Only You

by Art Inspired

Part Two: Make The Darkness Bright

The very next day had arrived, and Trixie was hard at work making herself plenty of bits all over again. The whole afternoon had been almost perfect, too, save for just one, small cloud that could just barely be seen floating way up in the sky.

"Thank you, thank you," Trixie cheered, happy that not a single pony had challenged her this entire time. "Trixie greatly appreciates the attention! Thank you, all of you, once again! Now, she must retreat for a few minutes. Trixie has become quite parched from completing so many feats of amazement, and simply requires a small break."

She was soon leaving the setup, but she wasn't necessarily headed backstage within her wagon right away. Sure, Trixie had said back there that she required something to drink, but actually, she had just spotted Twilight passing by, and wanted merely to ask her something. "Twilight! Wait for Trixie, please."

"Oh, no," Twilight said to herself silently. "Try and stay calm about yesterday. It never happened..."

"Ah, Twilight! Thank you so much for waiting up. Trixie was wondering, why doesn't she see you more often amongst her audience members?"

Twilight felt sweat start to form on the back of her neck. The more Trixie talked, the more Twilight thought back on last night, and how Trixie had been whispering sweet nothings into that mirror of hers nonstop.

"What Trixie means to say is, you're more than welcome to watch her perform if you've got the time, if you'd like. She hardly ever sees you, so... uhh, if you think that you have to make donations, or something silly like that, you don't! Trixie would just... like to see you in the audience these days. When was the last time Trixie had spotted you out? She thinks it might've been right before she went on that trip with Starlight."

Twilight had barely been listening. "Huh?" She stared at Trixie with sheer bewilderment. "Oh, y-yeah, sure thing! I'll consider it."

Trixie smiled even more, and said, "That's great! Trixie will look forward to seeing you later on, then?"

"Seeing me? Where?!"

Trixie just stared at Twilight with a frown. "Uhh..."

"Err... I'm sorry, Trixie. I've, uh... been distracted lately." She smiled sheepishly, and began backing away.

"Distracted?" Trixie asked.

"Yep, with lots of studying."

Trixie smiled kindly, and questioned Twilight forwardly. "Oh? What're you studying nowadays? Time travel? Parallel universes?"

Twilight choked at that point. What left her lips would nearly give herself away. "It's, umm... It's nothing like that! I'm studying... more normal stuff, like... a way to make a mare's mane more fluffy! Yep, stuff like that."

Trixie's smile once again went away. "What?"

"It's for Rarity," Twilight said, allowing the lie to grow that much more, not even necessarily realizing just yet what she was actually doing. It wasn't until Trixie uttered her next words that Twilight would finally stop quite literally giving herself away. "She's been asking me to look into it for her, and I've just been putting it off for a long time now, so I decided-"

"Fluffy?" Trixie asked, shutting Twilight's blabbering mouth up rather effectively. "Is... that the word you just used to describe it?"

Twilight smiled with possibly the worse pokerface anypony had ever seen her dare to wear. How she managed to pull it off was a mystery even to herself. "Y-yeah...! Fluffy... hehe..."

Trixie blinked, and almost seemed ready to call Twilight out on her fib. However, she didn't, and simply brought back her smile while glancing away. "Huh... Probably just a coincidence, Trixie hopes."

Twilight asked sounding just about as dumbfounded as she could, "What was that?"

"Oh, nothing!" Trixie rolled her eyes, and said, "Anyways, just... The point Trixie was trying to make here is, please... Don't be a stranger, Twilight." All things considered, this much broke through. "We hardly ever speak to one another, and you've never really invite Trixie to the castle for anything. There was the time where she was being rewarded for saving everypony from Chrysalis, but that's all she can really recall. Anytime I'm over there hanging out with Starlight doesn't really count, either, by the way. Okay?"

Twilight raised her eyebrows that much more. "Oh, okay?"

"Maybe you haven't realized this, Twilight, but Trixie would..." She gulped. "She'd invite you out to lunch, or something, but... Trixie doubts you'd have time for her, so she also understands why she never sees you at her performances... especially now that you're a Princess, and everything. Still, try to find some extra time, huh?"

Twilight didn't say anything. She just stood there, staring blankly like a fool. "You... what?"

"Anyways," Trixie said, hoofing nervously with a blush. "Trixie's clearly said enough. See you around, Twilight!"

Trixie started galloping off, leaving Twilight to think about what had just happened. All alone, she reasoned with herself, "Just a little while earlier, except for Starlight Glimmer, I had thought that Trixie didn't even hardly like anypony but herself. If that were true, then why was she just now telling me about how she wouldn't mind going with me out on a date? And why me of all ponies?!"

Every once in a while, as she slowly made her way back to the castle, Twilight would scratch the back of that big, brainy egghead of hers. Even despite what Starlight had said to her the previous night, she'd still not be able to figure this one out. She asked aloud just before coming up to the doors, "She hasn't been invited to the castle by me, like... hardly at all? Why didn't I notice? I suppose I wouldn't really mind going out on a date with Trixie, or anything... She just completely caught me off guard back there, especially considering what happened last night. Ugh!"

Just before she opened the door, she would ask herself, "Should I even do anything at all?"

The answer would end up being a definite yes. After realizing that she had been lying to Trixie the whole time, Twilight would know exactly what she would have to do. Although, telling Trixie the truth that night was still going to be extremely difficult for her.

---

The moon was now shining upon Princess Twilight. She walked up to the wagon nervously, and could hear Trixie within talking to herself. So, she came up to the door, and prepared herself for what was about to happen next. With her hoof raised, she waited.

Inside, Trixie was quite busy with staring at herself, and caressing her reflection while softly singing to it, "Only you... can make this world seem-"

Twilight had started knocking, and cut off the rest of Trixie's song. Trixie gasped tensely, but nevertheless, she got up to go see who it was. "H-hello? Who could possibly be out there, if Trixie might ask?"

"It's Twilight. I've come to talk."

Trixie opened the door ever so slightly, and blocked most of the contents of her home as best she could. "Oh, hehe... Twilight! What a nice surprise. Trixie isn't exactly prepared, so if you'll just give her but five seconds-"

"Actually, Trixie," Twilight said, cutting her off. "I've seen it already."

Trixie blinked, still hiding what was directly behind her. "Uhh, seen what? Trixie doesn't... have anything to hide. She's just... Trixie was just sitting down for dinner. Why? What... What did you see?"

Twilight sighed, and said, "I saw you toss out that dish last night, and when I saw the decorations, I snuck around in the bushes in order to... watch you."

Trixie made a displeased face, and said, "Ohhh..."

"Yeah," Twilight agreed. "It's... usually not in my nature to do that sort of thing. Believe me when I say that, but then, earlier, I might've been lying to you. Remember what I said about Rarity, and making her mane more fluffy?"

Trixie backed away with an embarrassed expression. "Trixie thought she saw somepony running away from her wagon last night. Oh, this is just..."

She face-hoofed, and then left the entrance allowing Twilight to finally come all the way inside, and to take in her surroundings. Now, in full view, Twilight could see even more decorations of Trixie scattered in every corner. "Trixie, it's okay," Twilight tried to say. Upon her taking in all the sights, though, she just had to remark, "Wow, Trixie... Just... wow."

Trixie nodded, and got on her bed while still facing away. "Just go away if you've come to badger Trixie! She knows you must not like it very much in here, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight definitely felt uncomfortable to say the least, but that didn't stop her from coming up next to Trixie. Placing a hoof on her back, Twilight said, "Hey, I don't feel that way at all. It's a little disturbing, sure, but it's what makes you happy. Right?"

Trixie loosened up, and glanced at Twilight. "Well, of course, but it's also just... all about Trixie! You probably want to tell everypony about it, huh?"

Twilight laughed at that, and said, "Of course not! I mean, I'm here to be honest, so the thought did happen to cross my mind." She sighed, and corrected herself, "Sorry, but actually... I've already told Starlight come to think of it, but I swear that she's the only one that knows besides myself."

Trixie seemed hurt to find out about this at first, but then, she settled down rather quickly. "Well, since we're for whatever reason being honest with one another, Trixie should let you in on a little something. Starlight's already come pretty close to finding out about Trixie's secret anyways. Trixie supposes she forgives you... Just, please, don't tell anypony else."

Twilight nodded happily, and chose that now would be a good time to point out, "Actually, I'm also here to ask you about that date."

Trixie blushed at first. "Oh, you are? Trixie didn't think you were actually listening back there," she teased.

Twilight was the one that was blushing now. She looked at a few of the frames before stating, "I was, and I think it's sweet. I wouldn't mind something like the movies, or dinner sometime. How about you?"

Trixie got up, and out of bed to say, "Well, if you'll have her... She's available right now! Trixie actually has just enough spaghetti for two, and she needs help finishing it off. What do you say?"

Twilight watched at Trixie got out the leftovers. She then placed the Styrofoam container on the same glass table from before, and Twilight asked, "Are you sure? I mean, sorry to say, but the setting isn't really all that fitting."

Trixie chuckled at Twilight before responding with, "Don't you remember Trixie saying earlier that she only needed five seconds? Watch this."

Trixie's horn lit up, and before Twilight knew it, the entire room was transformed right before her very eyes. The magnets were quickly put away, and replaced with regular ones which were stored in boxes just above the freezer. The pillow casing was flipped inside out, and the blankets were turned upside down. Even the picture frames weren't spared, and the ones of Trixie simply slid right out. Underneath were more regular photographs, just as Starlight had described it the previous night.

"Huh," Twilight said. "I'm in every single one of them."

Trixie nodded, standing right by her side. "Mmhmm!"

Twilight noticed a particular picture frame with just her inside of it, all alone. The carvings surrounding it also made a big, red heart which encircled her. Twilight wasn't afraid to point this one out, either. Gesturing with a hoof, she asked, "Really?"

Trixie smiled cheekily, and laughed before saying, "Oh, come on, Twilight! Trixie's got to like somepony other than herself."

Twilight laughed along, and said, "I know, but the heart... thing is a bit much, don't you think?" She lowered the picture back down, and looked back at Trixie with a curious expression. "So, you don't feel that way towards Starlight, or anypony else?"

Trixie smiled serenely, and came closer towards Twilight in order to say, "Only you."

Soon enough, they turned around to face the glass table, and sat down. Twilight hadn't even noticed Trixie warming their food the whole time, and was surprised with the aroma she took in as Trixie opened the lid. Her stomach hadn't growled like that in a long time. As the two ate, Twilight just so happened to look over to the mirror adjacent to where they both say.

"Hey, look, a double date."

This sparked even more laughter from the two ponies, kindling their relationship, and taking it to even greater, and more powerful heights.

---

Meanwhile, within the castle of friendship, Starlight was all alone within her bedroom. She sat quietly at first before a large object, it's round spherical shape taunting her to just... talk to it.

She blinked at her reflection with intimidation, frowning at first, but the moment she spoke, that frown went away. "Well, well, well... So, Trixie thinks this is the best, and most soothing way to relax, and unwind? Very well! The Masterful, and Devious Starlight Glimmer shall test this mirroring technique out, and she'll do it just as Twilight had described it earlier! Starlight can even do Trixie's magnificent third-perspective narrative better than she can. Amateur..."

She looked behind herself only to see Spike staring blankly at her. "Uhh... Okay, then. I'll just be going now."

Starlight scoffed loudly, stopping Spike from leaving just in time. "Starlight really hopes that your meddlesome ways doesn't lead you to whisper any rumors to a certain Princess that Starlight just so happens to know of..."

Just before exiting the room, Spike replied, "I won't say anything, jeez! Just, please, get rid of that mirror, and tone down Trixie impersonations. It's good and all, but I think you're trying too hard."

Starlight nodded in compliance, saying, "Deal."

Comments

[Gavier]

It's been a while since the last time we saw Twilight spy from the bushes in the series. Thank you for that bit of nostalgia.

[Tome]

Good stuff.