• Published 11th Mar 2012
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Trixie's Gettin' Back On Her Hooves - Shadow Raikou



Accidentally stumbling upon a homeless Trixie, Twilight must help her get back on her hooves.

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Chapter 5 Part 1: Into the Forest

"Well, here we are," said Applebloom, looking up at the entrance to the Everfree Forest, looking more than a little nervous. The three had stopped by their clubhouse and now wore their Cutie Mark Crusader capes proudly.

"I'm still not so sure about this…" Sweetie Belle stated, looking into the deep forest with a shiver, ears pinned back as the memory of the Cockatrice encounter came full front to her mind. "What if we run into the Cockatrice?"

"We'll just say Fluttershy is with us, that'll scare it off," said Scootaloo giving a smirk. The other two couldn't help giving a chuckle about that. "Come on, we'll be fine! Twilight goes to Zecora's all the time, hay, Zecora lives in the Everfree Forest and gets along just fine," she added, looking to the others. "Besides, remember what Granny Smith said during Family Appreciation Day? Zap Apples were from the Everfree Forest, and so are a lot of the things Zecora makes her potions with, who knows what else could be in there!"

"That's actually a good point," admitted Applebloom, smiling at the mention of her grandmother. "After all, most ponies are too scared to go into the Everfree Forest, so Ah reckon there's probably lots of good things in there we just don't know about along with the bad we do."

Sweetie Belle's excitement got the better of her and she smiled widely. "Yeah, that would be cool! We could get a Cutie Mark for exploring!"

"Yeah! That'd be awesome!" replied Scootaloo, giving a smile at the thought.

Applebloom nodded quickly, fantasizing about what an exploring Cutie Mark would look like. "Alright, let's give it a shot! But remember, we get out before it gets dark."

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS EXPLORERS! YAY!"

With that, the three fillies dashed off into the Everfree Forest.
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Rarity sewed the patch onto the recreated dress she was working on, giving a sigh of relief. "Done at last, I almost thought I wouldn't make it in time…" she said, looking around the shop, which was still a disaster area. She gave a frustrated sigh at the sight. "Hopefully I can fix up the shop before Checker Monarch gets here and sees this…" she said, horn lighting up as she telekinetically put a manikin back in its proper place, putting the dress on it for her client to examine.

Opal, sleeping peacefully on an overturned basket, was awakened when Rarity pulled it out from under her. Giving a yowl, the cat glared at her master before looking at the design set up. She gave a loud hiss at it and looked quite irritated, tail batting back and forth furiously.

Rarity sighed. "I don't blame you Opal, I don't like Checker anymore than you do, but she's a paying client," she stated, then heard the door open, turning to see Twilight Sparkle and Spike enter, Twilight sporting a few bandages, but nothing too severe. "Oh, hello Twilight, Spike. Is everything alright?"

Twilight gave a smile to her friend. "Hello Rarity, and everything's fine. I got hurt worse following Pinkie that one day…Where's Trixie?" she asked, looking around with a bit of concern once realizing the blue unicorn wasn't present.

"She left awhile ago…I feel bad for the poor mare," said Rarity with a frown, moving a shelf back into its place and telekinetically replacing its contents. "She blames herself for all this when it was just an accident…She seemed to feel especially guilty for harming you, dear."

Spike blinked in suprise. "Wait wait wait, Trixie feels guilty about something?" he asked, looking a little uncertain about it.

"Spike, she might have acted like a jerk before, but she's just like anypony else," admonished Twilight, giving a frown. "The only being I've ever met who couldn't feel guilty is Discord."

"The only creatures who can't feel remorse have no heart, Spike," said Rarity, keeping her telekinesis working on fixing up the room. "And I personally think Trixie has a good heart, one even she didn't know it was there…"

Spike blinked, then gave a sheepish smile. "Alright, if you say so Rarity…"

"Speaking of Trixie, I'd better go check on her and make sure she's ok," said Twilight, looking to Rarity with a tad bit of concern. "Good luck with your work, Rarity."

"You go on, Twilight," said Spike. "I'm going to stay and…uh…help Rarity clean up, ok?" he asked, covering for himself by putting some spools of thread and ribbon back on a table.

Twilight gave a small smirk, seeing right through the little dragon. "Alright Spike, I'll see you at the library later."

Rarity smiled warmly. "Thank you, Spike, that's very kind of you," she said, giving him a warm nuzzle. She knew about his crush, of course, as he'd confessed to it when they'd both believed they were falling to their deaths, though she'd figured it out a good bit prior. But as of yet, they hadn't moved any further than that, Rarity preferred to see how things progressed naturally, without trying to force them. Sure, he was a dragon, and a few years younger than her (though since Twilight hatched him when she was a filly, not THAT much younger), but he was still devoted and kindhearted, not to mention generous. In short, essentially everything Blueblood wasn't, so she was open to the possibility.

Spike blushed at her nuzzle. "You're welcome, Rarity…" he said, smiling sheepishly as he continued genuinely helping put things back in place. "So, whose dress did Trixie burn up?"

"One for a regular client of mine," explained Rarity, looking to the repaired dress. "A very wealthy business pony from Manehatten," she continued, keeping her focus on fixing her shop up as she spoke. "Her full name is Checkmate Monarch, but she goes by simply Checker Monarch."

Spike looked uncertain for a moment, something coming back to his memory. "Rarity…When Trixie saw who that dress was for, she seemed really scared…" he admitted, actually feeling a chill going down his spine.

Rarity looked back, not seeming surprised at all. "Well I honestly cannot blame the poor girl if she knows Checker at all, even I'm a tad bit afraid of that mare to be honest."

Spike's eyes went wide for a second. "Really?"

Rarity nodded, pushing a manikin a few inches so it was back in its proper place. "She owns a huge business and loves my work, but I honestly get chills whenever I talk to her. She's cold and distant, even when she's acting perfectly pleasant….It's somewhat difficult to describe, but her voice just has absolutely no real compassion in it, like she's talking to an object instead of a pony. But if I had to nail down one thing that makes her frightening, however, it'd be her eyes. She seems to look at the world like everything is a pawn, as if she has no real connection to anypony or anything and everything exists solely for her."

"So in other words, like Blueblood?" asked Spike, getting chills just hearing Rarity talk about Checker.

"No, Blueblood is more like a spoiled brat, viewing the world like it revolves around him because he's from a privileged family. Checker is like somepony observing the world trying to find out how to make it revolve around her because she wants it to. She honestly reminds me a tad bit of Discord in that respect…But she pays well and having one of the richest ponies in Manehatten wearing my designs certainly helps me, so please do be polite around her if she comes while you're here."

Spike shivered, but nodded. "Alright, Rarity…" he said, then heard something and looked out the window. "Uh, Rarity, look."

Rarity came to the window, looking out in time to see a pegasi drawn chariot make it's landing nearby. It was sleek and black in color, its sides high enough to conceal its rider from sight. Unlike the Princess' chariots, this one was not drawn by royal guard pegasi, but ones dressed like chauffeurs, in black suits and with a fitting hat.

"Speak of the Draconequus…" muttered Rarity, going a tad rigid at the sight. "Spike, please, don't say a thing, allow me to do the talking, understood?" she asked, completely serious in her tone. "In fact, hide under that table over there please, and don't make a sound."

Spike nodded, noting how Rarity was reacting to the arrival of this mare. "Anything for you Rarity," he said, showing a bit of concern as he did as she'd requested of him. To his surprise, Opal joined him. "You don't like her either?" he asked, blinking as the cat seemed to nod in agreement.

A scrawny looking male unicorn opened a door, having a white coat with a black mane and tail, mane combed straight back on his head. His Cutie Mark was of a pony's head nodding. He held the door open, glasses reflecting in the light as the mare Rarity had spoke of emerged from inside. She was a light blue in color, slightly darker than Trixie was. Her light grey mane was long, but kept back behind her head, perfectly maintained in every sense of the word, her unicorn horn emerging from the front of it being the only disturbance. She wore a dark grey vest, resembling a business suit, and wore black horseshoes that gleamed in Celestia's sun. Moving further out of the chariot revealed her Cutie Mark, a red heart with three chess pieces in it, two pawns and a queen.

Her purple eyes went over her surrounding analytically, as if taking in every little detail of them, before she walked towards the boutique, carrying herself in such a way that made it clear she was of the upper crust.

Rarity struggled to get everything back in order as her client approached, but didn't get nearly as much done as she would've liked when Checker's assistant swung the door open. Rarity instantly straightened up, so as to make a better impression. "Oh, h-hello, M-Miss Monarch," she stuttered, feeling a chill looking into those cold, calculating eyes.

Checker walked in slowly, letting the sound of each hoof hitting the hard floors resonate throughout the room as she approached, her assistant following closely behind her. "Rarity, wonderful to see you again," she stated, the compassion in her voice transparent to anyone paying serious attention, doing nothing to hide the fact her tone was cold as ice. Checker's analytic eyes went over the room, noticing every minute, out of place detail. "Your boutique is a mess…" she stated simply, making no attempt to hide her disapproval of that fact as she stared back at Rarity.

"Oh, yes…I'm afraid some hired help had an accident on the job and it made quite the mess," explained Rarity, something in her just screaming to her not to reveal who it was. Rarity didn't know why, but she was smart enough to listen to her gut at times like this. She did her best to hide her discomfort as the business mare's cold eyes probed her, as if looking for one small slip up or misstep. This, combined with the lack of attachment to be seen in Checker's eyes to begin with, made Rarity feel like she was an item being examined for cracks under a magnifying glass instead of a flesh and blood mare, a feeling that sent a chill down her spine and made her skin crawl. Rarity was very thankful she was good at remaining composed; at times like this it wasn't easy.

Checker looked down at the spot were Rarity had fixed up Trixie's mane after the incident, horn lighting up an extremely deep violet, almost black, as she levitated a clump of white hair up to examine with a somewhat suspicious gaze that made Rarity gulp nervously. "Yes, and it would appear they left quite a mess indeed. Nevertheless, that's your problem, not mine," she said, dropping the hair clump and turning to Rarity. "I have come for my dress, where is it?"

Rarity fought the urge to give a sigh of relief when Checker chose to change the subject. Doing everything she could to avoid eye contact with the mare without appearing suspicious, Rarity lead the way to the dress, identical to the previous one, only with the addition of a tiara with the center piece a bright red ruby cut into the shape of a chess queen. "Here you are, Miss Monarch, the theme you requested, with a few of my signature stylings thrown in as always," explained the dressmaker, allowing a little bit of pride to slip into her voice.

Checker walked up to the dress, once more looking over it with a calculating, analytic gaze. Rarity watched nervously as Checker looked over the dress for several moments in silence, summoning her willpower to prevent the tension from getting to her. Finally, Checker gave a smug, cruel looking smirk. "Perfect, Miss Rarity, it is exactly what I envisioned," she stated, turning to look at Rarity, though the tone she delivered the praise in sounded more like somepony bragging about their own accomplishments than praising those of another. "I knew there was a reason I decided to make you my go to dressmaker, you always do spectacular work," she continued, giving the dress another once over. "I shall wear it to the Grand Galloping Gala this year."

Rarity gasped in surprise. "Y-Your Gala dress? You mean that?"

Checker nodded, smiling as she looked at her reflection in the jewel in the tiara. "Yes, I do. It suits me perfectly, I can think of nothing better for me to wear to the Gala…But I do believe you had a sign up when I ordered it, didn't you? A discount on dresses for the Gala? Is that still in effect?" the mare asked, letting her cold eyes fall on the mare before her.

No, it wasn't, but at this point she just wanted Checker to leave. Those cold eyes of hers made it feel like ice was running through Rarity's veins instead of blood. Plus, no matter how much she disliked the pony, Rarity had to admit having such a wealthy mare wearing one of her designs to the Gala would be a big boost for her business. "Y-yes, I suppose that is only fair. It was 20 percent off if I recall."

Checker nodded with another one of those smirks of hers. "Helping Hoof, please pay Miss Rarity," demanded the business pony, not even looking to her assistant.

"Yes, Miss Monarch," replied the submissive unicorn quickly, saying the line as if it was rehearsed for a play or other performance, taking out the bits to pay Rarity.

Rarity took them via telekinesis, counting them up and giving a nod. "Thank you for your business, Miss Monarch. It's been a-"

"Pleasure? Of course it was," interrupted Checker, levitating the dress off it's model, folding it, and laying it across Helping Hoof's back. "Goodbye, Miss Rarity, keep up the fine work and we'll be doing business again soon," she said, not even looking Rarity's direction as she spoke. "Come, Helping Hoof," she said, leading the way.

"Yes, Miss Monarch," replied Helping Hoof, heading for the door and opening it for his boss.

Checker gave a suspicious look over her shoulder before walking out the door, Helping Hoof following and shutting it.

Rarity finally let out a sigh of relief. She couldn't help but tremble slightly from the stressful experience. "Thank Celestia that's over with…"

"Yikes!" exclaimed Spike, crawling out from his hiding spot. "You weren't kiddin', I got chills and I'm cold-blooded!"

"I know…" said Rarity, shaking it off as best she could, to her surprise finding Opal staring at the door, tail batting back and forth aggressively. "It's alright, Opalescence, she's gone…wait…if your cold-blooded, how do you stay out in the winter?" she asked, looking back to Spike with a raised eyebrow.

"My dragon fire keeps me warm," explained Spike, giving a small puff of green fire into the air to show it. "Which is another reason me getting cold chills isn't a good sign…though it doesn't explain how I'm able to blush…Anyway, did you see that smile of hers?" asked Spike, giving a shudder. "It reminded me of Fluttershy when she was brainwashed by Discord!"

Rarity nodded in agreement, willing her trembling cease and finally succeeding. "Makes me terrified to think what that mare must've been like when Discord got his claws in her…" she said, something not sitting right with her.

"What's wrong? Like you said, she's gone," said Spike, putting his hand on Rarity's side to try and settle her.

"It's how she looked at Trixie's hair," said Rarity, remembering it well. "It's almost like she recognized it…"

"I don't know," said Spike, thinking about it. "White isn't exactly an uncommon hair color, there's like three other ponies in Ponyville with the same color hair."

Rarity sighed. "I know, but since Trixie seemed positively terrified of Checker's name, I'm still more than a little concerned…" she replied, then gave another sigh. "Come on, Spike, we've got a lot of work to do if I want to make it to Applejack's in time to help out."

"Right behind you," said Spike, following her as Opal continued glaring at the door, giving a low growl.
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Checker Monarch set quietly next to the door, her horn glowing. "I knew it'd pay to use a good old eavesdropping spell and listen in," she said, giving a devilish grin. "It looks like little Trixie is getting back on her hooves."

"Yes, Miss Monarch," said Helping Hoof, prompting his boss to glare menacingly at him, any facade of compassion vanishing in an instant. Fear suddenly in his face, he realized his error. "I-I m-mean no! No, M-Miss Monarch!"

Checker gave a sigh of frustration at his stupidity, regaining her composure. "I'll be staying in Ponyville just a little bit longer, tell the chariot to return to my mansion, I'll send a message when I'm ready to go."

"Yes, Miss Monarch," replied Helping Hoof, going to do as she'd asked. "Should I take the dress and tell them to prepare it for the Gala?"

"I don't even know if I'm going to the Gala this year, just have it put with the rest."

"Yes, Miss Monarch."

"Might not be too bright, but he's dedicated yes-man," muttered Checker, before hearing more talk from inside. Her horn lit up again and she listened in.

"Oh my, it looks like I used the last of my gems remaking Checker's dress, I'll need to go get some more once I'm done helping Applejack."

"I'll come with you, no way am I letting you go up there alone, not with those nasty Diamond Dogs running around."

"Don't worry, Spike. I appreciate your concern, but those greedy brutes are easy to outwit once you know what you're doing."

Checker got an insidious smirk as thoughts ran through her mind.
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Trixie panted, in full gallop after the trio of fillies. "How can three little fillies run so fast?" she asked aloud, having to slow down in order to avoid expending all her energy just running there. "…Or maybe I'm just slow…I still haven't recovered from my malnourished state…" she admitted, though she was definitely a tad better off than she was when Twilight found her.

Trotting along at a slower pace to catch her breath and rest, she went past Fluttershy's cottage, keeping an eye out for the ninja chicken she felt was going to jump out and attack her at any moment.

"Oh, hello Trixie," called a shy, timid voice.

Trixie turned to see Fluttershy approaching. "Oh, hello, Fluttershy…Nice day we're having…" she said, a tad nervously. 'If she knows about the fillies, she'll want to help, and I won't accept it, I know I won't. And then, she'll know about it, and if anything happens, everypony will know, and then who knows what will happen!'

Fluttershy trotted along next to Trixie. "I'm so very, very sorry that Sally sprayed you like she did yesterday," apologized the Pegasus, as if she'd actually committed some heinous crime.

Trixie blinked. "Sally?…Oh yes, the skunk…" she said, feeling a tad embarrassed. "Its fine, it was Trixie's fault…Do you name every animal in your care?"

Fluttershy nodded proudly. "Of course, giving them names let's me connect with them better, it makes them feel more like individuals."

"Trixie can understand the desire for that…And you remember all their names?"

"Yes, of course, every last one of them."

Trixie gave a rather impressed glance to the pegasus. "Even all the bunnies?"

"Especially all the bunnies, Angel would get so upset if I mistook him for one of the others."

Trixie nodded slowly. "Yes…Trixie supposes he would…" she said, part of her wanting to hurry up and get away from the pegasus who she'd somehow ended up in a conversation with, but another part of her was curious after all she'd heard of about this pegasus. Extremely so. She looked ahead, Everfree Forest was still quite some distance away, and she was still fatigued from her run this far. She gave a thoughtful look before looking to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy…How did you manage to cow a full-grown dragon and outstare a Cockatrice? No offense, but you seem kind of…"

Fluttershy didn't look offended at all. "It's alright, I understand. I know I'm weak and helpless."

Trixie gave her an astonished look. "Fluttershy, the stories Trixie told, which were complete fabrications, don't even compare to what you've done, so how can you call yourself weak?" she asked, in disbelief a pony could actually consider themselves weak but still be completely content, let alone after doing what Fluttershy had. "And that's without factoring in that you're one of the ponies who saved the world…twice."

Fluttershy blushed, looking down uncomfortably. "Um…T-thank you…But really, I'm not strong at all. I'm not very brave either, sometimes I'm even-" she said, just before catching sight of her shadow, giving a cry of fear and hiding in a nearby bush. She peaked out timidly, Trixie looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "…Scared of my own shadow…" she added, the shy little Pegasus coming out and following Trixie once more. "But those things I did that you say are so strong and brave…I only did them because somepony I cared about was in danger."

Trixie blinked in complete surprise. "Wait…so you're saying caring for other ponies is what makes you strong?" she asked, clearly surprised and in disbelief, as if the very idea was alien to her.

Fluttershy nodded without hesitation. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean. I couldn't do anything brave, or strong, or impressive on my own, but when I'm with my friends, I feel completely different…and when one of them, or anypony else important to me is in danger, its like I'm not afraid of anything except of losing them, it's like I'm a totally different pony…if that makes sense…"

Trixie looked confused, as if something inside her head was wrestling with what she was just told. "So…Trixie assumes you're still upset about how badly she treated your friends…" she stated, surely someone who cared that much for her friends would be mad, right?

Fluttershy gasped and shook her head. "No, not at all. I think you've been punished more than enough, and two wrongs don't make a right," she said, her shyness seeming to melt for a moment. "And now that I've seen what you're really like, I can tell you aren't a bad pony, you're a good one who just made a bad decision," she said, looking up at Trixie, no hint of anger or hatred or anything negative in her big, sweet eyes.

Trixie was completely at a loss for words, even knowing Fluttershy was literally kindness incarnate hadn't prepared her for something like this. "Fluttershy…" she muttered, not sure how to react. She was somewhat relieved when they arrived at the entrance to Everfree Forest, prompting a frightened gasp from Fluttershy.

"You're going into E-Everf-free F-forest?" asked the yellow pegasus, eyes wide with worry and fear.

'Should I go in alone? She's right here, and surely she'd want to keep the girls safe…is it asking for help when it's a mutual concern driving the other pony's involvement?' Trixie thought, uncertainty clear in her face. The truth was, she was every bit as scared as Fluttershy of going alone into Everfree. 'Besides, she knows the area, I don't. There's nothing wrong with asking for a guide.'

"Yes…Trixie is…Fluttershy, Trixie wants to tell you something, but you must promise not to tell anypony else," said Trixie, giving the pegasus a serious look.

Fluttershy nodded. "Of course, I'll even Pinkie Pie Swear."

Trixie rose her brow. "Pinkie Pie Swear?"

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I forgot you're new here…It's our own way we promise to each other when it's really, really, really important," explained Fluttershy. "We named it after Pinkie Pie because she takes promises very, very, VERY seriously. She always reminds us that breaking a promise to a friend is the quickest way to lose their trust, and losing a friend's trust is the quickest way to lose that friend-"

"FOREVER!" yelled Pinkie Pie, popping out of a nearby bush without any warning, causing both to jump about three feet in the air before slowly sinking back into it, not taking her eyes off either of them as she did so.

Trixie was shaking from surprise and looked into the bush, finding Pinkie gone. "How did she…when did she…where did she g…What just happened?!" asked the extremely bewildered Trixie, looking into the bush again but still finding no sign of Pinkie.

"Um…Pinkie does things like that…" said Fluttershy, settling down. "…Sorry, I can't explain it any better than that, but even Twilight can't figure out how Pinkie does a lot of the things she does…She's tried…"

Trixie calmed herself down. "A-alright t-then…" she said, clearing her head and regaining composure. "P-proceed with the Pinkie Pie Swear…"

Fluttershy nodded quickly. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," recited Fluttershy, doing corresponding motions with her hoof, but making sure to close her eye for the last part. "And you can trust me, you don't want to know how mad Pinkie would get at me if she found out I broke a Pinkie Promise!"

Trixie blinked at the strange ritual, and then nodded, taking a deep breath. "…Trixie overheard those three fillies, Rarity and Applejack's baby sisters…and an orange pegasus whose name escapes Trixie…They got furious that their camping trip with Rarity and said they were going to go on one themselves…" she explained, guilt surfacing again before she pointed to the forest. "In there…"

Fluttershy gasped in shock, suddenly looking terrified. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders are in the Everfree Forest?!"

Trixie nodded, looking down at her hooves. "And their trip was ruined because Trixie messed up…Trixie is going after them to make sure they're safe…But she's never been in Everfree Forest before, will you please accompany her, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy was almost hyperventilating, but nodded quickly. "Yes, of course! They could be in big trouble!"

Trixie blinked. "You took that considerably better than Trixie expected."

"I'm sorry…But the same thing happened to me once when I was foalsitting them, so I'd be a hypocrite to be angry at you," stated Fluttershy, worry, but also understanding clear in her voice.

Trixie nodded. "Alright…Let's go…" she said, starting off into the forest, her and Fluttershy both giving a gulp as they did so.
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See Chapter 5 Part 2 aswell.