Breathing Exercises for Failed Performers

by ErraticOverlord

Breathe

Breathe.

In and out.

Concentrate.

Don't think.

Just breathe.

Don't worry about Twilight. Don't concern yourself with failure.

Breathe.

I clench my teeth. The illusion I created in front of me cracks and dissolves like drops of water, falling to the floor. For An instant, I see the illusion of a mare with light blue coat, silver mane, and blue eyes, piercing my soul with her magic.

They used to be my eyes.

It's funny what failure does to ponies. I could complain about my former success in show business, how my act swept my fame through Equestria high and low; but when I think about it, I can't bring myself to care.

A tear slides down my cheeks and hits the ground where the illusion was moments ago.

I don't care.

Right?

I just have to breathe.

I've never been great at some magics. I couldn't make a shield worth a damn, got a rash whenever I teleported, even nearly killed myself a few times trying to use fire magic, nothing worked. I just wasn't good at it.

I wasn't trying so hard because of my parents, they didn't care if I was anything from archmage to construction worker as long as I was happy.

I am happy.

Aren't I?

But there was one magic I found completely by accident. It was when I was looking through the very back shelves of my small town's library when I saw it: a book named Superficial Spells, Illusional Illnesses, and Sights with Sounds

If I saw it now, I might have laughed. But then, I didn't. I picked the book up, sat down right there on the dusty wooden floor and started reading.

The illusion magic described in the book fascinated me. None of the other magic required as much focus and determination to use than it, as their uses were better on the fly. I knew I had to master illusion magic.

I did master illusion magic.

The second illusion I was trying to make cracks and dissolves.

The hard part of illusion magic is that it requires my total focus, which means I can't think about failure.

I can't think about anything.

I close my eyes again.

"Who?"

I open them and turn around. Hanging off a tree branch in the Everfree outside the field I'm training in is an owl, watching me.

He tilts his head to the side. "Who?"

I turn away and close my eyes to concentrate again. I hear the owl flap his wings and feel him land on my back. I turn around to shoo him away but see a note tied with string on his leg. Unfurling it, I read the message inside.

Trixie Lulamoon,

I was very impressed by your show in Appleloosa, I must say.

As such, I'm pleased to offer you a chance at greatness.

I could try to persuade you by saying you could earn money beyond

your wildest dreams or you could become known for your skills all

around Equestria, but I already know I don't need to.

You'll be too tempted to find my identity to resist.

Meet me at the Grand Galloping Gala, tickets enclosed.

I'll know who you are.

Wear something nice.

Regards,

C.T.

The owl flaps away while I stand dumbfounded by the message.

C.T.?

What job?

Why the Grand Galloping Gala?

I can feel the questions flicker in and out in my mind as I search for the answers. From what I can gather, somepony with the initials C.T. saw my show in Appleloosa and liked it, so that pony hired me for a job at the Grand Galloping Gala. Fair enough so far, it's a performers dream. But there's too much wrong with the message for it to be just that. If I were hired for an official job, I'd have been contacted directly, not sent a message by owl and it would have outlined my job exactly. Besides that, there's this bit about finding the pony's identity. It's too shifty. Any normal pony would turn it down.

I wonder what I'll wear?

I laugh and trot away, eventually reaching the train station and taking the train on my way to Ponyville.

~***~

I trot around the Gala, at first with wonder and interest, then with boredom. I trot by the two ponies having a fight over what the mare wore, supposedly in silent whispers to each other. I trot by the Wonderbolts wearing stale smiles and itching wings like they'd rather be anywhere but here. I even trot by the dance hall, where a familiar looking pony tries futilely to start someone actually dancing.

After trotting around for almost two hours, I lean against the outside balcony railing and line up everything I know about the Gala in a neat row. Then I get bored again and just think of the Gala.

The Gala confuses me. It might be one thing if I were a pegasus, the Wonderbolts are here so I'd probably be overjoyed at my chance to see them. If I were a lover of classical music, I'd love to listen in the ballroom. If I were a socialite, I'd shake hooves with each of the Canterlot bigwigs. But I'm none of these things.

What's here for me?

As if in answer, I see a glittery blue dress in the corner of my eye. Turning, I see attached to the dress is an earth pony mare with a yellow coat and orange mane. She's beautiful, there's no denying that. Her mane is rolled up into a bun on the top of her head and her smile seems to flood the air in the open balcony.

'I wonder who she is', is the only thing I can think until I find myself right beside her and introducing myself. "The Great and Powerful Trixie would like to make your acquaintance."

She laughs. "Oh? And who would that be?"

Her voice warms the back of my neck. It has no edge, no sharpness or hardness, but a tenderness like it's hardly used except on special occasions.

I smile, trying to keep breathing. "I am the Great and Powerful Trixie."

If I thought I could have made a halfway convincing lightning bolt just then, I might have tried. Fortunately, my confidence in my abilities hasn't recovered much since Twilight humiliated me.

She makes a small curtsy. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Trixie. I'm Carrot Top, the not so great and powerful farmpony. So what brings you to this party? The Wonderbolts?"

Hang on. What am I going to say? I think 'mysterious note delivered by owl' sounds odd. Don't be odd.

"Business, actually. I'm a performer," I was a performer, "and I was invited by somepony who's considering hiring me."

As far as white lies go, this one isn't so bad. It's semi-plausible and almost all of it's true. I was a performer and I am here on business because somepony wants to hire me. Whether it's for a performance is left to doubt for now.

"Who is it? Maybe I know them."

Well, then there's that; I don't know who the pony is. I can't tell her the pony is 'C.T.' because that's suspicious.

Think of something, Trixie. Think of something. Don't freak out, just breathe. "City. His name is City Street." Brilliant.

She thinks for a minute. "Nope. Doesn't ring a bell. Too bad. I'm here on business as well."

Now that's suspicious.

"Business? What's yours?"

She started trotting forward, looking out into Canterlot and beyond. "Mine's with a pony named 'C.T.'; clearly not the same as that 'City' you're looking for."

I gulp. Right. Okay.

She laughs. "So I was right, then? Worth a shot, but I wasn't sure I was right."

I chuckle, embarrassed. "So do you know what the job is?"

She shakes her head. "No idea. No clue why they need a performer and a farmpony for it, either."

A beautiful farmpony and a failed performer walk into a gala; sounds like the beginning of a joke.

She unravels the bun she kept her mane in and lets it fall down and get caught in the breeze, turning to me. "Guess we'll have to wait and see."

I nod.

I wonder what the punchline is.

Author's Note:

Thank you for reading.

Comments

[Magenta Cat]

I'm kinda confused. where is this going?

[ErraticOverlord]

5800208 Into the game of C.T. and mouse.

The next chapter should introduce the job C.T. has for them, is that what you're wondering?

[Magenta Cat]

5800269
Okay, I'll bite. Have a track.

[ErraticOverlord]

5800949 Glad to have you on board.

[Zaphod]

Interesting. I was about 90% sure that Carrot Top would be C.T., but I suppose that would be fairly obvious offhand. Though it also seems like Trixie hasn't made that connection yet, so it might still turn out that way as Carrot puts on this little game. Either way, I'm anticipating the next chapter.

Have a good day.

[ErraticOverlord]

5804191 Whomever C.T. may be, I doubt they'd want to give up the game even if Trixie caught on. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Thank you for reading!

(Also, I assume the name is referring to the Beeblebrox, correct?)

[Frankie2]

When is this story set? Before or after 'Magic Duel'?