Another semester at the School of Friendship had just come to an end, and Starlight and Trixie had taken advantage of the time off to finally go on the girls' trip to Las Pegasus Trixie had suggested, way back during Starlight's graduation ceremony. Sunburst had agreed to stay behind in Ponyville, keeping an eye on both the school and the Castle of Friendship, while the two best friends enjoyed a weekend of fun and excitement.
"I almost can't believe we're finally here!" Trixie grinned, as their balloon touched down on one of the cloud-based city's landing pads. "The long held dream is now a reality." She leapt out of the balloon in the most dramatic way possible. "Las Pegasus, get ready to meet the Great and Powerful Trixie!"
"You do know we're here to have fun, right?" Starlight snarked, as she also disembarked (far less dramatically).
"Of course." Trixie smirked. "But all the same, it never hurts to get your face out there. You never know what kind of possible adoring fans you'll run into."
Starlight raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, so maybe I always used to dream of making it big here: performing on the biggest stage in the city, wowing hundreds of ponies at least three times a day..." Trixie admitted.
"Talk about dreaming big." Starlight noted. "I just hope being here doesn't give you any second thoughts about your current job."
"Eh, not particularly." Trixie shrugged. "While becoming a guidance counselor wasn't exactly on my list of life goals, it is almost as fulfilling as performing before countless fans."
"Good to know." Starlight rolled her eyes.
"That being said, I won't hesitate to enjoy all the wonders Las Pegasus has to offer." Trixie added, throwing in an excited giggle. "This is going to be so awesome! I can't wait for the fun to start!"
"Okay, relax." Starlight chuckled. "We've got the whole weekend to have fun. But first things first: we need to check into our room."
"Aye-aye, boss." Trixie saluted playfully.
Soon after, Starlight and Trixie were settling into the hotel room they had booked a week before (Trixie having assumed it would be tricky to book one the day they arrived). Starlight had placed her luggage neatly on her bed, while Trixie's belongings were arranged a little more haphazardly over her half of the room.
"There, all settled in." Starlight smiled, using her magic to readjust a towel that was slightly crooked. "Now, where should we go first?"
"How about getting some lunch?" Trixie suggested. "That was one long balloon ride, and with no in-flight snacks..."
"Sure." Starlight nodded. "A little lunch, then we can get started on seeing the sights."
"Great." Trixie smiled. "And going by what I've heard, one of the best restaurants in town is right down the street. Pretty convenient, huh?"
"Sounds good to me." Starlight nodded. "We'll need plenty of energy for the day ahead."
"Just remember not to spend too much on food." Trixie added. "We have a whole weekend to spread our vacation budget out on, remember? Don't wanna waste so much on snacks, do we?"
"Never gonna let that one go, are you?" Starlight pouted playfully, well aware that Trixie was referring to their disastrous trip to Southern Equestria, where she had spent a hefty portion of their travel funds on a falafel.
"Not anytime soon." Trixie chuckled.
"Just don't expect me to go halfsies on the buffet." Starlight joked.
"Duly noted." Trixie winked.
After a hearty lunch, Starlight and Trixie set out to see the sights of Las Pegasus. There were plenty of attractions to be seen, so they paced themselves; they had already agreed to travel around one half of the city on that day, and enjoy the rest tomorrow.
They really hit the ground running, catching an outdoor concert by famous band The Hoofy Blues, and then some stand-up comedy from a humorist troupe.
"That was hilarious!" Trixie chuckled as they departed from the show.
"It was pretty good." Starlight admitted. "And I noticed they have an open mike night on Fridays. Maybe we can bring Maud along next time, and she can show them how it's done."
"Yes, I'm sure her mineral-based comedy routine will blow the audience away." Trixie said half-heartedly.
After watching a spectacular water fountain show in the town square, their next stop was The Awesome Oasis, one of the most popular resorts in the city. As they passed through the double doors, Starlight couldn't help but notice the images of Flim and Flam carved into them. Though she had never met the two, she'd heard enough about them to hope she wasn't going to end up crossing paths with the conniving con artists.
'Wouldn't be much of a vacation if I had to deal with those troublemakers...' She thought warily to herself.
Once inside, Starlight and Trixie took note of all the attractions within, with countless ponies racing between them.
"Now this is what I'm talking about!" Trixie grinned. "Dancing, horseshoe tossing, an indoor rollercoaster... We should have started with this place!"
"Let's start with the rollercoaster." Starlight urged. "When I was a kid, my dad would never let me go on one..."
"Well, looks like you're about to scratch that one off your bucket list." Trixie smiled.
The two unicorn mares joined the line for the coaster. Thankfully, the line wasn't too long at that moment, so they didn't have to endure much of a wait. The ride itself was everything they'd imagined, with speed, curves, rises and drops to give them plenty of excitement.
"YEAAAAHHH!!" Trixie yelled as they zoomed down a steep incline.
"WHOA-HOOOO!" Starlight hollered.
After more ups, downs, and a few corkscrews, the ride returned to its starting point. As they disembarked from the cars, Trixie cheered once more.
"WHOO!" She whooped. "What a rush!"
"And I thought falling off a cloud was a thrill ride." Starlight smiled. "Okay, what next?"
"Two words: dance off!" Trixie raced over to a two-player dancing game.
"Oh, it is so on!" Starlight grinned, following her best friend.
After placing a bit in the machine, they began to dance furiously.
"Nice moves." Starlight complimented Trixie's move. "But not nice enough."
"Wanna bet?" Trixie smirked. "Just wait. The Footloose and Fancy-free Trixie is just getting started!"
"Oh, yeah?" Starlight smirked competively. "Well, so am I..."
Trixie's boast turned out to be right on the money, as she ended up winning the game. But Starlight evened the score by overwhelmingly besting Trixie at the horseshoe toss.
"That was a lucky break." Trixie insisted as they left the arena. "But luck seldom lasts forever."
"Keep telling yourself that." Starlight teased her best friend.
"I don't need to." Trixie countered. "I just need to win the next game."
Suddenly, they heard a chorus of applause coming from a nearby theatre.
"Sounds like quite the show going in there." Starlight mused.
"Sure does." Trixie nodded. "Maybe we should check when the next one's happening, so we can see it for ourselves."
"Sounds like a plan." Starlight nodded. "And we can always ask some of the audience what it was like. You know, kind of like a sneak preview."
"Yeah, if you want to spoil the surprise..." Trixie scoffed.
As they moved closer to the stage, Trixie laid her eyes on a poster advertising the show inside. The poster displayed two stallions. One of the stallions pictured yielded no response from Trixie, but the sight of the other incited a very dramatic response (and not the kind of dramatics she preferred, either).
"You have got to be kidding me." Trixie said, her voice unusually dull.
"What?" Starlight asked, confused.
As they entered the theatre, there, on the stage, were Big Bucks and Jack Pot, the resort's resident magicians, basking in the adulation of the audience they had just amazed with their act.
"Thank you, thank you." Jack Pot bowed.
"You've been such a wonderful audience!" Big Bucks added. "We hope to see you all again!"
"I don't believe it." Trixie froze, a sour expression on her face. "It's him."
"Who?" Starlight frowned.
Trixie didn't answer. Instead, she rushed over to the stage, rudely shoving aside any ponies who happened to be in her way.
"Wait!" Starlight called.
Starlight tried to keep up, but the theatre was still quite packed (and the ponies Trixie had pushed over were sprawled across the floor. Starlight could have used her teleportation to catch up with Trixie,but she didn't want to risk crashing into anypony, so she was forced to negotiate her way through the crowd.
"Excuse me." She sidled by one pony. "Pardon me." She squeezed by another.
Trixie naturally reached the stage first, intercepting Big Bucks and Jack Pot before they could depart for their dressing room.
"Excuse us, miss." Big Bucks said politely. "But the stage is for performers only. I'll happily see you at our next show..."
"I'm not here for you." Trixie said bluntly. "I have something I need to say to him." She pointed to Jack Pot.
"The same rules apply, miss..." Jack Pot started.
"Save it." Trixie cut him. "This has been a long time coming."
At the same time, Starlight finally caught up to Trixie, and, finally getting an up close view of things, quickly took note of the fact that Trixie was facing a pony who looked like an older, male version of herself.
"Whoa." She gaped, floored by the uncanny resemblance between them. "Who put that mirror there?"
"Do I know you, young lady?" Jack Pot frowned.
"No, I suppose you don't." Trixie said coldly. "You didn't stick around long enough to get to know me."
"Excuse me?" Jack Pot asked, totally confused.
"The name is Trixie." Trixie scowled. "I'm your daughter."
"What?" Jack Pot, Big Bucks and Starlight gasped.
"Young lady, I think you're mistaken." Jack Pot laughed nervously.
"I beg to differ." Trixie retorted. "My mother was the reminiscing sort, you see. She often liked to tell me about the wonderful night she met an enchanting travelling magician stallion. I don't suppose you remember her, do you? A young unicorn mare? Yellow mane, orange coat? Went by the name 'Sunflower Spectacle'? Any of this ringing a bell?"
"I, er..." Jack Pot said nervously, eyes darting back and forth. "I've known the company of many charming mares over the years. I can't really be expected to remember every single one-"
"Well, she remembered you." Trixie interrupted. "She never forgot you. In fact, mom always hoped you'd come back some day. She told me all these stories about how you weren't around because you were touring Equestria, wowing audiences with your magic. It all sounded so incredible. It even inspired me to become a great travelling magician, just like you."
"...It did?" Jack Pot frowned.
"I actually imagined I'd run into you while on tour! Typical filly fantasy..." Trixie shook her head in disgust. "After I grew up a little, I ditched that pipe dream. But I kept travelling, putting on my show, because I was still determined to be the greatest unicorn magician in Equestria. Not for you, but for me! Because I was good at it! Good enough that I didn't need anypony's validation, least of all yours!"
Jack Pot stared at Trixie, shaken.
"I, I'm sorry." He apologized. "I didn't know..."
"Of course you didn't." Trixie scoffed. "Because you never bothered to look back. Because my mother never warranted a second thought to you. Love 'em and leave 'em, right? Good thing I didn't take after you in that respect..."
"Perhaps I can make up for it, somehow." Jack Pot said awkwardly.
"Oh, really?" Trixie glared. "And how do you think you can make up for years of absence? With an autographed photo? Some free tickets to your next show?"
"That's not what I had in mind-" Jack Pot spluttered.
"Well, thanks but no thanks!" Trixie snarled. "You just go back to your charmed life. No commitments, no responsibilities... Just the way you like it, right?"
"Trix, maybe you should take a deep, calming breath-" Starlight said nervously.
"Oh, there's no need for that!" Trixie cut her off. "I've already said everything I've ever wanted to say to this sorry excuse for an absentee parent! And now, I would much prefer never having to lay my eyes on him ever again!"
With that, Trixie raced out of the currently empty theatre, leaving Starlight and the admonished Jack Pot in the dust.
"Trixie!" Starlight yelled.
"...Is it true?" Big Bucks asked, having been struck dumb by Trixie's revelations and tirade.
"I think it is." Jack Pot said solemnly. "I know an illusion when I see one, and that was no illusion. She meant every word of what she said. I could see it in her eyes."
"She never said a word to me about her family." Starlight noted. "Guess now I know why..."
"You're her friend, aren't you?" Jack Pot asked.
"Best friend." Starlight clarified.
"Is she... doing okay?" Jack Pot asked. "With her life, I mean? Not... Not having a, a father... It didn't hurt her chances, did it?"
"Actually, Trixie has accomplished quite a lot in her time." Starlight pointed out. "And I'm not just talking about magic She helped save all of Equestria, and she's become a great guidance counselor for the one and only School of Friendship."
"Really? That is... quite impressive." Jack Pot admitted. "Amazing, in fact. She sounds like an incredible young mare."
"Oh, she is." Starlight nodded. "One I'm proud to call my best friend."
"I... I honestly didn't know she even existed." Jack Pot said weakly. "If I did, then maybe..."
"That doesn't matter right now." Starlight declared. "Trust me when I say you can't change the past. You can only make a better present."
"That I would like to do." Jack Pot admitted solemnly. "I want to at least try and make this fight."
"So do I." Starlight nodded. "If I can meet you in your dressing room a little later, I think I can we can all try and make this right."
"Of course." Jack Pot agreed. "Big Bucks, let it be known that our next show will be postponed."
"Will do, pal." Big Bucks nodded.
"Thanks." Starlight smiled. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Starlight teleported off the stage at the same time as Big Bucks left the theatre, leaving a regretful Jack Pot behind.
There was only one place Starlight could think of to look for Trixie: their hotel room. She opened the door to find Trixie angrily putting her luggage back into its suitcase.
"... Whatchya doin', Trix?" Starlight asked, trying to be as friendly as possible.
"What does it look like?" Trixie snapped. "I'm packing."
"What?" Starlight frowned. "We only just got here. What about our girls' trip?"
"It turned out to be a big mistake." Trixie snarled. "If I'd known he would be here, I would never have suggested this trip in the first place." She slammed her now-full suitcase shut. "Now I just want to get as much distance between him and me as possible!"
"Trixie, I think you should try calming down." Starlight said awkwardly.
"I am calm!" Trixie yelled.
"Clearly." Starlight said sarcastically. "But maybe you could try going back and talking to Jack Pot."
"I have nothing more to say to him." Trixie snarled.
"Come on, Trix." Starlight urged. "Despite everything, he's still your father."
"In name only." Trixie scoffed.
"He seemed really broken up about what you said." Starlight pointed out.
"Well, he should be!" Trixie spat. "After what he did, it's the least he deserves! I can only hope I never see him again!"
"I know you have good reason to resent him." Starlight admitted. "But you shouldn't let that resentment blind you."
"Excuse me?!" Trixie growled.
"This is an opportunity for you to get to know the father you never met." Starlight pointed out. "And maybe you shouldn't be so quick to throw that aside out of anger over the past."
"Who are you to judge me?" Trixie glared. "That stallion was never there for me. I grew up without ever knowing what it meant to have a father. You have no idea what that's like, so where do you get off lecturing me?!"
Starlight scowled for a moment, angered by Trixie's accusation. She took a deep, calming breath, then spoke again.
"You're right." She admitted. "I don't know what it's like to grow up without a father. In fact, I pretty much had the opposite problem. When I was a kid, my dad would practically smother me with affection. It got so bad that I spent most of my adult life avoiding going back home, because I knew dad would still treat me like I was a little foal, pinching my cheeks, calling me kiddy names..."
"Oh, that sounds terrible." Trixie said sarcastically. "How did you ever survive?"
"My point is, even with all of that, I was still lucky to have a dad in my life." Starlight smiled. "And right now, you have a chance to have your dad finally become a part of your life. To forge a meaningful connection with him. To gain something you could only imagine having before. Do you really want to pass that up?"
Trixie wanted to say "No", but Starlight had that familiar look in her eyes.
"I guess not." She sighed.
"So...?" Starlight prompted.
"...So, I guess I should go and have a talk with him." Trixie said grudgingly.
"That's the spirit." Starlight nodded encouragingly.
"You may be a headmare now, but those old guidance counselor skills are still as sharp as ever." Trixie noted. "I should be taking notes."
"Some skills, you never forget." Starlight grinned. "So... Ready to do this?" She offered Trixie her hoof.
"As I'll ever be." Trixie reluctantly took Starlight's hoof.
"Great." Starlight smiled, her horn lighting up.
The two teleported out of the hotel room, and reappeared outside Jack Pot and Big Bucks' dressing room. Starlight opened the door, revealing Jack Pot waiting inside.
"Hello." He smiled weakly.
"Hello." Trixie said bluntly.
"Okay, good start." Starlight said encouragingly. "Now, let's try to get a little dialogue going..."
"Trixie... I'm sorry." Jack Pot apologised. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry I never got to know you, or... Be a father to you."
"Are you also sorry about leaving my mother in the lurch?" Trixie demanded.
"Yes." Jack Pot sighed. "On reflection, I do remember your mother. From what I recall, she was quite the spellbinding young mare. Caught my eye quite easily. I put on the charm, dazzled her with some of my best tricks, and we had quite a night together..."
"And you ran out on her the morning after." Trixie scowled. "Without so much as a goodbye."
"I did." Jack Pot couldn't look her in the eye. "It was a terrible thing to do, I admit it. Back then, all I could think about was myself, and my career. Staying in one place didn't really appeal to me. There was always the next performance, the next town over the horizon, the next crowd of adoring fans..."
"I... Kind of know what's that like." Trixie admitted, unable to deny the regret in his voice.
"And since I was still a travelling magician back then, your mother had no way of contacting me." Jack Pot pointed. "So I had no way of knowing she'd had my foal. That I had a daughter out there, growing up without her father."
"And your tours never brought you back to our village?" Trixie inquired, the accusatory tone returning to her voice.
"My town-town tours didn't last that much longer afterwards." Jack Pot revealed. "I happened to meet Big Bucks a few months later. Upon realising how well our respective skills complimented each other, we decided to work together. And our bigger, better act allowed us to book bigger, better venues, until finally, we hit it big here. I'm afraid fame kept me from looking back..."
"I see." Trixie nodded slightly.
"I truly am sorry, Trixie." Jack Pot sighed. "I know there's no excuse for my actions, and I don't blame you for resenting me. There's no way I can possibly make up for those years I wasn't there for you. But I'd like to try. I'd like to get to know you. I know I don't deserve it, but can I please have that chance?"
Trixie looked at Jack Pot, at his face so full of regret and desire for atonement.
"...I suppose we can give it a shot." She nodded. "I always used to wonder what the big deal was about having a dad. Guess now I have a chance to find out." She joked.
"Thank you." Jack Pot smiled gratefully. "i promise I won't make you regret this."
Father and daughter gave each other an awkward hug. Starlight smiled widely, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"So... Your friend here tells me you're a guidance counselor at the moment?" Jack Pot asked.
"Mostly, yes." Trixie nodded. "But I still put on my own magic shows on weekends and school holidays."
"You do?" Jack Pot smiled.
"That's right." Trixie grinned. "I can still astound thousands of ponies with my incomparable illusionary skills!"
Starlight rolled her eyes at Trixie's exaggeration, but chose not to comment and possibly ruin what was shaping up to be a wonderful father/daughter bonding moment.
"That's great to hear." Jack Pot chuckled. "A regular chip off the old wand. I don't suppose I could see a demonstration?"
"I didn't really pack my stage props..." Trixie admitted. "But I always have a few tricks ready to go. For example..."
Trixie picked up a nearby pamphlet for the casino. Her horn lit up, and the pamphlet disappeared in a flash of magic. It then reappeared on the table, folded into the shape of a swan.
"Ooh, impressive!" Jack Pot smiled.
"If you liked that, you'll love this..." Trixie grinned.
With a zap of magic, Trixie turned the swan into a teacup.
"Wonderful! Wonderful!" Jack Pot clapped his hooves. "If there were any doubt left, this definitely proves you're my daughter. Only the blood of my blood could possess such raw magical talent!"
"Thank you, thank you." Trixie bowed.
"Maybe you could join our show sometime." Jack Pot suggested.
"Only if my Great and Powerful Assistant, and understanding, encouraging best friend, can be a part of the show too." Trixie hugged Starlight.
"I'm sure we can work something out." Jack Pot smiled. "But for the moment, maybe you could stick around and watch our next show?"
"Maybe we will." Trixie nodded. "It wouldn't hurt to see what kind of tricks you've got up your sleeve, old timer."
"Oh, I think this old timer may surprise you..." Jack Pot smirked, passing two tickets to his and Big Bucks' next show to Trixie.
In due time, Jack Pot and Big Bucks' next show began, with Trixie and Starlight in the front row. Jack and Big Bucks arrived on stage in a burst of smoke and sparks.
"Good entrance." Trixie mused.
"Remind you of anypony?" Starlight grinned.
"Welcome, ladies and gentelcolts, to our show of wonders!" Jack Pot announced.
"Be prepared to be amazed and astounded!" Big Bucks added.
"I'll be the judge of what's 'amazing' and 'astounding'..." Trixie declared.
Jack Pot and Big Bucks began their show with earnest. With one very special guest in the audience, they pulled out all the stops, showing off their best tricks (including their signature water escape illusion), all for Trixie's benefit.
Trixie watched every trick and illusion with a discerning eye and an unreadable expression. Even Starlight couldn't guess what she was thinking.
'This is going to be interesting...' Starlight mused.
After the show, Trixie and Starlight made their way backstage, where Jack Pot was waiting (Big Bucks saying goodbye to the audience).
"...So?" Jack Pot asked Trixie nervously. "What did you think?"
"Hmmm. It was..." Trixie kept up her passive expression for a moment... before breaking into a smile. "Incredible! Amazing! Stupendous!"
"That goes double for me." Starlight added.
"You really think so?" Jack Pot grinned.
"Definitely." Trixie smiled.
"Not bad for a couple of 'old timers', huh?" Jack Pot smirked.
"Not bad at all... dad." Trixie smiled.
"That's going to take some getting used to..." Jack Pot admitted. "We can stay in touch, right?"
"Of course." Trixie nodded. "Just tell the mailmare to bring your letters to the big crystal castle in Ponyville."
"A castle." Jack Pot chuckled. "You really have been doing well for yourself."
"Guess I have." Trixie admitted.
"...Can you do me a favor?" Jack Pot asked. "The next time you write to your mother, could you tell her... I'm sorry. And that she did a wonderful job raising you."
"...I will." Trixie nodded, her eyes watering. She wiped her eyes, and smiled. "And the next time we're in Las Pegasus, I might just take you up on that offer to team up. I'm cure I can teach you older timers some new tricks."
"I'm sure you will." Jack Pot chuckled, sharing one last hug with the daughter he'd never known.
Starlight simply observed the heartwarming moment, holding her hoof against her chest.
Starlight and Trixie departed from the resort soon after, their spirits high.
"Guess our girls' trip turned out to be more exciting than we thought." Starlight noted.
"You can say that again." Trixie chuckled. "Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow."
"So we're staying the whole weekend?" Starlight smiled knowingly. "Not checking out early, and losing our deposit on the hotel room?"
"You better believe it." Trixie nodded. "It would be cruel to deprive Las Pegasus of the Great and Powerful Trixie so soon, would it not?"
"No argument here." Starlight chuckled.
As the two mares returned to their weekend of fun, Starlight couldn't help but think of her own father, and how their own relationship had been strengthened not so long ago.
'As soon as I get back, I'm gonna write dad a letter...' She promised herself.