“So like, wait,” Diamond Tiara said at the start of the next meeting. “I was totally part of that blank flank’s story. Could I tell more stories? Like, can we do that?”
“I see no reason why not,” Nightmare Moon conceded. “If anypony has another story to tell, so be it.”
“Trixie has a story.” The unicorn approached the center of the room. Her eyes had changed color to a glowing red, matching the eyes of the alicorn on the amulet she wore.
Nightmare Moon, one of the few old enough to recognize the necklace, narrowed her eyes. “How did you get that power?”
“I paid for it,” Trixie replied simply. “But this one is an illusion. The true amulet was stolen from Trixie by those ponies!”
As the fake amulet dissipated from her neck, Trixie began to tell her story.
--
Trixie knew that if she returned to Ponyville, she had to be victorious. Twilight Sparkle could not win again. That’s why Trixie acquired the Alicorn Amulet, a mystical object of great power. I had money to spare, with the insurance payout on my cart. Of course Trixie could have easily defeated Twilight Sparkle without the amulet, but it was important to be sure of Trixie’s victory.
Trixie announced her arrival in Ponyville with another impressive show of magic. Once more she challenged the citizens of Ponyville to match her power, and of course none of them could. Finally, Twilight showed up. Trixie offered her a challenge: if she couldn’t beat me in magic, and she couldn’t, then she would have to leave Ponyville forever. She accepted, as I knew she would. It took a bit of convincing, but she knew the challenge was the right choice.
I started with a few parlor tricks. Simple magic that Trixie could do even without the amulet, but of course Twilight struggled with it. And then Trixie used the power of the Alicorn Amulet to cast a powerful age spell on two colts, reducing one to a mere foal, and the other to a helpless old stallion! Twilight could never hope to match that power. She lost, and Trixie forced her out of Ponyville.
Trixie had control over Ponyville, but I needed the citizens to recognize this. Trixie used her powerful magic to force the ponies to obey her every whim. Trixie’s whims were admittedly odd, but Trixie was not to be questioned! There might have been some influence from the amulet, but this was still not to be questioned.
Controlling the city was tiring, and slow. The foals I had drag me around complained about the most insignificant things—it was hot, they were tired, it was hard to drag a chariot without wheels. Trixie paid them no mind.
It was almost—but not really--a welcome surprise when Twilight returned. I should have known her friends would bring her back. She claimed she had an amulet with far greater power than Trixie’s, and offered another challenge. Trixie knew this would be simple.
Somehow, Twilight could perform age spells, duplication spells, and even turned a mare into a stallion! It was impossible. Of course, Trixie could have done the same, if she had time to practice instead of dealing with the constant complaints from the citizens of Ponyville. Besides, Twilight had the other amulet. It was clearly the reason for her power, and Trixie knew she was the one who deserved it.
I took the amulet from her. This was a mistake. The amulet was a fake! Trixie, though still incredibly powerful, had lost all the original power of the Alicorn Amulet. All I could do was tickle the ponies.
Twilight explained how she had tricked me. She and her friends had managed to outwit Trixie, master of stage magic. I should have recognized every cheap trick she pulled.
To be honest, Trixie now respects Twilight. She may be limited in magical abilities, but her showmareship is impressive to fool Trixie. I did apologize to Twilight—but only because there is no one more humble than the Great and Apologetic Trixie!
--
“So, you’re on their side now?” Gilda asked. “That’s lame.”
“Trixie is on no one’s side!” the unicorn argued. “Trixie simply respects Twilight, but she is not her ally!”
“I fail to see how this story is any different from your first one,” Nightmare Moon said coldly. “While any of you are welcome to speak again, Trixie, you still appear to be nothing more than a braggart.”
“A braggart who got her hooves on the Alicorn Amulet,” Trixie retorted. “What have you done since your defeat?”
Every creature in the room looked away from Trixie, or at the ground. Only Discord kept her gaze, but said nothing.
“None of you are better than Trixie,” she said. “You know it’s true.”