蓝色独角兽身体后倾，下巴高高仰向天空，瞥见了城堡最高处尖塔的顶端。她头上又尖又长的巫师帽掉落在了光洁的地板上。「哦，真是！」她咕哝着摸索捡起，把这紫色宽沿帽重新压回她淡蓝色的鬃毛上。

「喂——？」崔克茜又敲了敲蹄子，越来越不耐烦。她是用尽了全身气力才没有使用闪闪发光的烟雾弹消失并出现在里面。她在遵守规则，而暮光闪闪喜欢规则。所以崔克茜要先敲门，然后她就会被欢迎到友谊城堡长住。

没马知道她来了。通常她把拖车停在城堡附近露营。但这一次，崔克茜觉得，如果能住在一个舒服的、有更多空间伸展蹄子的地方，也许会更好。塞拉斯蒂娅在上，这可真是座巨大的城堡！

只是，崔克茜与暮光闪闪的关系实际上并不融洽。即使在魔法对决到现在，发生了那么多事后，两马仍把对方视为可以讨好同时又可以挑战的对象。即使其中一匹现在已经是「公主」。但崔克茜还是无法理解——在天赋和魅力上她们确实不相上下，但却是暮暮获得了这一殊荣。

好在最后，崔克茜和暮暮有了一个不可否认的特殊共同点：她们都与星光熠熠交好。不过崔克茜永远不会大声承认这点，但平息竞争的感觉真好。除此以外，崔克茜认为塞拉斯蒂娅公主还有足够的时间宣布崔克茜也是公主。在小马国，就是更奇怪的事都发生过——露娜公主曾被放逐到月亮上；无序竟和小马们成为了朋友；还有一大群幻型灵被教导着要相亲相爱。

所以，这都可能发生。

就在崔克茜刚刚开始想象自己加冕仪式的盛大场面时，沉重的大门被推开了，一股熟悉的魔法气息在门边萦绕。崔克茜兴奋了起来。无论在哪里，她都能认出那道光芒！那正是她想见到的小马——她新的、最好的朋友和意想不到的知己：星光熠熠！看着这张友好的脸，崔克茜如释重负。

「崔克茜！」星光熠熠说，「我都不知道你会来小马镇诶！」她抬蹄指向宏伟的城堡住所，「快进来吃块苹果馅饼吧，你都好久没有来看我了。」这匹尖酸刻薄又叛逆的小马今天异常开朗。「自那次史诗般的幻型巢之旅、我们把大家从难逃的厄运中救出来后，还有很多事要做啊。」星光玩笑道。「所以这次我们就随意点，如何？」

「机警过马崔克茜注意到你的心情特别好。」崔克茜眯起眼睛，「为什么？」

星光笑了笑。「我能发泄一下吗？」她的脸皱成了一团。

「要不然怎么算是朋友呢？」崔克茜回答道。她很想听听八卦。这才是她熟识的星光。

「嗯，只是——」星光走进城堡厨房「——友谊课程固然好，但有时我就是觉得自己毫无进展。」她叹了口气，「我想就是这样。有点沮丧。」

就这？「哦，」崔克茜试图掩饰自己的失望。她并不是希望星光和暮暮间的关系不愉快，崔克茜只是希望星光最喜欢她。这个要求很过分吗？「听起来真闹心！」

紫色独角兽施展魔法打开糕点柜。里面放着一个香喷喷、外皮呈格子状的苹果馅饼。「多亏了阿杰，至少我终于知道该怎么烤出完美的馅饼了。你能相信我们是用零魔法，只用苹果家族的秘密配方和老式的马蹄油就烤出来的吗？来——尝尝吧。」星光脸上洋溢着自豪的笑容。

星光把馅饼放在她的客人面前，金色的饼皮闪闪发光。崔克茜咬了一大口，边吃边说：「我不明白——你跟暮光闪闪做这些又慢又无聊的事真的高兴吗，居然还烤馅饼？」一阵碎屑像彩纸般纷纷落下。

「嗯，是的。」星光晃了晃她紫绿相间的鬃毛。「但我也很高兴——因为你一出现，我就意识到自己最近工作得太辛苦了。」她解释道，「所以我需要找些完全古怪又毫无意义的乐子，而你是最适合加入我的小马！怎么样？」星光满怀希望地微笑着。

「毫无意义的乐子？」崔克茜挑起一道批判的眉毛。「那有什么意义？」她希望这计划不会妨碍她最好的朋友帮她完成极度重要的魔术任务。

「为了自我享受！不一定非要有什么理由。」星光笑着补充，「这是萍琪派教我的。」

崔克茜哼了一声。

「天哪，崔克茜，你什么时候变得这么死板了？」

「好了好了，嘘。我们去找点乐子。」崔克茜翻了个白眼。「但能不能先帮我完成我的项目后再说呢？」

「当然可以！」星光熠熠咬了口馅饼，侧头看了崔克茜一眼。「这个不能等的神秘项目是什么？」

「嗯，这就是问题所在。」崔克茜不耐烦地承认，「我还不知道。但我知道，我必须在昨天前就想出一个绝妙的新表演！」

星光吃完最后一口馅饼，舔掉蹄上剩下的碎屑。「嗯。那坐在这可激发不了我们的灵感。」她环顾了一下空荡回响的大厅——暮暮和斯派克现在都不在家。

星光猛地站起，双蹄猛击桌面，「来吧，崔克茜！让我们绕着小马镇小跑一圈。」

「小马镇应当是最友好的小镇了。」星光话语里夹杂着些许对家乡的自豪感。这令崔克茜很不爽，她的口气开始像暮暮了！小马镇是不错，是个路过表演一两次的好地方，但崔克茜从没觉得这有什么可大惊小怪的。星光轻轻推了推她，「也许你可以试着和一些小马打招呼，这样你就会放松一点……」

「放松？」崔克茜的笑容变成了哈欠。「真是个好主意！也许露娜公主会在梦中给我一个新的魔术表演点子。」和不认识的小马闲聊完全是在浪费时间。崔克茜转了转蹄子，向城堡方向走去，「回见！」

「嘿，等等！」星光惊呼一声，对崔克茜射出了一些魔法。一个闪闪发光的球体包围了她，使她无法再走远。崔克茜撅起嘴，用蹄子敲打着力场。她用眼睛来回打量着周围有没有其他围观的马。崔克茜最不希望看到的就是，一群小马看到她：神通广大崔克茜，连一个简单的护盾咒都逃不出去！这会玷污她身为魔术师的名声。「立刻放我出去！」

「糟糕！」星光说。「对不起。」有时她的施法过于冲动。她向气泡发出反击让它当即爆开。崔克茜摔在地上，相当不快。

崔克茜假装打了个哈欠，「无——聊。」她站起来，拂扫她缀满星星的紫斗篷的一角。「漫无目的的闲逛到此为止！我有个更好的点子来打发我们的时间，哦~我聪明睿智的星光助理！」

星光皱起了眉头「可是我——」

「嘘，最好的朋友！」崔克茜打断道。「崔克茜有更重要的事情要做。你看，我们要创造的这个全新魔术表演必须是我表演过的最好的，因为……」崔克茜话音刚落，一股紧张情绪奔涌上来，她膝盖发软，「因为……」

星光熠熠扬起眉毛，等待着。「……因为？」

「因为我即将成为月之回归以来第一个被星鬃魔术师协会接纳的魔术师！」崔克茜几乎满心期待。「你可能会问，我要如何完成这个不可能完成的任务？答案很简单。我要尝试一种全新的魔术技法，这将是魔术史上任何一匹小马都想不到的最勇敢的绝技！而你将会协助我。那么现在，我的房间在哪儿？我需要很大的练习空间。」

「你的房间？」星光话音未落，崔克茜就已经飞快向城堡跑去。「等等我！」星光一边追着任性的魔术师一边喊，「我帮你挑一间！」星光想起了她最近在城堡里发现的隐秘魔法房间，那里面有一个安达卢西亚放大器，任何在里面施展的魔法都会失控并产生漩涡！如果崔克茜找到类似的房间，谁也说不准会发生些什么。「崔克茜，等等！」星光喊道。

崔克茜冲进城堡大门穿行大厅。她不禁暗自发笑，即兴的消失把戏又会有什么坏处呢？她喜欢让观众猜来猜去，就连她最好的朋友星光也不例外。这都是表演的一部分。

原文：

The blue Unicorn leaned back, tilting her chin high to the sky to catch a glimpse of the tip-top of the highest castle spire. Her long, pointy wizard’s hat fell backward off her head and tumbled to the shimmering floor. “Oh fizz!” she grunted, fumbling to pick it up. She squashed the wide purple brim down over her pale-blue mane again.

“Helloooooo?” Trixie knocked her hoof again, growing impatient. It took all her willpower to refrain from using a glittering smoke bomb to vanish and reappear inside. She was following the rules. Twilight Sparkle loved rules. So first she would knock. Then Trixie would be welcomed into the Castle of Friendship for an extended stay.

Nopony knew she was coming. She usually parked her wagon near the castle and camped out. But this time, Trixie thought it might be nice to stay in the comforts of a place that had more room to stretch her hooves. It was a gigantic castle, for Celestia’s sake!

In truth, Trixie had not always gotten along with Twilight. After all that had transpired between the dueling magicians, the two still saw each other as somepony to impress and simultaneously challenge. Even if one of the ponies was a “princess” now. Trixie still couldn’t fathom that Twilight had received the honor when the two of them really were quite equal in talent and charisma.

But finally, Trixie and Twilight Sparkle had something undeniably special in common: their friendships with Starlight Glimmer. Trixie would never admit it out loud, but it felt wonderful to put the rivalry to rest. Besides, Trixie reasoned, there was still plenty of time for Princess Celestia to decree that Trixie was a princess, too. Stranger things had happened in Equestria before: Princess Luna had once been banished to the moon, Discord had become friends with ponykind, and an entire horde of changelings had been taught to love one another.

It could happen.

Trixie had just begun conjuring images of herself at her grand coronation when the heavy door swung open. A familiar magical aura danced around its edges. Trixie perked up. She’d know that glow anywhere! It was exactly the pony she wanted to see—her new best friend and unexpected confidante, Starlight Glimmer. Trixie exhaled with relief at the friendly face.

“Trixie!” Starlight beamed. “I didn’t know you were going to be in Ponyville!” She lifted her hoof and gestured to the cavernous abode. “Come inside and have a slice of apple pie. It’s been ages since you’ve visited me.” Starlight was unusually sunny today, for somepony so sarcastic and rebellious. “We have tons to catch up on since that whole epic changelinghive journey where we saved everypony from certain doom,” Starlight joked. “Let’s keep it a little more casual this time, eh?”

“The Observant and Suspicious Trixie notices that you are in a particularly great mood.” Trixie narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

Starlight smirked. “Can I vent for a minute?” Her face morphed into a frown.

“What are friends for?” Trixie replied, eager to hear the dirt. This was the Starlight she knew.

“Well, it’s just”—Starlight entered the castle kitchen—“friendship lessons are great and all, but sometimes I feel I’m not getting anywhere.” She sighed. “I guess that’s it. It’s just a little frustrating.”

That was the big venting session? “Oh,” said Trixie, trying to hide her disappointment. It’s not that she wanted things between Starlight and Twilight to be unpleasant; Trixie just wanted Starlight to like her best. Was that so much to ask? “Sounds rough!”

The purple Unicorn activated her magic to open the pastry cupboard, where an enticingly fragrant apple pie with a latticed crust sat. “At least I finally know how to bake the perfect pie, thanks to Applejack. Can you believe that we baked this using zero magic, just the Apple family recipe and good old-fashioned hoof grease? Here—have some.” Starlight’s smile beamed with pride.

The golden crust shone as Starlight put the pie in front of her guest. Trixie took a huge bite and spoke through it. “I don’t understand—you’re actually happy to be doing slow, boring things with Twilight and baking pies?” A confetti of flaky crumbs rained down.

“Well, yeah.” Starlight shook her purple-and-teal mane. “But I’m also happy because the second you showed up, I realized I have been working way too hard lately,” she explained. “I need to have some totally wacky, pointless fun, and you’re the perfect pony to join me! What do ya say?” Starlight smiled hopefully.

“Pointless fun?” Trixie raised a judgmental brow. “What’s the point of that?” She hoped this project wasn’t going to hinder her best friend’s ability to help her with her very important magical mission.

“To enjoy ourselves! There doesn’t have to be a reason.” Starlight laughed and added, “Pinkie Pie taught me that.”

Trixie grunted in response.

“Gosh, Trixie. When did you become such a hoof-in-the-mud?”

“All right, sheesh. We will go find some frivolity.” Trixie rolled her eyes. “But can we do it after you help me on my project?”

“Sure!” Starlight Glimmer took a bite and gave Trixie a sideways glance. “What is this mysterious project that can’t wait?”

“Well, that’s the problem,” Trixie admitted impatiently. “I don’t know yet. But I do know I have to come up with a brilliant new act practically by yesterday!”

Starlight ate the last bite of her pie and licked the leftover crumbs from her hoof. “Well, sitting around here isn’t going to inspire us.” She looked around the cavernous, echoing room. Twilight and Spike weren’t even home at the moment. Starlight sprang up and slammed her hooves on the table. “Come on, Trixie! We’re going for a trot around Ponyville.

“Ponyville is supposed to be the friendliest town in Equestria and all that.” The slight hint of hometown pride in Starlight Glimmer’s voice rubbed Trixie the wrong way. She was starting to sound just like Twilight! Ponyville was okay and all, a great place to pass through and do a performance or two, but Trixie had never really seen the fuss. Starlight nudged her. “Maybe if you try saying hello to some ponies, you’ll relax a bit.…”

“Relax?” Trixie’s smile morphed into a yawn. “Brilliant idea! Maybe Princess Luna will give me an idea for my new magic act in my dreams.” Small talk with random ponies was a complete waste of time. Trixie turned on her hoof and started back toward the castle. “Byeee!”

“Hey, wait!” Starlight exclaimed, shooting some magic at Trixie. A glittery orb surrounded her, rendering her unable to walk any farther. Trixie pouted and knocked her hoof against the force field. Her eyes darted back and forth as she checked for wayward onlookers. The last thing Trixie needed was a bunch of ponies seeing that she, the Great and Powerful Trixie, couldn’t even escape from a simple shield spell! It would tarnish her reputation as a magician. “Let me out of here this instant!”

“Oops!” Starlight said. “Sorry.” Sometimes she was a bit too impulsive with her spells. She sent a counter zap at the bubble, which popped immediately. Trixie tumbled to the ground, looking quite grumpy.

Trixie feigned a yawn. “Bor-ing.” Trixie stood up and brushed herself off with the corner of her starry purple cloak. “Enough of this meandering! I’ve got a much better way to spend our time, O Wise and Brilliant assistant Starlight!”

Starlight frowned. “But I—”

“Hush, best friend!” Trixie interrupted. “Trixie has something of greater importance to achieve. You see, this brand-new magic act that we’re going to create has to be the best I’ve ever performed because…” Trixie trailed off as a wave of nerves rushed through her. Her knees felt wobbly.

“Because…”

Starlight Glimmer raised her brow, waiting. “… Because?”

“Because I’m about to be the first magician accepted into the Starmane Society of Magicians since the Lunar Return!” Trixie was practically bubbling over with anticipation. “How, you may ask, am I going to achieve this impossible task? The answer is obvious. I am going to attempt a brandnew feat of magical trickery, the bravest stunt to have ever been dreamed up by anypony throughout the history of magicians. And you’re going to help me. Now, where’s my room? I’m going to need a lot of practice space.”

“Your room?” Starlight had barely said anything before Trixie took off back toward the castle in a gallop. “Wait up!” Starlight shouted as she ran after the rogue magician. “Let me help you choose one!” Starlight recalled the secret, magical suite she’d recently discovered in the castle. It had turned out to be an Andalusian Amplifier, causing any magic performed inside to go haywire and create a vortex! There was no telling what might happen if Trixie found one of those. “Trixie, wait!” Starlight called out.

As Trixie burst through the front doors of the castle and ran through the halls, the blue Unicorn couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. What harm was there in a little impromptu disappearing trick? She loved to keep her audience guessing, and her best friend, Starlight, was no exception. It was all part of the show.