//------------------------------// // CH 51.1 The Show Must Go On // Story: Twilight's Nightmare // by Nightsclaw //------------------------------// Trixie Lulamoon levitated the brush through her mane. The soothing rhythmic sound did little to hold the butterflies in her stomach at bay. This is what I deserve. She thought as she stared at her own reflection. Behind the image, the expansive room she shared with Starlight looked cavernous.  “The Great and Powerful Trixie accepts this honour, Princess.”   “Trixie…” Starlight’s hoof was hesitant as it rested on Trixie’s withers. “You don’t have to do this. You're great and powerful without this.” “Of course, we know that.” Trixie knew it was all bluster, but at least she could still sound confident.  Starlight opened her mouth to speak. Trixie slowly shook her head. “Twilight has been fighting evil all this time. Yes, we saved them from the changelings, but that was tricks, and we both know it.” Trixie turned and pulled her Starlight into a hug. “You’re a hero, Twilight’s a hero, almost everypony else in this town is a hero. Let the Great and Powerful Trixie stand tall beside you.” “I…”  “Trixie knows what you’re going to say, but I am grateful for the lessons, especially that teapot spell. It is amazing how many things become much easier to deal with when they are rendered to a drink holder.” “I still can’t believe you use that as a combat spell.” A shudder ran down Trixie’s spine. With a quick pivot and rising to her hind legs, she masterfully disguised it. “Trust me. It is much better and cleaner than teleporting the heads off things.” Starlight blinked. “Twilight did…” Trixie shook her head. “No, her daughter.” Starlight eyes widened. “Little Star did that?” “To be fair, it was going to eat the little Apple one.” “The hydra?” “Yes, Trixie thinks that little filly is definitely not natural.” “Well, if Flurry Heart is anything to go by, it makes sense for that level of power.” Starlight's thoughtful face morphed to worried. “But she seemed fine. How could she do such a thing and then just be smiling as if nothing happened?” “I don’t know, she’s the daughter of Miss Princess of the ‘Need-It-Want-It’ spell and Princess ‘I’m sad, let’s cause eternal night’?”  “... don’t let either of them hear you call them that.” Trixie rolled her eyes. “Of course, I’m not 'Trixie, the stupid and suicidal’.” “You're joining Twilight's Guard.” “And?” “You know the sort of situations she gets into… you know what...” “La la la la, not listing.” “Trixie!” “We both agreed we're not talking about that.” “Somepony wants Twilight dead, and it will be your job to catch the spells meant for her.” “Only if Trixie fails… and I have no intention of failing.” “Nopony ever does.” “I can think of a few.” “That’s not the point.” The crack of Starlight hoof slamming into the crystal floor emphasised her points. “Trixie, I don’t want to see you hurt.”  Trixie softened her voice and drew her friend into a hug. “I know, but the show must go on." Starlight's expression screamed incredulity. "You think this is just a performance?" Trixie let out a snort of disdain. "No, but there won't be any grand performances until all this unpleasantness is dealt with." "You know this is a lifetime commitment, right?" "Yes, to the Princess of Friendship. Trixie expects to be performing more magic shows, maybe taking a student or two, as soon as Twilight does her flashy magic and saves the day." Speaking the words almost allowed Trixie to believe them.  Turning back to her reflection, her aura levitated over her armour, so different than her normal costume. With her customary cape and hat in place, Trixie confidently advanced towards her destiny, or that’s what the rest of the world would see. Starlight on the other hoof was anything but happy. Her hooves moved as if she was on a funerary march. Even the clicks of her hooves on the crystal floor sounded depressive. “You trust me, right?” Trixie asked. “Normally,” Starlight answered. Two of the few remaining Nightguards flanked the final door. Upon the other side, the rest of Trixie’s life waited. Each met her eyes and offered a respectful nod. With a well-practised motion, they pushed the door. Holding her head high, Trixie marched to the new throne room. Her metal-clad hooves rang out in perfect time. She was the Pony of the Hour. She was the pony everypony was going to want to meet. The place was packed. The whole town was there, both natives and those that stayed after Twilight helped them.  All eyes were on her as she entered. Hundreds of eyes tracked her. One or two sets were distrustful, but most held gratitude or at the least begrudging respect. It cost her nothing to exchange a few respectful nods with some of the locals. Image and reputation were important, after all. And some of them she could mistake for true friends on a good day.  One set of eyes in particular demanded her attention. Applejack deliberately held her eyes and then nodded. It was a small motion, just a little thing, but the farm mare performed it with such determination it must have been something far more profound. Was that look of respect? Just as Trixie was about to pass, Applejack spoke up. “You help keep Twi safe, alright, Sugercube?” Trixie returned a solemn nod. Pausing to let Applejack see the truth, she then smirked. “Of course, in a thousand years, who will be there to tell first hoof accounts of the Great and Powerful Trixie if I don’t?” Applejack shook her head, an amused smirk on her muzzle. “Trixie…” A magenta flash drew all eyes to the front of the room. As normal, Twilight had made her entrance by teleportation. Now sat upon the single crystal throne was the pony she was here to see. Today, Twilight was not the Princess of Friendship, not wearing that. Shear silk clung to her toned form. Her regalia reinforced and scaled up to armour. Her flared wings only drew attention to the lethal edges of her crimson wing blades.  Where eyes should have been twin endless pools of magenta power looked out.  “Trixie Lulamoon, approach.“ Armoured hooves moved on their own, drawing the showmare closer. Those eyes… “You have served us well, you have proved your metal, your drive and your ability. You are not the boasting mare that first trotted into Ponyville. Nay, you are one of the brave defenders who held the line. You risked your life and your very immortal soul to save my ponies." Twilight bowed her head.  "Both as a true Princess of Equestria and as the pony that would call you friend and ally, We thank thee. Before you is a choice, we offer thou a chance to become one of our Chosen." Pride stirred in Trixie’s chest. This is it. She stood tall and proudly raised her horn for all to see. She was Trixie. She felt every bit as great and powerful as she once claimed to be.  “Will thou take up this burden?” Twilight’s words were soft, almost interment. Despite being clearly audible to the room, they were meant for one pony only. You want to do dramatic? Well, two can play at that game. A well-practised flick of her neck and her cape billowed out behind her. “The Great and Powerful Trixie accepts. She will stand with Ponydom’s greatest defenders.”  A slight twitch was the only sign of the smile that wanted to be on Twilight's face. If Trixie were not so close, she never would have noticed.  “Then, I welcome you to my service, Trixie Lulamoon.” Those deep eyes, those pools of liquid magic, blazed white as Twilight leaned in close. Twilight's breath tickled Trixie’s ear. “Let me show you true power.”  Trixie’s body trembled as lavender feathers enclosed her, like the jaws of a hungry timberwolf.   Torrents of power and unfettered magic danced around her. Air failed to sate her burning lungs. Her heart stilled. Unbidden, her mind focused inwards, the flickering flame of her wellspring was now nothing but a lone candle in the eye of the storm.  The show has to go on, the show has to go on. The endless mantra was the only thing that held her there. Her cape hid her bunching muscles and shaking limbs from the crowd.  “You, are, mine.” The storm crashed in, pummeling the showmare into the oblivion of unconsciousness.  “Sorry if that was a bit dramatic.” Twilight’s relaxed voice broke through the veil of sleep. “What?!” Trixie’s head shot up. It only took a moment to take in her new situation. The throne room was gone, replaced by a small living-wood room and the quaint little table her head had been resting on. “I’m a Princess now, and a certain gravitas is needed for these things. You know I have to keep my stage persona going.” “Twilight, one minute I thought you were going to kill me and now…” Trixie inhaled, gathering steam for her next point. A pleasant scent reached her nose. It was not hard to identify the bitter aroma of expensive coffee, the rich sweetness of brown sugar and maple syrup and the heady scent of an expensive whisky. Trixie’s eyes found the mug perched on the table. “You’re drinking?” “Yes, would you like one?” “The Grateful and Perturbed Trixie would very much like something to settle her nerves.”  A flash of magenta magic placed an augmented coffee before her.  “What was that ‘You are mine’ in that Nightmare voice?” Twilight let out a weak chuckle and rubbed the back of her neck. “I guess you could say I got a bit too much into character.” Trixie levied her best not-impressed stare. “A bit?” Twilight took a seat opposite. “I learned most of how to be a Princess and do Alicorn things from Luna… I might be just a little bit old fashioned.” “Just to be clear, you don’t want eternal night?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “You realise how much more logistics that would add to just providing enough light for everypony to read? Let alone food production?” Trixie could not help herself, the laugh just escaped her. “So why are we here?” Twilight’s aura lifted her mug and took a long drink from her own ‘coffee’. She sighed contentedly.  Trixie looked down at the dark and inviting beverage. The plain, unadorned mug was warm to the touch as she lifted with both hooves. The satisfying warmth filled her mouth as the deep rich flavours caressed her tongue. “This is good.”  Twilight nodded with a warm smile. “I know. This is the best I ever tasted.” “So, are you going to answer?” “Oh, this is a mental construct, so you don’t have to experience me fundamentally altering your body and soul.” Trixie’s heart froze in her chest. My soul...nope, too late now. She gulped down a rather generous amount of the alcoholic coffee, hoping it would dull the edge of the panic wanting to be the headlining event right now. There was none of the burn of neat spirits, just a slowly building ember of contentment building in her stomach.  “Oh, don't worry. I’ve gotten very good at doing this.” “You have?” Trixie’s surprisingly calm tone asked. “What do you think making you my Chosen involves?” “Giving me magic?” “And what is magic?” “Power?” “Come on, Trixie, I know you're smarter than that. Where does our magic come from?” Long, boring and almost forgotten lectures eventually unearthed themselves. Now reanimated, they slowly provided the answer. “Our souls.” “Yes, our souls. So how am I giving you magic?” Wide-eyed, Trixie just stared at Twilight. Half a minute passed before she finally remembered to answer. “Giving me part of your soul?” “Yes.” Twilight’s answer was as casual as if it was ‘would you like sugar with your tea’. As if this was a common everyday occurrence. “You would, you have… for me?” Twilight just nodded.  “Why?” “You are a good pony, Trixie.” Twilight waved a hoof, a flat plane of magenta magic appeared, upon it the images of the battles as they raced to find the missing foals. “And if I need another reason, you came with me to save my daughter.” “Is that why it’s for life?” “Yes, taking this gift back would be...” “Yes, but you don’t have to worry about that.” Trixie blurted out. “Now, what I’m doing is topping up your unicorn wellspring to what it would have been before your lost earth pony magic burnt a lot of it away and then providing a matching amount of earth pony magic.” “So… I’m…” Twilight smirked. “Yes, you are the Great and Powerful Trixie. Chosen of Twilight, battle mage and stage magician extraordinaire.” Trixie’s eyes stung with the tears that were not there, that could not be there. “... Thank you.”  “Now finish your drink, I’m nearly finished, and your fans await.”