A Metal World

by ToneCraft

The Great and Powerful Trixie!

The fireworks flashed in the sky, augmenting the end of Twilight's performance for the Saddle Arabian delegates. Trixie looked up to the stage and met her old rival's eyes.

"Trixie?" Twilight wasn't looking down on her, but rather down at the performer.

Trixie smiled hopefully, "It's the least I could do. I treated you and your friends so horribly when I was wearing that Alicorn Amulet. I just couldn't control myself," she paused and looked up at the student's eyes, "You can forgive me, can't you?"

Twilight took a moment to think before smiling at her, "Sure."

The magician took the chance hopefully to milk the situation, "Oh, good. Don't you think the Great and Apologetic Trixie is the most magnificent humble pony you've ever seen?"

Twilight didn't say anything, but she rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly. Trixie took the hint and turned to leave, still trying to put on a show of her exit. She set off a puff of smoke and turned to leave, tripping on her way out of the plaza. She couldn't help but think that maybe she was forgetting something... But she couldn't think of what it might be. Chalking it up to her imagination, Trixie left the town and started traveling again.

------

"I'm sorry, but you can't keep this vehicle here, ma'am." The patrolpony told her.

Trixie started nervously trotting, flustered, "Where am I supposed to move it? I don't have any money to stay anywhere!"

"I'm not sure," the officer admitted, "But I won't write up a ticket if you do move your, uh, mobile home. That's all I can do to help you right now."

------

Trixie panted, trying to take a breath and rest as she dragged her stage behind herself. "I'll find some way to make a comeback," she kept telling herself. No sooner did she stop, however, when the rain started. Trixie cried out in frustration, wanting to simply retreat into her stage for shelter, but she was on a road, on a hill. She knew that to hide in the trailer would be illegal in the best case scenario, and suicide in the worst. She started moving again.

------

"Well, hello there, little filly," A dark red earth pony said with a chuckle, "Looks like you're lost."

"Not really," Trixie responded, "Just wandering at this point."

"Where are you headed?" He chuckled, "I could take you there."

Trixie was tired, cold, and honestly rather desperate, but she wasn't stupid, "I have a vehicle, sir."

"Oh, now? The trailer you dragged up here?" The stallion sneered, "Maybe we could strike some kind of deal. You're clearly broke, after all." He started advancing towards her.

"No!" Trixie snapped, stepping back, "I don't want to go with you! Somepony help!"

The stallion glared at her, but somepony did indeed hear Trixie's cry. A pegasus flying by descended, and the stallion left without another word.

"Miss? Are you alright?" The pegasus asked, brushing his own mane out of his face.

Trixie nodded, having difficulty holding back her own tears, "Thank you for coming to help..."

"You need to be able to keep some pride, right? I've seen your show once before." The pegasus said with a kind smile. He pulled out a small bag and placed it on the trailer, "Here, you look like you could use a meal. I wish I could help more, but I can't exactly offer hospitality if you can't walk on the clouds."

------

The kindness that she'd been shown was beginning to run out, as Trixie walked further and further. She considered going back to Ponyville, begging Twilight for help, but some smidgen of her pride still remained. She pulled her cart along the road into a town, yet again hungry. Finally, she stopped to rest, parked the trailer, and collapsed on the nearest bench.

------

It felt like hours of simply laying there on her bench, before anypony noticed her. A silver unicorn approached, "Excuse me, ma'am? Are you alright?"

Trixie looked up, immediately met with the deep brown eyes of yet another stallion. This one was dressed in a light blue scarf and had a pair of safety goggles sticking out of his saddlebag.

"I'm f-fine.." Trixie tried to lie, but the stallion tilted his head with a raised eyebrow.

"You're very clearly not fine, you've been sitting there since I went into the shop. Besides, I can almost hear your instincts begging you to let go of your ego." He countered, before switching to a bit more gentle tone of voice, "Look, there's a restaurant right over there, let me get you something to eat."

------

"So, what's your name?" The stallion asked her after she finished the first course of the meal. Trixie had not expected him to take her into a five-star restaurant, but she was grateful nonetheless.

"I am the Great and--" Trixie started, her ego kindling for a moment, before she sighed sadly, "You know what? Forget it... My name is Trixie."

The silver unicorn nodded, "Used to be a performer, I'm guessing. Considering you were about to introduce yourself with a stage name. My name is Winding Cog."

Trixie nodded, "Yeah, I was a performer. I was humiliated in Ponyville and made some pretty big mistakes when I tried to get revenge."

"Hey, we all make mistakes, Trixie." Winding Cog said with a smile, "Doesn't mean we have to stop going when they happen."

The next course arrived and Trixie started eating again. "By the way... Do you need a place to keep that trailer? They won't let you park it out there overnight, after all."

Trixie looked up, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I live in a pretty big house, with a field next to it and everything. You're welcome to put your trailer there until you leave town, and I'll help you with anything you need," he responded, "And just to clarify, I'm not going to ask anything of you in return for this."

The magician sighed, "Then why are you offering?"

"My mother was in your position once. She didn't have the same history, but she ended up on the streets for almost two years until my father caught her breaking into his house for a bite to eat," he said, "Sweet Celestia, he didn't even realize who she was the next time they met. Until after they married, anyway."

Trixie blinked at him, "Are you.. Courting me right now?"

Winding Cog's eyes widened in surprise as he stood up, "Aah! No, I'm sorry!" Every customer turned and watched as the unicorn started banging his head against the way, "I'm such an idiot! I must be coming off as a total creep to this mare!"

It was only when his horn got stuck in the wall that he finally calmed down, "Um... S-sorry, everypony?" He said with a nervous grin. A couple fillies laughed when he tried to pull away from the wall, but the rest of them went back to their business. "Could somepony help me, please?"