//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Now You See Me // Story: The Magician's Mantle // by DEI Caboose //------------------------------// The caravan creaked as a particularly heavy bout of wind impacted its fragile wooden sides. The structure shook mildly, rattling the unorganised magic props that sat on their shelves, bags of edibles that lay on the ground, and the desk at which Trixie was continuing to scribble relentlessly. She'd been at it for several hours, she was sure of it. Drawing and crossing out, over and over again. The once blank pages of her notebook were now adorned with multiple illustrations of the Mare-Do-Well costume, each varying slightly in design due to Trixie only including the materials she had possession of, or could otherwise acquire. The differences were minor but noticeable; variations in the cape's length, the size of the eye lenses, relatively small things that could go unnoticed. She knew that she couldn't deviate from the original costume seen in Ponyville too much, that's when the questions would start being asked. But one aspect of the costumes remained consistent. Present on all the designs, but also being the one thing Trixie didn't have in her immediate possession. "Where does one get that stupid hat?" Trixie would have been the first to come to the defence of those who appreciated the use of elegant headwear, but even she had to admit that the sheer size of the fedora that accompanied that rest of the Mare's costume was ridiculous. 'How does she turn without it falling off? What if I need to go into a building? Or hell, lean forward?' Trixie dismissed the possibility of making one herself, she could stitch together the occasional backdrop and repaired a frayed cape, but she was far from being a clothes designer capable of making a hat. She wouldn't even know where to start. The rest of the costume would be a cinch. She already possessed a spare cape she simply needed to dye, she refused to cannibalise her current one. She also had a mask from her escape artist act that could be utilised and similarly dyed to match the cape, seeing as how she didn't have the props necessary for that act anymore, she just needed to cut some eye holes in it. She had a spare skin-tight costume lying around for some reason, used during her more theatrical based and more dangerous performances, which would make up the rest of the costume. It was comfortable, durable and a decent protector against the elements. The boots would be a problem however, they looked unique... and expensive. Trixie ultimately decided to simply wrap some dark cloth around her hooves to supplement, giving the illusion that the appearance was the same as the original, they would probably also allow for less restricting movement, which was a plus. The emblem of the stylised 'M' was the easiest task of all, she could be create an acceptable replica in less that an hour, it wasn't like it was going to be seen close up, at least not yet. It was then just a matter of stitching it all together. It seemed she would have to buy the hat however, or find a suitable replacement that didn't draw any suspicion. Trixie rejected the idea of using her regular pointed hat, and with the assistance of some illusion magic, make it appear like the fedora. She was undeniably skilled enough to do so, but maintaining a spell like that for an extended period of time was a good way to over-exert yourself. Trixie rose from the seat and stretched her back out, not suppressing the pleasurable moan it prompted. Looking back down at the paper filled with the scribbles and pictures, her eyes focusing on a specific one that was larger than the rest. It was Mare-Do-Well again, only she was accompanied by a crowd, hooves raised in worshiping excitement. What Trixie focused on however was the Mysterious Mare herself. She was unmasked, and in the place of her expressionless concealment was Trixie's own face, filled with immeasurable joy. Trixie retrieved her signature hat and cape from the stand that held them, levitating to her in her magic as her eyes never left the paper illustrating her dream. "They'll love you Trixie. They will." Turning away from the paper, Trixie strolled out of her home with purpose, her cape catching the wind and flowing behind her elegantly. She didn't even need to look back as she sealed her home behind her, her eyes instead focused on the bustling city before her. The winding of the roads and the gradual increase of the building heights would have disorientated anypony not use to city life. Trixie found comfort in it however, there was a strange familiarity to the it all that made it seem unconventionally welcoming. Cities represented opportunity, and Trixie was ready to cease it. First order of business was to secure a hat worthy of her purchase, the costume wasn't complete without it, which made it an necessity. No costume meant no plan, no plan meant no comeback. Plus, anypony could go out and be a hero, it took effort to do it in style. The more Trixie looked around however, the more likely became the scenario where she would have to go hatless. Every clothes store, boutique, and street vendor had absolutely nothing she could use; nothing practical or affordable at least. Every hat she found was either too small, not the right style, or completely out of her very limited price range. It was discouraging to say the least. The sun's gradual journey through the sky went unnoticed by her, as did the slow thinning of the crowded city streets, with ponies finishing their business or completing their work before retreating from the streets to the comfort of their homes. While Trixie continued to wander, resisting the urge to go home herself. The Magician took a rest on a bench, thankful to be off her hooves. The ponies of Fillydelphia just continued on their way undisturbed, simply sidestepping Trixie as she stretched her legs out. Her gaze turned upwards towards the sky where she spotted several pegasi towing thick clouds in formation, Trixie assumed they were preparing for the scheduled snowfalls soon to commence; the first of the winter. 'Makes sense,' she reasoned, Fillydelphia was a big place, it would take a while before the clouds were spread out enough to provide an even blanket of snowfall. With a aggravated huff, Trixie launched herself from the bench back onto the pavement, resuming on her way down the busy streets, looking out for anywhere she could potentially make her desired purchase. Trixie had not been to Fillydelphia in a long time, before Ponyville and several destinations behind it. The city had changed greatly. Ponies seemed less attentive than ever, ignoring everything but their own business. It didn't weigh on her mind of course, she was after all no different from any of them in that regard. She continued on her way, her head turning every so often in order to take in the surroundings. The Hearth's Warming decorations from the other day had been placed up in some areas, though there was still a long way to go before the city would appear festive. She momentary paused as she came across what appeared to be the charred remains of part of an apartment complex, with blanked bricks and debris still laying in the street. It seemed the flames had spread quite far through the building, surprising due to the effectiveness of the firefighting unicorns and pegasi in containing fires usually. Taking no further notice, Trixie trudged on her way to a shopping mall visible at the end of the street, it's glass entrance contrasting with the dull grey skyscrapers that surrounded it. She dodged every passing pony as swiftly as she could, though the occasional shove did occur, which each parties grunting in apology before wordlessly continuing on their way towards whoever they were going. The various food courts and extravagant stores were of no interest to Trixie, she needed somewhere that actually would be of use to her. Time trudged by at a disheartening pace, and Trixie's strolling around with no results was discouraging her more than ever. After more disappointment she was prepared to simply storm away in a fit of rage and find someplace else. That changed however when she caught sight of something on her left as she stomped about, her eyes widening in awe as she turned to discover what it was. "No. Way." There was no mistaking the enormous purple hat, the flaring silvery eyes, or the predominant 'M' emblem that sat on its chest. It was a Mare-Do-Well costume, a replica made for Nightmare Night no doubt. It was still displayed proudly at the storefront of a costume and theatrics shop, alongside other Nightmare Night decorations that had yet to be exchanged for ones more fitting of the season. Trixie couldn't believe her eyes. Mare-Do-Well was ingrained enough that ponies had been making costumes of her? This long after her appearance? In Fillydelphia?! 'That is so cool!' The knowledge that Mare-Do-Well was utilised to the point and was remembered enough that there were products with her likeness was nothing short of thrilling, convincing Trixie beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was a good idea. All she had to do was unveil the 'return' of the beloved superhero, and the media would do the rest. Building anticipation for the eventual and inevitable reveal of the mysterious mare's true identity. 'They'll be making costumes of you then.' Trixie goaded herself. The costume novelty presented before her could prove very useful in the construction of her own, so swishing her cape behind her, she entered the shop with her head held high. Wasting no time, she levitated the cheap but prized costume off of its stand as she approached the counter, bag of bits in hoof and a grin full of glee. Trixie had taken care to conceal her purchased costume from view as she returned home to the woods from the inner-city. It would be hard to explain the coincidence of Mare-Do-Well's re-emergence and her possession of the costume as not being related. Even though she did eventually plan to unmask herself anyway, the timing had to be on her terms, not anypony else's. The truth coming out too early would only result in further problems and complications for the showmare, nothing could be left to chance and Trixie had to ensure that she remained careful all the way to the end of the line. The still blowing wind caused the trees to ruffle as she drew ever closer to her home, the knowledge that this was private land owned by the Apples reassuring her that everything was secure. She decided that she needed to find a way to pay the Apples back, perhaps a private show, or some labour to pay off the debt she owed. The Apples had been pleasant and agreeable so far so she was sure an accord could be met. Pushing the door open with her magic, Trixie placed the bagged costume onto her bed, where the assortment of her other costume components sat. Shutting the door and drawing the blinds, Trixie retrieved the Nightmare Night dress-up and held it out in front of her with a spell, standing it up as if there was another pony wearing it already. She soaked it its appearance. How the large hat cast a shadow along its face, the way the cape hung on its back. It was quite a sight to behold. "Step two," she proclaimed enthusiastically, shattering the eerie silence that had befell the caravan. All by her lonesome, there was no-pony else to observe her antics, so Trixie just did whatever and behaved however she wanted to, with zero risk of embarrassment. She threw the costume back onto the bed in an over exaggerated manor, her head unnecessarily following the direction of her magic. A scissors, needle, and thread flew over from a shelf near her desk and hovered above her, before she once again became transfixed on the bed that contained the plethora of clothing. The Nightmare Night replica of the Mare-Do-Well costume was a good starting point in constructing her own. It's cheapness and fragility didn't make it very practical by itself, but by combining it with her other, more durable materials and equipment, it would hold itself together very well. After all, the 'official' Mare-Do-Well should look better than a holiday knockoff, and the personal touch would be more useful to Trixie anyway. She'd be more efficient with her own custom clothes rather than in a replicant she would have to break in... Which probably didn't fit her very well anyway. Trixie took once last gaze at the cloth collection. The knockoff costume complete with a hat, her eye socket-less escape artist mask, the skintight suit, wrappings for her hooves, and her spare cape. Out of all this, she was going to make something beautiful. She snipped with her scissors, sewed with her needle, and cast her dyeing spells, uncomfortably reminiscing on how she destroyed one of the element of harmony's manes as she did so. Trixie stayed focused on her work however, expertly stitching with a steady grip. Using herself as the model and building the costume around herself as she neared its completion. Fixating the eye lenses of the knockoff mask to her more durable one, she pulled it down over face, her vision was barely obscured, but her eyes were invisible from the outside. She looked down at the modified purple fedora, it's fragile brim now reinforced to prevent it bending. She took it in her magic, floating it steadily onto her head. It weighed down gently on her concealed mane, with its brim dangling slightly in her view, a side-affect of its size. Trixie was momentarily befuddled when she turned to her bed and realised there was nothing left to craft; discarded and shredded pieces of cloth and her tools were all that remained upon it. The befuddlement cleared when Trixie turned towards her mirror, ready to gaze upon the reflection she so abhorred. The sight she was met with made her gasp. She didn't meet eyes with the discredited Trixie Lulamoon. She instead basked in the presence of The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. Her brilliant purple undersuit contrasted nicely with the charcoal cape and mask, separated by the extended collar and 'M' emblem. The brim of the hat shadowing her seemingly glowing eyes, her theatric light-weight cape dangling behind her lazily. She looked absolutely majestic. Trixie was trembling behind the mask, overwhelmed by just how... perfect she looked. "That's you Trixie," she whispered, her wrapped hoof rising to touch the mirror in awe. She tilted her head to take in the rest of her body. Not a thread was out of place, nor an imperfect stitch noticeable. Her coat was completely concealed the same as her eyes, azure covered by purple and black. 'This image of perfection... and it's not even my idea.' To gaze upon the manifestation of Mare-Do-Well before her, Trixie couldn't help but feel for the real mare who wore the mask, who did the actual work, whoever she may be. In that moment, Trixie came to the realisation that she was effectively stealing the real Mare-Do-Well's accomplishments and making them her own, and that reminded her of the times before. The darker times. She snarled at her reflection, unwilling to reflect upon her past any further. "I will earn this," she whispered in determination. Trixie was going to prove she was worthy of the recognition; of the admiration. She would be adored for her heroic feats, and she would be humble when doing so. Becoming Mare-Do-Well was just a good way to get a head start on all that. "If she really wanted the attention she could have told them all a long time ago," Trixie thought out loud, in an attempt to justify her course of action. She remained uneasy however. Turning back to the mirror, Trixie once again absorbed the image of the hero before her, the hero she was dressed as. The hero she would become. "This is my chance. I deserve this!" She announced in an angered outburst, staring intently into the gleaming eyes of her reflection. Her dream from the night before, the vision of acceptance, overcoming her thoughts yet again. She pulled Apple Leaves' borrowed saddle-bags onto her back, no longer filled to the brim with welcoming treats, and hid them under her cape. Trixie then yanked the door open, the wind catching the loose material of her costume and making it flow smoothly behind her. She walked out with determination in her eyes, ready to prove that she was fully capable of living up to all that she claimed to be. As she ventured into the city, Trixie made sure to stay out of the sight of the still very crowded streets, sticking to the shadows of the back-alleyways as she journeyed from the outskirts to the city's interior. Twilight had passed now as the sun disappeared over the horizon, with the moon beginning its steady ascent from across the sea to the east; it was almost as if it was rising out of the water itself. Trixie could not bare to stand by any longer. She had the costume ready, and she had her audience waiting in the streets. Now she just needed to put on a show. The self-proclaimed Mare-Do-Well continued her descent into the city, the darkened backstreets shielding her from the unassuming ponies walking out in the open. Her costume did well to protect her against the quickly chilling air, though her hat ever so often shifted atop her head; which was distracting to say the least. She would need to fix that. Trixie took a quick rest behind a nearby dumpster to gather her thoughts, and to once again adjust her hat. No-pony on the street was none the wiser. As she leaned her back against a alley wall, Trixie observed her breath visible against the air as she exhaled and caught her ragged breath. She hadn't actually fully decided what she intended to do now that she was all ready to go. Appear in the central square for a full display? Leap across the rooftops to be glimpsed at by a relative few? 'Great prep work, Trixie. You're in the middle of the city in this stupid costume, and you don't even have a concrete plan yet!' Her mental provoking was well deserved she felt. Everything just seemed so perfect up to this point that when she got there, she didn't know what to do next. This wasn't exactly a regular occurrence that Trixie could mentally prepare herself for. 'How does one become a superhero?' What the heck was she supposed to do? She was a stage performer, not a costumed role model. She didn't know the first thing about being subtle. If something wasn't extravagant, it was boring, that's how Trixie designed her shows. How does one be subtle but also inspire the wonder and awe that Trixie urged for? Trixie would have wished to ponder her thoughts further, but suddenly a shill scream echoed throughout the concrete jungle, high pitched, most definitely belonging to that of a filly. Trixie remained crouched behind the dumpster, startled by the noise. She waited for any other sound, but all that was heard was the hooves of the unassuming ponies still walking on the street. Her pause was overcome as instinct took over; she momentarily forgot about the costume, her scheme, and any and all doubts. She'd heard a scream, and it was close by. She needed to find who caused it and why. How could she forgive herself if something happened that she could've prevented? Trixie rose from her position and galloped through the winding alleyways to where she thought the noise had originated from. She was forced to leap over an overturned trash can, probably having fallen in the strong wind. Her cape blew behind her as the air rushed by due to her speed. Her breath smoked out against the air as she exhaled in slight exhaustion from the sprint. She came to a stop around a corner, concealed by the shade of a fire escape dangling above. 'There.' Trixie thought as she gazed upon what she thought to be the source of the scream she'd heard. She could she a filly, as well as a colt, but neither seemed to be particularly distressed, in fact the colt was laughing at the filly whose face was glowing red in embarrassment. Trixie stood in anticipation for whatever would happen next, ready to jump in if need be. "Wow! Could you have screamed any louder?" "Shut up! It was a big rat!" Trixie flung her head back with a groan, her heart still beating fast due to the running, but also due to her fear about how this situation could have been horrible one. Relieved that she did not have to witness a vulnerable filly in danger, Trixie brought her head forwards again, ready to turn and be on her way. 'Oh poo.' Her intentions to leave were shattered when she locked eyes with the filly and colt, both staring at her with the most intense fear filled eyes Trixie had ever witnessed. They hadheard her groan. Both stood stone still, as if it would make them invisible to the creature in the shadows gaze; they hardly breathed as they continued to stare transfixed. Trixie was frozen also, her cape continuing to blow lazily in the slow wind, her eye lenses being the only thing that stood out clearly in the shadows. Upon remembering that she was in fact wearing the Mare-Do-Well costume, Trixie puffed her chest out slowly, prompting her to raise her head high. 'This is it, idiot. Your first official appearance as Mare-Do-Well. These two are baring witness to history in the making, they'll be the connoisseurs of your image. What you say next will determine everything!' Gulping in nervousness and anticipation, Trixie veered her head slightly to the side, giving the impression of a curious animal. She thought long and hard, contemplating what the first real words of the new Mare-Do-Well would be. After a few more moments of silence, Trixie had decided what she would say. She was ready. Ready to speak the first words of Equestria's newest hero. "Hello. I'm-" "RUN!" Trixie almost fell over at the interruption. Both of the children turned and ran as fast as they could, screaming all the way. She pathetically tried to stop them. "No! Wait! Stop! I'm the... mysterious..." Trixie didn't finish, sighing in annoyance as the children turned the corner into the street, overcome with fright. She stomped her hooves, throwing a minor tantrum at having the first official appearance of her new persona end like... that. 'I didn't even do anything! They could have at least let me finish before running off!' Trixie thought in frustration, beginning to pace in a circle and grumble to herself. "Who leaves children unsupervised at this time of night..." was one of her murmurings. She continued to do this for several more moments, ignoring any and all of the distractions the city of Fillydelphia bestowed upon her. "What the heck is that!?" The outburst from behind her, originating from the well-lit city street, prompted Trixie to turn to whoever had interrupted her aggravated thoughts, ready to give them a piece of her mind. Her eyes widened beneath their lenses however when she came face to face with two unicorn police officers, one aqua, the other purple. Both had their horns lit, the glow from them acting as makeshift flashlights. The stallions stared bemused at the costumed mare they had found strutting around the alleyway, though Trixie's grumbles were too quiet for them to hear. The masked mare in question had frozen again, not anticipating an encounter with the police, or heck, that maybe Mare-Do-Well's first outing would turn into the disaster that it currently was. This development definitely took precedent over her anger however. Alternating her gaze between each uniformed officer, Trixie could not help but give an awkward laugh, which unfortunately for her, sounded much more sinister than light-hearted to the two officers. Her lips smacked together under her mask, attempting to come up with an excuse as to why she was in the alley two children had just run out of screaming. "Now, I know how this must loo-" "Blah!" The purple officer jumped in fright, not expecting the shadowed mare to speak so suddenly. The aqua stallion lit up his horn, causing blue and red lights to flash into the sky, with the stallion annoyingly shouting "Weee! Wooo!" over and over again in accompaniment. His purple companion started stammering incoherently, focusing his sight on the magic exerting officer. "Ride Along! Stop with the siren! Quickly, shoot a containment-" When the officer turned back to Trixie, he was baffled to see that she had disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He began to frantically search the area, the officer called Ride Along still yelling and firing his horn into the air. The searching officer then heard rustling above, drawing his gaze to the nearby fire escape. He was startled to discover the darkly clothed mare climbing up the assortment of ladders and stairs, desperately trying to reach the top. He turned back to his unicorn partner, glare hardening. "On second thought, Ride Along. Make the siren bigger. We're going to need backup!" Trixie heard the officer clear as day. 'No! No backup! Backup is bad.' She resumed her frantic attempts to climb, her ginormous hat making it exceptionally difficult in some areas. She sprinted up the stairs as the two officers from below exited the alley into the street, still watching her as they backed away. They were soon joined by a quickly growing crowd of civilians, staring up in wonder and curiosity at the retreating masked stranger. As Trixie reached the roof, she huffed in exhaustion. Turning to look and see if she was being followed, she was surprised to instead be met with the gazes of a roaring crowd of ponies, pushing against each other in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the mare retreating in the distance. Trixie could've swore she saw the flash of a camera, no doubt somepony deciding to capture the event as it unfolded. 'Great first impression, idiot!' Trixie scolded herself as she peered down at the intrigued citizens. She spun in urgency, her cape catching the wind once again. She needed to leave the area before more cops arrived, least she want to be known by the media not as the hero of Fillydelphia, but a menace and scarer of foals. "Not again!" she yelled into the night, refusing to let everything fall through on the first day of her plan's execution. Her eyes narrowed in determination, her sprinting quickened, and her breath steamed out of her masked nostrils as she continued her journey across the rooftops. Never halting in her daring escape. "This is not over!" she growled in anger, sprinting down another fire escape that led her into another unoccupied darkened alley. She pulled the cape-covered saddlebags from her back, and as quickly as she could, started to undress herself, the coldness of the air making her yelp in unexpected surprise. She stuffed the costume into the bags with every part she tore off, the determination never leaving her eyes. "Trixie. Will. Succeed," was last the thing she said as her costume was fully removed. She ran off into the night once again, like so many nights before. Abandoning the city as she began her return to the sanctity of the woods.