Epilogue: Weeks later...
In the town of Neigh Orleans, close to the outskirts where no traffic congested the road just off the shore, stood a modest hospital. Upstairs, on the second floor among one of the many rooms, a dark navy blue occupant lay upon one of the bedspreads. His eyes were closed in an seemingly eternal slumber, the only movement showing he was still alive was the slight rising and falling of his chest and the steady blip of the vital monitor strapped to his fetlock.
The door to the patient's room slid open, and in quietly walked a younger azure mare, who stopped at the side of his bed, looking down to his face for several silence moments.
"Hello master," she finally said. "It's been awhile."
Another tense moment of silence passed before she spoke again.
"So...another year has gone by hasn't it? This particular one has been a rather wild and action packed one for me, you know? I'm living in Manehattan now, yes, living. I know, it's rather unorthodox for a magician of my age to start planting roots, but what can I say? Everypony has a favorite place they want to be. If I recall, you were particularly partial to our performances in Whinnychester."
She gave a rub of her chin. "Let's see, what else? Oh, did you know we have two Princesses now? Apparently Princess Celestia had a long lost little sister who's been trapped in the moon this whole time because she went all evil and jealous on her. She broke out just a few months ago. Oh, don't worry, she's not evil anymore, I helped cured her. Oh yes, that's another thing. I'm the bearer of the Element of Laughter now. It's a pretty big deal if you're wondering..."
She trailed off. Words seemed to fail her as she racked her brain for something more to say. "You know..." she started at last. "I'm still taking care of the cape and hat you left me." She paused again. "Ten years...I'm still chugging along, making my name heard. Still haven't gotten my first movie deal yet but...well you know how the ponies in Applewood are."
She then magicked up a tiny plate with a lone cupcake. "Anyways, happy birthday. It's your usual favorite, Black Forest."
Then Trixie took a step back, placing the plate on the small desk tray next to the cot, and stood there in somber silence.
"I'm sure he's proud of you."
Trixie turned to the lavender unicorn stepping next to her. "Is there really any doubt?" she softly spoke with a smile. She looked back to the comatose stallion. "Master, there're some ponies I'd like to introduce you to. This is Twilight Sparkle, Octavia Melody, Blossomforth, 'Auntie' Orange Sherbet, Honey Do-"
"He can call me Daring," the tan pegasus mentioned.
"-and Spike." She breathed in a deep sigh before continuing. "These...are my friends."
"Are we really doing this?" Spike whispered into Twilight's ear from on top of her back.
"Recent studies have shown that ponies in catatonic states are still sensually active and aware of their surroundings to a degree, so it's not like we're talking to a brick wall," she whispered back. She then approached the sleeping unicorn. "It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Twilight Sparkle. I've really enjoyed your work and...and I just want to say I'm honored to be one of Trixie's friends. She's so important to me...to us all."
"You know, I think I remember one of his shows back in Fillydelphia, back when I was a filly," the other pegasus of the group said. "He always used irises in his tricks if I recall."
"They were his favorite flower," Trixie explained. "He always told me they represented passion in the world of flowers."
"They're also pretty darn tasty," Honey chipped in.
Trixie and Blossomforth looked to Honey with a deadpan stare. "You get that one, but only because it's true," the azure unicorn said with a wry smile.
She then looked back to the bed. "I was there, you know. The last night he was just barely awake, they finally let me in. He mustered up his last remaining shred of consciousness to tell me one last thing."
Curious, Twilight edged her head closer. "What was it?"
"You're the daughter I never had, never give up your dreams, standard pep talk, yadda yadda yadda. You'd think he was dying with how melodramatic and sappy he was starting to act." Trixie then felt the linoleum around the floor a little with her hoof. "But there was one thing that stood out in what he said.
The life of a magician is a long and lonely road, and few survive it for as long as I've had. I owe much of my later years to you in that part. Therefore, I bequeath this last request to my apprentice turned master. Go out into the world, and make some friends. Only then will you be able to truly call yourself 'The Great and Powerful Trixie'."
Trixie took off her hat to look into it for a moment. "Ten years I've spent visiting this room, never quite understanding just what those words meant. This year I do though." She put it back on and looked to the others. "Because I'm not the only one here this time."
Twilight nuzzled Trixie close to her. "You'll never have to be again. From now on, we'll come with you every year, until he awakes up. He will wake up someday. I just know he will. And we'll all be there with you to welcome him back when he does."
Everypony shared in the hug, then a certain dragon's tummy growled.
"Um, I know it's his birthday and all, but...you'd think he'd mind if I took that cupcake?" Spike asked with a twiddling of his index fingers. "It's not like he's really going to eat it, right?"
"I think we're all overdue for some lunch," Sherbet said in return. "Come on, let's head into town a grab a bite before taking the next bus back. My treat."
"I hear their specialty gumbos are to die for," Octavia conversed as they all proceeded to exit the cemetery.
Trixie lingered behind for just a moment to look upon her mentor one last time.
"Thanks for everything," she whispered to the aged stallion. "And you were right. Now I really am...The Great and Powerful Trixie."
And she scurried off to catch up with her friends, leaving the clean white room with nothing but the slow beep of the monitor. If somepony was in there room at that moment, and looked very hard, they would be able to see perhaps the faintest of movements from the edge of the unconscious illusionist's mouth, as it turned the tiniest bit upwards, breathing out of faintest of a happy sigh.
"Trixie..."
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Skyeheart · 28k words · 113 2 · 3.3k views
- touileasaso · 23k words · 99 2 · 3.1k views
- Skyeheart · 60k words · 91 5 · 4.2k views
- Skyeheart · 38k words · 184 3 · 5.3k views
- touileasaso · 25k words · 41 1 · 1.5k views
- Little Jackie Papercut · 17k words · 101 5 · 2.3k views
- Goldenheart · 14k words · 45 6 · 2.7k views
- Goldenheart · 22k words · 33 0 · 1.8k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.118 seconds
Total duration
847 users online
761,631 hits today, 2,921,617 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
2772562
Oh that's much better, thank you.
Good way to end this fic
That epilogue was lovely.
Okay, I cried a little at this.
Well done, well done.
For a moment, I thought this might be treading into "Spike At Your Service" territory as well. Very nice resolution.
Reading this with Johannes Brahms - Lullaby in the background was perfect.
If Orange Sherbet, Blossomforth, and Octavia were voiced, what would they sound like?
3008242
Sherbet actually had a voice, check Cutie mark Chronicles, Octavia search around youtube for the fanimations Vinyl and Octavia, I think her voice would be very similar to hers.
Blossomforth...there's some vagueness...I'm thinking light, nonchalant, something that exemplifies optimism out of slight naivety, close to Ditzy's from the Doctor and assistant, with just a half a tone down.
3658377
Depends on the breed...
Did I already tell you that you should submit this to Equestria Daily?
3777571
No, not sure how to go about that...
3777634 You can find out how to do so here.
Finally, someone who thinks that Trixie deserved better, and that Twilight's machinations against here back in Ponyville were wrong.
After all, how can a performer keep making a living if she doesn't leave an impression on her audience? She doomed Trixie in that respect. I don't even blame her for using the Alicorn Amulet.
I feel like a story like this isn't quite as interesting when you just regurgitate the show. Sure the context is different, sure there is a bit of an upset, but it still has the same conclusion: We're all friends again YAAAY!
I have no problem with the plot, it just feels like I have read/seen it before.
I feel like this could have been better personally.
This feels like it belongs on the show. In fact, it fixes the problems presented in Boast Busters and Mysterious Mare Do Well. It feels like THIS is how it should have gone down.
That epilogue...
i.imgur.com/w8fIAh.jpg
Well, that was a fun, quick read.
I know you wrote this before Octavia had a canon voice, but now that she does I can't help but read all her lines in her British accent.
Really, they just go back to being best friends after that kind of betrayal, sorry but that isn't something a nitpicker like me can let slip, constructive criticism and whatever. Also when did the others apologize? They still had their parts in the plan and they aren't being told off. I know they regret it but they still hurt her. I never like endings where it ends up perfectly fine in the end, where the consequences don't really have any weight outside of its chapter/next few chapters. Actions have consequences and any that this chapter has are swept under the rug semingly in the name of a happy ending Still, like I Trixie's reaction but the conclusion was lackluster. But, you actually portrayed Trixie's motivations better than most other fics so I do have to give you points for that. So you don't get an upvote because of the cliched ending but you don't get a downvote either because it is still a good portrayal of Trixie.
7924577 I don't see the other five as having been in the wrong at all. RD deserved to be punished. If they didn't punish her, they would not have been doing their duty. It was not hypocritical, because MMDW isn't any of them. It's ALL of them. Praising your team isn't the same as praising yourself. Besides, they were making a point and giving RD hints.
Yes. RD wasn't allowed to be proud she could fly. It missed the entire point about being a hero. Being the best or being able to do what no one else can has nothing to do with being a hero. The very fact that she wanted to be better than MMDW in anything s inherently a massive problem that is wrong to tolerate.
Attending a parade and enjoying praise aren't the problem. Accepting praise is fine. Milking praise, or considering it more important than heroics is. There's a difference and it's extremely important.
Also, if a character isn't humble, then them telling you you should be more humble is more of a sign of how much you messed up. Teachers don't have to be perfect. If they did, we'd have no teachers.
The Mane Five know RD well. And they did try talk to her. We did see that. I am not even them and I could see that talking to RD wouldn't have worked, just as it didn't in 28 Pranks Later, only waiting to talk to RD would mean more time with ponies' lives being risked, so it would have been irresponsible. 28 Pranks Later was a less good episode as it reverted RD's character development.
I was expecting that this would happen, or something like it. But expecting it doesn't make it any easier to take.
3858608
Can you elaborate? Because Twilight did nothing wrong. When Trixie came to Ponyville the first time, Twilight literally avoided confrontation, specifically because she didn't want to be seen as boastful. The ONLY argument you have against Twilight in that episode was that when Trixie challenged her, Twilight turned her down.
And then the Ursa Minor came. The only argument you have against Twilight then is that she did was she had to do to save Ponyville. If Trixie really could've saved Ponyville, I'm sure Twilight would've let her. Then Trixie got angry and in a huff and ran off because Twilight did what literally had to be done.
And what did Twilight do to hinder her attempts at leaving an impression? Nothing. Why was the Ursa Minor brought into town? Because a couple of impressionable children who didn't have enough sense to realize that they're just stories wanted Trixie to prove herself. Everything that happened to Trixie was in fact self-inflicted.
From Trixie's point of view, I don't blame her either. Especially considering that I doubt she would've known that it would've corrupted her mind.
But from an objective viewpoint, Twilight did absolutely nothing to deserve revenge. Either Twilight was gonna do what she had to do to save Ponyville and show her up, damaging Trixie's reputation, or Twilight would do nothing, let the Ursa Minor destroy the town, most likely letting several ponies die, prove to the world that Trixie isn't capable of taking on an Ursa Minor, and damaging her reputation. There was no outcome where Trixie gets out of it unscathed, simply because she placed herself on too high of a pedestal.
7937533
I'm gonna play the Devil's Advocate here and point out that they were praising their individual contributions. So technically, they were praising themselves.
Enough said. Iron Man for example gladly accepts praise. But he won't milk it, And considering how egotistical Tony Stark is, that says something.
Finally, someone else who sees this fact.
I'd argue that the key difference between MMDW and 28 Pranks Later is that one has RD as a hero, and one has RD as a prankster. I don't think 28 Pranks Later reverted RD's character development, I think it revealed a character flaw. It shows that RD doesn't know how to restrain herself. Whenever RD is seen pranking, it's always with Pinkie Pie. And in Griffon the Brush Off, Pinkie had to tell RD that pranking Fluttershy was going too far. And in 28 Pranks Later, you see RD going on a pranking spree without Pinkie to act as a restraint. It seems almost ironic that the most unrestrained pony is the one who restrains RD. But when you think of it, it makes sense. Pinkie is the Element of Laughter, so she knows how far she can push a prank without losing the element of fun for everyone involved. RD on the other hand is impulsive. And when Pinkie isn't there to restrain her, neither is the Element of Laughter. Without that restraint, RD just cares about whether a prank amuses her.
But that's just my take on 28 Pranks Later.
Sigh.
I know you said this wasn't meant to be a bashfic.
But your mouthpiece OC literally spent an entire paragraph bashing Twilight and that never got resolved so...
He/you also spectacularly missed the point of Mare Do Well. Rainbow's heroics weren't 'harmless'. People were at risk of dying while she showboated, several times. She was signing autographs while a filly was stuck in a well, trying to perform catchphrases as a group of ponies plummeted off a cliff and spent so much time bragging she almost let a pony drop to their death. That's not 'harmless'. Mare Do Well wasn't undermining RBD for no point. She was saving people Rainbow was failing to save.
As for Trixie herself, she was lying to children about fighting wild animals. That's basically criminal negligence. It's not nothing. In both cases the braggarts were putting people in danger with their lies and antagonizing people needlessly for challenging their perceived superiority.
Usually, I tell people to read the Manehattanverse and not the Lunaverse because it's a good AU that isn't a Mane Six bashfic. I guess I have to add an asterix to that endorsement for this particular entry now.