//------------------------------// // Curtain Call // Story: I Can't Stop! // by MerlosTheMad //------------------------------// Chapter Four The groan that worked its way out of Twilight spoke volumes of the toiling and hard work she'd endured after a day of being on her hooves nonstop. As she further relaxed against the back wall of the small wooden stage, the painful memories of her punishment from Princess Celestia herself played through her mind. Twilight couldn't help but think, How in the name of magic did I get myself into this predicament? The fact that she, along with Trixie, had been sentenced to a month of community service in order to pay for the library’s renovations hadn’t been that bad, but once it became clear that Celestia intended for them to work together, and as entertainers for the Ponyville town square, Twilight had nearly fainted on the spot. She could still hardly believe her misfortune. "And that, ladies and gentlecolts, is why I am called The Great and Powerful Triiixie!" "Whoooo, go Trixie!" "Quiet, pink one! And thank you to everypony else! Please come again to tomorrow night's show to once again see...!" Trixie's sigh carried to the backstage through the curtain where Twilight could clearly hear it. "The Greeeat and Powerful Twilight and Trixie show!" Twilight sighed as she looked up to release the rope holding the stage’s curtains. Her horn, though it had been aching most days from the debacle the week before, was at the very least able to use magic again. "Phew, aaand we're done, finally." Twilight reached up with a foreleg and wiped away the sweat she had started to work up. “Another day down… twenty to go.”  Trixie let out a tired breath upon trotting through the second layer of curtains that separated the stage's front from the backstage. She cricked her neck, but otherwise held her posture as if she herself were royalty. "What a show! It feels pretty good now that we've gotten into the swing of things. Oh assistant, where's my water?" As her back turned to Twilight, a sly grin played up a corner of her muzzle. “I’ll assist you, alright,” Twilight muttered grumpily. “Did you say something, Twilight?” Trixie raised an eyebrow at her community service partner. Twilight considered dumping the nearby pitcher of ice water over the other mare's head, but lately she'd built up some additional resistance against the baiting. "Very funny, Trixie, and you almost made it through the whole day without saying anything mean, too." Twilight allowed herself a smirk with that. “Still, I’ll have to include that in the friendship report to Princess Celestia." "Oh, come on!" Trixie whipped around, her magic tossing her cape and hat onto a nearby rack. "I was holding in far worse insults all day and you know it!" Twilight tsked softly. "And now you're admitting to thinking up even worse? For shame, Trixie. And here I thought we were making such progress, too. I had almost believed you'd really changed and learned your lesson." Trixie scowled, eyes shut tight, and harrumphed loudly. "Now you're the one trying to bait me!" She crossed her forehooves angrily. "So I'm putting that in my friendship report to the Princess!" Twilight's ears pulled back, and she almost escalated things, but caught herself. "You're right, Trixie." She let out a breath to calm down. "I'm—" "Sorry," Trixie finished for Twilight, and opened her eyes, smiling a joyful smile that was a relatively recent thing to see. "I am, too. I guess I just couldn't resist teasing you, after all of this. And, for the record, I really was just teasing you. I really meant it when I told you and the Princess I'd take this reconciliation thing seriously..." Trixie strode over to the stairs leading out of the show-wagon, pulling the curtains along with her to be packed up for the night. "And the Great and Powerful Trixie always keeps her word! I promised I'd beat you, after all, and I did!" Twilight was a little taken aback. Over the course of the last week, Trixie had been mostly silent on the matter of Celestia sticking them together. “O-Oh. I see.” Twilight wasn't sure what exactly had changed for Trixie. “Well, I’m glad to finally hear you feel that way, Trixie.” Honestly, all of the little needling remarks Trixie kept trying to sneak in under the guise of innocence had given Twilight doubts… Perhaps Trixie's willingness to move on was simply from constantly being forced to work together in order to regain their property, or the threat of being charged with public endangerment by Celestia, or even that Trixie was truly satisfied with causing so much chaos and pretty much getting away with it... but it was anypony’s guess. After the moment of silence and a staredown between the two, Twilight smiled back at Trixie. "And that magic duel was a tie, if you ask me," she said, rolling her eyes while she began to help put things away. Trixie threw back her head and let out a great hah! "Well, we'll have to have a rematch sometime, then." She turned and gave a wink above a rueful grin. Twilight sighed as she finished putting away the boxes of stage props. "Never mind, then, it was your win." Trixie giggled. She actually giggled. Twilight looked up in disbelief, but joined after a split second with laughter of her own. Interrupting and catching both mares off guard was a third pony's laughter. However, this third laugh was far more raucous and entertained sounding, rather than filled with genuine happiness or the beginnings of a friendship. "Hey, you two lovebirds have any plans tonight? The weather's supposed to be nice out." Rainbow Dash grinned around the canopy of the wagon’s stage like a wolf that had cornered its prey. “You two make a pretty cute couple, by the way. Don't you think so, Pinkie?" She did a poor job of concealing her snickers with a hoof. “Dash, cut it out,” Twilight protested, and was echoed by Trixie grumbling. Pinkie, suddenly sitting at the opposite end of the stage, shrugged. “Eh, I dunno. They seem like they’re just beginning to get along after fighting a really personal battle of both magical strength and wills. The kind that would really hide more beneath the surface than would be apparent to other ponies.” She took a sip from a soda pop she suddenly produced from her poofy mane. “Like, Trixie’s insecurities, and Twilight’s unspoken guilt were—” Dash groaned. “Pinkie!” “O-Oh! Right. I mean, yeah! Twilight and Trixie, sitting in a tree! K-i-s-s-i—!” Twilight sprinted over to Pinkie and slapped a hoof over the other mare’s muzzle. “OKAY! That’s enough of that.” She looked behind herself to see Trixie unsuccessfully swatting at a cackling Rainbow Dash with a broom. Twilight groaned. “Girls, if you’re going to poke fun like this, you could at least wait until after we’re done cleaning up.” “Relax, Egghead.” Rainbow Dash nonchalantly dodged a broom a final swipe and glided past overhead. “Me and Pinkie—” “Pinkie and I,” Twilight correctly. “Whatever.” Dash landed, rolling her eyes. “Jokes aside, we were just wondering if you guys were going to do a show together one of these nights. It’s always only one of you out there.” Twilight blinked. She looked over at Trixie, who seemed to have the same look of mixed surprise and apprehension that she herself wore. “I dunno.” Twilight smirked over at Trixie. “What do you think?” Trixie blinked at that, then put a hoof to her chin. “Hmm, a good question, Sparkle.” She adopted a cool, thoughtful look, but there was a wideness to her eyes that hinted at a lot of thought over the question. “I… suppose since our arranged punishment is a temporary thing, and the goal is for us to get along… the Princess would likely look favorably on us sharing the stage rather than simply helping one another perform.” Trixie nodded to herself sagely. “Yes, perhaps she’d even lessen our sentence.” “Are you sure you haven’t thought about this before?” Inspecting her hoof, Rainbow looked as if she’d only half paid attention, but the smug grin she failed to hide gave her away. “Because that explanation sounded really well scripted.” Trixie swiped at Rainbow again with her broom. “As if!” The swing failed to connect and was dodged smoothly. “Trixie merely saw a possible opportunity for a more immediate closure! Twilight—!” Twilight ceased her building giggles and sat up straight. “Yes, Trixie?” “Tonight we will rest for early morning rehearsals of a paired magic act! Be back here at dawn. Trixie already has some— I mean, Trixie has just thought up some ideas for an act this very moment. Just now.” She coughed. “F-Finish up things here if you would. I’m going to get dinner. It’s getting a little stuffy here for me.” Trixie again donned her hat and cape, and left the stage with a huff. Twilight sighed, shaking her head at Dash and Pinkie as the other mare left. “I wish you two wouldn’t tease her like that, or me, for that matter. I think she’s really put aside her interest in being a nuisance and gotten over her hang ups against us.” “Yeah, yeah.” Rainbow shrugged, finally landing onto the stage with a thump now that the risk of being broomed was gone. “And I think you mean Trixie’s hang ups against you.” Twilight lightly thwacked Rainbow just behind the ear. “Ow! What? I’m not wrong. She was obsessing over getting you back.” Rainbow shrugged. “Honestly I’m surprised she didn’t do something drastic even sooner.” “What she did was drastic enough.” Twilight frowned. “Still, she really seemed to be in a dark place before all of this. I do wish things could have been resolved better, but now that it’s over I’m glad it happened.” Rainbow rubbed a hoof behind her head. “Yeah, I hear yah. I wouldn’t be teasing her if I wasn’t willing to give being friends with her a shot, though.” Twilight chuckled. “I know, and thank you for that. I just hope Trixie feels the same way.” Pinkie hmmmmed loudly where she stood, staring after Trixie over by the stage wagon’s edge. Twilight and Dash each raised an eyebrow over at their pink friend. “Pinkie? What’s wrong? You’re being quiet.” Twilight began folding a curtain, as Trixie had managed to leave about half of the clean up for her to do. She’d have to get her back for that. “Ohhh, it’s nothing… but it’s also probably definitely something!” Pinkie began nodding to herself, looking more and more sure. “I think you should go finish that conversation you two had going on, Twilight.” She bounded across the stage and wrapped a foreleg around Dash’s shoulder in a vice grip. “Dash and I will finish cleaning up Trixie’s wagon!” ”What!?” Dash tried lifting off at first mention of cleaning, but the Earth Pony grip holding her down made the struggle pointless. “Dangit.” Twilight snickered, and looked out the wagon in the direction Trixie had gone. “Alright… You’re probably right, Pinkie. Thanks you two!” Dash and Pinkie waved encouragement to Twilight, and waited until she rounded a corner down the street to let out the breath they’d held. “I’m really glad Twilight’s feeling better.” Dash sighed as she floated up to take down another curtain. “I know! I’ll bet she’ll feel even better when Celestia lets her change her mane back to its old colors.” Dash snickered devilishly at that. “You have no idea how hard it is for me to not joke about that.” She turned, and made a thoughtful sound as she landed beside her friend. “You know, Pinkie, speaking of manes, you really need to get a manecut. It looks like it's getting pretty long from here." “Pssch!” Pinkie rolled her eyes and whipped out a measuring tape from her mane. “Look who’s talking, Dashie! If your mane gets any longer you might actually look like a girl!” A blush materialized on Dash’s cheeks. “Hey!” “I wonder where she’d go to eat?” Twilight trotted the streets of Ponyville at a brisk pace, eyes peeled for a brooding showmare at any of the outdoor restaurants. Checking every building for Trixie didn’t seem feasible, but she was willing to give the search a respectable go. “Oh, bingo!” Luckily, Twilight spotted Trixie just outside of a hayburger joint not far off. She trotted forward only to feel a pang of hunger as she drew nearer to the delightful aroma of crispy fried foods. It only made sense to get food for herself, too, she decided, and detoured slightly to the counter in order to get something for herself, as well. With her food in hoof, Twilight approached the showmare sitting by her lonesome at the furthest table from the restaurant crowds. “I’m just being ridiculous… Of course they’re being sincere. They’re the Elements after all. Why can’t I just get over myself? ...No, I’ll just leave town again after this is all done with.” Twilight paused from approaching at hearing Trixie’s whispers, but continued after opting to not eavesdrop. “Heeey Trixie.” She grinned as she slid nonchalantly into the seat across from Trixie. The other mare looked up and nearly choked, mouth and cheeks full of hay fries. “Gr-lk!” “Oh geez, Trixie? Are you okay?” Trixie pounded her chest with a hoof, then reached in a hurry for her drink and took several long gulps. “Sparkle!” Trixie gasped. “W-What are you doing here? You always leave immediately to go work on the town library.” Twilight rubbed a hoof behind her head. “Ehheh, yeeeah, but I thought maybe we could eat together. You know, and talk.” Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Of course. It will look good on our reports, too, after all.” Twilight nodded slightly, agreeing. “Yes, it will, but also—” “Did you finish putting things away at the wagon? That was awfully quick.” Twilight frowned. “Well, Pinkie and Rainbow said they would take care of it so I could come join y—” “You left the pink one alone with my home!?” Trixie blanched. Twilight sighed, closed her eyes, and counted to three. “Trixie, Pinkie helped rebuild half of your wagon herself. I think it’s fine.” Trixie wilted back into her seat, ears pealing back. “Oh… of course. Quiet settled over the table, and they ate in silence for a bit. Twilight coughed, speaking up again first. “Sooo, good job out there with that finale tonight." Trixie looked up from her food wearing a look that said she was curious as to what was going on. She shrugged. "Thanks, Sparkle, and good job fetching those glasses of water.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Anything for a friend.” Trixie’s hayburger froze mid-air at Twilight’s utterance of the ‘F’ word. “A friend?” Trixie repeated back. “So we’re friends now?” Twilight shrugged, smiling. “Sure.” She took a healthy bite of her food, acting as casual about the statement as anything else. "'f you want to be." “Then, I guess we are,” Trixie returned. “It’s aggravating, though, really.” Twilight’s ears perked up at this. Trixie’s hang ups over being friends really ran deep, and her notes on the subject spanned about five journals, so any insight into the matter always helped. “Now that we’re friends, it’s aggravating?” Twilight asked. “I thought our rivalry was the aggravating part.” Trixie leaned on a hoof, staring at her empty fries box. “For you, perhaps. All of it’s aggravating to me.” She sighed. “Twili— Er, Sparkle, after our first encounter here in Ponyville, after I started to… get a little zealous with trying to beat you. I knew from your reputation that you or your friends would try to befriend me, first.” Twilight blinked, unsure as to where this was going, but she nodded anyway. Trixie looked over, continuing with a serious look. “You get what I’m saying, right?” Twilight thought about it, but shook her head when nothing came to her. “Uhm, I dunno, Trixie. I always thought you just hated me.” Trixie rolled her eyes. “Well, of course, but that’s not it… My point is, if I had become your friend—” She pointed a hoof at Twilight, frowning as she explained. “—then you would have won.” Twilight looked away, nodding. “Oh.” She thought on that, and was forced to admit she may have failed in not seeing that sooner. “Oh, well, I guess that makes a lot more sense now.” “Yes, yes, well the mind of Trixie is often beyond the understanding of other lesser ponies.” Trixie waved a hoof airily, smirking. “Nonetheless, it’s all in the past now. Soon I’ll be out of everypony’s hair and we can all put this behind us.” Twilight took her own turn at quiet, thinking a moment on things. When she spoke again, she wore a coy smile. “I dunno, Trixie. If we’re friends now, doesn’t that mean I won in the end?” Trixie stared back, then smirked, facing away from Twilight and her claim. “Don’t ruin things, Sparkle. I was just beginning to tolerate your insufferable presence.” Twilight chuckled wryly in response. She took the bait, though, and fired back with her own retort. “Oh, that’s rich coming from you. Do you ever listen to yourself?” She smirked and lightly pushed Trixie’s shoulder. “Or do you really believe all the crazy things you say?” Trixie turned back around, just long enough to get a good glare in, then harrumphed and once again faced away. “I’m no crazier than that madmare that makes all those gaudy clothes. Or the pink one, though with her that’s not saying very much.” Twilight’s laugh was full, if a little hesitant over the prods at her other friends. “That’s fair, I guess. Still, crazy or not, I wish you’d give them a shot at being your friends, too.” “Oh? Perhaps I could, but I doubt I will.” Trixie faced the table and and leaned onto it, abandoning her pretend anger. “I feel like we’ve developed a bit of a bond over our strife, Sparkle, but most ponies find my…” “Pride? Bravado? Vanity? Arroganc—” “That’s enough, thank you, little Miss librarian.” Trixie shook her head. “Yes, those things. Most ponies find it to be disagreeable. But they’re a part of who I am, and they’re how I cope with being a performer. Tricks are what I’m good at doing, and yet I’m a terrible public speaker, bad with crowds, I hate talking to ponies, and I’m… I’m overly sensitive. It’s a cruel joke, is what it is.” “Being better than others protects you, you know.” Trixie crossed her forelegs, looking away angrily. “You lived in the capitol your whole life, behind closed doors, yes?” She sighed, whispering, “”Well, my whole life I’ve been an entertainer standing on a street corner or up on stage for a crowd.” She looked up starkly. “And crowds aren’t always nice.” Twilight frowned as Trixie looked away. “Crowds are whatever they feel like being,” Trixie mumbled the last bit. Twilight hesitated, not sure how to respond to all of what she’d heard; it was a lot to process. "Well, nopony’s perfect… But still, Trixie, you could try being nicer and more considerate to others in general if you really wanted, and then maybe it would just feel more natural. There’s a big difference between a crowd and your personal friends." "Who says I haven't tried already, hm?” Trixie scowled and folded her forehooves grumpily. “Maybe Trixie really has turned over a new leaf and you're just too dumb to realize it?" Twilight leaned forward, smiling. "Well, other than the fact you just insulted me... You're literally eating my hayfries right now." Trixie glanced down at the fries held in her magic, scrunched her muzzle, then harrumphed and looked away, an embarrassed blush forming on her cheeks. “Touche.” Twilight giggled at the struggling visible in Trixie. “You’re right, Sparkle… As usual. But it still isn’t that easy. I can’t just switch off like some ponies can.” Twilight grumbled as Trixie took another magic-full of her fries. “Hey, as long as you’re putting forth the effort, Trixie, you know we’ll be happy to give you a shot.” She reached over the table briskly with her own magic and snatched her fries back. “One day at a time.” Trixie stared back wide-eyed, until a sight that was almost unbelievable struck. An expression broke out on her face, one that didn’t contain any smarminess, held no air of superiority, and was completely void of sarcasm. The smile that was on her muzzle and look in Trixie’s eyes was profoundly different from any Twilight had seen before from the other mare. “Thank you, Sparkle. You’re… a truly inspirational pony, you know that?” Trixie’s revolutionary expression disappeared in a flash then, as if she had abruptly and suddenly realized something. “But you had better never tell anypony I said all of this, either! Nothing about me, or you, or this friendship.” “Aw, we were so close to making progress.” Twilight grinned. After a moment... and not stopping to think better of it, she blurted out, “Did you really mean it when you said you were leaving? As soon as we’re done with these shows?” Trixie stared at Twilight for a good stretch of seconds. “I really don’t think I have a choice in the matter, Twilight…” Twilight frowned at that. “Uh, what do you mean? You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. If there’s one thing the town really needs it’s some more entertainment. Pinkie kind of works herself half to death trying to get to everypony in a single day…” Trixie tsked lightly. “That’s not the issue.” Twilight scratched her head with a hoof. “I’m not sure I follow then. Why don’t you want to stay?” Trixie sighed, getting up and putting on her cloak to go. “Because, Twilight.” She stuck the other unicorn with a serious, dour look. "The worst part of all of this, is that after your friends walked in on us the other day half the town thinks we're dating now. Heck, since I won't be the one stuck here to deal with the rumors, I might even egg it on a little bit before I go… Wouldn’t that be fun? Well, good night, Twilight." With that, she trotted off. “Ohhhh…” Twilight wilted, shoulders slumping as she stared off into space as everything clicked into place. “Wait, Trixie? I don’t suppose you’ve got room for company when you leave then, huh? Trixie? Oh, come on! We both know Celestia herself couldn't get them to change their minds!" No matter what she said, the other mare just kept trotting, her head held high as if she'd won something. “Trixie, come back here! Don't ignore me! Friends don't ignore other friends! Trixie!” The End!