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// An Unorthodox Proposal 
// Story: A Stage For Two 
// by Jhoira 
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Trixie grumbled as she counted up the bits from her last show. It had gotten better recently, but she still had to scrimp and save to make ends meet. She could easily have asked Starlight for help. But she was the Great and Powerful Trixie Lulamoon! Of the great line of Lulamoon. She wouldn’t beg for money like some common hobo. Trixie huffed a bit as she slid the bits into her bag. It was going to be another month of rice for most meals. But she’d experienced much worse in her life, she’d make it through. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her wagon door.

Trixie frowned and looked at the door. She didn’t have any more performances today... It either had to be a fan or Starlight. Either possibility was a nice one. Trixie smiled as she opened the door. Seeing a pretty mare with a grey coat and black hair. She had some kind of musical note for a cutie mark. “Greetings! What can the Great and Powerful Trixie do for you?” Trixie reared back spreading her forelegs wide as her cape waves slightly.

The other pony looked up,  seemingly unimpressed. Giving Trixie a few moments to land back on all fours before speaking. “I am Octavia. You are Trixie Lulamoon, of the old line of the unicorn princess Lulamoon?” Octavia was fairly certain she couldn't have found the wrong pony. Despite the fact that such a noble lineage had fallen so far.

Trixie stared for a long moment at the stranger. She was a bit miffed by the fact the other pony didn’t seem properly impressed by her magnificent display. “Yes, the Great and Powerful Trixie stands before you! Who are you?" Of course she had just been told the mare's name, but she didn't know who Octavia was.

Octavia rolled her eyes as she sized Trixie up one last time before letting out a small sigh. “I am Octavia, daughter of Gilded Gold and Mighty Diamond. I have a proposition for you Trixie Lulamoon. Though perhaps we could discuss it in the privacy of your...” Octavia pursed her lips. “Abode.”

Trixie frowned at the stranger. It irritated Trixie that Octavia seemed to not be impressed by her, then went and listed her own parents. Like she was some big wig who was better than Trixie. There was no conceivable reason to let Octavia into her home. "Trixie would prefer that we discuss things out here...”

Octavia sighed again as she met Trixie with a hard gaze. If the show pony insisted on being stubborn then Octavia would teach her that Octavia did nothing without reason. “Very well. Trixie Lulamoon, I have been observing your performances.” Trixie started to smile until it was harpooned by Octavia’s next statement. “Judging by your expenditure of props you do not take home many bits. As such...”

Trixie's eyes widened and she urgently raised a hoof to stop the other from speaking. “Ok! Ok! We can discuss it inside!” Trixie frowned as she backed into her wagon. Turning around in the small space she knocked a few balls off their shelf. Gasping Trixie managed to just barely catch the smoke bombs before they went off.

Octavia stepped inside carefully. Frowning slightly as she looked around. “Quite... Cozy.” Octavia shook her head before smiling slightly. "Good space usage though." Octavia had been looking down her nose at the wagon, but she was legitimately impressed by how much Trixie fit into it.

Trixie scoffed slightly and shook her head. Carefully floating the smoke bombs back up to the shelf. Trixie resisted the urge to just kick the other pony out of her wagon. But the other pony sought her out for a proposal, this could make her some bits. “What was your proposal?”

Octavia nodded. “Well, Trixie Lulamoon, due to a situation beyond my control I need to get married.”

Trixie stared at Octavia, frowning at the stranger. Until she figured it out, and grimaced. "Oh! You have an extreme crush on the Great and Powerful Trixie! She is quite flattered but she can’t accept such an offer, obviously.” The mare was some kind of weirdo stalker no doubt.

Octavia chuckled a little, shaking her head. “If that is your final decision but...” Octavia suppressed her annoyance as Trixie interrupted her.

“Yes! That’s Trixie’s decision!” The mare was obviously just after... Well Trixie wasn’t sure what, but it was something! And besides the fact that Trixie would obviously be an excellent choice for anyone, she didn't trust Octavia's motives.

Trixie was satisfied that at least the creepy Octavia was turning to go. Even if the mare felt the need to make a last comment. “Very well, Trixie. I suppose that someone else would be a more practical choice. Dowries for the descendants of unicorn royalty are quite large.”

Trixie boggled at Octavia’s back but then panicked as she saw a hoof rising to the handle. “Wait! Wait!” Trixie shifted nervously as Octavia lazily glanced over her shoulder, with a perfect expression of unconcern. “Trixie... Would hear more on this subject.”

Pausing for a moment Octavia turned back around. “Well, due to family demands I need to find a mate. I am not interested in stallions so it must be a mare. And as I am the scion of old nobility my mate must be of equal stature. I do not have the best pickings here in Ponyville; but I have no desire to move back to Canterlot.”

Trixie wrinkled her nose slightly. “That sounds complicated.”

Octavia wrinkled her nose in equal annoyance. “Very. The important part, Trixie, is that you are descended from the nobility. You are unattached?” Trixie gave a begrudging nod. “And you are a performer. If you can’t be taught, you can at least fake it.”

Trixie frowned. “Can’t be taught?”

Octavia nodded. “Yes. There are social standards that you will be required to learn to allow for such a union.”

Trixie frowned again. “Trixie is... She... Hmph...”

Octavia scowled at the performer. “Like that. You cannot refer to yourself in the third person.”

Trixie’s eyes widened and she scowled, putting her hoof down. “Trixie is not some doll you can show off, or some call mare you can bribe into bed!”

Octavia let out a long-suffering sigh. “I have no intention of sleeping with you, Trixie “

Trixie’s growing tirade died just as it started. “What? But you said... Mate and marriage...”

Octavia nodded. “I mean for public appearances, Trixie. I would not presume to... ‘know you.’”

Trixie bit her bottom lip, she knew she shouldn’t consider it. But she was... Well, she wasn’t hungry per se, but she was close to it. Looking to the side she nervously pawed at the ground. “You... Mentioned a dowry?”

Octavia smiled knowingly. “Yes, for a descendant of unicorn nobility of such high blood one hundred thousand bits would be appropriate.”

Trixie couldn’t stop her mouth from gaping open as she stared at the mare. “One... Hundred...?”

“Thousand, yes. And of course, I would be expected to provide for my mate. I couldn’t let one so closely associated with me go hungry.”

Trixie’s mouth positively watered from the anticipation. “W-When do we start?”

Octavia did her best to find a place to sit where she could face Trixie. Shifting a bit she pushed a few small balls out of the way. Balls that Trixie snatched up and stored in a nearby box. "Before we start you must understand everything I expect of you."

Trixie gave a small harrumph and looked about before climbing up onto her hammock and looking at Octavia. "Besides the marriage?"

"More like the details." Octavia took a moment to run through her mental checklist of everything she'd need from Trixie. "Before the wedding, you will expect you to learn a number of proper marks of nobility. Dancing, dining, etiquette, stop talking in the third person, and others. Since you're a performer I assume you can do that?"

Trixie wrinkled her nose at the other point. "Of course I can. I can learn anything!" At least Trixie believed that. "For example, I can easily switch between first and third person." 

Though Octavia rolled her eyes again she didn't comment. "After the wedding, we will need to have the same official residence. But it would be expected of me to have more than one home. If you wish to live on your own that could be arranged."

Trixie continued to nod before her eyes widened and she hopped to her hooves. "Wait! Could Trixie not perform anymore!?"

Octavia sighed in resignation.  Of course it couldn't have been someone with a reasonable profession like Rarity. Or someone who was content winning this genetic lottery and just live off Octavia's wealth. The only eligible pony in Ponyville was the crazed stage magician. "No Trixie. While I would prefer that you... Chose a more traditional lifestyle. I would never try to stop you from performing."

Trixie gave a small nod, she had detected a small emphasis on that last sentence. Though overall it still sounded quite odd to her, stupid, if she was being completely frank. But then again nobility did a lot of things for stupid reasons, and if it got her a boatload of bits and a stable source of food she was down for it. She smiled, and if it all went belly up, she'd maybe be able to get some help before that. "Does Trixie get a necklace?"

Octavia nodded absently. "Of course, we'll need to make it official, but until then we'll need to do some practicing before we can make the official announcement, so I'll give you the necklace to wear then."

Trixie nodded, hiding her scowl. She had wanted that valuable necklace in her hooves now. Traditionally in Equestria, whoever broke off the engagement forfeited their claim to any engagement jewelry. And while Trixie wasn't going to call it off she could see Octavia changing her mind, so she'd have gotten to keep the necklace. But she would have to make sure to play extra nice until then. "Well, when shall we start the training then?" Trixie did her best to not sound too excited, but Octavia picked up on it.

Octavia gave a small shrug. "Well we have about a month or so before I am scheduled to visit my parents and they are expecting to meet my fiancee. So that is the time that we need to aim for to get you properly taught on the ins and outs of court life.  I assume you've been to Canterlot on your travels?"

Trixie nodded before her eyes widened, and she stiffened. "Wait we'd move to Canterlot!?"

Octavia rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Trixie, I just covered that you're the reason my choice for the exact reason that I do not wish to return to Canterlot, so I found a prospective wife here."

Trixie grinned, a bit embarrassed. "Right! Sorry, you just caught me off guard with the travel plans. Yes I've been there a few times. Expensive city though."

Octavia smiled a little and waved a hoof dismissively. "Right, this is a large amount of information, I shouldn't be too critical of you for not catching everything instantly." Octavia turned and started to head to the door. "Would you like a day or two to process or if you'd prefer we could start your lessons right now. Assuming you're still interested."

Trixie nearly leaped forward as she started after Octavia. "Oh yes. I'm still interested. I'll be happy to start the lessons today. Be best to show you right off you made the right choice and how well I can learn."

Octavia chuckled a bit and nodded. Once she calmed down Trixie was a likable enough mare. "Hopefully, we'll get along well so it's not a complete act."

Trixie grinned. "Very true, I'm not sure you could pull off such an act." Octavia let out an amused scoff as they left.