t was a cold, wet day.
Trixie stared unblinkingly at herself in the mirror.
The Great and Powerful Trixie!
She was far from any town, and knew she would have to get moving soon or else run out of food. She had been out here for three days, unwilling to press on. She sat in her trailer, either looking out the window or reading an abused old paperback, though she hadn't made much progress in it. She wasn't sure where it came from, it had been sitting in the bottom of her trunk for so long. She liked it though, a cute story about a piano player.
Somewhere outside, some crows began to call. She didn't move. She stared straight into her own eyes.
She made a killing in the last small town she was in, much more than she expected. She was even able to buy herself a new cape, and got the idea to try and add a routine with a phoenix and sun illusion to her show. When she got near Canterlot the people would eat it up. She stopped here so she could work on it, but she hadn't. Perhaps it was the rain. Who controlled the weather here anyway?
The longer she stared, the less real she seemed.
The Great and Powerful Trixie!
All around her was nothing but forest. Five days ago it was nothing but farms, and after the rock farm she wanted to get out of there fast. Too many bad memories. Farm work hadn't suited her at all; if she couldn't be on stage she couldn't be anywhere. It had always been like that, even before she got her cutie mark. Her mother was so proud.
Her mother gave her that book. She just remembered. The last time Trixie saw her, just when she was leaving home to go out on the road for the first time. How many years has it been? How many years since she wrote? She always forgot to get around to it. The spotlight was too intoxicating, every performance pushed everything else out of her mind. Eventually, rushing between towns and shows became habit. Forgetting became habit. Trixie watched as she kept the emotion off her face.
The Great and Powerful Trixie!
What else became habit? Staying in character. Her father did that whenever someone would come up to him after a show. He put on the voice and told jokes unscripted faster than any of the other comedians in the variety show. Faster than blowing out a candle, he completely changed. Whenever he got upset about something he would do the same. He did it when she went to live with her mother.
It didn't even seem like it was her own eyes she was looking at anymore. It didn't seem like they were eyes. It didn't seem like she was a pony. It didn't seem like there were even ponies to begin with. It seemed like the whole world was reflected in her dirty mirror.
The Great and Powerful Trixie!
Father didn't really have time for her anyway. He didn't have time for mother, that's why she joined a theater group far away. But eventually her mother didn't have time for Trixie either. 'Directing is a twenty-four hour job' she said. Trixie joined her show just to be able to see her. She worked hard so it would look good for her mother. She was so proud. Father stopped writing.
The Great and Powerful Trixie!
Trixie abruptly stood up and went outside. The rain was nothing but a fine mist and it was getting dark, but she still started moving. One solid day until the next town. Forgetting became a habit.
