“So, can you be real with me for a second?” Starlight asked Trixie, as she helped lower the stage curtain after their successful show.
“Of course!” Trixie replied, overflowing with joy.. “I’m just so happy that… well. You’re still my friend.”
Starlight paused, then looked to her friend. The sun was setting in the horizon and she knew she should probably go and check in with Twilight.
“What were you going to do if I didn’t make it in time?” Starlight asked.
Trixie opened her mouth for a second, then paused.
“I uh. Didn’t really think that far.”
“Trixie!” Starlight exclaimed.
“THAT!”
The two mares turned in shock at the new voice.
“WAS!”
They looked down at a little orange pegasus filly that beamed up excitedly at the stage.
“AMAZING!” Scootaloo shouted. “Do you guys have any other need for volunteers? I really want to do a lot more stunts, and if you two are looking to raise the stakes, then I’m the filly for the job! Trixie, I don’t know if we met yet, but my name is Scootaloo!”
“You’re Rainbow Dash’s sister, right?” Starlight asked, recognizing her, but just barely.
“I wish! Rainbow Dash is the coolest flier in Equestria andI wanna be just like her some day, but I can’t get there without taking some serious chances. What do you say! When can I start?!”
“Now hold on,” Trixie said, stepping forward to the filly. “Trixie is deeply flattered that you’d like to join her Grrrreat and Powerful show. But Trixie only really needs one assistant.”
“Oh,” Scootaloo replied downheartedly. “R-really? I don’t mind doing cleaning after the shows! And I can do it for free! I just really need more practice and experience doing stunts! And that manticore mouth shot! SO COOL! I could totally do that! But I bet I could even do it off my scooter!”
“Scootaloo,” Starlight said softly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. No offense, Trixie.”
“None taken,” Trixie interjects.
“That trick was really dangerous,” Starlight continued. “Trixie could have actually gotten really hurt if I hadn’t been there to help her. Even then, there's a lot of things that could have gone wrong. Honestly, I don’t even know if Trixie should be doing it again. Let alone a little filly like you. The last thing we’d want to do is to have you or anypony else get hurt.”
“But,” Trixie said, turning to Starlight. “Twilight would be impressed if you made more friends, Starlight.”
Starlight’s eyes lit up.
“That’s a good point. And I’m sure you wouldn’t mind somepony else to help with setting up and taking down the show every night.”
Scootaloo jumped up and down in excitement.
“Really? Do you two really mean it?”
Trixie and Starlight looked to each other and nodded.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie will take you on as her daredevil assistant!”
“AWESOME!” Scootaloo cheered!
“But! IF we're going to have you do a trick, we need to make sure Trixie and I have several magic safeguards to ensure you won't get hurt if something goes wrong.”
“Sure, yeah, whatever. I’m going to be doing stunts!” she cheered and leapt about. Trixie and Starlight giggled to themselves.
“Okay, Scootaloo,” Trixie said. “The show is tonight. This is our last shot to practice before we get ready to go backstage.”
“Got it,” Scootaloo called to Trixie and Starlight, pulling down her goggles and stepping on her scooter.
“Let’s run through it one more time,” Starlight called. “Just to be 100% sure.”
“So, we ditched the Manticore,” Scootaloo said. “And instead we have the big sticky vat of hot stinky goop.”
“That we’re going to be calling acid,” Trixie said, waving a hoof and sending a small firework into the air. “For dramatic effect.”
“Then, I’m going to race down the hill on my scooter. Starlight’s going to speed me up with her magic. Then once I go off the ramp,” she said gesturing to the ramp in front of her.
“I’m going to teleport the scooter as it falls, so it doesn’t get damaged,” Starlight added.
“I’ll do two flips in the air, then pretend to dive head first into the muck.”
“And then The Great and Powerful Trixie is going to teleport you out, right at the last second.”
“Then let’s do this!”
The crowd watched Scootaloo in hushed anticipation. Such a small filly, performing such a stunt! At her age!
Scootaloo was wearing a white daredevil outfit as she stepped aboard her scooter. She took a deep breath, then looked to Trixie on the stage, and Starlight standing just at the bottom of the ramp.
“Let’s do this,” She whispered.
She kicked off of her scooter. The moment Starlight’s magic caught the wheels of her scooter, she felt the wind rush through her mane at an absolutely incredible speed. It felt like she was flying! Or at least, what she thought flying felt like.
She could get used to this.
The change in incline getting onto the ramp was drastic, but she grew used to it after practice. She flew through the air, and watched as her trusty scooter poofed away with an explosion of fireworks. She somersaulted through the air once. Then twice, then set her eyes on the trajectory in front of her. The bubbling green vat of goo. The crowd gasped, but Scootaloo simply furrowed her brow and smiled.
“Can the Great and Powerful Trixie save this daredevil Filly?” Called Starlight over the speakers.
Scootaloo set herself up to dive. That was her idea. The crowd gasped in horror. One poor mare even fainted. Which is kind of crazy. I mean it’s a magic show. They know it’s fake. Right? Like, Unicorns exist.
Sure enough, Trixie’s horn lights up and a bright blue light flashes through the air. Scootaloo felt herself become weightless and she dived directly into a kiddy pool of water sitting on stage. She struck a pose and heard as the crowd erupted into cheers and applause.
Her eyes moved across the crowd and the smile on her face grew larger than she thought possible. She looked to Starlight, who was clapping her hooves in approval. She looked to Trixie, who walked up and placed a hoof around her.
“Take a bow, girl. You did great.”
Scootaloo and Trixie took a deep bow. As far as side jobs go? This one was definitely going to be one of Scootaloo’s favorites.