Trot Buddies!

by shortskirtsandexplosions

Escape Pellets

“Wait...” Trixie blinked her wide eyes. “Let Trixie get this straight...” She gawked at Starlight Glimmer. “...your Trixie also uses poof balls?!”

Starlight Glimmer lowered the photo album slightly in her telekinetic grip. “'Poof balls?'”

“Y'know... … ...” Trixie gestured with her hooves. “Small, compact velvety sacks of sand with just a sprinkle of blasting powder...”

“Oh! Those!” Starlight Glimmer nodded. “You toss them very hard against the floor and it creates a veil of sand that can obscure a getaway!”

“Yes! Those! Poof balls!”

“Here, we call them 'escape pellets.'”

Trixie's blue muzzle scrunched. “'Escape pellets?'” She shook her head. “Whatever. Point is—how can the Hoofed and Long-Faced Trixie of this world use them effectively?”

“She tosses them against the ground and makes a run for it!” Starlight winked. “Just like you.”

“But isn't that hard to do without a closed fist to grip and toss the poof b—er... escape pellet?”

“We just use a floating spell,” Starlight said. “The pellets do the rest of the work.”

“Hmmmfff...” Trixie folded her forelimbs. “Trixie doesn't buy it!”

“Well, you're onto something!” Starlight gestured. “There's more to it than just that! You see—here in Equestria—showmares like your double and magicians in general have been using tools like this for ages!”

“It's the same in Trixie's world!”

“Ah—but here, we've had access to Equestria Magic.” Starlight smiled. “Escape pellets have an age-old formula for conjuring smoke from inert dust.”

“Hmmmmmm...” Trixie rubbed her chin. “'Conjuring,' you say...”

“If properly enchanted, they can last a long time! They even have this really pretty glow to them. Wait right here! I'll show you!” Starlight held her breath. Her horn strobed. And—

FLASSSSH!

The mare vanished, leaving behind a gently settling curtain of glimmering dust.

“Kaff! Koff!” Trixie waved the air before her and frowned. “Oh come on—you don't need to show off like that!” She planted all four hooves on the ground, frowning. “That's the third time she's done that...”

“Kinda defeats the purpose of having an escape flash thingy if you can just teleport away like that,” Flash Sentry said. He took occasional, casual munches of an apple balanced on his unfolded left wing. “Mrmmmffff... don'tcha think?”

Trixie squinted at him. “Miss Glimmer is a god tier wizard of the Royal Order here in Equestria. I wouldn't question her methods with the perspective of a simple contrarian, if I were you.”

“Oh yeah...?” Flash took another bite, swallowed, and smirked. “What's she smell like?”

“Ohh...” Trixie's eyes glittered as she stared off across the bustling corridor. “Roses in bloom... with morning dew—” She swiftly snapped out of it with a snarl. “Hey! Cut that out! That's not important!”

“Heheh...” Flash took another bite from an apple. “If it's... mrmmfff... not important.” He gulped. “...how come you answered so quickly?”

Trixie pointed at her snout. “Horse nostrils! It's inescapable! What do you want from me?”

“Nothing.” Flash gestured at the space Starlight was just occupying. “So, is she teaching you the ways of horse David Copperfield or what?”

“She's simply cluing me into some of the methods employed by this world's Trixie,” Flash's trot buddy explained. “I consider this an exercise in fact-finding. Nothing more. Besides... I'm really just learning more about the other Trixie. That's it.”

“I gotcha.” Flash nodded and gave the apple one last bite. After swallowing, he asked: “So are her eyes that snazzy up close or—?”

“Ohhh...” Trixie purred, her tail flicking like a sensual snake. “...like shiny gems at the bottom of a hidden cave pool.”

“Ayyyyyyyyyy!”

“Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!” Trixie stomped all four hooves and growled at the stallion. “For the last time, stop doing that or Trixie will set things on fire—!”

FLAAASH!

“Found 'em!” Starlight chirped, reappearing with a small tray hovering before her.

Trixie spun around, eyes round and glossy. “Miss Glimmer! You return~!”

Flash rolled his eyes.

“Sorry it took so long.” Starlight opened the tray, revealing several triangular pouches glowing with orange and purple strobes. “See that? These were last enchanted five months ago... and still they retain their enchantment!”

“Oooooooooh...” Trixie leaned in, ears folding back. “Sparkly!”

“They look like tiny space quesadillas,” Flash Sentry said.

“Oh, hello again, you!” Starlight smiled up at him while floating the tray. “And careful with the 'q' word.” She whispered aside. “A certain princess has a phobia...”

“... … … Really?”

“It's almost as if...” Trixie raised her hoof like a cat's paw to tap one of the glowing pellets. “...they're humming.”

“Uh uh uh...!” Starlight floated the tray around with her. “Touch with your eyes only! I'm not allowed to let our current guests mess with our enchanted objects. Plus, I'm pretty sure Twilight would give me a night's worth of a stern lecture. Oh... and Trixie would kill me. My Trixie, I mean.”

“What, you got those from her room?” Flash asked.

“Mmmmmmm...” Starlight blushed slightly, but nevertheless smiled. “Guilty as charged. But it's only in revenge.”

“Revenge?”

“Yyyyyyyyeah...” Starlight winked. “She goes through my stuff all the time. I'd say it's only fitting.”

“Wow.” Flash swiveled his head to smirk at Trixie. “It sounds like the two of you are really close.”

Trixie made to stick her tongue out at him, but suavely turned it into an angelic smile once she found Starlight looking at her.

“I bet if we compared notes, you could make your own Equestrian style escape pellets back in your world.”

“But...” Trixie blinked. “...how can Trixie do that without Equestrian magic?”

“From... what I know about your dimension,” Starlight said. “It's not exactly gonna be starving of magic for long.”

Flash blinked. “Is there something we should all be prepared for...?”

“I dunno. Sunset Shimmer's the expert on that, I guess.” Starlight floated the tray closer to herself, stifling the purple and orange glow of the pellets. “But—I don't think it's that huge of a secret: magic is increasing in your world at an exponential rate. I mean... why else are you guys all here?”

Flash nodded. “You make a good point. How scared should we be?”

“With Sunset Shimmer and her fellow geode-bearers looking after things, I'd say you're in the right hooves—er... hands. Eheh. Sorry.” Starlight looked at her own fetlocks. “And I even had them for a short time!”

“Trixie wishes she could wield Equestrian magic like the others,” Trixie muttered.

“Well, if you should ever... I dunno... discover your own geode or something someday, I'll be sure to give you some pointers!” Starlight said.

“Really?” Trixie's tail wagged. “You'd help Trixie?”

“Sure! I'll get the Princess to enchant a fresh new journal! We could write to each other and stuff! Make notes!”

Trixie's tail wagged even more. “Really?!?!”

“Heh... if only so I can rub it in my Trixie's face.” Starlight winked at Flash. “I'd kill to make a trick or two that even she can't figure out.”

Flash blinked. “You ponies can be really devious...”

Starlight tapped her own nose. “Only the cool ones.”

“Starlight!” Spike could be heard hollering from down the corridor. “Sunset and Twilight need you! Time to get this show on the road!”

“Oh shoot!” Starlight danced in place, then impulsively laid the tray down onto a nearby table. “That's my cue! Uhm... that-world-Trixie! Keep in touch with Sunset! I meant what I said about the journal thingy! We'll set it up!” She galloped off. “Right now, I gotta get you guys home!”

“Well, how about that?” Flash juggled the apple core from one wing to another. He smirked towards the gathering crowd. “You scored yourself a friendly pen pal in the span of half-an-hour! I don't think I've ever been that lucky even when I tried!”

Silence.

“Trixie?” Flash asked, glancing over her shoulder. “Yo, you there? The dreamboat has cast off...”

“Uh huh.” Trixie fluffed her mane. “Sure.” She fluffed her mane again.

Flash squinted at her.

“Uhmmmmm...” Trixie stood up straight, smiling innocent... with a noticeable sheen of sweat. “... … ...what were we talking about?”

Flash opened his muzzle to say something—

“Okay everybody!” Sunset Shimmer's voice echoed down the bustling chamber. “Now's the time! Get with your trot buddy! Form two lines! And follow me into the north wing of the Castle!”

“Well then...” Flash trotted along with Trixie towards the far end of the interior. “...zoop!”

Comments

[Scyphi]

Zoop indeed!

[Ninjadeadbeard]

Zoop woop!

[Bookeater_otaku]

Zoooooop!

[Dan]

Abiyoyo zoop?

[shallow15]

Zoop du jour!

[Raistlin]

I wonder how Trixie feels about Starlight cheating Trixie with Trixie.

[FanOfMostEverything]

“From... what I know about your dimension,” Starlight said. “It's not exactly gonna be starving of magic for long.”

I'm sure that won't have any long-term consequences.

“Uhmmmmm...” Trixie stood up straight, smiling innocent... with a noticeable sheen of sweat. “... … ...what were we talking about?”

Now then, let us zoop.