The Great and Delicate Trixie

by DogSomeOre

Ch. 10 - Stage anew

The time has come. Everypony is gathered around the stage to see her perform. The sight of her makes the crowd cheer with anticipation. Friends of the talented showmare have come to watch her as well, as if there was ever any doubt. The blue unicorn lights up the stage with her magnificence as her customary first act of lighting fireworks in the sky is done in full force. She knows she's wanted by thousands and will give them a show they'll never forget.

Behind her however, a fire breaks out and her stage is engulfed in flames, presumably from the sparks that emanated from her first trick. The ponies in the viewing area scream in horror as the whole building lights up with terrifying orange brilliance. They try for an exit but debris has overtaken any outing they could've possibly had. The showmare is left panicking in fear for her and everyone else's safety as she tries desperately to blow out the harsh fire, to no avail.

Moments pass and ponies everywhere as far as she can see, are now enveloped by the cruel flames as she hears a mixture of fear and pain from all the little fillies, foals, stallions, and mares. How could she of messed up this bad? Why does it always have to end in disaster? A crack is heard from on top of the roofing and more and more debris fall down one by one. There isn't much time left and Trixie knows this but what can she do? It's already too late. She looks behind her to see someone calling her name.

"Trixie, Trixie!" The voice screams.

"Anon! Oh Celestia, Anon!"

She tries to make her way over to him but he to is soon covered by the unescapable devilish light.

"Anon no!" She screams out, it's the only thing she can do now. Tears run down her face and she falls down as the joke of a performer tries to breath in between the smoke covered breaths that now fill the entire building. Her coat is caught by the fire and soon her whole body. She tries desperately to scream but the smoke is now too heavy that any pleas of help go heard on deaf ears.

"Trixie, Trixie!" Anon still says.

"Trixie, please!"

She tries to speak but can't. She's stuck in a hellish nightmare as her whole body melts away right before her eyes.

"Trixie!"

She jolts up as the human beside her bed wakes the blue mare from her sleep.

"Woah hey, didn't mean to scare you." The voice says.

"A-Anon? What are you doing here?" Trixie says in a confused and semi-scared tone. "I thought you would've left when you finished up last night?"

"What do you mean? The show's today don't you remember?"

How could she forget? The whole week has been nothing but an anxiety driven slog for her. She's practiced to her heart's content and has done everything according to que but she's still scared. Never has she ever dreamed about performing in Canterlot again. But still she doesn't say a word, her pride overruns her after all.

Trixie has been opening up a lot more then she ever had been to Anon and she feels better for it. Though some things are still left locked away deep in her conscious, things she doesn't think she'd ever be able to say aloud. So why doesn't she just tell Anon she has no friends? Why doesn't she admit to him, her one and only friend, that she's petrified to ever perform here again?

She can't. Trixie isn't a coward, at least not on the surface, so she can't. She's built up a wall all her life, she can't afford to strip it all down now, she can never show Anon who she really is because she knows deep down he'd never accept her. She needs Anon, more then he knows it.

Trixie looks at her clock stationed at the side of her bed to check the time.

"Anon it's only eight in the morning, can't you wake me up later?" The tired pony asks.

"But I've been working all night! I really wanted everything to be perfect for your show." Anon says, happiness smeared all across his expression.

"You want me to see it now? You didn't let me see it this whole week." Trixie says.

"And I told you why. Like you said, everything has to be incredible for your performance and I sure as heck intend for it to be."

Trixie feels very grateful for all the support Anon had been giving her, this whole week has really reflected on how much empathy she has towards other living things, Anon being no exception. She wants to impress him more then anypony else at her performance tonight and hopes she'll be able to accomplish her task. Though the gnawing sensation in her stomach and her head has felt like torture with every passing moment that inches closer to her performance, all she wants is to get it over with.

The tired mare looks around her bedroom with droopy eyes and finally sees that face she'd become so familiar with by now. She smiles to herself, though Anon can't see it through the veil of darkness that's in her direction but that's alright; to her all she cares about is waking up to see that caring human living lively once again.

"Alright fine. Just give a few Anon, I need to get fixed up."

"Will do." Anon says.

He heads out the door and waits for his magician pony friend.

Trixie yawns and stretches before slowly getting out of her soft, warm bed. She looks out the window to the sun moving oh so slightly upward with every second that passes and snow liters the ground with it's beautiful white presence. Anon is seen leaning on her wagon looking ahead to also see the glorious bright star on the horizon, wearing a heavy jacket as to withstand the cold. Trixie smiles to herself once again as she see's Anon's content and solitude presence.

Moving from her bedroom window she proceeds into a small bathroom that's dressed neatly in white tiles. A mirror stands before her and the mare reflecting within it.

"Oh Trixie you are a mess." She says to her reflection as she see's her mane frizzled and strings of little hair out of place all over.

She looks at herself deeply in the mirror with sadness, and a bit of disgust as she see's that blue mare that could've been something of a greater talent, now only resorted to a fake personality to hide the bruises that'd been formed in her mind.

She doesn't linger on those thoughts for too long however as she pulls out a brush and delicately straightens her mane to a more approachable manner. Making sure to look her absolute best for the day in front of her.

Stepping outside she still see's that tall figure waiting for her yonder.

"Oh great you're ready. You know, you mare's take quite a long time in the bathroom." Anon says teasingly, knowing that'd get to her.

"Well I'm sorry to keep you waiting Anon. Trixie knows how demanded she is and will try to make her presence a bit more faster for you next time." Trixie says, teasing back as she's caught on to Anon's playful antics by now and knows how to turn it around.

Anon chuckles to himself before speaking. "Alright, alright, well besides that come on, I've really been waiting to show you this."

Anon grabs Trixie by her front hoof and she runs along with him. Stopping behind her wagon once again and seeing the stage that was once a sight for sore eyes, is now a beautifully crafted redesign of the old familiar.

Anon looks back at Trixie to gauge a reaction.

"So?" He says. "What do you think? Now be honest, I've not known you to ever tell a lie but really let me know what you think."

She looks upon the stage with a wonderstruck feeling; walking up the slightly snowed covered steps, the floor boards creek no more and the paint feels smooth beneath her hooves. The old dusted curtains are now replaced with silky looking fabric sown magnificently together with each peace complimenting the whole design that Anon had done.

She stands front and center where she usually would with her performances, just to get a grasp of what it'd feel like to act out live on this new stage. He did this for her. Her special little human did this for her, and she couldn't be more happy.

"So?" Anon says again, looking at Trixie walk around and admiring the craftsmanship he put into it.

"It's wonderful Anon!" She says with excitement as she looks back at him with a childish smile, not leaving her cheeks for even a moment.

"See? Trixie put her underlying trust in you and it all turned out wonderfully. Like I ever had any doubt." She says assuredly.

Anon is happy that all of his work payed off in one way or another and is glad to see the mare he's come to care about so much is happy as well. He just knows that nothing can ruin this day for him and her both, finally Trixie can be reunited with her old friends and colleagues alike as tonight will be a night like no other.