It was early in the afternoon and Starlight was tending to Phyllis in her room after a well deserved lunch, she moved the plant there until she can move all her stuff to the school headmare's office, she cut a dead leaf and sprayed Phyllis with fresh water while humming a song. From the other side of the room a blue unicorn mare was sprawled on the bed like it was hers.
Trixie made a ball of paper, aimed to Starlight's head and threw it, failing miserably and almost hitting Phyllis, “come on!“ she said while making another paper ball.
Starlight picked her mail from the table, “no Trix, I can't take you to see the you know what,“ she picked up a letter and read its content, “seriously?” she said annoyed.
Trixie rolled on her back, “bad news?” she asked.
“Mmm I dunno, is just that Stellar Flare and my dad decided to turn her house into an office building for a project they have for the town, so I guess they will be living together for a bit longer if not for good.”
“HA! What did Trixie tell you? I knew it! Now pay up, take me to your secret project.”
“Trixie no.”
Trixie groaned, “that's not fair, you took Maud and Sunburst, even that foreign mare with the nice flanks has seen that mysterious something box, why you don't want to show it to Trixie?“
Starlight let out a sigh, “listen Trix, is not that I don't want to tell you all about it, in fact I was planning to take you this week but Twilight left with Izzi-“ she got interrupted by Trixie.
“With who?“ she asked.
“You know Izzi, you met her yesterday,“ Starlight said but Trixie just shrugged making her friend rub her temples, “the mare with a nice flanks.“
“Oh yeah Izzi, great butt for a pegasus, must be that Casquillian diet,“ Trixie got up and walked to her friend pushing Starlight near her cutiemark with her hoof, “you could use more protein in your diet, your tush is cute but lacking.“
Starlight rolled her eyes, “anyway, Twilight left with Izzi to Ghastly Gorge checking for a rare plant that only grows there, most of the girls left for a few days as well and I don't know where Spike is, there won't be any session this weekend, I'll bring you to the one next week.“
“But Glimmy, Trixie wants to see it now, the curiosity is unbearable, please say you will take Trixie today, PLEASE!“ the magician pony was now on her knees, shaking Starlight who looked annoyed.
“No Trix.“
“Please?“
“No.“
“Pretty please?“
“No.“
“Pretty please with sugar on top?“
“I said no.“
“Pretty please with sugar, a cherry and sprinkles on top?“
“Not even if you put enough sugar to make Pinkie sick.“
“Awwww... how about now?“
“Yeah sure.“
“Really?“
“No.“
Trixie grabbed Starlight and put her face next to hers, “if you show me, I'll give you one million bits,“ she whispered to her violet friend.
Starlight groaned, “Trixie, you don’t have a million bits, heck you haven't even paid me for the drinks last time, you know, the drinks you invited me that I ended up paying?“
“But if Trixie had a million bits, Trixie would give them to you because we are such good friends,“ She said while rubbing her head on Starlight's shoulder.
Starlight covered her face with her hooves for a second and with a face that could make Cranky Doodle proud she said, “if I take you there, you promise not to tell Twilight or any of the girls?“ Trixie's face beamed with happiness and quickly nodded, “fine, let's go before I regret it,“ She walked to the door.
Trixie jumped and then grabbed the pot that was on the table, “you heard that, you inanimate plant that for some reason my best friend speaks to? Starlight is going to take me to see that secret project!“ she made circles with the plant until she tripped, sending the plant flying directly to the wall.
“Phyllis, NOOOOO!“ Starlight screamed then covered her eyes waiting for the sound of the pot smashing against the wall but it never came, she watched as a blue aura surrounded the pot, mere inches from the wall, “Trixie, you saved Phyllis!“ she jumped and hugged her best friend who placed the plant on the table again.
Trixie stood there enjoying the hug until she pushed her to stop it, “alright, alright, I saved your plant, don't go asking my hoof in marriage over that, let's go see the thing.“
~♥~♦~♣~♠~
Starlight took Trixie where the music box was, she ignited her horn to remove the blanket that covered the pedestal where the machine was put on and the console attached to said machine, she checked the console and Twilight’s spell, it was still working not needing any adjustment, but it didn’t hurt to check, “ok, now usually is Twilight giving all this explanation and I know you have the attention span of a five year old when it comes to scientific stuff so I’ll be brief. This is the music box, it came in some sort of capsule from space, it was built by aliens and it plays music made by said aliens. Ok please don’t freak out.”
Trixie stood there looking at Starlight for a few seconds, “is that it? Trixie was hoping something more fun, like giant robots or maybe you summoned Orbsah from the deepest pit of Tartarus.”
“Trix, why would we summon such evil? And how would a giant robot fit this room?” Trixie shrugged and Starlight continued, “anyway, it’s programmed in some way to play a song every time this little button is pressed,” she pointed at the button on the music box, “so, since you are my guest you can pr-” Trixie didn’t wait for her to finish and pressed the button and the music came back to life and what seems to be screams and the sound of something stomping the floor started playing.
“Less talk, more action,” Trixie went back to her spot, “is that what the aliens call music, is just screams and stomps,” she said until the first verse came up, “mmMMmm that voice sounds hot as oatmeal.”
“How is a voice hot?”
“You know, like when is strong and makes you feel safe or when it has a sexy accent, mmhmm that really gets me going.”
Starlight giggled, “Is that why you been eyeing up Izzi since you met her?” Trixie looked at her friend in confusion, which robbed the smile on Starlight’s face, “Miss Casquillian with nice flanks.”
“Oooooh, you can’t blame Trixie for that, in my travels I've gained a taste for the exotic. Hey this song is about a show, how fitting,” Trixie said enjoying the song ”indeed, the lights and the runaways, the tingly feeling you get when the audience calls out your name, from the small children to the elders, it's like electricity that runs from the tip of your horn to the end of your tail,” Trixie approached the pedestal where the music box was placed and put a hoof on it,” it tickles when you attempt a trick for the first time, knowing too well it could backfire and even put you in danger. But that doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is performing for your captive audience. And when the show reaches its climax and the audience makes a standing ovation,” she stepped on her rear legs clapping her hooves, ”feels like an explosion inside of you. All the doubts and worries filling your head disappear, there is only you and the scenario, you are out of breath, your body covered in sweat for the heat coming from the spotlight, the tingly feeling is still there but now you are in a bliss, you are exhausted but satisfied and can't wait until the next time you can feel it again,” she finally stopped letting herself fall on her back while being supported by the pedestal.
Starlight started her friend giggling a bit for the sudden show she put on, ”um, Trix... do you want me to leave you alone with the song?” both mares laughed at the joke but then a thought came to Starlight's head. Trixie really loved her showmare career, but now that she will be the new School Counselor, this may stop her from being a showmare, this will root her in one place, was Trixie doing this because she wanted to be part of the staff, was she giving up on her dream just so she could be close to her friend? Starlight would feel terrible if Trixie stopped being a showmare for her sake, ”Trix?” she said and the blue unicorn stopped laughing and faced her friend, ”this is hard to say but, are you giving up your career as a showmare to be part of the staff of the school of friendship?”
A warm smile formed on Trixie's face. She approached her best friend and put a hoof on her shoulder, ”don't be a silly filly, Glimmy, I'm not giving up on anything, I am a showmare and will always be a showmare, but now I have been given the opportunity to be something else as well, remember when you covered for Twilight as a headmare and the fiasco caused by Discord?” Starlight nodded, ”well, don't tell anypony but I actually enjoyed working here, it was a new experience and watching the students learn made me feel giddy inside, almost as much as performing for an audience, believe me, I am not forcing myself to take this job, I had already decided I would settle in Ponyville, I dunno if you noticed but I haven't gone for a trip in quite a while now, I can still perform here and now with this job it might give me the stability that I need in my life, I thank you Starlight, for you have given Trixie a chance to, not only entertain ponies but, help them and make a deeper impact on them,” both shared a hug meanwhile the song played on the background.
The violet mare cleaned a single tear from her eye, ”I knew I made the right decision on my replacement as a counselor, that made me feel much better, thanks Trixie.”
Trixie let go of the hug, ”you are welcome, after all I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!”
Both mares laughed for the entire thing but were interrupted by a voice coming from the door, ”I can't believe you two!” Trixie and Starlight startled turned to see the door where a purple dragon was watching them with his arms crossed carrying a bag on his shoulders, ”I can't believe you sneaked Trixie, behind Twilight’s back, into the studio and played with the music box...” the unicorns trembled thinking what Twilight will do when Spike tells on them, he approached them in a menacing way and continued, ”without ME!”
Trixie and Starlight were confused by the last thing the young drake said, ”excuse me, what did you say?” Trixie asked him.
Spike laughed, ”I sure got you two, don't worry about it, I do it all the time, I even sneaked Gabby once, I won't tell Twilight if you won't” he said winking at them.
Starlight put on an angry face, “SPIKE! You are going to give us a heart attack,” the violet mare yelled at Spike who laughed checking the console.
“Hey it could be worse, it could’ve been Twilight and not me, besides you were careless, you are lucky that the console had a new tape in it,” Spike removed the tape from the console throwing it to Starlight, “that’s yours now and make sure to hide it from Twilight. Next time you activate the music box make sure you change the tape with your own, otherwise Twilight will know it was turn on behind her back,” he rummaged in his bag and pulled another tape putting it on the console.
“So you do it all the time?” Starlight asked.
“Well not all the time, just once in a while, this tape is almost full, probably just one more song will do it. I’ve heard mostly instrumental songs I have been using on my O&O sessions as ambient music, also a song about what the fox says that I’m pretty sure it’s inaccurate and one annoyingly repetitive song that just kept saying nya nya nya at the tone of the music and it lasted an HOUR! These aliens sure are weird with some of their songs,” he then went to the console and pressed the button and sounded like couch being hit by a pillow several times.
“Oh man, another repetitive song, is like the music box is punishing us for playing with it without Twilight and the others,” Spike flopped on his seat, “wow she sounds kinda sad, doesn’t she?”
“Maybe more like bored or annoyed, what do you think Trixie?”
“What do I think? I think I like it,” Trixie began moving her body to the beat of the music, “but yeah, she sounds like she needs therapy.”
Spike snapped his claws to the beat as well, “well you gotta admit it’s catchy.”
Spike and Trixie danced together enjoying the music while Starlight watched them, “come on Glimmy, dance with Spike and me,” Trixie said while stretching her hoof. Starlight rolled her eyes with a smile on her face, grabbed Trixie’s hoof and danced with them.
There they stood moving their caboose with the song until it was over, then Spike picked the tape from the console and put a new one, “remember, if you are going to use the music box, change the tape and leave everything like Twilight left it.”
“Will do Spike, didn’t know you were this sneaky.”
“There are a lot of things you or the girls don’t know about me,” he said winking, “since we are done, wanna grab some grub? I’m starving.”
The mares nodded and cleaned the room, they left without a trace they were even there, and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
To be continued