//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: A Shadow of Doubt // by DaughterScrewball //------------------------------// It went swimmingly, to say the least. And now Rarity had used her connections to get them reservations to the fanciest restaurant in Canterlot, La Vi Cheskac. Needless to say, Twilight hated the name. Twilight could think of nothing more difficult than what she was about to do. Besides maybe eating cheesecake. Twilight and Trixie trotted casually through the doorway. Twilight was anxious. This was the first date- the use of the word sent butterflies through her stomach- that she'd ever been out with somepony she actually had legitimate feelings about. The nervous feeling was not abated by the fact that Princess Celestia herself would be there to meet her new marefriend. Trixie, on the other hand, had some mixed feelings of her own. "Trixie, stop walking, we need to have a talk, before you do anything foalish," whispered Nightmare. Trixie stopped. "Now listen closely for a moment, dear. I am older than Equestria itself. The immortal goddess of shadows. The queen of secrets. Did you honestly think that anypony, let alone a mare as emotionally wrecked as you, could keep a secret from the likes of myself?" "I assure you, The Great and Powerful Trixie has no idea what your speaking of, and furthermore--" "Hello, mademoiselles, and welcome to La Vi Cheskac. Name?" asked the host, somewhat impatiently, as if he didn't have time to deal with the two mare in front of him who clearly weren't dressed quite up to the standards that were appropriate for such a fine establishment. "Sparkle," Twilight replied. The host peered into a booklet on him podium and his expression changed, presumably as he noticed that the Princess would be accompanying them. "Ah, yes your reservations seem to be in order. Right this way, we have your private table set up in the back next to the patio. His tone had changed as well, recognizing the prestigious names of their company and the stallion who had gotten them the reservations. He led them to a small but fancifully decorated room near the back. Twilight and Trixie sat down as he situated the table. Twilight began staring out the windows at the sunset in anxiety, the inevitable awkwardness of the night beginning to dawn on her. "What will you have to drink, mademoiselles?" "The strongest wine you have in stock, please," Twilight and Trixie answered simultaneously, then smiled when they realized what had transpired. This was going to be a difficult night for both of them, and both planned to be as prepared or it as possible. "--Trixie, stop LYING to me!" Trixie wasn't sure how one yelled while they were whispering, but Nightmare had apparently found a way. "I am not your enemy. Now tell me, what am I here to help you accomplish?" "Revenge..." "On whom?" Nightmare had an important agenda, and she was damned if she was going to let this mare she'd invested so much time in flake out. "Ummm... Twilight..." Trixie resigned. Checkmate. When the host left, a deadly silence overtook the room and Twilight began to panic. This isn't supposed to work this way. Look at her over there, all calm and collected while I'm over here dying of nervousness. Buck, she looked at me. What do I do? Oh sweet Celestia, she probably thinks I'm too quiet. Oh, this is a disaster! She desperately began to brainstorm for something to say to spark some sort of conversation. She looked at the windowsill and saw something that gave her an idea. "So.... what do you think about... tulips..." It was a stupid idea. "Well, I generally don't really like flowers, but something about tulips... I'm not sure why, but I just really love them." Maybe not. "As a matter of fact, my late grandmother has a tulip engraved on her tombstone. I think it was her cutie mark, but she died when I was just a filly, so I'm not sure." Twilight deadpanned. The door opened and the host reentered the room, carrying two large bottles and a few glasses. "Oh thank Celestia," said Twilight and Trixie, again in unison. Twilight shot a slight smile toward her companion's direction. "Here are your drinks, the strongest in the house. As a matter of fact, I give my personal guarantee that this is barely weak enough to be called wine." He winked at Twilight, who smiled thankfully. "Perfect," she answered. The stallion set the drinks and glasses on the table. "Is there anything else I can get you for the time being?" he queried as Twilight started to pour two glasses. "I'm fine. You?" Trixie nodded. "No, we're fine for now, thanks," Twilight answered. "Okay then. Here are your menus, and I'll be back to take your orders when your guest arrives. If you require my attention presence before then, just press this button and I should arrive shortly." He smiled again and left. Twilight finished pouring the wine and handed Trixie her glass. "Cheers," she exclaimed as they both downed their glasses in one gulp. The alcohol was indeed strong, and Twilight began to feel its effects immediately. A feeling of calm came over her. Tonight wasn't going to be as bad as she first thought. "Then why, pray tell, do you plan on simply forgetting all of the sins she has commited against you?" Trixie abandoned her attempt to play dumb. "Well... I reasoned that everypony deserves a second chance, and--" "Did you not already give her a second chance when you came to Ponyville the first time?" "Well, yeah, but I..." "You what, Trixie? Think really hard for a moment. I understand that you're infatuated with her. But why do you continue to give her more chances? You've wasted most of your life trying to get her to notice you and return your feelings, but to what avail? She has driven you away and embarrassed you every time. She's caused you more emotional damage than you know." "What do you mean?" "Your failure to impress her the first time left you scarred. No matter what amazing thing you do, you always look back on that one event and consider your whole life a failure because of it. You have a constant need to outdo everypony at whatever they're best at, just to prove to yourself that you're not a failure. It makes you come off as selfish, a braggart, and just a general show-off. Other ponies hate you because you act like that. You simply can't make connections with others because they think you look down on them. Your entire life has been ruined because of this one disaster when you were a filly. All thanks to Twilight Sparkle." Trixie looked more defeated than when Nightmare had found her next to that pond. The wine helped abundantly, just as Twilight predicted. When Celestia finally showed up, Twilight found that talking to her mentor about her relationship was much less awkward than she thought it would be. Probably thanks to the wine. Not that Celestia didn't already know (Twilight had sent her a letter first thing in the morning following the party), but actually talking to her about it face to face was a conversation Twilight had been dreading ever since the reservations were made. Fortunately, Celestia did her best to not make it awkward, but still asked as many questions as possible to encourage her faithful student to be more comfortable talking about her relationship. Probably thanks to the wine. Trixie was also especially talkative, making jokes and conversing just as if this was a normal dinner between normal, not filly-fooler-relationship-having friends. Probably thanks to the wine. All things considered, the dinner went, well... pretty amazingly. Nothing was too unbearably awkward, Twilight didn't spend any more than ten percent of the time wanting to die from embarrassment, and the Princess didn't seem to be angry or disappointed or anything. Probably thanks to the wine. After hanging her head in despair for a minute or so, Trixie finally gathered up a response to Nightmare's speech. "I suppose you're right. I'm sorry for lying, I guess, and thanks for setting me straight again. The Great And Powerful Trixie does have a tendency to forgo her goals when the idea of being with her seems like it's becoming a real possibility. I didn't realize that until now, but... thank you for helping me. And thanks for staying with me this whole time to continue assisting me. The Great And Powerful Trixie really does appreciate it." Nightmare began smiling comfortingly inside her, though Trixie wasn't sure how she knew that. "Do not apologize to me, Trixie, for you have done me no harm. The only pony who you could have harmed is yourself. And that's why I am here. Not just to guide you to your vengeance, but to keep you from straying from said path," Nightmare assured encouragingly. "Well what do I do next?" Trixie asked. She was too emotionally exhausted to think strait after that whole ordeal, and was prepared to follow any order given to her. "Let me share something with you Trixie," Nightmare began. "I happen to know for a fact that Twilight does happen to share your feelings for her. Now while this may sound positively encouraging as far as your chances of having a relationship with her, hear me out. I have been around longer than recorded history, and I can confidently tell you right now that this is not the case. She may share your feelings, but she has ruined your life twice before, and history proves that if you pursue a relationship with her again, she will ruin your life a third time. It happens that way every single time. It may be tragic, but it is how the world works." "Why are you telling me this?" Trixie sobbed softly. "It doesn't give me any inclination of what do now!" "Simple, my dear. Why, this is the perfect opportunity for revenge. She is infatuated with you. Go to her, and prove to her that you share her feelings. Make her fall head-over-heels for you. convince her that you two are perfect for each other, that you've forgiven her for everything she has done to you. Make her forgive you for everything she thinks you have done to her. Use her heart to your advantage, manipulate her so that you have her wrapped around your finger. And then, when the time is right..." "I break her heart," Trixie finished for Nightmare. Nightmare was right, this would be the perfect revenge, Twilight would be absolutely devastated. But did Trixie really want that for her. Trixie knew precisely what being completely heartbroken felt like, and she wasn't sure if she possessed the mental conviction to make anypony else go through that. Wait, no. This isn't just anypony else. This is the mare who single handedly destroyed my life. Nightmare is right. I need to stop doubting myself. I am not a failure, and I will not have my life ruined another time by the likes of Twilight Sparkle. "Okay," Trixie answered as she started to smile. "I'm ready to do this." "Perfect. Now go, Great And Powerful Trixie." Nightmare was pleased with her faithful student. Trixie finished her trek up the staircase and opened Twilight's door, promptly running into Twilight herself as she walked out. Twilight started to nervously stammer something, but Trixie didn't hear her because her lips were pressed firmly against Twilight's. When they had finished eating, the three ponies stayed in the back room for a while; laughing, conversing, and enjoying what was left of the wine. When that was gone, the three departed the restaurant and Celestia went back to the palace for some blissful sleep. Twilight looked at her watch, but couldn't decipher the time because the hands wouldn't stop moving around, so she decided it was probably too late to go all the way back home tonight. Besides, they were in no condition to do so anyway. Luckily, Twilight had planned ahead and reserved an underpriced hotel room just three blocks away just in case. After an hour of searching, the pair finally made it to the lobby of the hotel, received their key, and drunkenly staggered into their hotel room. And then they (explicit/deleted).