Twilight strolled down the road leading up to Sweet Apple Acres, yawning loudly as she did so. She didn’t get that much sleep last night, and decided to wake up early to get this possibly ugly task out of the way as quickly as possible.
As she walked past the field of trees, she noticed Big Macintosh already hard at work, bucking trees with so much force that she was surprised they didn’t topple over. Apples fell into the baskets at the base of the tree, and the red stallion lifted his head up when he noticed Twilight walking by.
“Mornin’ there, Twilight,” he said, causing her to stop momentarily to greet him back.
“Good morning, Big Macintosh. I see you’re working rather early again.”
“So are you,” he pointed out. “Ye’re here for AJ, ah reckon?”
“Yeah,” she answered. “Though I don’t know if she’d be willing to talk.”
“Ah don’t think she is,” Big Mac said. “She’s been mighty angry these past few days, about… Well, you know what.”
“But that’s why I need to talk with her,” Twilight said. “I need to get this whole ugly chapter out of our lives, as soon as possible. We’re friends, after all, and I can’t stand the thought of losing even one of my friends.”
Big Mac smiled, and pointed his head into the field. “AJ’s buckin’ some trees over in that direction. Ah don’t know if ya’ll be able tah do anythin’, but ah wish you luck.”
“Thanks,” Twilight said, before taking off in the direction given by Big Macintosh.
Today was looking up for Trixie. Twilight said that she had some important business to attend to, and left early (after giving Trixie a rather long, rather passionate goodbye kiss), leaving Trixie to tend to the library in her absence. Spike was busy decorating his new room. Twilight asked Trixie to help him, but a few ‘accidents’ to prove she was incapable prompted the baby dragon to insist she “leave it to the professionals”.”
So now, she was able to enjoy the rest of the morning in peace and quiet, laying back lazily on the couch on the ground floor of the library, reading a copy of Out in the Cold, and enjoying a rather large helping of ice-cream with chocolate sprinkles (Twilight did say to help herself to whatever was in the kitchen).
On her first day of living in the library with Twilight, Trixie had found a corner in the library that she particularly liked, and reserved it for herself as her ‘chill-out’ zone. She had a comfortable beanbag chair there, along with a desk filled with papers and quills for her own personal use, and a purple wax lava lamp on top.
And indeed, the Great and Powerful Trixie was spending the morning simply relaxing, listening to the soothing sounds of the birds outside, and occasionally helping out the ponies that came to the library by saying “over there”, and waving her hoof in a random direction. Not the most helpful advice, but then she didn’t really know the layout of the library, either, so it’s not like she could do any better.
Whenever a book was borrowed, she would have to get up and mark it down in the logbook. If she didn’t she would get an earful from Twilight later. And so, it was with great laziness that she would sit up, levitate a quill, and record the title of each book that was checked out, by whom, and the date and time that they were checked out.
Other than that, a fairly relaxing morning-
BANG!
“What the?!” Trixie exclaimed as the sudden banging against the door caused her to bolt upright. Okay, so it was a fairly relaxing morning, but that was apparently about to change.
For a moment, Trixie considered simply ignoring it, and getting back to her book. However, if Twilight came home and found an unconscious pony (or a brick, or whatever had caused the loud bang) lying outside her door, she might not be happy.
Sighing, Trixie put down her book, and got up to investigate. She opened to door slowly, and found that there was indeed a brick outside, with a piece of paper attached to it. Trixie levitated the brick, pull the paper from under the elastic band wrapped around it, and opened it up to find a letter addressed to her, from Twilight.
Trixie,
Come and meet us me in the clubhouse in 15 minutes. There’s a map below, in case you don’t know where it is.
Sinseerlee,
Miss Sparkle
Ignoring the foalish hoofwriting, and the word that had been crossed out, and the spelling error at the bottom of the page, and the strange way that ‘Twilight’ addressed herself, Trixie could tell straight away that this was not sent by Twilight Sparkle. Why?
Because there were no kiss marks at the bottom, and no cutely-doodled love heart in the corner. If those weren’t present, that would mean that either Twilight didn’t love her anymore, or that it wasn’t sent by Twilight, and she knew that the former was impossible, so it had to be the latter.
That, and she doubted that Twilight would deliver a letter to her own house by throwing a brick at the front door. Trixie smiled proudly. Her deductive skills were working overtime today.
“Let’s see… Go see who this amateur is and teach them a lesson, or stay here and finish that book…”
”Oh, and Trixie?”
“Yes Twilight?”
“Could you handle the grocery shopping for me this afternoon if I’m still not back? I don’t know how long I’ll take.”
“… Sure.”
“Thanks, Trix.”
“… Well, Trixie can hardly do the grocery shopping if she’s off meeting her marefriend,” she reasoned to herself, grabbing her hat and cape and putting them on. She folded the paper and stashed it away inside her cape. “Spike, Trixie will be heading out for a bit! If Twilight comes back, tell her that Trixie has gone to meet with Twilight!”
“Will do!” Spike shouted back. Trixie left the library, closing the door behind her. A few seconds later, Spike popped his head around the corner of the basement door, his face covered in a variety of different coloured paints. “Wait, wha?”
Trixie followed the map (which she had to admit worked really well, considering it appeared to be a quick little doodle drawn up in a rush at first glance), and found her way to the ‘clubhouse’.
“Twilight? Are you in there?”
“In here, Trixie!” a voice that was certainly not Twilight’s answered. Still, Trixie played along, and walked up the stairs towards the clubhouse.
Trixie felt something behind her, and quickly turned around, charging magic into her horn. “… Nothing?” she asked herself as she scanned the area. “Huh…” She shrugged off the strange feeling, and continued on into the clubhouse.
“GOTCHA!” a voice shouted above Trixie. She quickly turned her attention up to see an orange Pegasus filly jumping down towards her. “Huh? Hey!”
Trixie held the filly in place with her magic, and lowered her down to look at her at eye level.
“Put me down!” the filly ordered.
“Or else what?” Trixie challenged.
“Or else this!” another voice shouted. Trixie quickly turned around, only to be suddenly lifted up into the air, letting out a yelp and accidentally releasing her magical hold on the Pegasus filly in the process.
“We did it!” a third voice shouted, this one belonging to a white Unicorn filly who looked very familiar to Trixie.
A yellow Earth Pony filly lifted the Pegasus onto her hooves, and they high-hooved each other. “Cutie Mark Crusader Pest Catchers!”
“YAY!” the three fillies screamed in unison.
Trixie sat dumbfounded in the net that was now suspending her above the ground. “… You have got to be kidding Trixie.”
Twilight slowed down as she heard the sounds of grunting and loud bangs in the distance. She neared an orange Earth Pony, who was violently bucking a tree not too far in front of her.
The farmer noticed Twilight approaching, and acknowledged the librarian with a tilt of her hat. “Mornin’, Twilight,” she said, with no hint of malice in her voice.
“Good morning, Applejack,” Twilight said back, not sure if she was sounding nervous or not. She put on a smile, and tried to act like nothing was wrong. “Are you busy? I was hoping we could talk for a bit.”
“Ah don’t mind, so long as it’s not about her,” Applejack said, her voice letting out a hint of her loathing as her mind brought up Trixie’s face. That arrogant, cocky, self-absorbed-
“It is about Trixie,” Twilight said, cutting off Applejack’s thoughts.
Applejack shot her friend a glare, before turning around and getting back to bucking. “Then ah don’t wanna hear it.”
“Please, Applejack,” Twilight pleaded. “Rarity told me you have ‘issues’ with showponies.”
“Did she now?” Applejack asked un-amused. “Ah told her that in confidence,” she mumbled angrily.
“Applejack, I don’t want things to get complicated between the two of us.”
“An’ they won’t, just as long as that pony stays away from me.” Another hard buck into the apple tree behind her. “An’ the farm, too, for that matter. She ain’t welcome here.”
“Applejack-”
“No, Twilight. Ah ain’t gonna accept that pony being anywhere near the Apple family.”
“So, what, I should spend the rest of my life choosing between you and her whenever your paths cross?”
“… Looks like it.”
“… Can you at least tell me why you’re acting this way towards Trixie?”
Another, even harder buck, on the tree that didn’t even have any apples hanging off of its branches anymore. “You wanna know why?” Applejack asked, receiving a nod from Twilight. “… Ah can never accept showponies like her, Twi. Because… Because showponies like her are the reason our family broke apart!”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders stared up at Trixie, examining her with curious looks on their faces, not sure what to do now that they had captured her.
Trixie stared back at them, with an equally curious look on her face. She could have easily broken out of her imprisonment, but she first wanted to find out who these fillies were, and why they had captured her. So far, she had learned their names from the conversations they had with each other.
“Could you at least explain to the Great and Powerful Trixie why you set up this trap for her?” Trixie asked, starting to grow annoyed by the silence.
“Quiet!” Scootaloo shouted. “You will speak only when spoken to!”
Trixie rolled her eyes, and her horn lit up underneath her hat. ‘This’ll show the brat,’ she thought to herself as she lifted up a few pillows behind the fillies. The pillows levitated over to Scootaloo, and exploded into a cloud of feathers as they made contact.
When the fillies could see again, Scootaloo heard Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle giggling, and quickly looked over herself to find out why. “Hey!” Scootaloo shouted, after seeing her entire body covered in feathers. “What was that for?!”
“Sorry, did you say something?” Trixie asked mockingly. “All Trixie heard was “bwak bwak, BWAAAK!””
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle laughed harder, and Scootaloo’s face started to turn red from rage. “Why you-”
“Now, if you’re quite done with these games,” Trixie interrupted, “An explanation, please?”
Sweetie Belle managed to get Scootaloo to sit down, though the Pegasus started mumbling something to herself as she did so. Apple Bloom stepped forward to explain things to Trixie.
“We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” she started, “An’ we are hereby bringing you to trial, for your crimes against Miss Applejack, Miss Rarity, and Miss Rainbow Dash!”
“And what crimes are those?” Trixie asked.
“You dyed my sister’s mane green!” Sweetie Belle shouted.
“You made Rainbow Dash look totally uncool!” Scootaloo added.
“You hogtied mah sister!” Apple Bloom finished.
Trixie rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help but snigger at the memories of her triumphs over those three during her first visit to Ponyville. “Yes, those were good times,” she said in a dreamy tone.
“For you, maybe,” Apple Bloom said. “But they didn’t like it so much.”
Trixie looked at the ‘crusaders’ with a fearful expression on her face. “So, what are you three little judges going to do now?” she asked. “Timeout for fifteen minutes? No cookies for a week?” Trixie gasped. “Oh, please don’t ground Trixie, whatever you do!”
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchanged confused faces. “Is she… mocking us?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Scootaloo nodded. “I think she is! And I don’t like it!”
“Ah jus’ don’t get what Twilight sees in a pony like you,” Apple Bloom said.
Trixie’s eyes lit up, and she dropped her fearful expression for a more genuine grin. “Oh? You wish to hear the story of how the Great and Powerful Trixie and Twilight Sparkle found each other?”
Sweetie Belle tilted her head to the side. “Why would we want to hear that?” she asked.
“Your friend seemed curious,” Trixie explained, pointing to Apple Bloom. “But, if you don’t want to hear it… It’s a shame. It’s such a good story, too.”
“Actually,” Apple Bloom said, “Ah do wanna hear it.”
Scootaloo made a gagging expression. “Blech, are you serious?”
“Yeah. AJ an’ the others spoke so badly of her, but if Twilight likes her, there must be a reason.”
“Well, I suppose a story might be good, since we don’t really know what to do next,” Sweetie Belle said.
Scootaloo gave in. “Ugh, fine. But it better not be some sappy romance story!”
Trixie grinned, and summoned her magic to create an illusionary image of herself.
Trixie pushed through the crowd of ponies gathered around a stall that was selling comic books.
“Out of the way! The Great and Powerful Trixie demands that you grant her access!” Trixie shouted, using her magic to push a few ponies here and there aside. She finally managed to get through to the front, and purchased a few books that she had had her eye on for a while.
“Success!” Trixie shouted as she made her way back through the crowd of ponies, taking in a heavy breath of air as soon as she could. “Now let’s see, what next… Ah, voice actor John de Prancie is signing autographs in thirty minutes!”
She quickly made her way through the convention hall, leaving the dealers’ area and heading towards the conference room, where the voice actors held their panels. As she feared, there was already a long line. A very long line, that extended down the stairs, and outside of the convention hall.
Still, the Great and Powerful Trixie was not about to be defeated by a mere line! Begrudgingly, she made her way to the back of the line. At least she had some new books to read, and she brought her Pony Station Portable (or ‘PSP’, for short) along too.
“Excuse me?” a voice asked behind Trixie. “Is this the line for the John de Prancie autographs?”
Trixie nodded her head. “Sure is,” she said, not taking her eyes off of her hoofheld console. “It’s a long wait, though.”
“Yeah, but I’m not about to let that stop me!”
Trixie fully understood, and continued playing her game. However, something was nagging her in the back of her head. She knew this voice from somewhere. She recognised it, but she couldn’t quite put her hoof on it. She put her console into her bag, and turned around.
Her eyes widened as they met a pair of equally shocked and surprised eyes staring back at her. “T-T-T-T-”
“Trixie?” the purple Unicorn mare before her asked. “You’re Trixie, aren’t you? The ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie?”
Trixie grit her teeth together. ‘How dare she?!’ Trixie thought to herself. ‘How dare she, after what she did to me last time! She made such a fool out of me! She humiliated me in front of so many ponies! And now, she dares to mock me by calling me by that title!’
“It’s been so long!” the mare asked, smiling at Trixie. “How have you been? Have things been okay since you left Ponyville? I was so worried about you.”
‘More mocking?! How dare you… How dare you look down on me with those eyes! You… You…’ “SPOILED NOBLE BRAT!” Trixie shouted, pouncing forwards and smacking Twilight across the face with a forehoof.
Twilight fell to the ground, not even realizing she had been struck until Trixie grabbed her by the collar and started to shake her back-and-forth. “W-What are you-” she managed to say, before Trixie raised her forehoof and began to bring it down. Twilight reacted purely on instinct, rearing up her back legs, and pushing them forward into Trixie’s stomach.
The showmare was sent flying onto her back, and Twilight quickly scrambled up to her hooves, very shaken up by the whole experience. “W-What is the matter with you?!” Twilight shouted, glaring at Trixie as the showmare rose to her hooves.
“SHUT UP!” Trixie shouted, her horn glowing intensely all of a sudden.
“HEY!”
The two fighting ponies turned to see two of the convention’s security guards charging towards them.
“What do you two think you’re doing?!”
“Whoa!” Scootaloo said as she watched the scene unfold. “An action scene in a romance story! You make romance look cool!”
“I hope the two manage to patch things up,” Sweetie Belle said sadly.
Apple Bloom shot her a strange look. “They, uh… did?”
Sweetie Belle remembered that the story was about Twilight and Trixie, who were now a couple, and smiled brightly. “Oh yeah!”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes, and turned her attention back to the images being conjured up by Trixie’s magic, now a lot more interested in the story than she was initially. “So? What happened next?”
“Well,” Trixie said. “We didn’t get kicked out of the convention. Thanks to Trixie’s quick thinking, and ability to act, we managed to make it seem as though it was all a performance we put on to pass the time in that dreadfully long queue.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “An’ then you two made out?” She quickly blushed, and put her forehooves to her mouth. “I mean up! You made up!”
Sweetie Belle was giggling at Apple Bloom’s slip up, whilst Scootaloo was more interested in the story, hoping for another fight scene between the two main characters.
“Not yet,” Trixie said. “But we agreed, for the sake of enjoying the convention, that we would hold back on all of our hostilities towards each other for now… Of course, it didn’t help that we were constantly running into each other.”
As Trixie said this, numerous scenarios involving Trixie bumping into Twilight at different parts of the convention were being played out by her magic. The image of Trixie would always do whatever it could to provoke Twilight, and made sure to give at least one insult whenever they passed each other, whereas the image of Twilight was doing its best to outright ignore Trixie’s existence.
Twilight sulked as she trudged through the field of trees, her head hung low as she grumbled to herself. In her despair, she failed to notice Big Macintosh as she passed by him.
“Everythin’ alright, Twilight?”
“AH!” Twilight shouted as she jumped. She turned to face Big Macintosh, her heart beating quickly, and her breathing heavy. “Oh Celestia… Don’t scare me like that.”
Big Mac raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “Ah take it ya didn’t have much luck with AJ?”
Twilight’s head lowered again. “Not… exactly…”
Big Mac examined the depressed mare closely, and let out a deep sigh. “… Come with me,” he said. Twilight’s ear twitched, and she turned her head up to see Big Mac walking away. He stopped to turn back, and motioned for her to follow. “Ah’ll explain everythin’. Ah wager Applejack wouldn’t talk.”
“… She said that showponies… ruined your family.”
Big Mac nodded. “Ah figured as much.” He motioned for her to follow again, and she did.
Trixie stretched her hooves as she lay down on the soft grass beneath her, staring up at the night sky with a content smile on her face.
“This is nice,” she said to herself. “After such a stressful day, a nice night admiring the stars is just what the Great and Powerful Trixie needs.”
Trixie looked across the sky, pointing out and naming all of the constellations to herself as she used her magic to pour herself a glass of wine. She brought the wine to her lips and took a sip, but stopped when she heard hoofsteps approaching.
“Wha-”
Trixie turned her head to see Twilight Sparkle staring at her, a strange look on her face. At first, she thought it was anger. Then she noticed that there was… disappointment? Confusion, maybe?
“What?” Trixie asked bitterly. “Here to ruin Trixie’s night, too?”
“What?!” Twilight shouted. “You’re the one who suddenly attacked me like that!”
“You deserved it!” Trixie said, sitting up straight, and then clutching her stomach in pain.
Twilight noticed the look of pain on Trixie’s face, and started to grow concerned, despite their feuding. “Um… Are you okay?”
“What do you care?” Trixie asked. She lay back down again, and stared up at the sky. “Since when did spoiled nobles start caring for anypony without social standing?”
Twilight frowned, and walked over to Trixie. “Look, I don’t know what your problem with me is, but I’m sorry if I offended you somehow… And, I’m sorry for kicking you like that…”
Trixie turned her head to the side, to face away from Twilight. “Hmph… Just go. The Great and Powerful Trixie is trying to enjoy the night sky.”
“Yeah? Well, so am I,” Twilight said, taking a seat besides Trixie. “And I was told that this was the best spot for stargazing in Manehatten.”
“… Well, you heard right,” Trixie said. “Trixie isn’t moving, you know?”
“Don’t care,” Twilight said. “In fact, I’d prefer if you didn’t move. It’s rare to have somepony to talk to when I stargaze.”
Trixie scoffed. “And why should the Great and Powerful Trixie waste her time on the likes of you?”
“No reason. But you did hit me. I’d at least like an explanation as to why.” Twilight turned her head and looked down at Trixie expectantly. “… Well?”
“… Trixie hates ponies like you,” Trixie said. “Ponies who are born into prestigious families, practically groomed for success, and given everything they could ever want on a silver platter.”
“So in other words-” Twilight began, but was cut off by Trixie.
“And even more so than that, Trixie despises ponies that are blessed with such good fortune, and then throw it away, as if it is meaningless to them. As if they can get along just fine without it…” Trixie turned her head, and found Twilight listening to her intently. “You have no idea, of just how many ponies would do anything, to get even a sliver of your good fortune. But you just throw it aside, without a single care.
“You may as well be spitting on our faces,” Trixie added, directing a heated glare at Twilight.
Twilight narrowed her eyes at Trixie, waiting to make sure that Trixie was actually finished this time. “… I’m sorry you feel that way,” she said. “Because I really wanted us to be friends, you know?”
Trixie’s eyes widened, and she got up – slowly, this time – to look at Twilight at eye level. “Friends? You wanted us to be friends, even after what happened last time?”
“Because of what happened last time,” Twilight corrected. “You left so suddenly last time, and my friend Rainbow Dash made it a point to make sure your loss against the ursa minor was spread to other towns. I wanted to make sure you were okay…”
Twilight tried to place a hoof on Trixie’s shoulder, but the other mare simply huffed and turned her back on the librarian.
“Trixie, I never asked to be born into nobility, you know?” Trixie didn’t turn around, but did let out a disgruntled grunt. “But, maybe you could look past that? Give me a chance, and not just judge me based on my status?”
“…”
Twilight knew that this wasn’t working, but she wasn’t ready to give up any time soon. She decided to try a different approach. “That show you put on in Ponyville was pretty good.” Trixie’s ear twitched. Twilight hoped that that was a good sign. “It’s a shame I couldn’t see the rest… You know, I’ve actually been wondering how your show would have gone if it wasn’t interrupted.”
“… Is that so?”
“Yes. Would you mind showing me?”
“Well…” Trixie mumbled to herself for a few seconds. “Maybe one or two tricks…”
Trixie turned around, and her horn lit up. Twilight watched as nothing seemed to happen for a few seconds, before a snowflake fell onto her nose. “Snow? It’s not winter…”
She looked up to see snow falling from out of nowhere, and turned her attention back the ground to see it covered in snow. She started to shiver a bit, but then realised that it actually wasn’t cold at all.
Trixie’s horn lit up brighter, and the snow piled around them started to rise, and shape itself into various sculptures. Clover the Clever, Starswirl the Bearded, Hoofdini…
“Oh!” Twilight exclaimed upon reaching the realization that this was an illusion. Trixie’s horn flashed again, and the sculptures suddenly exploded in a bright flash of light. Twilight had to shut her eyes to prevent being blinded, and when she opened them up again, the snow had been replaced with a field of flowers. “Trixie, this is beautiful…”
Trixie shut off her magic, and the field disappeared, returning the scenery to its true form. “Well of course,” Trixie said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie only uses beautiful magic, after all.”
Twilight smiled, but was a little disappointed that the show had been ended so soon. “Can I see another trick, please?”
Trixie examined Twilight for a bit, and then sighed. “Why can’t Trixie ever refuse a fan’s request?” she asked herself quietly, before lighting her horn up again.
“We spent the whole night comparing our magical talents, looking up at the stars, and sharing stories of our past,” Trixie said. “Twilight told Trixie all about her life in Ponyville, her friends there, and even a few things about you three.”
“She did?” Sweetie Belle asked. “What did she say about us?”
“That you’re troublemakers,” Trixie said flatly. “That you go around town causing mayhem and chaos, and that you’re always making messes wherever you go.” The crusaders looked shocked and appalled at what they were hearing. Trixie grinned, and placed a reassuring hoof on Apple Bloom’s shoulder. “But, she says you always mean well, and that you’re very good fillies at heart.”
The three smiled at that, but then widened their eyes as they noticed something. “Wait,” Apple Bloom said, “How long have you been free from our net?”
Trixie laughed and flicked her mane. “The Great and Powerful Trixie was feeling uncomfortable, so she freed herself.” The crusaders looked like they were about to say something, but she continued before they could. “Anyway, Trixie told Twilight a lot of stories that night, like how she defeated the basilisk Queen, and how she destroyed an entire anti-Celestia organization all by herself.”
“You did?” Sweetie Belle asked skeptically.
“Indeed,” Trixie answered, waving her hoof. “But that’s a story for another day.”
“So what happened next?” Scootaloo asked. “Another fight?”
Trixie shook her head. “By morning, we had become friends… Though Trixie wouldn’t realize it for a few weeks, she enjoyed having Twilight’s company. She enjoyed talking with Twilight, reading with her, playing with her… We had a lot of fun, and she started to visit Trixie every weekend.
“It was during our time together that Trixie began to feel things that she had never felt previously. She felt happy whenever she was with Twilight, and even found herself getting excited for the coming weekends.
“Trixie also found herself growing jealous whenever Twilight was hit on by other ponies, and feeling disappointed whenever Twilight left her at the end of our weekend get-togethers. These feelings were new to Trixie, and it wasn’t until one date in particular that Trixie finally understood what they were… Love.” Trixie found her tone involuntarily turning to dreamy as she said that final word, and quickly composed herself, clearing her throat and sitting up straight with a neutral expression on her face.
“Awwww,” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said.
“Ewwww,” Scootaloo said. “What the hay? This story started great, but then you went and made it all sappy!”
Trixie put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Too bad,” Trixie said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t offer refunds.”
“TRIX-IIIIIIE!”
Trixie quickly turned around to see Twilight at the entrance to the clubhouse, her face red and her eyes fixed on her with an intense glare.
“Um… hi, Twilight,” Trixie said in a panicky tone. “W-What’s up?”
“Trixie, I believe I asked you to do the grocery shopping for me?”
“W-Well, Trixie got called here all of a sudden, so-”
Twilight sighed, and used her magic to pull Trixie out of the clubhouse by her ear. “Sorry, girls,” she said to the crusaders, “But Trixie can’t play with you any longer. She has work to do.”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle giggled at the sight of Trixie flailing as Twilight pulled her away.
“Goodbye, Trixie!” Sweetie Belle said, waving her hoof. “Thanks for the story!”
“You ain’t so bad!” Apple Bloom added. “If ya survive, come tell us another story sometime!”
Twilight looked back at the clubhouse and smiled. “It seems you made a few new friends today,” she said to Trixie, who was now walking by her side, rubbing her ear. “But that still doesn’t excuse you skipping out on your chores.”
“It’s not like Trixie could help it. They ponynapped her.”
“Oh please. You’re saying a bunch of fillies managed to restrain the Great and Powerful Trixie?”
“… Yes?”
Twilight grinned and placed a hoof around Trixie. “Nice try. We’ll decide your punishment later.” Trixie moaned and kicked the ground with a hoof. “Oh, and I also asked you to help Spike with his new room.”
Trixie rolled her eyes and turned her head away. “By the way, what were you up to today?” Trixie asked, trying to change the subject.
“… Just, stuff,” she said, removing her hoof and continuing her walk in silence, thinking about what Big Macintosh had told her earlier.
Trixie, on the other hoof, was thinking back to the day that she and Twilight first confessed their feelings to each other.
Twilight and Trixie walked side-by-side down the streets of Manehatten. There was a fair going on nearby, and they decided to check it out. They had gotten some ice-cream, and were now chatting to each other about the recent Discord incident.
“Discord got to you, too?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, it seems so,” Trixie said, confusing Twilight. “It’s strange. Trixie remembers that she met with Discord, but does not remember anything that happened to her… Just, blank.” Trixie thought for a moment. “Maybe that was what Discord did?”
“But if it was, it should have disappeared when Discord was sealed away,” Twilight said. “Hmm… maybe I should use the memory spell?”
Trixie shrugged her shoulders as she finished off her ice-cream. “Trixie supposes it’s worth a shot.”
Twilight finished her own ice-cream, and the two Unicorns stopped in the street. Twilight’s horn lit up, and she lowered it down to Trixie’s forehead… Only for nothing to happen. “Huh?” She pulled back, and examined Trixie carefully. “That’s strange…”
“What happened?” Trixie asked, slightly concerned that the spell had no effect.
“Who knows? Maybe it’s because I never really perfected the spell… When I used it on my friends, I awoke memories that I shared with them, to give the rest of their memories a push. But with you… all of the memories we share together are already there, so…”
“Hey! Move it already!” a pony shouted as she shoved Twilight aside, walking past the two mares.
“Oh! Sorry!” Twilight called after the pony. Trixie, however, had other plans.
“Hey!” Trixie shouted, using her magic to stop the pony and turn him around. “Has nopony ever taught you any manners? Apologize to her at once!”
“Why should I?! You shouldn’t have been standing in the way like that!”
“Trixie, just let it go,” Twilight whispered, but Trixie ignored her.
“Do you not know who I am? I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Fireworks shot out behind Trixie. “You would do well to apologize now, before the Great and Powerful Trixie loses her patience!”
“Great and… Ah, I recognize you!” the stallion said. “You’re that lying show-off that got humiliated in Ponyville!” Trixie’s ears flattened, and she took an uneasy step backwards. “You think I’m afraid of some loudmouth who can’t put her money where her mouth is? Why don’t you go slay some imaginary ursas or something?”
“H-How dare you?!” Trixie shouted, stomping a hoof on the ground. “The Great and Powerful Trixie-”
The stallion cut her off before she could finish her rant. “There’s nothing ‘Great and Powerful’ about you!” Ponies from the crowd started to agree with the stallion, telling Trixie to ‘take a hike’ or ‘get lost’, and tossing a few insults her way, like ‘phony’, ‘liar’, ‘pathetic’, and more.
Trixie looked around, unable to keep up with the torrent of hateful comments being thrown her way, and looked as if she was about to break down any second now. Twilight saw this, and quickly stepped forward to defend her.
“For your information,” she shouted, silencing most of the ponies around her, “The Great and Powerful Trixie suffered no such humiliation! An ursa minor is nothing to somepony who defeated an ursa major all on her own!”
The stallion scoffed, and moved closer to Twilight. “And who are you? Some crazed fangirl?”
“Actually, my name is Twilight Sparkle.” The stallion’s eyes widened. “That’s right, the Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia, and the Great and Powerful Trixie’s apprentice.”
The crowd gasped, and the ponies within started mumbling to each other.
“Hah! That’s the biggest load I’ve ever heard!” the stallion scoffed.
“Actually,” a pony from the crowd said, “I recognise her from a newspaper article. There’s no mistaking it. That’s her, alright.”
Twilight grinned as the stallion started to sweat. “Yes, and as for the whole ursa minor thing… I don’t know how those false rumours spread, but if you want to know the truth, the Great and Powerful Trixie allowed me to deal with it because I asked her to, so that I could prove myself!”
Twilight turned around to see Trixie looking at her with her mouth wide open. She winked at Trixie, and the showmare seemed to get the signal. Trixie cleared her throat, and stepped forward. “That’s enough, dear Twilight,” she said, stopping by Twilight’s side. “The Great and Powerful Trixie can handle her own fights.”
Twilight nodded, and moved back. The stallion stood his ground as Trixie walked up to his face, but he wasn’t as confident as he was moments ago.
“Now then,” Trixie said, her hat lifting up to reveal her lit up horn. “This is your last chance. Apologize, or the Great and Powerful Trixie will make you apologize.”
The stallion grit his teeth, and looked between the two magical mares. Trixie aside, the other one was the student to Princess Celestia herself! He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I-I’m sorry…”
Trixie grinned, and turned around. “Well, Twilight?”
Twilight smiled. “Apology accepted.”
Trixie turned back to the stallion. “You may go now.” The stallion nodded, and quickly took off down the street. The crowd stayed for a bit, but a sharp glare from Trixie quickly solved that.
Twilight and Trixie continued down the street, and decided to take a break on a nearby bench.
“… Why did you do that?” Trixie asked as soon as both mares were sitting down.
“Why?” Twilight asked. “Well… I guess, I was sticking up for my friend?” Trixie didn’t seem to buy it. “… That stupid story about the ursa minor. It hasn’t made your life any easier, has it?”
Trixie shook her head. “That’s an understatement.”
“Right… I guess… I just couldn’t stand it anymore.” Twilight sighed, and leaned over to rest her head on Trixie’s shoulder. Trixie blushed, and looked away from Twilight. “I never wanted that story to spread. I was only trying to defend Ponyville. I never intended to humiliate you, or put your career in jeopardy.”
“…”
“This way, that stupid story might finally stop weighing you down, at least a little. And, now you have something else to brag about, too.” Twilight sat up straight, and turned Trixie’s head to face her with a hoof. “That you have the Princess’ pupil as an apprentice. That should bring in the crowds, don’t you think?”
“And you don’t mind?” Trixie asked. “You don’t mind somepony using your accomplishments, and your name, to their own advantage?”
Twilight shook her head. “I don’t really care about getting fame or any of that. It doesn’t matter at all to me. But to you… It’s your job to entertain ponies with your stories, and your magic act. Your passion. Just as long as you don’t cast me in a bad light, I’ll be fine.”
Trixie smiled, and reached her forelegs around Twilight. “… Thank you,” she said. “… Oh, Celestia. Trixie never thought she’d ever be thanking somepony like this, or feeling such gratitude towards another pony. What is your secret, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight pushed Trixie back, and shook her head. “A magician never tells their secrets,” Twilight said with a wink. She and Trixie started laughing together, and continued for a full minute. When they had stopped, Twilight felt it necessary to point something out. “Hey, you didn’t take offence to me calling you my friend.”
Trixie looked into Twilight’s eyes. “You’re right. I didn’t.” Trixie shifted about uncomfortably on the bench. “Um… Twilight, if there’s any way that Trixie can pay you back for this…”
“Forget it,” Twilight said. “There’s no need to do that. We’re friends, and friends stick up for their friends when they’re in trouble.”
Trixie smiled as she gazed into Twilight’s eyes, whilst Twilight herself started to feel uneasy. “Twilight… you’ve done so much… You come by to visit me every weekend. We have so much fun together, talk all through the nights, style each other’s manes… All of this, even though we got off on the wrong hoof.”
Twilight smiled back, though it was a little nervous, due to the way that Trixie was staring at her. “Well, a wise mare once told me: “Sometimes, we all need to be shown a little kindness”. And something told me that you were long overdue for that treatment.”
The two sat together in silence for about half-a-minute, and when Twilight tried to suggest that they move on, Trixie suddenly leaned forward, and locked her lips with Twilight’s.
Twilight couldn’t react at all. She didn’t make any effort to push Trixie away, and she wasn’t entirely sure if she understood what was happening. This was all so sudden, and just as suddenly as it started, Trixie had pulled back.
Now Trixie looked like more of a nervous wreck than their first meet up together, and was constantly shifting her gaze between the ground and Twilight, looking unsure of what to say or do next.
“… Why?” Twilight asked after taking a minute to collect her thoughts.
Trixie’s ears dropped, and she stared down at the floor with a guilty look on her face. “I-I’m sorry. I-”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Trixie flicked her head up quickly, and saw tears rolling down the sides of Twilight’s face. “You dummy… You should have told me sooner… I would have been able to prepare myself.”
“T-Twilight, does that mean-” Trixie’s question was answered before it could even be completed, when Twilight suddenly moved forward and connected their lips once again. Trixie joined Twilight in letting out tears of joy as she embraced the other mare, pushing her own lips against Twilight’s as the two continued to wordlessly express their feelings towards each other.
Twilight pulled back after what seemed like an eternity of making out, and stared pleadingly into Trixie’s eyes. Trixie knew what she wanted. She wanted to hear the words themselves, coming out of Trixie’s mouth. Trixie had no problem complying.
“I love you, Twilight.”
Twilight couldn’t help it. The tears just seemed to flow out of her eyes uncontrollably, and she quickly reached forward to embrace the other mare tightly. “I love you, too,” she said, smiling widely as she nuzzled against Trixie’s neck.
Trixie held Twilight lightly, gently stroking her mane as she enjoyed this moment. This moment that, many years ago, she would have doubted could ever happen.
Trixie turned to Twilight, who seemed to be mulling something over in her mind. She smiled, and leaned over to kiss Twilight on the cheek, breaking the pony from her thoughts.
“T-Trixie,” Twilight said, before suddenly receiving another kiss, this one on the lips. When Trixie backed away, Twilight was as red as some of the apples on the trees around them. “… W-Will you stop doing that in public?” Twilight asked, looking around to make sure that nopony could see them. “Or at least… give me some warning.”
“Trixie’s afraid she can’t do that, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie said, grinning at the flustered face that Twilight was making.
“And why not?” Twilight asked, visibly less amused than Trixie.
‘Because,’ Trixie thought to herself, ‘It was a spontaneous kiss like that that started everything between us… That’s why I love surprising you like that.’
Twilight was still waiting for an explanation, and Trixie turned her head up, her nose pointed high. “Not telling,” she said, before picking up her pace.
“What?” Twilight asked, increasing her own speed to catch up to Trixie. “Why not?”
“Just drop it,” Trixie said, starting to walk faster. Whenever she increased her speed, Twilight would too, demanding that Trixie tell her whatever she wasn’t telling her. “Trixie will never tell you!” Trixie shouted playfully as she broke out into a full gallop.
Twilight followed, and the two began racing together back to the library, each one laughing and using their magic to try and trip the other one up.