Crying in a Bottle

by Starlight_Flight

Acceptance

Chapter Ten: Acceptance

She sat there, looking at the road, for a long time. She didn't know quite how long, but the sun was fully up, and Harvest had come around the house to check her mail, so breakfast must have been over and the garden seen to.

The mare didn't say anything, just stood protectively beside her. Trixie looked up at Harvest. She didn't say anything back. Eventually, Harvest spoke up, her voice quiet.

"Mystic Heart got to you, didn't she?"

Trixie nodded. She wanted to leave, but...

"You don't have to talk about it. I'm going to check the mail and go talk with Happy for a bit. She'll have sent Mystic into town to see what-all needs sent for."

"She went back to the house, and I haven't seen her come out."

"Huh. I guess she'll still be there, then. Would you like me to ask?"

"Please?"

"All right. You go on inside and get a meal or two packed up. Either way you go it's a night on the road. I'll be back when everyone's ready to start." She rested a few breaths. "It's okay if you leave before I come back."

"I... 'd... better go get food."

The two parted, and Trixie went back in the house. She spent the next hour finding supplies and making up two good meals for herself. For some reason, she didn't feel right about borrowing anything to carry them in, though. She was looking through the cabinets one more time when Harvest came in the kitchen door.

"You can have the basket here in the corner. We have a duck pond that gives us plenty of reeds, and Happy's husband does a little weaving now and then."

"Thank you... Harvest."

"It's all right, dear. Harvey would want you to have it."

"I truly want to know, why do you do all this? He's gone. It's been years."

"Are you all your mother wanted you to be?"

Trixie snorted, her eyes narrowing. The very implication of that challenge made her want to fight again.

"I do this because my Harvey wanted me to remember how to give. I'd give that piano away if somepony needed it, and that and our wedding picture and this farm is all that's left of him!" Harvest gentled again. "I do it because it's who he was, and who I was with him. Times change, this town changes. It used to be bigger, you know? Two or three of those houses are empty now, and falling apart, but it had to be Lucky's that blew over! I've learned things over the years, things about myself and about others... The one thing that doesn't change is that I still love him, and I know he loved me. And I have to keep it growing, by sharing that with anypony that comes by.

"Trixie, you have a need. And I can't give it to you. You have to find it in yourself, and the only way is with friends. They'll show you who you are when your mother isn't there to do it. Or did you earn your cutie mark with a buncha hooey?"

Trixie flattened her ears, but she closed her eyes and forced herself to listen. Something had changed inside her, and Harvest was almost making sense. She couldn't go on like this.

"Now, Mystic should be ready to go in a couple of minutes. And she said, she'll go with you if you want it, as long as you stop by Ponyville first so she can ask for help. But that's up to you. If you want to keep running away, you do that, Trixie. You do that, and maybe someday you'll find out who it is you've really been running away from." Harvest Full picked up the basket and set it on the table. "I'm going over to Happy's. It's almost lunch time, and I want to help get the food and tables ready. I hope I'll see you again."

The unicorn watched the earth pony walk out the door. There were tears in her eyes, and she didn't realize she was speaking out loud, though her own voice was soft.

"Mommy, I want to grow up."

She didn't sense anything different, but that warmth was steady against her heart. And then all the prickles went away, and she felt cool inside, like a bright breeze clearing out all the stuffiness and making everything clean. Her mother was with her, and it didn't matter how hard the climb would be.

Trixie packed her food, and went out to meet with Mystic Heart. They were going to have an adventure!