//------------------------------//
// A Trick Up My Sleeve 
// Story: The Great and Powerful Trixie Needs a Date 
// by EileenSaysHi 
//------------------------------//

"I'm just not sure what kind of school I'd want to go to next year," Sunset said as she and Twilight pushed open the doors to Canterlot High, escaping the rains that had marked the beginning of autumn. "I honestly haven't thought about the idea of higher education in this world at all. And the top colleges want me to send applications by next month?"

"Yeah, I was working on my CrysTech application all weekend," Twilight replied. "But you've still got time!"

"I guess... but I still have to figure out where I even want to go! And some of these big universities seem really sketchy... there was this movie I saw about a prestigious school where this frat house rigged a contraption to rain a whole bunch of bras down on the crusty old dean?"

Twilight looked incredulously at Sunset. "I keep telling you, those old college comedies are not realistic representations of modern college life! And they weren't even accurate at the time!"

"I just couldn't bring myself to root for either Dean Bitterman or Chugalug House in that situa-"

They were interrupted by a sudden burst of smoke that left them hacking and coughing.

"Hi, Trixie," Sunset sputtered. "Could you maybe not do that directly in front of us?"

"The Great and Powerful Trrrixie would have pulled it off perfectly if you two hadn't kept moving so fast in the middle of my trick!" Trixie replied, indignant.

"We didn't know you were doing a trick," Twilight said as she finally managed to stop gagging.

"Well, naturally," Trixie said, rolling her eyes. "The best tricks are the ones that catch you off guard! It's not much of a surprise if you see it coming."

"Is there a point to this?" Sunset interjected.

"Well, of course there is, Sunset Shimmer, but I'll never get to it if we can't-"

"Alright, how about we just get to it!" Twilight replied, her voice noticeably irked.

"So pushy!" Trixie reached into her back pocket and pulled out a set of cards -- not the playing cards one might expect from a magician, but business cards. She handed them to the girls, who read the emblazoned words "The Great and Powerful Trixie Demands Your Vote for Princess of the Fall Formal!"

Twilight looked up at Trixie strangely. "Wait, you're running for Princess this year?"

"Yes!" Trixie replied. "I tried last year, but there was too much competition! Since, you know, people weren't afraid to run anymore." She winked at Sunset, who let out an uncomfortable groan. "But now that it's just Diamond Tiara this time, I wanted to do it for real!"

"But... why?" Sunset asked.

"For the crown, of course! Everyone knows I'm the greatest and powerfullest -- isn't that right, yearbook president?" Trixie winked again, and it took concentrated effort for Sunset to not roll her eyes immediately. "But that crown would really sell it! Imagine, the Great and Powerful Princess Trixie, Super-Magician!" She threw up her hands as if she expected sparks to fly from them and grandiose fanfare to play behind her.

"Uh... huh," Twilight replied.

"So... is this just you trying to get our vote?"

"No! Well, yes, of course Trixie would love your votes. In fact, Trixie insists upon your votes! But I wanted more than that. You see..." Her face fell. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has not had much luck drawing attention to her campaign."

"Really?" Sunset remarked. "But you've always been good at... well, drawing attention to yourself."

"Very true," Trixie declared. "Buuuut it's a bit harder sometimes to leave a lasting impression."

"What kind of things have you tried?" Twilight asked.

"Well, last week I tried hosting a special benefit magic show, but barely anyone came!"

"A benefit show? Who were you benefitting?"

"Me, naturally. I needed the money for new magic supplies!"

Twilight groaned. "Of course."

Sunset elbowed Twilight. "What Twilight means to say is that a benefit show probably doesn't have much chance of doing well if there isn't an attractive cause people might want to support. Fluttershy and I could help you with that later, if you want. But what else did you try? What about your band? Couldn't you do a show with them?"

"I would, but Fuchsia graduated last year and Lavender's always too busy! So I tried coming up with a song like the one your friends did in the cafeteria to help you--"

"They were actually very specifically trying to help my opponent, but go on."

"Well it worked, right?" Trixie turned to Twilight. "How is your cousin, anyway?"

Twilight's brain misfired. "Uh... whuh... she's not my cousin! She's my interdimensional double!"

"Oh, right, she's from that horse-world-thing from the boat. That's weird and confusing. Whatever, the point is writing songs is hard and the Great and Powerful Trixie might be a one-hit wonder on that front. And now I'm having to resort to these business cards that people are throwing straight into the recycling bins! Not even waiting until they're out of my sight!"

"So... where do we fit in to all this?" Sunset asked.

"Trixie is glad you asked! Since it's clear Trixie isn't going to get much traction on her own, then the best person to ask for help is obviously someone who's won the crown before!" Trixie exclaimed as she pointed dramatically at Sunset.

"Me?" Sunset's eyes widened. "Oh no, Trix, you do not want my advice on how to win that crown. I played every dirty trick in the book to win freshman year and I will never, ever do anything like that ever again. Aren't there better winners you can ask? Muffins won last year -- what about her?"

"Oh please, Sunset, no one could ever duplicate that kind of lightning-in-a-bottle win! And since Twilight's identical horse cousin or whatever doesn't go here anymore, that leaves you, Sunset!"

"Trixie, I'm sorry," Sunset said in turn, "but I have to put my foot down. I'm not that person anymore, and I'm not about to show anyone how to imitate my work. I can give you what honest advice I can, but I won't be speaking from experience-"

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is not asking for your 'experience', Sunset Shimmer!" Trixie shouted angrily. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is asking for you! You, personally." She paused and inhaled slowly. "I want you to be my date to the Fall Formal."

Sunset froze, blindsided. That was not the sentence she had expected to come out of Trixie's mouth right then. Twilight, meanwhile, managed to stammer out the exact type of thing Sunset would have said had she been able to speak in that moment.

"Buh... wha... you want... uh... bu'why?"

"Well... you're all so popular! Everyone loves you! You and your friends keep saving the school from all these terrible things and you have like crazy powers... everyone knows who you are! And even if Sunset Shimmer isn't running for Princess, if her date is, they'd totally vote for her!"

"So..." Twilight pondered aloud. "This is all just to grift on us? But why Sunset? Why not Rainbow Dash, or Rarity, or..."

"Or you?" Trixie asked with a bit of a smirk.

"Huh? No! I have a boyfriend!"

"If you say so."

As Twilight grumbled, Sunset finally spoke. "She, uh, raises a good point, though. Why are you asking me, specifically? It can't just be that I won before. Is... is it just because you're friends with me more than the others? Is this just like a friendly date?"

"No!" Trixie said, louder than she'd meant to -- she immediately covered her mouth with her hand, cursing slightly under her breath. Twilight looked up, startled. Trixie composed herself and continued.

"No, I... I do want this to be real. I mean, you're right, we are friends, I think." She paused for a moment and smiled when Sunset nodded. "But I've kinda... ever since that day we helped each other out last spring. When you saw something in me I'm not sure anyone else at this school ever has. I've wondered if there could be more going on."

"Oh," Sunset said. She could feel her cheeks flush, and she saw Twilight staring at them out of the corner of her eye.

Trixie hadn't noticed, and her face had started to fall. "It's okay if you say no," she sighed. "I'm sure you'd rather just go with your real friends... the Great and Powerful Trixie is no match for them, after all."

After freezing again for a moment, Sunset took a deep breath and replied. "Trix... I get where you're coming from, I do. And if it really is more than just using me as a prop for your campaign... then I'll say yes."

Twilight's jaw fell open as Trixie lit up like a firecracker. "You... you'll go with me?" the magician asked with barely restrained glee.

Sunset nodded, her lips slowly forming into a smile. "It's been a long time since I've been on a date. Maybe I should give it another shot. Perhaps there really is something to what you said."

"YES! Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes!" Trixie leapt into the air and blissfully floated down like a cartoon character as the bell rang for class.

"Alright, well, we gotta get to going, Trixie," Twilight exclaimed, grabbing Sunset by the arm and starting to pull.

"Well, obviously," Trixie replied, clearly a bit embarrassed as she came down from her high and noticed the public spectacle she'd just made of herself. "I'll see you in third period, Sunset Shimmer. The Great and Powerful Trrrixie will have a schedule prepared for you with all of our strategic public appearances and plans for our joint media campaign! Royalty will be mine!"

With that, Trixie strode triumphantly down the hallway as Sunset and Twilight went toward their shared first period class, whispering furiously at each other all the way to the door.