Just Drive

CrimsonBrony4812 #1 · Mar 17th, 2023 · 2 · ·

This is a really nice story. I haven't watched a lot of mlp or watched eqg at all, but I think you wrote Trixie very well.

Moproblems Moharmoney

Moproblems Moharmoney #2 · Mar 17th, 2023 · 6 · ·

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Interesting, a little rough but a fascinating concept. Usually EQG Trixie is either lusting after real magic or depressed at how its existence renders her skills moot unusual to see both simultaneously

GT3RS

GT3RS #3 · Mar 18th, 2023 · 3 · ·

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Awe, that was sweet

Mysterysheep12

Mysterysheep12 #4 · Mar 18th, 2023 · 3 · ·

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My response if I were flash: “so you obtained magic? …. Well use it! Show the world what you can do!”

But hey that’s just me

Emil

Emil #5 · Mar 18th, 2023 · 3 · ·

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Pretty soon, she'll realize what new and bigger tricks she can do combining both stage and real magic.

gapty

gapty #6 · Mar 18th, 2023 · · ·

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11532469
A great way to be the subject in the sawing trick that went accidentally wrong

11532520
Technically, she just needs magic now, considering the showcase of the two tricks

11532311
Yeah, I was kind of surprised myself too, weirdly enough

11532294
11532356

Thanks a lot for all the comments

Jymbroni

Jymbroni #7 · Mar 18th, 2023 · 3 · ·

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Yay, more Trixie love! I enjoyed this unique perspective of how not everyone immediate enjoys having magic especially if you couple it with your previous Trixie story. If you think about it Trixie has spent the majority of her life to be a magician and now that she actually has magic what's left? The grind, the motivation, the drive are all gone and I can only imagine how hollow she feels because she lost her sense of direction. To have everything you ever dreamed of in an instant, but to leave you without purpose; damn that would suck.

Mockingbirb

Mockingbirb #8 · Mar 18th, 2023 · 4 · ·

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When a new story comes out, and it puts my own story idea into a somewhat different perspective that means I might have to throw some of my old notes aside and change it some.

Anyway, nice short.

Also interesting that someone else (not just me) gave some actual thought to the implications of a few details in EqG suggesting that Trixie's 'fake' magic is a bit TOO effective for 'fakeness.'

Nullius_OV

Nullius_OV #9 · Mar 18th, 2023 · 1 · ·

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Somewhat of a random storyline, but very well executed. I find myself with the desire to read a sequel where Flash finds the right words and comforts Trixie. Such would be enjoyable.

Scyphi

Scyphi #10 · Mar 18th, 2023 · 3 · ·

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“What are you doing?” she asked with a raised voice.
“Ehm, I’m—” Flash stuttered, but Trixie interrupted him.
“Keep driving!”

...Okaaaaay, but you're refunding him for the gas used, Trixie!

Why had she chosen him to open up?

Knowing Trixie, it was probably a somewhat random selection--he was the closest one about to drive off in a car, so she picked him and worked out the rest on the fly.

In any case, an interesting and quick little character study.

Emil

Emil #11 · Mar 18th, 2023 · · ·

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11532633
It's probable that her "real" magic has limits to its scale. If you look at some impressive tricks like Copperfield's "disappearance" of the Statue of Liberty, that would seem to be beyond her "real" magic capabilities. Being able to combine the two still seems like a bigger box of useful tools.

Raistlin

Raistlin #12 · Mar 19th, 2023 · · ·

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11532520

Like becoming EG version of Zee Zatara?

The Iguana Man

The Iguana Man #13 · Mar 20th, 2023 · 2 · ·

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Huh. That is... a fascinating perspective that I honestly hadn't considered up til now, though I don't know if that's just a deficiency of mine.

Because, true, on the surface, it seems like Trixie can now do all the things she's dreamed of. Except... did she really dream of actually doing them? Or did she dream of seeming to do them.

The thing about stage magic is that, well, it's a skill. And like any skill, there is a great sense of achievement in learning to do it to a notable degree. And with magic in particular, the ability to actually conceal the workings of a trick and appear to be doing impossible things gives a very direct sense of accomplishment - not only is the audience, in the best case scenario, getting that sense of wonder, but you know that you've instilled it by your successful legerdemain. Thanks to your skill, they can, knowingly and consensually, let themselves be fooled. This is largely speculation, admittedly, but I'd imagine there's a great amount of satisfaction one can get from being able to do proper stage magic.

But now? Sure, she can do actual magic, but... where's the accomplishment? Where's the satisfaction? Where's the skill? If she makes a coin appear or teleports a card... it's not because she's done anything special, she hasn't achieved anything. She just... actually did that. After all,comparing the act of setting things up so that, despite being totally normal, you appear to have walked through a wall... to just being able to metaphorically push a button to become incorporeal? Well, it seems obvious to me which is the greater achievement. Ironically, the fact that the magic is really happening means there's no magic in it for her at all.

And she can't even decide not to use real magic for the act, because even if any given audience member doesn't know she could be doing real magic, she'll know. She'll know that she could have actually done what she seemed to and, more tragically, that there's no way for the audience to tell the difference. Even when she does fool them, it won't be doing the impossible, just... playacting the real thing.

And, I'm sure it doesn't help that, by her words, it seems like this ability was just given to her, or something similarly easy. It wasn't something she learned and mastered herself, it just... happened. As tempting as that might be for many, I can imagine it wouldn't make you feel particularly special. And for someone who, I think it would be fair to assume, has some... issues when it comes to self-image and sense of worth, that's not a recipe for a healthy reaction.

So, yeah, very interesting little vignette. All the more since it's from the POV of a character I generally don't care about (and actually using his blank-slate quality to the story's advantage) and focused on a character that I generally find actively annoying. Admittedly, that's more the case with the pony Trixie and this problem is pretty specific to human Trixie, but still, definite kudos. Only real criticism I have is that the whole "just drive" thing seems a little disingenuous as a title and hook, since said driving has basically nothing to do with the main thrust of the story, but other than that, solid work. Kudos.

gapty

gapty #14 · Mar 20th, 2023 · · ·

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I'm just reading this and am mindblown. I kind of had that also kind of in mind… but not that deep as you, and focused way more on how everything Trixie trained is now useless.

But wow, your comment, your view on her situation is so much deeper and way more fitting…

I guess the only thing I can say is: "Kudos for the comment"—if that even makes sense

TheGJ90

TheGJ90 #15 · Mar 24th, 2023 · 1 · ·

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When Trixie needs to do some great and powerful venting... thank goodness, she picked a great listener in Flash!

Silk Rose

Silk Rose #16 · Sep 6th, 2023 · 1 · ·

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I loved this one, so much, in fact, I favorite'd it.
I think it was her anger. I feel for Trixie, I would be hella made if all of a sudden I could just magic stories into existence, after spending so much time trying to get better at writing. I mean, sure it'd be cool, but it would take the fun out of it. Life's about the journey and not the destination, right?

I think I'd be right there with Flash, although I don't think I'd be so bold as to drive home.

I give you the most prized possession a writer can get: ~~theft~~ I mean inspiration. You have inspired me to write a Trixie magic story.

Prince Leviathan