Lodestar

by BubuJones

Chapter 4: Need a Ride?

Chapter 4:

Need a Ride?

Trixie stomped into the little town, her anger reaching boiling point. Slightly bared teeth and a deeply furrowed brow displayed a clear warning to anypony who would dare cross her path. Her current state of mind was erratic as well, thoughts of a new plan of action and the continuous detestation of Sage ran rampant in her mind. But perhaps the only thing that was constantly pestering at her mind was time. She only had a few days left before the tournament began, after all.

She continued hurriedly through the town, which didn’t take too long to traverse completely, being as small as it was. To Trixie, It held a sort of empty feeling- a huge contrast from any big city she was so accustomed to. Gone was the heavy feeling of countless ponies and the pressure to stand out. There was hardly any point in standing out in a place like this. It could hardly even be considered a town at all, perhaps closer to a settlement of sorts: a few townsfolk here, some houses and structures there, and nothing particularly intriguing in sight. Nice living for those that wished for some peace and quiet, without a single care in the world. And indeed it would seem so. Ponies happily trotted along pulling carriages of fresh produce, watered their gardens, or seemingly taking leisurely and aimless strolls. It was all very odd; something Trixie could more than likely never get accustomed too.

Trixie was a mare that preferred excitement and action, something that was a bit too common in big cities. She didn’t have much patience for cute little towns such as this. Passing through many towns and cities of all sizes in her past traveling performances, she knew what she preferred, and the bigger the populace the bigger the crowd.

It didn’t take long before she finally stumbled upon what seemed to be a traveler-friendly stop. It was a two-storey wooden building, tall and thin when looked at from the front, sharing much of the same architecture as everything else that made up the town. There was an old sign above the doorway: Bar and Inn, it simply read. She needed to know where to go, and the highest probability of finding directions would be there. Her options were depleted, and her best bet would be setting off immediately in the quickest and most direct path. It’s not like she’d never walked for long periods of time before.

Trixie trotted to the front door of the inn, pushing the pair of swinging doors to the side as she entered the dismal room. There were a few windows that let in the remaining sunlight, some tables spread across the area, and no visible decorations to add at least a little color to the room. It must have been a slow day as well, with only a pair of ponies sitting at the bar. She continued towards the back of the room, where the long bar counter was located. A scruffy looking bartender worked leisurely behind it, unaware of the new arrival. She reached the counter, not bothering to take a seat on one of the awkwardly tall benches. Standing in silence for a second, she kept expecting the barkeep to take notice of her, but he remained oblivious, prompting her to smack a hoof hard on the counter and startling the few patrons into looking over with wide eyes. The barkeep himself jumped, turning to see a mare with fiery eyes and a serious, nearly angry, expression on her face.

“O-oh,” stammered the colt behind the counter, “my apologies, ma’am. What can I do you for? I’ve got all kinds of-”

“Spare me,” Trixie interrupted, “I’ve got no time for this. I need to find the fastest route to Canterlot. Do you have a map?” She spoke quickly yet forcefully, wanting to get on her way as fast as possible.

“To Canterlot? Well, it’s getting rather late. Wouldn’t you care for a good night’s rest instead?”

“What can you not understand about me having no time for this?” she snapped. “Now, do you have a map or not?”

“Er- ah, right away, ma'am,” he said, turning away to search the back shelves. Trixie let out a subdued sigh, tapping her hoof on the ground as she waited. She looked over to her left, where a colt watched her with a slightly gaping mouth and wide eyes.

“What!?” she barked, causing him to quickly look away. Turning to her right there was another mare, although she seemed to be minding her own business, lightly spinning a glass within her own magical aura.

“Here it is,” said the barkeep, placing and unfolding the map out before her on the countertop. “We are precisely... here,” he said, tapping on the little town on the map. It was a surprise to Trixie that such a little place would even be recorded on a map. “And Canterlot is over here. A rather straightforward route, if you ask me.”

Trixie continued to scrutinize the map closely, recording each exact path and measuring in her mind to calculate which would offer the fastest route. There weren’t many, but they were indeed as the other pony had said: ‘straightforward’. She made her decision.

“Thanks,” was all she said in a rather unthankful, angry, tone. She quickly turned away and headed for the exit.

“Wait! Are you sure you wouldn’t like to stay the night? It’s getting dark!” called the barkeep. Trixie paid him no mind, pushing herself out of the door into the quiet, darkening streets.

She found the main road rather easily, as it split the town down the middle from one end to the other. It was what she’d be following in order to get to Canterlot. Rather sensible to have the largest street lead to the capital of Equestria, she realized as she walked at a brisk pace towards the edge of town. She noticed the night already catching up with her, only leaving the faintest remnants of the sun’s rays behind the western horizon. Stars began to glimmer above, the moon starting its ascension into the darkening sky. It was already late evening, but she could still rely on the celestial bodies for light as she carried on down the road and away from town. The night was going to be a long one, but Trixie was determined to trek through it.

~*~*~*~

It was getting cold; the chilly breeze blew freely over the vast, flat landscapes. The moon, high above and nearing its apex, left a silvery sheen over the swaying blades of grass. A gentle liveliness came over the land as far as the night allowed one to see. Trixie had always admired the night, moon, and shimmering stars. During her travels she always preferred the moonlight over the overbearing and hot sun. She eventually even learned the names of the stars and their positions and how they would move along with the seasons.

Trixie never saw herself as any sort of astronomer, hardly even a lowly stargazer at that. It was only one of her little hobbies, one she enjoyed very much, however. She found that all stars would occasionally move about the sky; all but one. It was one of the brightest and most beautiful stars in the sky, and without a doubt her very favorite.

She looked up, knowing exactly where to find this star. It settled unwavering over the north horizon, as brilliant as it was every other night. Her eyes locked onto the star as she continued on her way over the dirt road. She had to admit: the night, together with the quiet solitude, did well for her once-perturbed attitude.

Another chilling breeze coursed over the fields, inducing Trixie to give a slight shiver. With a glow of her horn, her saddlebag flap was opened and out came her cape. She unfurled it open before twirling it onto her back and around her neck. She hadn’t worn it for some weeks now, and putting it on again gave her an odd, conflicting feeling. It was warm, reminding her of a time when her travels were much more successful, when her shows drew crowds of excited ponies. But now, it was only a reminder of what she no longer had.

She carried on into the night, brushing away the pointless thoughts and replacing them with the task at hoof. There was still a long way ahead of her, and time was of the essence. Some hours had already elapsed since Trixie had left the little town behind, and she had seen nopony since then. But the solitude only lasted so long before she took note of something approaching from behind.

It came at a fast and steady pace, quickly catching up. Trixie gave it a weary glance, squinting her eyes to try and make out what it was through the darkness. She saw a bull, and it was pulling something behind it: a small carriage or cart, which gave off a faint, warm glow. Trixie moved to the side of the road, expecting it to pass by her with no interruption or trouble, though she couldn’t help but curse silently to herself when she heard it slow as it came to her side.

“Hey,” came a soft, female voice from the carriage, its tone curious. Trixie ignored it, picking up her own pace and moving slightly ahead. “Wait, I’ve just got a few questions,” the mare called, speeding up to match Trixie’s pace. “Where’re ya goin’?”

“That’s none of your business,” Trixie replied simply, still facing forward and keeping her quickened stride.

“Ah, she speaks.”

“Why don’t you go away?” Trixie said, stopping in her tracks. “Apparently I can’t even get some peace and quiet in the middle of nowhere!”

“Sorry, sorry,” the other pony said, coming to a halt as well. “Look, I was at the bar in that last town back there. I just wanna talk.”

Trixie turned to glare at this other mare, finally getting a glimpse of her pursuer underneath the soft lantern light. Her coat was very pink, and her mane was colored a light blue with slightly darker-hued streaks; cut short and wavy, it was groomed into a slight upward point above her forehead but underneath her pink horn. Her cutie mark was that of a feather, perhaps, or a writing quill, from what Trixie was able to make out. She wore a soft smile together with gentle, almost lazy, eyes. She sat atop a small cart with a lantern hanging from a stick protruding off the front. Hardly the width to allow two ponies to sit side by side, it was only a little longer towards the back, the rear of which was covered with a thin paper-like shelter. A rather shabby looking thing, on the whole.

“Just hear me out,” the pink unicorn persisted. “I know where you’re going, and I’m pretty sure I know why. Now, you’re gonna think this is kinda weird, but I think we can help each other.” Trixie raised her brow in intrigue, yet kept her confrontational expression.

“See, we’re still a long ways off from Canterlot. You’re gonna get pretty tired, and hungry, and thirsty. And you might not even get there in time. But if you ride with me, all of that would be pretty much covered.”

Trixie was slightly taken aback by the rather odd request. Why in the world would this pony be offering so much? There must be a catch. Or maybe it was a trap? It all just seemed way too risky, considering her recent ordeal with the last stranger she let get close. But she couldn’t deny the fact that what the other mare said was most likely true.

“And what would I have to do?” Trixie questioned in a serious tone.

“Oh, not much, really. I just need somepony to talk to.”

There was a pause. “What..?” Trixie said, waiting for the mare to continue on with her demands.

“What do you mean, what? I just want somepony to tag along with me. Simple as that. Do you know how boring it can be just riding along with nothing happening all day? And this guy here has never once bothered to speak a word to me!” she said, referring to the uncaring bull. “So whaddya say? It’ll only be till we get to Canterlot. From there, you’re free to do whatever you want.”

Trixie still didn’t believe this mare was asking such a simple and dumb request, a request that only heightened her suspicion of this whole situation. “What kind of trick is this? Whatever it is, I’m not falling for it!” Trixie said, turning away with a flick of her mane. She was about to continue walking before hearing the other mare burst into laughter, which only served to heighten her contempt as she looked back. “What!?”

“You make absolutely no sense,” the pink unicorn said between stifled giggles. “I just wanted somepony to chill with. Oh well... it’s a real shame you don’t wanna come along. More boringness for me, I guess! Good luck on getting to Canterlot in time, by the way. Bye now!” she said with a happy grin, waving a hoof before getting the bull to move on.

Trixie wasn’t sure if she had made the right choice in blowing off a potential free and quick ride to Canterlot. Everything that the other mare was saying seemed pretty sound. That pink pony herself didn’t seem to be out just to cause some wrongdoing or evil; what reason could there possibly be for that? Her gut feeling told her it was all right, but her mind told her to stay cautious. Then again, she knew she’d eventually get tired, and it would only get worse as she went along. What would be the point to all this if she didn’t get to Canterlot on time anyway?

“Wait,” Trixie said, catching the pair before they were fully on their way, “I’ll ride with you.”

“You will? Great!” the mare responded gleefully, her horn shimmering to engulf Trixie in its magical aura. Caught off guard, Trixie didn’t even let out a word of protest before she was lifted into the air and quickly settled at the side of the magic’s owner. “Now don’t worry about a thing! I don’t have any plans to kidnap you or anything,” she laughed. Trixie only returned a weary expression, giving a weak smile.

“Best to introduce ourselves early. My name’s Quill. Quill Penfound. What’s your name?”

“It’s Trixie... Lulamoon.”

“Lulamoon, eh? Funny name. Just kidding! Kinda cool actually,” she giggled to Trixie’s exasperation. “Well, Trixie, I’m sure we’ll have a grand time! Yep, yep,” she commanded the bull to move forward.

“Right... grand.” Trixie was still wary of tagging along with a complete stranger, and conflicted on whether she had made the right choice or not. She always felt the need to work alone, as it had always been since she first became a showmare and began to focus on her magical skills. There was no room for another in the limelight to share the glory and fame. It was difficult for her to accept any alternative that would not solely benefit her. How could she have fallen so far as to seek help and have somepony else do what she couldn’t? It seemed to be happening much too often now, and it brought her much displeasure. The thought of being weak, helpless, useless, and unappreciated.

Her solitude had always been held as a sort of attestation to her abilities; how she could overcome any obstacle by herself, simply with her greatness and power. Yet, things this way never seemed to go as planned. At times she thought if everything would be better if she simply accepted what other ponies had to offer. Their help, guidance, teachings. But this was an idea she often rejected; one she felt she could never accept only until recently.

The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t need them, they need Trixie. They aren’t helping me, I’m using them for my own gain! It’s an honor for them to serve such an esteemed, powerful, and great unicorn. This is the only explanation, really.

“So, let me guess,” began Quill, breaking Trixie’s train of thought, “you’re heading to Canterlot for that tournament thing, huh?” She spoke in a nonchalant manner, carefree and sounding genuinely happy to have somepony to talk to. However, Trixie still couldn’t help but feel worried about hitching a ride with this mare. The last pony she told about the tournament sabotaged her simply to kick a single pony out of the running. What were the chances that this mare would attempt the very same thing?

“...No. I’ve got a meeting to attend. In Canterlot.” Trixie looked away, shifting her eyes and scrunching her snout. She figured a lie would be the best course of action for now.

“Oh, I see,” she Quill said in a more mundane tone, as if feeling a little let down. “Well, you should really consider giving the tournament a look see while you’re there! If you’re any good at magic, anyway.”

“I am too good at magic!” Trixie retorted quickly.

“Then stop by the tournament! I’m sure it’ll be fun!”

“Fun? Aren’t you worried or anxious about the competition? Of the stakes?”

“Eh, not really. I don’t really care about any of that. As a matter of fact, I don’t even know if I’m any good at magic compared to other ponies, ha!” she laughed jokingly. “I mean, the protégé stuff is pretty cool, I guess. But why worry about that when I can have some fun? Haven’t had a good magic duel in some time,” she smiled.

“I see...” It was rather commendable of Quill to be so seemingly carefree about everything. Most ponies would either be freaking out about the tournament or freaking out about Luna. “So... there’s no real reason as to why you’re going?”

“Well... it sounded like fun,” she replied with a smile.

“Right...” Trixie thought it was a dumb reason, but she couldn’t care less what other ponies wanted out of the tournament. She had to keep the focus on her own goal as much as possible. “How long until we get to Canterlot?”

“Hmm, just about two days away, really. We’ll get there on time. For the tournament signup anyway. Dunno about your meeting.”

“My wha- oh, oh... right. That,” she stumbled over her own lie. “Well... the sooner we get to Canterlot the better.”

“Can’t agree with you more there, sister.”

And off they trekked, down empty dirt roads and over vast lands of nothing. It was a trip Trixie saw as nothing more than forgettable as soon as it would come to an end, from their conversations to the scenery. Nothing she saw was particularly different from anything she’d seen in her past travels. And speaking to Quill was becoming increasingly more and more of a chore. She wasn’t a completely terrible traveling companion, Trixie had to admit. But she wasn’t the most enlightening pony to talk to.

The bulk of their conversations seemed to stem from silly questions. Where’d you get that cape? How do you style your mane in the morning? What does your cutie mark even mean? Whatcha thinkin'? And if not that, some ridiculous little game Quill would insist upon them both participating in. I spy with my little eye, twenty questions, or some other mindless game. All of which Trixie didn’t particularly enjoy. She’d known the trip would be long, perhaps even arduous, but she hadn’t expected it to feel this much so.

They were already on their second day of travel, so Canterlot shouldn’t be very far away, but neither was the deadline. Trixie had to admit that her anxiety was growing ever so slightly, yet Qull seemed to be feeling fine, acting as cheery as ever. Quill was either crazy, uncaring, or just very sure about getting there on time. Trixie could only hope it was the last of the three, and it would indeed add at least a little comfort.

“So,” Quill began as she so often did, “what’s your game plan for winning the tournament?” She spoke in a more serious tone than usual, yet still held onto her characteristic smile.

“Game plan?” Trixie repeated, returning a bewildered expression.

“Y’know, a game plan. Like a... what’s that? Strategy? Yeah. You can’t just run head first into something like this. That’d be pretty silly.”

“I do have a strategy!” Trixie lied. “Wait... how did you know I was entering this tournament?!”

Quill laughed. “You just told me, silly. But it was pretty easy to see from the beginning. So... whatcha planning?” she said.

“What? That’s none of your business!” Trixie spat, quick on her hooves to raise her defences.

“Eh, it was worth a shot,” Quill shrugged. “I mean, I wouldn’t tell you my skills or plans either. I was just checking if you were... y’know... gullible or something.” Trixie didn’t bother to reply, only returning a look of annoyance and displeasure, her mouth slightly agape and her brow furrowed.

“But,” Quill carried on, unaffected by the perturbed mare’s stare, “I knew you were really going for the tournament! I mean, what unicorn isn’t? This is gonna be fun, right?”

“Right,” Trixie said simply, turning to look out into the distance. The day was a clear one, nearly identical to the few prior; clear enough for her to just barely distinguish something on the horizon. There were at last some features on the land to look forward to aside from all the flatness. It was a darkened mountain straight in front of them.

“Look! Canterlot!” Quill cheered, pointing with a hoof at the shadowy mass in the distance. And so it was, the great capital of Equestria. It was hardly visible at their distance, but its true wonder was not far off - perhaps only some hours of travel ahead. “Told you we’d get there on time!”

Trixie exhaled, undoubtedly a deep breath of relief. Judging by her terrible luck thus far, this only seemed like a very much needed break. But as they continued closer, something else stuck in Trixie’s mind.

I don’t have a game plan...

Comments

[BubuJones]

Sorry about the more fillerish chapter. Things will start getting exciting soon! Trust me

[shyguy7829]

Don't worry Trixie. Just stumble your way through things. It works for Twilight!

[Frankie2]

Game plan? How can Trixie have a game plan when she doesn't know what kind of tournament she's entering?

[Obsidian Raindrop]

hey blue here's a wacky thing i found Beatrice(the long from of trixie) means blessed, Lula means princess so all together Trixie Lulamoon means blessed princess moon your thoughts

[RTStephens]

Sorry I didn't comment last time. I'll make up for it now!

Never trust a pony with a poker-like cutie mark, Trixie. They're all about evening the odds!

Kinda surprised that the trip to Canterlot didn't take longer, but then that would have been more filler. However, it could have expanded on Trixie's abilities and give us a sense of what she can really do. I'm sure this tournament will show us what she's made of!

Another competitor. They're really coming out of the wood-works for this competition. Considering it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, I can see why.

I foresee more problems ahead. Twilight probably won't be too happy about the idea of Trixie becoming a princess' student, no matter how much the showmare's changed. I can see Twilight throwing out some hurdles to make things that much more difficult. We'll see.

Stay at it!

[MrAskAPirate]

Bring on the brackets!!!

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Not too shabby, actually. I like this new character. :D Also, Trixie, I can so sympathize with you. Glad Quill was honest, too, and took Trixie to Canterlot.

[BubuJones]

2274427
Yes, Trixie does seem to be very good at not thinking things through all the time

2274648
No need to worry! It'll all be cleared up in due time

2274715
Ah! That's actually pretty interesting! Trixie and Luna make a perfect team

2278944
Trixie's abilities will come to light in due time. She'll be a lot more prepared later on! And Twilight really does play a much bigger role later on, trust me

Glad everyone else in enjoying the story! More to come very soon!

[Acceleron]

This feels like its going to be similar to The Quick and The Dead. Can't wait to read more.