//------------------------------// // Final Interlude - Getting It Right // Story: Eyes On You // by UnlicensedBrony //------------------------------// “Eyes On You” Final Interlude: Getting It Right “A dance,” Trixie grumbled. “Whose idea was that, anyway? And announcing it at the last minute! How do they expect us to prepare for that in just one day?” The soothing background music of the restaurant in which she and Twilight sat did nothing to calm her nerves. She'd been on edge ever since the announcement a few hours prior, and despite her attempts to hide this by acting indignant, it seemed like Twilight was beginning to notice. “Um, call me silly, but after everything we've just been through, I don't think preparing for a dance is going to be that much of a problem,” said Twilight, tilting her head with a smile. “We just need dresses, and maybe a mane stylist, right?” “Well... yes,” Trixie huffed. Twilight cracked a questioning frown. “Unless there's something you're not telling me...” “No, Trixie is an excellent dancer,” said Trixie immediately. “O-kay...” said Twilight, raising a brow. Trixie's cheeks flushed and she cast her eyes to one side. “I just meant that there's nothing wrong. I'm not worried about the dance.” Twilight didn't seem very convinced. “Really? Because if you don't want to go--” “We're going, Twilight,” Trixie affirmed. “Everypony will be expecting us to make an appearance. If we don't show up, it'll just mean more attention for Flaire... and the others.” “I... guess so,” Twilight granted, summoning up another faint smile. “I'm sorry, I do want to go with you. I just thought that maybe you didn't want to go – from what you were saying, I mean.” Trixie shook her head and sighed. To be honest, she didn't want to go – it'd probably be very boring anyway, not to mention that her dancing skills were a little rusty. She'd much rather spend the evening at the hotel with Twilight, and maybe get an early night ready for the following day. But still, what she'd said was true – they had to go if they didn't want to be overshadowed by the others. “I'll be fine,” she huffed. “I'm only complaining because I want to get the closing ceremony over and done with, so I can know for sure that we've beaten Flaire. All this waiting is just going to make me more... anxious.” Twilight nodded along with her words. “I know what you mean,” she said. “But I don't think we need to worry. I have a good feeling.” Trixie frowned down at the table. “Yes... me too.” * * * Their first course arrived soon after, and they steadily made their way through it in silence. It was quite lovely – and very generous of those organising the Display to offer them a free meal here. But Twilight found it difficult to enjoy it completely, what with the obvious unease of the mare across from her. Part of her wondered whether Trixie's mood was really to do with the dance at all. She imagined that Trixie would be a wonderful dancer, and the proud showmare would usually jump at the chance to get a ballroom full of attention to herself. So, maybe it was the prospect of going with Twilight... 'She's probably still distracted with thinking about it,' Twilight mused, thinking back to yesterday's confession, and the mirror that went along with it. It was good, of course, that Trixie was taking her seriously – and there was no doubt in Twilight's mind that she was – but she didn't want her partner to get stressed over it. Twilight swallowed her mouthful of salad and looked across the table at Trixie, who was still staring at her plate and chewing idly. “What are you thinking about?” Twilight asked, feeling terribly redundant. Trixie looked up and conveyed a very deliberate look. A moment passed before Twilight frowned and nodded slowly. “Trixie, I said you didn't have to say anything. But--” she added, forestalling any argument, “--if you want to, then I'll wait for you. Just... don't rush yourself.” Trixie blinked a couple of times, then tried to brush her obvious embarrassment off with an eye roll, but she didn't look as if she even managed to convince herself. “I won't,” she muttered. “I mean, I wasn't. I wasn't even thinking about that anyway.” “O-oh!” said Twilight, dropping her eyes to the table again. “Um, sorry... Just forget I said anything.” “Done,” said Trixie abruptly, flashing a playful smile that said she wasn't upset after all. “Let's just talk about something else, shall we?” Twilight nodded emphatically. “Y-yes!” she said, straightening herself up into a mock business-like pose. “Ahem. Let's.” Trixie managed a reassuring smirk. The two were soon caught up in conversation about the others' performances – deliberately steering clear of Flaire's, which was obviously dangerous ground – and they shared a couple of laughs over the remainder of lunch, and dinner as well. During the time between the two meals, Twilight was absorbed in a book she'd checked out of the library, and Trixie busied herself with whatever she could find to do. They agreed to do their shopping for the dance in the morning, so, for the most part, the rest of the day was very relaxed and blissfully unthoughtful. For Twilight, at least... * * * Trixie laid awake on her couch, staring blankly up at the starry-patterned ceiling. She wasn't quite sure what time it was... probably sometime around midnight, if she had to guess. And she wasn't feeling sleepy in the slightest. It was far from a good thing. 'Worrying' about the dance had given her something to keep her mind busy all afternoon. But, by now, Twilight's reassurances had gotten to her, and dragged those worries from her mind, leaving her with only two prominent concerns... The first was winning the Display – which she had no control over. The second was finding an answer for the enigma that was Twilight – which she had complete control over. At least, she knew she should've had control over it, and that was just making it even more frustrating. 'Why didn't I just say something, then and there?' Trixie cursed herself. 'It would've made so much more sense – would've been so much easier if I'd just... Ugh, but I didn't. And now, here I am, stressing over it...' She rolled over onto her side and glared at the couch pillow. In reality, she knew she hadn't said anything right away because she'd been stunned by Twilight's confession. Not that she'd been blind to the way her friend felt, only to the extent that she felt it. It was admittedly overwhelming, and it made Trixie feel very uneasy. The question rang again through her mind. 'What am I supposed to say?' Twilight had really said everything there was to be said when she hoofed over the mirror. Next to that, anything Trixie herself tried to say now would just be completely redundant. But she couldn't just go back on her word and say nothing either, her pride prevented that. Then again, it was technically her pride that was keeping her from thinking about it in the first place... 'I hate this,' she told herself, shutting her eyes tight and trying to force herself to sleep. 'Thinking is overrated.' Trying not to think about anything worked for all of two seconds, after which she let out an exasperated huff and rolled over again, facing Twilight's bed. She opened her eyes and gazed across the dimly moonlit room at the slumbering mare. The blankets draped over Twilight's form rose and fell steadily with her silent breathing, and Trixie couldn't help but stare. '...Why is this so hard?' she wondered. 'I'm the Great and Powerful Trixie – I don't shy away from things like this... not that I've ever been in a situation like this.' She rolled off of the couch and strode over to the bedside, not quite sure what she was hoping to achieve. She knelt down there, a breath away from Twilight's face, and studied it carefully. The pretty, lavender unicorn didn't seem to be having any trouble sleeping. In fact, there was a tiny smile on her lips – probably telling of good dreams playing in her head. Honestly though, it was hard to imagine a bad night's sleep in a bed like that... “You're far too understanding, Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie told the sleeping beauty. “How can you be so relaxed in the face of something like this?” 'Unless you already know...' Trixie's mind finished for her. There was a long, thoughtful pause, before she shook her head and let out a quiet huff. '...Ugh, what am I doing? This must look really creepy.' She got to her hooves and turned to make her way back to the couch, determined to get to sleep and try to settle this in the morning, when she might be able to think clearly. * * * At some point during the notably restless night, Trixie did manage to doze off, but she got far from a good night's sleep. Waking up to see Twilight knelt on the bed, smiling at her over the top of a book did wonders to help her mood though. After the two had breakfasted and cleaned themselves up, it came time to get down to the day's business. Namely, finding attire for the dance that evening – in their somewhat limited timeframe, thanks to Trixie's oversleeping. At Twilight's suggestion, they split up to each find their own outfit, and agreed to meet back at the hotel for a late lunch before dressing up. But therein lay Trixie's next dilemma... 'What do I wear?' “No. No. No. No. N-- Wait!” Trixie leant in to get a better look at the purple, sparkling dress offered by the young stallion who was the store assistant. It was hoof-hewn of a particularly soft fabric, so sleek and thin that it was almost transparent. It had stars down the sides, leading all the way down past the flank and into a long, clean tail. It smelled faintly of cinnamon... “No, too obvious,” said Trixie, brushing the dress aside and turning to look for something more appropriate. The store assistant groaned and collapsed in a heap on the floor. Trixie rolled her eyes. “Oh, get up, drama queen – we've only been through thirty dresses.” “Is there a problem here?” came a male voice from behind. Spinning in place, Trixie came face to face with a stallion who could only be the store's manager. “Well, it's about time you showed up!” Trixie scolded him. “Yes, there is a problem. Trixie requires a dress worthy of her Greatness and Power, and so far, she's seen nothing but 'tolerable'.” “I'm sorry, mister Bow Tie!” pleaded the assistant. “I tried my best!” The stallion blinked at his employee for a moment, before brushing it off and turning to quirk a brow at Trixie. “Who's Trixie?” he asked. “Trixie is Trixie, obviously,” said Trixie tiredly. “And, as Trixie just said, she is looking for a garment to impress her date at the dance tonight.” “Really? Well, you'd be the first one today,” sighed the owner. He looked her up and down, as if sizing her up. “What exactly is it that you're looking for? In what way are you hoping to impress your date?” Trixie rolled her eyes again at the owner's thickness. “I don't know, impress her. As in 'make a lasting impression' – something she won't forget.” “A mare, is it?” said the owner. “And does this mare have a favourite colour? A favourite fabric, perhaps?” Trixie opened her mouth to throw back another annoyed comment, only to catch herself half-way. 'Twilight's favourite colour?' “Trixie... doesn't know,” she admitted. “Favourite pattern, then?” the owner suggested. “Favourite scent? Does she prefer long-tailed dresses or short? Do you think she'd appreciate something depicting her cutie mark?” Trixie gave the floor a lop-sided frown. The owner breathed a tired sigh. “Alright, maybe you should tell me what she does like. Is there a particular something that makes her happy? A food? A place? Time of day--” “Trixie is thinking!” she snapped, cutting him off. In the silence that followed, she proceeded to put a hoof to her chin in thought. 'What does Twilight like?' she asked herself. 'What makes her smile?' Naturally, the first thing to spring to mind was Twilight's gift, two days prior... '...a-and I started thinking about things that make me smile and then the first thing that came to mind was... You.' The fresh memory brought warm feelings along with it, and a smile crept onto Trixie's face. In truth, she'd never really stopped thinking about it. Somehow, Twilight Sparkle had found a way to flatter her so utterly and completely that she felt almost... humbled. “Me. I make her smile,” said Trixie distractedly, even as the memory continued to play through her head... 'You don't have to say anything--' 'Yes, I do,' Trixie interrupted. 'I just... I need some time to think about it... Just... wait. Okay?' Trixie frowned beside herself. 'Is there really that much to think about?' she wondered. “Miss?” said the store owner. “That one,” said Trixie, pointing to the dress on display in the window nearby. It wasn't so much of a proper dress as it was a very simple, revealing saddle-cape combo, but it was perfect. “...That one?” the owner repeated, raising a brow. “Really? You've been in here all this time, and now you want the one in the window?” “Trixie will have that one,” she said firmly, shooting him a glare. He raised his hooves defensively before trotting over to remove said dress from the mannequin on which it rested. “Yes, er, a fine choice, miss. Alright then – that'll be forty bits.” Trixie blinked at the owner as he carefully flung the garment over his back and turned to smile at her. “...You expect Trixie to pay for it?” “Well... yes,” said the owner, sounding puzzled. “I have to make a living, you know.” “Do you even know who Trixie is?” she asked indignantly. The owner looked her up and down again, before shaking his head. “Actually, no. I've never heard of you.” Trixie tutted at him, but smirked all the same. “So clueless,” she said, starting towards the door. “Follow Trixie.” As she pushed open the door, which led out onto the street, she looked back over her shoulder. The owner raised a brow and shook his head hopelessly, only following after she rolled her eyes and waved him over. Once they were both outside, Trixie glanced about. As usual, there were dozens of ponies milling up and down the street, and in and out of stores. Wasting no time, she magically grabbed a wooden crate from the stack near the dress store's entrance and dropped it beside the door. Then, to another quizzical look from the owner, she hopped up onto it, stuck her nose into the air and cleared her throat. “Attention, Manehattanites and visitors from lands faraway!” she called out, drawing the eyes of many passers-by. “The Great and Powerful Trixie hereby declares this dress store as her favourite in all of the city! Come and see the most fantastic designs this side of Canterlot!” “What're you doing?” hissed the owner. “Get down from--” He broke off as those watching the spectacle began to murmur amongst themselves, casting intrigued glances towards his store. And then, one by one, ponies started making their way over, past the two of them and into the store. The first couple were followed by a trio, then another couple... Bow Tie's jaw dropped, clearly never having seen so many customers at once. Trixie smirked beside herself. “Well?” she said slyly. “Forty bits, was it?” A moment's silence – during which four more wealthy-looking ponies trotted inside – then the stallion idly hoofed over the dress. “It's yours,” he mumbled. “Thank you,” said Trixie with finality, taking it in her magic and hopping down from her box. Without a backwards glance, she started down the street. Behind her, she could hear Bow Tie revelling in his new customer-base... “W-welcome, welcome! Please, have a look around! Oh, yes, Trixie and I go way back...” She let out a self-satisfied chuckle. There was something very fulfilling about how that actually worked for once. After winning the Display, of course, she'd probably be able to do that just about anywhere and get away with it. 'Well, that's the dress done with, in any case,' she thought to herself, packing it into her saddlebags. 'Now, I still have a few hours before I need to meet Twilight. And there's just one last thing I need to take care of...' A sudden self-awareness washed over her, and she found herself picking up the pace. She hoped a few hours would be enough time... * * * Twilight Sparkle was a very happy mare indeed. Not only had the boutique had the perfect dress for her on special offer, but the owner had also been kind enough to throw in a pair of saddlebags, a couple of accessories and a coupon to use at the mane salon across the street – which she was saving for later that afternoon. And, as if that wasn't enough, every other pony she passed in the street would offer her a smile or a wave, which did wonders for her already excellent mood. But most importantly of all, she was going to a dance with Trixie. She let out a quiet giggle as she trotted down the street. She'd never before understood the meaning of 'giddy as a schoolfilly', having never been one for dates herself, at such a young age. But now, she had a pretty good idea. There was just one, small problem though, and it was enough to make her smile waver... Twilight couldn't dance. Despite her upbringing in Canterlot, she'd never really attended a lot of fancy parties. Her parents weren't ones to drag her along to such things – knowing that she'd be bored stiff without her books – so they usually left her with a foalsitter if ever they had to attend one. She'd never seen the point in taking the time to learn the skill on her own either – it was a physical thing, which required finesse and dexterity. And Twilight was the first to admit that she was kind of a clumsy pony when it came to that sort of thing, much preferring to use her magic for anything that required such precision. 'Well, better to learn late than never at all,' she reasoned, as she turned the corner leading into the library. As always, she was pleasantly overwhelmed by the stacks of bookshelves adorning the two floors of the Manehattan library, and the wide lobby in front of her afforded the perfect view of thousands of books all in one place – a marvellous sight. She had precious little time to waste though – since she had to meet Trixie back at the hotel in just under two hours. So, quickly as she could whilst still marvelling at the plethora of literature around her, she made her way into the aisle marked by a metal plaque engraved with the letter 'D'. Thanks to the masterful organisation skills of the library's designer, the books on dancing were found within seconds. Twilight restricted herself to four choices – due to time constraints – and spent a good ten minutes making her selections. Once she had what she needed, she carried them with her, up to the study area on the floor above. It was there, as she turned a corner around a bookshelf, that she beheld a most peculiar sight, at which she performed a double-take. A certain, azure-coated unicorn mare, sitting at one of the study tables with her nose in a book. “Trixie?” said Twilight, as a pleasantly surprised smile crept onto her face. The showmare seemed to freeze. Ever so slowly, she lifted her head to look over the rim of her book and meet Twilight's eyes. Her cheeks were red. In curious silence, Twilight approached the table, scrutinising the strangely familiar cover of the book Trixie held. Trixie herself made no effort to hide said cover – apparently already resigned that Twilight would see it. 'A Filly's Guide to Dancing...' Twilight's smile became a wide smirk. “Shut up, Sparkle,” said Trixie, catching sight of it. “We're in a library.” “I'm not saying anything,” said Twilight merrily, sitting down opposite her and opening her first textbook. She kept her word, and her smile, as she set about the afternoon's study. * * *