//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Tragic Magic // by Twinkletail //------------------------------// Rarity glared at the table she’d so carefully set for her lunch with Twilight this afternoon. She’d spent a large portion of the morning cooking for the two of them, and had made sure to include all of Twilight’s favorite dishes. It might have seemed a bit excessive to an outsider, but nothing was too excessive for her Sparkle Kitten. Besides, anything left uneaten would make for a fine dinner later on, or even a meal the next day if necessary. The table had been set to match the extravagance of the intended meal, complete with fancy doilies, beautiful china, and the piece de resistance, her favorite candelabra. It was intended to be a delectable, romantic lunch for two ponies who loved each other very much, but sometimes things didn’t go according to intentions. Rarity knew this first-hoof as she pushed the third chair up to the table. A frown crossed her delicate features, but she took a deep breath and quickly dispelled it. Her unhappiness was surely what that selfish, conceited unicorn wanted, and she would not give her the satisfaction. Plus, frowning created unwanted lines. The seamstress watched the love of her life enter the kitchen, accompanied by the contemptible blue braggart. She did everything in her power to not refer to her with the title of “Twilight’s ex,” despite the fact that Twilight’s comment upon her entrance seemed to indicate exactly that. To refer to her as such a thing was to allow such an idea acceptance, and she was not quite sure of her ability to give it credence. Even without granting her that title, though, she still found herself incensed at every little thing that Trixie did. Her discerning eyes, whose merits usually lent themselves well to dressmaking, were fixated on every detail of the disgusting blowhard in the tacky star-studded hat. Trixie’s proximity to Twilight was unacceptable. The sideways glance she gave her Kitten as they entered was lecherous. Her hoofsteps fell in the same rhythm as Twilight’s; surely a desperate effort to pretend that she was worthy enough to be compared to her. Still, she forced a smile upon her countenance as the two reached the table. Twilight raised a brow at her as she sat down between Rarity and Trixie; she knew Rarity intimately enough that she could tell a fake smile from her when she saw it. She said nothing, though. She wasn’t too surprised by this kind of reaction. “So!” Rarity spoke once everypony was seated, with a level of peppiness that hid her true feelings. “What is the meaning of this visit?” Trixie opened her mouth, beginning to answer, but Twilight cut her off. “Mayyyybe I should be the one to say it, Trixie,” Twilight said, withstanding the piercing gaze of her love from her seat next to her. Trixie began to protest, but then chose to quiet herself. “Well,” Twilight continued, once she was in the clear to do so. “A while back, before we’d started dating, I got a letter from Princess Celestia, telling me that she had been captured and needed my assistance and my assistance alone.” “Mmm,” Rarity responded. “And you did not find this suspicious, darling?” “W-well,” Twilight stammered, rubbing the back of her mane awkwardly. “I was worried, you know? I read about the Princess being in trouble...” “In perfect hoofwriting, mind you,” Trixie interjected. Rarity turned her gaze to the detestable one. “I suppose you had a hoof in writing this letter?” she asked, already knowing the answer to her question. “Ah ah ah,” Trixie replied, with a haughty grin. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is not the one telling the story. Would you care to continue, Twilight?” Rarity hmphed, turning her attention back to Twilight. “Um...yes,” Twilight continued, her cheeks reddening. “It turned out that Trixie wrote the letter to lure me to her alone and...erm...enact her revenge.” Rarity raised a hoof, deciding that she might not want to hear the exact details of said “revenge.” “And of course, Twilight was swayed by the Great and Powerful Trixie’s beauty and charm,” Trixie interrupted, smirking. Rarity rolled her eyes, something which Trixie caught and latched onto immediately. “Why, Twilight Sparkle simply could not get enough of Trixie’s...” “As I was saying!” Twilight said, a bit loudly. “The two of us ended up getting along rather well, and continued to meet for a while.” “Without any of your friends knowing?” Rarity asked, a hint of hurt in her eyes. Twilight sighed. “I didn’t think you girls would understand,” the purple unicorn said softly. “I know that Trixie was a bit abrasive when she came to town, and I figured you’d be upset with me for fraternizing with the enemy.” Trixie moved to put a reassuring hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, but Rarity shot hers out first, pulling Twilight close to her. “Oh Twilight, darling,” Rarity purred. “You should know that nothing could change our opinions of you. You are a wonderful, dear friend to the others, and even more than that to myself.” She accentuated this statement with a tender nuzzle to Twilight’s cheek, causing the purple unicorn to close an eye and smile. Rarity gave a sideways glance to Trixie to gauge her reaction, but the blue one simply sat quietly, showing no sign of perturbedness. Twilight’s eyes followed Rarity’s to Trixie, and she looked back at Rarity questioningly. Rarity simply smiled and gave another quick nuzzle before releasing her. “Thank you, Rarity,” Twilight said. “I guess I just got a bit worried over nothing. But yes, Trixie and I dated in secret for a while. We had fun together, but eventually the pressure of keeping it secret was a bit much for me, and it began to take a toll on our time together. Eventually, the two of us decided that it would probably be for the best if we split up.” Rarity nodded and offered a comforting hoof once again. “I am dreadfully sorry to hear that, kitten,” Rarity said, which was only partially a lie. “But I am sure that the two of you have both blossomed wonderfully since your relationship, and you can go on after your little visit and be happy in another to-” “And,” Trixie said, cutting Rarity off. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has come back to claim what was once hers!” Trixie’s declaration would have been met with complete silence if it weren’t for the fireworks that she’d summoned up. Twilight and Rarity simply stared at each other for a couple of awkward seconds, which seemed like minutes, before the white unicorn finally stood, turning her now-angry gaze towards the arrogant stage magician. “Trixie...” Twilight spoke up, trying to cut through the tension. “I’m sorry, but I’m...” “She,” Rarity spoke through gritted teeth, “is quite happy with me, thank you very much. You shall not be claiming anypony.” Twilight raised a brow; she’d never seen Rarity act like this before. A large part of her was flattered, but it also startled her a bit. Trixie, on the other hoof, reacted with a hearty laugh, brushing a bit of mane out of her face. “Oh, hush now,” Trixie said, smirking. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is aware of the fact that you and Twilight Sparkle are an item. Her intent was to return to Ponyville and reclaim the heart of Twilight Sparkle, but I had not counted on her finding another significant other.” Trixie adjusted her hat, giving a slight grin. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is not the type to break up a relationship, even if the mare that she wants would clearly be better off with a mare of her stature.” Rarity sneered at this comment, causing Twilight, who looked none too happy herself, to stand up. “Trixie, I don’t appreciate you saying that about Rarity,” Twilight said evenly. Trixie held a hoof to her chest. “The Great and Powerful Trixie did not mean to offend, Twilight,” she said. “And I apologize if I came off poorly. I truly wish for you two to be happy together.” Rarity scoffed, nowhere near ready to allow the antagonistic illusionist even an iota of her trust, but a look from Twilight silenced her. “We accept your apology, Trixie,” Twilight said. Rarity did not respond, until another look from Twilight convinced her to give a begrudging nod. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is glad to hear that,” Trixie said calmly. “You two enjoy your lives. As for myself, I shall...simply go back to traveling.” Rarity smiled, all ready to bid her a not-so-fond farewell, until Twilight spoke up. “You don’t have a place to stay?” Twilight asked, concerned. “I unfortunately do not,” Trixie replied, looking away. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has...not been so great and powerful with her spending. I have not been making quite as many bits as I would like with my stage act, and I must admit that I spent my remaining earnings on this trip to Ponyville, in hopes that Twilight and I could be together. But alas, such is not to be, and so I will go back to a solitary life on the road, struggling to make ends meet...such is the burden of the Great and Powerful Trixie.” Rarity blinked a few times. Part of her did not want to look in Twilight’s direction. She knew that this story was a farce; after all, who would be so foolish as to make such a life decision without even checking to see if the pony they were going after was with another pony? However, Twilight, while very intelligent, could be just a bit naive in some social situations. Rarity fought off the urge to look at Twilight’s reaction for as long as she could, because she knew that she would see a lovely face that had just been bamboozled by a blatant lie. Finally, she could resist no more, and glanced towards Twilight. Sure enough, her Sparkle Kitten was staring at her ex-marefriend, pity and sadness coloring her features. Rarity watched her in what seemed like slow motion as the next words escaped her lips. “You could stay here if you want,” Twilight said. Seven monosyllabic words, incorporeal as all spoken words were, yet Rarity still felt them strike her in the pit of her stomach. “T-Twilight, darling,” Rarity said, still reeling from the seven-hit verbal combo. “Are you sure about this?” She looked to Trixie, who was now giving her the most smug smile she had ever seen. “I’m just not sure that she...” “You don’t believe me?” Trixie said, stopping her sentence cold. “You think that the Great and Powerful Trixie would make up a story in which she looks the fool?” She sighed, staring down at the ground. “Twilight, perhaps I should leave, if your marefriend does not feel comfortable with me being here.” Rarity could feel Twilight’s eyes fall upon her as she was suddenly thrust into the role of the villain. “I...never said...” Rarity began. “Rarity,” Twilight said, in a surprisingly stern tone. “I can’t believe that you would imply such a thing.” “But I did not...” Rarity feebly offered. “I would think more from a pony who bore the Element of Generosity,” Twilight said evenly. A critical strike for sure. Rarity stammered and stuttered, trying to recover, but Trixie held up a single hoof. “Please, do not argue with your marefriend over me, Twilight Sparkle,” the stage magician said. “She is well within her rights to protect you from your ex-marefriend. I shall take my leave.” “...No!” Rarity called out, wishing she hadn’t. “I...do not have a problem with you staying, Trixie. Until you can get back on your hooves.” Twilight’s smile was as proud as Trixie’s was pompous. “Great!” Twilight said, trotting over to give Rarity a hug that only slightly placated her. “Trixie, you can head upstairs. The guest room is to the left, right at the top of the stairs. “The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you, Twilight,” Trixie said, placing one hoof on the first stair. “And a thanks to you as well, Rarity.” With that, Trixie vanished up the stairs. Rarity held her tongue as the blue mare ascended, then turned to Twilight. “Thank you, Rarity,” Twilight said, smiling warmly. “I know that was tough for you, but I couldn’t live with myself if we just sent Trixie back onto the streets.” Rarity held her tongue on that topic; her story had way too many holes in it to be even remotely believable, but she did not want to insinuate that Twilight had misjudged her. Knowing Twilight, it would lead to a very lengthy thesis on the common telltale physical signs of a liar, and Rarity simply did not have the desire to wait for Twilight to write up an entire research paper on the topic. “But Twilight, darling,” Rarity said, trying a different approach. “How can you be so positive that she will not attempt to threaten what we have together? Surely you recall her statement about claiming what was once hers.” “Rarity, I really believe her,” Twilight said, looking straight into her love’s eyes. “And I really hope you’ll believe her too.” Rarity tried to put up a resistance, until she noticed Twilight’s horn light up and felt a magical hoof gently stroking her mane. Just as she knew Twilight’s weaknesses, Twilight was well aware of hers. “...Very well, Sparkle Kitten,” Rarity sighed, the combination of mane stroking and Twilight’s lovely purple eyes proving to be too much for her. Twilight smiled sweetly at her as the spell dissipated. “Thank you, Rarity,” Twilight said. “Now, I’m gonna go upstairs and help Trixie get situated. We’ll get together again later tonight for dinner, alright?” Rarity nodded, then puckered up to accept and return the kiss that Twilight offered her. She watched Twilight ascend the stairs until she was out of sight, then headed towards the library’s front door. She stopped for a moment, not sure if she really felt comfortable leaving the two together in the guest room upstairs. She shook this notion off; as much as she could not trust Trixie, she knew she could trust Twilight. Closing the front door upon her exit was difficult, but surely everything would be fine.