Ch. 2
"You better believe, I've got tricks up my sleeve." Trixie hummed the rest of the tune.
Apple Bloom looked up from the book she had borrowed. "What was that?"
"Huh?"
"What's that you're singing?" Apple Bloom elaborated. "Sounded kind of cool."
Trixie lowered her notepad, blushing a little. "Was I singing out loud?"
"Only a couple lines." Apple Bloom replied, waving away her sister's concerns. "So? What is it?"
"Well..." Trixie packed her notepad away, still somewhat embarrassed. "It's sort of a theme song. I was thinking of hiring somepony to sing it as a show opener."
"My friend Sweetie Belle is a good singer. You should have her do it." The filly suggested.
Trixie thought about it. "You know, I might do that next time I'm in Canterlot. It's pretty close to Ponyville..."
The train began to slow down as they neared the Manehattan station. Apple Bloom was a little reluctant to stop reading Trixie's book. She made a mental note to ask if she could borrow it again later.
Disembarking proved to be much like when they got on the train, as another group of ponies recognized the infamous Trixie. Apple Bloom was forced to wait as the showpony signed autograph after autograph. Half an hour passed before Trixie was able to move from the boarding platform, and that was only due to the fans having to catch their trains.
"Come on, Apple Bloom." Trixie urged. "We've got to hurry if we're going to make it to the hotel in time to check in."
They managed to reach the busy hotel before their reservation was given away and, refreshingly, the concierge wasn't impressed by her famous guest. Or maybe she was just exceedingly professional.
Either way, the trip from the front desk to their suite was undisturbed by autograph-seekers. As they settled in, Apple Bloom realized they'd been missing something. "Hey, Trixie. Where's your wagon?"
"Oh, I had them put it in one of the storage cars." She explained as she unpacked one of her many suitcases. "Normally, I'd ride it into a town. Part of the presentation, you know? But in a place like Manehattan it'd just be in the way. I'll pick it up on the way out."
"Smart thinking."
"I'd say so." Trixie turned, leaving the suitcase half unloaded. "You know, we've got some time before rehearsal and Manehattan's full of interesting stores. Want to do some shopping?"
"I'd like that." Apple Bloom grinned. Trixie smiled too, and they left the room.
The trip to the shopping district was a short one, because when you can afford the hotels that Trixie could, it's apparently assumed that you can afford to visit fancy, expensive stores. In one shop, Apple Bloom got a scarf that, despite looking somewhat plain, cost more than everything she'd ever bought herself. Combined!
And that was just the first one they visited. Trixie seemed determined to patronize the entire plaza. There was the scarf store, a store for shoes, and another just for boots. They went to a store for fine saddlebags, one for makeup, and also a place for dresses. There was even a confectionery, and on stepping inside, Apple Bloom was very glad Pinkie Pie wasn't with them. They'd have never left.
A few hours later, they were exiting an antique book store. Trixie was levitating her purchase in front of her, admiring the freshly acquired first addition of the original Shetland Holmes novel. Apple Bloom didn't really get why the book was so special, but her sister seemed happy. That was enough for her.
"Apple Bloom?"
The little pony looked around, fairly sure she recognized the voice that'd squeaked her name. And she was proven right as she saw her friend rush over. "Sweetie Belle! What're you doing in Manehattan?"
"Rarity was delivering some new outfits to Sapphire Shores." Sweetie Belle answered over a hug. "She said I could come with and after, we'd do some shopping."
"Well ain't that a coincidence." Apple Bloom waved for Trixie, who had just noticed she was walking alone, to come over. "I'm with my sister, too."
Sweetie Belle saw Trixie and frowned. "I'm confused."
At that, Apple Bloom realized she hadn't yet had a chance to tell her friends what she'd found out. "Uh... it's kind of convoluted, but it turns out we're sisters. Isn't that great?"
"If you say so..."
Trixie reached where they were and Apple Bloom did introductions. "Sweetie Belle, this is Trixie. Trixie, this is my friend Sweetie Belle."
"Nice to meet you. Again." Sweetie Belle deadpanned.
"Hopefully, this time things will go better." Trixie replied. "Apple Bloom was telling me you're a pretty good singer."
For her part, Apple Bloom was glad Trixie had decided against using her stage persona. Sweetie Belle wasn't entirely swayed, though. "I'm ok, I guess. Nothing special."
"Well, Apple Bloom and I were just about to head to rehearsals for tomorrow's show. Would you like to come with?"
That sounded like a good way to prove Trixie had changed, at least to Apple Bloom. "Yeah! You should come with us. You could sing Trixie's theme song!"
"She has a theme song?" Now Sweetie really wasn't buying it.
Apple Bloom pulled her along anyway. "She will if you sing it. Come on!"
The theater was... well, Apple Bloom couldn't really think of a word to describe it properly. If she could, breathtaking would be jealous of that word.
Trixie had clearly seen it before, or she'd seen better. She ignored everything around around her to focus on what was happening on the stage around her. "What is the meaning of this?"
The object of her mostly-pretend wrath was a stagehoof stallion who, despite being a few times Trixie's size, found himself cowering before the magician. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. I know this stuff was supposed to be set up an hour ago, but there was a mix-up with the crates."
Apple Bloom chuckled nervously as Sweetie Belle looked at her. She understood why Trixie chose to act this way, but her friend had no idea. "I'll explain later."
"You better."
The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't care about your difficulties." Trixie announced. "Trixie expects results! Never the less, we must practice now. You may finish your work in the morning."
The stagehoof scurried away and Trixie waved for Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom to join her center stage. When they arrived, Trixie winked conspiratorially. "I kind of feel bad for that one. They're usually so nice to me here."
"So why do it?" Sweetie Belle demanded crossly.
Trixie smiled. "Part of the performance. Speaking of, here are the lyrics for the intro song." She telekinetically passed them to the younger unicorn. "You go memorize them while I tell Apple Bloom he part."
"Fine..." Sweetie Belle groaned.
"Great." Trixie turned to Apple Bloom.
Who was having doubts. "I know I agreed to help you out, but how? I can't do magic."
Her big sister put a hoof on her shoulder. "Neither could Dad. You're going to help me with an escape trick."
"And how is that?"
"We're going to tie you up and hang you over a pool of water. I'll throw a sheet over you while you get the ropes off." Trixie pointed. "Once you get free, I'll teleport you up to that empty balcony. No sound, no glow from my horn. The spotlight will find you, and the Astonishing Apple Bloom will have demonstrated a feat unlike anything an earth pony's done before or will likely do again!"
Apple Bloom nodded excitedly. "That sounds great!"
"Good." Trixie said, and suddenly Apple Bloom was wrapped up. "Now you practice getting out of these ropes."
The little pony looked at the knot. "uhh... ok. How?"
Trixie shrugged. "Dad used his teeth."
She turned to check how Sweetie Belle was doing with the memorizing, leaving Apple Bloom staring at her bound hooves. The filly had no idea how to even start. It didn't help to hear her sister crowing over Sweetie Belle's efforts.
"You mean you have the whole thing down?"
"It's a pretty simple song, really." Sweetie Belle said as Apple Bloom began pulling at the ropes with her teeth. She got nowhere and her teeth started to hurt after a few yanks. The little pony looked to her sister for help, but Trixie was engrossed by Sweetie Belle's rendition of her theme song.
"Wow! It's even better than I hoped." Trixie judged after the younger unicorn was finished. "And once you're done, that's when I come onstage. Do you know a smoke spell?"
Apple Bloom started struggling, desperate to get the ropes off. But they were too tight, and her thrashing only served to make them tighter. She began to panic.
"No, I don't know anything like that." Sweetie Belle answered hesitantly. Trixie's praise was staring to win her over.
"It's a pretty simple spell. I'll teach you. Then, once you finish the song, you cast it and we switch places!"
Meanwhile, Apple Bloom's escape attempts had unbalanced her. She tripped off the edge of the stage, crying out as she hit the floor.
Trixie heard her shout, turned, saw what had happened, and reacted immediately. She magically cut the ropes on Apple Bloom and lifted her back up to the stage. "Apple Bloom are you ok?" She frantically checked her little sister for any injury.
"Ok?!" Apple Bloom slapped Trixie's hoof away. Her cheeks burned and her eyes were welling up with tears. "No! I'm not ok!" Trixie flinched back, her face revealing she had no idea what she'd done wrong. That infuriated Apple Bloom even more. "I'm out of here."
Trixie could barely get words out, she was so shocked. "But- the rehearsals. We have a show to do!"
"You don't need me. You have Sweetie Belle."