Subject of Revenge

by AuroraDawn

First published 8th of February, 2012

Trixie gets insane powers and wants more

Trixie has been driven by vengeance to become a better magician than any other pony. But when she finally achieves this, her thirst for power shows no end, bringing Trixie to consider grander schemes than a successful career, and into plots of a more... treasonous nature.

Act 1 Chapter 1

The Average and Uninfluential Trixie began her day like every other since the Ponyville incident. That is to say, she woke up fuming.

Though many months had passed, Trixie still held a deep grudge towards Twilight Sparkle and all her friends in that ‘wretched and unappreciative’ town for her humiliation. Many a pony had called her out on her story in the past, and even more still were quick to accuse her of being a fraud. However, the Great and Powerful Trixie made fast work of non-believers. Her mastery of magic, while nowhere near the skill of that ‘prissy purple pony’, was still advanced enough to handle the hecklers. She wasn’t a fraud; she had never been. She was in show business after all, and a good show takes real talent.

It wasn’t the exposure of her lies that upset Trixie so much; rather it was the manner in which it had happened. I mean really, Trixie thought. They brought an actual Ursa into the town, woke me up way past midnight, and expected me to just magically make it disappear on a whim.

“Morons,” she complained.

Trixie yawned as she walked out of her new tent. Her caravan and most of her possessions had been destroyed in the incident. Some salvaged books and tokens, like her hat and cape, had been returned to her in the mail from an anonymous sender marked only as “FS”, but that had done nothing to restore Trixie’s faith in ponies. She still was driven by hate, and she’d be damned if anypony’s moment of kindness was going to take that away from her.

Despite her malevolent goals, Trixie opted for an admirable approach. She travelled fairly far by hoof from Ponyville. She had decided to set up camp in the cool fields beneath the great pegasus city of Cloudsdale where she wouldn’t be bothered.

After she finished a quick breakfast of some freshly picked daisies, she jogged down to a lone, dead stump near the bottom of a hill and settled in front of it. With her magic, she pulled a few books from the bag slung over her back, and opened them on the stump.

Oh yes, she thought, setting up her little workstation the same way she had been doing for almost two weeks now. Trixie will have her revenge. Trixie will learn more magic than Twilight can ever hope to achieve. With enough study and practice, Trixie shall once again be known as The Great and Powerful Trixie, and no one will be able to take that away from her.

She chuckled aloud to her thoughts, before clearing her mind and focusing intently on the tomes spread before her.

Her magical prowess had already improved in the short time she had been studying. She could teleport now, instead of simply throwing smoke bombs and galloping away. She found her ability to move objects had progressed, as well. Whereas before she had been quite dexterous with lighter objects such as ropes and fabric, she could now move big stones, and plenty at a time. Every new accomplishment brought with it a surge of momentary joy and a lasting desire for vengeance.

Trixie looked up from her books, turning to a patch of posies gently swaying as a breeze crossed the rolling meadows. With a squint of her eyes and a sudden glow from her blue horn, the posies vanished with a light ‘pop’ and in their place remained a solitary rose. Trixie beamed in surprise at her creation, and stood up quickly in excitement.

“Aha! Look, everypony of the world! I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, have mastered magical enhancement! Watch, in awe, as I turn ordinary posies into- oh,” she stopped with a sigh.

Her rose had turned from a brilliant red to a dry, withered black, and was lying dead on the ground. With a frustrated grunt, Trixie kicked it away in frustration, before settling back in front of her stump.

“Stupid flowers,” she complained, turning the page in her book, and concentrating even harder, “You dare to challenge the Great Trixie’s competence? I’ll show you! Hmmph.”

Trixie settled back into her usual routine, reading great amounts of text before stopping to practice what she had learned. Yells of frustration and gasps of pleasant surprise peppered the quiet fields, occasionally frightening birds and other small animals unused to hearing the silence shattered. Trixie sat back several hours later to examine her work. Admiring the results, she smiled.

Surrounding her tired, sweaty blue body was a slightly rotten tree stump and several bunches of beautiful and very-much-alive roses. With a look of true ecstasy lighting up her face, she plucked one of the elegant flowers and brought it to her nose, breathing deeply.

It smelled like a posy. Trixie grimaced angrily, dropped it, and stomped on it. She sat on her hindquarters in a huff, momentarily fed up.

“Trixie needs a break,” she sighed. She stared up into the great city floating several miles above her. A building on the edge of Cloudsdale floated in front of the sun, covering her for a brief moment of cooling shade. As her eyes focused, she noticed a large group of pegasi in the coliseum, watching some sort of event. Trixie sighed, lost in a brief fantasy.

“One day, I, Trixie, shall have a crowd of fans that adore me as such. Perhaps I’ll even be in Cloudsdale, with magic to keep my career and I afloat!” Her eyes glazed over as she imagined a happy life as a famous performer, only to turn back to a dry glare as more thoughts of revenge popped back into her mind. “But first,” she commented, “Trixie needs to become that talented.”

The blue unicorn turned back to her books, picking and sniffing another rose before impatiently tossing it behind her shoulder. She picked up the manual she had been reading, glanced at the open pages, and slammed it shut in a fit. Clenching her eyes shut, Trixie started focusing.

That’s it, Trixie. Concentrate. The only way to improve is to open up new pathways for the energy. So let’s see some good old TRIXIE MAGIC! So to start... Picture the rose. Good, there. That was pathetically simple. Details, now. The colour of those soft, ever so delicate petals. How they curve and fold. That long, thorny stem. Those long, spindly, dirty gross roots. Ew. Focus. The thick, green, waxy leaves that stick out gingerly. And last, but definitely not least, the smell. What does a rose smell like? They’re ever so sweet... fragrant... the scent of two ponies in love.

Trixie inhaled deeply, her imagination filling her nose with the scent she was envisioning. She held that breath, keeping the smell inside her, before exhaling as slowly as possible. Her heart skipped a beat, and her horn glowed brightly for a second. Then, she opened her eyes and blinked the brightness away until she readjusted to the daylight. Something astonishing lay in front of her.

Her books and supplies had fallen haphazardly onto the ground, and laid in a scattered mess before her. In the place of the old, rotten tree trunk was a single rose. Trixie leaned in close, and breathed deeply.

“Mmm,” she hummed, satisfied. “I told you I’d show you. Stupid flowers.”

Trixie started to pack up her books, exhausted from the day’s work. She couldn’t help but smile as she stared at the single rose in front of her, pondering all the tricks she could pull off with such simple magic. She stared back up at the sky again, revisiting her fantasy of performing at the Cloudsdale Coliseum.

How odd, she thought absentmindedly. That pony’s wings are more like... a butterfly’s. Perhaps it was a spell. I simply must research and master that one for myself. She turned around and started packing up the last of her things into her bag, humming in triumph over the delicate flower in front of her. As she turned to head back to her camp, Trixie noticed a boulder sitting off to the side.

“Aha, now that... That would be a perfect replacement workstation for she who will soon be the Greater and Even More Powerful Trixie!” She grinned momentarily, before slamming her eyes shut. Her horn started pulsating with light as her magic enveloped the large rock in front of her. She strained, groaning a little in effort. The rock started to shift a little, and Trixie felt it. She pressed harder, giving it the last of bit of the energy she could find, and with a shout she lifted the rock up into the air.

“Nnngg... That’s.... It! Bow, feeble ponies... ah...” She gasped, her knees shaking as she struggled to keep the boulder in the air. Slowly, she brought it over to where the stump had once been. “Before.... aaaaugh... the amazing... gah... TRIXIE!”

As her name escaped her lips in a mighty shout, her body was suddenly rocked by violent tremors. The boulder vibrated and disintegrated in mid-air as a wave of polychromatic force enveloped and shook Trixie and the meadows around her. As an eardrum-bursting crack reverberated inside her skull, something strange happened.

“What... What’s happening!? Was... was it me? Did I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, cause... Augh!” She cut herself short as her body involuntarily snapped up into the air, and a white-hot sensation began to erupt from deep within her. She screamed in fear as her azure coat emanated the brightest blue she had ever seen. Her mind began racing as memories flashed before her eyes with no sense or order. Her eyes rolled back into her head, as confusion and delusions sent her thoughts spinning. Her body snapped again, and a small shell of light shot out around her. Her mind became overloaded with energy and magic, and Trixie could no longer focus on anything around her. A splitting headache started to form quickly, tripling in pain with every vicious jerk of her body.

Small bolts of electricity ran along her body, escaping from her hooves and crawling along her chest, wrapping her momentarily in a cocoon of power. The sparks pulsed brightly for a moment before dissipating, and Trixie was slowly lowered to the ground. In a minute, it was all over.

“Ugh... what just happened? I’m going to destroy the pony who thinks they can pull an act like that on TRIXIE! ...Ow, my head... Show yourse- uh?” Trixie stumbled back on all four hooves, swaying as she shook her pounding head. In front of her was the big hill she had practiced by. A massive rainbow sparkled in the distance, however Trixie’s attention was caught by something else.

The entire hill was covered in an enormous patch of wild roses; it was larger than any Trixie had ever seen before. On the patch of grass where a stump and a rose had been now stood a mighty oak. It reached almost forty feet up into the sky, its dark leaves almost shimmering as the sun behind it struggled to punch through the thick foliage. Trixie could only gape. She looked at her hooves incredulously, and then looked the rest of her body over. Nothing had changed that she could see.

Trixie’s eyes widened and she turned and tried to run towards her tent. Her hooves tripped over each other, and she fell with a painful thump. She rose, trembling with effort, and slowly made her way to her destination. Her vision was blurred and faded, her mind totally burnt out from the experience. She stumbled slightly as she burst in through the flaps of her temporary home, lunging clumsily towards her stacks of recovered texts.

“Encyclopedia of Magic... where is it... where is it?” Trixie yelled, tossing books behind her. Knocking several down to the side, she finally found the one she was looking for and opened it up, reading furiously.

Trixie slammed the book shut, slack jawed.

“There’s... no way. Impossible. Trixie may be the best unicorn around, but there’s no way she... Criticality doesn’t exist. I couldn’t have... Trixie. Trixie couldn’t have survived one. But...”

She glanced to the side of the book, onto the small stand it was resting on. There lay a picture of a solitary, purple-coated pony, happily smiling. A sharp stone was embedded in the pony’s face, piercing an inch into the table underneath.

“But... there have been rumours, of another. Hmm. If Twilight had an interrupted criticality, that would explain so much! If Twilight... ugh. If the lowly Twilight can hit criticality, then there’s nothing that could prevent the even more amazing TRIXIE from pulling one off! But perhaps I should perform a test, to make sure. Trixie wouldn’t want any more of those stupid foals trying to make her vanquish an Ursa unless she could actually vanquish an Ursa.” She sighed again. “Morons.”

Trixie walked slowly outside, considering everything around her. What could The Great Trixie do to prove her might? Perhaps, another boulder... No, too simple. Aha, that could do nicely! She stopped in front of the oak tree, and brought her head all the way up to see the top branches. She gulped.

Trixie looked back down to the base of the tree, considered all the roots, and gave a nervous laugh. This was the moment of truth. She would either have all her fantasies of being the most powerful unicorn in Equestria come true, or be embarrassed, sore, tired, and just as useless as she had felt she was only just a little earlier.

She stared at the tree with no strain in her face. Her horn began to glow, ever so softly. The tree began to shake slightly. Her horn glowed just the lightest touch more, and the oak started to vibrate extravagantly. Birds abandoned their newly-found home and leaves started to fall slowly towards the ground. Trixie’s eyes turned into a barely perceptible squint, and the oak suddenly ripped itself out of the ground, hovering in the air in front of Trixie.

She began to laugh, throwing her head back into the air in ecstasy. The oak tree followed her movement, flinging itself high into the air. When it landed behind her in a mighty crash, the earth trembling beneath her legs, she still laughed.

“Bow, feeble ponies,” she howled to no one in particular, “before the AMAZING TRIXIE!”

Trixie stood in front of the fallen oak, humming in annoyance. Sure, she had easily uprooted it. But that left her with the problem of a giant tree in the middle of the field she had staked out.

“Now, how can The Great and Powerful Trixie clean this up, so she’ll have a wonderful place for an audience to witness her awesome abilities?” She grimaced slightly. Walking up to the tree, she kicked it.

“Ow. Dumb tree. Wait, maybe I... maybe Trixie could get some practice out of this. Aha, yes, what a wonderful idea. Not only is Trixie Great and Powerful, she’s also intelligent!”

She tilted her head a bit, and walked along the length of the tree, wondering. With a spark from her horn, the bark tore off into the air with a great shredding noise, and vanished. Next, the tree started to crack. Large vertical and horizontal ruptures started spreading throughout the timber, evenly and straight, until it was entirely segmented. With a blink from Trixie, the whole tree disassembled itself into a giant stack of two by fours.
“That’s a little easier to work with.”

Trixie started to hum a pointless tune as she manipulated the planks of lumber. A slight blue haze filled the air as she effortlessly grabbed each board with her magic. She started to frown in concentration, organizing and rearranging every board into just the right position, and then...
“Hee-ya!”

All the boards slammed into each other, and formed into one solid object. Sitting in front of Trixie was a brand new, if rather bland, caravan.

“Bah! Only an elaborate and wondrous caravan will suit the Amazing and Clever Trixie!” She spun her head, and with a flash her new home was covered in a brilliant display of colours, a dark navy roof resting on sky blue walls. Bright white trim outlined the sparkling door and dark-tinted windows, and Trixie sighed in contentedness.

“Aha! And now that there is a great and wonderful home for The Great and Powerful Trixie, she shall begin her tour of Equestria! But, first she has to build up a reputation. Now where shall I, Trixie, begin to awe and amaze the ponies of Equestria?”

She grabbed her possessions from the tent, and magically teleported them into the caravan. She walked around inside her new home, admiring her creation. She sat down at her table, and unfurled a map of Equestria on it.

“No... Trixie shall save Ponyville for later. She wants that terrible Twilight to hear of her, and fear her new might! Haha! Cloudsdale will wait until all of Equestria knows my name, too. Hoofington? No, I’m not ready to go- er, Hoofington is not ready for Trixie to go back there... Aha, one place Trixie has never been! ‘Flankstown’. Sounds... ugh. Thrilling. Well, one must start small to build a reputation!”

Trixie rolled up her map, stowing it onto a shelf. She took a quick look around her travelling house, making sure everything was prepped for travel. She walked out and went around to the front. With a burst of energy from her horn, the wheels creaked and began rolling forward. Trixie looked around, taking in the scenery, a genuinely happy smile forming on her muzzle. Good memories of her life passed through her mind, as she thought back to all the travelling she had done over the years. As the carriage slowly bumped and rolled through the fields, she remembered all the successful shows she had performed.

Trixie had always lived on the road. Her parents had had their own show, many years ago, and had raised Trixie while on tour. She had spent her entire life in show business, travelling far across Equestria, first learning from her parents, and continuing on after their deaths in an accident many years ago. By the time she had lost her parents, she had already surpassed them in magical skills, and earned her cutie mark. Sadness overcame her for a moment, but it passed.

“Trixie has made them proud. There’s nothing to be upset about.” She sniffed, and then looked up . “And now... Now I can show the world how great their child has become!”

She smiled again, vividly imagining all of her screaming fans and awe-struck audiences of the past. She had many years of magic under her saddle, and most of her journey had been fun. But now... things had changed. This wasn’t about the thrill of performance, or even the excitement of travelling. Now, this was about vengeance. Twilight had ruined her fantastic life. Everything had been fine until Ponyville, where Twilight had called her out and embarrassed her. Word had spread fast, as it is wont to do, and soon Trixie hadn’t been able to perform in any place of importance. As far as Trixie was concerned, that purple-coated unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle had ruined Trixie’s career and made her appear a failure to her parents.

That was something Trixie couldn’t stand for.

As the sun slowly set on the fields of Equestria, the night blanketing the small wagon in shadows, Trixie began planning. She hadn’t expected to become as potent as she was so soon, and with these new abilities came new possibilities. An evil grin appeared on her face as she directed her home down the long, lonesome road ahead of her to Flankstown.

Act 1 Chapter 2

Well this place certainly is... adequate? Trixie hesitantly sniffed the air and grimaced. No matter. A quick show in a place or two like this, and word will spread about Trixie. Soon Trixie will be accepted with open arms- no, demanded! The world will cry out for The Great and Powerful Trixie!
She smirked, parking her caravan in what was hopefully the town square. Flankstown wasn’t much larger than many of the other little towns she used to pass by on her way to better destinations. Even its architecture resembled that of the tiny villages. Instead of the usual brightly coloured and ornate architecture of a city, the houses Trixie had passed were dilapidated and plain.

The area she had parked in was a small opening in the cramped streets of Flankstown. A few enterprising ponies had set up small stands and were bartering for wares, ignoring the wagon in the middle of their town. Many of them, Trixie reasoned, probably thought she was just a random vagrant. Well, they’ll have to be taught a lesson. Trixie is anything but a vagrant.

Trixie sniffed in disapproval, and immediately coughed after inhaling the awful musk of the uncleanly square. Maybe Trixie doesn’t need to begin her new career in such an... eccentric place. She looked around at the visibly bored ponies of the town, and sighed.

“A show’s a show,” Trixie grumbled as she hopped down, pulling a cord from beside the wagon’s door. A small stage unfolded from underneath it. Several ponies started to take notice of this odd display, and they turned from their daily routines to investigate. Trixie smiled as the once-familiar feeling of attention returned to her, and she donned her trademark hat and cape.

“FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS! Gather around to witness, in awe, the magical prowess of The Great and Powerful Trixie! Watch, and be amazed, as she performs the most outstanding acts of mysticism you shall ever set your eyes upon!”

Several more ponies began to walk up to the stage, sitting down as Trixie’s display started increasing in bravado.

“Never before has a pony of such power been seen, but today, pleasant -ugh- citizens of Flankstown, I bring you... TRIXIE!” With her name came a wondrous display of fireworks from behind the caravan. Some ponies in the crowd looked disturbed by her attitude, but loud “ooh”s distracted Trixie from worrying about it.

Trixie kept her display up, pulling bouquets of flowers out of the air and tossing them into the crowd. With the last bundle of flowers, she threw them high before lassoing them with a magically controlled rope. The rope flung them back at her, and she jumped and caught the flowers with her mouth. She gave a bow, and the flowers disappeared.

More fireworks, that’s it. Make ‘em laugh. Like dad used to say, entertainment without humor is a book without words. That grey pony there isn’t laughing. Well.
She was hovering high in the air, juggling bowling balls over the heads of the crowd. With a quick clap of her hooves, the particular grey earth pony was shocked as Trixie enveloped him in magic. He looked around frantically, his dark red mane and tail whipping those beside him as he struggled against the aura.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie sees that somepony isn’t enjoying the show,” she announced loudly. “Trixie thinks you should lighten up.” With that, to the great amusement of the crowd, she lifted the grey pony high into the air, bringing him face to face with her. Still effortlessly juggling the heavy spheres, she spoke to him, never dropping her persona.

“Hello.”

“W-wh-what are you doing!?” The grey pony panicked. Trixie laughed loudly, enjoying his reaction.

“Relax! You’re perfectly safe in the hooves of the Great and Powerful Trixie! In fact, you’d be safer in the hooves of Trixie!” She giggled again, and set one of the bowling balls down on her stage while moving the grey earth pony to where the ball had just been. The crowd below roared in hilarity. As she juggled the confused pony, she talked to him.

“What’s your name?”

“Wh- my name? It’s...” Trixie tossed him in the air.

“Hold on, Trixie can’t hear you! Okay, go!”

“My name is...” She threw him high again. “...ter. Put me down!”

“Trixie didn’t catch that. Your name first! You wish to be respected by Trixie, you must first respect her!”

“It’s Strater! Strater Hooves! Let me go, please!” The absurdity of the situation had gotten to the grey pony, and despite his pleading he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t be such a grump, Strater. These ponies here, you see them? They’re just here for a show, and only the Amazing Trixie can deliver for them! Give me something, Strater. Let’s put on a show for these ponies. Celestia knows, in a place like Flankstown ... -ew-... something actually happening is a rare treat!”

Some of the audience looked taken aback, insulted by the comments directed at their hometown. The rest just chuckled. Sadly, they thought, she was right.

“Okay, fine,” Strater sighed dejectedly. “Just stop juggling me!”

“Deal,” Trixie laughed sadistically. She felt on top of the world.

“What do you want to know?”

“What’s your cutie mark for? Really, a protractor over a map? What’s that mean?”

“I’m a tactician. I’m perfect at organizing and anticipating.”

“Bet you sure didn’t anticipate... This!” Trixie made him vanish suddenly, and he appeared on the stage below her. She slowly drifted down and landed next to him. “So tell me, Strater, let the whole audience know. What is the Great and Wonderful Trixie about to do next? What should you do?”

Strater glared playfully for a second, considering the arrogant blue unicorn in front of him.

“Firewo-” he began, only to be cut off by a dazzling display of lights behind him. An echoing “ahh” came from the crowd, and Trixie pouted for half a second.

“A lucky guess! But how many can you get in a r-”

“Rope tricks!” Strater jumped three feet to the side as several snakes of animated cord missed their marks and collided with each other where he had just stood.

“Oh, pony wants to play! No problem. The Great and Powerful Trixie enjoys a challenge!” Trixie reared, bringing her legs down powerfully onto the wooden stage, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Strater curiously picked his way around the stage, and the whole audience fell quiet in suspense, waiting for what would come next.

Strater paused, suddenly, and then dove out of the way. A bucket of water appeared over the stage and poured onto the vacant floor. Strater skipped to the centre of the platform, and waited. His proud smile slowly faded into confusion, as what he had been expecting failed to happen.

Strater jumped to the side and rolled, deftly avoiding... nothing. He stared wildly at the audience as the ponies started to chuckle at him. He rolled to get up, and suddenly found himself splashing into a trough that, moments before, had not existed. A condescending giggle echoed from an indiscernible direction. Climbing out and shaking himself off, he started to run to the other end of the stage. Strater stopped quickly before the edge, holding dead still, and a door appeared inches in front of his muzzle. He reached forward and opened it, and waved hello to the fuming pony waiting behind.

“It all comes down to predictability! What are others most likely to do based on my actions?” He laughed at her. “I walked slowly enough to convince you to try to douse me. Then, when I was moving fast enough, it presented a good opportunity for you to try to make me look like an idiot by hitting something. That trough was a nice touch, though. That aside; constantly reviewing your own actions. I’ve been practicing that for years!”

He beamed to the crowd, giving a slight bow.

“You think you’re better than the Great and Powerful Trixie? You think you can beat me at my own game? You haven’t seen my true might!”

“Well, until you give me something to work with, yes, I do think I’m better than you!” He winked slyly, and several ponies in the crowd called out Strater’s name in support.

“RRRRRRGHH!” Trixie growled and bent low, challenging the grey stallion in front of her. Her horn suddenly began to emanate energy, shining brighter than it had in weeks. The ground started to shake, and to the shock and dismay of the ponies in the crowd giant shards of granite erupted around them, capturing them in a circle of rock. With a flick of her neck, black clouds started forming around the circle, swirling into a thunderous maelstrom. A great wind spun the clouds until a small funnel cloud poked out from the center. It reached down towards Strater, who was frozen with fear and could only cringe as the whirlwind engulfed him. The cloud reached back up into itself, and with a massive crack of lightning, the thunderhead dissipated. Strater, however, was nowhere to be seen. The ponies of Flankstown looked up in awe as the granite cage receded back into the ground. Some were shaking. Others were crying.

Then there was a stomp. And another. Trixie still stood defensively, facing the crowd and panting heavily as her rage subsided. She blinked several times, before relaxing. The stomping noises started to come faster and louder, and cheers began to erupt from her audience. Trixie bowed to the applause, and with a twirl of her cape and a final burst of fireworks, she teleported from the stage.

“So,” Trixie spoke to her still-startled guest, smirking as the grey pony struggled against the ropes binding his legs together. She removed her hat and cape as she walked around her home, and set them on a counter. “If I take the gag out of your mouth, you promise to be quiet and let Trixie explain her proposition?”

Strater rolled his eyes, taking in the details of the caravan. He tugged his legs again, the taut ropes refusing to yield. There was only one door leading out of the caravan, and his captor was standing in front of it. Defeated, Strater sighed and nodded. With a flash of blue light, the gag left his mouth and settled on a table.

“I get tossing me in here for the show, but this is going a little far, you know?”

“Hush. Trixie only keeps those useful to her around. Now, the proposition. How would-”

“That whole talking in third-person thing is really annoying, too.”

Trixie started to move the gag back to Strater’s mouth, and he started tugging at his binds again.

“No! No! It’s okay! I’ll listen! Sorry! Not the gag!”

“Good. As I was trying to say; The Great and Powerful Trixie does more than entertain. She strives for excellence, and Trixie only gets excellence by constantly improving herself and her show. You saw how powerful Trixie really is, didn’t you?”

“Sure did. Scared the manure out of me. I’ve never seen magic like that before, except at the Summer Sun Celebration.”

Trixie noted that fact in her mind, and continued. “You’re good. Really good. You could help Trixie become better. Now, let Trixie do a little guesswork of her own here. Flankstown really has very little use for a tactician. You are often incredibly bored, and only get excited on the rare occasions you get to play fantasy games that require a lot of planning. Today was probably the most eventful day of your life, right?”

“... Son of a shed, you’re dead on with that. So how can I help Tri- er, you?”

“Join Trixie, and you get to have an exciting life on the road. You can teach her how to be less predictable, and The Great Trixie will show you what it’s like to actually experience adventure. Deal?”

Strater was quiet for a moment, contemplating. Trixie waited impatiently, examining her hooves and pouting.

“Okay. I’ve made up my mind.”

“About time. What do you say?”

“It’s hard to shake on a deal when my legs are tied.”

“Smartass.” The ropes unknotted themselves and settled onto the floor, and Strater rolled onto his hooves. With an excited smile, he extended a foreleg, and they shook.

“It’ll be a pleasure working with you,” he chided with a sarcastic wink.

“If it’s not, and you make Trixie look bad...” she trailed, and the caravan lurched, throwing Strater onto his side. “You’ll end up on the side of the road before even you know it.”

Act 1 Chapter 3

“Okay, so, what do you do, anyways? I saw one show of yours, and so far it looks like you’re just trying to humiliate everyone while doing fancy gimmicks.”

The question made Trixie stop in her tracks, her front leg freezing in mid-reach for her cape. A brush was floating casually in the air, tidying up her mane as she prepared for her next show. Trixie questioningly turned to the red haired stallion, one eyebrow cocked.

“You wait until we get to the next town to ask what it is The Great and Powerful Trixie does? You decided to come along for a job, and you hardly have an idea of what you’ll be doing. Seriously.”

“I like to live in the moment, thank you. Whatever the hay you do seemed more interesting than Flankstown.”

“That’s another thing. You didn’t even try to say goodbye to anyone. Is there something Trixie should know about you? You didn’t kick a filly or anything, did you?” She looked at Strater, her eyes enquiring in a menacing way.

Strater scoffed at the idea. “Celestia no! No, that town was just... ugh. I moved there a year ago. Figured maybe I’d be able to find some sort of job relating to my talent. Fillydelphia didn’t have anything, really. Why do you think the townsponies were so quick to laugh at me being juggled?”

“Oh, great, another pony who has trouble making friends. We’re just peas in a pod, aren’t we?”

“Actually I think my problem is more of a situational thing whereas you’re just a bi-”

“Well, would you look at that! Ponies are starting to gather around the stage. Trixie thinks you should go introduce her, and round up some more customers.”

“...Alrighty then. How much do we charge, by the way? You gave a free show in Flankstown.”

“Yes, free, right. Except for those cretins who are too cheap to tip.”

“...I don’t follow.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t just awe and amaze for good will.”

“Well I can see that, but I fail to-”

“So she understandably levees a hidden fee.”

“Wow, you really are a bi-”

“Seriously. Get outside and start getting customers, now. If you’re quick about it, Trixie will even give you a part where she doesn’t throw you into a barrel of water.”

Strater frowned, before shaking his head and walking out of the door. Trixie heard a few muffled comments come from the crowd before the door closed. She smiled, turning her attention back to grooming herself for her show.

Stableton was a larger village than Flankstown, and much to Trixie’s pleasure, didn’t smell as bad. The buildings were more colorful and spread out, creating an atmosphere that was less “county prison” and more “small hometown”, and this meant better business for Trixie. An open, welcoming town was more likely to get excited over an event such as hers, and word would spread. It was even possible, due to the small town phenomenon, that she would have a larger crowd here than a town the size of Ponyville would bring. Such was the power of gossip when everypony knows one another.

In the distance she heard Strater giving an elaborate presentation. His voice, while not deep or forceful, was charismatic and controlled. It rang throughout the town, echoing in the evening air. A quick look out her window showed Trixie that the small square they had parked in was completely packed. Strater looked back, and saw Trixie in the window. They exchanged nods, and Strater walked up onto the stage, settling in a corner. He cleared his throat.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts! Come one, come all, to the most exquisite of magic shows, the most astounding of unicorns, and the most amazing pony, THE GREAT, AND POWERFUL...” As he spoke, he reared up, giving a dramatic flair with his front hooves. “... TRIXIE!”
With a small explosion of lights and noise, the azure unicorn appeared on stage, her legs in a wide stance, her head held up, nose pointed high in the air. Her very stance commanded attention, and one of those oh-so-familiar ‘ooh’s floated throughout the audience. She giggled, and then started her display.

“Great ponies of Stableton, tonight the Great and Powerful Trixie shall be performing for you! Gaze upon her in awe, as she demonstrates the most unbelievable and astounding acts of magic ever seen before in all of Eque-”

“I REMEMBER YOU!”

“Stri-what?” She flinched at the mysterious accusation.

“I remember you! You perfomed in Ponyville, once, I was there.” A pink pegasus mare had flew up to the stage, landing with a thump. She turned to the audience and extended a wing, pointing at Trixie. “She tried to con everypony there, too! She’s a fraud!”

The town gasped, shocked. The pink pegasus seemed to relish the attention, and continued her dramatics as she complained.

“This... this hoax of a mare, almost destroyed the whole town with her lies! She claimed she could vanquish an Ursa Major. She convinced two colts to go get one, even!”

“That’s a horrible lie! You dare challenge-”

“And another thing! She claims to be the best in all of Equestria, yet she can’t even stand up to danger. The colts brought back an Ursa Minor, and Trixie ran in fright! Thankfully, Twilight Sparkle was there to save the day, but Trixie could have ruined us!”

The accusation had enraged Trixie. The audience, which had begun booing her, intensified her fury. The mention of her most-hated enemy’s name had caused her to snap.

“How... DARE YOU!”

Again, like in Flankstown, the ground began to shake, and black clouds started to swirl in the sky. Ponies in the audience began to shout and fall. The pegasus started looking around in bewilderment, unaware of what was causing the commotion.

Strater jumped up to Trixie, nudging her shoulder with his hoof. She had taken up her wide, foreboding stance again, and shouted through clenched teeth.

“What do you want?!”

“Stop, for a second. Think about how your actions can affect everything. Don’t hurt that pegasus.” He spoke in a loud whisper, audible enough to only be heard by Trixie.

Trixie vibrated, building up power for her spell. She spoke in a constrained, but quiet, voice. “Trixie doesn’t have time for your philosophical policies. And she isn’t going to hurt that pegasus, she’s going to destroy this town!”

“No, no, see, that’s also bad. Rise above this. You have a prime opportunity here.”

“Yes. To destroy this town.”

“Right. True. You could totally destroy this town, and cement yourself as a horrible pony in Equestria’s history. Perhaps ponies would look up to you in fear, but wouldn’t love be a better way?”

Trixie’s eyes were shining cyan now, and an aura three feet in diameter surrounded her horn. “Love, shmove. What could a group of ponies who love Trixie do? Isn’t it... -augh-” she gasped as one of her front knees buckled. The conversation had caused her focus to stray, and she had paid for that momentary lapse in judgement. “Isn’t it better to demand respect?”

“I’d say it’s easier to have the respect earned.”

She fell silent for a moment, considering Strater’s advice. By now, the town centre was in havoc. Ponies were running around, climbing over one another trying to be the first ones to leave. Cries and shouts of pain pierced the night air. The pink pegasus had, in a shock of terror, flown into another pony, and was on the ground by the stage, clutching a clearly damaged wing.

Trixie sighed, and released her magic.

A sky blue shell of energy exploded from her, enveloping the entire village. The panicking ponies collectively froze, unsure of how to react. Pulses of white magic blinded them, becoming brighter and brighter with every beat. Soon, the entire town was a glowing white sphere, a beacon in the dark Equestrian night.

And then the light faded, and all that could be seen was Trixie, standing tall, panting slightly but hardly even tired.

A moment of confusion passed through the village as ponies examined themselves and their neighbours, searching for what exactly the rampaging magician had done. There was a shout.

“She... she... she healed me.”

The pink pegasus, who only moments earlier had a broken wing, was flying.

“She healed me, and... it’s not even sore. It’s... better than it was before. The feathers are even shinier.”

A group of other ponies who had been hurt in the chaos suddenly realised that they, too, were perfectly fine. Even more came up, commenting on their vanished ailments.

“I’ve had a sore knee for years, and it’s fine now!”

“I can breathe easier than I’ve ever been able to!”

“That pain in my chest has gone away!”

Trixie started blinking uncontrollably, as more and more ponies walked up to the stage with true ecstasy in their eyes. By the time she had regained her composure, dozens of townsponies were in front of her. Strater, sensing a perfect opportunity, hopped forward beside his bewildered boss.

“Fillies and Gentlecolts; I give you... Trixie.”

Her jaw dropped as the ponies bowed. Even as they rose again, she stood still on the stage, shocked. Strater tapped her shoulder.

“Well, c’mon Trixie. Show must go on and all that rot.”

She blinked one last time, and shook herself. Smiling her wicked little smile, she began her routine.

Trixie yawned loudly as she woke up. Her head was sore from the long night she had had.

“Ugh,” she muttered. “If Trixie has to do one more miracle healing or one more silly rope trick today, she’s going to flip.” She slid off her bed slowly as her eyes focused, and stepped onto something soft.

“Gaaack!”

Trixie jumped back on to her bed in shock. She stared down to find a grey earth pony, clutching his stomach in pain.

“And just what are you doing sleeping next to Trixie’s bed!”

Strater coughed one last time and answered. “It was the only spot with carpet. A solid oak table is only comfortable for so long, you know. It couldn’t hurt to add like, something for me to sleep on, maybe? Even buy a sleeping bag or something.” He stood up and stretched long, his back popping in various places.

“Trixie is not stopping you from getting one.”

“Right, so you’re either going to have to pay me for my work, or buy me one yourself.”

“Well, then get cleaned up, we’ll go shopping before we leave.”

“Buck. Well, I tried.” Strater turned around and sat next to the door, watching Trixie as she grabbed a brush with her magic and tidied her mane. She glanced annoyingly at him.

“... What?”

“Earth pony. Unless you have one of those fancy machines that gives me a brush and a wash, I’m gonna be unkempt.”

“Celestia, you’re like a little foal.” Trixie sighed and shot a burst of magic at Strater. After a brief, blue moment, Strater inspected himself. His mane was clean and free of knots, and his fur almost glistened. He looked up at Trixie and smiled.

“Aw, now, see, you’re not all bad. This looks pretty good! It’s been ages since I’ve been this clean.”

“Well, Trixie figured she couldn’t be seen in public with such a greasy mess. Right?”

Strater’s grin dropped as his attempt to elicit generosity from Trixie failed. He frowned at her. She winked, suddenly, and started laughing.

“Oh, come now, Trixie isn’t that much of a heartless mare. Her parents did teach her a few things about manners, after all.” Her smug-yet-friendly grin faltered for a second, but returned. She gave Strater a light smack on the side of his belly, before opening the door. “Now let’s get going, Trixie has fans to present to and shows to go to.” Strater gasped a little from the hit, but then chuckled and followed Trixie out the door into Stableton.

Celestia’s sun was warm, and for a moment Trixie genuinely smiled as she examined the bright square in detail. Oh, how nice. It doesn’t smell like a diamond dog here. And none of the roofs are threatening to collapse on top of Trixie. She looked up and admired some of the building’s designs, before turning and heading towards the closest merchant in the street. As she got closer, the pegasus running the stand perked up.

“The Great Trixie! By Luna’s moon, what do I owe the honour of you browsing my wares?”

Trixie started to look quizzical at the pony, but Strater caught up to her and elbowed her haunch. She shook herself and replied.

“Ouch. Ah, Trixie happened to notice you in the crowd last night! And when she, um, recognised you, she thought it would be great to see what it is you’re selling.”

Strater winked at Trixie as the merchant pony’s face lit up in joy. He started talking rapidly, walking around his stand and ushering on Trixie with a wing.

“Oh, well you don’t want anything that I have to offer you; these are just crackers and trinkets reserved for simple tourists! No, let me give you a tour of Stableton, please. No, really, I insist!”

Trixie looked behind herself, frowning at Strater. He chuckled.

“Oh why not, Trixie? Let’s see some of the places we visit. Maybe you’ll find something cool for your show.”

She sighed. “Oh, why not. Alright, Mr...?”

“It’s Graham, Miss Trixie.”

“Alright, Graham. Let’s see what Stableton has to offer. Trixie’s looking for a sleeping bag for her companion here, by the way.”

“Ah, then the best place for that would be Dreamy’s Sleep Emporium. It’s on the other end of town.”

“Excellent,” Strater pitched in. “An actual store. I may even be able to get something that won’t itch or whatever.” He looked questionably at Trixie, doubt showing in his face. “You’d be willing to get me something nice, right? I’d love to help you, but if you’re just going to keep treating me like a slave, I’ll probably walk back to Flankstown right now.”

“Trixie supposes she could do that,” Trixie sighed sarcastically, with a devilish grin. “If she really has too.”

“So tell me, O Great and Magnificent Trixie,” Graham started as he led the two ponies past rows of tiny shacks and tables with varieties of food and items stacked to the point of overflowing, “What brings a pony with the power you possess to simple little Stableton?”

“It’s a hay of a lot better than Flankstown, I’ll tell you right now,” Strater cut in. All three ponies grimaced at the name of the other village.

“Hush Strater. Well, Trixie believes that all ponies should be graced by her magic, not just those who are privileged and high-status. Trixie is here for all of Equestria, not the highest bidder!”

Strater coughed something that sounded vaguely like “horse manure”, and Trixie kicked a leg out behind herself, catching his shin.

“And you, good sir,” Graham turned to the red-maned pony. You must be an extraordinary individual to have the privilege to work with this outstanding and beautiful unicorn. What’s your story, if I may ask?”

Trixie and Strater both stopped mid-step, and started laughing uproariously. Graham looked at them curiously, confusion wrinkling his face.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No, no,” Strater spoke in between gasps of air. “It’s nothing.” He turned to Trixie and spoke under his breath. “Extraordinary individual?”

“Well, he got the outstanding and beautiful part correct!” She chuckled again and playfully pushed Strater, before following Graham again. She opened her mouth to talk, but Strater cut her off.

“So enough about us,” he winked at a visibly annoyed Trixie, “and let’s have that tour. Tell me about Stableton. What’re some of the best merchant’s wares? Any pony have a specialty we should know of?”

“I am very glad you asked! Stableton is a small town, yes, but we’ve got a great community. If you look over to the east there, you’ll see the small amusement park we set up when the Summer Sun Celebration was held here last decade. The town used to be really run-down, but we all pitched in and cleaned it up for that festival. We’ve kept it clean ever since, too. It’s helped us grow.”

“That’s neat.”

“See, over here, that large copper-adorned building? That’s our town hall. Next to it is the community centre. Every two weeks we get together for a potluck. It’s really fun. Ah! Here, you’ve got to try this pony’s stuff.” Graham pointed to a sales stand with a large line. “It’s a bit of a wait, but totally worth it.”

As they got closer, some of the ponies in the line looked back and gasped. There was an audible whisper as Trixie and Strater settled behind Graham in the line, and suddenly the ponies moved aside. Trixie and Strater flinched in confusion.

“It’s the Powerful Trixie!”

“Can you believe it? Trixie? Here?”

“Please, Trixie, go ahead of me!”

As the comments of awe ended, the ponies to the left and right of Trixie suddenly dropped into a bow, becoming her to go ahead. Trixie looked around herself for a moment, shrugged, and walked forward regally. Strater blinked, and then followed.

“Ah, Great and Powerful Trixie! Welcome to Sweet Daisy’s Candy Flowers. Ever flower is lightly heated to caramelize the natural sugar content. Please, have a sample, on the house.” The white and yellow pony running the stand handed Trixie and Strater each a plate, and they both eagerly ate the hardened flower petals.

“Oh Celestia, that’s delicious. Trixie should leave you behind,” she joked to Strater, “And take Sweet Daisy here with her.”

The salesmare’s ears perked up at that comment, and she squinted in thought. Slowly, she spoke to the sudden guests of honor. “Glad... you enjoyed them. They are my specialty.”

Graham looked at her. “Sweets? You okay?”

She nodded slowly, and then pulled Graham aside and spoke softly to him. His eyes widened as she spoke, but soon he was nodding in comprehension, thinking deeply himself.

“... Guys? Hello? Can we get going?” Strater asked.

“Of course. Let’s... Let’s go, right.”

As the trio began walking away, Graham regained his composure and started talking proudly of his hometown again. Trixie glanced behind herself as he spoke, and happened to notice that Sweet Daisy had shut down her stand and, along with several other ponies, was following them. Trixie shrugged. They must just want autographs or something. Well, they can wait. Trixie almost just wants to get Strater’s stuff and leave.

They spent the next half hour stopping at various stalls, and the treatment they received was repeated every time. As they finally approached Dreamy’s Sleep Emporium, there was a noticeable group of ponies following them. They stayed outside as the trio entered the store.

“That’s a bit of a relief. Trixie is only used to crowds when she’s acting.”

“Well, you are kind of a celebrity around here, apparently. Better get used to it,” Strater spoke absentmindedly as he inspected the selection of sleeping bags and beds giddily.

A dark mare with a pillow for a cutie mark hopped out from behind the counter. “Well hello, and welcome to Dreamy’s Sleep Emporium, where everything is soft, comfy, and affordable! What’re you looking for, hon?”

“Ooh! This is so exciting. I need a comfy sleeping bag. We’re travelling, and I just need something so I don’t have to sleep on a table.”

“Oh, so you’re travelling in a carriage of some kind! Well, I’ve got just the thing. You don’t need a sleeping bag, honestly. That’s best for when you’re gonna be on the ground, and walking everywhere. But if you follow me, sir, let me show you...”

Dreamy trailed and beckoned Trixie and Strater to follow her to the other side of the room. Trixie followed, bored, but Strater was almost ecstatic, latched onto Dreamy’s words like a fish on a line. They stopped in front of a small cot.

“This here model is my favorite for travellers. It folds right up, like so,” he demonstrated as he spoke, snapping a switch, making the thin bed collapse into tiny package. “And just pops right back out when you’re ready to sleep.” He grabbed two handles which protruded from the condensed cot, and it easily unfolded. Strater walked forward, and flopped onto the cot.

“Sweet elements of awesome, this bed is comfy!” He turned to face Trixie. “Can we can we please please please?”

Trixie couldn’t help but smile at his joy. “Oh, alright. How much?”

“Ninety bits.”

Trixie twitched.

“... Please, Trixie?”

“That’s an awful lot, Strater,” she glared at him.

“Think of how many times you won’t wake up to step on me.”

“Trixie’ll take it.”

Dreamy outstretched a hoof for payment as Strater stood up and collapsed the bed. “Have a nice day,” he called, as they left the building.

For the dozenth time that day, Strater and Trixie stopped dead in their tracks as the door to the store closed behind them. Eagerly watching them from across the street was a large group of ponies. They gasped at the sight of Trixie, and stared unblinkingly. For several minutes, neither Trixie, Strater, or any of the ponies in the crowd moved.

“Strater,” Trixie broke the unending silence.

“... Yes?”

“Trixie thinks it’s time we got the hay outta Stableton.”