Trixie Lulamoon trudged up the dirt path, her usual star-studded cape attached around her shoulders, but her hat wedged into her saddlebags. She glanced up, through eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. She did not want to be here, but if all the accounts were true, these were the ponies that could help her. She saw the approaching iron archway, the words decorating it clearly spelling out who owned the farm. The farmhouse was also clearly visible, but Trixie didn’t need to go that far.
“What in tarnation are you doin’ back here? Didn’t cha learn your lesson from Twi already?” Applejack turned away from Trixie, preparing to gallop to the town when she heard two words that stopped her in her tracks.
“I’m sorry.”
“Beggin’ yer pardon, but I think mah ears have gone all funny on me. Could y’all repeat that, please?” Applejack turned around, and there was Trixie, practically lying on the ground.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for abusing you. For criticising your family, your product.”
“Hokay. What the heck brought this on?”
“Trix-I need your help. Well, not so much help as advice.”
Applejack stared at the showpony lying on the ground.
“Shoot, I guess I just got a darn too big heart. Get yer flank up, Trixie. Come on in, and we’ll see about that advice.”
***
Trixie sat nervously in the Apple family kitchen, watching as Applejack moved around, fetching bits of this and that.
“Well, you gonna spill, Trixie, or am ah gonna have ta drag it outta ya?”
“Right,” said Trixie, “You see, the thing is, since my duel with Twilight I’ve been unable to get work anywhere. Even my travelling roadshow, which normally does decently well, is getting laughed out of every town I visit.”
“Well, some o’ that’s yer own fault.”
Trixie nodded, “I know. I want to fix that. The Great and Powerful Trixie started as a simple stage persona-something to inspire the young fillies and colts in the audience.”
“Ah know what a stage persona is, Trixie.”
“Right. Sorry. Anyway, it just started becoming natural to act like that all the time, and well, you saw what I was like.”
“Ah did. So where are ya goin’ with this?”
“I want your opinion on how I should present myself.”
Applejack blinked. “Okay, that’s not what I was expectin’. Wouldn’t Rarity, or Rainbow Dash be better than me ta give you advice like that?”
Trixie shook her head, “I need an honest opinion. Don’t worry about offending me. Your friends might be better experienced with false personas but that also means they’re biased.”
“Honest, huh? Ah can do that.” Applejack thought for a few moments, “Ah get why y’all need yer stage self, it’s not that different from when ah compete in a rodeo. But what y’all need to do is drop the ‘I can do anythin’ you can do’ bit. It rubs ponies the wrong way. Hard. Nopony likes bein’ shown up at their special talent, includin’ you, I bet.”[TIME]