“Eyes On You”
Chapter ten: Friendship Is Complicated
The azure unicorn in the mirror above Trixie's dresser batted her eyelashes temptingly. Trixie smirked back at her with pride. Her eyes were perfect, her mane was perfect, her horn was perfect, even the morning sunlight that caressed her coat was perfect. Well worth the effort spent getting up before sunrise to give herself a 'quick' makeover before breakfast – just as it had been worth it every morning since that night on the hilltop.
As usual though, the reflected sight of the scar across her cutie mark put a damper on her spirits. A frown danced across her face as she wondered how much longer it would take to heal. It wouldn't be too long, would it? After all, her physical therapy had only been going on for a couple of weeks now, and already she could walk unsupported again. Not that she'd let Twilight in on that little detail, of course...
Casting a glance to the newly-acquired cloak-stand beside her door, she pondered over the cape the hung from its top branch. It was a shame to cover up such a Great and Powerful figure as Trixie's, but the scar really didn't give her much choice. As she magically slung the cape around her neck and fastened the clasp, there came a knocking on her bedroom door.
“Just a minute!” Trixie called out. Snapping around to face the mirror again, she made a few quick, magical adjustments to her mane – making sure that it fell just right around her horn – before putting on her brightest smile. “Alright, come in.”
The door clicked open, and Trixie's smile grew doubly wide at the sight of the lavender mare who crossed the threshold. “Good morning, partner,” Twilight chirped with a smile of her own. “Did you sleep well?”
Trixie shrugged indifferently. “As well as usual. I have to admit – this room is starting to feel a little big for just one pony.”
“Yeah,” muttered Twilight, a thoughtful frown crossing her face as she looked around. “Well, you know I've been trying to find more things to fill it up with, but--”
Trixie raised a hoof to stop her. “That wasn't a complaint.”
The thoughtful look on Twilight's face turned to one of surprise, then sheepishness. “Oh, right...” There was a brief, smiling pause before she drew up to her full height and cleared her throat. “Well, anyway, if you're done up here, let's go downstairs. Breakfast is waiting.”
She held the door open whilst the showmare shambled over, forcedly wincing the first couple of times she put pressure on her 'bad' forehoof. It probably wasn't very nice to pretend it still hurt – to make Twilight worry – but it was really more of a white lie. Twilight liked to help Trixie, and Trixie was just unselfishly making it a little easier for her. What was wrong with that?
As the two of them took the stairs – side by side and comfortably close – the lavender unicorn glanced sidelong at Trixie. “You're looking very pretty this morning,” Twilight observed. She narrowed her eyes and smirked in mock accusation. “You're not making extra effort for somepony, are you?”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “Don't flatter yourself, Sparkle,” she said lightly, even as a tinge of red crept into her cheeks. As to why exactly she'd been feeling the need to impress Twilight with her looks lately, Trixie had no idea. Maybe it was just a natural impulse – to want to look good for your close friends. She couldn't remember feeling the same for anyone before though...
Shaking her head to clear it, Trixie returned the lavender unicorn's sidelong look. “Don't think I haven't noticed what you've done with your mane.”
Twilight stopped and impulsively ran a hoof past her horn. “Oh, you noticed! What do you think?”
If that wasn't a confession that the change was for Trixie's benefit, then nothing was. That confirmed it – if Twilight felt it too, then it had to be a close friends thing. Or, at least, it had to be a 'whatever she and Twilight were' thing... 'Partners' didn't really say it all – that was more of an official title. The proper word escaped her.
Remembering that Twilight had asked her a question, Trixie cleared her throat. “It... well...” Even if it was a nice gesture on Twilight's part, Trixie didn't really like the new look. “The whole 'flowing' style doesn't really suit you,” said Trixie, opting for the honest approach as she trotted onwards. “I liked your old mane a lot better.”
“Oh, you did?” said Twilight, suddenly sounding uncertain. Trixie smiled to herself, saying nothing as she made her steady way downstairs. She'd gotten about half-way down before Twilight shook herself off, caught up and offered a smile. “Yeah, me too. I was just, you know, trying out something new. I'll change it back tomorrow.”
“If you're looking for suggestions, I think you'd look cute in curls,” Trixie offered with a smirk.
Twilight giggled quietly. “I'll keep that in mind.”
As usual, breakfast brought with it a healthy helping of cinnamon-apple pancakes, accompanied by a checklist detailing the day's itinerary. Usually, that would include equal parts walking therapy, whatever business Twilight had in town, and practising for the Manehattan Display. Or, rather, discussing how they might practise for it...
“Different every year,” Twilight muttered, frowning at the checklist as she chewed a mouthful of pancake. “What kind of competition is that? It sounds so... chaotic.”
Despite the feeling that she'd had this conversation several times before, Trixie decided to humour her partner. “It's to keep the event fresh and exciting – to surprise the audience and competitors both. Of course, nothing surprises Trixie, so I'll be prepared for whatever they throw at us.”
“I wish I could be so confident,” Twilight grumbled. “I prepare by studying. But if there are no details or criteria then what do I study?”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “You don't study anything. The event isn't even about preparation, it's about talent. And you don't need to worry about that.” She winked at Twilight.
The lavender mare's frown twisted into a smile. “Yeah... I guess I've got the Great and Powerful Trixie with me, after all.”
Trixie opened her mouth to say that wasn't what she meant, but ended up closing it again. Sometimes, Twilight Sparkle was just too modest for her own good. Not that Trixie minded accepting a compliment.
“Anyway,” said Twilight, offering Trixie a sheet of paper. “Do you want to look at the list?”
Taking the list in her own magic, Trixie brought it up to her nose before casting Twilight a glance. “You really are going to do this every day, aren't you?”
Twilight just smiled.
With a shake of her head, the showmare turned to scan the list. Sure enough, it was the same as usual – breakfast, walking therapy, study, lunch, more study... Trixie sighed. “Didn't we just establish that studying isn't going to help?”
“I was thinking that we could study the history of the event,” Twilight explained with a hopeful smile. “We might be able to find some sort of pattern in the past activity assignments! Of course, I don't expect to find something obvious. At best, we'll be able to narrow down the list a little. But then we'd at least have a higher probability of practising for an activity that's actually going to come up in the event!”
Trixie stared blankly at her partner, who still had the same smile on her face. Unsurprisingly, it was clear that she wasn't joking. And, somehow, Trixie didn't find the prospect of two weeks' studying with Twilight all too appealing.
An idea came to her. Not a particularly brilliant idea, by Trixie's standards, but it would do. She flattened the list down on the table between them and cleared her throat. “Twilight – I have a better idea.”
Twilight raised her eyebrows. “Oh? You do?”
Trixie pushed the list to one side and got to her hooves, leaving a couple of half-eaten pancakes on her plate. “Follow me,” she said simply.
As she started towards the door, she heard Twilight hesitate. Deviating from her checklist probably made the obsessive unicorn a little uncomfortable, but Trixie was convinced that her own idea was better. By the time Trixie had reached the door and turned around to check on Twilight, the lavender unicorn was already rising from her seat.
* * *
Barely minutes later, Trixie found herself leading Twilight across an open, grassy field just on the outskirts of town. “Instead of taking a gamble and hoping that we find something useful in your books,” Trixie began, breaking the silence at last. “Why don't we do something that we know is going to help?”
“...Because there isn't anything that we know is going to help?” Twilight guessed.
Trixie rolled her eyes. “Actually, there is. We know that every pair in the competition is going to need at least this one thing.”
“And what 'one thing' is that?” asked Twilight.
Trixie smirked, stopping so suddenly that Twilight took a few steps onwards before noticing. “Coordination,” said Trixie. With that, she flicked her horn – summoning forth a blue hoofball from thin air. It fell to the ground and bounced a couple of times before settling in the grass. Twilight eyed it suspiciously.
Judging by the look on her face, she'd probably never ever seen one before. Granted, that wasn't too strange – unicorns didn't usually have much need for pegasus sports toys.
Twilight took a step closer and brought her nose down to nudge the ball experimentally. “Coordination, huh? And... what's the ball for?”
Grasping the ball with her magic, Trixie hovered it up above their heads. “For practise – we're going to practise coordinating our magic, focusing on this ball.”
“...Why?” Twilight asked, looking up at her with a creased brow.
Trixie groaned. “Ugh! Because a duo act is all about timing – about casting your spells at exactly the right moment, so that they land in time with your partner's. Make sense?”
Twilight stared at the ball for a long moment. Just as Trixie was about to try and explain again, the lavender unicorn looked up at her, smiled and nodded. “I understand. Where shall we start?”
Trixie blinked, before returning the smile. “Well, since you're a beginner, we'll start with the some basic telekinesis.” Twilight frowned a little at the word 'beginner', but she shook it off a moment later.
Taking a few steps back, Trixie left the ball in the middle of the ground between them. Twilight mimicked her on the opposite side. “Alright,” said Trixie. “On 'three', we'll both push against the ball, okay?”
“Um, actually, Trixie, I'm not so sure that's a good--”
“One.”
Twilight shifted in place. “I really don't think--”
“Two.”
Twilight shook her head and sighed.
Trixie smirked and narrowed her eyes as she channelled magic into her horn. Knowing that Twilight's magic was at least a little bit physically stronger than her own, Trixie decided to push as hard as she could...
“Three!”
Both spells fired off and struck the ball at almost exactly the same time. Trixie's eyes bugged out as a blue blur shot towards her and hit her square in the face.
As the ball fell back to the ground and started to roll to one side, Trixie stared, wide-eyed at Twilight, who was gawping in horror. Trixie's nose twitched and her bottom lip trembled.
“Ohmygosh, Trixie!” Twilight squealed, hopping forwards and leaning in. “I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that, I swear! Are you oka--”
Dropping the façade, Trixie channelled her magic again. The ball shot towards Twilight and struck her square on the flank, prompting a startled yelp from the lavender unicorn as she stumbled forwards. As their necks crossed, Trixie smirked to herself. She'd only been meaning to startle her partner, but the accidental hug was a welcome bonus.
When Twilight pulled back, it was with a dark frown on her face. Trixie had to purse her lips to keep from giggling. Twilight didn't fare as well – after a few seconds staring, her frown shifted into a little smile and she started snickering. “D-Don't do that, Trixie!” she managed shakily. “I thought I'd hurt you!”
Trixie flicked back her mane proudly. “You should know better – did you forget how Great and Powerful I am?”
Twilight kicked her playfully in the leg, then turned to the side and closed her eyes. “Well, you still scared me.”
With a shake of the head, Trixie patted Twilight on the side reassuringly. 'Silly mare,' she thought with a smile.
As the morning went on, the two of them dialled down the power and practised pushing and pulling the ball together. Even with verbal cues, it was a lot harder to find a balance in both spell force and timing than Trixie had first thought.
Eventually, they reached a point where both spells would strike the target together, and it would roll a few inches in one direction. Then they would adjust their spells, only for the ball to roll back in the other direction the next time. If Trixie had been doing this with anypony else, she would've been frustrated out of her mind after the first twenty minutes. With Twilight there for company though, it was actually quite an enjoyable practise session.
Somewhere along the line, they ditched the verbal cues in favour of a simple nod, which made conversation a little easier and the whole thing seem less mechanical.
“Hey, Trixie?” said Twilight as the ball rolled to a stop beside her hooves. “Can I ask you something?”
Trixie magically moved the ball back to the centre. “Isn't that what you've been doing?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at her partner.
Twilight frowned and hesitated. “...I meant about Flaire.”
“...Oh,” Trixie muttered. Honestly, she'd been hoping that Twilight wouldn't ask – which was a silly thing to hope, really. After all, she was going to be competing against him, it was only natural for her to want to know her enemy...
Twilight waved a hoof and shook her head hurriedly. “If you don't want to--”
“No, ask your question,” said Trixie firmly. “It's a private matter, but... you deserve some answers.”
Twilight shifted in place a little and nodded to Trixie as she lit up her horn. The spells struck the ball together and it rolled towards Trixie. “Um, it's nothing really. I just wanted to ask... what kind of pony he is...”
Trixie rolled her eyes as she readjusted the ball. “I'm not a child, Twilight Sparkle – you don't have to spare my feelings.”
“I'm not!” Twilight threw back. “That's my question, really!”
Trixie stared at her, deadpan, for a good ten seconds, whilst Twilight just stared back with a silent smile. Finally, Trixie blinked and averted her eyes. “...Liar,” she mumbled, even as the beginnings of an appreciative smile crept onto her face. Confound that Twilight's obsessive kindness...
“Fine,” said Trixie, conceding. “What kind of pony is he? Let me think...” She nodded again as a signal. They cast together and the ball rolled towards Twilight. “He's very... I guess you'd call it 'suave' – especially around pretty mares...”
Twilight cocked her head to the side and smiled a little. “Like you?”
Trixie scoffed. Trust Twilight to get it in one. “Exactly like me,” said Trixie, a hint of something even she wasn't quite sure of seeping into her voice.
Twilight's smile faltered as she readjusted the ball again. “Oh... So, you were close, then?”
Trixie let out a huff and closed her eyes in reminiscence. “Very close, once upon a time...”
Silence fell between them. Talking like that really brought the memories back – all the laughter, the teasing, the playing... the cuddling...
She viciously shook the invasive thoughts from her head and scowled as she opened her eyes. Twilight was frowning and looking to one side, probably thinking of what to say next. Trixie made sure that the scowl was replaced by a faint smile by the time Twilight looked up at her.
“What happened?” said the lavender unicorn, apparently not quite sure whether she wanted to hear the answer.
Trixie opened her mouth to voice a reply. She didn't have one. She screwed up her nose and thought harder, trying to bring back that one memory, but it was lost to her. With a chuckle, the showmare shook her head. “I don't even remember. How silly is that?”
Twilight, of course, said nothing.
“I'll bet that he does, though,” Trixie continued. “It's in his character to hold onto things like that. You should ask him when we get to Manehattan. I'm sure he'll be dying to meet my partner – the unicorn who I've 'brought along for him to humiliate'--” She smirked. “--I can't wait to see the look on his face when we beat him.”
“Hmm...” Twilight grunted, gazing thoughtfully into Trixie's eyes.
Eager to keep her momentum, Trixie cast her mind about for something else to bring up – some memory or anecdote to give Twilight a laugh. Before she could find one though, a sharp wind blew past, tossing her mane about and breaking her train of thought. As she raised a hoof to pat it back down, she turned to the left and saw a familiar, rainbow-maned pegasus skidding to a halt a few ponies' distance away.
'And just when I was having a good morning...'
“Oh, hey guys,” said Rainbow 'casually'. “Playing hoofball? Cool. Hope I'm not interrupting.”
“I'm sure,” Trixie mumbled, rolling her eyes.
Clearly surprised, Twilight bounced forwards with a smile. “Rainbow! What're you doing here? I wasn't expecting to see you until our school visit tomorrow.” She paused and her smile fell a little. “...You are coming this week, aren't you?”
“'course I am! What, you thought I was going to ditch you?” said Rainbow lightly.
Twilight's frown deepened. “Well, after what happened two weeks ago... and then you didn't turn up at all last Friday...”
Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. “Hey, it's like I told you – I just needed some time to think last week. Tomorrow, stuff'll be back to normal, okay?”
Trixie looked between the two of them. She was half-expecting Twilight to throw that back in Rainbow's face. But, then again, this was Twilight...
The lavender unicorn smiled at last and nodded to Rainbow. “Okay.”
“Awesome,” said Rainbow, returning the smile. Then, quite surprisingly, she turned to Trixie. “Yo, Trixie, can we talk for a sec?”
“...Huh?” Trixie grunted intelligently. “Talk?”
“Yeah, you know--” Rainbow glanced at Twilight. “--In private.”
The two unicorns exchanged confused looks. “I can... step over there for a minute, if you want?” Twilight offered uncertainly.
Trixie blinked. She couldn't decide whether she wanted that or not.
“It'll just take a second, really,” said Rainbow.
Trixie glanced at the ground in thought, then finally turned to Twilight and nodded. The lavender unicorn offered each of them one last smile before trotting off to the side, leaving them alone.
“Alright, what do you want?” said Trixie, turning to glare at the pegasus.
To Trixie's surprise, Rainbow actually averted her gaze. There was a long pause – strange, considering that Rainbow was the one who wanted to talk in the first place...
“Yeah, so... here's the thing, Trix,” Rainbow began. “I know I've been, uh, kind of a jerk to you since... well, since we met...”
“Oh, you've realised that now, have you?” Trixie countered.
Rainbow glared at her. “Hey! You haven't exactly been friendly to me either, Miss Great and Powerful!”
Trixie stirred. An angry heat welled up inside her at the scorn and the nickname, wholly unlike the warmth she felt when Twilight called her that. “Well, maybe you haven't given Trixie much choice!” she threw back. “What, with all your heckling and random accusations--”
“Yeah, I get it!” Rainbow interrupted loudly. She paused briefly, then huffed. “...I know I haven't given you much of a chance or anything and-- Well, what I'm trying to say is... I'm...” She mumbled the last word under her breath, but Trixie could almost swear that she'd said...
“You're sorry?” Trixie repeated, drawing back in surprise.
Rainbow gulped and looked up to meet Trixie's eyes with a sad frown on her face. A moment later, the pegasus gave a quick shake of the head and drew herself up to her full height. “That's right – I'm sorry!” She stomped a hoof to emphasise it. “You got a problem with that?”
Trixie blinked. “...No?” she guessed. “But... why are you apologising? Aren't you supposed to, you know, hate Trixie or something?”
Rainbow lifted her nose a little higher. “Who says I don't?” The showmare raised an eyebrow at that. “Unlike everything else in the world, this isn't about you, Trixie. It's about her.” She thrust a hoof towards Twilight, who jumped in surprise.
When she'd recovered, the lavender mare cocked her head as if to say 'Oh, are you done?' Rainbow simply waved her off dismissively and turned back to Trixie.
“If this is about Twilight, then why did you want to talk to me in private?” said Trixie in a slightly quieter voice.
Rainbow shook her head. “This is high-level friendship stuff – no surprise that you wouldn't understand.” Trixie scowled as the annoying pegasus allowed herself a smug smirk. It only lasted a moment though. “Look, I don't know what she sees in you, Trix, but--”
“Stop calling me that!”
“--but she obviously sees something...” Rainbow glanced over at Twilight again, this time with a thoughtful frown. “She likes you. And me being a jerk to you makes her feel bad. So... yeah, like I said – you wouldn't understand.”
Trixie followed her gaze to Twilight, who was making a feeble attempt of pretending that she wasn't trying to steal glances towards them. “...Maybe I do understand,” Trixie mused aloud. Rainbow gave her a questioning look, which soon dissolved into a simple frown.
“Well, if you do, then you know why I've got to apologise,” she said impatiently.
Trixie nodded. “Yes... And you've apologised to her too?”
“Of course I have! Outside the schoolhouse, like, a hundred times.”
“And that's all you're going to do?” said Trixie, glaring at her. “Just say 'sorry' and leave it at that?”
Rainbow returned the glare twofold. “Not that it's any of your business, but no. I'm--” She broke off, and her glare immediately softened as she looked away. “...I'm going to get out of here for a couple weeks – give you guys some... space.” It looked like it pained her to say even that much. “Clear my head, you know...”
Surprised, Trixie held the retort she'd been meaning to throw back. “You're going to leave?” she repeated. “W-Wait, that's not what Trixie meant--”
Rainbow sighed and closed her eyes. “...I've said what I came to say. I'm going to go see Fluttershy or something. Catch you later, I guess.” With that, she offered a quick wave to Twilight and kicked off from the ground, shooting into the air before Trixie could even think of anything more to say.
And then she was gone.
Twilight trotted up to Trixie's side to join her in watching the fast-fading rainbow trail. “What was that about?” the bookish mare asked with an obvious hint of worry in her voice.
Trixie blinked a couple of times. “...You're seeing her tomorrow, aren't you?”
Twilight threw Trixie a questioning look. “Yeah. Why?”
“Because you two need to talk.”
* * *