The plan was simple. Set out on a tour of the most remote parts of Equestria, ones that had never heard of the Great and Powerful Trixie, for good or for ill. Spread some wonder, leave some memories, and get home without regrets.
(“Home.” What a strange concept…)
But it's like they always say: No plan survives contact with the audience.
A last minute entry (and second place!) in the May Pairings Contest. Rated Teen for references to alcohol and oblique discussion of suicide; no attempts of the latter are in the actual text.
Chapters (1)
This line makes the fic
Delightful bit of morbid humour. Not sure what that says about me. Thank you 
Can I just say that I love the idea of traveling entertainers in Equestria having not just one but multiple Cants? And the visual of Trixie, a Traveling Magician, and Cheese Sandwich, a Party Pony, talking in their profession's dialects, leaving Trixie wondering why Cheese thinks that there's a conspiracy to keep Grape's status as a pizza flavor secret and Cheese wondering why Trixie says that Pluto is the best form of exercise, cracks me up.
Other than that, very solid. The lens that Trixie presented the world through to us was fascinating, especially when that "bit" in the saloon started leaving her expectations. The interactions between her and Cheese were interesting, too, and I quite liked the way they were able to comfort each other. The only problem I have with this is that now I need more stories of Trixie's time on the road, and about the traveling entertainer society you've given us such a tantalizing glimpse of.
Delightful interplay between these two
Just two sentences in and I both can recognize your writing and love it.
Considering the Rock Farm, harvesting dirt sounds pretty reasonable
herself
Ah, nice foreshadow to Trixie staying in the School with Starlight
(Edit: spoke too soon!)
Nice visual gag. Also, pony horns being flexible is probably for the best
I like the idea of entertainers being able to use other's instruments like magic.
This was honestly a very fun, deep interaction between two characters that, yeah, have a lot in common and don't interact much.
Great job!
"GLOMP"
Is this, by any chance, the same timeline as Lost Faculty, by any chance? :3
I love it when you get ponies who rarely to never interact to interact with one another. Seriously, magic happens
This friendship makes way to much sense to not be effectively canon.
I could almost hear the tumbleweeds going by in the background.
Trixie with a stable job. That's terrifying and reassuring all at the same time.
Yea, makes sense that Cheese and Trixie know each-other.
That is such a smart, lived-in line for a character in this world. I'm envious.
I'd complain about you introducing orcs to a fantasy world that did not have them, but I'm forced to concede that the actual show probably would've done it too for the sake of making that reference.
Nice story between two characters who are more similar than they first seem. Cheese might be expecting that he'll have to settle down, but Equestria is about to enter a new era of peace under Princess Twilight and Pinkie only needs to meet with the Council of Friendship once a month. If he gets wanderlust, his wife will be more than willing to help him stage a town-immobilizing extravaganza.
This was a lot of fun.
Loved it. Great interaction between two ponies who never did in the show.
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I was very nervous about that whole section. Glad to know it landed well.
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You have the magicians, the party ponies, the traveling salesponies (many of whom are far more trustworthy than the Flimflams,) the monster researchers, the mustangs, the adventurers...
I imagine equine civilization has a rich, diverse nomadic component to it even in the late Celestial Era. (Sorry, Luna. Maybe historians would feel comfortable calling it the Diarchial Era if you stayed on the throne for more than a few years.) No promises on when I'll explore it further. I do have a bad habit of finding these deep wells of potential and refusing to elaborate further.
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Aside from common courtesy, the nice thing about Cheese's confetti is that it stops existing once it's no longer plot relevant. Trixie's requires a broom.
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Sadly, this is incompatible with Lost Faculty. Trixie finds out about the CheesePie engagement from a different member of the couple in each one.
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"This makes too much sense to not be canon" is the highest compliment I can ask for with this sort of story.
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I truly don't know how she'll react to that kind of stability. At least she'll have a strong social circle nearby to help adjust. And that includes Cheese.
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I don't know what's operating the Klugetown Muck Marathon registration booth, but I'm willing to call it an orc. (Granted, it's more scaly than hairy, but still.)
And yeah, Pinkie will definitely be up for a day trip as Cheese may need, especially with Cakes available to watch the shop, whether the parents or the twins.
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Glad you all enjoyed it! I'm not expecting to do well in the judging, but if people found it entertaining, I count that as a win.
At the risk of devaluing the intended friendship lesson behind all of that...I can't really blame her. There's probably always going to be a few hecklers that still deserve being made an example of, and it WOULD help add hype for her show in the process, as seems to be Trixie's whole intent here.
Say what you will about Trixie, but the gal does know how to command an audience--a vital talent for her career as a showpony.
Oof, does that one still hit hard. I mean, obviously you're not making light of the matter--heck, it almost seems respectful--but it's still got that edge to it, the reminder of what was sadly lost.
But then that's what makes it work for the scene--it was clear Trixie wasn't joking around when she brought that up. There was a legit flare of concern there, and it helps make this whole conversation feel all the more personal for the two of them by proving they aren't just rival showponies. They do have a respect for each other and what they do.
Not a lot of happy memories of the pony-shaped sugar buzz, I see.....
This is canon now.
I declare it so.
Beautiful piece.
Why, or perhaps how would an Orc be incredibly hairy to a species covered in hair?
The bits about the two traveling performers and the residents of the town all following scripts felt very Discworld. It was interesting seeing Trixie and Cheese bond over settling down, and it was nice that they're still going to have opportunities to perform in Ponyville.
Also picturing a few years on, with
winebourbon aunt Trixie attempting to get out of babysitting.A fun read.
I never thought that these two would know each other, but now that I've read this fanfic, it makes total sense. Loved the dialog between them and the way they connected. They have a lot in common, when you think about it.
I would think the path crossing was just before, or just after, depending on the pony...
Trixie’s presentation falls a little flat, because Cheese got there first...
Cheese ends up with hardly anypony there, because Trixie...did something...
Then they hit a town as close at the same time as they could, without both of them trotting in on opposite ends of the street...
I wonder which theme we'd hear over Cheese... "Hooffull of Bits; For a Few Bits More; or "The Good, the Bad, and the Exasperated"...
Accordion, of course...
You have to play, "The Greatest Show on Equus" for Trix...because she’s Trix...