"Trixie, come here! I have to ask you a few questions!"

Twilight's voice called from the bottom of the stairs, waking The Great and Powerful Trixie. The showpony bolted upright, the morning sun somehow penetrating the frost covered window to shine directly into her eyes. Grumbling, she hopped out of bed and walked over to the mirror to brush her mane. I'll murder her later. Let's at least look presentable first.

Trixie wandered downstairs to see Twilight pouring over a scroll. This was nothing new, though there was something in the expression of uncertainty that sparked interest. Twilight looked over at her with a look of confusion.

"Who is this mare Dusk is with in the sequel? Why does she have so many powers that even an Alicorn, despite the fact she is one, shouldn't? And just why is she the new Princess despite Celestia being alive and well?"

The scroll was snatched away, and Trixie glanced over it, her face contorting in a mix of disgust and rage. When she reached the end, she tore the scroll in half and threw it in the trash.

"The nerve! Some foal sent a fan fiction!"

"A what?"

Trixie sighed as she remembered exactly who her fillyfriend was. Twilight Sparkle, beloved student of Celestia. Loves history, sciences and mathematics. The arts are quite secondary to her, beyond any learning of style and technique. Her dancing alone could tell you how little she cares for aesthetics, and I've seen her custom "dress" she forced Rarity to make...

"A fan fiction, as the name implies, is a fictional story made by fans of a work. They are, of course, non-canon, that is they don't count towards the real stories. They are made by pompous, stuck up know nothings who believe they can tell a better story than the original creators."

"So, like you and the Ursa Incident retold as Ursa Major Problems?"

Trixie looked as if she had been struck.

"Twilight! How dare you make such a comparison! What I did was a story 'based loosely on a true one'. I created new characters, though heavily based on the actual events, with different personas and in some cases gender. I did not grab a character, strip them of their own personality, and put my own perceptions in."

Twilight lifted the two halves of the scroll out and realigned the paper.

"It's not that bad though. It's well written, er, grammatically. Though I am still confused by the new Princess..."

Twixie snorted as she set about grabbing a bowl of cereal.

"That, my dear, is a textbook example of the Mare Sue. Beloved by all, with no negative traits. She is almost always kind, sweet, innocent, intelligent, strong bodied, typically wealthy, and the desire of all the stallions, and even mares, around her. Even those traits that the narrative says would be a downside, for example, a plain mane or eye color, will still be striking to the characters. It's especially bad if they try and show off but only fail.

For example, do you remember that big book craze a few years ago? The one with the cover of an apple held in hooves and was about a sparkly stallion and some "oh so plain" filly? That filly was supposed to be quite well read for her age, but actually looking at the list, all those books should have been read by a student several years YOUNGER than she was."

The rant went on for some time, Twilight taking notes about terms like shipping and various other obscure phrases. Trixie stopped when she noticed the clock strike noon.

"Twilight, you should have stopped me ages ago. We're going to be late for the get-together."

The purple unicorn blushed as she stashed away the notebook and gathered her saddlebags.

"Sorry, but it was so interesting to hear you be the one to go off on a, 'nerd rant' as you call my detailed lectures."

Trixie pouted, trying to regain some dignity.

"It's my pride as a creator. Honestly, someone coming up to you and saying they could do better is rather insulting..."

There was a silence as soon as the words left her mouth. Twilight could only give a surprisingly smug smile as Trixie's face reddened. Well, let it never be said I'm not oblivious to my own hypocrisy. The unicorns wrapped themselves in scarves and stepped out into the winter wonderland.

"Come on, everyone is probably already at Sweet Apple Acres."

Walking up to the barn, the pair could already hear the happy polka playing. Despite the chill outside, the warmth of comradeship kept the barn toasty. Well, that and a space heater. Inside, it was filled with all the typical Pinkie Party supplies; punch, candy, cake, balloons, streamers, and even a bowl of gems for Spike, who had helped set up. He and Pinkie were eating with the voracious appetite a morning of hard work always brings. Twilight giggled as he waved at them before turning back to his treats.

"Spike's been so well, generous since his battle with greed. It's nice to see him relax and act like a baby dragon."

Twilight split off to chat with Big Macintosh and Fluttershy, who were busy trying to answer the Crusaders questions about due dates and what the names were going to be. Trixie sighed, and got a cup of punch, looking at the mass of friends and acquaintances gathered. Rainbow Dash and Gilda were, as usual, animatedly arguing over some trivial matter Trixie had no interest in hearing about. Applejack, Rarity and that unicorn stallion, Hoards or whatever, just how does he keep popping up in our life? were discussing something peacefully off to the side.

So many ponies, but ugh, what is there to talk about? I'd rather not be around the children right now, let those with more patience try and play teacher. The gluttons can handle themselves. Same goes for the airheaded avians. Seems I don't have much choice. At least the farmer won't drag down conversation too much...

Trixie walked over to the trio, giving a sheepish smile as they greeted her. Rarity gave a small gasp, staring at the scarf.

"Darling, I'm astonished. That color is just wrong for you. Why ever did you decide a red scarf anyway? Your usual purple cloak suits your colors much better."

"Aw, don't you mind her none. Gotta stay practical, Ah always say. Don't have to look good, jest has ta work."

"And that, Applejack, is why your talent lies in farming, not fashion. A unicorn must always have an air of grace, and that garish red on blue is hardly complimentary."

Trixie bit back a mean-spirited comment. Ugh, even if she's supposed to be friendly, I still want to change her hair again for such an arrogant comment. Trixie knows... Trixie knows... I know clothing isn't my special talent, tricks are. Maybe she's right. The blue unicorn drew upon the wisdom of her mentor, and acted politely.

"Well, I just grabbed what was there, but if you'd like, I wouldn't mind you altering it. It is warm in here, let me take it off."

Trixie passed over the scarf, which Rarity looked over. The fashionista smiled at the one male in the little group. An empty cup hovered before his eyes.

"Words, would you be so kind? Give a mixture of about 2/3 deep blue, with the rest a nice crimson. Yes, don't act shocked, I know about your ink, and it will make a decent dye while we're here. It will be a placeholder until I can see about getting her some proper accessories."

With a beaming smile and an aggressive shake of the cup, she convinced him to fill it up. As the scarf soaked in the mix, Trixie gave a small nodded of appreciation.

"Rarity, I concede to your talent in the art of fashion."

"Thank you, it's a, heh, rarity for somepony to compliment me so thoroughly. It's wonderful to hear after my little fit just now. Insulting little..."

Trixie raised an eyebrow. The fashionista had begun grumbling as soon as the words left her mouth. Words explained as Rarity mumbled darkly under her breath, distracting the others from the unladylike behavior.

"Well, apparently she's been the victim of some art theft. Somepony stole a few of her designs and tried to market them as their own."

"The audacity of some ponies!"

Rarity huffed then calmed down. Trixie nodded sympathetically.

"Ah, yes. Nothing is worse than knowing some leech is sapping away your own work to use as their own. Why, just this morning I received a fan fiction. The nerve! It would be like some pony trying to perform Ursa for me, they just don't know how to evoke the same tone. It was terrible, I ripped it up and threw it out."

"Really? I get some myself."

Trixie turned, acknowledging the stallion for the first time in this conversation.

"Ah, Boards, I forgot, you're a writer yourself. What do you do with them?"

"Why, what anypony should. I read them."

"You WHAT?"

"I read them, write back thanking them, and in some cases, even ask for permission to suggest my own readers look at them. Some were rather good, if well, mature in most cases. But it's nice, knowing somepony liked your art well enough to want to emulate it."

Rarity and Applejack nodded in agreement.

"Ah love it when ponies ask for opinions on their apple treats. Shoot, Ah even ask for the recipe most of the time. 'Course, nopony beats the family recipe, but Ah like a little change up, now and then."

"Indeed. I'm honored some Canterlot tailors are beginning to use the techniques I've created, mixed with their own unique style. It's wonderful to look and see how they took what I made and changed it, not better or worse, but different. It's a certain... Je ne sais pas to it."

Applejack's forehead furrowed at the phrase.

"What does that mean?"

Rarity answered automatically, always willing to help her friend become more civil and to speak "Fancy" as she calls it, was a good first step.

"I don't know."

At this moment, Pinkie's ear flapped, her tongue stuck out, and her tail twitched. Spike immediately put the bowl over his head as a makeshift helmet.

"Twitchy tail?"

"No silly, that was one of my combos. It means a writer is about to make a cliché joke."

"Good thing we're too far away to hear Words then."

"What about him?"

"Isn't he going to make a cliché joke?"

"I dunno. Pass the sarsaparilla."

Going back to Trixie's group, Applejack gave Rarity a funny look.

"Then why'd you say it?"

Trixie groaned, having dealt with this sort of thing her whole life as a Fancy speaker.

"No, simpleton, the phrase literally translates to "I do not know". Je is I, ne pas means, roughly, not, and sais is know. Je ne sais pas all together is I do not know."

"Well, yah don't have ta bite my head off over it."

Trixie winced at the three disapproving glances.

"Sorry, it's just annoying after the thousandth time. When you grow up speaking a language, well, it would be as if everypony pronounced it "Poh-neigh" instead of "Poh-nee" when you know that's wrong. You'd be frustrated to have to correct them too."

The slip was forgiven and they talked for the rest of the party. Twilight was so tired from Crusader duty that she just went straight to bed, and the same for the overstuffed Spike. Trixie however, dug the torn parchment from the trash and taped it back together to read once more. She struggled a bit, some elements went too far, but she completed the read through. After a moment, she picked up a fresh sheet of paper and a quill.

"To my Number One Fan,

I am not a pony who most would consider kind, so forgive me if I sound mean. I was... well, offended at first that you had sent me your story. I was insulted that somepony thought they could tell my tale better than I, The Great and Powerful Trixie could. It ended up in the trash. But after a lengthy conversation with some new friends and fellow artists..."

Trixie stroked the vibrant purple scarf she had been given.

"Fellow artists who reminded me of something important. It doesn't matter what the quality of it was, which truth be told you need some improvement in your story writing abilities, and need to learn to make more realistic characters. The important thing is that you cared enough about my art to show me how it inspired you to test your own skills.

I hope to see you try once again, very soon.

The G.a.P.T."

Trixie sealed the letter and wrote the nameless return address. Soon, it was mailed off, and the message was put into the mailbox of the fan. It was opened shakily with magic, and read slowly, lips moving as it stumbled over the harder words. Then, the lips became a smile. The smiler hid the letter as his friend walked over.

"Hey Snails, whatcha reading there?"

…

Big Important Notice! Please Read!

Ok! Been a long time coming with this update, even if it's not very good. I just got the idea of Trixie dealing with fan fiction, and the concept of it as a whole in my eyes. It's a rough thing, to be a fan writer. We are original, but not. We take other people's hard work and characters, and remake them as we perceived them. My Trixie, Gilda, Big Mac... well frankly everyone is a drastically different pony from their canon.

But it's all done in the love I have for this series, my feelings for these characters, and my sheer awe at the minds that built these strong foundations I use to try and make new stories.

Also, BIG thanks to all those individuals who have helped with editing, and hopefully will continue to do so. You know who you are.

This is the last "Author's Note" I will ever do. Those who go to my profile will see I have now put up many different ways you can either get caught up in my rl, or contact me, or simply ask me questions about my work. Be it past, present, or future plans. I know, it's rather big for such a small timer, but hey, we all start somewhere. Though I would like an Artist for Words... but that's neither here or there.

Kyle