//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - A Magician Walks into Town and Says… // Story: Expecting // by Shahrazad //------------------------------// The azure mare trudged slowly through Ponyville, ignoring the hardened glares many of its citizens leveled her way. She held her head high, showing no fear or shame. Her much smaller cart trailed behind her, animated by a simple Come-to-Life spell. “What are you doing back here?” A rainbow-maned pegasus dropped from the skies and planted herself right in front of the unicorn. “Excuse Trixie, but she has someplace to be,” Trixie said, trying to sidestep the mare. “Nuh-uh!” Rainbow Dash responded, blocking Trixie’s way. “Whatever you have planned… not gonna happen on my watch.” “Rainbow Dash!” Trixie turned and smiled. While she didn’t particularly like the approaching mare, she was one of the kinder and more forgiving denizens of the town. Trixie had heard of the new Princess’s coronation, but had not seen Twilight since her previous—and highly embarrassing—visit to Ponyville. Deposed despots rarely do visit their former domains. “Twilight Spa…” Trixie stopped herself before cautiously kneeling, desperately trying to keep her cloak from touching the ground. “Trixie apologies for her impertinence… Princess Twilight Sparkle.” “Please, Trixie… there is no need for that.” Twilight blushed, still feeling a little at odds with the bowing and scraping that some ponies would do around her. She watched as Trixie struggled back to her hooves. “What brings you back here?” Trixie groaned, wincing in pain. “Oh no, Trixie, are you okay?” Twilight asked. It was a strange feeling… being concerned for somepony who had, no more than eight months earlier, kicked her out of her hometown and installed herself as a dictator. Who she then overthrew with the help of her friends. Yes, strange was definitely an adequate descriptor for the situation. “Trixie is fine, just… just a little out of breath.” “So…” Twilight started nervously, “what brings you back to Ponyville?” Trixie noticed the look both Twilight Sparkle and her friend shared. “Trixie has… some unfinished business here in Ponyville.” Twilight’s ears flattened against her head. “Oh… I was hoping we were… well, past that.” Trixie looked the alicorn up and down, before realizing what Twilight had been thinking. “Oh, no, Twilight Sparkle. The Humble and Apologetic Trixie has not returned for you…” Trixie watched as Twilight sunk even lower. “… but— that does not mean that Trixie did not plan on stopping by to say hello to the Grand and Royal Twilight Sparkle.” Both mares chuckled, while Rainbow Dash hovered. “So, you aren’t here to cause any trouble?” the pegasus asked, yawning with boredom. “No, Trixie is not here to cause trouble,” Trixie scoffed. “Well, that’s boring,” Rainbow Dash said, before rocketing off into the sky. Twilight shuffled nervously, before breaking the silence. “So... why are you back? Another magic show, perhaps?” “No, the Great and Powerful Trixie is taking a… leave of absence… from the stage.” Trixie pawed the ground nervously. “Trixie is here, though, about her… last visit.” Twilight had never seen the boisterous mare so quiet and subdued. “Would you like to talk about it… in private?” she asked. Trixie nodded, so Twilight led her silently towards the Ponyville Palace. “That…” Twilight gasped. “That is a very big problem.” Trixie harrumphed. “Trixie knows she is not as… petite… as she was when she was here last, but she would prefer you not poke at it.” “I’m sorry, Trixie… it’s just, so… unexpected!” “That is precisely Trixie’s problem, Twilight Sparkle.” Trixie rubbed her sore and swollen fetlocks. “It is very unexpected… and Trixie is not sure what to do.” “H-How did it happen?” Trixie gave Twilight a deadpan stare, then started slowly. “When two ponies love each other—” “I didn’t mean that!” Twilight shrieked, blushing furiously. “I meant… well… uhh—” “‘Who?’ Trixie presumes you were asking.” She snickered as Twilight’s blush deepened. “Trixie is not entirely sure…” “How—” “The Great and Powerful Trixie desires companionship!” the petite mare yelled as she entered The Punch Bowl. “The Great and Powerful Trixie needs a Great and Powerful Companion that they might produce a Great and Powerful heir for her Great and Powerful Kingdom!” “At first, nopony was interested in Trixie’s Great and Powerful Advances, but after some time a stallion entered the bar.” Trixie blushed at the memory. “Trixie recalls his rugged physique; the stallion was quite the specimen. Such broad shoulders, not like the other stallions in the bar.” Trixie swooned a little, closing her eyes and recalling his features. “He had the most amazing green eyes… not that Trixie spent a lot of time looking at them.” She winked at Twilight, who spattered her coffee across the table. “And his coat was the most brilliant shade of amaranth I’ve ever seen.” Twilight nodded, waiting for Trixie to continue. “Trixie enjoyed the libations at ‘The Punch Bowl,’ and they were affordably priced.” Twilight’s brow fell. “And by ‘affordably priced,’ you mean ‘free,’ don’t you?” Trixie had just enough shame to blush. “Yes, well, Trixie ruled Ponyville at that moment. So, the drinks were affordably priced, and Trixie enjoyed them. So Trixie allowed that stallion to drink with her.” Twilight’s left brow rose. “Allowed?” Trixie cleared her throat. “Well, Trixie gave him drinks for free.” “And he could have said no?” “He didn’t say no. Trixie doesn’t see why that matters,” she said, annoyance creeping into her tone. Twilight sighed. “We’ll have to deal with that later. What happened then?” “Trixie and this stallion drank, many, many, drinks. And then… ah… Trixie ‘allowed’ this stallion to escort her home. After that, Trixie’s memory gets a bit blurry.” “Home? Where is home, exactly?” Twilight asked. “His humble domicile, Trixie believes. Trixie remembers walking a significant distance, and then laying down in some surprisingly comfortable hay.” A devilish grin crept across Trixie’s face. “Then, Trixie recalls the stallion collapsing into the hay with her. One thing led to another, and…” Trixie smirked. “Let me tell you, Princess, while he was no unicorn— he sure knew how to work magic with his ‘horn’. Alas, Trixie did not think to get his name, nor did she stick around after our roll in the hay.” The Very Flustered and Highly Embarrassed Twilight Sparkle shrieked. The Very Pleased and Not That Vindictive Trixie sat with a satisfied smirk on her face. After cleaning up the spilled coffee—and finding her dignity again—Twilight coughed politely. “Well, Trixie. I think I know who your mystery stallion is.” Applejack smiled as she plopped down ungracefully next to Apple Bloom at the dinner table. “Ah’ve been waitin’ fer this all day!” Applejack sighed, allowing the delicious scents of dinner to fill her nostrils. “A hard day’s work, an’ a hearty meal with family. Ah can’t think o’ nuthin’ better!” “Eeyup,” Big Mac answered. “Soup’s on!” Granny Smith hollered. “Soup's—” A knock at the door interrupted the three younger Apples. “Who in tarnation would be visitin’ at this hour?” Applejack grumbled as she trudged to the door. When she opened the door, she found Twilight Sparkle waiting, with another cloaked figure holding back in the dark. “Applejack, is Big Mac around?” Twilight asked. “We need to talk.”