In the days that followed the trip to Canterlot to meet the Royal sisters, Allan found himself far more eager to throw himself into life in Equestria. With Twilight, he studied history and spells, to the point where he felt confident he could match current high school pony levels of knowledge, and he could quite easily levitate five things at once for an hour at a time without developing a headache.
With Rainbow, he practiced his flight skills, and although he did wind up eating dirt more often than not, he had grown confident enough to quite easily fly about and land safely, as long as he was mindful of his speed.
He continued to help Applejack on the farm, earning himself some bits for his hard work, and Rarity offered him a second position as a model for her clothes, as his shapeshifting meant that she no longer required ponies to come in for fitting adjustments to their orders. It was quite a lucrative little setup, in all honesty. Back home, he’d had a bank account with a few thousand dollars of hard earned money squared away, and now he had earned over a thousand bits in the space of a few weeks.
Although...as Allan sat, counting out how many bits he had made since his arrival, his thoughts drifted to home. Well…to his family. He wondered how they were doing. If Chrysalis had yet to do anything to them, that was. The thought of her living in his shoes was more than enough to set his teeth to grinding, but he tried to keep her out of his mind.
Looking down at his bit pile, Allan sighed, realizing he had lost count, and he levitated the stack back into his current storage box, which was, quite literally, nothing more than a wooden box.
He pulled out his currently assigned history volume, which dealt quite thoroughly with the Crystal Empire, right up until present day. He tried to get into the story of the Empire’s founding, but the boring text only made him yawn. He flipped forward several chapters, not particularly interested in the Empire’s initial merging with Equestria several thousand years previously. One particular anecdote caught his eye, and he spent several minutes reading it, before reaching the end and bursting out laughing. Resolving to bring it up if he was ever in the Crystal Empire with his friends, Allan turned the page and continued read a little more, only to grow bored again and tossed the book aside.
Feeling too bored not to, Allan decided it was about time he go into town on his own. It was going to happen eventually anyway, so why not get it over with? He trotted upstairs to grab his cloak, fastening it around his neck with his magic, and transformed into his usual disguise.
“Fluttershy?”
“Yes, Allan?”
“I’m bored, so I’m gonna go into town. Do you need me to get anything?”
There was a moments pause before Fluttershy called back. “If you could pick up some seeds for our little bird friends, that would be very nice.”
“Allright! I’ll make sure to stop by and pick some up before I come home!”
Allan trotted outside without nary a thought, until, halfway down the walkway leading down to the road, it struck him.
“I said home….” He turned his blue eyes back to the cottage, quickly spotting a cheerfully waving Fluttershy in the window. Waving back, he couldn’t help but smile, bright and genuine.
“Well… it’s not a bad place to call home while I’m here, is it?”
Feeling justified in his labelling of Fluttershy’s cottage as his current ‘home’, Allan trotted down the pathway towards town. Like when he had gone down it with Fluttershy, the animals were all around, and although they weren’t quite as close and comfortable with him, the animals weren’t afraid of him either. They frolicked and played nearby,the birds chirping happily, rabbits making happy little squealing sounds. There was a deer prancing happily about a few feet away, and even a
pair of bear cubs splashing about in a forest pool close to the road. Allan wondered if the feelings of joy he was experiencing was what it was like for Fluttershy every day.
It was actually a little disappointing when the animals, and the woods, vanished, replaced by buildings and ponies. It was quite a lovely day despite the disappointment though, and there was no way Allan was going to waste it.
Feeling like having a little food, Allan followed his nose through town. He didn’t end up at Sugarcube Corner, which was a little surprising, but instead at a sweet shop a fair distance down the road from the famed bakery.
The sweets on display in the windows were more than enough to entice him in, including proper chocolate bars, jawbreakers, caramel candies and a few honey treats. He pushed the door open and trotted inside, eyes wide, and feeling like a little kid again, wondering down the aisles of a tiny candy store he remembered back from before his family had emigrated.
“I was wondering when you’d show up!” The familiar voice of Bon Bon emerged from behind the store counter, a big smile on her face. She seemed far less distrusting than before too, which Allan was grateful for. “I’ve been prepping the perfect candy for you since the party” Her head popped up from behind the counter, a big smile on her face.
It took him a moment to remember, but then it hit him. Allan let out a gasp, hooves flying to his mouth. “Oh geez! I completely forgot about Lyra andthe music lessons! I’m so sorry!”
Bon Bon just gave him a knowing smile. “Thanks for the honesty, and the apology. I heard you got summoned to Canterlot, so I think forgetting a couple of music lessons would be understandable. It’s perfectly alright.”
“But I-!” Allan started before getting cut off.
“Look, Allan, you’re really sweet, but you don’t need to feel bad about it. It’s really no big deal. Besides, you still get candy out of it anyway.”
Allan bit back a second protest. “So… um, you made something for me?”
“Yep! Think of it as both a welcome gift, and a thank you gift.” She grinned. “I think you’ll like it. I made it specially for ponies like you.”
Allan caught a tone in her voice, one that was a little too sly for that comment to be some random, quirky comment. He eyed her warily, eyebrow- no, eyeridge, raised in question. Bon Bon simply smiled again, offering him a bag that she produced from under the desk. He took it, ignoring the knowing smile the candymaker gave him.
“Go ahead, try one.”
Allan levitated a yellowish candy with pink swirls out of the brown paper bag, and popped it into his mouth. The moment it touched his tongue, and the taste registered with his brain, his eyes widened, and he stared at the mare, who simply grinned at him.
“Glad you like it!” She said, ignoring his shocked stare. “Now, off with you. Lyra’s waiting, and she’s impatient enough as it is.”
Allan turned slowly around, and walked slowly out of the door, the tell-tale taste of condensed love lingering on his lips.
****************
Lyra Heartstrings was an excitable mare, and one who excelled at the use of string instruments. She could play her namesake lyre, the violin, the cello, the banjo, the bass, the guitar, and even the piano. It was a matter of pride that Lyra was able to play the piano, as it was often not thought of as a string instrument, even though it produced sound that came from interaction with strings and wires. The home she shared with Bon Bon, a simple cottage, played host to each and
every one of those instruments, something that was surely a further point of pride for the mint green mare.
Of course, after figuring out that Bon Bon knew his secret, Allan wasn’t exactly in the right frame of mind to be impressed by Lyra’s considerable repertoire and instrument collection. He listened to her instructions half heartedly, repeated her strumming technique with little effort, and only memorized half of the notes and chords that she showed him. He knew he shouldn’t dwell on it, at least not until after his lesson with Lyra, but the lingering taste of love from the candy, and the nature of thought processes, kept him from enjoying his lesson.
Even a mare as distractible as Lyra could pick up on his behaviour, and very soon, he was jogged out of his reverie by a hoof poking his side.
“Hey, Allan, you okay?” Lyra said, fondling her guitar as she spoke. “You seem quite distracted.”
Allan lowered his borrowed guitar, his ears lowering slightly.
“Did Bonnie give you a hard time? I know she asked you to drop by her store before the lesson.”
“No, no! It’s just…” He trailed off, knowing he shouldn’t say anything else.
“You can tell me!” Lyra said, regarding him with big, pleading eyes. “I’m actually reeeeally good at keeping secrets.”
Allan hated not telling anyone the truth. But he knew why he shouldn’t as well.
“I promise. Pinkie promise even.” Lyra pleaded. “I won’t tell anypony! Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”
That was….oddly reassuring, a display of trust.
“O….okay…...I guess….. I could tell you.” He opened his mouth, about to explain his human past, and the bizarre nature of his current predicament, but he found himself facing that same mental roadblock he had faced with Princess Celestia. He just couldn’t push past it this time. So instead, he resolved to tell her part of the truth. “I’m…..a Changeling.”
He had closed his eyes, expecting to hear a scream of terror or the sound of rapidly receding hooves. Instead, he heard nothing. He opened one eye to take a quick peek, and saw Lyra still sitting there, guitar in hoof.
“Yeah, so?” She asked, strumming away a quick little tune.
“S...so? So? That’s all?” Allan asked, incredulously. “Just… so?”
“Yeah, so you’re a Changeling, big deal. I have friends who are Changelings. You ever met Kevin?”
“Here I am, worrying about my secret being found out, and your reaction is the equivalent of: “meh”?”
Lyra grinned at him over the gourd like shape of her guitar. “Yep. Like I said. I’m good at keeping secrets, and I know lots.”
“Bon Bon figured it out.”
“Ah, so that’s what happened. She made you love candy, didn’t she?”
“Um….”
Lyra put her guitar down, and motioned for him to do the same. “You don’t need to worry about Bonnie. She likes to keep an eye on things in town, and she doesn’t do anything about things like this unless she’s sure it will lead to trouble. So stop worrying, pick up that guitar, and learn yourself how to play.”
“Um… okay… If you’re sure.”
“Sure I’m sure. Now stop moping, bug boy, and get your guitar on.”
************
Allan left Lyra’s a few hours later, a large guitar case resting on his back. Lyra had gifted it to him, telling him that the only payment she needed was knowing he was practicing. He had adamantly refused to take the lesson for free, and had deposited what he guessed to be an appropriate amount of bits for the lesson on her lounge table before he left.
The sun was just past the point that signified midday, reminding Allan that he still had time to kill. Trotting through the streets, Allan brought out the bag of candy Bon Bon had made for him, and popped one in his mouth. The tiny explosion of energy the condensed love gave him made him shiver in delight. Concerns aside, Bon Bon was very good at her job.
What to do…..what to do…… Allan pondered, watching the partially cloudy sky as the pegasi prepared a rain shower for later that night. They flitted about on graceful wings, soaring to and fro, pushing clouds about with their bare hooves. It was somewhat surreal to see, but Allan had pretty much given up on being surprised of all the crazy magic he saw. He was a bronze insect magical horse after all. He shouldn’t judge. Of course, that still didn’t stop him from gawking at the sight for a few minutes, wondering just how they could do something like that. How could you manipulate water vapour with your bare hooves? It seemed impossible. Even magic had to have rules, but he just couldn’t discern any patterns yet. Perhaps that was something he and Twilight coul-
Allan collided face first with something heavy and warm, which gave a surprised cry of alarm at having been run into, and toppled over backwards in his efforts to reverse away from the obstacle. The collision with the ground knocked him senseless for a moment, a fine display of stars spinning about his head as he tried to shake off his dizziness.
“Oh, I am so sorry! I really need to pay more attention to where I’m going when I’m talking with friends!” The owner of the voice reached out her hoof to him, an offer of assistance. “Here, need a hoof?”
Allan peered up at the owner of the voice once his head stopped spinning, and was surprised at the resemblance he saw to Princess Twilight. The unicorn had a similar, pale purple, lavender coat to Twilight, and a similarly dark purple-blueish mane, with a baby blue stripe and a slightly brighter purple streak running down the middle. Her mane was done up in a stylish little curl that framed one side of her face, and Allan could see her cutie mark had a similar swirling pattern of blue, coupled with a star. Another mare stood behind her, dressed in a pointy magician’s hat and cloak.
“Sure, thank you…. Uh...sorry, I don’t think I know you.” Allan said, as he accepted her help in getting back up.
“Starlight Glimmer. Nice to meet you.” She stuck out her hoof again, and Allan took it.
“I’m Allan. Allan Ryder.”
“That’s an unusual name for a pony, if you don’t mind my saying so. Quite old fashioned, actually.” Starlight said.
“It’s fine. I haven’t heard anything about ‘old fashioned’ until now, but I do get the ‘unusual name’ shtick every now and then.” Allan responded with a smile.
“So, you must be rather new in town, right? I was pretty sure I knew everypony here, by sight at least, but I don’t remember seeing you around.”
“Oh, yeah! I am, actually. Moved here a little over two weeks ago now.” Allan held back the small flutter of his heart as his mind decided to try torturing him by bringing up images of his family. “So you live here too?”
“Oh, yeah, I do. I’m kinda… the personal student of Princess Twilight.”
Alan's jaw dropped. “Wait, you’re that Starlight?!”
Starlight looked quite crestfallen. “Oh, so I guess you know-”
“That you saved Equestria from Queen Chrysalis and sparked a cultural revolution? Heck yes!”
Starlight’s head shot right back up. “Twilight told you?!”
“Hell yes!” Alan's gaze quickly turned to the other mare. “Which means you must be Trixie!”
The magician’s eyes lit up too, at the recognition. “W-why yes! It is I! The Great and Powerful Trixie!”
“Princess Twilight and her friends told me all about how you guys beat Chrysalis, with no magic at all! You guys must be so great!”
Trixie seemed to bask in the glow of appreciation, and Starlight certainly seemed to be quite happy too.
“Wait…” Starlight started. “Why did Princess Twilight tell you?”
“That’s….. A long story….”
********************
“That’s…..” Starlight Glimmer sat on the throne meant for Applejack, while Trixie sat next to her, in the throne meant for Rarity. Allan sat directly opposite them, in Fluttershy’s throne.
“Quite a story, though not quite as amazing as my past.” Trixie said, though Allan could tell she was just trying to make herself look good.
“Yes, it’s quite a story.” Starlight repeated, though she dropped off Trixie’s self appraisal and gave her friend a pointed look. Trixie didn’t seem to notice. “I’m sorry about what Chrysalis did to you. I can’t help but feel like it’s our fault.”
Allan waved his hooves in front of him. “No no, it’s not your fault. It’s Chrysalis’s for being a colossal bitch.”
Trixie sputtered as she slapped a hoof over her mouth to contain her laughter. Apparently she found curse words amusing. Starlight giggled a little as well.
“Well, I suppose that makes me feel a little better, but, I also kinda feel sorry for Chrysalis, too.”
Both Allan and Trixie looked surprised at that. “What? Why?” The changeling asked. “That creep got what she deserved.”
Starlight didn’t seem to share that sentiment. “It’s just…. Everything she did, at least, until now, was all for her family, for the hive. I….we, took that all away from her. I’d have thought you’d feel sorry for her too, having just gone through the same thing.”
“Yeah, well, unlike her, I’m not a genocidal psycho bitch.” Allan deadpanned. “I didn’t deserve what I got, and I hope she gets a white hot poker rammed right up her-”
Trixie burst out laughing before he could finish, while Starlight feebly tried to stay serious enough to reprimand the magician. Shrugging, Allan waited for the two mares to calm down, so that they could continue their discussion.
“Well, now that you two are finished… what do you want to do? I’m kinda bored just sitting around Fluttershy’s all day-not because of her, mind you! It’s more because I just don’t really do anything else besides read and help out with chores.”
Starlight peered at him with an unreadable expression, before reclining back in her chair, a thoughtful look on her muzzle. “Well, if you want, me and Trixie could use a hoof with something. We’ll make it worth your while.”
“Okay….. what is it?” Allan asked. He didn’t like the exchanged grins the two mares shared.
***************
Allan couldn’t believe he was doing this. Trixie was setting up a surprise show in town, and she would normally have asked Starlight to assist her. The only problem was, Starlight was already involved backstage, working the technical and magical set pieces and lighting, which meant that she wasn’t able to be up on stage with Trixie.
Their solution was for Allan to pose as Trixie’s assistant. A very curvy, good looking, female assistant, dressed in borderline suggestive clothing. Allan had flat out objected, but the two had somehow managed to coax him into it anyway, which had lead to Allan standing where she was now, in front of a mirror, trying very hard not to stare at herself. She was failing miserably, her eyes constantly drifting to the soft, caramel coloured coat Trixie had recommended, and the plump, supple rear that housed what Allan just knew was a perfectly functional…. ahem, set, beneath her reddish tail. The frilly, star covered waistcoat that failed to cover her exposed flanks just made it worse, and the long eyelashes and cute, rounded muzzle added to Alan's embarrassment and shame.
Why Trixie had insisted on creating the disguise Allan would use, he-she, had no idea. She felt like she was about to burst into flames at any moment, so hot were her cheeks from her incredibly intense, crimson blush. Her unicorn horn, poking out of her mane, felt alien, even though her changeling form had a horn, as well as an extra two that she found reminiscent of the horns on medieval dragons.
She twisted about one way, then the other, worrying about every part of the disguise at once. Trixie came trotting in, humming a tune as she finished putting on her own costume, a less practical, more flashy version of her cape and hat, some eyeshadow, and a new style for her mane, one that retained her signature long, curled bangs, but pulled the rest of her mane up into a bun that was hidden by her hat. The magician looked over at her new assistant, and completely missed the look of humiliation Allan wore. “Looking good there, Cinnamon.” She said, using the name that they had settled on.
The mare who would be known as ‘Cinnamon’ managed to look like an angry tomato. “No, I don’t! I look like mare!”
“You are a mare for tonight, that was the deal. “ Trixie replied, not even bothering to face the changeling.
“No, the deal was I’d be your assistant! There was never anything about being female!”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t work well with male assistants.”
‘Cinnamon’ gritted her teeth. “I am male, you dolt.”
“Not right now. And that’s all that matters. Just help out Trixie tonight, and I promise, I’ll show you some cool stuff later.” The unicorn finally turned around. “It’s just one show. Is it really all that hard?”
‘Cinnamon’ snarled. “Yes.”
“Oh come on, please!?” Trixie begged, suddenly using a wheedling voice that irritated ‘Cinnamon’ to no end. “If you quit now, the show will be ruined! I can’t not have an assistant! Every good magician has an assistant, even if all they do is stand there and look pretty!”
“Then find someone else!” ‘Cinnamon snapped, trying to undo her skimpy dress.
“The show starts in twenty minutes! You expect Trixie to be able to find somepony else in twenty minutes?” Trixie’s pleading eyes looked up at the changeling from where she knelt in front of her. “Just one show, please!”
‘Cinnamon’ tried. She really did, but all these ponies around her kept her at constant maximum cuteness capacity, so when Trixie broke out the puppy dog eyes... “Urrgh! Fine! One show, and that’s it! I won’t do any more!”
“Great! Trixie won’t forget this. It is a big favour, especially with Princess Twilight and her friends coming.”
“Yeah, you definitely owe me big- wait.” ‘Cinnamon’s’ breath cut short and she gaped in horror at the magician. “Say that again.”
“It is a big favour?”
“No!” ‘Cinnamon’ cried, grabbing Trixie by the collar of her cloak and practically mashing their noses together. “The other bit!”
“...Princess Twilight and her friends are coming…?” Trixie repeated, slowly, a nervous grin on her face.
“That part!” ‘Cinnamon’ cried, hyperventilating. She let go of Trixie, who dropped to the floor with a surprised shriek. “I-I can’t let them see me like this! I can’t! I just can’t!”
Trixie picked her discarded hat back off the floor, dusted it off and plonked it back on her head. “Why not? A minute ago you were fine with it.”
‘Cinnamon’ appeared to be having an intense emotional breakdown. “I’ll be a laughing stock! Fluttershy will never take me seriously again!”
Trixie’s flat expression spoke volumes. Of course that would be the mare he’d think about. Stallions, the multi-verse over, were so dense at times.
“Ohmanohmanohmanohmanhman!” ‘Cinnamon was galloping on the spot, hooves thumping into the floorboards of the backstage part of the setup, and sounding like a stampede. Trixie waited for a moment, before quite promptly reaching out, and slapping her assistant across the cheek. Hard. Silence. ‘Cinnamon’ did not move, and Trixie just regarded her with boredom. “You done?”
“Yeah….I think I needed that.”
“On with the show?”
“On with the show.”
*******************
Twilight and the others had looked for Allan for over two hours, ever since Fluttershy had come to them, worried because he hadn’t come home. The yellow mare was beside herself with fretfulness. As his guardian and guide in this world, it was supposed to be her job to look out for him, and as his friend, she felt horrible for letting him go out alone.
Rainbow had taken to the skies with Fluttershy, scouring the town by air, whilst Twilight, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie had all split up to cover as much ground as possible. Trotting through the park, Twilight’s ears perked as the familiar sound of fireworks going off. Trixie and Starlight must have started already. Twilight wondered if Allan would like Trixie’s shows.
Curiosity pulled over to see just what Trixie had in store tonight, even if she wasn’t going to be staying. The Princess quickly came into view of the stage, which was just finishing its first barrage of pyrotechnics for the night’s show.
“Greetings, fillies and gentlecolts!” A voice cried out, but it was neither Trixie’s or Starlight’s voice. “Tonight, we have a special show planned. I am Cinnamon, and I will be the….” the voice paused for a moment, as though the mare was hesitant. “Lovely assistant tonight for your host.” The mare stepped out, revealing a rather lovely looking young mare who put half the other mares in the crowd to shame, and drew a few appreciative stares from the stallions. She seemed to be d doing her best to completely ignore them. She walked across the stage, her short skirt keeping several appreciative eyes on her.“ You all know her, Ponyville! She’s regretted her mistakes, and is trying her utmost to make it up to you. Last year, her Equestrian Apology tour started right here, and now, with a new outlook, and a lot wiser, may I present, the one, the only….” The mare paused again, this time for dramatic effect. “The Great and Powerful TTRRRRRIIIIXXIIIIIIEEEEE!!!” The mare cried, rolling the name off her tongue and at a volume powerful enough to make sure that none of the crowd could have not heard her.
With a sweep of her hoof, the mare gestured to the center stage, where, in a flash of light and fireworks, Trixie, dressed up in her new, improved magician’s cape and hat, appeared.
“Hello everypony! It’s so good to see all of you again! Tonight is going to be a great show! I have my lovely assistant, Cinnamon, onstage,” The showmare waved a hoof in Cinnamon’s direction, who seemed to be trying to hide how mortified she was by the attention of certain members of the crowd, her smile just a little too forced to be genuine. “And backstage, my friend Starlight is helping keep everything running smoothly, so please, give them both a hoof when the show is over.” Trixie definitely seemed to be giving it her all to be as humble as possible tonight. “But, this wouldn’t be a magic show without some magic, now would it? Starlight and I have come up with some awesome stuff for you tonight, fillies and gentlecolts, and with the help of my lovely assistant, I shall perform it all for you!”
The crowd gave a cheer. They certainly seemed to approve of the change in the showmare’s attitude. Twilight couldn’t help but feel happy that she had taken her lessons to heart. And Starlight helping her out was another point of pride. While Twilight and Trixie still got under each other’s skin, Twilight was glad that she and Starlight’s friendship was genuine, and strong.
As Trixie launched into an introduction for her first trick, which was a bigger, more involved version of a relatively simple card game. Twilight didn’t even realize that she had moved over to the seat Trixie had reserved for her when the mare called on her.
“Ah, Princess Twilight. I’m honoured you could make my show. Would you do me an even greater honour by participating in this little game?”
Twilight nearly jumped out of her seat at the mention of her name, but held herself in check, glad of Celestia’s little session on regal composure. She cleared her throat before responding.
“It would be my pleasure Trixie.”
“Alright, well, this one is quite simple, my lovely assistant is going to flip through this deck of cards. I want you to select one, remember it, and not tell anyone, alright?”
Twilight nodded. She had never delved much into sleight of hoof tricks, but even she understood that. “Yes, I understand.”
Cinnamon, her bright blue magic holding the deck in the air, quickly approached, made sure the deck was shuffled, and then hovered the stack of laminated cards in between the two of them. The cards bent upward, then began to flick by, far too fast for her to keep up. She tried to pick one, but even her enhanced, Alicorn vision made it no less impossible. Trixie raised a hoof to her mouth in a small gesture of embarrassment. “Oh, Princess, I’m so sorry. Even I could see that was too fast, and I’m still onstage!” That got a few chuckles from the crowd. “Cinnamon, could you be a dear and do it again, just, a little slower?”
Cinnamon’s face was red, but she nodded, and raised the cards up again, and scrolled through them again, just slow enough for Twilight to spot one that just leapt out at her.
“I’ve got one.” She announced, loud enough that the rest of the audience could hear.
“Good. Do you have it memorized?”
“Yes.”
“Alrighty then!” Trixie called. “You can come back now, Cinnamon.”
Cinnamon spared one last glance at Twilight before departing. The poor dear looked so flustered and out of her depth. In fact, the more she thought about it, the mare did share a few habits with Allan, like chewing the inside of his cheek when he was nervous, and flitting his eyes from side when he was flustered. They even walked similar…… oh no. No, Trixie didn’t, did she?
Twilight, still remembering her number, peered intently at the retreating mare. Was that really...?
Trixie took the cards with a grin, and called out: “Well, we don’t need those now, do we?”
She gleefully threw them up into the air, where they spontaneously caught fire and vanished in seconds. The crowd applauded. “Alright then, just to clarify, Princess. I haven’t spoken to you about the tricks in the show, have I? I haven’t pre-arranged anything with you?”
Twilight rolled her eyes at the mandated disclaimer, but smiled despite it. “No Trixie. I didn’t even know there would be cards tonight.”
Another small chuckle from the crowd.
“Good.” Trixie said. “Of course, now, we have the problem of not having the deck from which our fair Princess selected her card.” She paused, grinning like a mad scientist. “But not to worry folks. The great and Powerful Trixie comes prepared. Cinnamon, if you would be so kind?”
Cinnamon nodded and trotted offstage. She returned a few moments later, wheeling a large wardrobe out from offstage.
“Now, fillies and gentlecolts. Would you say it was impossible for this old wardrobe, which was made over twenty years ago, to have the exact card, drawn by the princess drawn in the back of it?”
A few negatory responses were mixed in with more neutral and confirming ones from the crowd.
“Well, isn’t this like my first visit to Ponyville? We have a few naysayers in the crowd tonight.”
The crowd laughed. Trixie’s lighthearted tone made it quite clear she had gotten over that particular debacle. “Well, Princess, could you please validate the age of this wardrobe, just to be sure?”
Twilight nodded, and moved up to the stage, where Cinnamon offered her a hoof up, which she politely accepted. For a moment, their eyes met, but then Cinnamon turned away. Twilight’s horn lit up, as she examined the piece of furniture with a spell she’d learned some time ago.
“This wardrobe is about twenty years old, give or take a week or two.”
Satisfied, the crowd settled back, waiting for the payoff.
“Well Princess. You remember the card you chose?”
“Yes. Do you want me to tell you now?”
“Please, do.”
“Alright then. The card I chose was the King of Hearts.”
“Ooh, nice choice, but let’s see if that’s what the maker of the cupboard predicted?” Trixie said, her horn and Cinnamon’s glowing as their telekinesis grabbed ahold of the handles, and pulled.
The crowd remained silent. Trixie looked inside, before sighing. “Whoops. Embarassing.”
The seven of clubs stared back at them from the back of the closet. Cinnamon looked ready to die, but Trixie just rolled with it. The show must go on, Twilight supposed.
“Wait a second.” Trixie said, looking at the cupboard as Cinnamon closed the door. “Lovely assistant, I have a hunch. Could you please reopen the wardrobe?”
“Uh, sure.” Cinnamon responded, opening the door again. The seven of clubs still sat there, mocking them.
“Could you step inside please?”
Cinnamon fixed Trixie a look, but obeyed the request, stepping inside.
“Now, you’re not claustrophobic, are you, Cinni?”
“Uh, maybe a little?”
“Oh, you might want to hold your breath then.” Trixie said.
“That’s not how claustrophobi-HEY!” Trixie shoved the mare inside, and slammed the door.
“TRIXIE!”
“Oh, hush now, Trixie’s working.”
Twilight stared, mouth agape in horror. “Trixie?!”
“Please, Princess, you’ll like this, just trust me.”
Twilight bit her lip. She didn’t like this. Trixie didn’t wait for her though. “Cinnamon, could you do Trixie a favour and keep talking? I think the audience misses you already.”
“Oh, that’s good.” Cinnamon’s muffled voice came through the doors. “Cause I really miss
them right now.”
“That’s good.” Trixie said, trotting around the box, examining it quite thoroughly. “Keep going.”
“So, what I should I talk about?” Cinnamon asked.
“Well, are you dating anypony? Or do you have somepony in mind? I’m certain a few ponies are interested out here.” Trixie gestured to the audience.
“I don’t think that’s appropriate!” Cinnamon called.
Trixie let out a cackle. “So you do have somepony you like, don’t you?”
Twilight’s curiosity piqued. If she was right about who Cinnamon was, this could be quite informative.
“W-well. There is this one pony….”
“Well, what’s he like?” Trixie pressed, sliding her hooves along the base of the box, searching for something.
“Well…. It’s not exactly a him….” Cinnamon answered, sounding quite fearful of the crowds response.
“Ooh, it’s a mare that’s caught your eye, is it?” The crowd gave a collective, romantic: “Ooooooooo…..”
As Trixie continued searching the side of the wardrobe for something, Twilight noticed that the box her seat was in was no longer so empty, as her friends had arrived, and were all eagerly listening. They must have been here since before the wardrobe part.
“Well, come on, Cinnamon. Spill! What’s she like?”
“She’s…. She’s wonderful!” The adoration that filtered through the doors was dorable. “She loves animals, and she’s really cute. Every time I see her, it feels like my hearts gonna burst!”
“Aww, you really like her, don’t you Cinnamon?” Trixie teased. “Anything you’d like to say to her, if she was here?”
Cinnamon didn’t respond for a little bit. “I-I…..I guess…..I’d say…..That even though my life’s a mess, and I have no idea what I’m doing half the time….I…. think I might be in love with her.”
“And who did you say she was? An animal lover?”
Twilight noticed Fluttershy stiffen as the words hit home. Fluttershy’s eyes went impossibly wide, as she figured out who ‘Cinnamon’, really was.
“Well, Cinnamon, although Trixie will need you to carry on being my assistant for the rest of the show, I do have to confess two things. One, this trick is actually two tricks at once. And two. Trixie knows the mare you’re talking about.”
Twilight stiffened. “No, Trixie, don’t do this to him. He’s been doing so well!” She muttered, trying to decide whether or not to intervene.
“Y-you do?” Cinnamon’s voice wavered.
“Yes, and Trixie also knows she’s watching the show tonight.”
Cinnamon’s voice fell silent. Twilight could practically feel the emotional overload coming, could feel the buildup. “I-I just told her…?” Oh, sweet Celestia. ‘Cinnamon’ sounded heartbroken.
“Yes, you did. Now, I’m not going to single her out. I know neither of you would like that very much, so let’s just finish the trick, shall we?”
Although nopony else could hear it, Twilight felt a tear snake down her face at the strangled sob she heard from inside the wardrobe.
“S-s-s-sure.”
***************
The rest of the show was marred for both Twilight and her friends by the fact that Allan had to pretend to be perfectly alright the whole way through. ‘Cinnamon’s’ composure kept cracking every so often, enough for a tiny, murderous glare to slip past her friendly mask each time, each one directed at Trixie.
The moment after the final trick, which culminated in an impressive display of doves being conjured out of an explosion of fireworks, fired by Trixie as she balanced precariously on top of a manticore’s head, Trixie called the show to an end.
“Thank you fillies and gentlecolts! You’ve been a wonderful audience! Please, give a big round of applause for our wonderful assistant, Cinnamon Bun, and my best friend, Starlight Glimmer! I’ve been the Great and Powerful Trixie Lulamoon! Thank you, and goodnight!”
The crowd roared in thunderous applause, as Starlight emerged from backstage, and the three mares bowed from the crowd, accompanied by the manticore, before trotting offstage. Twilight didn’t wait. She smelled trouble, and so did Fluttershy.
*******************
“You complete, and total bitch!!” Allan snarled, still wearing his ‘Cinnamon’ disguise, as he was so angry, so livid, that he couldn’t even muster up the control to shift back. “What in the name of everything holy was that?!”
“Well… Trixie received a letter from her friend Thorax earlier this evening, telling me how you seemed to like Fluttershy, but couldn’t seem to figure out your feelings. Trixie thought she could help you out-”
“By tricking me into telling somepony something that I’m not even sure of? Something that is already more complicated than it would have to be for this stupid fucking plan of yours to work?” Allan spat back. “This was a real messed up thing to do, especially to somepony you just met! Did you even consider what this might do to me? You made me look like an idiot, in front of half of the town!” Allan felt like draining her emotions. He felt so angry! “You even did it in front of my friends! Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? Do you?”
Trixie couldn’t really say anything. He was right. She hadn’t talked to anypony else, she hadn’t checked. She’d read the letter mere hours before the show, having only met Allan earlier that same evening. She’d been stupid, and now….
“You’re a bitch, and I hope you get eaten by some giant monster!” Allan shrieked the words, his vocal range as a mare far higher than he was used to. “Screw you, and screw your stupid magic show!”
She charged out, not caring that she barreled through her own friends, knocking Rarity over and shoving Applejack headfirst into a crate of stage supplies. Starlight watched the changeling go from the doorway, eyes filled with pity.
********************