• Published 28th Nov 2012
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Magician's Obsessions - Ragnarokia



A meeting with Celestia causes Trixie to rethink & pursue her love towards Twilight. Twixie romance

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Chapter 3: A New Friendship

The limited light of her vanity’s candles struggled to illuminate the static unicorn, who rested her weight against the wooden furniture staring blindly downwards into the constricting darkness of her sealed eyelids. Memories of her previous visit gnawed at her shielding personification, which continued to mask the growing threat with overwhelming praise. Trixie knew she was a brilliant performer, she knew that nopony could say any different without being upstaged. But the reaction to her reappearance still haunted her mind. What if. ‘There is no ‘ifs’ Trixie will always be adored and admired!’ Her character interrupted her inner thoughts once more, keeping the vulnerable mare’s mind safe and her approaching performance secure.

She hadn’t noticed as the hour she previously mentioned approached until a louder murmur permeated the oak walls. The murmuring voices of restless ponies, restless fans. She opened her eyes to see the bright smile of the showmare staring back at her, reflecting her knowing expressions into her bold violet eyes. Her adoring fans were restless, they wanted to see her show. As all the fears of her rejection faded once more into her subconscious Trixie’s smile widened to the figure grinning back at her. “It is time for The Great And Powerful Trixie to give her audience what they truly desire!” Just before she could leave her room the showmare returned her gaze to the burnt photograph beneath her spotless mirror. The image of the unicorn that stole everything from her. She steeled herself to turn from the picture, knowing full well that seeing that lavender mare again was the single underlying reason behind her station in Ponyville.

“It’s just about to start, where are they?” Applejack panned her eyes as far as she could through the nudging audience, failing to view anything more than a few meters away due to the crowding ponies attempting to get a better view. “Dash can you see them at all?”

Applejack’s hopes of having an aerial view blew away instantly to the sight of her winged friend showing no commitment to check. Rainbow simply shrugged as she remained grounded. “Probably not, won’t-”

“There they are!” A bright pink figure suddenly appeared without warning, knocking the rainbow mare aside as she pointed her icing coated hoof towards the approaching unicorns sifting their way through the thick crowd, the lavender mare of which saddled her assistant to help him see above the crowd’s tall legs.

Applejack cautiously took her eyes off her spontaneously appearing friend to greet the mare she hadn’t seen for days. “Afternoon Twilight. It’s good to see ya out and about.”

Twilight paid little attention to her friend’s greeting as she desperately scanned the empty stage for any signs of the showmare she was promised. With a silent sigh she turned to her group of close friends to exchange in the pleasantries she failed to accurately hear. “Good morning Applejack, I’m sorry I guess I haven’t been very social lately.” She giggled to her own words, being half aware of how her friends must have seen her solitary actions of late.

“Oh silly Twilight, don’t be sorry!” The party pony snorted a few times as she giggled bouncing around in a tight circle, forcing the surrounding crowd to make more room to avoid their heads being used as stepping stones. “We all need our time alone, how else would we get the time to bake all those batches of cupcakes!” She suddenly paused mid-air with an over-exaggerated gasp as the memory of her last bake filled the pony’s one track mind. She stared down with her wide sapphire eyes which began to tear up in blissful joy as she noticed the bright pink icing coating her equally coloured hoof. “Oh, dinner!” Pinkie finally dropped to the floor with a loud thud after several seconds suspended in mid-air to bring her delicious hoof to her lips, licking herself shortly before raising her icing and saliva coated hoof to her friends. “Want some?”

Twilight grew a smile to her friend’s words and bizarre behaviour she somehow managed to learn to live with. “Thanks, but no thanks Pinkie.” She passed her warming violet eyes over her other friends as they smiled back in turn, before finally looking back up to the vacant stage. “I didn’t miss her did I?”

“Of course not dear, she hasn’t started yet.” Rarity replied swiftly, brushing her hoof across her friend’s leg to prevent the love struck mare from losing any of her happiness.

Rainbow remained in the air since Pinkie’s initial shock, not trusting herself to get any closer to the seemingly harmless mare in fear of one of the many pranks she deserved in retaliation for her own. She scoffed to the notion of the arrogant unicorn’s show once more as Rarity spoke. “You may as well have, it’s not like it will be-” A sudden explosion from the stage behind her melted her own arrogance in an instant, the loud shock and directional force of magic flowing past her caused Rainbow’s wings to collapse in on themselves, forcing her to fall to the nearby floor much to the giggling amusement of the nearby pink menace.

The gossiping voices of the onlookers silenced within an instant as the explosion rocketed outwards, pausing just as it passed the most distant member of the audience to spin with high speed in a grand circle, rotating around the still vacant stage to form a trial of mystical fire, much to the amazement and confusion of the ponies below. Twilight spun around on the spot as Spike clung around her neck, staring in every direction of the growing magenta circle before it finally flew back towards the stage, forcing the wishful mare around in joy. A combined gasp formed between the majority of the audience as every mystical flame combined together, hundreds of flames coiled around each other, dancing and clashing with overpowering force within an effigy of Celestia’s sun. The sight of such an illusion itself pleasing the lavender mare before she could even hear the beautiful and memorable voice she longed for. “Mares and Gentlecolts, unicorns pegasi and earth ponies, rooftop viewers! Welcome all as today Ponyville is proud to present The Great And Powerful!” Twilight’s heart felt ready to cave in as the magenta orb descended to the wooden stage, and upon touching it detonated in a stream of bright light forcing all her viewers to shield their eyes. Upon returning her gaze to the stage she remained motionless to the wondrous sight before her violet eyes. “TRIXIE!” Time seemed to stop for the lavender mare, despite the gentle nudges from Rarity’s subtle flank. The very unicorn she was searched for, the mare she dreamed about on so many nights, the friend she so desperately wanted to make stood before her merely ten metres away through the thick crowd.

Twilight’s mind finally broke free from her stasis to gleefully join in with the thundering of hooves, cheering loudly with all her happiness to be drowned out by the other hundreds of cheers. The showmare on stage raised from her bow to the beloved sound of her adoring fans portraying their joy of her impressive display, the very display she adapted from Celestia’s own spell the night before. She raised her hoof to her audience as she scanned the vast number standing before her. “Greetings Ponyville! Trixie is pleased to return to such a loving audience!”

Applejack quietly commentated on the mare she clearly disliked. “Only so much as they’re kissing your hooves.”

“Applejack!” Rarity replied in an equally quiet but sharp voice as she nudged her friend’s side, moving in to whisper through her rugged yellow mane. “Not in front of Twilight.”

“Trixie is more than happy to show Ponyville more of the Greatest magic it shall ever witness!” The caped mare continued to speak to her adoring fans, unable to hear the quiet objections in the distance.

“But listen she’s just as arrogant as always.” Rainbow leaned in to join in to the whispering conversation. “We can’t just let her say she is better than us, I’m going to go teach her not to be so arrogant.”

“You will do no such thing! Twilight has been waiting for this day and you will not ruin it for her now.” Rarity responded as bluntly as she could to the ponies she cared for.

The show continued into Trixie’s usual routine as the friends argued quietly amongst themselves. The backdrop burst into life with spinning wheels of sparklers gracing the mystical beauty of the showmare’s numerous conjurations and illusions. She summoned forth her magenta aura into a whip to slice through a line of conjured sunflowers, cutting them clean in half to leak streams of her energy into the air forming dozens of darts. The inspiring mare reared herself up as the pink projectiles tore through her body without leaving a mark before each detonating into a thousand strands, and each strand earning a thousand cheers.

The three contrasting friends watched as her unquestioningly impressive routine continued. Applejack couldn’t help but recall how the powerful unicorn upstaged her as she continued to watch the performance with further growing distrust. “What if she humiliates Twilight?”

“She won’t.”

“She did to us what if she-”

“She won’t.” Rarity replied sternly a second time, refusing to think about such an event happening, refusing to think of her best friend’s heart being torn apart.

With a final stream of mystical fireworks firing from her hooves Trixie showered her bewitched audience with a vast quantity of conjured flowers and sweets, her trademark finishing move to extend the joy her performance wrought as she lowered herself into a second bow. Twilight’s was the very first hoof to strike the floor in applause, to which hundreds more swiftly followed. The beautiful sound of hundreds of mares and colts alike showing their gratitude provided the showmare with the very feeling she craved, the feeling of being loved and adored by everypony who could see her perform. It was an indisputable fact that she was truly the most beloved unicorn in all of Equestria.

Trixie returned from her bow to proudly stride across the stage, throwing her hoof up into the air before releasing her grand voice to those below. “Thank you, thank you! Trixie knows how much she means to her adoring fans!” Her voice was interrupted by a sudden series of ‘woo’s coming from the distance, she gazed over slightly confused to the sight of a pink earth pony bouncing above the crowd each time she repeated the same sound of what seemed like a cheer. “Yes, The Great And Powerful...” Her voice continued to be interrupted by the same repeating sound and bouncing coming from her newest, and most notably strangest fan, causing her to cough slightly in response. Trixie levitated a glass of water to her lips from off-stage before continuing, knowing she had no choice as the annoying pony wasn’t going to stop her ‘cheering’ any time soon. “As you have all enjoyed her Grand performance!” ‘Some more than others.’ She thought to herself still staring at the strange mare, “The Great And Powerful Trixie shall take requests from her beautiful little admirers to perform on stage!”

Any requests for suggestions were being instantly drowned out by the loud repeating voice of the same pink fan that seemed to be crawling on the top of other viewers heads in an attempt to be seen, an attempt that clearly didn’t need the additional leverage to be spotted by the increasingly confused performer staring at the fanatical earth pony. Inevitably she knew she had no choice but to ask for her suggestion, if anything just to have a chance to think. “Yes you, the pink one!”

“Do you want to lick my hoof?” Trixie took a step backwards to the very strange question, further added to by the growing apologetic smile on the mare’s face as she realised she already finished off the icing herself. “My bad!”

Trixie quickly levitated over the glass for a second drink before continuing, being thankful that her strange fan returned to the floor. “Are there any more, sane, requests? Or has Trixie already performed every act of brilliance known to ponykind?!”

Rarity placed a hoof over her friend to keep her still. “Come on she’s asking for it!” The pearl unicorn merely shook her head in response, not wanting a repeat of the previous show. She turned her caring gaze to Twilight who stood motionless since the applause, still smiling as she watched Trixie continue her show in silence. She questioned to herself whether it would be a good idea to recommend she ask a question, before finally trusting her friend with the chance.

“Twilight dear, do you have any spell in mind that you wish to see Trixie cast?” Rarity was pleased to see her friend turn her gaze from the showmare to her friend, hanging her head low to think of an appropriate question.

“Oh yes!” Twilight smiled brightly as she raised her hoof into the air, but no matter how high she waved the unicorn on stage passed her by unable to differentiate between the countless hooves. Spike climbed onto his carer’s head in an attempt to make them stand out, but compared to the large stallions around them she could still barely be seen. She contemplated using magic shortly before discarding such thoughts and began to push her way through the large crowd, apologising to each pony she interrupted as she nudged her way through the endless obstacles.

Trixie continued to choose the requests of ponies she deemed good enough to at least have a passable idea, however with each hoof and shout out she listened to it only seemed more and more like an impossible chance. She took another sip of water as she heard the same request to ‘take it off’ that seemed to plague her shows, before dropping the glass to the sudden appearance of her increasingly strange pink fan materialising before her face. “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie.”

The unicorn almost fell back in shock, being positive that she was nowhere near the stage a second before. “Pinkie Pie? Trixie doesn’t want to lick your hoof...”

The party pony snorted in laughter for a few seconds before replying, wiping some tears from her eyes. “Oh silly Trixie, I don’t want you to lick my hoof. Well I did want you to lick my hoof but then I noticed I already licked my hoof and nopony but me enjoyed my hoof which was sad.” Her happiness seemed to suddenly morph to sadness within a blink of an eye, almost bringing Trixie to feel sorry for the little pest before she popped back to life in her face. “But anyway! That unicorn over there has a question for you.” Pinkie pointed her hoof towards the audience before her eyes welled in tears to the sight of Spike. “She’s the one with the dragon on her HEAD!” The overly pleased mare rolled onto the floor in laughter before rolling off the stage with a highly distinctive thud. “I’m okay!”

Trixie stared down in disbelief to Pinkie’s increasingly bizarre actions and words before returning to character and gazing her eyes towards the unicorn in question. She was unable to see the pony itself but managed to lock her vision on the upper body of a baby dragon, looking as if it was riding a wave of manes. She could hear the soft sound of apologies as the distinctive mare’s voice struggled to pass through her large audience. “Yes you! What request do you have of The Great And Powerful Trixie?!” She remained silent awaiting the request that never came, tapping her hoof impatiently as her choice continued to futilely pass through the wall of stallions in the way. “Stand aside for her to pass!” With a motion of her hoof her abiding fans split themselves down the middle, leaving only a single unicorn and dragon in the magical spotlight that appeared overhead. Trixie paused the gestures of her hooves as her, and all of Ponyville stared at the lavender mare frozen still to the assault of unexpected attention.

Rarity silently prayed for her friend as she stood blushing to the sudden attention being thrown upon her. Her fears were short lived, or at least she hoped they were as the proud voice on-stage called down to her. “Twilight Sparkle!” Trixie finally brought the courage to speak. “Come up onto the stage with The Great And Powerful Trixie!” She watched silently as her rival lowered her assistant to the floor and slowly trotted towards the stage, the face engraved in her memory was filled with both shyness but evidently also happiness. But not the smug self gratified happiness she feared witnessing but rather a cheerful playful, almost sweet happiness. Trixie smiled down to the slightly smaller mare as she stepped over Pinkie, who seemed to roll further towards the audience, and made her way onto the stage. Twilight smiled warmly to the mare she hoped to befriend who motioned her to stand by her side. “Ponyville’s own master of the magical arts, Twilight Sparkle!”

“Here’s where it starts...” Applejack commented fearing the worst.

“Of course her magical talent is inferior to the show stopping power of The Great And Powerful Trixie, but make no mistake! She is still a unicorn of unimaginable power, power that she will now demonstrate for all of Ponyville!” The leading unicorn looked over to her special guest as she bowed away from her, leaving the show temporarily in her lavender hooves. She gazed over to her audience, the audience that gave her the strength she needed as she awaited for the inevitable spell.

Twilight temporarily buried her desire to befriend the unicorn as she felt the eagle eyes staring down at her. Almost every pony in the town turned their unyielding attention to her. She was not a performer like the mare in her dreams, she could barely handle the pressure of a few eyes admiring her work yet alone an entire town. But she knew she had to do something, Trixie was watching and this was her chance to show her how much they could have in common. The unusually shy unicorn gulped down her fears as she began to summon the hidden power within her body, casting her own request as a demonstration of her magic.

Trixie raised her violet eyes to the classic manipulation of water, watching calmly as the small puddle danced around the broken glass before being raised, still dancing, to the sky above the concentrating mare. She was about to open her mouth to speak before the water in the distant fountain seemed to join in, performing the same dance but on a much larger scale. Trixie panned her eyes across the town as Twilight’s lavender aura carried dozens of liquid dancers through the streets of Ponyville from every nearby water source to join them into a single large sphere holding host to an aquatic waltz. The sight of such beautiful magic brought tears to the eyes of the pony beneath her persona, which in turn slowly drifted over to join the grand design. ‘It’s beautiful.’ A series of amazed gasps and murmurs passed through the daunted audience as they wondered if it would be safe to applaud or not to the fragile spell.

Twilight opened her eyes as she finished creating the submerged ballroom, to which a soft round of applause soon followed with light hooves striking the floor in joy to the beautiful sight. She noticed that the showmare herself partook in the applause lightly with clear approval and perhaps also admiration hidden deeper within her eyes. She kept her smiling gaze faced towards Trixie until she turned away to face the audience, to which Twilight soon followed.

“Behold the magnificence of your own master of magic!” Trixie began to cast a conjuring spell hidden beneath her hat as she announced her assistant’s brilliance. “A unicorn who is less Great and Powerful than Trixie!” Her magenta aura surrounded a large forming object to the side of the globe. An object that upon completion spread crippling fear into her guest’s friends. “But is still able to move an audience!” Trixie grinned as she finished her sentence, raising onto her back legs to wave her hooves, performing fake magical gestures as she levitated the large metal pin into the side of Twilight’s sphere of water. Shattering the delicate magical bubble and releasing the large quantity of water to descend mercilessly down to the shocked unicorn below.

Though devastated Rarity had to wrap her magic as tightly as possible around Rainbow Dash, who’s eyes were burning with rage wanting to beat the smug look from the showmare’s face. Applejack merely stood still and watched as everypony around her either gasped in shock or voiced their disgust, as much as she expected an outcome like this she found no joy or pride in repeating her fears.

Twilight held her hoof tightly to her face as the water came crashing down around her, but strangely she didn’t feel anything, either the heavy weight or the cold wetness of the bombardment. As the final sound of crashing water ceased she cautiously removed the protection from her face, and upon doing so noticed a pink hue radiating around her hoof before eroding into thin air. She could feel her hooves becoming damp as her protection faded and could only look over questioningly to the mare she knew was responsible, responsible for both causing the disaster as well saving her from it. Trixie lowered herself into a bow before the equally confused audience and unmistakably smiled. There was something about her smile which soothed any worries attempting to build themselves around the misjudged act of the showmare, something that couldn’t help but cause her own smile to return as she lowered herself into a bow alongside her ‘saviour.’

Rainbow’s attempts at revenge cut short as the audience around her began applauding, and she could see her friend bowing as if pleased with the event. “That wasn’t funny.”

Rarity let go of her friend as she calmed down, nodding in agreement to the view. “I am glad that it was just an illusion, but that doesn’t make it nice to perform.”

“Are you kidding? I was all like.” Pinkie made a gasping expression. “And then I was like.” She followed up with a sad face. “And then I was like.” She finishes laughing on the floor. “It was priceless!”

Twilight smiled happily to her friends, waving to them before turning to continue the performance with Trixie. But as she turned the lavender mare noticed she was alone on stage, she raised her eyes to catch a glimpse of the showmare’s cape passing behind her wagon and instantly galloped towards her, hoping to talk to and befriend the mare she longed for. “Trixie!” Twilight spoke to her for the first time in the year, but her words fell on deaf ears as the door before her lay closed and locked, distancing her from the discussions she so desperately needed. Without thinking she began to focus her lavender aura around herself before a white hoof stopped her spell.

“You cannot just teleport in uninvited dear.” Rarity’s hoof rubbing against her friend’s back helped to soothe her worried mind. “She must be exhausted from her performance, I’m positive you will get the chance to talk later, and in a less show orientated setting.” Twilight rubbed her hoof against the oak door slowly before nodding in agreement.

The student’s other friends soon followed past the dispersing audience, the majority of which seemed to be pleased over all to the show. Though the same approval couldn’t be said for the rainbow pegasus who landed brashly before the ‘special guest’ of the performance with clear distrust in her voice. “Did she hurt you?”

Twilight shook her head to the examining gaze of the pegasus examining each hair on her lavender coat for injuries. “I’m fine Rainbow, I was safe.”

“Safe? You call her destroying your spell and trying to drown you safe?” Rainbow raised her bold violet eyes to stare briefly into her friend’s own. “What if you didn’t manage to protect yourself in time?” Her agile wings almost threw her into the air as she flapped them roughly against her body, still harnessing anger towards the smug unicorn that attacked her friend on-stage.

“No Rainbow you have it all wrong, Trixie was the one that protected me.” Twilight pleaded with her friend wanting to clear the name of the unicorn she admired. But her desire failed as Rainbow continued to voice her harsh views about the showmare.

“She was the one that attacked you! She was responsible for it, you can’t just claim everything is fine because she didn’t have the guts to go through with it!” The angered pegasus let out an aggravated groan before launching herself skywards and speeding off into the distance.

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy called out to her best friend as she flew away, lifting herself off the ground as she did so. “I’m so sorry, she’s just worried about you.”

“I know Fluttershy, it’s okay.” Twilight sighed sadly to the knowledge that her desired friendship with Trixie might be harder to spread than she hoped for. “Go and make sure she’s feeling all-right.” Fluttershy nodded in approval before apologising again as she slowly flew in the direction of her best friend’s rainbow trail.

Rarity gently nudged her upset friend’s flank to gain her attention. “Come on Twilight, I’ll walk you home and we can think about everything there.” Twilight smiled slightly in agreement to the idea, allowing Rarity to walk her though the mostly vacant, but very wet town square with Pinkie bouncing in circles around them as they left the showmare’s wagon behind.

--

The door of Ponyville’s library opened for the final time to the dark world outside, basking the pearl unicorn in the cold air of the night which crept through her beautiful mane. She shuddered slightly to the change in temperature before return to face her best friend beside her. “Goodnight Twilight Sparkle, we shall go to see Trixie tomorrow.” Rarity wrapped her hooves around her best friend, embracing her warmth and hopefully calming her mind in the process.

A shadowed figure observed the unicorn’s embrace from the distance, watching every light touch and gentle breath between the two friends before the less important mare withdrew from the hug. She waved her final goodbye to the lavender unicorn who slowly closed the door behind her, closing off the watcher’s sight briefly until a new source of light began to glow through the bedroom window.

Despite her friend’s best support and advice, Twilight still yearned for the meeting of minds she was continuously refused. She passed by the kitchen on her way to bed paying no attention to the hunger growing within her chest. A light lavender aura radiated from her horn as she entered the dark room, her magic casually lighting a match to begin burning the wick of her writing desk’s candle once more, dripping warm wax onto the holder as the remains continued to melt. Twilight stared down at the black mess with only a slight frustration as she levitated the still damp, ink soaked letter into a nearby wicker basket, brushing away whatever ink she could from the stained wood before she sat down once more at her desk. Though it was late into the night, the student’s nocturnal nature deprived herself of the current need to sleep as she levitated over a new, blank scroll from her stash. She gently lowered the scroll to the wood in an attempt to lessen the resulting ink stains it would receive, before once again writing her thoughts and emotions to the Princess that helped to calm her mind. The cloaked figure outside her house continued to watch unaware to Celestia’s student as she began to write, closely observing every movement and expression of the lavender unicorn that the stranger was so enthralled by.

Dear Princess Celestia

Today I have great news! Trixie arrived in Ponyville without any warning, I may have missed her if it wasn’t for my friends bringing it to my attention. I even finally got to meet her when she brought me on-stage during her performance. I should be happy to see her again as I have dreamed about for so long, but I still feel empty inside. I tried to see her after the show but she didn’t respond, it was as if she didn’t want to be seen, but when we performed her smile was so open and sweet, but afterwards she just left without a word. Was it something I did?

A distant knock on the library door broke the unicorn from her letter, she turned to her assistant ready to speak before noticing the baby dragon lying fast asleep within a sea of blankets. She exhaled lightly as she levitated the quill to the parchment once more before the repeating knock forced her to place the drying tip into the mostly empty ink pot. “Okay, I’ll get it.” The knock repeated a third time but for only half the duration, leaving the door in silence as the lavender mare made her way downstairs to unlock the closed library.

The entrance slowly opened to the pitch black night, causing the cloaked mare to freeze and turn back to the door she started to ignore. “I’m sorry but we’re closed, can’t this wait until morning?” Twilight paused before beginning one of her usual lectures about business hours to the odd sight of the figure before her, a large dark grey cloak covered her unwanted guest in the darkness of the night. The light from the open doorway illuminated the pony’s visible features, shining against a jewelled clip at the base of her neck which reflected to brighten the light blue coat, and even lighter mane of the mare before her home. Her colours in conjunction with her unforgettable violet eyes soon identified the deeply desired guest to the lavender mare. “Trixie? H, hello.” She paused briefly as the cloaked mare fully turned to face her. “Can I help you at all?” ‘Please say yes!’ Twilight struggled to keep in her overwhelming desire to tightly hug the mare before her as she awaited her delayed response.

Trixie dug at the grassy floor in uncharacteristic shyness, attempting to keep to her persona before repeating the same paragraph she solidified before her mirror. “Trixie heard the judgement beside her wagon.” The speaking mare was too focused on her words to notice the listener’s reactions and personal attempts to speak. “She did not mean to put you in danger or attack you as it seemed the consensus reached, Trixie merely broke your spell in order to shock and thus spread enjoyment to her audience. Perhaps Trixie should have warned you but at the time she was captivated by the performance and knew she would not fail to keep you safe, but it is understandable in hindsight that her act may have appeared unfair or misguided to which she cannot appeal enough her views against.” The showmare dug at the floor a second time as she struggled to complete her apology. “Trixie never had any intention of causing you grief and does not enjoy the thought of you having such a view of her, to which she asks for your understanding and, forgiveness.”

Twilight’s worrying thoughts changed to compassion as her guest’s clearly planned phrase continued, viewing her restless body as the usually arrogant mare struggled to open her thoughts. “Apology accepted Trixie, but I never thought you meant to hurt me anyway, it was just my friend that said such things.”

Trixie raised her vision from her hooves to the understanding mare as a smile formed beneath her hood. “Oh, that pleases Trixie to hear. Do not mind this late intrusion then.” She remained still after speaking long enough to let her host see the subconscious desire to speak in her sparkling eyes, before the cloaked mare finally dragged herself from the awkward meeting to return home.

“Wait Trixie.” Twilight couldn’t stomach the thought of losing the mare she longed for, when she was so close to finally sharing an actual conversation. Trixie halted in her retreat, which soon landed both unicorns into a highly awkward moment of silence.

A chill wind blew through the cloaked unicorn’s mane causing her to subtly shiver, as if refusing to let the warmer mare see any signs of weakness as natural as they may be. “Would you like to come in?” Twilight held the door open as she stepped aside, giving more than enough room for her guest to enter, several seconds passed as they both stood still before another freezing breath finally caused the cautious showmare to accept her rival’s offer. “Can I get you anything? I have some hot chocolate, or some herbal tea, or I could warm up some-”

“None of that is required Twilight.” Trixie replied wanting to limit the obstacles between her and the other unicorn, hoping to shorten the amount of time this awkward meeting would need to last. She noticed her host’s magic light a nearby fireplace before sitting her star graced rump on a soft cushion, the way her eyes gazed into her own filled the cloaked mare with a strange sense of comfort despite the far more awkward nature of this whole event. Twilight gently tapped her hoof on a nearby cushion which Trixie’s weary legs soon dragged her to accept.

Twilight’s desire to hug the cloaked mare only increased as her aqua hoof tenderly lowered the dark grey hood from her mane, and in its place levitating her token steeple hat from under the clothing to warm her ears with more comfort. Although she could control her deep desire to hug her guest it did little to help the silence behind the crackling fire. Twilight tapped her hooves against the soft cushion as she gazed into the tantalising violet eyes of the mare barely a stretch away from her, that was until she finally recalled the fact she also wanted to converse with her. “So Trixie, what brings you to Ponyville then?”

“Her performance, Twilight.” Trixie found it difficult to allow herself to speak openly to the mare that she had such a deep history with, the mare that despite everything still knew so little about her. She could see the eyes of the pony in question well up slightly to her reluctance to answer, forcing her lips to speak to calm the forming sadness. “She is touring Equestria like she did the year before, it was a suggestion from Princess Celestia that she.”

“You know the Princess?!” Twilight’s happiness tore through any sense of doubt as she threw herself towards the startled unicorn, grabbing her hooves with glee.

Trixie shied away slightly to the sudden touch as she confirmed her statement. “Trixie knows of her, both Princesses viewed her previous show in Canterlot, it was her that suggested to return to Ponyville for the next performance.”

The lavender mare’s gleeful expression found itself wrapped in poorly hidden horror as the thoughts of her teacher’s reasoning grew. “Did Celestia happen to say why she wanted you here?”

Trixie contemplated not saying the truth, before realising it may be one of the few times when she would have such a choice. “Your mentor showed Trixie a letter.”

Twilight pulled her hooves to her chest in shame as the situation made itself clear. “This is so embarrassing!” She swiftly returned her hooves to her guest’s, holding them for support as she spoke. “Which one was it? It wasn’t the last one was it? Or no it wasn’t the one after that party was it? I didn’t know Rainbow spiked the punch, I didn’t mean to send that!”

The proud unicorn attempted to gently withdraw from her host’s hooves. “Trixie would not know Twilight, but your mentor mentioned it was the newest letter she received when visiting her after the performance.”

Celestia’s student exhaled in relief as the words reached her ear, knowing she didn’t read the early morning letter she wrote on a tear soaked parchment. “That is a relief, but, then you know of?”

Trixie nodded her head to the unicorn she gave up trying to remove herself from. “Your desires to see, talk and, befriend Trixie. Yes she is aware.” She turned her gaze away from the staring violet eyes in her hooves shortly before returning to the same staring longing void of hope reflecting her own masked feelings, staring endlessly into her lighter eyes awaiting her voice of either approval or rejection. A part of the showmare wished to force the later option to continue her life in the shadows, but a part of her, a large deep part couldn’t bare to think of refusing the caring globes prying open her soul. “Trixie would be, pleased, to accept your friendship.” She could barely finish her speech before the mare lightly holding her hooves threw herself around the startled unicorn, almost forcing her backwards as she wrapped her tender legs around the taller mare. Trixie found herself unable to reply to the unexpected show of compassion, the first hug she could remember receiving being thrown around regardless of whether she cared or even desired to accept it. As the seconds passed she began to warm to the comforting embrace and cautiously wrapped her own legs around her friend’s soft coat.

“Thank you Trixie.” Twilight began to subtly brush her face against the aqua coat of her newest friend, nuzzling the warm chest of the mare she adored. “I’ll be the best friend you could ever wish for!”

The usually solitary mare temporarily lost her defensive character as she enjoyed the embrace, tightening her hooves slightly to hold her first hug even closer, providing the loving care that her wooden doll could never quite give. “I’m sure you will.”

Several minutes passed before Twilight finally broke from the loving embrace, giggling slightly to the fact of how awkward it must have been if she wasn’t lost in thought. Trixie rubbed her leg as she gazed away from the unicorn, as if feeling the same awkwardness returning. “I should probably head back home now, it is getting very late.”

Twilight smiled warmly to her new ‘Great and Powerful’ friend as she rose to her hooves and began to make her way to the door. A lavender trail surrounded the exit to town, opening the way for her friend as she turned with a thankful smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow then Trixie, we can do some of the things I’ve learned about friendship with each other!”

The cloaked mare returned her colourful hat beneath the dark clothing, rising the warmer hood over her beautiful mane as she responded for a final time. “Until then.” Her hooves started into a trot as she finished her farewell in a quieter, almost whispering voice. “My friend.”

Twilight galloped quickly to the door to watch as her new friend slowly faded into the darkness of the night, not noticing the smirking expression forming on the cloaked unicorn in response to the lavender mare’s final sentence. She continued to stare into the darkness until the wind’s icy touch snapped her back to reality, causing her to swiftly slam the door and bounce towards her bedroom with a wide grin. Spike somehow managed to remain asleep despite the giddy giggling of his carer as she crumpled up the previous scroll and rushed to write a new, far happier letter to her ever eager mentor.