My Little Fantasy

by GuyWhoWritesThings

Chapter 12: Stuff That'll Blow Up In My Face Later.

Chapter 12: Stuff That'll Blow Up In My Face Later.

"Now, Trixie finds it so much nicer to be on the inside of the train this time!" She's looking out the window, watching the whole bunch of sand and nothing pass by. "Don't you agree?"

We were quick to get a train to Dodge Junction the next day. We still planned to leave regardless of the sheriff's change of heart, but the reaction to the inn now sporting a hole in the wall of our room did little for Trixie's reputation. Silverstar, for his part, put noticeable effort into squashing the rumors about Trixie in Appleloosa. Chalk one up for us? At least I found the time to adjust the harnesses for my recently re-acquired sword, moving the sheathe from near my right shoulder to along the small of my back. Like this, the cloth of my poncho doesn't block drawing and sheathing, and I can easily draw it without exposing my arm if need be. Right now though, I simply have the sword sitting on the floor of the cart between our seats.

I wait a minute before replying. "It's definitely less hot." I can't say I'm any better than she is, watching the whole bunch of sand and nothing pass by myself. After a while, I can't help but ask. "How are you-"

"Not suffering the horrible after-effects of enough alcohol to drop a small manticore?" She gives me one of those looks.

"...Yeah."

"Ah, Dusk, a magician must never tell her secrets." She gives me one of those grins. "But... okay, just this once! It's simple really. Trixie developed herself a spell for quickly working against the... unwanted after-effects of heavy adult beverage indulgence."

"You would develop a spell for that."

"And what, may Trixie ask, is her dear assistant trying to imply?" We both turn from the window, looking at each other as her eyes narrow slightly.

"That you have a problem."

"Hmph!" She crosses her hooves and looks away. "Trixie has no such problems! She simply enjoys partaking in a well-earned indulgence after a performance!" I continue to look at her, and she looks back at me for a minute, before pouting and resuming looking at the wall on the far side of the cart. "Okay, maybe Trixie has a small problem. But she is a grown mare, and all ponies have their vices!"

I lean back in my seat. "I suppose they do."

She slowly turns her head to look at me again. "...No boring and overstated lecture on the dangers of indulgent drinking?"

"Nope." I reach down and pull my sword up onto my lap, looking down at the Materia along it. "It's not my problem as long as you don't black out next time."

"Trixie knows her limits!" She 'hmph's again. "She... simply pressed past them yesterday, because she knew her assistant was there to allow her extra indulgence."

"Right..." I take stock of the Materia types. This is the first time I've really gotten to look at the blade since recovering it last night. Another eight of those 'paired' slots to hold Materia. This time, the setup is green-yellow-green-green-green-blue-red-blue.

"So, are you ever going to tell Trixie what those little gems are?" Her voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

And now I act on probably the worst idea I've had all week, pulling out one of the green Materia I'm not using from my pocket. I toss it to her underhanded and she quickly catches it in her magic, levitating it close to her face and looking it over. "Like you said, they're a sort of magic conduit." Her eyes focus purely on the Materia, turning it over in her magic as it glints in the sunlight. "Each gem is like a bit of magical knowledge, compressed into a crystal form, which you can access and cast spells from."

"Trixie understands... like a teeny tiny spell book." She's squinting at it, pulling it closer to her face.

"...Something like that. That's one of the ones I couldn't get to work, so be careful with it."

She turns from the Materia to me, raising an eyebrow. "You're... allowing Trixie to keep it?"

"Borrow." I clarify. "Just be careful not to blow up a city block and actually earn your reputation."

"The Cautious and Safety-Minded Trixie knows to treat all magical objects with utmost delicacy!" She does her usual 'hmph!', turning her head up and away.

"Of course." I lean back in my seat, staring back out the window again. After a few minutes, I hear her shuffle around, and take a look back. She's shifted her posture slightly, her face scrunching into a tell-tale look of concentration as the piece of Materia floats near her head. "...I don't think accidentally blowing up a train is much better."

"Shush!" She replies, not opening her eyes. "Trixie is being careful! She is merely trying to concentrate and understand the way magic flows through this gem! It's made of some kind of crystal that Trixie has never handled before." I would imagine not. "She must understand the way magic flows through it before she can tap into its power, like any magical object!"

"Uh-huh." I turn back to the window, regretting this decision already but deciding to just let her do whatever it is she's doing. With any luck, if things start exploding I can grab her and run before anyone notices we're involved. Thankfully for me, though, we make it to Dodge Junction without her making the train explode, though she spends remainder of the train ride focusing on the Materia with her magic. I have to nudge her to make her realize we've even reached our stop, and the yawn I receive makes me think she fell asleep holding the damn thing. That can only end in great things, surely.

"Trixie thinks this shall be a great day!" Well, she's suddenly chipper, as she stretches out her limbs and tucks the Materia under her cape. "Mid-afternoon is the best time to do some magic! We just need to hurry off and find a spot to set up Trixie's newest showing!"

I sheathe my blade in its new position across my back and follow close behind her, filing in with the other ponies exiting the train. As we step onto the boarding area, though, Trixie and I both notice something neither of us expected to see in Dodge Junction. Trixie vocalizes it before it even finishes registering in my brain, and I'm sure I can hear the sound of windows shattering down the street. And seven towns over.

"Twilight Spaaaarkle!" Trixie points an accusatory hoof, while I try to sort out all the kinds of complications I've just unwittingly stepped into. "Why are you here?! Come to ruin The Great and Powerful Trixie's performance yet again?"

"Ah, heh, heh, hi Trixie..." Twilight gives the screaming mare in her face a timid smile and a waving hoof. "How unexpected... I didn't think I'd run into you here!"

"Ain't changed a lick, either, still sees herself as the center of the world." Applejack chimes in. The other four of Twilight's friends appear to be absent.

Twilight just sighs. "Sorry, Trixie, I'm just here to meet a fri..." Her eyes finally leave the seething form of Trixie long enough to notice me. Our eyes lock for a few moments, and it doesn't take long for her to recognize who I am. "Oh, Cloud! There you are!" Great. How did she even know I was here?

Applejack whistles. "Well hooowdy. Look'it you, all fancy, if y'all were a stallion I'd say you was tryin' ta impress me."

"Ah, Trixie picked out this ensemble herself!" She moves over to Applejack and beams proudly. Well, the unintentional ego massage certain dispelled that anger. "The embroidery along the front really makes it pop, don't you think?"

"Wait..." Twilight takes a moment to think. "Cloud... you've been traveling... with Trixie?" She turns from me to Trixie with a perplexed expression.

"Cloud?" Trixie moves over to me. "Dusk, what're they... wait a minute." Trixie's own expression goes from perplexed, then back to angry. "All this time, you've been friends with Twilight Sparkle?!" I hope aspirin is a thing in Equestria. I'm going to need it by the time the day's done.

"Dusk?" Applejack looks me over again. "Geez, Cloud, is that gitup yer wearin' meant ta be a disguise? That's... mighty clever of ya, really."

Twilight shakes her head, ignoring both of them. "Cloud, I've got good news. I think I finally finished that memory-"

"Not interested." I start walking along the nearest street.

"I know you said you didn't want it, Cloud, but when you left I sent a letter to Princess Celestia-"

"Will someone please tell Trixie what is going on?" She stomps her hoof, but Twilight just keeps going.

"-and continued working on the spell in case you changed your mind. After it was finished, I suddenly received a reply from Princess Luna telling me to meet you at Dodge Junction and-" Well, that confirms that suspicion at least, so I've heard enough.

"Don't really care." I pick up my pace, but the clatter of hooves tells me all three behind me picked up theirs to match.

"Dusk? Sparkle? Will someone please tell Trixie what is going on?!"

"Will ya shut up already Trixie? It ain't none of yer business!" Oh god now they're all yelling.

"But Cloud!" Twilight isn't giving up, goddamn.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie demands information regarding Twilight Sparkle's dealing with her assistant!" And she's only getting louder.

"Wait... assistant?" And there goes Twilight's train of thought. I'll need to thank Trixie later.

"Yes!" Trixie runs up in front of us, turning and raising onto her hind hooves. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has begun her return tour after recovering from your humiliation of her back in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle! And, she has found help with things outside the performance, from her slightly-less-Great-and-Powerful assistant Dusk!" She sets herself back on all fours. "Though, unbeknownst to Trixie, you've already met."

"....Yeah, we have." Twilight nods, then looks at me. "But, Cloud, what about the tests we need to run on your magic? Don't you want to do those, at least?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Twilight Sparkle." Trixie replies for me. "Under The Great and Powerful Trixie's excellent tutelage, my dear assistant has already mastered a myriad of impressive magical abilities!" She gives them that shit-eating grin she loves so much, but it drops when even I'm giving her a look of 'really?'. "Okay, it wasn't quite so much tutelage, but the point remains! He is clearly unrequiring of and uninterested in your services, Twilight Sparkle!"

"Trixie... you don't understa-" Twilight quickly gets cut off.

"Of course Trixie does not understand! Neither of you will tell Trixie what is going on!" I can hear that typical 'hmph' again.

"Cuz it ain't yer problem, Trixie!"

"It's not your problem, either." I cut in, starting to get sick of this.

"Look, Cloud, I'm sorry for being so pushy, but," Twilight's voice is lower, more pleading, and my mind can visualize sad look she's wearing right now, ears pressed against her head, saving me the effort of turning around and seeing it in person, "there's more than just the memory spell to talk about, so, will you hear me out, please?"

I stop for a moment, thinking. Then, a small idea crosses my mind. "Trixie."

"Yes?" Comes the confused reply.

"We have enough bits for a room for the night, right? We'll need to postpone your return performance until tomorrow."

"But, if Trixie postpones, then-!"

"-Then everything will be fine, because you'll have an on-stage assistant who will do a big part in restoring your reputation." Trixie looks at me confused, as I look a certain lavender unicorn. "Isn't that right, Twilight?"

I lean against a nearby building and look between Trixie and Twilight. Twilight seems confused at first, while Trixie is about to burst a blood vessel. It takes a minute, but finally...

Finally, Trixie's ear-splitting scream redoubles my need for those aspirin. "What?! How can you expect Trixie to work alongside the pony that ruined her career?!"

"Ruined... your career?" Twilight looks at her, perplexed.

"Yes!" Trixie hmphs, "After the run-in with that ursa minor, word has spread across Equestria that Trixie is... less than Great and Powerful! Trixie had to work on a rock farm to save up enough money to begin traveling again thanks to you!"

"Well, ya wouldn'ta been so down 'n out if ya weren't such a-"

"AJ!" Twilight cut her off, probably a good thing. She then looks from me to Trixie for a minute, and a small smile stretches across her face. "So, you'll hear me out?"

"We'll talk once we've off the street." I pull off the building and fold my arms under my poncho, beginning to walk down the street again.

"And what about Trixie's say in all this?!" Trixie shouts, following us. "Just what do you think you're doing, assistant?"

"Assisting you."

Twilight and Applejack giggle lowly to themselves while Trixie continues shouting. "Trixie does not see how having her arch nemesis share a stage with her could possibly assi-" She finally stops yelling. I can imagine the gears slowly slipping into place and turning in her mind. "...Very well. Trixie shall accept Twilight Sparkle's cameo in her performance at her assistant's recommendation, on the condition that all control of the show's details are left purely in Trixie's hooves."

Applejack rolls her eyes and sighs. "Well, fine then, let's git back to the inn. Y'all seem pressed fer bits, so let me do the talkin' an' I'll try and getcha a discount."

The walk to the inn is filled mostly with Trixie pouting while Twilight and Applejack talk amongst themselves. Applejack does succeed in convincing the owner to give us a discount on the room, so I assume she's been to this part of Equestria before. Big surprise there. Once we've got our room, I lean against one of the walls while Trixie hops onto the bed, the remaining mares shutting the door behind them and finding some spots to sit down.

"So, Cloud..." Twilight begins.

"Why do you keep calling him Cloud?" Trixie cuts in. Well, that's two words longer than I expected Trixie to make it.

"Because that's his name...?" Twilight replies with a confused look, prompting Trixie to look at me.

"Trixie is beginning to think you merely look up to the sky and tell ponies that your name is the first thing you see up there, Dusk."

I shrug. "Does it really matter?"

"Trixie supposes not. Though she shall continue to call you 'Dusk'. She finds it to be a far more fitting name!" She turns her attention back to Twilight. "Continue, Sparkle."

"Oh... kay..." Twilight raises an eyebrow at Trixie before turning back to me. "Anyway, the real reason we came out here wasn't just the memory spell, or to see about your magic..." She sighs.

"Wait... memory spell?" Trixie turns to me again.

"Trixie, wouldya stop interruptin' every five gosh-darned seconds!"

"What? Trixie simply seeks to know the full extent of her assistant's dealings with Twilight Sparkle!"

Ignoring them both, Twilight continues. "Cloud, the real issue is that the Princesses are both worried about you."

"I had no idea." I shift slightly, then decide sitting with my back against the wall is more comfortable than just leaning against it.

"This is serious! When I first wrote to Princess Celestia saying you disappeared, all I received back was a small letter telling me that I didn't need to worry about finding you again." Her face wrinkles a bit in concentration before continuing. "I wrote a few more times trying to get her to explain why, but I never got a reply, so the six of us tried to find you anyway, thinking maybe something happened. In between search sessions, I worked on trying to adapt the memory spell to something that might work to help you. Not long after I put the finishing touches on it, I received another letter, but this time from Princess Luna, instructing me to find you at Dodge Junction."

"Well, you found me."

"Yeah, and the timing of the letter made me think I was supposed to use the spell on you." Twilight's eyes turn to the floor. "It didn't actually say to, though, now that I think about it... but..."

"But?"

"It also said that it was too dangerous for you to be wandering around on your own in Equestria anymore, especially at night. Princess Luna's been especially paranoid about the night being dangerous lately..."

"Well!" Trixie cuts in. "It's a good thing he has not been traveling alone then!"

"I think," Twilight continues, as if Trixie didn't say anything, "that the Princesses want you to return to Ponyville."

"You mean so-" I quickly get cut off.

"Trixie's not-so-Great-and-Powerful-assistant cannot return the Ponyville!" Trixie stomps her hoof on the bed. "Trixie will not be able to perform there!"

"No one said ya had ta come with 'im." Geez, it's like the two got into some bad fight at some point with how much Applejack seems to hate Trixie.

"Of course Trixie would have to go with him!" Trixie's reply comes with the usual 'hmph'. I'm beginning to think I can make a drinking game out of that reaction of hers. "What kind of magician would Trixie be if she abandoned her precious assistant to her arch nemesis and some country bumpkin?"

Applejack narrows her eyes. "Precious assistant, huh?" Her eyes turn to me. "Got somethin' yer not tellin' us, big fella?"

"I keep telling her I'm not interested." This time, I catch the incoming lamp flung at my face and set it down next to me. I'm starting to get good at this.

"Trixie apologizes for the uncouthness of her assistant."

"It's... quite alright." Applejack does her best to stifle the laughs that are visibly coming up. Probably trying to avoid being the lamp's second target. "Besides, ya two would hafta pass through Ponyville at least once yer done here in Dodge Junction, if ya keep travelin' by train. Ya were comin' off the incomin' from Appleloosa, and the other places 'round these parts aren't connected to th' rail system yet. Unless ya wanna be walkin' 'round the desert tryin' ta find the other towns, that is."

"It would be better than risking becoming The Great and Delicious Fruit Salad again!" Another metaphorical shot of the metaphorical whiskey there.

"Great and Delicious Fruit Salad...?" Applejack raises her eyebrows. "Do ah even wanna know?"

"You can tell the Princesses that I can take care of myself." I cut in, trying to save Trixie from going down that road again.

Twilight sighs. "Can you at least tell me why you don't want me to use the memory spell on you?" That sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach comes back. I look Twilight in the eyes for a moment, trying to think of how I should reply, but she seems to be able to read my eyes. "...There's something you don't want to remember, isn't there?"

...

"Trixie believes her assistant tires of your persistent questioning, Twilight Sparkle." Trixie speaks up after a few moments of awkward silence. "So, let us move on to planning the show tomorrow, hmm?"

Applejack gives Trixie a bit of resistance over changing the subject at first but Twilight agrees. Something I don't want to remember, huh? I suppose that makes sense. Though, the pit in my stomach isn't fear, it's... something else. Dread? No...

I catch bits and pieces of their conversation about tomorrow's performance in between my musings. Something about competing in an 'illusory duel' where Twilight and Trixie take turns weaving an impromptu story using those sky visuals Trixie does. I can see all the kinds of ways that can backfire on her already, but it doesn't surprise me that she'd want to end the show with some kind of 'duel' designed to fuel her ego. After a bit more planning and bickering beyond that, Twilight and Applejack finally leave for their own rooms.

"So," Trixie turns to me, after closing the door behind our 'guests' with her magic, "why did you not tell Trixie you knew Twilight Sparkle?"

"Because it didn't matter."

"Didn't matter?!" Aspirin please help. "Trixie told you what Twilight Sparkle did to her career!"

"And I only knew her for a day." Now that the other two are gone, I slide my sword from its harness and set it against the wall so I can sit more comfortably. "It's not like I knew she'd come hunting me down."

"Still!" She paces for a few moments then jumps back on the bed. "What was Sparkle talking about? Memory spell and such?"

"...I'd rather not talk about it."

She peers at me for a moment over the bed. "...Very well." She levitates her hat and cape onto a nearby stand and makes herself comfortable. "Trixie must rest for her performance tomorrow. She intends to outshine Twilight Sparkle on the stage to both rebuild her reputation and show everyone she's the greatest unicorn in all of Equestria!"

"Good luck with that." I shift my hat down over my eyes and slump a bit more against the wall to get comfortable myself.

"Hmph! You will see! The Great and Powerful Trixie does not need luck! Especially not with illusions and story-craft, her own home field!"

I mentally check off another drink as I hear her flop over on the bed. Sleep comes faster than it did in Appleloosa, must mean I'm getting better at sleeping up against the walls of dingy hotel rooms. The bit that's troublesome though, is the dream. Not that the dream itself is unexpected - not anymore. What is unexpected is the vividness. This time, it's not the flowing green of the Lifestream I find myself standing in.

Comments

[Camlio]

Honestly, this chapter works very well within the context, not to mention I think there's a bit of truth to Cloud/Dusk's distrust of Celestia with how quickly she said not to look for him.

Though this makes me wonder why exactly Luna is so interested in him though, perhaps she knows of a connection between his appearance and the darkness sweeping over the night?

Not to mention that with a red materia there's the possibility of a SUMMON! It's should probably be Choco/Mog just because of how funny that'd be not to mention that he'd likely commendear it's chocobo or something, like the summon materia can summon them but, can't dispel them anymore.

That last bit was just an idea and wasn't really necessary so I spoiler barred it.

[the other sans]

Welp, Cloud just gave Trixie Materia. This will not end well. She would most likely use it during the duel and... but wait, we don't know which Materia is it except that it possibly couldn't be offense since it didn't exactly work in or outside of a fight. Might be a supportive Materia like Cure or something...

[valforwing]

i know this is'nt from FF7 but i think it would be hilarious if someone manages to summon doom train.

hrm.....
which summons do you think he has? I think KoTR would be great for a stage performance. Leviathan too. oh who am i kidding summon Odin and all the ponies be freaking out over Slepnir!