New Tricks
by Nailah
TrixiexStarlight Glimmer
Summary: Trixie and Starlight have become the best of friends, despite Twilight not trusting Trixie after her last act in Ponyville but when Starlight agrees to be her assistant for her magic show, she learns that perhaps Twilight had her reasons for being suspicious, but finds out just how great and powerful Trixie truly is.
Chapter 1: A new trick
Starlight Glimmer hadn't had the easiest time ever since becoming a good pony once more, so many of the community still gave her odd looks and most ponies avoided her, it wasn't until she met Trixie, that's when everything changed. Sure she was glad to have made friends with Twilight and her friends but Trixie had been the first friend that she had decided she liked so of course when Twilight had pretty much wanted her to stay away from her because of her past, it had caused a lot of commotion and tension and she had almost lost Trixie when thinking that she was only using her to show up Twilight once more.
Things were much better now, she and Trixie were starting to spend more and more time together but it seemed Twilight wanted her to make other friends besides just Trixie and was always encouraging her to keep on looking for friendship in Ponyville. Though she couldn't help enjoying spending time with Trixie. Trixie wasn't like every other pony, she understood the feeling of having been a horrible person and having to redeem yourself in the eyes of others. Starlight Glimmer wanted to go see her, as they had an act to perform in the next few nights and Twilight was busy getting ready for another visit from Princess Celestia that was bound to be messed up by some sort of event or commotion but if she wasn't needed then she wouldn't need to worry about it. Starlight Glimmer thought to herself as she left her room to head towards the doors to Town, thinking perhaps she should get Trixie a gift to celebrate their friendship, but she knew the thing Trixie enjoyed the most was showing off. Though she probably should get her something...then she remembered how much she enjoyed her snack food and decided to drop by the cart with the pretzel nuts that Trixie had recently showed to her. She bought five packs and paid the bits she owed and then asked for them to be bagged up together in a bigger bag to at least try to hide what they were, as she put them in her saddlepack over her back as she fastened the belt holding it down and would walk towards the stage where Trixie was to perform her next act. Though she was honestly surpised how quiet it seemed here. It was almost like no one was around. Starlight Glimmer, simply just thought that perhaps Trixie was also preparing for the upcoming event and getting things ready so she calmly sat down by the stage admiring the banner of Trixie up top with her image to the right of the great and powerful assistant in herself proudly drawn onto the banner alongside Trixie. This made her smile as she sat there wondering what Trixie was up to but she didn't need to pry, she would wait patiently for her to return back to her cart.
Though as the evening came and Trixie still hadn't arrived, Starlight Glimmer was beginning to have cause for alarm and thinking something was a bit off but she didn't want to give up on her friend, so she continued to wait while the evening went on. The full moon was now up in the evening sky and Starlight soon realized Trixie wasn't coming, concern immediately had her pausing at alarm but then she heard a loud thud from the cart and the next thing she knew Trixie was there behind the cart. Eyes raised as she blinked with suspicion, but of course her main concern was making sure Trixie was okay, and then figuring out what in the blazing hell had just happened and why she hadn't come sooner when she knew she had an event in a few days.
"Trixie? Are you okay?" asked Starlight Glimmer with deep care and compassion for her friend as she put an arm around her.
"Me? Why of course I'm fine!" she stumbled around stuttering a bit and almost simply like she was a bit well drunk.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked again, this time she expected more of an answer rather then trying to avoid the question.
"Listen sweetheart, I really do love how you are worried but I assure you there is absolutely nothing wrong. I was just practicing a new trick and I can't wait to show these ponies just how great and powerful I truly am." explained Trixie.
Starlight Glimmer remained calm and focused letting Trixie explain herself talking about a new trick she had been practicing, it must have been quite the impressive one to have her this much off of her game.
"Alright, well I just wanted to come over and give you this, it's been almost a whole month since we became friends and I wanted to give you something to celebrate the occasion." explained Starlight as she reached into her bag and handed Trixie the snacks.
"Oh! Pretzel Nuts my favorite. Aww you are so thoughtful. Thank you Starlight. You are one of the few ponies who gets me, I'm so glad we met." replied Trixie as she wrapped her arms around Starlight Glimmer and embraced her into her arms. Starlight of course would return the affection by wrapping her arms around Trixie as the two embraced one another, just standing still for but a brief moment.
Starlight Glimmer let go first and glanced around to the stage that was already set up and ready for the big event in just a few days time.
"So is there anything I needed to practice before the show?" asked Starlight Glimmer, she wanted to be absolutely sure she was ready, after all this would be her first time as Trixie's full time assistant.
"Hmm... well there is a few things I could think of but we should probably wait until the morning, after all Trixie needs her beauty sleep. Be back here early though, Trixie has a surprise for you." explained Trixie waving her hoof towards her as she walked into her tent and closed down the flap to sleep for the night.
Starlight Glimmer was glad to see that Trixie was her usual self and was excited for her first time as a full time assistant so she headed back towards the castle with a big grin on her lips as she walked right into the castle, bumping right into Twilight Sparkle who was panicking around in a circle around the cutie mark table going on and on about how she would never be ready for Celestia's visit with all these distractions. Starlight Glimmer couldn't help but be slightly amused by this, Twilight was rarely if ever ready for a visit from the Princess herself and it wasn't like Celestia was going to be here for very long anyways.
"What am I going to do!" panicked Twilight panting heavily as she circled around the table. Then she bumped right into Starlight Glimmer but managed to not fall back on her hind end.
"Oh Starlight Glimmer, how are you today?" asked Twilight trying to seem like she was calm but it was very clear she wasn't. Starlight Glimmer had an idea though, she knew Celestia wasn't due for a few days, right after Trixie's show.
"Maybe you should come and watch Trixie and I perform in a few days, you know just to calm your nerves before the Princess arrives." suggested Starlight Glimmer trying to be supportive and wanting Twilight to accept Trixie as a friend rather than thinking of her as a foe.
"I don't know Starlight...I've been so busy with getting everything perfect for Celestia, I don't think I have time to sit down and enjoy the magic show. I'm sure it will be wonderful though, and I really wish I could go and see it but I just don't have time." replied Twilight Sparkle.
Starlight Glimmer knew she could make time, she always seemed to be able to find a way before, and sometimes she wondered if it wasn't because she didn't want to see the magic due to Trixie's show boating that she did whenever Twilight was around.
"Alright I understand. Well I'm going to head to bed now, got a big day of practicing with Trixie in the morning." replied Starlight Glimmer waving a hoof towards Twilight as she walked back towards her room, passing by Spike on the way who was seen running back and forth the hallway. Starlight smiled softly as she closed her bedroom door behind her. She laid back onto her bed as she stared up towards the ceiling and over towards the Friendship wall Twilight had given her for graduating Friendship lessons. She saw Trixie and her other friends and how far she had come since the days of taking pony's cutie marks and trying to instill the mindset that cutie marks were a bad thing because a cutie mark had taken the only friend she ever had away from her. Now she and Sunburst were on good terms with one another, and she had even managed to make her own friend outside the friends Twilight had, in Trixie. It was a good day and she really should be getting some sleep. She yawned softly as she let her eyelids fall closed and drifted off to sleep.
Morning came faster than expected, Twilight Sparkle was already up and rummaging around for something or another, when Starlight opened up her eyes for the day. Of course Spike wasn't far behind her in reminding her of her appointments for the day and how she didn't have time to look for whatever she was looking for. It was best she just calmly move on her way, after all when Twilight was like this, there was no stopping her until she found what she was looking for even if it was something as simple as a quill. Starlight Glimmer headed down to the Spa where she had met Trixie, after all she had a little bit of time before she had to be there, because Trixie had a tendency to sleep in. She walked in and of course ordered a massage and was led in to be tended to by the spa ponies. After her short visit, she figured she'd go to Trixie's place and see if she was up. This time her stage was still set up of course and she had this odd three layered box up on stage. Starlight Glimmer walked up to the stage, smiling as she calmly tried to figure out the purpose of said box, Trixie opened it and it was empty but in each slot between each section was blades that covered the box from top to bottom. What was she thinking? This was dangerous and she thought her sending herself into the mouth of a manticore had been bad.
"Trixie is this the new trick you were telling me about?" she asked casually not wanting to think that her new friend wanted to kill her, no it was just an illusion, she had to keep remembering that much.
"Oh Starlight so glad you're hear. Here let me fix this." replied Trixie as she pulled out the blades so that they stuck out of the box, then she handed Starlight Glimmer a sexy red dress.
"I'd like you to wear that for the purpose, but for practice sake just yourself will be fine. Go on get in the box and I'll show you how it works. No pony will believe that you aren't even in the box." explained Trixie.
Starlight was in awe that she was going to be in the box in the first place but was comforted by Trixie's words that she wouldn't actually be in the box when the blades were inserted, it would just seem like she was. Of course as Trixie was explaining the act, Starlight began to understand, she'd teleport herself to a safe location and Trixie would use a cloning spell to make it look like the real Starlight was in the box, but it wasn't as complicated as that.
"You just stand there and when I put the first blade in, you will open up a trap door at the bottom and slide down while no one is looking, then I replace you with this doll that is identical to you and will have the crowd really believing that it is you. Isn't that amazing? Aren't I just the most powerful and great magician you've ever seen?" asked Trixie with ego and confidence in her tone. As she put an arm around Starlight Glimmer waiting for her response.
"Of course you are, you are certainly more talented than I'd ever be with this kind of magic." replied Starlight as she embraced her friend, wanting her to know that she'd always be there for her despite what other ponies thought of both of them. The two truly had a connection and she knew that Twilight at least seemed to finally understand them and see that Trixie wasn't so bad after all.
"So what now?" questioned Starlight Glimmer as she already knew she wouldn't have to do a whole lot to get ready for the show right now.
"Well...I was hoping you might want to grab a bite to eat. I'm starving, and this unicorn can't perform without her snacks." replied Trixie as her belly rumbled.
"Alright, we'll go out to eat somewhere. Oh I know this great place Pinkie Pie showed me the other day, want to go there?" she asked Trixie curiously.
"Hmm...I'm sure whatever she had in mind is great and all but is it great enough for the Great and powerful Trixie? Trixie thinks not. Trixie needs the best of the best, Trixie needs Canterlot food, the food of the royals. Perhaps Starlight could teleport us there?" she blinked her eyelashes in her direction.
"Of course Trixie, anything for you." replied Starlight Glimmer as she grabbed a hold of Trixie by the hoof and teleported the both of them to Canterlot. It was a good thing that Pinkie Pie and Rarity had already told her stories of the food from Canterlot or she knew she would know nothing of where to go. She decided she would be the lead on this party, and headed to the restaurant where Pinkie Pie and Rarity had been called by the map to save this restaurant from closing due to the critic being extremely unreasonable and picky. Of course they were seated right away and given menus and it seemed Trixie was taking some time to look over hers, but Starlight Glimmer already knew what she wanted, so she ordered the special.
"I would like the Spagetti and Meatballs please, with garlic bread, for the great and powerful Trixie, demands it." ordered Trixie with her usual show boat attitude. Starlight Glimmer could understand why some ponies didn't know how to react to her but these ponies were used to unusual demands of them so of course it was merely glanced over and an after thought. They took her order and went to fill it along with her own order as well.
It didn't take long at all for them to get their food and drinks. Of course Trixie immediately dug into hers, and didn't say anything about it not being up to the standards that the great and powerful Trixie demanded. Starlight Glimmer was glad that she had these moments with Trixie, where the two of them could just blend into the crowd along with the rest of the community but she knew that it wasn't the same for them in Ponyville, not a whole lot of ponies here even knew who they were, some of course knew about Trixie but not of her and what she had done in her past, she tried not to think about it, tried to see herself as a new pony but whatever ponies brought it up she had to remember how awful she had been, that was over now, she was happy, Trixie was happy and she had even learned the true values of having real friendships, it seemed everything was going her way. She smiled softly towards Trixie, just enjoying this time with her and not stressing over their performance. Everything was all ready, there was no last minute struggle that Twilight was going through. Tomorrow was the big day and she couldn't wait to show every pony just what a capable team the two of them were.
