Festival

by Silverquill

Day 4: Phobias and Partnerships

Trixie took a bite from her second muffin, washing it down with some fresh apple juice. In hindsight, stopping at a late night café and buying a meal-to-go on her way home last night was a wise decision, allowing her to stay home and enjoy her breakfast in peace back at her apartment. Trixie yawned; though she could have slept in more than yesterday, she decided it couldn’t hurt to shower and eat before her new friends came to pick her up.

Let’s see… Trixie got up around nine, showered for a good half hour, and took her time with breakfast, she calculated. Should be about time for Trixie to get ready to leave; no doubt they’ll be here any moment. Tossing the remains of her meal in the trash, she stepped out of the kitchen and into her living room.

“Good morning, sleepyhead!”

Trixie let out a shriek, walking right into Pinkie Pie outside her kitchen. “How’d you get in?” she breathed, “Trixie had the door locked!”

“No, it wasn’t,” Pinkie Pie assured. Trixie walked past her and tried the front door, seeing that it definitely was still locked. “ANNNNNYWAAAAAY,” Pinkie said, quickly changing the subject, “How was your morning?”

“Um… until this point, fine. Now, it’s just getting weird.”

“You’re so silly, Trixie! Oh yeah, Twilight’s waiting for us outside. Ready to go to the fairgrounds? Today’s gonna be a blast!”

“Uh…” Trixie decided to let the invasion slide. “Yes, Trixie’s ready. Lead the way.”

“Okie dokie! Let’s go!” Pinkie bounced to the front door, throwing it wide and hopping out into the hallway. Trixie followed, finding a confused Twilight out in the hall.

“How’d you get in there Pinkie?” Twilight questioned, “I turned my back for one second and you were missing. Wasn’t her door locked?”

“Less talkie, more walkie!” Pinkie Pie replied, bouncing towards the stairwell. Twilight and Trixie glanced at each other, shrugging. Trixie closed her door, testing to make sure it was locked firmly, and the two unicorns trotted to catch up with their bubbly friend.

---

“No fair! You cheated!”

“Did not!” Pinkie Pie countered Trixie’s accusation, picking out a massive blue dog plushie from the top row on the carnival game she’d won.

“Trixie saw you! You were supposed to shoot the target with a water pistol, not douse it with a fire hose!”

“There’s nothing in the rules against it! Isn’t that right, Blooey-wooey?” Pinkie Pie cooed to the stuffed toy she’d been handed. She nuzzled it for a moment before tossing it behind her, the toy landing on top of a wagon filled past capacity with similar stuffed animals.

Twilight giggled. “If you’re going to complain, Trixie, maybe you should stop challenging Pinkie Pie to all these games? Celestia forbid Mount Fluff climbs any higher.”

“Trixie didn’t see you this calm when Pinkie whooped your flank at the balloon popping game,” Trixie retorted.

“Quiet, you! The wind blew my darts away!”

Pinkie laughed at her friend’s antics, grabbing her wagon by its handle. “Who cares, we’re having fun! C’monc’monc’mon, what’re we gonna do next?”

Twilight eyed the sky-high pile of toys again. “Maaaybe we’ve played enough games for today. How about some rides?”

“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie agreed. “You two pick the funnest ride you can find, I’m going to drop these off! Be right back.” With that, Pinkie reached into the mountain of toys, pulling out a train conductor’s cap. Plopping it on her head, she gave out a shrill whistle before charging off into the crowd with her loot. Twilight and Trixie watched as the crowd dived out of the way, bright-eyed fillies and colts snagging any toys that happened to fall off the wagon.

“Quite a friend you have there,” Trixie commented.

Twilight chuckled. “You’re telling me. But she’s funny, she wants to make sure everypony has a smile on their face… and she does throw some of the best parties I’ve ever seen.”

“And how many HAVE you been to, exactly? Besides hers,” Trixie teased.

Twilight’s face went slightly crimson. “Well… I did go to the gala, that one time… and… uh… there was that time I… no, that was just a sleepover… uh, do my birthday parties count?”

Trixie cackled, having a laugh at her friend’s expense. Twilight’s face went a deeper shade of red as she walked past the laughing unicorn. “Moving on! I see some rides over here, let’s go!”

Trixie stopped laughing and nodded, the two of them setting off into the crowd. Trixie looked around her at all the sights; food stands littered her surroundings, peddling all kinds of sugary treats- which Pinkie had made sure to indulge in. They were surrounded by carnival game booths, where ponies young and old performed various fun challenges for prizes. Off in the distance sat some of the rides; the closest was a glimmering red ferris wheel, flanked by white and black carriages adorned with sun and moon patterns, respectively. Off in the distance sat the Speeding Stallion, the carnival’s number one roller coaster. And that was just the beginning, with dozens more rides decorating the city around them.

Trixie had to admit, she wondered why she didn’t have any intention of coming a couple days back. She had expected a bunch of uncouth slobs going wild in the streets, but had instead found a pretty fun place to spend the day… and her new friends were definitely helping that.

“See anything interesting?” Twilight asked, breaking Trixie out of her thoughts. Trixie glanced around, scouting out any rides that appealed to her.

“Hmmm… how about…”

“That!” Trixie paused when Pinkie Pie reappeared, leaping out from between the two unicorns. Twilight and Trixie looked where she was pointing; the ferris wheel Trixie had noted earlier loomed over their heads, the sun branching through its inner workings. “Not only will it be fun, we can see where else to go!”

“Well… why not,” Trixie agreed. “Twilight?” She turned to the mare. “Huh?”

Twilight’s ears were folded down, her eyes wide as she looked up at the towering structure of the ferris wheel. “S-so Pinkie, how’d you get back so fast?” She stammered, clearly trying to change the subject.

“Huh? I walked, silly filly! Duh!” Pinkie replied- though neither pony believed her. “Now what about the ferris wheel? C’mon! They’re so exciting! The way you go up, and you can fall any second, but you don’t, and you can see forever!” Pinkie Pie said, waving her arms around for emphasis.

At the word ‘fall’, Twilight seemed to blank out a little more. “H-how about… um… t-the bumper boats? O-or the haunted b-boutique?”

Pinkie Pie laughed. “Oh, you’re so silly, Twilight! C’mon, let’s go!” Ignoring her protests, the pink pony began bouncing to get into the line for the ferris wheel.

Trixie shot Twilight a look. “Are you okay?”

“F-fine! Never better!” Twilight’s eyes shot around nervously.

“…Okay then. Shall we go? Pinkie‘s saving a spot in line for us.” Trixie pointed out their pink friend, bouncing up and down in line as the ponies near her eyed her curiously.

“S-sure.” Twilight paused and gulped, shaking her head quickly. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward and got into line next to Pinkie. Trixie shrugged and joined the two ponies.

Time passed and the trio got closer and closer to the front, Pinkie never stopping her bouncing back and forth. Meanwhile, Trixie kept an eye on Twilight; the unicorn looked anything but fine as she constantly kept her eyes on the ferris wheel, her body occasionally giving off a nervous twitch.

The three ponies eventually made their way to the front, a teenage mare in a candy-striped vest blocking their path forward as she allowed ponies to go ahead in groups of twos and threes. Pinkie Pie was the first to reach the mare, stepping up to the ride worker.

“How many?” The mare asked, half-mindedly tugging at the band holding her mane together.

“Lemme count…” Pinkie muttered, “One… two… oh, and the pony behind you.”

“Huh?” The ride manager looked over her shoulder curiously, turning back to see that the pink pony in front of her had mysteriously disappeared. “Wha?” She glanced around curiously before shrugging and pushing a few switches, making the next carriage come down. Pinkie Pie peered over the edge of one of the carriages, waving at her friends as she began her ascent in her own personal compartment.

Trixie chuckled at the pink mare‘s antics. She glanced at Twilight when she noticed her companion was being awfully silent; Twilight was backing away slowly, inch by inch.

“Are you sure you want to ride?” Trixie asked. Twilight looked up in surprise, nodding enthusiastically. “REALLY sure?”

“O-of c-course! L-let’s g-go!” Twilight strode forward through the ferris wheel’s turnstile, Trixie following her as the ride manager let them pass. They reached the carriage and Twilight put a hoof in, her leg starting to shake as the carriage rocked from the touch. Trixie sighed and pushed Twilight forward gently, the unicorn stepping up into the compartment. Trixie followed in after her, closing the door behind them.

Each pony took a seat on one side of the carriage, the two-person benches allowing them plenty of elbow room. Trixie idly tapped a hoof on her seat, watching as her companion nervously glanced around. Moments later, their carriage lurched, making Twilight squeak in surprise. Trixie glanced out the window and watched as the ground started to fall away beneath them, the carriage rising higher and higher.

Trixie looked around them, the fairgrounds expanding as far as her eyes could see. The ponies that crowded the streets grew smaller and smaller, as did the rides she noticed. It was almost as if she could reach out and pick up the rides in her hooves. Past the fairgrounds she saw the rooftops of Canterlot’s buildings, and if she squinted really hard, Trixie swore she could see Pegasus Plaza’s towering apartments.

Trixie gave a contended sigh, enjoying the peaceful view. It didn’t last; the serene environment was invaded by some low whimpering. Trixie glanced to Twilight, and she gasped in surprised. “Twilight! What’s wrong?”

“H-huh?” Twilight was glancing down at the floor, holding her arms over her head. She raised her head at the sound of Trixie’s voice, shooting a quick glance out the window. Twilight shrieked, beginning to wave her arms.

“Whoa! Calm down! What’s wrong?!” Trixie shouted.

“H-HEIGHTS!”

“What?”

“D-DEATHLY A-AFRAID OF H-HEIGHTS!”

Trixie blinked, trying to process the information. “You FOAL! Why didn’t you just say so?!”

“I d-don’t know!’ Twilight shouted, clinging tightly to the carriage’s side.

“But that’s impossible! You said you‘ve ridden in a hot air balloon! You’ve been taken across the land on Celestia’s flying chariot! You’ve been to CLOUDSDALE, for Celestia’s sake!” Trixie began to worry as well, as Twilight’s fumbling about made the carriage begin to rock.

“My m-magic kept me s-safe in Cloudsdale! The g-guards that drive the c-chariot are professionals! And the b-balloon…” Twilight shrieked as a haphazard shake of the carriage made her interrupt her sentence.

Trixie groaned; the carriage was beginning to rock more and more as Twilight clung to anything within reach. “Settle down, you’re going to make the carriage unhinge itself!” Trixie groaned and raised a hoof to her face as the statement served only to make Twilight panic even further.

Think, Trixie, think, Trixie ordered herself. And fast! Trixie glanced again at Twilight, and a distant memory stirred within her. An image filled her mind; it was her, as a little filly, laying down on a hill on a starry summer night. She’d had a terrible day; she think she recalled being given some horrible news. As she sniffled and thought, a pony had snuck up behind her. She recalled a blue hoof wrapping itself around her, a comforting- yet weary -smile looking down upon her. Trixie’s bad spirits had lifted, if only temporarily, as she glanced up into the pony’s eyes and whispered, ‘mama?’

Trixie shook her head quickly, destroying the thought. Well, it’s a stretch… Trixie thought. She glanced at her panicking friend once again. …but it’ll have to do.

---

Twilight continued her hysteria, currently kicking at the floor and clinging to the carriage’s seat. She was too busy panicking to notice her companion leave her seat and took the spot next to her, too afraid to notice the arm wrapping itself around her back, but not afraid enough to feel someone gently take her hoof in their own. Huh?

“Listen carefully, Twilight,” Trixie said, her voice in her ear. “Look at the floor, and nothing but the floor. Trixie’s here. Stay calm. Take deep breaths. I‘ll tell you when to look up.”

Twilight did as she was told, taking in breath after breath as she stared at the floor. Her nerves loosened, her mind refocused, and the fear began to ebb away as Trixie‘s embrace comforted her. Soon enough, the fact that she was up in the air sank away from her mind. She sighed, giving Trixie’s hoof a tight squeeze.

---

The carriage slowly began to lower itself to the ground. Once they hit the lowest possible point, Trixie cleared her throat. “You can look up now.”

Twilight cautiously peeked up, making sure they were definitely back on the ground. She let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Trixie… I‘m sorry I didn‘t just warn you.”

“It’s fine. But answer Trixie this, how could you be so afraid of heights when you’ve been to so many high places?”

Twilight looked lost in thought. “I’d have to say, I’ve always been a little uneasy around high places… but what really did it was when I came to Ponyville. Not long after moving there, I almost fell to my death off a cliff in the Everfree Forest… and not long after, a Hydra chased me into a fall down a chasm, and I survived through pure luck. Since then… I can’t stand anyplace high that isn’t completely safe. Well…” Twilight tapped her chin. “Except for this one time where we were on a high speed chase through the clouds… I know I was up in the sky… but I wasn’t afraid. I suppose I was too focused on catching a runaway friend to pay attention to the predicament.” She smirked. “And I suppose having Fluttershy around to save me if I fell helped a little, too.”

Trixie sighed. “You’re a foolish, foolish pony for not just letting Trixie or Pinkie know. We could have just waited for Pinkie Pie to finish her ride alone.” As Trixie finished talking, a pink head appeared in the window.

“Helllloooo! Ride’s over, sillies! Time to go!” Pinkie Pie announced. She looked downward and giggled. “Did I miss anything?”

Trixie and Twilight looked down, seeing that their hooves were still locked together tightly. They quickly released their grips, blushing furiously. Pinkie giggled again, opening the door for the pair to exit. Twilight quickly bolted out first, looking relieved to be back on solid ground.

“Sooooo, what was up with that?” Pinkie questioned, grinning.

“It was nothing,” Trixie assured her, another blush rising. “But as a forewarning, Twilight shouldn’t be going on any roller coasters anytime soon.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. “Agreed. Dinner time should be soon, and we’re supposed to meet the others in town for that. Maybe we could just play more games until it’s time to go?”

“Okie dokie!” Pinkie Pie agreed. The trio stepped out of the ferris wheel area, exiting back out onto the fairgrounds. “Just let me go get my wagon again.”

---

“…so I gave the unicorn the mask, like he asked for, and he tried to put it on right then and there. Somehow, he managed to impale it on his horn, and asked me ‘how does it look’. I offered to give the poor dear a replacement, but he just said thanks and trotted away. Customers these days…” Rarity chuckled.

Trixie laughed at Rarity’s story, along with the other ponies- and one dragon -that sat at the table with her. The giggling ceased after a moment, and Trixie absent-mindedly twirled a strand of pasta around the fork she was levitating. She brought it to her mouth and ate, enjoying the buttery taste of the restaurant’s wheat spaghetti. She set the fork aside as Applejack spoke up.

“That ain’t nearly as bad as the mare who tried ta get me to let her take a bite outta one of mah apples before she would consider buyin’ something. Ah swear, these Canterlot ponies are crazy.” More laughter. “Speakin’ of apples, where’d ya find this restaurant, Rarity? This fancy apple-dish is tha best! Well, next ta somethin’ Granny Smith would make.”

“Well…” Rarity replied, “It was Twilight who pointed it out, actually. She’s much more familiar with the city than I, more than I’m willing to admit,” she said with a smirk.

“Well, when you live somewhere for awhile, you tend to keep track of the better places to eat.” Twilight took a sip of her drink. “But enough about me,” she said as she turned to Trixie. “It’s about time for your show, what’s the Great and Powerful Trixie going to do to wow us tonight?” Twilight asked, teasingly stressing Trixie’s title.

Trixie rubbed her head. “Actually, Trixie’s been wondering too. She has tonight’s act already planned out, but she wants something to make future performances shine…”

“Ooo! Ooo!” Pinkie cried out, flailing her arms over the table. “Pick me! Pick me!”

“Urm…” Trixie said, “It wasn’t exactly a question, but yes, what is it?”

Pinkie smiled, before lifting an arm and pointing at Twilight. “Let her do the show with you! It’s already great with just you, now imagine it with TWO performers! Two times the sparkles! And not just Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight leaned back, shaking her head furiously. “No, no, I couldn’t possibly…”

“Trixie likes that idea.”

“Huh?” Twilight shot the blue unicorn a curious look.

“It’s not a bad suggestion,” Trixie commented. “It would definitely make the shows even more spectacular, to have an extra hoof onstage.”

“Hold on now," Rainbow Dash protested. “What if it’s just a trick? Trixie could make a foal of you onstage, and pass it off as part of an act!”

“Trixie would never!” Trixie retorted, glaring at the pegasus.

“Well I, for one,” Rarity interrupted, “think it’s a marvelous idea! Twilight gets some stage time, Trixie gets some assistance… and you simply must let me make you an assistant’s outfit, Twilight! My booth would flourish with the advertising I‘d get from ponies seeing your ensemble.”

“But…” Twilight muttered weakly. Applejack spoke up, drowning out her protest.

“Well sugahcube, it’s up ta you, and don’tcha forget it.” Applejack nodded towards Twilight.

Twilight looked back and forth nervously. “But… I… uh… alright.” The ponies all leaned in to hear her decision. “I’ll do it.”

Pinkie cheered, Rarity and Trixie smiling at the unicorn. Applejack nodded approvingly, with Rainbow Dash crossing her arms, and Fluttershy giving the pegasus a concerned look. “Excellent, darling!” Rarity praised. “I’ll get started on the outfit right away!”

Twilight smiled nervously, looking like she hoped she’d made the right choice. Somepony tapped her on the shoulder and she glanced to see who; Trixie looked down on her, smirking.

“Well then, assistant, it’s almost showtime.” Trixie motioned for the unicorn to stand up. “Let’s go; after the performance, I’ll show you around the backstage, and then we can work out how to work you into next night’s show.”

Twilight got to her feet, everypony at the table getting up as well. Their meal finished, they paid their check and made their way outside. The group split up from there; Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Spike headed one way, while the rest made their way in the direction of the stage.

---

Trixie finished the show off with a bang, sending out a massive barrage of fireworks. They spiraled through the sky before bursting in unison, forming a glowing yellow and white sun. The crowd gasped in awe before the applause came; Trixie thanked them for watching and stepped offstage.

She put away any leftover props before exiting, stepping out back onto the streets of Canterlot. Outside the door, she spotted her friends trotting up to meet her; Twilight was first, Pinkie Pie and Rarity following soon after.

“How was it?” Trixie asked.

“As great as always,” Twilight commented, the other two mares agreeing.

“Well then, assistant,” Trixie teased, emphasizing the ‘assistant’, “Ready for the grand tour?”

Twilight turned to her friends, who nodded to her. “See you later, girls,” Twilight told them. Her friends bid her goodbye, Rarity once again promising to get her stage outfit done, and they took their leave. Trixie strode back to the door and opened it, moving aside to make room for Twilight to enter. Twilight, however, didn’t move forward yet.

“Trixie… are you sure I should be in the show?” She questioned. Trixie thought for a moment, then nodded.

“It’s just the gimmick Trixie needed to make the next show even better than before. Besides, if you’re a flop, then you just make Trixie look that much better.” Trixie smirked.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “You’re a jerk sometimes, you know that?” Trixie chuckled, letting Twilight walk past her into the backstage. She let the door close behind them, and Twilight’s official tour began.

---

Trixie thought hard, tapping the pencil she was levitating against her paper. “Well, Twilight, after the third fireworks pattern, Trixie thinks you should head stage right and retrieve some extra star powder; that stuff really adds some flair to the tricks.” A gentle snore broke the silence, causing Trixie to take her eyes off her sketches. “Twilight?”

She looked around her hotel room, her eyes settling on the figure on her couch. There Twilight laid, her eyes closed shut, breathing slowly. Trixie chuckled at the sight of the sleeping mare. “Ah, performance planning too exhausting for you?” Trixie teased. Twilight replied by rolling over. “Well… Trixie supposes we’ve planned enough for one day.” She stood up, setting her sketches and pencil aside.

After a quick tour of the backstage, Twilight and Trixie had gone back to Trixie’s hotel. There they’d spent the next several hours, trying their best to create a performance that wouldn’t end with one of them setting the other on fire. They’d made a lot of progress, but Trixie knew they’d have to spend some time finishing tomorrow; a performance starring one pony was easy to plan out, but one starring two took a bit more work.

Trixie started to trot down the hall to her bedroom, when she paused. Shooting a look at the sleeping pony on her couch, she ducked into her room fast, returning quickly with a blanket levitating in front of her.

She draped the blanket over the sleeping unicorn, switching the lights off afterwards. She glanced at Twilight, watching the blanket rise and fall with the mare’s breathing. She looks… cute, Trixie realized, watching Twilight nuzzle deeper into the covers.

Trixie shook her head. Where’d that thought come from? Must be the late hours talking. Making sure the front door was firmly locked one last time, Trixie headed to her bedroom, climbing under the covers of her own bed. Moments later, Trixie was joining Twilight in dream land.

Comments

[Silverquill]

Chapter four, good to go!

I'm gonna be perfectly honest... I didn't really like how this chapter turned out. By all means, feel free to tear it apart, everypony, so long as it's constructive.

[ManestreamMMR]

The pacing was good, and the foreshadowing is... nice to say the least, BUT, the emphasis on Trixie's relation with the others feels logical and well constructed; Pinkie is always relevant

I applaud that.

Trixie is best jerk? Uh, you did Pinkie perfectly? No, wait, that's also a compliment. I can't think of anything but compliments!

60630 Don't beat your work up. The way you used scenes from the episodes to described her phobia was genius. It was so good my writers block is gone, so I can work on my fic more.

Question. Did you cut Twilight's counter with the heights short because you couldn't think of why she wouldn't be scared in her balloon? Look forward to more, and don't beat your work up.

[Silverquill]

60773

To be honest, the balloon was the hardest to explain. I cut it off not because I couldn't figure it out, but because I didn't think it needed to be repeated (since in the explanation paragraph, she talks about how she managed to face her fear in that one Return of Harmony episode). Plus, the text block needed some more action. Glad to hear your block is gone though; get out there and make a masterpiece!

Anyway, I'm glad y'all enjoy it so far. I'm still not overly satisfied with it, but if you all like it... then it can't be all that bad. I might take a look at it again later, but for now, I'm satisfied that you're all satisfied. Thanks again for readin', and see you again in a couple days for part five!

[Clouded Mind]

I'm liking this story. Eagerly awaiting the next update.

[Tailslover13]

Loved it, as always. Really liked how Twilight's fear of heights was explained; it made logical sense, too. Pinkie is annoying, as always, but she works perfectly with the two unicorns; she keeps them "honest". Don't ask what that means...I don't really know myself. I saw only one or two errors, such as you forgetting quotation marks on one of Rainbow Dash's dialogues, but no big deal. The ending was cute, and (to me) seemed like some foreshadowing; that's always fun! Great job, and stop dissing your own stories; why must good writers always do that? Seriously, stop! It's wonderful and you know it!

[Silverquill]

60907

I guess I was mostly just afraid people wouldn't like me giving a main character a phobia But could you possibly point out any errors in a message? If I know where to look, I can have them fixed straight away.

[FredMSloniker]

I probably would have used a different explanation for the fear of heights thing, based on my own experience with the fear. In me, it's a fear of falling. I can look out the window of a 72-floor skyscraper without fear, but climbing a stepladder makes me nervous. Most relevantly, airplanes only bother me when they're taking off or landing; when they're at altitude, the landscape doesn't look real, it just looks like some model being slowly winched past the window. So Twilight's problem might be that she's too close to the ground in a Ferris wheel (and can thus imagine herself going splat), while in a balloon her brain isn't able to comprehend just how high she is (so once she gets over the liftoff, she's okay). And even if looking down from Cloudsdale made her nervous, as long as she's not too near any edges, she'd be fine...

[Adzainy]

Foreshadowing? Check.
Easy to picture? Check.
Making sense with little mistakes? Check. (Totally agreeing with every other comment)
Amazing story that makes me wish the full thing was out? Yesplis

[Tome]

Awesome can't wait for more

[Silverquill]

Chapter might be a bit late today. Having trouble getting it pre-read... shouldn't be much longer.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Pinkie... annoying, but otherwise cute.