it, miss priss!” The orange pony grabbed a few apples from the selection behind her, tossing them at the other cart. “How do ya like THEM apples?!”

The white unicorn standing inside the other cart motioned to the little dragon standing beside her, asking him to bring her some more things to throw. “Oooh, you cretin!” She shouted at the other pony. ”How dare you filthy up Rarity’s Costumes de Chique! More needles, Spike, quickly!”

“STOP!”

The feuding mares ceased their warfare at the sound of Twilight’s shout. Twilight stepped forward, looking at both of her friend’s embarrassed faces. “This is no way for friends to behave! What happened?”

“Rarity’s makin’ a mountain out of a molehill,” Applejack stated, trying to pry a few needles out of her stand’s front.

“And Applejack has the manners of a stray cat!” Rarity huffed. “I asked her to move her cart back a few inches; it was throwing off the street’s design. But nooo, she said ‘it isn’t a big deal’. All she had to do was move her little ramshackle cart a little, and she can’t even do that.”

“Ramshackle cart? Why I oughta…”

“Girls!” Twilight called out. “Can’t you see you’re disturbing everypony with this silly argument?” Twilight gestured around her, pointing out the crowd that was trying their very best not to get in the middle of the opposing stands. “You’re hurting your business, and your friendship.”

“Well,” Rarity began, “We wouldn’t be having this confrontation if a certain pony would just wheel her wares back a few paces.”

“And maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation if a certain uptight unicorn realized my cart isn’t disturbin’ nopony but you,” Applejack shot back.

Trixie stepped up to Twilight, watching as the two mares began their squabbling again. “Are they usually like this?”

“Not usually. They bicker from time to time, but they always get over it soon. There has to be some way to fix this…”

“If Trixie may, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie said, motioning her companion to step aside. Trixie stepped forward, letting magic flow through her as she focused on Applejack’s cart. The bickering ceased as everypony watched the cart scoot back just a few inches.

“Was that so difficult?” Rarity said. “Thank you, darling…” she said to Trixie. A look of realization crossed her face as she saw who‘d helped them out. “Oh, my.”

“Is that who ah think it is?” Applejack asked.

Trixie shrunk back a little under their stares. “Er… yes, it is Trixie.”

“Yes,” Twilight interjected, “I wanted to introduce you two to her. Let’s let bygones be bygones?” Applejack and Rarity stared at her. “…Please?”

Rarity glanced down. “Well…” she huffed and looked up, smiling. “A lady never holds grudges, I suppose. And she did get Applejack to move her apple-shack where it should have been in the first place.”

“Don’t you start that up again, sugahcube. And it’s Applejack’s Appletastic Assortment to you,” Applejack scolded. “As fer you…” she looked at Trixie. “…you got Rarity to quiet down, and ah can’t thank ya enough for that. If ya keep the ego down, ah reckon ah can give you a chance.”

“How about you, Spike?” Twilight questioned the baby dragon, who’d been sitting back watching the confrontation from inside Rarity’s cart.

Spike shrugged. “Fine with me.”

“Great! Anything you want to add, Trixie?”

Trixie gave her a blank look. Twilight raised an eyebrow, mouthing ‘apoligize’.

“Oh! Uhm… Trixie is sorry for the tricks she pulled on you back in Ponyville…” the unicorn mumbled.

“Ah can’t hear ya,” Applejack said with a smirk. “Ya need ta speak up a bit.”

Trixie scowled. “Trixie is… sorry, very sorry. Satisfied?”

“Somewhat,” Rarity giggled. “But I don’t believe it sounds like you meant it. Care to try again, darling?”

“Girls…” Twilight scolded. Trixie placed a hoof on her shoulder, silencing her.

“They are right, Twilight.” She let Twilight go, looking at the other two mares in turn. “Trixie is very sorry for the tricks she pulled back in Ponyville… she handled the situation in the wrongest way possible…” she admitted. “But she is not the only one at fault.”

Applejack and Rarity absent-mindedly rubbed their hooves together, clearly uncomfortable. Applejack spoke up first. “Yer right. Ah’m sorry too, fer the hecklin’ and all.”

“Me too,” Rarity agreed. “Though the green mane was a little bit callous… and hideous, I might add.”

Twilight smiled. “I’m glad you three put everything aside.” Twilight glanced upwards towards the sun, seeing that it had started its very slow descent towards nighttime. “Hmm, looks like time's slipping by faster than I anticipated. How about we skip straight to lunch, Trixie?" Twilight watched her companion nod in approval. Satisfied with the answer, she turned back to her friends. "We’ll let you two get back to your stands… Spike, do you want to come along?”

“Nah, I’ll be here helping Rarity if you need me,” he said. “Ooo, but see if you can bring me home a doggy bag of gems, if they have them.”

Twilight giggled. “Right, will do. Come on, Trixie, I know the greatest place just a couple blocks from here…”

Twilight walked off, and Trixie made to follow. A hoof wrapped itself around her back and she froze, turning to see Applejack smirking at her.

“Well, ah never woulda guessed ah’d be friendly with somepony like you.”

“Likewise.”

“Ah’m glad we worked things out, sugahcube. Ah won’t hold ya back any longer. Just treat mah friend right, ya hear?”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

“Erm…” Applejack’s face scrunched up. “Nothin’, didn’t mean nothin’ at all. Looks like Twilight’s gettin’ far ahead, ya better go catch her. Tell her we‘ll see her later tonight.”

“Urm… right.” Applejack let her go, returning to her cart to try and pry out the last few ballistic needles. Trixie shot her a curious look before shrugging and hurrying to catch up with Twilight.


“Alright, now Trixie knows you’re lying.”

“It’s the truth!”

“Trixie could barely believe you when you said you’re Celestia’s personal pupil; there’s no way she would ever believe you recaptured the god of chaos. She still can hardly believe you defeated that Ursa Minor.”

Twilight gulped, swallowing another bite of her daisy sandwich. The little restaurant they’d gone to, The Garden, had been one of Twilight’s favorite places to visit back when she lived in Canterlot as Celestia‘s student. Twilight glanced out the window next to their booth, gathering her thoughts. “In all honesty, it happened a week or two before you came to Ponyville. If you’d come just a little sooner, you might have gotten sucked up in Discord’s insane antics too.”

“Talk all you wish, the Great and Powerful Trixie knows you’re trying far too hard to impress her.” Trixie smirked, taking another bite of her wheat pancakes.

“You mean ‘The Great and Powerful devourer of breakfast for lunch’, right?” Twilight teased. Trixie rolled her eyes, finishing off her meal. Twilight watched for a moment, looking like she was deciding something. “Um… Trixie?”

Trixie looked up, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “Yes?”

“Well, I’ve told you so much about me… I’m curious about your past, too. Like, where did you come from?”

Trixie drew back a little bit. “No offence, but Trixie would rather not go into that.”

“Oh… sorry. Well, one question then…” Twilight said. “…When I came to return your stuff last night, you seemed awfully upset to see me wearing it… why’s that? Is there something special about your hat and cape?”

Trixie gave her a blank stare. “Some things are better left unknown, Sparkle.”

“Oh…” Twilight said, sounding disappointed. “Never mind.” She glanced out the window again. “Ooo… time’s flying today. The sun is already beginning its way down the home stretch. You have to prepare for tonight’s show, right?” Trixie nodded. “I suppose we can skip the fairgrounds,” Twilight sighed. “Shall we head back to your hotel?”

“If you insist. Trixie will lead the way.” The two mares took their leave, paying their bill with Twilight’s bits on the way out. Out in the streets, the two mares slowly started making their way back to Pegasus Plaza.

“Twilight?” Trixie spoke up.

“Hmm?”

“As much as she hates to admit it… Trixie… had fun today.”

Twilight smiled. “I’m happy to hear that.”

“And she still can’t believe you saved the moon princess from herself.”

“Oh, shut it,” Twilight replied with a friendly nudge.


Trixie bowed for the crowd again, the applause making sweet music to her ears. She waved one last time and stepped offstage, her cape swishing from side to side. Trixie is back in action, she mused, removing her hat and setting it aside while she levitated a cup of water to her mouth. She took a sip, recounting her day as she did so.

After the restaurant, Twilight had walked with Trixie back to Pegasus Plaza before bidding goodbye. Trixie had spent a couple hours planning that night’s performance, her cape’s return allowing her thoughts to flow freely. She’d gone to the stage and gotten ready for her show, waiting patiently for her turn to shine. When her turn had come, Trixie had put on an amazing show, the return of her cloak and hat enabling her to give her all during the performance. She’d been so into it, the audience had seemed nothing more than a blur as she performed trick after trick with excellent magical precision. She’d been right in her element, the audience’s resounding clapping proving that.

Now, she sat backstage, wondering what to do next. She set the water aside and donned her hat again, deciding she’d better get tomorrow’s show plans out of the way. She began to head for the exit door, not noticing somepony sneaking up on her. Trixie gave a shout and crumpled to the floor as something tackled her.

“Ohmygosh you were great!” Pinkie Pie praised, laying on top of Trixie’s back. “Twilight, why didn’t you tell me that would be so fun and sparkly? I could have taken a break that one day to come watch!”

"Err… nice to see you too, Pinkie,” Trixie groaned. “Could you get off?… and Twilight’s here, too?”

Trixie felt the weight leave her back, a purple hoof suddenly entering her field of vision. She grasped it and felt herself being hauled to her feet, coming face to face with Twilight Sparkle. “That was a great show, Trixie! Much better than the last two day‘s performances.”

“Well… thank you, fans. But what are you doing here?”

“We came to see our new friend put on a super show!” Pinkie chimed in.

“Trixie meant what are you two doing backstage? Are the others here?”

“We came to see our new friend after she put on a super show!” Pinkie replied. “And it’s just me and Twilight. The others went back to where we’re staying… their loss!”

“Trixie didn’t even see you two in the audience.” She rubbed her neck. “She was really into the show.”

“No worries,” Twilight assured her. “We didn’t just come to watch the show, though.”

“Huh?” Trixie asked.

“Come to the fair with us tomorrow!” Pinkie shouted, bouncing up and down. “Twilight told me you didn’t have time today, and that’s just not fair! You, me, and her can go tomorrow morning and spend the day there! It’ll be fun! C’mon, say yes, like this!” Pinkie reached forward and grabbed Trixie’s head, bobbing it up and down.

“P-p-please s-s-stop t-t-that,” Trixie stammered. Pinkie let her go, and Trixie raised a hoof to her chin in thought. I figured I’d be done with them after today… I can still say no, go back to the apartment, and just get these two weeks over with. Having made up her mind, Trixie glanced at her two mares. “Yes, Trixie will go.” I managed to make some friends, and Celestia forbid I give up on them so easily.

“Hooray!” Pinkie cheered, wrapping a hoof around both Twilight and Trixie. “We’ll have so much fun tomorrow!”

Twilight grinned, accepting the group hug. “Of course we will, Pinkie.” She glanced at Trixie. “See you at eight again?”

“Ten at the least, or you’ll find Trixie’s door locked and barricaded.”

“Fair enough,” Twilight giggled. “C’mon Pinkie, let’s let the performer have her rest.” Pinkie let them go and the two backstage guests bid Trixie a good night, taking their leave. Trixie picked her hat up from the ground, where it’d fallen when Pinkie jumped her, and placed it back on her head. Ready to go, she exited backstage and out into the streets, the moon‘s glow illuminating her path home.


Trixie laid on the couch, taking a break after spending an hour or so plotting out the next show. She yawned, deciding it was time for her to head to bed. She got up and set her plans aside, the drawings and calculations put away for tomorrow. She turned off the living room light and headed down the hall to her room. As she walked, a thought crept into her mind.

Is Trixie capable of having friends without messing it up?

She shrugged off the thought, closing it off and closing her bedroom door behind her.