Canterlot was the first stop on "The Humble and Penitent Trixie's Equestrian Apology Tour". After the show, The Great and Powerful Trixie was granted a rare audience with Princess Celestia. She appeared before the Court in her trademark overstated hat and cape, prepared to rub knees with the upper crust.
There were several unicorns currently socializing with the Princess. Trixie smirked: this was her chance to impress nobility. Then again, "impression" wasn't really her goal. She just wanted these ponies to know that she was better than they were.
Trixie performed a number of parlor tricks to light applause, although some of the onlookers rolled their eyes during her self-praising patter. Afterwards, Trixie trotted right up to the Princess, seemingly unfazed by her stature or station, and interrupted a conversation she was having with another guest. Nearby, a member of the Royal Guard held his spear at the ready.
"Grrrrrreetings, Princess Celestia," said Trixie, with an exaggerated bow.
"Please pardon me," Princess Celestia said to her other guest. "Thank you for your audience here this evening, Great and Powerful Trixie. Your performances were most entertaining." There was no hint of sarcasm in the princess's voice. Her glowing mane mesmerically waved in the air behind her, temporarily distracting Trixie.
"Oh! Well, um, The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you as well, dear." Rare indeed was the pony who would dare address her as something other than 'Your Highness' or 'Princess'. Celestia barely failed to suppress the hint of a smirk, but secretly enjoyed the informality.
"Is there anything I can do for you in exchange for your charitable display of magical prowess?" asked Celestia.
Trixie's ears perked up. "Actually, there is something you could help Trixie with," she replied. "I'm afraid it's your other guests here. I overhear them speaking of me as 'quaint' or 'clever', but The Great and Powerful Trixie is not merely a show pony! Surely you, of all ponies, understand what it is like to need to... assert your worthiness. How do you show the ponies here that you stand above them, aside from your freakishly long legs?"
Princess Celestia couldn't help but giggle at the last bit, but recomposed herself quickly. "Would you like me to... demonstrate?" she asked, stepping forward and leaning over Trixie with a sudden diabolical look in her eye.
"I, ah, I d-don't know if that will really be necessary," said Trixie, looking left and right for the exits.
"I insist," said Celestia. "Let me show you how I assert my own worth relative to yours."
Trixie cringed and shook fearfully, then opened her eyes only to find Celestia laying on the floor beneath her. Princess Celestia kissed Trixie on her cutie mark, and bowed her head low. There were audible gasps from around the room. Trixie stood with her mouth agape, uncertain what to do or say.
Then Princess Celestia stood back up and turned her rump to face Trixie. "If you truly wish, you may indeed assert your worth over everypony else in this room, including me. All you need to do is kiss my haunch."
Trixie stood rigidly in place. Despite the fact that Princess Celestia had just laid herself low before Trixie, she seemed higher above her than even before.
"T-Trixie has to be going now, farewell!" she said, then threw a tiny smoke bomb and galloped headlong out of the room.
The guard walked up to Celestia and whispered, "Your Highness, this is how these rumors get started."
"Please don't call me Highness, and I know," said Princess Celestia. "But, sometimes it can be worth paying that price to impart an important lesson."