• Published 2nd Oct 2014
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Celestia's New Student - Art Inspired



Trixie becomes Celestia's new pupil.

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Three: Royal Reassurance

Celestia had justly returned from her day away from the palace. Inside her well kept, and most personal of secluded gardens, she walked along the bushes, trimming them as she saw fit with a quick whisk of her aura. The leaves and stems fell slowly, burning away into nothingness before hitting the ground. Along with many varying trees, the environment consisted of a miniature waterfall found in the center constructed by her best of landscaping professionals. Some shrubs lead the way for a rounding path, but for the most part, it was quite possibly the most basic found inside the royal establishment.

The day had ended a while ago, in fact, and night was upon her at this point. While Luna joined her sister from behind, she informed Celestia, “I have raised the moon. Aren’t you going to bed soon, sister?”

Celestia shook her head. “Not yet. I have some thinking to do. Perhaps you can help.”

Luna came up next to Celestia to walk along side her before they rounded the upcoming corner. “Doesn’t make much sense for you to remain awake, just because you wandered the streets today? No, something more must’ve happened. The trip out of these walls couldn’t have made you that restless, could it?”

Celestia simply continued to trot towards a nearby tree, and looked up at the moon before it became hidden by the many branches and leaves up above. “I saw somepony today who interested me.”

“Define interest,” Luna requested with a raised eyebrow.

“It was a mare, whose mane was pale white with rather noticeable light blue streaks. Her coat, brilliant azure. Her cutie mark symbolized performance, and not just a want, but a need for admiration.”

Luna continued to ask after sitting down under the oak tree along side her sibling, “And what, may I inquire, was so interesting about this pony?”

Celestia closed her eyes, and remarked, “Her dazzling ways… Yes, she fooled me, Luna. It was without question a feat I can hardly cope with. It… irritated me, even, how easily I hadn’t seen right through her simplest of tricks. Of course, I knew all along it wasn’t real. Her transforming into an alicorn for instance; one could easily conclude she was without a doubt, a fraud. Yet, I couldn’t tell what she’d done exactly.”

“That is, until she…”

“Yes, she told me her secrets humbly, which calmed me down. Had she refused to reveal what she’d done precisely, I would’ve been that much more on edge, but she brought me into her caravan. The prop wings were merely teleported onto her back while fog hid the action. It was so easy to pull off, that anypony could’ve done so. It’s not so much her fooling me that was impressive, though…”

Luna blinked. “Then why are you so caught up with this pony?”

Celestia took a deep breath, and finished, “She did so with the simplest of magic tricks. In fact, there was hardly any magical prowess within her, I think. I sensed very little capability, so I let my guard down, and thus, was thoroughly deceived by her… Trixie is her name, by the way.”

Luna looked away with little visible emotion. “Well, it’s over now. You’ll probably never see her again. That is, unless you go out into the city a second time. Listen, we have much preparing to do for the Gala, after all, along with much more to focus on.”

“I invited her to be my student.”

Luna looked back at Celestia, open mouthed, but trying not to seem all that surprised, she mumbled, “But… w-why? You said it herself, that she’s practically powerless.”

Celestia huffed, “It’s because… Sunset Shimmer was the same way, only much worse. I’ve told you about her, right?” Luna nodded, thinking back. “Gloating at every chance she got, but… just… immature with her magic. She learned well enough, but in the beginning, she was almost exactly like Trixie is, if only less respectable. She was, of course, unsharpened… Yet, her way of thinking and taking action was remarkable, just like Trixie. I sought to correct her ways, and failed miserably because of her attitude.”

“You wish to replace the unworthy student you once thought was deserving with another that has more of a chance at being just that… worthy of your teachings.” Luna breathed for a moment. “It’s hard for me to wrap my head around it, but what of Twilight Sparkle? How do you think she’ll take the news?”

Celestia answered, “She is no longer my student, and besides, even if she finds out, I’ll explain to her that teaching Trixie is in no way the same as how I taught her. She will always be my star pupil, but at the same time, I should be free to take in as many students as I like, special or schooled… Come now, it really is late. I think it’s time I headed off to bed for the evening. Watch over the land for me, please and thank you.”

Luna watched as Celestia continued down the road, wondering about the logic behind this development. “So confident in Trixie’s choice, too… These dreams I see say otherwise.”


Morning would come soon, and still, Celestia wrestled with her blankets. With one ear finally protruding through the covers, she rose with a yawn. Just like yesterday, she brought about the sun in a daze, but aimed a particularly powerful beam downwards at her bustling town. It made contact soon enough with the caravan found close to the front gates, and she watched through her telescope to see Trixie leave.

“Wait… Where is she going?” was Celestia’s first words to leave her lips that day.

It came to her as a surprise that Trixie was leaving. She watched with an open mouth, while Trixie got farther and farther away, until at last, she descended down that last hill. After witnessing that, she heard Luna explain from behind, “You frightened her deeply with your words…”

Celestia nearly jumped a little, and began to turn around to stare at Luna, but only needed to go half way, for she was already right beside her by then. “What do you mean?”

“In your own words, come to the palace prepared, and with as much vigor as you contained today whilst on stage, or simply don’t come at all…” Celestia couldn’t speak, for she was far too vexed to accept it. So, Luna resumed with a blank face, “She was having nightmares all last night, of being trapped in these stone walls, never performing for others ever again. She also didn’t like your rather… harsh approach. The offer was good, but telling her not to come at all if she chose to decline was… just…”

“Luna, I-”

“What were you thinking?” Luna asked with a concerned expression, cutting her older sibling off. “I could hardly believe you’d say such a thing to that young girl. She’s not Sunset Shimmer, you know. I can understand how she was, and how that would’ve motivated her, but Trixie needs a selective way of treatment. I can tell just by looking into her dreams, that what you said was the wrong choice of words. Just… if you’re going to take her under your wing, do so correctly. For now, I suggest you leave her be. Meet with her later on, when she’s much more relaxed.”

With that, Luna left without another word. As for Celestia, she began to comprehend the error of her ways, and left the room to quietly tend to what needed her attention at the time. After that, she would proceed to do her research, and investigate Trixie’s history. It was clear to her now, that in order for her to properly mentor a mare like that, she’d need to know much more in regards to what kind of pony she is inside, not outside.


Back at the resting area, where Twilight had just arrived, Trixie stood beyond the door. The moments in that timeframe seemed slower than usual, but sped up suddenly after Trixie heard Twilight ask again, “Trixie? Are you in there?”

She blinked, knowing good and well this was no hallucination. Princess Twilight was really, truly at her doorstep, and possibly wanting to come in. “One minute!”

Hastily, and without much more delay spent on contemplating the situation, Trixie rushed back to her table. Her aura snatched up a small, brown rag from the top drawer, and she began wiping away the single line leading from her eye to her chin while also getting that small drop on the counter cleared away, too. Then came the hair brush. Frantically stroking, she listened to Twilight wandering around just outside the window, and asking, “What’s going on in there? Are you alright?”

“Trixie is not ready for you yet! Please, give her time to… Err, freshen up!”

After getting her mane adjusted accordingly, and way less messy than it looked from the long walk she’d had thus far, she decided to add the finishing touches. A bottle of her best perfume wafted by, and a very tiny squirt was released from the nozzle onto her chest. She also went ahead and gave herself a blast of breath spray, and after tasting her lips for reassurance, Trixie silently remarked to herself, “Just in case…”

After making herself presentable, Trixie then came back to the entryway, only to blow a puff of air out of her system, and opened the door for Twilight. Below the stairs, the princess sat down looking up at the performer with curiosity in her eyes. She stood back up after seeing her, and smiled. “Hey, long time no see! What brings you all the way out here?”

Trixie gave her the best grin she could muster, but Twilight could already sense trouble. “I, uh… Trixie came to Canterlot to try and win over the crowd, but… it didn’t work out as she planned.”

“What?” Twilight asked with concern. “Can I come in?”

“S-sure you can… but, I’m just not all that thrilled due to my recent experiences.”

Twilight walked up and into the tiny establishment. She went ahead and looked around momentarily, too, furtively admiring all the things this place had to offer. “You mean… you weren’t successful with your act?”

Trixie breathed in heavily, and lied, “You got it. They hated Trixie there, and… proved to be a very tough audience. They saw through all of Trixie’s bestest of tricks, and even Dingo had a horrible time! He’s my dog.” Dingo burrowed himself out of Trixie’s blankets, but instead of introducing himself to Twilight, he quickly barked at Trixie in defiance, but just once, only to tell her that this was a bad idea. In time, she’d soon learn that he was right.

“Wow,” Twilight voiced. “I mean, it makes sense, with them being a bunch of unicorns and all, but still… So, umm, where do you plan to go now?”

Trixie looked away, and said, “Back to Las Pegasus. It’s really the only other place I can go to without receiving that much ridicule. What about you?” She looked back up with eyes full of realization. “Why are you all the way up here, on the road towards Canterlot?”

Twilight confessed, “Just on this simple, little errand run to get a few things I needed. It’s tedious, to come all the way up here, but Ponyville doesn’t exactly have what I need to make a flight serum. It’s to help me practice. Not to mention, Rainbow Dash said I should get some flight exercise in rather than just taking the train. I was right above you when I spotted the fire outside, and the second I realized it was your special stage-caravan, I immediately landed… with some difficulty.”

The unicorn nodded before looking at Twilight’s wings, and asked, “You merely wished to see Trixie then?”

“Well, it’d been long enough that I might as well check in on you, see how you’re doing. Do you still have that book I sent you?”

Trixie smiled while bringing the piece of literature out of a nearby drawer, and said, “It’s been of great use to Trixie, and doesn’t have a single fresh scratch on it! She’s kept it in pristine condition… or, as pristine as when Trixie first obtained it. Thanks again, Twilight.”

“No problem, but it must not’ve helped you much while you were in Canterlot, I guess.” She placed it back where it came from, but remained silent, and even began to look down at the floorboards. She was stopped, however, by Twilight grabbing hold of her. Trixie sat there in the middle of the room, feeling Twilight’s embrace, and heard her say, “I’m so sorry you had a bad time in Canterlot… but, if it’s okay, I was hoping you were going there instead, so that we might be able to… I don’t know, eat out for a change.”

Trixie was released, but not her hoof. Twilight still held on to that part of her for good measure. “But, Trixie is hated there now! She wouldn’t even make it through the front gates…”

“You’d be with me, though,” Twilight pressed on. “Every time we’ve met, it’s been under horrible circumstances! I just want to be acquainted with you through friendly means. Look, nopony would give you a hard time so long as I was by your side. It’ll just be a small date after all. I know of this fantastic restaurant we can go to!”

“But, Twilight…”

“Please, Trixie? Can’t we catch up a little, maybe over dinner. Just this once?”

At this point, Trixie knew she had been defeated by Twilight’s tempting persistence. Besides, how could she deny this chance to be with Twilight? Despite knowing good and well that she’d be found out to be lying for sure, Trixie hadn’t hardly any choice in the matter. Twilight wanted them to enjoy the evening’s dinner together, as friends, and Trixie could tell that she wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Oh… Okay, Twilight… Okay…”

“Yay!” Twilight pulled her out of the structure, and over to the side of the road, but was stopped by Trixie complaining, “What about my belongings? Dingo, too!”

“Not to worry,” Twilight countered. With a simple beam of purple light leaving her horn, a pink force field was brought up around the camping area. “As for Dingo, I doubt he’ll mind being along for a few hours. It’s not like you’re abandoning him or anything.” Twilight gave Trixie a toothy grin after stating this, and pulled her along.

“But, wait!” Trixie gulped. “We… have to walk all the way back now?”

Twilight sighed, but smiled. “Hold still…” Again, her horn began to glow its signature color, and just like that, they were teleported the rest of the way there. It was a different feeling for Trixie, to be shot so many miles away, and to suddenly see the gates again. It was as if she’d never left in the first place. “Happy?” Twilight asked.

Trixie didn’t speak, for she was unfortunately fixed on the stallion just up ahead of them, and the same could be said for the guard as well. He just stood there, perplexed at why she had come back, and with Twilight of all ponies, no less. “Do I really have to do this, Twilight?”

“It won’t be that bad, I promise.”

They soon came up to him, but he remained ever silent. So, Trixie decided to ask, “Hello again… C-can we come in?”

He looked from her to the princess, and nodded without much feeling showing. The door opened for them, and Twilight lead the way. Before joining with her, though, Trixie stared at him confusedly. “What’s your name?”

“Druid Shield, the post steed.”

“Thank you, Druid.”

She walked in after that, a bit frightened, but well aware that it was only a matter of time before her cover was blown. As she continued to follow Twilight, the two of them noticed how others reacted. Some stared, and most spoke in whispered tones to one another, but for the most part, everything stayed peaceful until they finally reached that restaurant Twilight had spoken of earlier. They walked through the glass door, and was met by a regular looking waiter.

“Welcome to the Monocerus. One or… Trixie?! Oh my gosh! I thought you’d left!”

“Hey,” Twilight defended immediately. “Leave her alone! She’s my friend, I’ll have you know!”

He just gasped even more. “What?! No way! Trixie, you continue to be one amazing pony! You know that?”

Trixie recognized him soon enough. He was the cat owner, who had her change his pet into a dog. “Oh, t-thank you…”

“Huh?” Twilight asked in confusion. “Wait, what’s going on?”

Trixie looked to Twilight with guilt in her eyes. “I’ll explain when we’re seated.”

“You’ll explain now,” Twilight demanded, but was cut off by the waiter. instructing them, “Ladies, this way, please. We’ve been slow tonight, so I have your seat ready in seclusion.”

Despite her lust for a thorough explanation then and there, Twilight merely shook her head, and followed him down the row that lead them from the bar to a singular table in the corner spacing. With them both seated, he then asked eagerly, “Can I… have your autograph?”

“Oh,” Twilight said while adjusting herself. “Why, sure you-”

“Trixie?”

The two mares stared at him, and then looked at one another. Twilight seemed insulted, but held her temper while Trixie timidly grabbed his shirt pocket pen with her magic, and signed a menu he’d presented. “There you go…”

He then offered it to Twilight, of course, and she signed as well. With a squeamish sigh of excitement, he left after giving them another set of lists depicting available dishes, but Twilight put her aside. So did Trixie, naturally, but if she could’ve, she would have fearfully hidden her face behind it for the whole event. “You aren’t hated in this town, are you?” Twilight investigated surprisingly calmly.

“No, I’m actually quite loved here,” Trixie responded.

“You lied to me, then…?”

“Trixie… I mean, I did, yes.”

Twilight brought her hooves up to her lips in thought. “Are you going to tell me why you lied to me?”

Trixie looked away, and asked, “Do I have to?”

Twilight banged the palms of her hooves on the table. “Trixie!”

“Alright, Twilight! I… was performing… when Celestia came walking out from behind the crowd.” This made Twilight return her hooves to her muzzle in concern. “She requested that I turned myself into an alicorn. You saw those wings in my room, right?”

“I did… Then what happened?”

Trixie’s eyes began to water due to depression. “She asked me to become her new student after the show was over.”

Twilight could only stare at the mare across from her, not wanting to believe the news. “You’re joking with me.”

Trixie shook her head morosely. “I wish I was, but no, I’m not. I didn’t want you to know, because I was scared you’d be mad at both me, and your mentor.”

It became really quiet after that, and all Twilight could do was think. She thought about this for a long time, and then said, “I’m not mad.” Trixie paid attention to the look Twilight gave her. “It’s hard to accept, but I’m just not her student anymore, and I know she’s not replacing me in any way either. I’ll always be like a sister to her now, if anything, and I know this all too well, but still… I guess I’d like to know most by now, why you were leaving.”

Trixie blinked. “You wouldn’t mind if I was to become her student?”

“I intend on discussing this with Celestia later on down the road, maybe,” Twilight confessed. “For now, though, I’d like to know what’s holding you back.”

Trixie nodded, unsure of how to put this, but explained bluntly, “I’m just scared.” She repeated herself again, “I’m scared, Twilight.”

“Of what?”

“Practically everything imaginable! I can see myself being confined to my quarters, reading books I don’t even like, and just… not being able to do what I want at all. It’d be studying, all the time, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t it, Twilight?”

“No, no,” Twilight argued. “What could’ve given you that idea? Celestia only taught me that way because that’s how I learned best! You? Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if she had you spending most of your days outside the palace more than inside! Look, you’ve overthought this, obviously. Before coming to a conclusion so abruptly, why don’t you talk with Celestia more in detail about this? About what exactly you’d be learning from her? It’s clear you haven’t been walked through what she intends to do yet.”

“But, she said that if I didn’t want to be taught, then I shouldn’t come to the palace at all! How was I to react to that?”

Twilight pondered this for a second, and then said hopefully, “It sounds like that was intended to motivate you if anything through reverse psychology, perhaps. It backfired, though… Your first impression must’ve been a good one for her to be so uptight. Nevertheless, I say we should go together. That way, there’s no negativity between the three of us, but it’s up to you. I won’t force you to do anything if you’re really, seriously against all this.”

It took her a minute to consider the possibilities, but eventually, Trixie came to understand that Twilight was right. She didn’t know what was to come, and had already known for a time that she was being a bit naive, so she gave in to Twilight’s suggestions by saying, “Okay… You win, but only if you’re there with me when I decide.”

Twilight presented her hoof and grabbed hold of Trixie’s before stating, “I promise, you won’t regret it.”

They wouldn’t even bother with ordering their meals that evening, and instead left then and there to head towards the palace. Before leaving, though, Trixie thanked the waiter for his unintentional assistance. It wouldn’t take them long to reach their destination, but with nervousness settling in, Trixie felt like it had taken hours just to reach the courtyard clearing. Now all she had to do was put her trust in Twilight, and have faith that Princess Celestia wouldn’t be as disciplinary as she appeared to be in her nightmares.