Celestia's New Student

by Art Inspired

Eighteen: No Longer New

Trixie slept peacefully in her bed, slipping in and out of her slumber. Light was coming through her open balcony door, and chilly winds graced her hooves. She finally rose, and sleepily wandered to her mirror. In front of it was a letter from Starlight Glimmer inviting Trixie to Ponyville. It had been recently opened, and though Trixie had already read it, she still silently reread it anyways.

It explained to Trixie the dire need of a friend to come help Starlight visit the town from where she came from. The residents there had invited Starlight to the annual Sunset Festival, and she didn’t feel safe going alone. Trixie was still weighing out her options.

She then sighed, and looked to Dingo, who still slept heavily. He was utterly tangled in the sheets, but he didn’t seem to mind. So, Trixie went ahead and fixed his water and food bowls, got herself freshed up, and then came over to her cape hanger. On it were two to choose from. Trixie chose the purple one over Celestia's, though, because she had already decided a while ago to only wear Celestia's cape for special occasions, like if the princesses were watching or something. Promptly after grabbing her hat as well, she left to start the day. Celestia had yet another assignment for Trixie, but something about the way she informed Trixie of this the night before didn’t seem quite right.

“Celestia seemed sad about it,” Trixie said to herself, coming down the hall. So far, Trixie had accomplished many deeds for Celestia, but as of late, things just seemed repetitive for Trixie. She hated to admit it, but she was beginning to grow bored with seeing and performing for Canterlot all the time, and craved new sights, or at least places she hadn’t seen for quite some time. “Perhaps,” Trixie figured while making a turn, “Trixie should return to Ponyville for a bit. Besides, Trixie couldn’t let Starlight Glimmer down when she needs her, now could she?”

Nodding it off, she planned to at least request to go see Starlight in order to help. She was about to enter the ballroom, too, when none other than Princess Celestia herself came out, and stood before her student. Next to her, she magically held a basket by its handle. The contents were covered by a red and white checkered cloth, but even that gave no hints for Trixie. She had apparently failed to remember seeing somepony holding one of these before.

“Ah, Trixie,” Celestia said, her smile welcoming as ever. Still, Trixie couldn’t help but to imagine that her mentor was upset in some way. She said nothing, though, and just waited for celestia to finish. “It’s good to see you.”

Trixie smiled, but observed the basket more than Her Highness. “It’s… good to see you too. What’s that for?”

Celestia looked away, and simply replied, “I’d like it if today, instead of an actual assignment, we bonded a little… Follow me, please.”

Trixie did so, for this was nothing new. Celestia had developed a habit of explaining her plans for Trixie while they walked together. Sometimes they’d be headed to where they wanted to go, and sometimes they would just be wandering, but today, Trixie couldn’t tell if it was one or the other. “Umm…”

Celestia didn’t respond right away. Instead, she just kept this serious look about her, and just kept walking. It wasn’t until after they had left the palace, and entered the city that she finally spoke.

“We’re going outside the walls, by the way.”

Trixie paused her trot, but then quickly caught up to ask, “Outside the walls? Why?”

Blinking at her pupil, Celestia said, “Because there’s no grass within. How else are we going to have a picnic?”

The look on Trixie’s face told Celestia she still wasn’t following. “A what?”

Celestia asked curiously, “You’ve never had a picnic before?”

“No…”

“Huh,” Celestia huffed as they reached the nearest exiting gate. “I’ll be sure not to spoil the surprise, then...”

Outside the castle, they walked a good ways before Celestia finally found a spot for the two of them, Trixie still itching to know what a picnic was. When Celestia unfolded the hay sandwiches, though, Trixie suddenly remembered.

“Oh,” Trixie said with a gruff voice. “Trixie remembers now. Twilight tried to get Trixie to join her on one of these.”

Celestia curiously asked while laying out the checkered cloth, “Did you go to Twilight’s picnic?”

“No, actually… It was a little bit after Trixie was in possession of the alicorn amulet, you see… She was just visiting to see if the ponies there had warmed up to Trixie yet, which a lot of them hadn't. Trixie didn’t feel comfortable with going despite being invited, which she realizes now was ridiculous…” She looked around at the windy plane they rested on, and at the trees in the far off distance, and then the food.

“I’m sure you’ll get another chance…”

Trixie looked away while she was given something to eat. “Which kind of brings Trixie to a delicate request.”

Celestia blinked before taking a bite, and said, “Well, do proceed.”

Trixie nodded, took a bite of her sandwich as well, and then swallowed. “I’ve been invited to Ponyville by my friend, Starlight.” Celestia said nothing, and continued to eat. “She wants me to accompany her to… Our Town.”

Celestia just stared for a second, and asked after gulping down the bite she'd taken, “Our… Town…?”

“Yyyeah,” Trixie sighed, scratching the back of her neck. “It’s an unmarked, off the map village. Apparently, it’s literally called Our Town. Anyways, look, the point is… she needs my help. Starlight wants me to go with her if only for support, and besides, Trixie hasn’t seen her in a while...”

Celestia nodded. “Well, that actually brings me to a delicate subject. You see, trixie, I brought you here not to give you something to eat, but because… as far as performance tricks go, and anything else like that, I’m afraid I’ve nothing else to teach you.”

Trixie’s eyes grew wide. “Really?”

Celestia simply nodded, but mentioned, “You’ll always be my student, though, and you’ll always have a place here in the castle. It’s just…” The Princess shrugged, and admitted, “I haven’t hardly any more assignments for you as of late.”

Trixie looked down, a little shaken by all of this. “What’re you saying?”

“I’m saying that you’re no longer my new student. You’ve advanced so quickly with your shows, and everything in that regard that I almost can’t keep up. Surely you’ve noticed some of the lacking things I’ve been having you do, like mastering the fog spell without the use of your medallion. It’s because… I just need some time to find new things related to what you’re best at, Trixie. Until then, wouldn’t it benefit you to go see the world again, if only for a little bit?”

Trixie seemed to be calming back down, and raised her head. “Well, when you put it like that, Trixie supposes she could get away from Canterlot for a bit. And, she has noticed, actually. She just wishes she could just get better at actual magic.

Celestia frowned a little bit at that statement. “I’ve tried my best as far as that goes. For example, when you wanted to know how to turn that spoon into a teacup. It just… didn’t work out. It always came out mixed with whatever it was you were trying to transform in the first place.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Trixie said with a smirk. “Trixie will figure it out sooner or later. Maybe she’ll ask Starlight for help while she’s over there. Besides, Trixie misses antagonizing Twilight with her usual, boastful personality.”

Celestia giggled, and resumed her meal. She then commented, “I doesn’t make it any easier, though, knowing that I’ll be away from you for a while.”

“Trixie agrees… Of course, Trixie will write you letters to let you know that she’s safe. That is, if you want her to.”

“That would be nice, my n-” Princess Celestia stopped herself, and then corrected, “My Great and powerful Student.”

---

After they finished their picnic, Princess Celestia and Trixie returned to the castle. It didn’t take Trixie long to gather the belongings she wished to take along. The whole time, she just kept thinking about all her experiences under Celestia’s wing, and how far she'd come since the start of it all. She, too, was a little resistant on leaving. Upon coming to the front gate in order to meet with Celestia, Trixie voiced to her with worry, “Trixie’s about as ready for this as she’ll probably ever be.”

Druid Shield and the two Moon Dancers showed up as well to see her off. Celestia came up to Trixie, everypony else staying behind Her Highness. “I know this probably isn’t the departure from Canterlot you had imagined, but I know we’ll see each other again soon. This isn't the end.”

They hugged, and then Trixie went and got something from her Caravan. She came out shortly thereafter, and came up to her batpony guards with Dingo in her hooves. “Umm…”

Both Druid Shield and Moon Dancer looked at Trixie with a bit of discomfort. “Are you sure you wanna leave him with us?” Moon Dancer asked.

Trixie nodded after looking away, and then looked back at them to explain, “Trixie just doesn’t feel safe traveling with him anymore, and Trixie knows for a fact that he doesn’t like being cooped up inside the whole way, all the time… He’d be happier with you two, Trixie believes.”

Druid shield was the one to take the little guy from her, and assured Trixie, “We’ll see to it that no harm ever comes his way. He’ll be waiting here in Canterlot for your safe return.”

Trixie smiled graciously, and then hugged the two of them before returning to Celestia. “Well,” she said. “I guess this is it, then…”

Celestia breathed, and embraced Trixie one last time before allowing her to pass through the large gate. Before it closed behind her, however, with her on the other side of the threshold, Trixie turned around to look at Celestia one last time. She was walking towards the crease, and raising a hoof. Trixie did the same, and put it right where Celestia's hoof would've landed.

“Goodbye for now, Celestia.”

Just like that, it was over, but Trixie hadn’t the time to mourn over the ending of this chapter in her life. She had a friend in Ponyville who needed her help, and she was waiting patiently for Trixie's arrival.

Comments

[CanRock]

Two spelling mistakes:

she had already decided a while ago to only where Celestia's cape for special occasions

wear not where

and came up to her patpony guards with Dingo in her hooves

I do believe you meant batpony.

Thanks for coming back and posting for this story. I have been enjoying it and I am waiting for more.

[Traveling Soul]

This was a realy nice chapter and a clever way to keep the story cannon

[Art Inspired]

8142680 Fixed, thanks!

[EchoWing]

Another little thing you should edit...

The residence there had invited Starlight to the annual Sunset Festival, and she didn’t feel safe going alone.

The word "residence" refers to where someone lives. The word you meant was "residents".

[Art Inspired]

8143500 Fixed, thanks!

[Emperor]

Hah. Well, if you're tailoring the story to account for Season 6 finale canon and Season 7 canon, at the very least you should probably deviate from canon so Luna doesn't go straight to Starlight to warn her about Changelings but instead warns Trixie first.

[Darthvalgaav]

And I'm done