My Little Princess, Sweetie Belle.

by SneakyKGB

~Epilogue~

---

~Epilogue~
A Great & Powerful Audience

Sunlight cascaded across her face, prying Sweetie Belle away from sleep even as the soporific warmth of its rays tried to pull her back in. The pony tossed and turned, her mind blurry and her eyes filled with sleep. Five more minutes? She saw the calendar and her eyes snapped open. Today was the day. Sweetie rolled out of bed, gracelessly taking the covers with her and landing her head in a clothing basket as she tripped on it. The clumsy pony dragged herself across the carpet of her room until she reached her dresser, managing to scale it with much effort.

“Ah!” she yelled, seeing the plainly zombified filly in the mirror.

The reflection seemed familiar; her hair was at all odds, her eyes sagged and bore dark circles around the outer edges, and her mouth hung lazily agape. Sweetie Belle shivered as she crawled back up to a standing position and beheld herself in the mirror. The little unicorn reached for a brush and got to work on making repairs for the day. Too important to dilly dally. The brushing technique she'd inherited from Rarity took hours, so she half-flanked it and cut it down to only forty or fifty minutes. Afterwards she sped to the bathroom to wash up.

The bathroom was soaked, but it survived Sweetie's daily procedure. As a last effort to wake up, the filly splashed water against her face. Satisfied, she gave the mirror a wink and bolted for the stairs, leaving a massive trail of moisture in her wake. The stairs fell to her hooves two at a time, soon she was standing in the kitchen. Sweetie's mother was at the stove, her up-styled purple hair brushing against the pots and pans that hung above her. The pink unicorn took a break to tend to some toast, as she turned she caught sight of her daughter entering the small blue kitchen.

“I was just about to wake you up. You're just like your sister, you sure do take your beauty sleep seriously. Are you heading out already?”

“Mhm!” Sweetie replied through a mouthful of blueberries and toast. The filly took several deep gulps of orange juice from a glass on the counter before dabbing her mouth daintily and turning to dash out the door.

“Ah, ah, ah!” her mother called in protest, “Forgetting something, Sweetie?”

“Oh, right!” she squeaked, snagging a stray plate of eggs and hash browns from the counter and leaving the kitchen.

Sweetie Belle scarfed down her food in the least ladylike way possible. By the time she made it to the front door and unlatched it the plate was bare and clattering to a rest on the table in the entryway. The unicorn scrubbed at her face to rid herself of any crumbs and departed onto the streets of Ponyville. Although already ahead of schedule she just couldn't slow down, Sweetie flew across town like a white-and-pastel blur, attracting many stares on the way. The filly beamed and waved at everyone she passed, but didn't stop to chitchat. Dreamdrop would be waiting on her.

It had only been a few weeks since she'd apologized. Dreamdrop was an honorary Crusader, and had managed to supply a number of great, and dangerous, ideas for new special talents. More than once Sweetie had been forced to intervene – Cutie Mark Crusader Catapult Demolitions Experts sounded like a bad idea. Nearly every day Dreamdrop was bringing some of his writing by to share with them. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had taken to asking for separate copies so that they could both read at the same time. Everything was going great, but today was a special occasion.

Sweetie Belle beamed, turning on a dime as she skipped down the lane to Dreamdrop's house. The filly hummed as she went, staring at the clouds in a daze. The colt was waiting for her on the lawn when she arrived. Whether they'd hired a gardener, or one of the residents had taken up the task, the yard was looking a lot better. The fence had been repainted, and some of the loose boards had been removed. It still wasn't exactly beautiful, but at least the grass was trimmed and weed-free for the most part. Dreamdrop cantered along the path to the gate to meet her, Curtain Call shadowing him at a slower pace.

“Your escort, at last!” Curtain Call exclaimed jokingly as he prodded his son.

Dreamdrop snorted, “Yeah, right. I'm the only one around here brave enough to take on a job like that. This is royalty we're talking about.”

“Oh brother...” Sweetie sighed, eying the pebbles at her hooves as she sighed.

Curtain laughed. “I was hoping your father would stop by...” he hummed to himself before deciding it wasn't important. “Just a worried dad, I suppose. He'll be just fine with you.”

The stallion was smiling at her when Sweetie looked up. Curtain held his gaze for a little longer than Sweetie felt was necessary before pulling himself away with a small wave. The costume designer retreated back into his house, adjusting the vest he wore as he went. Dreamdrop kneaded the ground with alternating hooves until the door clacked shut and they were alone. The colt gave a light tremble that Sweetie almost couldn't place, until the obvious answer came and smacked her brain into gear: excitement. Sweetie felt it too, the grin on her face just wouldn't fade.

“Ready to go?” she asked.

The colt nodded, “C-Cutie Mark Crusaders are go, I mean... two-fourths.”

Sweetie giggled. “Apple Bloom couldn't come, but Scootaloo should be there for sure.”

The orange pegasus had reluctantly accepted Dreamdrop's place in their group. The colt had initially butted heads with her, but it was a one-sided attack. Eventually she admitted that he was pretty cool, and accepted his friendship when he expressed an interest in her scooter talents. Still, she didn't let him ride in the wagon when they zipped around Ponyville. Despite her change of heart, she still acted suspicious of Dreamdrop, and hadn't lost the habit of staring into the depths of Sweetie Belle's soul for any hint of romantic intentions whenever she spent too much time in the colt's company.

“Seventy-five percent is good.” Dreamdrop amended himself as they took off for the Ponyville train-station.

* * *

“WATCH, IN AWE!”

…

“Watch in awe!”

…

“Watch... in... awe!”

…

“Hmph, Trixie needs a drink!”

The azure showmare rubbed her hoarse throat, adjusted the tilt of her hat, and checked herself in the mirror. Absolutely stunning. Any pony lucky enough to see her winning smile and generously batting eyelashes would have dropped into a coma. It was the same every time, she wasn't even sure why she owned a mirror anymore. The item seemed like a waste of space in her already cramped – but resplendent! – wagon. A necessity of living on the road, she supposed. The showmare's horn glowed brightly as she adjusted the clasp on her cape and departed the wagon.

“Watch... IN AWE!” she practiced again, stepping out the door.

“Ahh!” A surprised yelp.

“AH!” A shout of recognition.

“WHAT!?”

Crash!

A startled showmare collapsing backwards, knocking a picture frame off a dresser and scattering a loose deck of cards all across the floor. Trixie collapsed, trapped within her cape and struggling to get free as she babbled incoherent curses. The amazing and kind heart which resided in her chest was beating entirely too fast, and as she extricated herself from the folds of her costume Trixie saw the cause of it. Two young ponies, foals by the eyes of the magnificent performer who loomed over them. A blue colt and a dainty filly that could have only been his date, judging by the way she hyperventilated and clung to him.

“Well?!” Trixie said imperiously, far more aggressive than she typically meant to be with her fans.

The colt was having some sort of episode. A halfwit? He didn't look dim, and at least he had his cutie mark. The other one's flank was woefully bare when Trixie's gaze happened to pass over the unicorn again.

“You scared the hay out of me!” the filly exclaimed, her already high-pitched voice squeaked. A grating noise to Trixie's greatly developed sense of sound.

The magician ventured a laugh, “Trixie's presence is striking, indeed, but have no fear my adorable admirer, Trixie is a hero to all ponykind. Now speak your purpose in Trixie's abode, but Trixie is not accepting apprentices and will not be using her astounding talent to transform either of you into any manner of creature, equine or otherwise.”

Disclaimer absorbed, Dreamdrop found his tongue. “I'm sorry! Sorry we startled you, I mean. I'm Dreamdrop! I saw you in Ponyville once, a-and I've always wanted to-

“Ponyville?!” Trixie's face contorted in disgust. The fact that she even remembered that name was a blight on her happiness. The debacle there hadn't had any negative effect on her career – it had surprisingly bolstered her fame, actually – but she had no desire to establish any further ties between her illustrious name and that minuscule nowhere town. Noticing that she'd startled the colt, she composed herself once more. “Ah yes! Trixie remembers, that show was one of Trixie's favorites.” she smiled, “I'm glad you enjoyed it as well.”

“Do you still accept challenges?” Sweetie Belle piped up again.

Trixie looked at the pitiful unicorn, attempting to will the child into a growth-spurt to rid her of the infernal voice crack. The showmare raised an eyebrow at the question, “What have you got in mind for Trixie?” she flourished her cape about her front as she stated her name.

“Oh... um... I was just wondering if that was still part of your act. My sister told me some of your, er, feats weren't very... kind.”

In her mind Trixie snorted. What was this? Some sort of infantile activist come to poke at Trixie's methods and sing of peace and tolerance and of other life? As if. Trixie was Trixie and that was license enough to do whatever Trixie wished. How could she look herself in the mirror if she were bossed around by ponies like this one? The showmare looked abruptly back down at the filly, having stroked her ego long enough to generate an awkward silence.

“Eh, Trixie... has decided it among her best interests to remove the confrontational aspect from the majority of her shows. Fear not, however! Trixie remains unbeatable, she merely decided that it was purposeless to challenge ponies who had no chance of besting Trixie. There are far more entertaining ways to involve the audience.”

“Right...”

There was something sneaky in those giant green eyes. Trixie hated it. Yet, this small bug-eyed creature was strangely mesmerizing. It was just so... cute. Trixie shook her head of this mad thought, pushing past the two youths and snapping the door of her wagon shut. Trixie desperately needed some fresh-air. They looked after her as she began to walk away, and she paused. One too many times she'd received pointless complaints from sniveling parents that Trixie had upset their spawn. If it saved her the spam mail, she figured she might as well nip the problem in the bud.

“Here, enjoy a gift from Trixie,” Trixie reached into her cape and drew out a pack of playing cards. Using magic she tossed the deck at Dreamdrop, who caught it reverently. Trixie stared down the filly next to him, having nothing else in her pockets after show-hours besides her money. As if Trixie was going to give the creature her hard-earned bits. “And you as well!” she called, loudly, as her horn began to glow. Trixie swished her hooves around a few times, a fog generating between them. The youths watched with bated breath. Putty to my hooves, Trixie thought. A bright flash later and a large sunflower materialized in Trixie's outstretched forelegs. Just the head of the thing was larger than Sweetie Belle, and looked curiously like the flowers in the garden just beside Trixie's wagon.

“Wow!” Dreamdrop exclaimed.

“Thanks!” the filly chimed, taking the flower as best she could.

Trixie chuckled, “Think nothing of it. Trixie may be 'The Great and Powerful' first and foremost, but never forget that she is also generous and appreciative of her fanbase. Now begone, Dripdream and company, Trixie must depart to acquire a potent elixir.”

The showmare left, grinning at the whoops of the ponies behind her. Didn't even have to sign an autograph. Truly, she was a master of social interactions. Then again, she recalled having marked her name (title included) on the back of her deck of cards. Perhaps Trixie was more benevolent than she had even realize- no, that would imply that her perception had failed her. Trixie laughed to the skies. It must've been a deliberate plan of hers, put into action ages ago. It was good to see her foresight had come to fruition.

Left behind, Dreamdrop and Sweetie Belle celebrated their prizes. Dreamdrop was elated and surprised to see that Trixie had somehow signed the pack of cards before turning it over to him. Incredible! It had to be magic. They made their way through a dispersing crowd of ponies near Trixie's stage and back towards Sweetie Belle's father. Scootaloo appeared moments later, carrying some sort of fried tortilla that was loaded with vegetables and dripping sauce. The pegasus eyed them suspiciously.

“Did he give you that?” she asked, indicating the giant flower Sweetie dragged along behind her.

Sweetie Belle giggled, “Nope. This was magic!”

Scootaloo choked. “Wait, magic? What's it do?”

“It... looks pretty?”

The pegasus looked doubtfully at the tortured flower. The brutal act of dragging it across the fairgrounds had completely ruined any beauty it might've had when initially received. Scootaloo shook her head, “I think the magic wore off, Belle.”

“Alrighty, everypony,” Sweetie's dad interrupted, smiling to ward off the glare Sweetie was shooting at her friend. “It's about time we got back to Ponyville, lickity split. Fall in line, ponies. You don't want to miss your mom's green bean soup, do ya Sweetie Belle?”

“Aw, just a little while longer?” Dreamdrop muttered, falling in step behind her father.

Sweetie froze. The question echoed in her mind and caught her off guard. It was so eerily similar to her own thoughts on the night of the fireworks. Sweetie brooded on the thought, wondering how much time they had left to play and be carefree. Suddenly, a force impacted her flank and jostled the unicorn from her dejected state. Sweetie Belle looked around to see Scootaloo grinning at her before hurrying to catch up with their group. Sweetie sighed wistfully, pulling her face back into a smile as she trotted quickly to join her friends. Everything was okay, for now. No sense worrying about what came after.

“Those tricks were totally lame,” Scoots said, interrupting her thoughts. “There's no way that act could've topped Rainbow Dash.”

“Pfft,” Dreamdrop replied, desperation in his tone, “You heard her, that wasn't even a fraction of Trixie's power. Trixie told us she can transform ponies into other stuff, she could probably just take Rainbow's wings.”

Scootaloo clamped her mouth shut, eyes wide as she imagined what must have been her worst nightmare.

Dreamdrop chuckled, turning to Sweetie. “Thanks for inviting me, Sweetie. That was awesome.”

“Train tickets: A month's chores. Waking up early: Exhausting. Taking my friends to go see the most amazing, spectacular, out-of-this-world magical show anypony could have ever laid eyes on?” Sweetie emphasized her words with graceful flourishes, imitating the azure showmare wonderfully. “Priceless.” she finished, beaming at the ponies beside her as they made their way to the train-station, and eventually back to Ponyville.

---

Author's Notes,

Hope you enjoyed! Big thanks to my friend, Icy M, for editing and everyone else who pre-read and kept telling me to get it finished. This epilogue doubles as sort of a sneak preview for my next project, so if you like a certain all-powerful showmare keep watching for 'Trixie and the Habberdasher's Dungeon'.

Comments

[SneakyKGB]

Glad you liked it! =D

[Icy Marionette]

Very well written! : D
Keep up the good work, my friend.

[Bronyhood of steel]

i loved it any chance of another dreamdrop story in the future

[SneakyKGB]

1032547

I don't have any plans in the works right now, but as far as I'm concerned Dreamdrop is part of the MLP universe (as far as my fanfiction goes) and very well might make appearances in future projects. I'd definitely like to do more with him though, so we'll see how it all shakes out.

[Bronyhood of steel]

1032854sweet

[SneakyKGB]

1710638 I've always viewed Scootaloo with a more aggressive, Rainbow Dash style personality, and to be honest I wasn't putting too much effort into Cheerilee because of her rather minimal part in everything. Thanks for the input though, I'll keep that in mind when I work with the CMC in the future. =)