Friends
“Fluttershy, these look delicious.” Trixie eyed her pancake laden plate for a few seconds before hastily digging into them.
“Thank you. I made some eggs to go with them if you would like.” Fluttershy lifted up her pan and spatula and brought them close to her roommate, letting their aroma waft her way.
“Oh yes, Trixie would like very much.”
The new resident cook scooped the scrambled eggs onto the gourmand’s plate. They were half gone by the time Fluttershy could fill her own plate and sit down at the table. “You really like them, don’t you?”
“Trouxshie ith imto thith stuff.” Trixie ravenously chewed her mouthful and swallowed. “Trixie can’t believe she went so long without you cooking these amazing breakfasts in the morning.”
A quiet squee sounded. “I don’t think I’m that good of a cook.”
“Nonsense. Don’t be modest. Consider that the first lesson of Trixie’s tutelage. Pride is everything.”
“That’s right, training starts today, doesn’t it? So is it actually going to be full-time?”
“Yes, Trixie is now to devote one hundred percent of her time towards making the best animal handler in Equestria even better. Though Trixie was hesitant about the decision at first, she has come to respect Big Entrance’s decision. With as much money as he was being offered, it was simply more profitable for him to agree to High Hat’s wish to make the chimera the star of the theater.”
Fluttershy stopped halfway in taking a bite of her eggs and smiled. She hadn't expected her roommate to have such a healthy attitude about her new job. “That’s very understanding of you, Trixie.”
“Far better than throwing a tantrum like a little filly.” Trixie let out a light laugh.
Fluttershy giggled too. This was an entirely different side of the unicorn she had never seen before and it was quite contagious. “Well I’m ready to put my best hoof forward.”
“Excellent!” Trixie punctuated the exclamation by jamming a triple-stacked bite of pancakes into her mouth and swallowing. “When all is said and done, you’ll have the audience eating out of your hoof. Trixie was thinking today she could start by showing you proper positions on stage and how to project yourself.”
“Well I can’t wait to get started. As popular as you are, I’m sure there’s a lot you can teach me.”
“Well don’t bring yourself down too much. You obviously have quite a lot of natural talent. How else could you have gotten that chimera so welled trained by now? Trixie thinks you’re a star just waiting to shoot across the sky.”
Fluttershy blushed. “Really? You think so?”
“Trixie knows so.” The unicorn magically lifted her plate and utensils into the kitchen sink. “Now, why don’t you go and get ready while Trixie cleans the dishes.”
“Alright.” Fluttershy excitedly pulled back from the table and went to brush her hair. She was still rather amazed at the attention her act had gotten. She was the last of the ponies performing at the Mane-Event that she expected to catch the eye of the Canterlot elite. Yet here she was, about to go out and receive training for what was to be the new crowning show. Though the thought made her nervous, she was eager to improve, and there was no harm to be done in practicing when there was no audience to please.
A loud hum started emanating from her lips while she thought, making its way through the apartment.
Her roommate’s head poked through the doorway. “Trixie must know what that catchy tune is.”
“Oh, it’s just something I came up with. Would you like to learn it?”
Trixie’s eyes jumped several notches wider. “Trixie would love to.”
Fluttershy started humming again, this time more slowly so that her roommate could follow the melody.
The two ponies soon had a harmony going as they brushed their manes. They carried the tune all the way through their preparations and on throughout their apartment door.
“Fluttershy?” Trixie asked.
“Yes?”
“Does this song have any words to it?”
“Yes, actually. Would you like to learn them too?
“Uh, Trix, babe, can I, uh, can I talk to you for a sec?”
Trixie turned from her spot on the stage to face the voice of her manager. He was standing at the corner entrance and eyeing the doorway with reluctance.
“Trixie will allow it,” the instructor called to him. She turned back to her protégé. “Alright, stay here and continue to practice this stage move while I talk to Mr. Over-Bearing.”
“Um… are you sure this is will help my performance?” Fluttershy’s expression almost looked pained as she continued her maneuvers.
“Trixie is positive. Now keep it up. Trixie wants to see real vivaciousness when she gets back.” Trixie turned from her student and crossed the stage to her manager. His mouth curled and he shied away from her proximity.
Frowning, Trixie grabbed a length of her mane and sniffed it. “Trixie’s mane smells like lavender. She doesn’t see why you’re backing away.”
Big Entrance rubbed the back of his neck. “You and Miss Shy were singing when you came into work this morning.”
“And?”
“’And?’” Big Entrance repeated. “Trix, you and Flutter were singing! In unison! You scared the cutie marks off half of the staff. I’m probably going to have nightmares tonight.”
“Oh, please. Trixie’s singing is excellent.”
“You’re singing was great! It sounded like a showtune! That’s some scary stuff, Trix, some scary stuff!”
Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Trixie fails to see what is frightening about good singing.”
“Trix, think about this. You and Shy have been sworn enemies since you met. Well… at least on one side. Seeing you two singing together was like watching the sun and moon sharing drinks. That’s just not supposed to happen. I want to know if…” Big Entrance trailed off and backed away a few steps. “Whatever you have is contagious.”
“Trixie doesn’t have a disease! She has just accepted her new job with open hooves. She is only doing what you wanted her to do.”
“Well yeah, but you were supposed to do it kicking and screaming. I expected it. This…” Big Entrance grimaced. “This is otherworldly.”
“This is one hundred percent natural. Now if you don’t mind, Trixie is going to get back to training her pupil.”
“Fine, fine, I'm not going to try and under—” Big Entrance faced Fluttershy across the stage. He lowered his sunglasses. “Sweet flank of Celestia, what is she doing?”
“Trixie is teaching her to use her lady-like charm.”
The stallion turned back to the magician. “I’ve never seen you do that in your performances.”
“Each mare has to use something different.”
Big Entrance turned back to Fluttershy, his mouth hanging slightly open. “Uh, are your sure that’s a good idea?”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “So much doubt. Yes, Trixie is quite sure it will woo the male audience.”
“Great, Trix, that’s half the audience. What about the ladies who will want you drawn and quartered?”
“Their eyes will be too busy taking in the performance glory of the chimera. Only the stallions will take the time to ogle the pretty animal handler.”
The stallion held his eyes on the performing mare for a few moments, mesmerized. He quickly shook his head.“Fine, fine. I trust your judgment. Just tell her to tone it down when she does her private test performance for High Hat and his friends. I’m…” His eyes started wandering back to the pegasus before he regained control of them. “I’m going back to my office.”
“Worry not, the Great and Powerful Trixie has this.” Trixie told the retreating figure. “That’s excellent!” she cried back to her student, re-traversing the stage.
“Oh, thank goodness.” Fluttershy sat down. “That was tiring.”
“Trixie suggests that you practice it regularly. Now, Trixie wants to go over some stage positioning and then she thinks we’ll be done for the day.”
“Would you like some more tea?” asked Fluttershy.
“Oh yes, please,” said Trixie. “Trixie doesn’t know what you added to this, but it tastes wonderful.”
“Thank you. It’s all about adding just the right amount of honey and spices.”
“And this shortbread is amazing. You really outdid yourself.” Trixie closed her eyes and chewed the treat slowly.
“Do you want any? You haven’t really eaten much.” Fluttershy offered the plate of goods to Ivy.
Ivy looked at the food with a scrunched nose. She took a piece of it and examined all its sides. “Are you sure you didn’t put anything… ‘special’ in these?”
“No.” The cook looked at her guest with concern. “They’re the same as last time. Why?”
Twisting her mouth, Ivy eyed Trixie who was now on her fourth piece of shortbread and smiling elatedly. “Trixie did you bump your head against anything lately?”
Trixie paused in thought. “No, Trixie hasn’t.” She took a sip of tea.
Ivy leaned in closely to Trixie, her eyebrows lowered. “What’s three plus eight?”
“Eleven.”
“Ivy, is there a problem?” asked Fluttershy.
Throwing a quick glance at Fluttershy, Ivy lifted her previously untouched cup of tea and stared into its depths with one eye.
“Trixie doesn’t consider that exactly polite, Ivy.” Trixie brushed a crumb off her cheek with a cloth napkin.
Her tea cup slamming firmly down on her saucer, Ivy shot a glare at her co-worker.
“What’s the matter?” asked Fluttershy again.
“I heard you two were singing when you came into work this morning,” Ivy said.
“Whoa, what?”
The mares at the table turned to look at the new arrival. Hue was standing at the doorway to the apartment, two bags of chips at his hooves.
“I heard it from Peaches and Cream,” Ivy continued.
“How did I miss that loop?” Hue picked up his contributions to the gathering and plopped them onto the center of the table. “Did it sound good?”
“That’s besides the—”
The stallion waved a hoof at Ivy. “I bet it sounded great.”
Ivy sighed. “What about the fact that Trixie—”
“I didn’t know you sang, well, you know, good enough that you didn’t mind it being in public.” Hue leaned across the table towards Fluttershy. “Give us a verse.”
“She really is good,” said Trixie.
“See, a recommendation.” Hue winked at Trixie. “Don’t you want to hear Fluttershy sing, Ivy?”
The mare rubbed her snout and finally took a sip of her tea. “I have to admit,” she said, facing her new friend, “I am curious to hear you sing.”
“Alright then, go for it.” Hue opened one of his chip bags and started munching them while staring at Fluttershy intensely.
Fluttershy looked at the expecting eyes around her and gulped. Under normal circumstances she had no difficulties singing in public, like she had earlier that morning, but now she was under pressure. They were all waiting for her to open her mouth and impress them. What if she suddenly went off key? What if their expectations were too high?
“I, uh, I have to use the little fillies room.” Fluttershy spread her wings and rocketed to the bathroom, locking the door.
“Um, Trixie, why are we doing this again?” Fluttershy asked. She stuck close to her roommate as the sidewalk got ever more crowded.
“It’s simple,” said Trixie, forging a path through the pedestrian traffic. “It’s obvious you have some serious issues with performance anxiety. What you need to do before you perform in front of High Hat and his friends, is go out and please a crowd. It will put a good feeling in your chest. Trixie knows, she’s done it many times.”
“What do you mean?”
“Trixie’s taking you to a… place.”
With reluctance, Fluttershy headed further down the city streets with Trixie. She wasn’t quite sure what to expect but as they walked deeper and deeper into what she had heard many ponies call “downtown” her nervousness grew. Not only were there terribly large crowds but they were quite raucous and unconcerned about personal space. Several minutes and a severe amount of jostling later, they arrived at a building sporting a large neon sign that flashed out “Karaoke Nights.”
“Karaoke? What’s that?” asked Fluttershy, unsteadily eyeing the patrons streaming in and out.
A sound came to their ears as they got closer, a loud, offbeat voice that warbled out of the doorway.
With a smug grin, Trixie gestured inside. “That is the sound of confidence. It’s horrible, but it has pride.”
Fluttershy poked her head into the building and instantly retracted it. “It’s very crowded in there. Shouldn’t we find somewhere else?” She smiled hopefully.
“No, this is how we’re going to build up your stage confidence. You need to be comfortable with expectant crowds. Soon you’ll learn to love them and then”—Trixie leaned in close to Fluttershy—“you can start to twist them around your hoof.” She gestured her student to follow her and went in.
Fluttershy gulped and followed her trainer into the abyss. It was nothing like she had ever seen before, and every bit as intimidating as she expected. The room was composed of a bar, a DJ station, numerous booths, and the center of attention-- the stage. It stood raised before a swarm of chairs and tables, two austere spotlights shining upon it. Everywhere there was noise. A lot of noise.
Trixie led Fluttershy to the DJ and requested that they be put on the waiting list for singing.
“It might be a bit.” The DJ lifted up a list showing how far down the line they were.
“Don’t you know who Trixie is?” Trixie asked menacingly.
The stallion looked at her as recognition slowly came to his eyes. “Oh! Trixie! Hey! So you want—“
Trixie put a hoof to the DJ’s mouth. She turned to Fluttershy. “Do you mind if Trixie and this simpleton speak in private for a bit?”
“Oh, uh, that’s fine.”
“Why don’t you go over to the bar and order some drinks? Trixie will have a dandelion margarita.” Trixie pulled the DJ off to the side.
Fluttershy looked at them quizzically before shifting her eyes all about the room, not liking the idea of being left alone. She slinked up to one of the stools and sat down in a huddle. Another singer took the stage, a mare who actually had a fair amount of talent. There was a whistle or two of appreciation throughout the audience. Fluttershy considered this. Obviously the audience could be pleased, but would she be able to live up to their expectations? So many ponies just waiting to be disappointed by her...
She buried her head under her forelegs.
“Um, can I get you anything?”
Fluttershy peeked an eye out from her heap. She quickly sat upright, her face flushing. “Oh, yes, um, I would like a dandelion margarita and… some water.”
The bartender gave her a curious eye but nodded and went to prepare the drinks.
Wringing her hooves, Fluttershy glanced around her, seeking a place of a refuge. A booth in the corner looked nice. As soon as she had the drinks in her hooves she would make a dive for cover.
“Hey there, I haven’t seen you here before.”
Fluttershy gave a small start as another pegasus sat down beside her, plopping a large mug of frothy liquid on the bar. He smiled widely.
“Uh, hi. I… I just moved here about a month ago.”
“Come out here for all the handsome stallions?” The pegasus winked at her. “I’m Rainslick, and you might be?
“I’m Fluttershy.”
“Well that’s a pretty name. Good to meet you.” Rainslick took a gulp of his drink.
“Oh, well, thank you.” Fluttershy was quite sure the red on her face had spread to her entire coat.
“Flirt with him.”
The sudden whispered words were not kind to Fluttershy’s nerves. Just barely keeping in a squeak, she turned to find the speaker. She noticed a glass of water was on the bar in front of her and not much farther down was a margarita being sipped by Trixie. She faced slightly away from Fluttershy and seemed to be paying her no heed.
“What did you say?” asked Fluttershy.
“Shh,” Trixie said through the side of her mouth. “Don’t acknowledge Trixie. Just do your thing.”
“What thing?”
Trixie turned even further away from her, keeping silent.
Fluttershy swallowed nervously and turned back Rainslick. “So, um, what are you doing here this evening?”
“Just finding a way to kick back and relax. It’s been a long day. Hard to argue with a good drink and some”—he smirked as a new karaoke participant took the stage and missed a note—“occasionally good singing. What about yourself?”
“Oh I’m here for… well…”
“Handsome stallions,” Trixie’s voice whispered again.
“Handsome stallions?” Fluttershy responded.
Rainslick leaned his left foreleg on the bar and beamed. “Haha, so I was right?”
“I guess so.” Fluttershy laughed nervously.
“So exactly what fits the bill when it comes to handsome?” Rainslick asked, stretching out his wings slightly and raising his head.
“I’m seeing a lot of it right now,” Trixie suggested.
“I’m seeing a lot of it right now?” Fluttershy repeated.
“Stop turning it into a question,” Trixie hissed.
Fluttershy took a quick drink from her glass of water.
“Oh are you now?” The stallion leaned a little closer to Fluttershy. “Well I’m seeing a lot of beautiful right now.”
“Flip back your mane and thank him.”
Fluttershy hesitantly brought a hoof up to her hair and flicked it back in a manner she hoped was attractive. “Thank you very much.”
“No. More seductive,” Trixie whispered.
Fluttershy was about to panic but Rainslick interrupted before she could summon the nerve to bolt for the door.
“They have some nice booths by the corner. Should we make our way over there?” he asked.
“And next up we have Fluttershy!”
Her nerves finally surrendered and Fluttershy let out a yelp as her wings flew open in surprise at her name being announced over the loudspeaker.
“That’s you.” Trixie poked her in the back. “Head up to the stage.”
“But what am I singing?” Fluttershy whirled around to face her guide, wanting very much to melt into thin air.
“You’ll see when you get up there. Now stop worrying. Like Trixie said, this sort of thing will help your stage performances. Boosts confidence.” Trixie pushed Fluttershy gently forward, off her stool.
“I didn’t know you were going to sing,” said Rainslick. “I look forward to it.” He winked and turned to face the stage, drink in hoof.
A battle broke out in Fluttershy’s mind, one side rallying under the banner of shame prevention while the other side spread propaganda about how the enemy was cowardly. It didn’t take long before Fluttershy realized that if her courageous self didn’t win at least this one battle, it might lose the war.
Smiling nervously, she made her way to the stage, aware that all eyes were on her. She stood there awkwardly, shifting back and forth. The only thing that kept her from screaming and flying out a nearby window was that not all of the bar was silent and watching her. No, just a very, very large portion…
“Just follow the words on screen,” the DJ told her, as a display lit up in front of her. “Alright, let’s turn this party into overdrive!” he yelled to the audience.
Fluttershy gasped as the lights dimmed. This hadn’t happened for the other performances. What was going on? A large space opened up in the ceiling, letting down a wide, spinning sphere with lights. They were of all sorts of different colors and they dazzled round the room in a dizzying manner. Loud, fast tempo music started to blare from the speakers.
As words started to roll down the display in front of her, Fluttershy quickly realized that she didn’t understand any of it. Almost every other word was completely foreign to her and she could hardly guess at their meaning.
The crowd quickly started cheering, however, and Fluttershy knew that if she didn’t face her stage fear now she never would. She burst out into song, quickly puzzling out the music’s melody and rhythm. When the chorus came along, she had to make her voice a little rougher than usual to fit the tone. An abundance of whooping and hollering broke out from her listeners.
Trixie’s unmistakable voice rang out from the bar. “Do what Trixie taught you!”
Swallowing her fears a second time, Fluttershy started to do the moves she had been shown that morning.
The audience went nuts, or, rather, the stallions went nuts. Fluttershy had never heard so much whistling before. A broad smile came to her face and she put some extra oomph into her performance. The yelling from the crowd got so loud she almost couldn’t hear herself sing anymore.
The last words of the song faded and Fluttershy bowed as the cheering continued.
“Bow the other way!”
“Afterhours started early tonight!”
“Encore, baby!”
Fluttershy looked puzzled at these exclamations but she was sure they were complimentary in some way. She made her way off the stage with a broad smile, only to to quickly duck her head as she was met by angry stares of every kind from mares all throughout the bar. Didn’t she do well? The stallions seemed to have an entirely different reaction, though Fluttershy had difficulty interpreting them.
“I didn’t know you were that sort of mare!” Rainslick exclaimed as Fluttershy made her way back to her stool.
“What sort?” Fluttershy asked.
“The wild kind.” The stallion closed his eyes half way and leaned in very close to the mare. “Say, do you wanna go someplace very private? Perhaps my place?”
“Say yes, say yes!” A hoof pushed Fluttershy.
“Uh, sure.” Fluttershy said. The stallion was somewhat unsettling but she was sure once she got to know him that he would be a nice pony like all the others she had met at Manehattan.
Rainslick put a hoof around her and started flying to the exit. Fluttershy flew to keep at his level, biting her bottom lip in uncertainty.
“I like that.” The stallion gave a look at Fluttershy’s bottom lip. It was almost a… hungry look.
How long was this song going to go on? Trixie was already on her second margarita and the song was barely halfway over. Of course it was a ballad, after all. The people in Manehattan loved their ballads. Trixie didn’t understand it. They all had odd, joking lyrics that typically told the story of unlikely romance. At least it was better than some of the previous song choices.
The unicorn grabbed her drink magically, lifted it to her lips, and, with supreme effort, avoided having it spill all over her face as two legs wrapped around her with alarming speed. She heard heavy breathing next to her ear and whatever had assailed her was shaking.
Trixie twisted around to face her attacker. It was Fluttershy. Of course it was her.
“What happened?” Trixie asked.
“I… I don’t want to talk about it. Can we just go home now?”
“No, we may not.” Trixie pried the pegasus’s hooves off herself and nudged the pony into an adjacent stool. “Now tell Trixie what happened. Surely it wasn’t his looks. He was quite the hunk.”
Fluttershy huddled over her stool, her eyes darting around and her breathing coming dangerously close to hyperventilation.
“My word, was it that bad? Take deep, slow breaths.”
Fluttershy closed her eyes and made a visible effort to breathe deeply. Her shaking slowed down and she seemed to regain composure.
“I kicked him,” she said quietly. “I think he might have started crying.”
“You kicked him? Celestia, why?”
“Because well, he… he nibbled my ear…”
“Not a fan?”
“No! I didn’t know… he was… you know…”
Trixie stared at Fluttershy in sudden understanding. “You… you didn’t know what his intentions were, did you?”
“No.”
Trixie brought a hoof to her face and sighed. “What is Trixie going to do with you?”
Fluttershy ducked her head.
“What did you think you two were going to do? Read a book together? Have an indoor picnic? You met him in a bar for Luna’s sake!”
“I... I don’t know. I’ve never even been to a bar before.”
“Well if attracting a stallion wasn’t what you were going for, then why did you get so into that song?”
“You said I needed to get into my performances. So that’s what I did.”
“Well yes, Trixie did say that, but you could have chosen something else.”
“You can? I didn’t know that. What was so bad about the song I sang?”
Trixie winced. With a deep breath, she explained the meaning of the song and all of its slang words to Fluttershy.
“Come on! Trixie thought this was out of your system!” Trixie banged on the dressing room door.
“It came back!”
“For the last time, this stage is nothing like the karaoke one. No similarities.”
“Oh, it was so embarrassing!”
“It was not that bad. You have got to get over it. Your performances have been lackluster all week. Now, will you hurry up. Trixie is tired of talking to a door.”
There was a pause and then the door before Trixie slowly opened, revealing a crouched, yellow pony. “I fainted,” she said, a distant look in her eyes.
Trixie sighed. “Trixie has said this before, you didn’t faint. You simply… got off your stool too quickly, in the process hitting your head against the bar. Maybe Trixie had to guide you out, yes, but it was no matter.”
“It was horrible,” Fluttershy whispered.
“Of course you would wait until the big performance to become this terrified.” Trixie shook her head. “Look, you'll do fine. We've practiced several times since that... incident." Trixie looked up at the clock on the wall of the prep room. “Trixie feels she should also remind you that you only have fifteen minutes until you need to be out there proving yourself.”
“But… but, High Hat and several other very important ponies are out there! What if I make a fool of myself again?”
“You won’t. Just er… don’t do that move Trixie taught you anymore and you’ll be fine. Besides, you’ll have the majestic chimera out there this time.”
Fluttershy seemed to consider that, her body visibly relaxing. “Well, I would feel a lot better with her there.”
“Yes, once you’re out there it’ll all hit you!”
“Well, ok.” Fluttershy got up and made hesitant hoofsteps forward.
“Excellent. Get out there and wow the monocles off those ponies. Now, Trixie has to leave, but she wants to hear all about it when you get back to the apartment.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “Wait, what? Leave? But I thought you were going cheer me on?”
“Trixie was, but she has another engagement unfortunately. You’ll do fine without her.”
“Um, but…”
“Get out there!” Trixie pushed her roommate forward, staring the animal handler down until she finally disappeared out the door.
Her pep talk duty over, Trixie left the theater. She looked up at the night sky and a large, beaming grin came to her face. Tonight would be the final note. The pegasus’s career would be over before the sun replaced the moon. All in one fell swoop, too. Trixie went over her mastermind of a plan again in her head, reveling in her own brilliance.
First she had to teach the pegasus those outrageous dance moves. That wasn’t hard. The naive, little filly had no idea what they meant. Then she simply had to tell Hue that the easiest way to flatter the mare was to compliment her singing, but of course, the only way to do that was to actually hear her sing. The stallion was ridiculously gullible.
That gave Trixie an excuse to take the pegasus to a karaoke bar, a trap she had set up beforehoof. Paying the DJ to go all out with the most bawdy pop song available? It only took a few bits. Convincing Rainslick that Trixie needed help to break her friend out of her shell? Easy, given the stallion’s eagerness. The result was one confidence broken pegasus which Trixie's half-hearted training took no pains to fix. That just left one last, little thing...
Trixie made a brief stop in the midst of her walk through the city streets to throw two empty vials into a nearby trashcan. She was told the drug that was once in them was excellent for getting animals overly excited. A small pinch was the recommended dose. Given the size and stamina of the chimera, Trixie figured quite a bit more was in order. The end result would be a beast too much for any one pony to handle.
Trixie started singing.
The door creaked open and closed softly. Quiet hoofsteps pattered across the carpet. A large grin slowly stretched its way across Trixie’s face. Was her objective finally accomplished? The unicorn’s ears tilted back in preparation for the sweet, sweet sound of success. A single, forlorn sniffle echoed throughout the room.
It was quickly followed by a stifled laugh. Trixie coughed several times, cleared her throat, and turned to face her roommate.
“How did it go?”
The silence in the room was wonderfully long. Two large eyes enveloped Trixie, dams that looked as if they might break at a moment’s notice. It took all Trixie could muster not to grin wickedly at the very sight of them.
“He… he fired me.”
Yes! One glorious victory for Trixie. The yellow terror's reign was at an end and the magnificent magician was back on the throne. Now to completely crush the enemy.
Trixie was sure she could feel a halo over her head as concern radiated from her features. “Oh my Celestia, why would Big Entrance fire you?”
“I went out for the big performance and… and Maribel… she, I don’t know, she just snapped.” The pegasus sat on her haunches as her legs began to shake. “She started snarling and attacking everything. I just… I panicked. I don’t know why. No pony got hurt but… it was a mess…”
Pure innocence ushered forth from Trixie’s mouth. “Does that mean… does that mean Maribel will be put down?”
Another delicious sniffle came from Fluttershy as she nodded. Her lip started to quiver.
So close. So very, very close. Trixie just needed one more straw. “Trixie is sure it will be somewhat painless.”
With that, the pent-up depression gushed forth and the pegasus collapsed to the floor and cried. Not just a sob, no, that wouldn’t have been satisfying enough. The mare before her was blubbering. The Great and Powerful Trixie doubted she had ever been more gleeful at the suffering of another pony in all her life. She felt a malicious laugh coming on. It was bubbling to the surface…
“Trixie is so sorry.”
Her hoof slapped across her mouth. What did she just say? She had to be hearing things. She wanted a laugh. It was supposed to be an evil, gloating laugh. She tried again.
“Big Entrance was probably just mad. Trixie is sure he would never put down such a majestic creature.” The unicorn patted her roommate on the shoulder.
Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. She wanted spite. She wanted malicious glee...
The shuddering, yellow pony looked up at Trixie, tears oozing from her eyes. Trixie looked into them and felt pity and sorrow. Who could cause a mare like her to cry? How could she have caused her to cry?
“Do you really think so?” Fluttershy asked.
“Trixie knows so. She’ll have a talk with him tomorrow and get him to change his mind.”
“Oh, Trixie, thank you, thank you!” The pegasus hugged Trixie, emptying the last of her sobs on her roommate's shoulder. Trixie hugged Fluttershy back. She might have even said “there, there.”
With her cries winding down, Fluttershy pulled back from Trixie, blinking back the last of her tears. “So, first thing in the morning?”
“First thing in the morning,” replied Trixie. “Now why don’t you get some rest.”
Fluttershy smiled. “Okay.” She slowly walked back to her room, stopping at her door. “Thank you,” she whispered.
It was a nice night for as late as it was. The temperature was a pleasant cool and the full moon shone brightly enough that artificial lighting was hardly necessary. It was probably a perfect night for taking a stroll around town. Trixie supposed she would never find out, however, given that she found it impossible to get up from her sprawled position on the floor of her room.
She was mesmerized by her cutie mark on the ceiling. She studied every curve on the crescent moon, each point on the tip of the wand. She didn’t even mind the pink background anymore. It seemed fitting that the symbol of her life was backed by failure.
Had she ever been successful? There seemed to be a dim light in her memory that hearkened back to the days of constant praise and relaxing evenings. It seemed like much more than a few months since she had been afflicted by the blight that had darkened her door. Thinking back on it, she supposed she should have known how hopeless it was as soon as she fell prey to the pegasus’s cooking. All the bad omens had been there, plain as day and there was nothing to do about it now. The beast-pony had rent her apart, rendering her a shell of a magician. She saw nothing for it but to just leave town and wander Equestria in misery.
She reached for the bottle beside her. There was nothing but air. Where did it go? Trixie lifted her head to look around her, only to discover there was no bottle anywhere. Was she sober? She frowned. Surely she wasn’t thinking these thoughts with a clear mind, was she? Well now she was just being pathetic.
The Great and Powerful Trixie lifted herself up from the floor. There was no time for wallowing. She had her career to take back and a roommate to be rid of. What was she doing lying on the floor? In fact, if the stupid pegasus was fired, then she had no reason to continue to stay with Trixie. Scrunching up her face in determination, Trixie marched down the hall and threw open the door separating her and her prey.
“Oh my! Uh, is everything ok?” Fluttershy rubbed her eyes and picked up her covers from the ground where they had fallen.
Trixie smiled warmly and nodded. “Sorry, Trixie just wanted to make sure you were still ok.”
“Oh, yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry if I was a little... emotional earlier. I just couldn’t bare the thought of... well...”
“Yes, Trixie understands. Well she’s sorry she woke you up. First thing in the morning. Trixie promises.” With that, Trixie closed the door and returned to her room.
Now she remembered why she had been lying on her floor.
Something was amiss deep in her sub-conscious. Somehow it had decided to turn traitor and utterly ruin Trixie’s masterful plan. What did it want? Trixie closed her eyes and sighed in realization. She knew exactly what it wanted. She needed to give the pegasus her job back and put her back on the path to success. It was the only way she would be rid of the empathetic disease that had settled inside of her.
Trixie plodded to her bed, fell into it, and screamed into her pillow.
How hard could it be? She simply had to right a little wrong and she would be back to her normal, superior self. All Trixie had to do was convince her manager to let Fluttershy back. In the process, Trixie was sure a negotiation could be made that would put the pegasus in another living space, as well.
Just before she entered Big Entrance’s office, Trixie contemplated her strategy. She was in no position to provide a good reason as to why Fluttershy should get her job back nor as to why the pegasus should live somewhere else if she did. Revealing that it had been Trixie’s fault that Fluttershy performed so badly was entirely out of the question.
Trixie took a deep breath. It was going to take charm, guts, and cunning, but she could do it. She opened the door and marched into the room as if she was still the Queen of the Platform.
“Big, I have something I wish to discu...” The commanding statement instantly deflated as Trixie noticed that she wasn’t the only one occupying her manager’s attention.
The reservoir of dislike inside Trixie was practically bottomless. It had to be in order for her to function. There were simply too many things in the world that Trixie had no control over and the only recourse was to harbor ill-will against them. How dare they not realize the perfection that is the Great and Powerful Trixie? However, pure and utter hatred was reserved for very special cases. One such case had just destroyed the hatred sent its way through mere tears, which left only one other individual on Trixie's list, an individual from her history that she had hoped she would never see again...
“Ah, Trix, good to see you. I’d like you to meet our new animal handler— Flair!” Big Entrance gestured a hoof at a deep yellow stallion standing by his desk, a stallion that brought back a host of memories forged of scorching fire and general unpleasantness.
There should have been a nervous tic, perhaps a total brain shutdown, maybe some tears, at least, but what Trixie felt was nothing that advanced. Apparently her body was sick and tired of being distraught, surprised, or ferociously angry. She stared blankly at the two stallions.
“What, surely you remember me, Trixie. I doubt I could be such a forgettable pony.” Flair smiled so smugly that Trixie was sure Fluttershy herself would have wanted to smack him straight out to pasture.
At the moment, Trixie just wanted him out of the room. “Big, can Trixie speak to you in private.”
The professional neck-pain smiled knowingly. “Alright, out with you Flair. We’ll continue our discussion this afternoon.”
Flair laughed. “That we shall, Big.” He stared down Trixie, taking his time exiting the room.
Trixie ignored him, slamming the door shut after the stallion. “Trixie thought you said the chimera was going to be put down if Fluttershy was fired,” she said flatly.
Big Entrance batted his hoof at Trixie. “More lies, and that was before High Hat came on the scene. As it is, High Hat has no intention of abandoning his dream of making the chimera Equestria renown just because Flutter got removed from the mix. No, he hired Flair.”
“You do understand Trixie hates Flair with every fiber of her being, right?”
“Yes, yes, I know. Look, I know the spiel. Let me spare you the suspense and cut straight to the conclusion. He’s got amazing talent, he has experience with exotic animals, and High Hat can afford his outrageous paycheck. It's not my problem you seem to be having some bad luck with our latest influx of performers."
Trixie tried to hold her tongue as her emotions started to remember their old ways.
“Hey, look, there’s a raise in it for you if you’re cooperative. All courtesy of High Hat.”
“How does he know about Flair and Trixie?”
“Well, when he mentioned hiring Flair to replace Shy, I told him that he was either going to have to kill you or give you some sort of incentive to not be a screaming, tantrum-throwing filly.”
“Trixie does not throw tantrums!”
Big Entrance lowered his sunglasses and looked at her.
“She complains! Loudly! Those are not tantrums!”
“Look, are you going to take the pay raise or not?”
“No, Trixie most certainly will not! Trixie would rather have a hot poker driven through her eye than work alongside Flair.”
“Uh-uh, no, not gonna happen. We’re not about to have an argument. It’s just not going to happen.”
“We are too! We—”
“Nope. Quiet.”
“Will you stop—”
Big Entrance put a hoof to his lips. “Shh. Just, shh. Calm. Tranquility.”
Trixie’s clammed her mouth shut and cast a burning stare upon her manager.
“Ah, there, see? Seething, quiet contempt. Much better. Now, think about this, Trix, think. Do you... want... this raise?”
Trixie held her stare. There was no getting out of it. When Big Entrance cuts off a discussion before it begins then it meant there was absolutely no changing his mind.
Her first response was to unleash her full fury on the office and its owner but that wouldn’t get her where she needed to be.
“Fine,” Trixie said.
Big Entrance smiled. “See, I knew reason would come through. Anything else you’d like to discuss?”
“No.” Trixie blinked once at her manager and quickly left his office.
The door closed softly behind her. Trixie stared into space. She wanted desperately to explode with anger but she had to keep it in.
“So, did you talk to Big Entrance?”
Trixie looked up at her roommate, who plodded slowly into the living room.
“Yes,” Trixie said slowly.
Fluttershy cringed. “What was his answer?”
“Drugging it won't work with him, he's observant enough to catch it.”
“Um, pardon?”
Trixie put a hoof to her chin. "Where would his weak point be...?"
Whatever cruel thing was in charge of the universe had to be cackling with glee. Giving Trixie a filthy conscious along with an old, hated rival was completely diabolical. Yet... Trixie never thought it would come to this, but she had a plan, a plan that required the pegasus’s assistance. It was the only way to kill her guilt and get rid of Flair in one go.
Circumstances made the strangest of friends.
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The scene with Trixie whispering in Fluttershy's ear was perfect. And that plan was so cruel. I feel no sympathy for Trixie,
. Well done.
Trixie, yiu have gone too far!!!!
I hope she makes this all better next chapter.
Dis gon b gud
Saw the title of this chapter and my mind collapsed in upon itself.
Actually read the chapter, and it exploded in a fiery mass of "WHAT THE BUCK?"
I'm not even going to say why in case some people read the comments first. Good work, and I look forward to the next chapter.
I look forward to the upcoming plotting and chaos... It's nice that Trixie got a conscience, too. Took her long enough.
Great chapter!
What, Trixie, feeling remorse? SCANDAL.
Also, I feel sorry for whatever this new fellow is about to go through. Marginally. It's outweighed by expectant hilarity.
Oh no, Trixie has fallen prey to Fluttershy's crazy mind-control powers!
When Flutters started crying, I was thinking, "YOU MAKE MY FLUTTERSHY CRY, YOU DIE."
Chapter was
anyway!
Wah-ha-ha-ha! Not even Trixie is immune to the almighty pity-producing powers of Fluttershy's tears!
501505
Thank you! I'm not satisfied until Trixie is a character you love to hate/love/hate/love.
475891
The praise for my character writing is much appreciated. The story would fall apart without it, so it's good to know I'm at least doing something right there.
I'm beginning to think Trixie might prefer fire and brimstone at this point.
475902
Does that sympathy still apply? I might have let her antagonism back out of the box.
481912
Oooh, a comment per chapter? Thank you much, reader. I'm glad the first chapter did its job as a hook.
And of course she put on a good performance! There's volumes of raw talent buried underneath that hating, arrogant exterior.
485306
"What is that thing in Trixie's living room?" Trixie's jaw hung open as she eyed the blue box before her couch.
"It's, um, it's the TARDIS," said Fluttershy.
"Why is it here? In Trixie's living room."
"Well, I need it to travel to another dimension. Trixie, I really want to explain but, um, well, I'm needed somewhere else. If you hear anything saying "exterminate" run away, okay?"
"But, what, how--"
Fluttershy patted Trixie on the head and entered the police box. It quickly warped out existence in Equestria, leaving Trixie to raid her liquor cabinet.
501513
Er, um, well, define "better?"
501569
Ah, glad the chapter did its job! Many thanks!
501577
It got left in a box by a dark alley. In the rain. But, it eventually grew up, made something of itself, and found its way back to Trixie. It would be touching if Trixie didn't keep it locked in her basement.
Thank you for your readership and praise!
501587
Don't believe the tabloids! She's still a souless machine of pride! Honest!
Oh, Flair, you're in for some fun backstory and amusing problems.
501628
Don't tell her about the mothership.
501658
That was the reaction I was going for. Glad it was evoked. Hopefully readers won't hate her guts too, too much. She hasn't killed anypony yet (yet...)
501686
There is no antidote. There is no cure. Once they've gotten a hold of you, it's hugs and apologies, and there's nothing you can do about it.
501778
Thanks!
I think I'll comment on this chap. . ter. . too. . .
i689.photobucket.com/albums/vv257/dmancornell/funny-monkey-gorilla-smashing-computer.jpg
NO FLUTERSHY! NOOOOOOOO!!!
when i read the first part of the story i thought that i went insane!
but i knew that this bliss no resoning and every thing being ok was to good to be true.
501778 For Trixie, always.
501778
better means to make amends for the horrible thing Trixie has done
"Yes. Trixie is now to devote one hundred percent of her time to making the best animal handler in Equestria even better."
The sentence that set my treachery senses ablaze.
With that, the pent-up depression gushed forth and the pegasus collapsed to the floor and cried. Not just a sob, no, that wouldn’t have been satisfying enough. The mare before her was blubbering. The Great and Powerful Trixie doubted she had ever been more gleeful at the suffering of another pony in all her life. She felt a malicious laugh coming on. It was bubbling to the surface…
“Trixie is so sorry.”
Her hoof slapped across her mouth. What did she just say? She had to be hearing things. She wanted a laugh. It was supposed to be an evil, gloating laugh.
The excerpt that doused the blazing inferno of treachery and replaced it with a smugness the likes of which I've never experienced before.
None can stand emotionless before the furious onslaught of Fluttershy's sadness! Not even Trixie!
Strangely enough I didn't hate Trixie at all for the betrayal. I just can't bring myself to even slightly dislike her. For me, hating Trixie is like hating Fluttershy: Absolutely, unimaginably, undeniably impossible.
Please, continue to write such wonderful stories.
Dear 501778,
64 is my most recurring number. But now it will be 65. For once i looked upon how many comments you had, my number was there so now i will jump with joy at this tremendous occasion. I thank thee for having 64 comments.
Sincerely,
thestripedtotodilepony
Argh, I was like "MUST. RESIST. URGE. TO. SNAP. TRIXIE'S. NECK."
And then I was like "What. Trixie actually feels remorse. That's actually pretty great."
And then I was like "Is Trixie seriously so messed up in the head that a simple thing like compassion makes her consider herself weak and a failure?"
And then I was like "Damn, is ANYTHING Big Entrance says NOT a lie? Seriously."
Anyway, loving the story so far!
Awww, turns out Trixie isn't a soulless harlot after all!
Poor Fluttershy. Poor Trixie, even. Also, this:
"Whatever cruel thing was in charge of the universe had to be cackling with glee."
You were cackling with glee, I presume, when you wrote this? Lord knows I would be. ;) We authors are real a-holes to the characters in our stories, aren't we?
Not even Trixie is immune to Fluttertears.
Congratulations, Trixie! You've acquired huma- Err, Equinity.
Really enjoyed the way Trixie manipulated events to get what she wants. I haven't seen mean Trixie in a while. I kinda miss her.
For once, the evil intentions of the villain's master plan worked!
...and then died to Fluttercry.
Rest in peace, Machiavellian Trixie. Rest in peace.
I wait to see what Trixie's new plans will be for her new rival!
502606 You dear gentlecolt...win all my internets. That summed my attitude up beautifully. To the author: more please more!
Trixie is best worst best pony. Calling it now.
503661
I don't always adore egotistical, self-serving ponies. But when I do, I choose Trixie Lulamoon.
Stay bronified, my friend.
I knew it! Never belived a second of it! Trixie is just like Dan.
504146
*brohoof*
501928
I apologize for any emotional damage caused by the tears of Fluttershy. Direct all demands for recompense to my attorney.
502206
I don't know. I thought I hadn't truly made it big until I had one or two dislikes (oh I am just asking for it). Thank you for your praise, dear reader!
Edit: Yes, a dislike! I've hit the big time, folks! Champagne all around!
502240
Oh dear, my attorney is going to be swamped. Though I am happy my chapter caused the requisite amount of brain mess.
502266
With Trixie to the end! The badge of loyalty goes to you.
502556
Is it amends if it's done for selfish reasons? Hmm...
502606
So much love for Trixie, even after this chapter! I approve of this so much. Thank you for your wondrous readership! Each of your comments makes me smile.
502656
Why thank you, though I must say, my number is 356345649, so there's really no need to celebrate till we get there.
502874
All the reactions I was aiming for, right on the money! Thank you, thank you, and thank you.
(I think Big Entrance said he liked money once. Pretty sure that wasn't a lie.)
503001
Well... she has a semblance of a soul, at least.
Oh yes. Our job isn't done until our characters are cursing the Fates at every turn.
503198
Something That Looks Somewhat Like a Conscious achievement unlocked!
503639
Trixie the Chessmaster failed to account for the most powerful thing of all.
Writing her in this chapter was untold amounts of fun. I don't know what it says about me that writing a mastermind, jerk character is so enjoyable. Unfortunately, Equestria isn't ready for a Trixie that gets everything that she wants.
503661
More Trix and Shy coming to an internet near you!
503815
Or perhaps worst best worst pony? Regardless, I called it first! Back of the line!
505165
images.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw830_small.png
505330
Well yes, there is a comparison to be made with him, isn't there. You replace Dan with Trixie and Chris with Fluttershy and I think you'd have a show that works just as well.
But in all seriousness, I can understand Trixie's hatred for Twilight and even Fluttershy. Trixie has worked hard her entire life to get where she is, while Twilight and Fluttershy are seemingly born with talent and just about everything they could ever want, especially friends that love and respect them. I'd feel a little cheated too, and I guess her way of coping with that is to tear down others to make herself look better. How fucking dare they have it easy.
She's still an abhorrent bitch though. but I still love her
508390
Meh, there's no problem doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.
508390
*Bows*
Was there ever any doubt? The Great and Powerful Trixie is Great and Powerful at swaying my emotions. I'm not ashamed to say that I'd wait on her hand and foot (to a certain degree) were she a physical being, and even if she repaid my efforts with nothing but disdain and contempt, I'd endure it just to have a chance to try and make her feel something at least close to compassion for someone (or somepony, as it were) other than herself. And I'd hope beyond hope that that someone would be me.
507467
*returns brohoof enthusiastically*
508390 good luck to get there kind sir or ma'am. I am honored to hear a comment from the administrator. 81 81 81.. tut tut. Well I must depart for something has come up.
ta ta,
502656
OK, that was beautiful.
*gets ahold of another drug... one that drives mares into an uncontrollable lust... and slips it into Trixie's drink the next time she's in the karaoke bar... and then...* Sayyyy, Rainslick. That blue unicorn looks like she has the hots for ya!
*cackles* Revenge for poor Fluttershy!
519897 Rainslick is too good for her... get Flair involved, THAT would be evil on a Trixie scale
520265 Rainslick and Flair for a menage-a-trois. >:3
OK, that's it. You're a genius. No use fighting it. This is beautiful, everything about it. Just... amazing. Bravo. BRA-BUCKING-VO.
This is amazing XD
Can't wait for more.
"Trixie started singing."
For some reason, i pictured her singing this song...
This day has been just perfect... the kind of day of which I dreamed since I was small...
Oh this just got interesting.
You know, for a while there it really felt like I had missed a chapter somehow.
Also, I think I just figured out something I really like about your Trixie. She can be kind of a terrible pony, but she's basically like a weapon: If you're on her bad side she will totally destroy you, but if you can stay on her good side, her terribleness will work in your favor.
I think the go-crazy drug was too much even for this Trixie, but I suppose it was a Plot Necessity™.
What happened to the weekly letter to her friends? Did they ever reply? Besides that good job
I was thinking Trixie seemed to change her mind way too quickly at the beginning of this chapter, but then the reveal that she was setting Fluttershy up was brilliant.
Trixie really is the cosmic chew toy, though. Every time she thinks she's successful she doesn't get bitten on the flank in one manner, she gets bitten in two or three different ways!
I'm sorry, I'm genuinely liking the story but I just had to mention this...
It's... it's spelt conscience.
Sorry.
I think that Trixie will want to use Fluttershy to prevent Flair from controlling the Chimera. I wonder what kind of history Trixie and Flair have.