A low ponderous sigh left Pinkie’s lips. Her eyes rested upon a chocolate cupcake sitting on the counter, a cupcake that made her sad. This was due in no small part to the fact that this cupcake rightfully belonged to Trixie. After all, it was leftover from her order. Pinkie’s original justification for pilfering the cupcake was simply payment for the grief Trixie put her and her friends through during Trixie’s last visit. Avoiding the cupcake’s gaze once more, she glanced at the clock. This warranted another sigh when she realized it had only been five minutes since the last time she looked.
The day had passed rather slowly to Pinkie Pie. She had her own way of dealing with the boredom or stress, but that usually entailed daydreaming or planning her next big party. Today, those tactics just weren’t working. She looked once again at the ill-gotten treat she planned to wolf down and felt guilt wrack her conscience. By now, every pony in town was either home or headed for home as the sun edged ever closer to the horizon.
Soooo boooored.
Her eyes widened as the bell above the shop door rang out. Looking up, she saw something that made her heart skip a beat.
Trixie, the pony whose words weighed so heavily on her, returned to the same seat in the corner as earlier. Seemingly by design, Pinkie finally got a chance at something she missed out on during Trixie’s first visit; a chance to talk with the unicorn. Pinkie scooped up the cupcake, put it on a saucer, and beelined for Trixie’s table. Getting closer to the unicorn, she could see bits of frosting and cupcake pieces stuck to her coat.
Looks like somepony has been in a food fight.
She had been rehearsing what she would say all day had she been given the chance to talk with her again, but it all flew out of her head right then and there. She struggled to find something to say, and instead, just said the first thing to come to her mind.
“I don't hate anypony…”
Trixie, who had been staring outside, snapped to alertness. “Huh?”
Pinkie sat down at the opposite end of the table. “Earlier, before you left, you said you don’t blame me and my friends for hating you, but I don’t hate you. I don’t hate anypony,” Pinkie repeated.
Trixie seemed distant, lost in thought. “I... see. Maybe my words were a bit too strong. Tri— I mean, I’m just having a hard time dealing with being the most disliked pony in town. Not that I don’t deserve the title.”
Pinkie lowered her head, allowing the saucer with the cupcake to slide off onto the table. “This is yours.”
“Mine? What do you mean?” Trixie asked.
Pinkie sighed. “You ordered a dozen cupcakes, which would normally be twelve, but we bake cupcakes as a baker’s dozen, which is thirteen. I had planned to sneakily eat it earlier...”
“...but that would make me a thief and a meanie.”
A grumble from Trixie’s stomach cut through the relative quiet of the shop.
“Besides, it looks like you ended up wearing the cupcakes I made instead of eating them.”
Trixie nodded. “I suppose I could do with something to eat. Thank you, ummm, Miss Pie?”
Pinkie giggled at the unicorn’s sudden and uncharacteristic formality. “You can call me Pinkie Pie if you want, or Pinkie, or Silly. Some ponies call me that. Wait, are you one of those ponies who only likes formal names and stuff? Oh gosh, I don’t even know your last name!”
“Trixie is fine.”
“Trixie it is!” Pinkie beamed a smile down upon her guest, hoping it might rub off. “Do you want some milk or anything with that cupcake?”
Trixie seemed to ponder Pinkie’s offer for a moment. “Milk would be great.”
Pinkie smiled, glad to offer her something to make up for her attempted bad deed. “I’ll be back in two shakes of a Pinkie's tail.”
Trixie watched the pink mare trot away from the table towards the kitchen. Her eyes fell to the cupcake resting before her.
She not only felt bad for taking it, she held onto it until I returned. Perhaps I should eat here for the duration of my stay. At least she won’t gouge me.
“One glass of milk!” Pinkie declared proudly as she set the glass on the table.
“How much?” Trixie asked, reaching for her bits.
“On the house!” Pinkie proclaimed.
Trixie furrowed her eyebrows. “I don’t understand…”
“Consider it an olive branch... or an olive milk... or... I’m confused. Anyway, it’s my way of saying ‘sorry’ for trying to steal your cupcake earlier.”
Now Trixie was genuinely shocked. Surely this pony remembered the cruel things she foisted upon her. She remembered Pinkie in particular being distraught at not being able to eat the treats she loved so much, or not being able to talk.
“Is this seat taken?” Pinkie asked, tapping a chair on the other side of the table.
“It is your shop.”
Pinkie hopped onto the adjacent seat with a smile. “Actually, it’s the Cakes’ shop, I just work for them.”
Trixie stole a glance behind the counter and spied Mrs. Cake trying to feed two young foals.
“I’m sure they’re grateful for the help. They appear to have their hooves full as it is.”
Pinkie nodded excitedly. “Yup! I’ve been learning how to run the shop by myself in an emergency.”
Trixie focused on her cupcake. Using her magic, she brought it to her mouth and took a large bite. She loved chocolate, and the cupcake did not disappoint. At least this time she actually got to eat it.
She lowered the rest of the cupcake to her plate and grabbed the milk next. With a quick tip of the glass and a swish of the liquid in her mouth, the remaining bits of cupcake washed away. It had been quite awhile since she had anything this tasty. Though she tried to ignore it, she felt Pinkie’s gaze upon her.
“Go ahead and ask.”
Pinkie wore an expression of feigned ignorance, easily seen through by a pony of Trixie’s experience. “Ask you what?”
“Ask me what I’m doing here in Ponyville. I know that’s what you’re thinking.”
Pinkie eyed her suspiciously. “You’re good… So, what are you doing in Ponyville?”
“I was visiting an old friend... a former friend. You might remember him as the pony who I made cluck like a chicken and sing his most embarrassing secrets out loud. I came to apologize. Alas, he didn’t even hear me out.”
A knowing look crossed Pinkie’s face. “Ohhh... I get it now! So that’s why you ended up wearing the cupcakes instead of eating them.”
“I am probably fortunate I didn’t decide to bring a hot pot of soup instead.” The unicorn shuddered at the thought.
“So you came to say you're sorry to one pony and then leave?” Pinkie asked.
“He was... not just anypony,” Trixie said, with hesitation in her voice.
“Ohhhh I get it now. He must have been somepony really special if you came back here. So what'll you do now?”
“There’s nothing left in Ponyville for me. I will buy a new wagon and start traveling again from city to city. Trix— I mean, I am a showmare, after all. It's time for me to move on.”
Pinkie’s face fell into a sad frown. “It must be lonely on the road all the time.”
Trixie took another bite of her cupcake and chased it with more milk. “In most towns that I stopped, I was treated like a queen. Ponies would shower me with gifts and praise. Undue praise of course, born out of stories, each more fantastic than the last. It wasn't until Twilight Sparkle bested me that it all seemed very... shallow.”
“I don’t think I could last a week without seeing the smiles on my friends’ faces, much less my whole life,” Pinkie explained.
Trixie shrugged. “I’ve never had many friends. Oh sure, I had several admirers, but they just wanted to hear more about the pony I lied about being, instead of the pony I really was.”
Trixie downed the last bit of her cupcake and milk and stepped up from the table. “Thank you, Miss Pie”
“Pinkie.”
“Thank you... Pinkie. I believe I'll return to my hotel room for the night. The cupcake and milk were great. I can see why your name is known in other towns for your baking and party skills.”
Pinkies pupils shrunk to a pinpoint. “Other ponies in other towns know me for my baking?”
“I'd heard other ponies in Hoofington mention your Key Lime Showtime Surprise on more than one occasion. Perhaps if I come back again I'll order one,” Trixie said, rising to her hooves. She walked to the door without another word.
Trixie lay in bed, finding sleep a difficult chore. The pink mare's sentiments echoed in her head. She never had a need for friends, such was the length of her visits to each town. Ever since the incident with the ursa minor however, nothing had been quite the same. Her pride took quite a hit after the first defeat. Her second loss at the hooves of the ever resourceful Twilight Sparkle really shook her though. Watching how the six friends worked together and helped one another set her down a path of self doubt she had yet to recover from.
Trixie simply must leave Ponyville, that’s all. Once she is back on the road, Trixie will wow and amaze crowds once again.
Those self assurances did little to quell the doubt in her heart.
Pitoo!
A glob of toothpaste spattered against the sink. Pinkie grabbed her cup and filled it with water to rinse out the remaining toothpaste in her mouth. After a few swishes, she spat that out too and smiled broadly in the mirror.
Pinkie valued her smile and made sure to take care of it in any way she could. Her dentist was always impressed with each and every checkup. After all, very few ponies except the foals in town could claim to have a cavity-free smile.
With her usual energy, she trotted back to her bed and hopped under the covers to prepare for a new day in the morning.
After turning off the lamp and sitting in the dark, though, that sleep didn’t come. Instead, her thoughts went back to Trixie. Pinkie sometimes dreamed of traveling Equestria, spreading smiles and delicious confections to ponies all over, but the thought of doing so without her friends terrified the party pony.
One day, Princess Celestia specially ordered a cake to be delivered for a function. Pinkie had to deliver it herself since the Cakes had to take care of the twins. Having to spend the night in Canterlot by herself was one of the most frightening things ever, even in the special suite the princess prepared for her. When she got back to Ponyville, she gave all of her best of best friends a test to make sure they didn’t forget her. Rainbow was the only one to get a question wrong, claiming that she put down Pinkie’s eye color to be gray as a joke.
Every now and then she quizzed the pegasus again just to be sure.
The thought of not having friends who knew exactly what kind of hot sauce should go with chocolate muffins scared her. A small tear fell from her eye and crawled down her cheek when she imagined living like Trixie. No friends to call her own, always moving town to town with no home, and no readily accessible sweets. It was a fate she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemies. She quickly decided this wasn’t something she wanted to dwell on. Sleep overcame the pony as her friends smiling faces filled her thoughts.
Maybe one day Trixie could have that too...
After waking up, Trixie swiftly gathered her meager belongings into her saddlebags and left the inn, intent on buying a wagon so she could finally leave Ponyville. After she made it to the wagon store, she had a nasty surprise.
“Two thousand bits?” Trixie asked incredulously.
“That’s my price,” the stallion repeated from behind the counter.
Trixie pointed to a nearby sign. “But, that sign says fifteen hundred bits! This is fraud!”
The older stallion left his seat with a groan and walked over to the sign, giving it a swift kick. “That was the sale price yesterday. Today it’s two thousand bits!”
“But I only have sixteen hundred bits! Surely we can work out some sort of deal,” the unicorn pleaded.
The stallion nodded. “Sure we can. You come back with four hundred more bits, and the wagon is yours.”
“W-well, do you have any other wagons. Perhaps a cheaper one?”
“Won’t have any others for at least a month.”
Trixie fumed. “I can’t believe this! I should report you! Price gouging is against the law!”
“And what are ya gonna do about it? Tell the mayor? I wonder how likely she’ll be to help you out after you made her act like a sheep,” the older pony said with a smirk.
Trixie shrank back as the words hit her. She cowered as she walked away, knowing that getting a wagon would be impossible for now.
“One blueberry muffin for you, Roseluck,” Pinkie said, handing over a bag with the confection inside.
“Thanks, Pinkie,” the pony said, leaving the counter.
As Roseluck walked to the door, another pony walked in. The same pony as yesterday, wearing the same sad face as yesterday, who walked over to the same dark table as yesterday. Fearing she was stuck in a time loop, Pinkie looked at the calendar to make sure it was, indeed, today and not yesterday.
Whew! Close call!
With the possibility of a time loop out, she decided to approach the unicorn. She tried to move quietly she as she neared the table, not wanting to give herself away until the last moment.
“Hey there, Trixie. I didn't expect to see you here after what you said yesterday.”
The unicorn looked up and forced a fake smile, likely for the pink mare's benefit. “Yes… well, it appears my plan has hit a snag. After breakfast I need to come up with some other way to obtain a wagon. Your shop does serve some sort of breakfast menu, doesn’t it?”
Pinkie nodded furiously. Sure we do. We aren’t the only shop in town though. Not that I don't want you to keep coming back, but why don't you try going to other places for food? Do you just keep coming back because you like talking to me?
Trixie’s head fell. “Not that I don’t enjoy talking with you, because I do, but I’m afraid this is the only place in Ponyville I can count on a fair price. Every other store or shop is gouging me for bits I don’t have. Even the room I’m staying in is charging a hundred and twenty bits a night! I can't keep staying here, nor can I afford to leave, as the wagon salesman has increased his prices, as well.”
Pinkie grew angry. “Why those no-good sock-sniffing glue bags! I have half a mind to cross them off the birthday surprise list!”
Trixie shrugged. “Many ponies would consider this my just desserts.”
Pinkie slammed her hoof on the table, causing the unicorn to flinch. “No dessert should make a pony sad!” All of a sudden, Pinkie's mouth turned slowly from an angry scowl to a beaming smile.
“Wait just one moment! I had the most perfect Pinkie Pie idea!”
Mr. and Mrs. Cake stared in disbelief at Pinkie Pie. Finally, Mr. Cake was the first to break the silence.
“You want Trixie to stay here? At Sugarcube Corner? With you?”
Pinkie nodded excitedly. “Uh huh! She even agreed to pay half the rent!”
Mrs. Cake glared at the unicorn, who simply sat there awkwardly.
“And just how did you go about planting this ridiculous notion into Pinkie's head, missy?”
“She didn’t plant any ideas, or trees…. or even bushes in my head!” Pinkie interrupted.
Mrs. Cake’s mouth nearly fell to the floor. ”But, but, Pinkie Pie, this is the pony who enslaved all of Ponyville! Took away your mouth, banished your friend! How ever could you trust her to stay with you?”
Pinkie just smiled. “Everypony deserves a second chance, and besides, as long as she’s paying for rent, does it really matter what she did before? She says she's sorry, and that's good enough for me!”
The Cakes huddled together, sharing frantic whispers which ranged from quiet murmurs, to near shouts. After a few more moments, they both separated and Mrs. Cake cleared her throat.
“Trixie, if it were up to me, you'd be looking at the other side of a closed door right now. However, Mr. Cake and Pinkie both think you should get a second chance. As long as you pay rent and keep yourself honest, you can stay. If you help with the baking and dishes, you may eat here as well. But know this, If we have a single problem out of you, you'll be sitting outside on top of your belongings. Understood?”
Trixie nodded slowly.
Pinkie engulfed her in a hug. “Yay! I've got a roommate!”
Trixie smiled gratefully back at the pink mare. “Thank you, Pinkie. Now I’ve got a place to stay that won't break me in just a few days time, but I'm going need to find a job or something to obtain enough bits to get that wagon.”
Pinkie put her hoof to her chin. “Hmmmm... wait a minute, I have the perfect idea!”
“Another one?” Trixie asked.
“Yes, and it is a little bit risky, but I’m sure it will turn out better than my idea for gelatin pants.”
“...What?”
“I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called you here today,” Pinkie announced, her voice filling the library.
Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy all stared back at her.
“What if I told you somepony here in Ponyville needed our help really, really, bad! She has no home of her own, she's running out of bits, and she's all alone!” Pinkie wailed, playing up the melodrama.
Her friends faces grew heavy with concern.
“Oh dear... here in Ponyville?” Fluttershy asked.
Pinkie nodded solemnly.
Twilight looked confused. “This is the first I’ve heard of it. We have to help her!”
Applejack stepped forward with a resolute gleam in her eye. “So what’s the plan, Pinkie? Ya wanna throw together a bake sale so she can get back on her hooves?”
Pinkie shook her head. “Nope! She says she wants to earn it, honest and fair.”
"Golly, that sounds right commendable," Applejack said.
“So, she just needs some extra bits from doing some side jobs? I don’t see anything wrong with that. Who is it?” Rainbow demanded.
Pinkie fidgeted with her hooves. “About that... you have to promise not to freak out and listen before you answer.”
They all nodded in unison.
“Pinkie Promise!”
After a sudden, chorus of displeased grunts from her friends—except Fluttershy—each pony did the required gestures to the pink mare’s satisfaction.
“Happy?” Applejack grumbled.
“Okay, lemme go get her.” Pinkie walked over to the door and poked her head out. After some whispering, she stepped out and gently shoved Trixie inside. Most of her friends groaned in disapproval.
‘Pinkie Pie, now why in the hay would ya wanna bring her in here for?” Applejack complained.
“Yeah! Don’t you remember what happened the last time?” Rainbow growled.
“I know I certainly haven’t,” Rarity hissed.
“Now, now, you all Pinkie promised.”
“But she’s not even from Ponyville!” Rainbow protested.
Pinkie placed a hoof over her heart. “I never said she was from Ponyville, just that she’s in Ponyville, but it doesn’t change the fact that she needs our help!”
“I could use a hoof with the critters now and then…” Fluttershy thought aloud.
“Wait, you’re actually considering this, Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked incredulously. “She embarrassed us all in front of everypony and captured the town!”
“She was under the influence of the Alicorn Amulet during the whole town takeover incident, and she did apologize,” Twilight pointed out. “What do you think, Applejack?”
The cowpony seemed deep in thought as she looked Trixie over. The blue unicorn shrank under the insistent glares of the ponies present.
“She seems awful skittish now, not quite the same hellcat that came to duel a few months ago. Of course, I’m not exactly sure she’s cut out for work on the farm,” Applejack added.
“Tri— I mean, I can try! I'll do my best, and if you aren't satisfied... you can keep your bits! I just want a chance to try,” Trixie pleaded.
The other ponies seemed stunned by her plea.
Applejack rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “So, you’re sayin’ that if I don’t like how you work for me, you'll just go without demanding any bits in return? How do ya know I won’t just make ya work and say I'm not satisfied?
“You are the element of honesty, are you not? Other ponies say you admire hard work. As long as I do my best, there shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“Hmmm... okay, why not? We could use a hoof to help move the apples to the cellar and get a little jump-start on the harvest,” Applejack conceded.
“Spike could use a day or two off. He's almost always working at the library,” Twilight reasoned.
“This might actually be kinda cool. I could use somepony in my cloud home to clean up a bit when I don't feel like it,” Rainbow said.
“Now hold on a minute there. I called dibs on her first! Besides, the harvest won’t wait forever!” Applejack argued.
“See? Now they're even fighting each other to hire you! I told you this would work!” Pinkie said. Trixie smiled back at her weakly. It wasn't a smile that would brighten a room with its presence, or persuade others to wear one of their own, but it was a sincere smile of gratefulness and appreciation. Pinkie could see a dim happiness burning in the unicorn’s heart, and more than anything, wanted to see a genuine smile from her.
“Excuse me, but aren't you all forgetting something?” Rarity called out. The ponies in the room all stared at her with puzzled expressions.
“This is Trixie were talking about! She enslaved Ponyville, kicked Twilight out against her will, and brought an Ursa Major to—”
“Minor,” Twilight corrected.
“I beg your pardon?” Rarity asked.
“It was an Ursa Minor, not a Major, and technically Snips and Snails stirred it up,” Twilight corrected.
“Whatever. My point is, this is probably some elaborate ruse by this roaming knave to con us!”
Pinkie jumped between Trixie and Rarity. “Hold on! She might have done some terrible things before, but she still deserves a second chance!”
“I think she’s already had too many chances,” Rarity stated flatly.
“I didn't hold it against you when you stayed in Canterlot on my birthday just to party with a bunch of nobles,” Twilight added.
Rarity grimaced. “I thought we agreed not to mention that again…”
“Yeah! Twilight gave you a second chance, why shouldn't we give Trixie one?” Pinkie reasoned.
Rarity put herself nose-to-nose with Trixie, staring down the blue mare with an aggressive look. “I don’t know what sort of plan you’re working on this time, or what kind of hex you’ve placed on Pinkie Pie, but I am not falling for it! As far as I’m concerned, there is some poetic justice in your life falling apart,” Rarity said as she started for the door. “One day you'll all regret this!” Without another word the unicorn left.
Pinkie looked on as Trixie slumped sadly. “Hey, don't listen to her, she's just upset, that’s all. Nopony should have to be all alone,” Pinkie said, offering a comforting hoof.
Trixie sighed heavily. “She has every right to be upset. Everything she said was true.”
“Are you sure this is the same Trixie?” Rainbow asked, giving the unicorn an exploratory poke.
“Of course she is, Rainbow,” Pinkie said. “Unless she’s some sort of alien monster who stole Trixie’s skin to try and infiltrate the Equestrian government. You’re not an alien trying to infiltrate the Equestrian government, are you?” The pink pony asked narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
“Uhhh, no?”
“Good enough for me!” Pinkie proclaimed, wrapping a friendly arm around Trixie’s waist.
“Trix—I mean, I’m grat— I mean…” The unicorn looked at the other ponies in the room, each one smiling back at her.
“Umm, thank you for giving me a second chance. You won’t regret it.”
Applejack slapped her on the back in a friendly, but forceful manner.
“Don’t thank us yet. We ain’t gave you a second chance; ya gotta earn it, startin’ tomorrow. Be at the farm early and I'll show you how to buck apples. Y’all gonna learn an honest days work.”
“Wait ‘till you see what I’ve got planned for ya,” Rainbow said slyly.
Trixie’s face blanched. “I’m suddenly not so sure this was a sound idea, after all…”