When market day came to Ponyville, the whole town turned out to purchase some of the local produce. Sometimes, there were also market stalls showcasing items of clothing or various trinkets.
"A market," Trixie murmured, trotting into the area set aside for the various tents and stalls. "Trixie used to perform at markets like this one."
"Well, you won't need to do that anymore," Twilight said from beside her with a gentle smile. "The Canterlot Theatre has said that they would be happy to have you perform there every Sunday night."
"Thank you again for getting me a permanent job, Princess Twilight," Trixie thanked her, bowing her head slightly.
"Well, I couldn't just let my marefriend remain a travelling showpony while I was a princess, now could I?" Twilight figured, nuzzling said marefriend's silver mane.
"I suppose you're right," Trixie agreed, a light blush dusting her muzzle. "It was very kind of you all the same, though."
The two mares trotted through the market, looking at the various stalls.
"Ooh, Trixie, wait here a moment. I just need to go look at something," Twilight ordered, and galloped off towards a stall selling dresses. Trixie waited, her eyes roving over a stall selling various kinds of drinks. She bought herself a hay smoothie, her favourite drink.
Twilight returned a few moments later, levitating a bag beside her while a large grin painted her face.
"What did you get for Trixie?" Trixie asked, eagerly trying to look into the bag. Twilight held it out of her reach with a giggle.
"That would ruin the surprise," she giggled. "You'll see what it is when we get home." Trixie pouted but decided that, for Twilight, she could be patient. Smiling again, she followed the purple alicorn through the market. Along the way, they bought a few trinkets such as some barrettes and necklaces, and a few little ornaments to decorate their new home with. Of course Twilight would still always have the Treebrary but, when Trixie had found a home in Canterlot, Twilight had insisted on moving in with her.
"Do you think this would be good material for our curtains?" Twilight asked, holding up some star-spangled deep purple material.
"Yes, I can see that working," Trixie nodded, rubbing her chin with her hoof thoughtfully. "Are you sure they wouldn't be too dark, though?"
"Hmm, you could be right," Twilight mused. "Could they work for bedsheets instead?" Trixie nodded at that, smiling at her marefriend's choice.
Celestia's sun moved across the sky, changing the bright azure blue to a gradual purple. Trixie had shopping bags hovering all around her, as did Twilight, and the weight of them all was starting to put a strain on her horn.
"Do you think that it's time to go back home now?" Trixie wondered as they rested on a park bench. Her hooves throbbed, as did her horn.
"Well, we have gone to every stall and bought at least one thing from each one," Twilight figured. "And I am pretty tired from all this walking and talking to ponies about being a princess." It hadn't really helped that every stall-owner had called for the princess to buy something from them, but neither would admit to their annoyance at that.
"So can we go now, then?" Trixie asked. "Please?" Twilight smiled, glad to see her marefriend using her manners, and nodded. Trixie sighed in relief and got to her hooves once more to begin the trek back to the sky-carriage which had brought the two mares to the market.
Once the two arrived home, Trixie placed all of the shopping bags in the middle of the living room and watched while Twilight sorted everything into an order that she was happy with. She knew from experience that any suggestions of help would be rebuffed, so took the opportunity to lie on the couch and watch Twilight put things away.
Watching the purple mare work was a beautiful sight to behold- her mane swayed as she looked for places to put things, and her magic seemed to put an extra sparkle in the air. Trixie relaxed completely, her eyes beginning to drift shut.
When Twilight found her marefriend sleeping on the couch, she giggled and picked her up in her magic. Carrying another pony was a feat that she hadn't managed very well when she was a unicorn, but her new alicorn powers were much stronger. So she could carry Trixie to bed with ease.
Trixie felt a tingling all over her body and smiled at the feeling. She felt weightless, almost as though she were being levitated. When she felt the soft bed beneath her, she opened her eyes and found herself gazing into those purple eyes that she loved so much. She gave her marefriend a kiss.
"I didn't know that you were that tired, Trixie," Twilight remarked with a gentle smile.
"I didn't either but watching you put things away made me sleepy," Trixie admitted with a sheepish grin. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you, Twilight."
"Well, good. I'd hate for you to miss out on your surprise," Twilight reminded her. Trixie had almost forgotten about that but, now that she was reminded, she sat up in bed and looked around for the mysterious blue bag.
"I didn't forget about it," Trixie protested, her face reddening.
"Of course you didn't," Twilight giggled. "Now, close your eyes." Trixie did as she was told after leaping off the bed, her whole body trembling slightly in excitement.
When she was told to open her eyes, Trixie saw in front of her a beautiful dark blue dress held in a field of Twilight's levitation magic. It had a few lines of silver stitching resembling stardust along its skirt, as well as some more stardust on the bodice in swirling patterns. As well as this, there were some stars dotted around the hem of the dress' skirt. The dress itself had frothy lace beneath it.
"Oh, Twilight, it's beautiful," Trixie gasped. She stepped forward and embraced her marefriend in a neck-hug. "Thank you so much, Twilight!"
"I thought you might like it," Twilight smiled, nuzzling her gently. "You can wear it to your first show if you like, or to the Gala."
"I've always wanted to go to the Grand Galloping Gala," Trixie grinned excitedly. She drew her neck back and laid a gentle kiss on Twilight's lips. "Did you get me a ticket to it as well?"
"Yes, Princess Celestia said that as a princess I can have one honorary guest at the Gala. I did invite my other friends as well but after the last Gala, nopony wanted to go," Twilight explained. "I didn't even really want to go but maybe it'll be different with you. Even if I do have to shake hooves with everypony." She grimaced at the thought.
"Trixie will make sure that you have a better Gala this time," Trixie promised, her eyes still lingering on that dress. She could only imagine waltzing about the grand ballroom with her beautiful marefriend in her hooves while the orchestra played beautiful music and other ponies either chatted or danced.
"What are you smiling about?" Twilight asked with a smile of her own at her marefriend's somewhat-misty eyes.
"Oh, just imagining what our Gala will be like," Trixie admitted. Twilight's smile grew and she kissed Trixie again. She looked like a filly in her excitement, a fact which brought Twilight such joy. Making Trixie happy was one of her favourite things to do, especially now that she had the power of a princess to do so.