//------------------------------// // What will she think of me? // Story: The Showpony's Lover // by Inkpots //------------------------------// “I’m glad you could help me out today Starlight, I don’t know if I could have pulled this off if you had not come.” Trixie told her as she helped her don her magician cloak and hat. Trixie sat in front of the mirror grooming her silver mane gracefully as her friend helped her with her outfit. Starlight thought she looked beautiful. She was always pristine for her magic shows, but something about tonight was special. “Oh, don’t even mention it, it’s nothing. I’m here for you when you need me.” “Sometimes I think you’re too modest Starlight, but you are a great and powerful friend anyways.” “Aw, thanks.” Starlight answered condescendingly. “Aren’t you nervous?” “Nevah!” Trixie exclaimed. “This is going to be the greatest and most powerful show I’ve ever given! The masses will scream and cry tears of joy as they yell my name and demand another round for they will have witnessed moi.” Starlight raised an eyebrow. “Well, it’s good that you feel confident.” “Well, duh, I have to look confident, especially when I feel like I’m about to explode from sheer nervousness.” Trixie replied. “I am screaming inside, Starlight. Screaming. But that shan’t stop me from putting on the best show those ponies on that auditorium have ever seen.” “I’m sure you’ll do great Trixie, you’re the best magician to ever grace Equestria.” Trixie raised and eyebrow and smirked. “Okay, the greatest and most powerful magician to ever grace Equestria.” Starlight finally said. “You’re the best friend a pony could ever ask for.” Trixie replied with excitement and hugged her. “I’ll go get ready for my grand entrance; you should go get your seat. I got you second row” Trixie winked. The two ponies left the changing room one after the other and went opposite ways of the backstage corridor. “Break a leg!” Starlight told Trixie as she walked to the seats. “Will do!” Trixie replied. Starlight made her way to her seat on the second row; she had never liked getting front row, she felt it made shows uncomfortable to sit through, and she wanted to enjoy Trixie’s Magnum Opus in full. The Canterlot Theatre was spacious and featured two decks of seats. Being one of the most influential icons of art in the kingdom it was certainly the biggest stage Trixie had ever performed on, Starlight felt proud of what her friend had been able to achieve with her creativity and talent, and she could see the excitement in her all throughout the set up for the big show. Being on the stage of the Canterlot Theatre meant the world to anypony in Equestria who dreamt of being a stage performer, and tonight, Trixie would finally fulfill that dream, and Starlight was there to cheer for her. The lights went out. It was time for the show. The stage illumination turned to highlight the presenter. “Fillies and gentlecolts” The presenter began. “It certainly has been a magical night here at the Annual Canterlot Arts Festival, but be prepared, for yet another great performance is about to grace this historical stage. This is a performance of mystery, magic and pure showmanship. But saying it is nothing like experiencing it, so I’ll leave you to the Great and Powerful Trixie!” As the presenter said the last line, the entire auditorium went completely black, and the red curtains of the stage finally opened to reveal a dim blue lighting on the stage. There were silhouettes all over the stage, but in the middle of it all was one that Starlight recognized instantly. The cloak and the pointed hat were unmistakable. The light slowly began to get brighter until the silhouettes started to take form. They turned out to be other ponies, four to be exact. As the lights on the stage made Trixie’s form visible to all, a slow drumbeat accompanied her entrance. Trixie was concealed behind her cloak, the four ponies around her began to slowly approach her, but she remained immobile. The drums got faster as the ponies approached the magician. When they were only a few centimetres away they stopped, but the drums got even quicker; one of the four ponies approached the concealed Trixie and pulled the cloak up. The mantle revolted in the air as the pony lifted it and tossed it away, revealing nothing but a smoke bomb where Trixie should have been. And then the drums stopped, and the four ponies backed away from the bomb without ever losing sight of it. A faint ticking sound echoed throughout the silent auditorium. Starlight looked around to try and see where the sound was coming from, but she could not identify it. Tick-tick-tick…BOOM! The smoke bomb exploded and from the cloud of purple mist Trixie gracefully jumped towards the crowd, landing on the edge of the stage. Starlight’s eyes widened and she realized her heart began to pump slightly faster. “Good trick” she thought. The crowd began to applaud as the ponies formed around Trixie and she walked around, studying the crowd with her glowing, purple eyes. “Good evening Canterlot!” Trixie exclaimed. “How are we feeling tonight? Good? That’s great. Let me make this night even better for you than it already is! I assure you, after we’re done with this show, you’ll want more. Welcome to the greatest and most powerful magic show of your lives! Enjoy.” Upon saying this, the orchestra began playing as she ran back and her assistants pulled assets into scene. The coordination of the group was flawless and through it all, Trixie shined above everyone else. She gracefully danced across the stage and completed her tricks in a way that Starlight had seen before but that for some reason, seemed even more beautiful now. Starlight had chosen not to be informed of the contents of the show, and before the day of the set-up she didn’t really know what the show was all about, she only helped with logistics and donating to the budget. It turned out to be a fantastic fusion between musical theatre and stage magic, as well as actual magic. One number involved her and one of her assistants performing a ballet duo as the other two threw spikes across the stage. Trixie and her co-performer managed to finish the routine flawlessly and gracefully. Starlight’s heart skipped a beat every time the spikes crossed them at the centre of the stage, but in the end, all she could remember was Trixie’s magical performance and elegance. The show went on for an hour, and though Starlight wanted to focus on something else, she could not take her eyes off her friend, who looked like a wizard and a fairy as she danced around in her flamboyant starry drape and hat, synchronizing with her dancers like a meticulously crafted mechanism. Her silver mane flowing in the air as she moved around and bowed and danced, her eyes gleaming in the stage lights and the brilliance of her act. It all was truly like a dream. Soon, those aspects of the show began to turn into distorted versions of themselves in Starlight’s mind, she focused on her tail when the cloak flapped up, revealing Trixie’s body, then her face, how the light reflected off of her eyes, giving her a dreamy look as she dominated the stage. Starlight felt proud, but moreover, she felt something she had never felt before. Suddenly, Trixie began to look like more than just her friend living her dream, she began to look like a dream herself. “Come on Starlight, what things are you thinking?”. She thought. But the longer the performance lasted, the more inviting Trixie’s features became, by the final act, Starlight found herself seeing Trixie’s eyes up close as they danced together across the stage, she felt the warmth of her breath as she embraced her, she imagined the moisture of her lips as their mouths fused together in a blissful ecstasy. “Thank you! Thank you all!” Starlight was snapped out of her thoughts by the sudden and loud applauses from the public echoing all over the theatre as Trixie stood on the edge of the stage bowing in unison with her assistants. As they bowed and the crowd cheered, Trixie spied in the crowd until she connected her look with Starlight’s, Starlight applauded on impulse, still startled by her own mind, she gave Trixie a proud smile as she looked at her. But the more she looked, the more the images became visible in her mind, she stopped them and continued emulating the applause of the public. After the show, Starlight waited for Trixie to come out of the backdoor of the theatre, she had been the penultimate show of the night, but she didn’t have the stomach to keep looking any longer. She waited a few minutes until the door finally opened, first came out Trixie’s company, and tailing them came her. “Alright, see you guys in rehearsal, you did an amazing job tonight.” Trixie told them. “Your performance was great as well Trix.” One of the male performers replied. “Yeah, you totally owned the stage tonight.” Another, much younger one said. “Have a good night, Miss Lulamoon.” “You too! Take care out there.” She replied as the performers left through the alley. “Starlight!” The two ponies ran to each other, Trixie threw her legs around Starlight’s neck. “What a great show.” Starlight complimented serenely. “Did you see that?” Trixie exclaimed excitedly. “I can barely believe everything went perfectly….and I was there!” “I know!” Starlight answered. “How did you feel?” “Honestly? I was scared out of my mind , but having you in the crowd really helped.” “Aw, you flatterer.” Starlight could feel a light blush forming on her face. “It’s true, I’d never be who I am today without a friend like you.” “You are great and powerful as you are, Trixie, I’m just support.” “I love you so much!” Trixie said as she threw herself to hug her once again, Starlight returned the embrace. “You’re the best friend anyone could ever ask for.” Starlight pondered for a second. Her emotions were a chaotic mess and she was not sure how to react, she’d never felt something like this. “Yes, we’re the best friends.” She replied. That night the two of them spent the night at the Canterlot palace. Being friends with the Princess of Equestria had serious benefits, and although Twilight and Trixie were not that close, she allowed both of them to stay at the palace while they were in the city. They shared the top chamber of the west tower. It was an ample circular room with a full view of the city and the mountainous landscape surrounding it. By the time they arrived it was almost midnight. Twilight was restless with her new duties as Princess and she had chosen to remain in the castle and attempt to get some sleep for that night instead of going to the Festival. Starlight and Trixie climbed up the circular staircase to the tower. When they arrived at the balcony, Starlight leaned over to see the night cityscape of Canterlot. It was a clear and pitch-black night, but the city gleamed like polished marble under a lamp, it was a majestic contrast between the dark and vast void of the sky and the bright and chaotic night life of Canterlot. “Isn’t that a beautiful sight?” Starlight wondered out loud. “It is beautiful.” Trixie said, leaning over the balcony next to her. “What do you think everypony is doing down there?” “I don’t know, gambling? partying?” “Maybe drinking.” They both giggled. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised, it is the middle of the night.” Starlight sighed. “A beautiful night.” Trixie echoed her sigh. “A beautiful night indeed.” Starlight turned to look at Trixie as she gazed over the horizon. Starlight studied her delicate pale blue fur, and her long and sleek silver mane that glowed like diamonds as light hit it, she studied her purple eyes and her lips. She could feel her head getting closer to Trixie’s as the seconds went by, it must have been less than a minute, but to Starlight, it felt like hours, she imagined a million things as she swooned over her friend’s beauty. “Is there something wrong?” Trixie asked concerned. “Oh.” Starlight let out a nervous laugh. “No, no. Everything is fine, I just…zoned out for a second there. Sorry.” Trixie shrugged. “If you say so. Well, I’m going to bed now.” Trixie yawned. “I think you should do the same, it’s pretty late already.” “Yeah, I’ll be out here a little longer, good night Trixie.” Starlight looked over the balcony as she tried to collect her thoughts on what had just happened. “What’s wrong with me?” She whispered to herself. “Do I have…a crush on Trixie? No, no, no, that can’t be…she’s my friend, we…I. Oh…for Celestia.” She looked to the sky. The stars seemed unchanged, but she felt like something was missing. “Maybe I’m looking for an answer the sky can’t give me.” She thought. “She cannot know. What will she think of me?” She kept murmuring. “I…I should probably go to bed. Maybe I’m just tired.” That night, her dreams transported her to a fantasy where only her and Trixie were present, the air around them had a delicate and sweet scent as they closed onto each other, Starlight could feel the warmth of Trixie’s skin rubbing against her as she petted her mane and whispered love in her ears, she felt the calming and loving embrace of her special somepony as they shared a moment of peace together, she felt like she could forget everything and it would be okay, with Trixie by her side, she was safe.