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The Price of a Dream · FiM Minific ·
Organised by RogerDodger
Word limit 400–750
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Making Daddy Proud
Ever since she was a little foal, Trixie would always watch her father perform. A traveling magician, he always wore his trademark hat and cape everywhere he went, only rarely taking them off. He believed that a world-class magician always looked the part. As Trixie grew up with her father, he taught her everything he knew. From card tricks to disappearing acts, he dazzled her with the amazing world of magic.

Trixie tried her best to impress her father. She felt like she needed to earn his love. Whenever she had a moment of spare time, she would practice. However—no matter how hard she tried—she felt that she couldn’t keep up. Compared to her father, her tricks paled in comparison. He became famous for several dangerous stunts in which he appeared unharmed. Once, he swallowed a flaming sword, yet his throat was perfectly fine. Another time, he locked himself in a watertight container and managed to escape with ease. He even shot himself with a pistol, and caught the bullet with his teeth. Trixie couldn’t help but lose confident in her own skills since she had trouble with the basics.

Her father seemed flawless, immaculate, perfect. Her movements were clumsy and slow, and she couldn’t hide her hooves as well as she wanted to. Nevertheless, her father always patted her on the head and kissed her on the cheek, reassuring her that if she kept practicing, she would become one of the best magicians on Equestria. Although he said that he was happy that Trixie took up the craft of magic, she felt that his eyes held a little bit of disappointment whether she messed up.

Every night, when the lights were out and everypony was asleep, Trixie snuck into her father’s closet. Grabbing his signature hat and cape while he slept, Trixie adorned herself and went outside. In the moonlight, she practiced every trick imaginable. However, it wasn’t enough. The tricks seemed too plain. These simple tricks just wouldn’t do. If she was going to impress him, she needed to pull something huge. She made a vow: she would perform a trick so spectacular, so great and powerful, that her father couldn’t help but be amazed.

Finally, as the days turned into months, she found a formula to performing the greatest magic trick known to ponykind. This trick involved surrounding herself with magic and flying through the air, just like a pegasus. As she flew across the night air, she would create a trail of stars and imprint her own little constellation.

The process seemed complicated, yet she was confident she could do it. It required focus. Complete concentration. The same night as her epiphany, she climbed to the top of her moving carriage and took a deep breath. If anything was going to please her father, this was it. Slowing her breath, she surrounded her body with her magic. With a grunt, she flexed her legs and leaped upwards into the air.

Zipping several hundred feet into the air, she couldn’t help but shout. “I’m doing it. I’m really doing it!” An image of her father smiling appeared in her head. For a brief period of time, she was finally happy. She imagined what her father would say and how he would praise her.

She felt herself rushing downwards, wind wrapping around her fur. At that moment, she realized something. Her magic had slipped. She barely opened her mouth to scream before she hit the ground with a thud.

An intense pain ripped through her body. She tried to sit up, but something cracked and she fell back down. She heard a voice call out, but she wasn’t sure who it was. Her vision was fuzzy. As a figure gently picked her up, everything went black.




She awoke in a white room. Her side had been bandaged up. Next to her was her sobbing father.

“Why did you do this?” He stared into her eyes.

She looked down, unable to look at him. “I just wanted to make you happy.”

Wiping a tear from his eye, he whispered, “Oh Trixie. I’m always happy when I’m around you.” He gave her a hug as gently as he could. “Please don’t do something like that again. It’s not worth it.”

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

After Trixie went to sleep, her father never left her side. Snuggling next to him, she realized that her dad loved her after all and that she didn't need to try so hard.
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