“So, what do you think?” A tense smile covered Twilight’s face.
Months of sleepless nights and meticulous preparation had been put into ensuring that the spell presentation shined. Twilight didn’t merely seek her idols’ validation; she wanted to impress them. Anypony could invent a spell, Starswirl the Bearded liked to write in his notes. Only the competent could come up with something worthwhile. And now here Twilight was, presenting a spell that would change Equestria as everypony knew it to the Princesses and Starswirl himself.
“Hmm,” Starswirl said, breaking the silence.
“Yes? Yes?” Twilight’s ears perked up. “Were the charts on slides eighty-five to eighty-seven too speculative? Do you think I shouldn’t have used chicken eggs as a proof of concept?”
“Your choice was unquestionably interesting, Twilight.” Celestia smiled, gently brushing a dozen chicks off her mane with a wing and levitating them to the pool of others on the floor. “I think, though, that maybe you might have been a bit too eager in your demonstration?”
Twilight’s cheeks turned red. Maybe a sample size of a thousand was a bit too much? She took a step back, careful not to trod on one of the chicks that currently composed the floor of the throne room.
“So.” Starswirl took a deep breath. “Your little demonstration aims to prove what, exactly?”
“Umm.” Droplets of sweat covered Twilight’s face. Was I clear enough in my thesis? I’m sure I was clear in the opening slide, but what if I wasn’t? What if I made a terrible mistake?
“Speak up, young lady,” Starswirl said in the strict voice of an annoyed school principal.
“I tried to demonstrate the effects of a new dragon hatching spell,” Twilight said meekly. “It would help improve pony-dragon relations and—“
“I see,” Starswirl cut her short.
He’s disappointed! I can tell. Twilight looked at Celestia. The Sun Princess was sitting on her throne, smiling as she tried to fend herself from the hordes of chicks eager to climb onto her. Oh, no! Princess Celestia is upset as well! I have shamed her in front of the greatest magical mind Equestria has known. If only—
The hall door swung open. Hundreds of chicks rushed forward, forming a wave that splashed onto Starswirl and the Princesses. Twilight covered her face in shame.
“Have no fear, for the Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived!” Trixie entered with the bravado of a prima donna. “Behold my first hoof experiences with dragon egg hatching that will dazzle and ama—“ She suddenly stopped. Her mane puffed up as she glared straight at the throne section of the hall. “What is he doing here?” Trixie hissed, pointing forward.
“Oh, Stars.” Starswirl rolled his eyes. “Bellatrix, this is hardly the time. I happen to be in the middle of very important discussion.”
Bellatrix? Twilight arched a brow.
“What a surprise,” Trixie grumbled. “Remind me, when aren’t you busy?”
“Don’t hold that tone, young lady!” Starswirl said sharply. “And I thought I told you what I thought of that ridiculous outfit. If you can’t be a respectable unicorn, at least behave like one.”
“Like you’re one to talk, dad!” Trixie growled. “And I’ve told you before! I’d rather live in the Everfree forest than wear bells!”
“She does have a point.” Celestia chuckled behind her hoof. “Bells went out of fashion seven hundred years ago.”
“What?!” Twilight’s wings fluffed up. “‘Dad’?!” She stared at Trixie.
“This isn’t something Trixie is comfortable talking about.” The magician looked away.
“Where did I go wrong?” Starswirl sighed, a hoof on his face. “I gave you the best magic scrolls and compendiums, made sure you did adequate aether training growing up, even left instructions with Tia concerning your admission to the Mage Academy, and you threw that away to perform stage tricks.”
“But, but! It can’t be true!” Twilight shouted. “Trixie. You. I...” She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them again. The panic and confusion hadn’t subsided. “You’re centuries old. There’s no way you can be Trixie’s father!”
“Time travel,” Luna whispered.
“Time travel?” Twilight blinked.
“Well, I was the key researcher of that field of magic.” Starswirl straightened, adjusting his hat. “The pioneer, I might add. It was natural I tested it on myself.”
“Yeah, and disappeared soon after.” Trixie grumbled. “It would have been better if you got lost in time and never returned at all!”
Twilight felt faint. Losing balance, she stumbled, causing all chicks in the vicinity to rush away, clearing a patch of floor. Trixie is Starswirl’s daughter? But I dueled with her... twice! There’s simply no way that she could be! But what if she was? Swallowing, she stood firmly. An air of quiet tension had formed with both Starswirl and Trixie frowning away from each other. Ears drooped, Twilight turned to Celestia for support. The Sun Princess shook her head, then moved her lips to silently say “it’s okay”.
“What’s important is that you’re here now?” Luna suggested, trying to end the awkwardness. “There’s definitely a lot you two could catch up on. Isn’t that so, Twilight?”
“Huh?” Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes! A lot!” Think! Think! There must be something positive I can say about Trixie. “She helped save Equestria from the changelings.” Twilight glanced at Starswirl. He didn’t seem at all impressed. “Err, and her performance on stage has won millions?”
“Such potential wasted.” Starswirl sighed. “I had hopes you’d have earned your wings by now. Instead what do I find? You haven’t progressed beyond that spell you did when you were five! No magic degree, no stable job, no family, you’ve moving from town to town like some vagrant!”
“Oooh, so it’s my fault now?” Trixie crossed her hooves. “What about your constant ‘I’ll be back in a minute’?! The first time you disappeared I cried for weeks! And then you just popped up on my birthday as if nothing had happened!” She stomped on the floor, causing a new wave of chicks to splash away from her and onto everypony else. “If you want to know, you are the reason I quit magic!”
“Here we go again...”
“And I’ll have you know, I have a very prestigious job! And am dating a Princess!” Trixie stomped on the floor once more.
Silence filled the hall. Even the chicks stopped their chirping, shocked by the unexpected announcement. Twilight’s jaw dropped. Celestia and Starswirl had equally shocked expressions, eyes wide, ears perked up and turned towards Trixie. Frozen like statues, their eyes moved from pony to pony.
“What?” Luna asked once the glances had settled on her. “I would have told you in a few weeks,” she said defensively. “I wasn’t keeping it a secret or anything!”
“Unbelievable! How much must you disappoint me, Bellatrix?” Starswirl trotted forward. The chicks moved aside forming a path between him and Trixie. “You’re dating one of my students?! Do you have any idea what position you’ve put me in? Did you even think what position you put her in? Of course not! You only think about yourself!” He glanced at the ceiling. “I told your mother she was spoiling you, but no. She convinced me it was just a phase. All that living in a wagon when you have your own wing of the mansion.”
“What position I put you in?” Trixie snorted. “Nothing I ever do is good enough, is it! I have literally saved Equestria—“
“Barely once.” Starswirl raised his chin.
“—and you still treat me like a spoilt brat! Never once did you treat me like my own pony!”
“Silence!” Twilight shouted. Everyone froze still. Twilight had risen in the air, her entire body trembling. “I’m not being a part of this again! I take it my spell was beneath expectations. I’ll go over the numbers and provide an improved version within a month!” A flash of purple popped around her, after which she was gone.
The remaining four ponies looked at each other. Before any of them could say a word, another flash lit the hall.
“Oh, and I’m leaving my sample props here so you can evaluate them independently,” She announced then teleported away again.
Chirping followed.
“Do you think we went too far?” Starswirl asked. “She seemed somewhat troubled at the end.”
“She’s fine.” Trixie waved a hoof. “We do this sort of thing all the time. In a week she’ll have forgotten all about it.”
“If you say so.” Starswirl adjusted his hat. “Anyway, I must be off. I have a lecture shortly, and I don’t want to keep my students waiting. I’ll leave the—“ He looked around. “—the chick cleaning to you.”
“Oh, is it okay if Luna joins us for dinner?” Trixie asked making puppy eyes. “Please?”
“What am I going to do with you, Bellatrix?” Starswirl sighed. “Your mother is right. I’m far too soft with you. As long as your mother agrees, I suppose I’ll accept it. Just no magic trick while eating!”
“Thanks, dad! You’re the best!” Trixie hugged him. “And I’ll be sure to come up with some explanation for Twilight.” Maybe I’ll get Discord to lend me a pair of wings for a week? She grinned. I’ll have to tell Pinkie Pie about it.