Fanfic / Princess Trixie Sparkle

Princess Trixie Sparkle is a fanfic for My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic written by Magpiepony.

Trixie is tired of being the cast-off and the laughing stock of Equestria. When she gets her hooves on a rare spell, she finally has the means to seek her revenge on Princess Twilight. Switching their bodies, Trixie becomes an overbearing royal overlord who wants everything her way. In the meantime, Twilight is stuck in Trixie's body and the Mane 6 have all been scrambled, but things get much worse, after the Mane Six and Spike accidentally stumble across a gem Trixie used in the spell, which causes all of her friends to swap bodies as well. And Rarity and Rainbow had big plans that day. Now Twilight and her friends have to find the answers to this puzzling spell before Trixie ruins Equestria for everypony! But there may be more to these events than it seems.

A mini-series musical version of the story is now available on YouTube, similar to Bride of Discord as well as a PTS website dedicated to the story. It has currently ended with a total of 11 episodes. A sequel, Princess Trixie Sparkle 2: Fragments and Shadows has been announced, with many voice actors from the audio drama confirmed to be returning.

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Princess Trixie Sparkle contains the following tropes:

• Abusive Parent: Astelle to the "shadow alicorn" who sees her as its mother, while the former sees him as useful tool at best and an annoyance at worst.
• Actually Pretty Funny: Despite-understandably being worried that Pinkie Pie might damage her reputaion while in her body, Rarity still joins her in laughing, after her antics leave Jetset and Upercrust dumbfounded.
• Adaptation Expansion: In the show, The Alicorn Amulet despite being powerful Artifact of Doom, was restricted to only appearing in one episode and has not been seen or mentioned sense. But here, it is MacGuffin created by Astel and is the source of her dark powers.
• Adaptational Villainy: Alicorn Amulet aside, Trixie was just an arrogant Jerkass in the show, here she a surprisingly cruel manipulative bitch for most of the story.
• And I Must Scream: Celestia reveals that Astelle was trapped in a tapestry, prior to the events of the story.
• Apocalypse How: It is eventually revealed that Astelle's plan is to destroy all magic in Equestria, not realizing that sense Equestria is a world built on magic, she would essentially cause The End of the World as We Know It.
• Arbitrary Skepticism: In a world like Equestria, it really seems odd that a gem with the power to swap ponies' bodies is what The Mane Six write off as impossible.
• Art Shift: The art style in the audio version seems to shift completely randomly from scene to scene. Justified, as the creator has to rely on multiple artist with vastly different styles to make the show, so she kind of has to make do with what they can give her.
• Badass Boast:
  Shadow: (While surrounded by the Mane Six) This should fun. Hahaha
  Pinkie:: Fun? You know nothing of fun! I am the queen of fun!!!
• Badass in Distress: Celestia and Luna.
• Batman Gambit: Twilight plans to give Trixie a false Alicorn Amulet in order to lure Astelle and the Shadow Alicorn and ambush them. In reality she plans to attack Trixie, thinking she controls the Shadow Alicorn. Sadly it doesn't work the way they hoped
• Big Bad: Trixie at first, but her position is eventually usurped by Astelle and the Shadow Alicorn.
• Big Brother Instinct: Shining Armor is NOT happy when he finds out what Trixie put her sister through. Also, Astel seems to have a big sister instinct to Luna, who she tries to get on her side and seems genuinely hurt, after the latter refuses.
• Big Damn Heroes:
  • Trixie of all ponies, using Twilight's magic to save Fluttershy from a manticore in the Everfree.
  • Earlier in the same scene, Spike flies in to kick the manticore in the side, buying the others some time.
• Black Cloak: Astelle wears one to conceal the fact she is an alicron.
• Book Ends: The audio version begins with a song from Trixie and it ends with a song from Trixie. Taken a little further with both songs featuring Trixie declaring “It’s my time.”
• Brought Down to Normal: This is revealed to be Astelle's fate, in the sequel, as her magic was destroyed during the climax of the first story and she is reduced to taking the form of a regular Earth Pony.
• Cain and Abel: Astelle is this to Celestia. Poor Tia can't seem to catch a break with this.
• The Cameo:
  • Several OC's appear during Trixie's magic show/song in episode eight of the audio version, including the creator's during the saw someone in half trick. And she does not exactly look comfortable.
  • In episode six Trixie's Gala, The OCs of everyone that worked on the episode can be seen at the titular event, as pointed out in the ending credits.
• Cassandra Truth: Trixie truly is trying to cooperate with The Mane Six, but after what she did earlier in the story, Twilight understandably assumes it is just another trick.
• Character Development: Trixie starts to show this towards the latter half of the story. Most notably when she uses Twilight's magic to protect the others in the everfree. Sadly, she relapses back to her old attitude immediately afterwards.
• Chekhov's Gun: The missing book in Celestia's private study and the torn tapestry Rarity and Fluttershy find.
• Crying Wolf: Trixie pays dearly for spending the first half of the story manipulating Twilight, when she is forced into an alliance with The Mane Six Twilight eventually double crosses her, assuming that she was going to do the same to them as soon as she gets what she wants. Though her attitude probably didn't help her case.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: The Shadow Alicorn pulls one against the mane six, Spike, and Shining Armor, it's only Cadence powered up with the Crystal Heart and the love of her subjects that gives him trouble.
• Darkest Hour: Towards the end of the story, all heroes have been captured, Astelle has The Alicorn Amulet that gives back her full power, she has convinced Trixie to join her and used her magic to give them both more powerful forms, and their seems to be nothing stopping Astelle from destroying magic as they know it and pretty much everypony is heading towards the Despair Event Horizon. Things seem just a little bleak.
• The Dragon: The Shadow Alicorn serves as this to Astelle.
• Does This Remind You of Anything?: After Trixie learns that Astelle is an Alicorn.
  Trixie: I am done with all of this! there's nothing special about being an alicorn anymore, is there?
• Dirty Coward: Trixie at times. Notabley when she, Twilight, and company were being attacked by a manticore. Despite being the most powerful pony in the group at the moment, she spends most of the incident running and complaining about them getting her in this mess, instead of helping in any way. Though she does finally come through for them in the end.
• Dude, Not Funny!: Twilight's friends have this reaction when Discord reveals he had the tickets they needed to get into the gala and save Twilight all along, but let them waste time trying to get them themselves, for his own amusement. Even Fluttersy is peeved at him for this and says to he can just leave till he's ready to apologize.
• Easily Forgiven: Trixie, for all her lies, manipulations, stupid choices, and hypocritical attitude, gets let off surprisingly easily after becoming the Element of Forgiveness.
• Enemy Mine: The Mane Six and Trixie are forced into this, after Astelle decides to finish the job herself.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Astelle has a soft spot for Luna, the little sister she never got to meet.
• Fallen Hero: Astelle.
• Fan Animation: Aside from the earliest episodes, most musical numbers are animatics.
• Flanderization: Pinkie's usual randomness is turned up to eleven and is far more prominent to her character than in canon, to the point that she interrupts any conversation she's in just to say something random. Not to mention her voice for the character being a lot more high-pitched, loud, and screechy than usual.
• Foreshadowing: The "Shadow Alicron" giving a remorseful look, during the "Revenge Song" in the audio version, should be a big hint that there is more to this creature than just a regular minion.
• "Freaky Friday" Flip: The driving conflict of the entire story: Twilight and Trixie are swapped, Spike is switched with Rainbow Dash, Applejack is switched with Fluttershy, and Rarity is switched with Pinkie Pie.
• Heel–Face Turn: Trixie finally does this for real, by the end of the story and even becomes a new Element of Harmony.
• Idiot Ball:
  • Yes Trixie, ignore the one who actually made your little coop possible, it is not like she might retaliate for you not holding your end of the deal.
  • Yeah girls, when your going to face a force strong enough to capture Princess Celestia and later Luna, while kicking your flanks, it is a very good idea to leave Discord the one being you have on your side that could possibly match that power to watch over Canterlot, while you go to face them.
  • No one in the entire guard thought it was odd that among the ponies that they had orders the detain by Twilight, were all of Twilight's best friends, including Spike, the princess' closest and oldest companion, as well the only friendly dragon in Equestria, that we know of. None of them stopped to question this?
  • The girls may have had big and important plans of their own, but considering the dire circumstances, it probably would have been smarter if they would have all just stuck to going to help Twilight and then worried about how they were going salvage their carrier after the day was saved.
  • Trixie leaving the key to Twilight's cell, literally on a hook right next to it.
  • Trixie continuing to be a Smug Snake, after her treason was revealed at the Gala and she was literally surrounded.
  • Yet another entry for Trixie, who does not see the problem with openly annoying and antagonizing the only ponies that can protect her and already have every reason to just lock her up in the most remote jail in the kingdom and throw away the key. When Twilight finally loses it, snaps and attacks her, absolutely no one comes to her defense.
• I'm Standing Right Here: After being forced into an Enemy Mine situation with Trixie, the mane six openly converse about how little they can trust her while she's right behind them.
• Jerkass: Trixie spends most of the story being a bigger one then she ever was in canon. When she's not being an outright villain. Even after when she's forced into an Enemy Mine situation with Twilight and her friends, she doesn't even try to hold back on her smug and hostile attitude.
• Laser-Guided Karma: Trixie spends most of the story lying and impersonating Twilight, as well as throwing her in the dungeon and threatening to hurt her friends even though they haven't been captured yet, though Twilight was unaware of that). And even when they agree to an Enemy Mine she still acts like a smug jerk, it all finally comes back to bite her in the flank when Twilight double-crosses and attacks her when the Shadow Alicorn shows up, believing that she's controlling it and is just lying again.
• Long-Lost Relative: Astelle is revealed to be this to Celestia and Luna. She ran away prior to Luna's birth.
• The Man Behind the Man: Astelle is this to Trixie, up until around the end.
• Ms. Exposition: Celestia near the end, explains pretty much all the Mane Six, Spike, and the audience need to know, before the climax.
• Mysterious Benefactor: Astelle is this to Trixie in the beginning.
• My God, What Have I Done?:
  • Twilight has this reaction, after her refusal to trust Trixie leads to the villains winning the battle in The Crystal Empire.
  • Earlier, Rarity has this reaction after learning that Twilight was captured, while she and Pinkie Pie were focused on getting her fashion show in order.
• Never My Fault: Trixie seems near incapable of grasping the concept that maybe, just maybe, the reason everpony resents and mistrust her is because she's been a terrible pony to them.
• No-Holds-Barred Beatdown:
  • Twilight dishes out a nasty one against Trixie during chapter 9, letting out all of her pent-up anger and frustration at her actions.
  • Astelle inflicts on Starswirl and Celestia, during her flashback.
• "Not So Different" Remark: Astelle tries to use this to convince Luna her younger sister to join her, pointing out that they both have been "betrayed" by Celestia and have suffered greatly. She also tries this on Trixie, to lesser extent.
• Obviously Evil: Astel in the audio version. Black hood? Check. Dark gray coat? Check. Blood red mane and eyes? Check!
• Oh, Crap!:
  • Rarity's reaction, after finding out that Trixie put a warrant out for Twilight's arrest.
  • Trixie's reaction, after Luna finally learns of her treachery.
• Offing the Offspring: Astelle kills the Shadow Alicorn. He sees her as a mother but it's a one-sided love.
• Only Works Once: The gem that swapped their bodies can not un-swap them, conveniently eliminating the obvious solution.
• Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Despite being stuck in Spike's body, Rainbow Dash is able to give the guards a surprising amount of trouble while she, Twilight, and Spike are fleeing the archives.
• The Power of Hate: Astelle tells Luna that her lust revenge against Celestia is what gives her strength.
• Psychological Projection: A flashback has Trixie accusing Twilight of tricking her and stealing her life and power, as well as only caring about her own standing. She doesn't seem to notice the irony of all that.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Astelle gives on Starswirl The Bearded in the flashback to her past, after his haste to find a successor, lead to him rushing into making her his eir, instead of taking the time to make sure she was really the right pony to be taken from her normal life to replace him.
  Starswirl: I am sorry it has come to this, but I can not allow Equestria to suffer from you misguided vengeance.
  Astelle: Misguided? You know nothing you old fool. Did you really think you can mold me into your puppet? Telling me all these lies about my destiny and my fate, without once ever considering what I want? Or even what is good for Equestria? You put on a perfect guise of wisdom and power, but I know the truth. I know what you really are. A coward!
• Recursive Fanfiction: Has spawned at least one under the name A Brother's Promise'', which has Shining Armor calling out Trixie being so Easily Forgiven despite her despicable actions, and promising to put her down'' should she give him a reason to.
• Revenge:
  • Trixie's primary motivation.
  • This is eventually revealed to be Astelle's motivation, as she believes Celestia "betrayed" by taking the throne after she had left.
• The Rival: We meet one of Applejack's, named Bell Star, at the radio. They apparently have a pretty nasty rivalry.
• Smug Snake: Trixie is this for a good portion of the story, after taking Twilight's body. Especially after she captures Twilight and cruelly mocks her, proclaiming she is going to have her locked up for the rest of her life. She continues this attitude even after she's been found out and it comes back to bite her BIG TIME.
• Song Parody: We get a lot from the mini-series musical, such as versions of:
  • "Imaginary" by Evanescence called "Suspicions".
  • "When can I see you again?" called "Let the Adventure Begin".
  • "Prince Ali" called "Praises for Princess Twilight."
  • "Evelyn Evelyn" by Evelyn Evelyn for "Sorrowful, Regretful".
• Shut Up, Hannibal!: Luna pulls this on Astelle, after the latter tries to convince her to join her. As shown in the song "Confrontation".
  Astelle: She left to rot for a thousand years, don't you think she should pay for all our tears.
  Luna: Noponies perfect, Tia's no different, you should let go of things long past.
• Talking Animal: It is revealed that every animal in Equestria used to be able to talk, until Astelle's first attempt at destroying magic caused them to lose this ability.
• Third-Person Person: Other than Trixie, Luna repeatedly refers to herself as The Princess of The Night.
• Those Who Fight Monsters: Though Twilight's distrust and resentment of Trixie, after everything she did in the first half of the story, is completely understandable, it is clear that by the time they get to The Crystal Empire she’s letting her anger get the better of her and becoming more like Trixie, after she decides to manipulate her into revealing the "truth" and plotting to stab Trixie in the back. Even giving a smug look, like Trixie normally has. And although Candace and even Shining Armor who is ticked off at Trixie himself for hurting her, try to get her to calm down, she still refuses to listen to reason. The fact that Trixie's has been nothing but a Smug Snake the entire time doesn't exactly help.
• Too Dumb to Live: Well she doesn't die, but Trixie makes many stupid declensions, after taking Twilight's body, up to and including, ignoring Astel, the pony who actually planned her little coup, after learning she was technically in charge of The Grand Galloping Gala.
• Took a Level in Jerkass: Trixie Lulamoon. In the events of the show taking place before this fic, Trixie, Alicorn Amulet incident aside, was just a haughty braggart who couldn't back up her claims. But by the time the events of this story begin, Trixie has let the bitterness over her humiliation at Twilight's hooves and the damage said humiliations had on her career consume her to the point that she happily steals Twilight's life and was ready leave her to rot in the dungeons without anypony she cares about, purely out of spite.
• Tragic Monster: The Shadow Alicorn, as revealed by the sequel.
• Ungrateful Bitch: Trixie, despite Twilight saving her from the Alicorn Amulet and forgiving her for her actions, still seeks revenge and proceeds to exploit her kindness to swap bodies with her, kick-starting the story's plot.
• Un-person: Celestia erased all traces of her estranged, evil sister Astelle from the records and keeps the only mentions of her locked away.
• Vagueness Is Coming: Suspicions is centered around Fluttershy and Princess Luna sensing something sinister within Canterlot Castle.
• Vengeance Feels Empty: Invoked, when Luna warns Astelle that seeking revenge against Celestia will not bring her heart any peace.
• Villain Song:
  • Now It's My Time, sung by Trixie as she prepares to exact her revenge.
  • Also, Revenge and Confrontation, where Astelle tries to convince Trixie and later Luna, to join her side, and later Long Live Princess Trixie.
• Villain Team-Up: Trixie and Astelle.
• Villain Has a Point: Perhaps the only grievance that Astelle had with Celestia she may have been right about, was calling her out for keeping Luna from learning information she had every right knowing.
• Walking Spoiler: Astelle.
• Wham Episode: Chapter 9 reveals that Astelle is Celestia and Luna's older sister.
• Wham Line: Luna revealing that she already knew The Shadow Alicorn.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: The Wonderblots find out about the situation with Trixie and the body swapping, and offer to help keep Trixie distracted at the gala while the mane give and Spike search for Luna and Twilight. But when it's actually time to confront Trixie, they're gone, despite the fact the heroes could use the backup. Especially after the Shadow Alicorn shows up.
• What the Hell, Hero?:
  • Luna is not pleased to learn Celestia has been keeping their third sister a secret from her.
  • Cadance gives one to Twilight when she gives Trixie the Alicon Amulet.
• We Can Rule Together: Astele makes this offer to Luna and seem actually hurt, when her little sister refuses.
• "Well Done, Son" Guy: The Shadow Alicorn that Astelle controls of all things, is revealed in the sequel to be not only sentient, but also sees Astelle as his "mother" and is only going along with her plans to please her.
• Who Wants to Live Forever?: Celestia reveals that the reason Alicorns were created, was because Starswirl The Bearded started to grow tired of guiding ponies for centuries and created The Alicorns starting with Astelle to take his place.
• You Monster!: Twilight calls Trixie this, after the latter tries to have her locked up for the rest of her life.

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