The Twixie Show
“No Twilight you must be subtle,” Trixie said as she corrected the alicorn for the third time. “You must redirect the audience’s attention without them realizing it for the trick to work.
Twilight stood on Trixies stage in the middle of a field and began to gesture with her hoof to the left while referring to an anecdote as she pressed her back hoof on a panel in the floor activating a mechanism that let loose some fog.
“Why don’t you just magic the fog?” Twilight asked.
“Trixie finds the mystery is lost when the audience can see the glow of your horn,” she explained.
“Oh, you’re trying to create magic, without it obviously creating magic,” Twilight understood.
“Yes, Trixie knows the audience wants more than a unicorn moving things about. The audience wants something to puzzle and amaze them,” Trixie explained. “Trixie wants them to talk about her show to everypony. She wants them to pique the curiosity of their friend and return again and again to try to understand how Trixie does such amazing and wonderful feats.”
“And the more times they see you, the more bits in your jar,” Twilight said.
“Yes, Trixie has to eat,” the show mare said. “And now that Trixie has another mouth to feed, she needs twice as many bits.”
“I’m sorry Trixie. I promise to pay you back when we get to Manehatten,” Twilight apologized.
“I belive you,” Trixie said beginning to fold up her stage. “Besides, the great and generous Trixie understands being on her own.”
“We should reach the next town by nightfall,” Twilight said now looking at a map.
“Trixie would then suggest you adopt a more inconspicuous look,” She said levitating a cloak out of the back of the wagon.
“Trixie?” Twilight asked as they sat on the bench of the wagon as it rolled along.
“Yes, Twilight?” the showmare asked, still trying to get used to not being constantly alone.
“Why? Why didn’t you come back to Ponyville?” she asked.
“Trixie did not feel she was welcomed,” Trixie said hanging her head the sunlight giving a iridescent glow to her white mane.
“Ofcourse you are welcomed? You are always welcomed. I would always be happy to see you,” the princess said.
“Trixie has traveled much and can tell when she has to steer clear of a town,” she said. “The ponies of Ponyville still are not happy with Trixie’s behavior with the Alicorn Amulet.”
“They’ll get over it,” Twilight said. “I’lll tell them to get over it.”
“That is kind of you Princess, but changing ponies minds is not always that easy,” she said.
“I really did enjoy those few days you stayed with Spike and I at the library as you recovered from the effects of the amulet,” the princess said.
“Trixie did as well,” she said.
“Why didn’t you write?” Twilight said a little disappointment in her voice.
“Trixie was busy,” she said curtly.
“Oh?” Twilight said. “I would have written you but it was hard figure out where you would be.”
“That is the life of a traveling showmare,” Trixie said matter of factly leaving Twilight silent, thinking about how she would handle the isolation of always moving by herself. She had never felt alone before, the thought of actually being alone had never really occurred to her.
The two travel town to town over the next couple of weeks. The two mares finding that despite Twilights awkwardness on stage she became the Great and Powerful Trixie’s assistant Starlight whose skill at engineering was a great help in creating new and exciting magicless tricks.
* * * *
“She’s not half bad,” Rose said as they stood in the crowd at the foot of the stage.
“I know,” Golden Leaf replied. “I didn’t even see her horn glow.”
“She also has a flare for the dramatic, just like you know who,” Rose Quartz replied.
“You just can’t teach presence,” Golden Leaf said genuinely impressed with the pale blue showmare.
“We should probably set something up for later when they leave town,” she said.
“Yeah, I’ll try and contact our associates,” Golden Leaf said turning from the stage.
“After all this waiting, I’m ready to be done with this,” Rose Quartz said as she followed her comrade out of the crowd before splitting up.
* * * *
“I think, I know why that last trick didn’t work back there,” Twilight said looking under the stage. “The tension rod broke.”
“Well that is a relatively easy fix,” Trixie played off as she collected fire wood for the evening’s campfire. “There are spare rods in the wagon.”
“I get one,” Twilight said climbing up in the wagon. The living space was tight. The mattress covered the floor and various pots, potions and posters covered the rest of the space. The princess scanned the wagon for the wooden rod before spotting one sticking out of a cubby hole stuffed with scrolls. She pulled the rod out with her magic at the same time pulling several of the scrolls off their perch. The princess couldn’t help herself, as she lifted one of the scrolls and was shocked to see her name at the top.
Dearest Twilight,
The princess flushed and lifted the remaining scrolls up and began to reshelf them. She hesitated then let her eyes read down the page of the unrolling scroll.
Dearest Twilight,
How is Ponyville? How is the library? How is your little dragon friend? I have been well. The road had treated the new Great and Powerful Trixie well. I am working on a new show and it has been received well by the ponies of Trottingham. The illusions that Trixie is casting have the crowd asking for more, as they should.
Trixie is happy for the acclaim of her fans but her mind keeps drifting back my time at the library. Trixie, I, miss that time. I miss the time we spent together. I miss talking magic with you. I miss your excited personality. I miss the tender nature of your heart and how it can forgive a horrible mare like me. Trixie misses the way the dust of the library sparkles around you as you clean the shelves. You are very adorable; I’ve never seen somepony so excited about cleaning and re-shelving books.
Trixie owes you so much Twilight Sparkle for the kindness you showed her. Trixie hopes sometime soon that she can return to your library and continue our friendship. Trixie would even hope that it could grown to something more.
You have changed Trixies life in beautiful ways.
Your Friend,
Trixie Lulumoon
Twilight didn’t know what to say as she noticed the unsent scroll was one of many with her name at the top, “Why wouldn’t she tell me?” the princess thought. “I really enjoyed our time together too. She was funny and made me laugh. Her eccentricity made my quirks look normal. She despite her gruffness had a kind heart. She buried that heart behind layers of barriers, but it was there. I could see it in her eyes.”
“Twilight? I got the fire lit,” Trixie’s voice called from outside the wagon.
“Yes, I’m coming,” she said reshelving all the scrolls and carrying the rod out of the wagon.
The quiet search for the princess had continued and she made herself scarce whenever the local guard came around. She also never noticed how two ponies seemed to show up at more than one performance.
The showmare light her horn and flipped a switch and the wooden stage began to fold up in to a compact space between the wheels.
“Starlight, dear? How did we do?” she asked the a quiet mare dressed in a cloak. The only thing that let any pony realize she was even a unicorn was the coin purse filled with bits in her magenta aura. “I thing you did very well from the weight of the bit bag,” the mare said.
“The town had treated Trixie well and she is hungry as well. Why don’t we eat a nice meal?” the showmare said taking the bit bag in her own aura.
“I don’t know,” the mare said this town does have a guard post.
“Trixie has a spell to manage that,” she said. “Something Trixie has learned can come in hoofy.”
“A spell, really?”
“Yes, Trixie is a master of illusion. She should be able to hide Twi- Starlight’s identity,” Trixie said.
“I don’t know?” Twilight questioned. “Holding an illusion that long would tough.”
“Well, maybe you could alter the illusion into an enchantment,” she said. “You are one of the greatest magic users in Equestria.”
“Your right, that just might work,” Twilight responded.
* * * *
“You’re idea for an illusion to change the color of my coat was brilliant,” Twilight said as she stepped out of the wagon and looked at a mirror leaning up against the wheel, to see her new look.
Trixie put her hoof to her chin as she looked over their work. Her eyes started on the golden streak in her mane that had replaced her magenta one, in a sea of white hair framing her beautiful face covered in her now light yellow coat. She was looking carefully to look for cracks in the illusion, stopped and pondered Twilights left cutie mark the star burst pattern was still there but the colors had changed to shades of light white and yellows, matching the light of the stars.
“I like the use of the crystal pendants for the enchantment,” Twilight said before blushing after noticing Trixie eyes resting on her flank.
“Beautiful Starlight” Trixie almost sighed as she pulled her eyes from the cutie mark and shaking her head bringing her mind back to the present. “Trixie finds it quite fetching.”
“To bad this won’t work. I may have Fluttershy’s coloring but even a yellow alicorn is going to get noticed. I just wish we could have found a way to hide my wings,” Twilight sighed realizing the flaw in their plan.
“Trixie thinks your wings are quite pretty,” she offered.
“Thank you, But, like I said the guard will drag me back home the moment they see me,” Twilight said kicking the dirt with her hoof,“I’ll just grab my cloak.”
“The assistant to the Great and Powerful Trixie cannot go out on the town in that, how about this.” Trixie said levitating a red silken cloak back over and placing in on her friends back, and though she didn’t need to she stepped closer near muzzle to muzzle as she fastened the clasp around the princess neck.
“Oh, Trixie it’s beautiful. But when?” Twilight asked.
“A good showmare never reveals her secrets, now Shall, The Great and Powerful Trixie and her beautiful assistant Starlight get some dinner,” the showmare smiled.
“That would be lovely,” Twilight smiled back.
The two left the wagon in the woods just outside of town, Trixie said it was for security, Twilight figured that it was more like she didn’t want to get a parking permit from the town hall. Twilight was happy to see the world again without having to hide her face in the shadows of a hood.
“Where would you like to eat?” Trixie offered.
“I don’t know. You should choose,” Twilight said.
“How about that place,” Trixie said pointing her hoof towards a corner café.
“I don’t know it kind of looks expensive,” Twilight hesitated.
“You are a princess and you will pay Trixie back,” the showmare said as she began to trot over to the quiet restaurant.
The two mares were seated at a table near the back of the restaurant, the excuse given that they didn’t have a reservation, but neither Twilight nor Trixie minded, both happy for a main course that didn’t come out of a can. The conversation was casual, with only the occasional awkward silence. Twilight began to realize that there was far more to the beautiful and eccentric showmare than she thought. She couldn’t help but feel think without her own, mothers influence her own story could have turned out very similar. The though made her sad, simply think of Celestia would bring on a sense of melancholy, something her companion sensed immediately.
“Twi-Starlight,” she said reaching her hoof across the table to cover the other mares. “Why don’t we go get a drink at the tavern before returning to the wagon?”
“Sure, that sounds nice,” she smiled back meekly, she had begun to notice that for all the self centeredness arrogance Trixie could show, she was actually quite sensitive and despite her earlier statement about not cuddling she often found her snuggle up against her during the night especially when she knew Twilight had been crying in her sleep. “Trixie must be as lonely as I am,” she thought.
* * * *
A crash and bang and the sound of shattering glass were heard from the quiet street outside the tavern. The next sound were the sounds of some raised voices, shouting “Liar!” “Cheat!” and “Trixie Duck!”
“Starlight!” Trixie shouted as she bolted out of the tavern door, a chair quickly following her by crashing through the window. The disagreement that had started with accusations of cheating, which Trixie denied, and the much larger pony, who had lost many bits to Trixie sought to reclaim them. Twilight who had until that moment been enjoying a glass of iced tea at the bar used her magic to nudge the flying chairs direction so it fell short of the fleeing pale blue mare.
“I saw that,” the enraged stallion said staring daggers at Twilight. “You’re in on it.”
“I am not!” Twilight shouted, but her adamant statement didn’t stop the poor loser who then began to charge at her. She hopped off her stool and with no time to raise a shield she grabbed her former stool with her telekinis and clobbered him over the head. The clobbering only stunned him to Twilights surprise, so she ran, knocking over tables and causing an even larger commotion as she raced for the door, with now more angry ponies following them.
“Tweet! Tweet!” A whistle sounded.
“The Guard!” Trixie said standing in the middle of the street a bag of bits held in her aura. “Run?”
“Run,” Twilight said.
The mares raced side by side down the narrow streets of the town turning corners keeping a head of the guard making their way out of town and into the countryside where the wagon was parked. Twilight didn’t know when but at some point began to laugh and giggle as they ran.
“It’s a good thing we parked the wagon out here after the show,” Twilight said as they slowed to a quick trot.
“Yes,” Trixies said getting her breath.
“So, you’ve had this experience before,” Twilight said using her magic to clear the branches hiding the wagon away.
“Trixie has had many experiences,” the pale mare said deadpan. “And Trixie saves bits by not having to pay for parking in the forest.”
Twilight couldn’t keep her laughter contained anymore. She had never had so much fun running for her life before. “The look on that stallions face when you showed your cards was priceless,” the princess giggled as Trixie used a spell to unlock the wagon and drop the steps to climb inside.
“Trixie understood he would not like losing, but didn’t think it would he would go as far as to accuse me of cheating. I would never cheat. It is not Trixie’s fault she is skilled at cards and he was inept.”” Trixie said letting Twilight climb up the steps in before her. “Even as a yellow mare that flank still looks hot,” Trixie said as she began to follow her guest. “Trixie you must stop thinking like that or her mother will banish you to the moon… but then again.”
Trixie climbed up the stairs after the mare and slid onto the small mattress next to her in the close confines of the wagons living space.
“How long do you think it will take to get to Manehatten?” Twilight said levitating the red silk cloak off and folding it before putting it on a shelf.
“I think we will be there in another day?” she said.
“Do you think when we get there Trixie would like to take a long bath,” Trixie said. “A long soak in a tub is an indulgence Trixie doesn’t get often living on the road. Trixie could also use a massage, I think the bits I just won should cover one.”
“Here,” Twilight said getting to her knees and placing her hooves on her companions back.
“Princess Twilight, you do not have to do this, I was just musing about an indulgence,” Trixie said trying to resist.
“You have done so much for me,” Twilight said rubbing her hooves in circles trying to loosen the showmares muscles. “I’m not nearly as skillful as Aloe and Lotus at the Ponyville spa but could help you relieve some of your tension.”
“Trixie would love to for Twilight to help relieve her tension,” the showmare thought.
The massage relaxed the showmare as she sent out cooing noises and almost purred, Trixie was relaxed completely relaxed, until the feeling of something warm and wet touch the back of her neck. Her muscles flinched at the new sensation, then again as it traveled to a different location along her neck line. “Twilight?” Trixie said her body tensing from her confusion. The feeling came again.
Trixie rolled of her stomach onto and onto to her back looking up into the eyes of the still yellow mare that was straddling her. Twilight only paused for a second before leaning down and pressing her lips to Trixie’s. The kiss was long and slow, and after first resisting, the light blue mare allowed herself the pleasure of kissing back for a moment before breaking the kiss. “Trixie can’t,” she said nervously.
“Why?” Twilight said confused, she knew that she was bad at reading singles, but she was sure that Trixie wanted this. She often caught her looking at her though she though she was hiding it.
Trixie held Twilights gaze as she tried to reason herself out of the decision she wanted, wanted badly.
“You are Twilight Sparkle. You are a princess. You’re mother would banish me to the moon,” Trixie quietly argued.
“She’d never do that,” Twilight answered.
“and…and…” Trixie tried to continue.
“I’m not any of those things right now. I’m just Beautiful Starlight assistant showmare to Great and Powerful Trixie and yours,” Twilight said still in the guise of the butter yellow alicorn.
“No, just Trixie,” the pale blue unicorn looked into the half hooded magenta eyes of the mare leaning over her and reached her forelegs around her pulling her closer for a kiss followed by a dozen more stretching into the night.
* * * *
“Wow! That felt gooood,” Rose Quartz said from her hiding place in the woods.
“I know, I could get used to that,” Golden Leaf said bumping her flank against her partners.
“Are you sure we couldn’t wait a little longer,” Rose said. “I’d love to experience that again.”
“The others are here. I can feel them out in the woods,” Golden Leaf said looking into the darkness. “Besides, I don’t think we could if we wanted too.”
“Drones?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Golden replied.
“I hate drones,” Rose Quartz said with a snear.
“Hey, we were both drones once,” Golden reminded.
“Yeah, but we were chosen by the queen and given the ability to think by ourselves,” she said. “You look in a drones eyes and their just blank. I never want to go back to that.”
“I guess I’m ready,” Rose Quartz said dejected.
“Okay,” her partner sighed. “On my order, hard and fast.”
“I think that’s what Trixie just said,” Rose said.
“You’ve hanging around with ponies to long,” Golden Leaf said with a smirk before going serious with one word, “GO!”