Much to Applejack's surprise, the most unpleasant thing about Trixie's magic show had not been Trixie herself. Far from it. As much as the cowpony didn't like her, she had to admit the showmare had flair. Her appearance on stage had consisted of a mere scrap of cloth floating onto the stage, only to twist and turn and make her appear, strobe light highlighting her (fire was risky in an indoor theatre, Twilight said, citing something about how airflow worked).
No, what stopped her from enjoying it was Twilight herself, who looked rather bored through the whole thing. When pressed, Twilight admitted that learning everything from Princess Celestia had left her with an understanding of how tricks like this worked, and while it looked good, her mind couldn't stop herself from breaking apart each flashy trick and figuring out which comparatively simple spell made it work. All throughout, she mentioned how happy she was to be in the balcony where Trixie couldn't see her expression.
The show ended after three hours of tricks, storytelling, and flashy lights, and left the crowd roaring in applause. Afterward, ponies crowded to leave the theatre, and Twilight and Applejack were escorted backstage to Trixie's dressing room.
"Well? Wasn't Trixie's show the most amazing you've ever seen?"
"It was the best stage show I've seen," Twilight said truthfully, leaving out how unimpressed she was with any other she saw. "I can see why it's such a hit."
"Naturally," Trixie smiled, looking like she had when she first met them. Then she softened. "And I owe it all to you! That loan you convinced the Princess to give me... it helped me get started here."
"I'm sure you could have made it on your own. Right, Applejack?"
“Yeah... sure,” Applejack said.
“Now that the show’s over, Trixie would like to treat you two to a meal.”
“I don’t...” Applejack began, but Twilight shot her a look that silenced her.
“We’d be happy too... as long as it’s not too expensive.”
“Oh, pish-posh, Trixie is in no need of money for the first time in years! Please let me treat you.” Then she put on a mischievous grin. “It’ll be Trixie’s wedding present.”
Twilight blushed, but smiled. Applejack blushed and scowled, causing Trixie to back off.
“If you insist, we’ll be happy to.” It was Twilight’s statement. Applejack didn’t say a word.
<Hey, dogs! You’re dogs! You’re barking! I’m barking! ‘Cause I’m a dog! Like you! See! Bark! Bark! Bark!>
Angel put his pillow over his head, trying to drown out Winona’s yapping. It was bad enough he still hurt, but being kicked out of Fluttershy’s soundproof bedroom so she could play kissyface with that Rainbow broad was just too much, especially with the roommates he picked up.
<Winona,> Owlowiscious said with his unnatural patience, <you don’t need to be barking back at them...>
<But then they don’t know I can hear them! Then they might stop barking! Hey! Bark! Bark! Bark!>
<Winona...> Owlowiscious said again, sighing. <You don’t really need to...>
<Oh yeah! You think you dogs can bark louder than me! Well I’ll show you! Bark! Bark! Bark! Bark! Bark!>
The restaurant had indeed been fancy, but not so much that it required them to dress up any further. Trixie had insisted on paying, and it had taken every bit of Applejack’s self-control not to buy the most expensive thing on the menu strictly to spite her.
Twilight had been the one to break the ice. “How did you get this show? You sure are successful...”
“Well, after the whole mess, Princess Celestia tracked down the pony who sold Trixie the Amulet. It seemed like he was dealing in some serious black market deals. He was arrested, and Celestia gave me back the money I spent on the Amulet, since I had earned it, and told me I better spend it better. So Trixie went up to Manehattan to try and get in a production.” She looked down into her drink. “It’s funny... Trixie always dreamed of starring in a Manehattan show, and she had earned enough bits to try... but she had been so consumed with revenge she didn’t even notice.”
Twilight patted her hoof gently.
Applejack fumed a bit at this. But she shook it off. She was just comforting somepony. Why get jealous?
Trixie went on. “Trixie auditioned for a theatre troupe. She got in, but an agent was in the crowd. He said Trixie could carry her own show. He said something about following a lead to be there that day.”
Applejack noticed Twilight suppressing a grin, and worked to suppress her own. Celestia seemed to have worked her magic again.
“And Trixie’s made all sorts of new friends here! The rest of the crew loves her!”
“Really? That stagehoof didn’t seem too friendly...”
Trixie got an exasperated expression. “She’s jealous of Trixie.”
Applejack arched an eyebrow. “Jealous?”
“She’s been trying to get a show of her own for a few years. She resents that Trixie was able to get one so soon after coming to Manehatten. Trixie tried to tell her she had spent years on the road perfecting her act, but she still thinks Trixie’s just a scene stealer.”
“I... see...” Applejack said slowly. She wondered if this is how Rainbow Dash felt whenever she tried to bite back a remark.
“But enough about Trixie. Tell her: how did you two meet?”
“You’re hogging all the blankets!”
“Then go sleep in your room, blank flank!”
“And let you get alone time with Spike? Yeah right!”
Spike pressed the pillow against his ears. At least none of them had insisted on sleeping in the guest bed with him.
“And so the two sped out of town, just seconds ahead of the mob,” Rarity said. Despite her lady-like demeanor, she couldn’t stop the grin crossing her face. “They couldn’t have gone faster if a manticore was chasing them.”
Blueblood chuckled. “Ah, those two...” Then his look turned into one of annoyance. “They are managing to just barely keep their activities legal. We don’t have anything on them.”
Rarity looked at her date. “Really?”
“Flim and Flam are disgusting ponies, but they keep within the law. We’ve been trying to find something, anything we can use to put them away. They aren’t running around free due to lack of trying.”
“Yes... Princess Celestia told us she couldn’t have them put away for what happened... in between scolding the Apples for even betting the farm in the first place.”
He nodded. “This farm... it seems like it shouldn’t be so close to being shut down. From what you told me, its crops sell well.”
Now Rarity looked annoyed. “Applejack and her family are stubborn. I keep telling Applejack she needs to take some sort of money management course, but she keeps insisting that,” she cringed as she put on her best accent, “she don’t need no fancy mathematics muddyin’ the issue.”
Blueblood chuckled. “Well, maybe her... wife will lay the hammer down.” Both of them snickered at that.
“You know, Spike never told me how he knew Hoity Toity,” Rarity said. “Would you know anything about that?”
Blueblood shrugged. “Not much to tell. When he stayed at the castle, he asked for one of the staff to assist him. Spike wanted some extra bits, so he asked Celestia to send him. Toity was skeptical, but he ended up liking him enough to request him every time.”
“He is a dear,” she nodded. “Such a help...”
“Excuse me.”
The faux couple stopped at the interloper. A waiter was now beside the table, holding a tray with two wine glasses on it, as well as a folded hoofkerchief. “These come with compliments.”
“I thought we made it clear, no alcohol.”
“These do not come from the house, Your Highness,” the waiter explained, “it comes courtesy of the party at table seven.” The waiter pointed a hoof in that direction.
Blueblood rolled his eyes. “More social climbers. Who is it, Jet Set? I swear...”
Then his eyes shrunk to the size of pencil points. Rarity, who had been distracted long enough by Blueblood’s spiel, began turning to look, but was stopped.
“Don’t look,” he whispered harshly. “Put the check on my tab. I’ll pay tomorrow night.”
“What? What’s going...”
Rarity never got to finish her question. “Don’t ask. Just come on. Don’t look back.”
“But...”
“Sir, they wanted you to take this...” the waiter levitated a hoofkerchief toward him.
“I don’t want it,” he said in a harsh whisper, all while continuing to drag Rarity out.
The fashionista resisted only long enough to snatch the hoofkerchief and place it in her pocket.
Trixie smiled at Twilight’s tale of Fluttershy convincing a dragon to leave Ponyville for a more peaceful place.
Applejack was silent. She hated being the only earth pony at a table with two unicorns. While Trixie and Twilight ate neatly with her magic, she was forced to eat face-first. She still hadn’t figured out how high-class earth ponies like Filthy Rich managed it.
Neither of her companions had said anything, and she kept praying it stayed that way.
“Trixie is amazed by your tales, Twilight Sparkle.” She popped the last bit of dessert in her mouth. “She understands why you’d have a list of those who would seek to mess with you.”
“Well... being the Princess’s personal student does lead to you making enemies.”
Applejack said nothing.
When the check was brought, there was a small argument over who’d pay it. Twilight won (Applejack wasn’t surprised, she seldom let anypony take up a bill when it hardly put a dent in her savings) and placed down the bits.
“Will Trixie be seeing you again?”
“Not for a while,” Twilight said, “we leave in the morning to interview the next suspect. But why don’t I bring the others down soon? We can all attend your show.”
“Trixie accepts your proposal.”
The trio parted. It was two blocks down before Twilight spoke. “Applejack?”
“Hm?”
“You hardly said a word tonight.”
“...You know how I feel about her. I was bein’ polite.”
“I know..” Twilight said. Then, after considering, she added, “At least, as polite as somepony would expect you to be. But I’m hoping the next time we see her, you’ll be more open. She’s not the same pony she was when we first met.”
“Sure, sure,” she said, her voice taking on a sharper tone. “So tell me, are we havin’ Flim an’ Flam fer tea an’ cookies when we hit Vanhoover?”
“Applejack...”
“...Sorry.” It was mumbled, to the point that Twilight had to strain her ears to hear her. “But when yer first impression of somepony is humiliatin’ ya, yer not too keen on makin’ friends...”
“I know, but I think you’ll like her if you just talked. You know, you didn’t like Rarity when we first met.”
“...Why do you like Trixie so much?”
Twilight blinked. “What do you mean? I’m just trying to be a friend.”
“Ya seemed to be gettin’ close to her.”
“I was... wait.” Her eyes widened. “Are you jealous?”
Applejack’s eyes widened. Two thoughts ran across her mind: She’s onta ya and Yer a bad liar, end this quick.
“Why that’s plum crazy Twi, I ain’t ever heard of somethin’ so ridiculous, look I’m tired, think I’ll sprint ta the hotel an’ go ta sleep, see ya!”
And she shot like a rocket. She bumped into every other pony on the street who, in true Manehattan fashion, didn’t even look up from their newspapers.
“Good goin’, AJ, now she’s gunna find out. Nice goin’, you dumb hick.”
“What was that about?”
The carriage ride had been quiet, with Blueblood refusing to answer any of Rarity’s questions. Now that they were back in the castle, she was demanding answers.
“Nevermind. Just go to bed.” And he walked away.
“Wait...” No response.
She groaned with exasperation as she made her way back to her room. She slammed the door and took a deep breath.
Then she pulled out the hoofkerchief and examined it. It was monogrammed with a family seal. It was nothing fancy, simply a golden shield with a navy blue B on it.
“What the...”