On the Run
Trixie’s hooves ached.
She wanted so desperately to stop and rest; a seconds rest would have done wonders for the mare. All this running strained her legs to no end and the snow made her hooves feel numb. Even slowing down to a fast trot would at least make things a little bit easier.
But no, she had to keep running. She could feel her legs almost giving out on her, causing her body to hit walls of narrow corners, market stalls, or whatever else was in her way. Her hood, along with her unkempt mane, blocked the upper part of her vision, causing her to bump into objects in front of her.
She couldn’t even use her magic to move it out of the way; she was already running on fumes as is. Any other spell would have exhausted the mare to the point where could collapse at the first spark of her horn.
“Stop this chase now!” a masculine voice from behind roared. Several hoofsteps followed in the pursuit. Trixie dared not look behind, fearing that one look would make trip over something.
“Stop now or we will use force!”
Trixie didn’t pay much attention to what was said; her thoughts were on the narrow road ahead. If she could find a detour or alleyway, then she might just lose them for a moment. She might even find an empty building to hide in and regain her energy
.
Her thoughts were broken when a loud zap came from behind and the wall next to her exploded, scattering bricks and debris all over the pathway. She had no time to think; the screams of shocked ponies blocked her thoughts and the debris on the path forced her to be quick on her hooves.
Her breath labored as she maneuvered through the debris, the cold air not helping her lungs either as she felt her throat constrict. Once she was clear of the wreckage, she was in worse shape than ever.
She blocked the pain her body was in and focused only on what lay ahead. Whatever was ahead, that is, was certainly better than what would happen if she gave up.
“Watch it Copper! You could have killed somepony! I said that would handle it,” the same masculine voice shouted.
“Don’t you know how dangerous she is!?” another voice yelled, this one sounded a little younger, “We can’t just let her get away!"
“I don’t want to hear it! You’ve caused me enough grief this month as is, I don’t need ‘endangerment of civilians’ to be added to your record.”
“But—“
“Just stop! I swear, when the chief hears about this, my flank is going to be on the chopping block thanks to your—“
Wait, this was it. This was what she needed, a distraction!
Trixie tilted her head up a little to get a better view and saw the and open alley ahead on the right. If those two chasers could just be distracted for long enough, then perhaps she could run through it and catch them off guard.
Just a few more feet, she told herself, just run a little more.
“Well I’m sorry”, the younger stallion said sarcastically, “All I really wanted was to catch a high profile criminal and keep her off the streets. At least then I would have been able to catch more criminals than you've ever had!”
“You little—“
Now was her chance. With a quick turn, she fled into the alleyway.
“Hey! She went down there!”
“Well don’t just stand there, follow her and…” Their voices gradually got lower until the only sound she could here was her own hoofsteps.
I need to find someplace to hide, she thought, hoping for a moments rest. Perhaps even, if the heavens her smiling upon her, a chance to sleep through the night.
From a first glance, she could tell that she was not in the best of places. Trottingham on its own wasn’t a place of luxury, but Trixie could tell that even this place had seen better days. Door laid broken and some boarded up, dirty or even broken glass made up the windows, and some of the ponies, that she assumed lived here, looked dirty and starved.
Maybe I might be able to blend in with them. Oh who is Trixie kidding! My face is all over the walls. They’re bound to turn me in.
She needed to find someplace to hide, somewhere that had no pony around to see her.
“She couldn’t have gotten far!”
She heard in the distance the faint voices of her pursuers getting closer. She wanted to keep running, but her body said otherwise. She spotted a doorway a couple feet away that was cracked open a little. Without thinking much of it, she barged through and slammed it shut.
With an exasperated sigh, she collapsed to the ground. Her entire body was numb, cold, aching, and every other feeling that it could experience. She struggled to breathe; it being so hard that she began to feel lightheaded. She didn't know where she was, for it was pitch black inside. All she knew was that, for now, she was hidden.
Her breathing started becoming choked up. Tears streamed down her eyes as her labored breath made it even harder for her breathe. Though fully in pain, she curled her body up into a ball and wept silently.
She could hear the hoofsteps getting closer. She prayed deeply that they would pass by her, that they would go somewhere else and leave her be.
They got closer to the building she was in, then they slowed down.
Oh no.
“The hoofprints stop here,” the older stallion said to his colleagues.
How could I forget about hoofprints!?
“Alright, we'd better check the area. Chances are she stopped here and is hiding somewhere. Be vigilant, if you see or hear anything, you let me know.”
Desperate to make sure they didn't catch her, Trixie quickly moved away from the door as quietly as her tired hooves could move her. Completely blind, she slowly moved across the room, careful not to trip on a loose object or floorboard.
Out of the corner of her eye, a dim light began to shine. Confused, she turned her head, trying to find the source of the light. She had to contain her gasp when she found it.
Across the room, a young earth pony with light-green fur and an auburn mane that hung low, covering a little bit of her face, stood still with a dimly lit lantern held up her mouth. Judging by her size, she looked to be about a teenager, yet was still young enough to where she could probably pass for a younger child.
At first, the two ponies stared at each other, not moving an inch. While Trixie tried to find a way out of this situation, the young filly stared at her with a calm expression, as if she was just a passerby that she met on the street.
“I…I’m…” Trixie stuttered, “…I’m so sorry. I-I just needed to escape from them.”
The filly gently lowered her lantern and placed it on the floor before making eye contact with the mare again.
“Escape from who?” She whispered. There was no anger or distrust in her voice, despite the fact that a total stranger had just barged into her home uninvited in the middle of the night. Rather, there seemed to be a sense of...curiosity, was it?
But before Trixie could answer, a knocking on the door sounded and the two ponies turned their head towards it.
“Open up. We need to ask you a few questions,” the older stallion called out.
Despite it being as cold as anything in the home, sweat formed on Trixie’s brow that she was too scared to even wipe away. Instead, she turned to the filly.
“Please, don’t let them take me,” she said in a loud whisper. “I’m begging you, please don’t!”
The filly said nothing, instead she simply grabbed her lantern and made her way to the front door.
Trixie began to hyperventilate. Using the dim light of the moving lantern, she desperately tried to find a way out in case things went south. But there was no clear exit, the windows face right outside to the street and she was in no shape for another chase and the rest of the home was still cloaked in darkness.
Instead, she saw a cabinet along the staircase near where the filly stood. Though she would have no time to hide in it, she quickly pressed herself against the wall and positioning herself on the side of the cabinet, hoping that it would hide her from her pursuers.
She heard the door open and heard the wind suddenly rushing in, indicating that the conditions were getting worse outside. Right now, it was hide, be caught, or freeze outside.
“Can I help you?” the filly asked with an irritating tone.
“Pardon me miss, but is there an adult that we can talk to.”
“No, I’m the only one here.”
“I see, well I’m sorry to bother you at this hour so I’m just going to cut to the chase. We’ve been tracking a loose fugitive for some time now and we believe she may be taking refuge inside one of these homes. Has anypony come into your home within the last few minutes or so?”
The filly sighed, “Look, I’ve been up all night and I’m pretty sure I would know if another pony was here with me.”
“Well is there?”
Again, filly sighed, “No, there isn’t.”
Thank you.
“Well apparently the fugitive left hoofprints in the snow and they stopped right around this area. So again, are you sure you didn’t see anything unusual or out of the ordinary?”
“Listen, I- *cough*,” the filly began to get into a coughing fit. Guilt soon formed inside Trixie. Not only was a young filly protecting a fugitive, but a sickly filly was protecting her.
“*cough**cough* I’m sorry, I’m just a little *cough* sick.”
“A little? You sound like you’re about to-“
“Sir, you should probably step away from her,” this time, it was a mare’s voice that spoke.
“And why’s that?”
“There’s an illness that’s recently been going around the city. My little sister was hospitalized just a few days ago and I’m afraid this filly may have the same sickness.”
“And, with all due respect sir, we don’t even know if she is here. Look at it outside, perhaps she did run further but the snow covered up her tracks.”
The stallion gave a heavy sigh, “I guess you do have a point there. But I’m still convinced she came by this way. Miss, with your consent, I would like to take a quick look around your home just to be sure that the fugitive didn’t slip by an-“
“I told you already! *cough* Nopony is in *cough**cough* here with *cough* me.”
Trixie heard the stallion mumble a few inaudible words to his colleagues, then spoke back to the filly. “Alright kid, listen, I don’t know if you’re lying to me or not, but just know that you’ll be in some serious trouble if you’re lying to me. Got it?”
“Got *cough* it.”
“If you hear or see anything that’s suspicious, you come down to the station and tell us immediately. We’ll dealing with somepony dangerous and any information will help us greatly.”
“Right.”
“Alright then. Try and get some sleep, trust me it’ll help.” Trixie could hear the ponies walking away from the doorway and back onto the street.
“We can’t waste any more time everypony, let’s move out!” Trixie had never been more relieved to hear such a simple string of words in her whole life, for she was finally out of the clear for now. She heard the hoofsteps of her pursuers running past the house, quickly becoming lost in the distance.
After waiting for a bit, the filly closed the door and called out, “Coast is clear, you can come out now.”
Trixie peaked her head from behind the cabinet, just to be sure that it was clear. All she saw was the dimly lit face of the filly, smiling at her.
“Don’t worry about them,” she stepped towards Trixie, “I’m sure they won’t bother coming back here. So if you—“
Trixie took a step back away the filly. She looked at the mare with a confused look, then her eyes got wide.
“Oh,” she started to giggle, “Don’t worry, I was just faking being sick before. I thought it was the perfect way to get them out of here.”
Trixie relaxed a little, “Um, thanks for that.” She looked down at the floor, avoiding the filly’s gaze, “Listen, I don’t want to get you into trouble of anything. I can leave right now and I promise I won’t say that you helped m—“
“Nonsense!” the filly beamed, “I love helping ponies in need. What kind of pony would I be if I just left one out in the cold?”
“But aren’t you wondering why those ponies were looking for me?”
“I do find it a little curious, but who am I to judge? You seem like nice mare, so I’m going to help you."
“And besides,” her smile waned, “I’ve been in plenty of trouble before, whatever they dish at me I can handle it just fine.”
Trixie smiled, the first one she had in a while. “Thank you so much.” Her stomached grumbled. “Sorry.”
“Sounds like sompony’s hungry,” the filly cast a playful accusing expression, “Well follow me, I’ll get you something to eat.”
Before she could grab her lantern, Trixie stopped her. “Thanks, but I already have food with me.” She moved her cloak over, showing the filly her worn saddlebag that was a little full. Truth was, all that was in those bags were junk and maybe some dirty blankets for the cold night and she would have loved to have eaten something that wasn't passed its expiration date.
She just figured that this filly needed the food more than her.
“Oh, well alright then.” She walked towards her lantern, “Well at least follow me to the bedroom, I have a spare mattress upstairs that you can sleep on for the night.”
“You’re letting me stay here for the night?”
“Of course!” the filly smiled, “I love having company over.” She stopped, “I didn't get you name, by the way.”
Trixie hesitated, what if the filly had heard of her before? Of the terrible things she had done. Would she still be willing to let Trixie stay with her? Would she turn her in?
“My name…it’s…”
The filly’s expression softened, “It’s alright, you don’t have to tell me if don’t want to.”
Trixie turned away and sighed, “I’m sorry, it-it’s just that I don’t…”
“It’s alright,” the filly walked up to her, “Lots of ponies around here keep to themselves.” She put her hoof under Trixie’s chin and moved it up until they were at eye level again. “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.”
What struck Trixie as odd was just how forgiving this filly was. There were no accusing questions, no judgments, no demands for answers, none of that. All Trixie was to this filly was just a simple mare who needed help, who needed another chance in life.
Trixie knew of second chances, and she also knew of how she squandered them when offered to her.
She lowered her hoof and was about to turn, but stopped. “Oh, by the way, my name’s Geneva. But most ponies call me Ginny.”
Trixie nodded, and Ginny walked towards her lantern. “Follow me, you really look like you could use a rest.”
She really was quite a sweet filly.
“Trixie.”
Ginny stopped. “What was that?”
“Trixie, my name is Trixie.”
Ginny gave a sly smile, “I know, you’re face is plastered all over town.”
Trixie was taken aback, “Wait, you know about me!? About the things I’ve done?”
“Of course, you’re the magician who took over that town and is now on the run.”
“But-but, if you knew about me in the first place, why would take me in?”
Ginny’s smile was no longer there, she was being serious this time, “I just thought that there was more to you than what were told. If you really are our enemy, what good would it do to show you hatred? How can I hope to make you my friend if I treat you like my enemy?”
Trixie stood still, silently as Ginny grabbed her lantern and made her way upstairs. To find somepony this forgiving, this understanding, was something completely rare in Trixie’s eyes.
If only the world could be that forgiving.
Come morning, Ginny peaked outside her door, looking for anypony suspicious. Luckily, it was still early and no pony was out.
“Alright, coast is clear,” she said to Trixie, "you’re free for now.”
“Thank you so much,” the mare answered. She hadn’t felt his rejuvenated and happy in a long time. It felt so good to even share it with another pony.
It felt even better that the pony could be called her friend.
Ginny walked up to Trixie and put a hoof on her shoulder, “Stay clear of the open areas and try to sneak past the gate guards, then you’ll be out of here.”
“I will, thanks,” but before Trixie could leave, she turned her head back.
“By the way, have you ever seen one of my magic shows?”
“No…” Ginny said with a confused look, “I can’t say that I have.”
A smile appeared on Trixie’s face. She stood on a stage made of snow, the decorations being the broken buildings that surrounded her, and she had an audience of one. For some, this would be an awful show. But to her, this is what she lived for.
“Then be amazed!” She called to Ginny, “As the Great and Powerful Trixie wows you with her magical prowess.”
Ginny looked confused at first, but smiled and sat back on her haunches.
“Watch, as the Great and Powerful Trixie disappears before your very eyes!”
Alright Trixie, you can do this. Just concentrate on a place, think about standing there, and focus on the surroundings and…
With a surge of magic, and a bright flash, she was vanished.