Starlight Glimmer's hooves dragged like heavy stones across her floor, and lazily she used her teel-colored aura of magic to slowly turn her doorknob. Tiredness fogged her mind and her vision glazed over with said tiredness. Slumping into her bed, she let her legs splay out and her thoughts drift, her fur damp with mild sweat.
Then her mind traveled to Trixie.
The all-mighty, powerful Unicorn often happened to seep into Starlight's thoughts like water into a sponge. The more she thought of Trixie, and the more the blue Unicorn occurred to her mind (whether normal or in sexy clothing), the more she felt. ..dreamy. She couldn't explain it. She just loved Trixie so much.
But, Trixie. . .Could she be in trouble? What had caused her to not park her Wagon beside Twilight's castle, or not show up to the party for her? Well, not her specifically, but she was one of the highly honored guests. Would she even be able to take care of herself this night? Would she die?!
Starlight shuddered at the nasty thought. How would Trixie even die, anyway? Why would she ever be away, especially for so long. . .She may well just be visiting somepony or something. . . Flipping herself over sleepily, Starlight tucked her haunches to her sides and rested her head between aching forelegs. Her eyelids drooped and finally sleep overtook her.
Trixie felt her blood run cold as she realized that, no, there was no hope. Whyever would Starlight come looking for her? It was only a matter of time until the cold claws gripping her so tightly jerked even tighter, and she spasmed into a deep, never-ending sleep. She didn't even have any food, for Celestia's sake! Plus, her belly was starting to rumble.
Trixie felt her neck bristle as she glanced over at the neatly wrapped present she had prepared for Starlight. That was the only reason she'd traveled so hard--and, not to mention, far. She'd wanted to get Starlight Glimmer, the love of her life, the bestest gift she possibly could.
Once she had gotten the present, Trixie had wrapped it in rich, crimson wrapping paper and, for the finishing touch, added a golden bow to the top. She had worked herself out trying to do this, and for what?
For her to die?
Trixie felt a shudder slide down her quivering body. I just hope that at least she finds me and opens the present. Probably two towns over I would have reached Ponyville. I'd rather be trapped in the center of town then this!
No, I'd rather be cuddling up beside Starlight than this. Our fur would brush and our hearts would melt, and maybe I could even-
BANG!!!
A startling crashing noise sounded outside of Trixie's wagon, and she jumped at the sudden noise, hackles spiking and pink magic flowing around her horn. Though, the magic didn't last long, since it only had come since she was so in shock.
What had that noise been?
Starlight jerked awake, her fur standing on end and her ears flattened in shock. Her eyes were wide and a frown was plastered to her face.
What just happened? I wasn't even dreaming. . . Scratching her head in utter confusion, Starlight sat on her haunches atop of her bed, of which had blankets strewn about on it.
Then a single thought occurred to her mind. Trixie. Trixie Lulamoon.
"Should I go looking for her or. . .?" Starlight tapped her chin. Then her gaze slid to look out her window, her hoof slowly dropping from below her mouth.
It was still dark out and, to be exact, Celestia probably hadn't even woke up yet.
Walking lightly to her window, Starlight hooked her forehooves onto the ledge and peered out beneath her window through the icy glass. Trixie's Wagon still remained somewhere else.
"Maybe I should look for her." Starlight whispered, her heart thumping. Carefully, she opened her window, making sure she didn't make any loud noises. She didn't want Twilight to be angry at her and maybe even not trust her anymore. After all, the whole incident with the Cutie Map had still left her a little bit shook.
"I wouldn't want to make a rash decision. . ." Starlight turned from the window and started to pace.
"But what if Trixie is on a date and I ruin it? Or, what if she's being slayed by Timber Wolves and dying!!" Starlight's tail shot out in alarm for quite a few brief seconds. "But what if she needs me. . ." Desperation latched onto Starlight like a tick.
Then, abruptly, she slammed down a hoof defiantly. "No. I am going after Trixie, and nopony can stop me!" The powerful Unicorn reared up and then bolted for her window. Quickly, magic sparked from her horn and she levitated herself, squeezing through the window. There was a slight pop as she broke free, but the wind blocked out merely every sound, so she was safe.
Well, maybe not. . .
Starlight's ears flattened in horror as the wind blew hard against her, and her fur wasn't enough to keep her from shivering violently. A little bit gingerly, she set herself on the ground, her magic fading from around her body and horn.
"Oh my! And I thought inside was a little chilly! How would Trixie not turn to ice??" Starlight clutched a forehoof to her chest in horror, of which was exploding inside of her.
"Maybe if I levitate myself around Ponyville I could find her? And if I don't, I could get my jacket and then try looking outside of Ponyville. Sounds like an idea to me." Blinking hard and shaking snow from her fur, Starlight levitated herself from the ground, into the sky, and examined the white coating that glazed over Ponyville.
"Hm. . .Not a single pony is outside," she spoke her thoughts aloud, straining her eyes to see. She felt her magic hesitate a little; the cold was reaching her horn and ice was packing over it.
"I might want to at least get a hat, if I wish to continue my travels for long." Starlight mumbled as snow whirled into her eyes and clotted in her pelt. Shaking her head so hard her ears flapped against her skull, Starlight turned tail and whisked herself back through her window.
"Oh my. . ." Starlight bit her lip nervously as she examined her now freezing room. . .Which had snow clumping inside.
Well, at least Twilight hasn't found out. Starlight drew in a deep, rattling breath before trotting to her closet and pushing through clothes--of which were mostly unused.
"Hat, hat, hat. . .Jacket. . ." Starlight danced on her hooves and, finally, pulled out a thick blue jacket and a red hat with yellow rings of fabric around it; it was all made of fabric. Then, she drew up some thick, light blue booties from the floor of her closet, awkwardly putting them on her hooves.
After she'd put on all of her winter gear, Starlight shook the last bits of snow from her fur (well, what she could of it) and readied her magic. She reared up and churned her forelegs in the air in a circular motion, then enfolded herself in her magic and flew out the window into the icy air outside.
Winter gear or not, the cold still sent shock bolting down her spine. Nonetheless, she must look for Trixie. . .I must find her!!
Struggling against the wind and cold, Starlight flew pyreticly through out the town. Her fur bristled and her heart pounded in her chest, and once she had scoured all of Ponyville with out a trace, blood had started to roar in her flattened ears.
"Okay, okay, think Starlight, think!! Where else could Trixie be?!" Starlight hit her head repeatedly with a hoof as she thought aloud. "Maybe the Crystal Empire? No, no, why would she go there?? Manehatten!" Oh, but that's so far away. . .And in a city! She would certainly have somewhere to be?
Tears swelled in Starlight's eyes and a thick, pulsing lump formed in her throbbing throat. What if Trixie had left and wasn't coming back? How would she ever be mates with her then??
Well, there's still Maud. . .But, I fear I like--no, love--Trixie even more. . .I mean, nopony could ever replace her! She's just so cute and she cares about me so much, maybe even more than any other pony! And, yeah, she can be really rude and arrogant sometimes, but that's all just a part of her. . .And I love her. Starlight's hooves trembled, and this time it wasn't from the cold. Alas, all of her sorrowful and fearsome feelings clashed inside of her and brought with them a fresh, heavy wave of tears. She bawled loudly, her mouth frowning so hard and stretching so wide when she wailed that it actually hurt a little bit. Her heart moldered and the cold clinging to her bristling fur was intensified as thoughts of never seeing Trixie again slapped her in the muzzle.
"I don't think I'll ever find her!" Starlight's voice cracked with thick emotion and invisible hooves gripped her throat, suffocating her and causing her to breath rapidly. Who would sneak into her room late at night just to cuddle her in comforting blue hooves? Who would be there to make her feel better and laugh?
Even just thinking of Trixie not being there to make her angry caused Starlight to weep harder.
But then she realized something that could potentially change everything. . .
"Who's there?!" Trixie yowled, her fur spiking so much it felt as though if it went any higher it would fall off. "The Great and Powerful Trixie demands answers!" Slamming an angry hoof on the wooden boards of her Wagon's floor, Trixie stamped up to her door. Fear was starting to writhe inside of her, but she stood tall, even if her haunches were a tad lowered and her tail was pressing between her hind legs.
Could it possibly be another pony? What if Starlight has come looking for me?! A smile reached Trixie's muzzle, but was dropped as she peered out her window and realized that all the noise had been was a tree branch snapping and falling on the roof of her Wagon.
Uncontrollable rage started to boil inside of Trixie, and once it bubbled to the surface her whole world collapsed, just like her hope.
"Really?! Just, REALLY?! I came all this way out here, and for what?? I spent half of my money, and for what?! I had my hopes up. . .And for what?! To be stuck out here with no way home? There's not even a train station nearby! I am in the middle of literally nowhere!!" Now tears were piling relentlessly in Trixie's eyes, and her voice was starting to break apart as her throat closed and a throbbing lump arched its back in it. "I may well commit suicide!!"
"Well, I guess I'll just follow the less-deep snow, since hoofprints are all covered up. . ." Starlight clutched a forehoof to her chest--against her jacket--and blinked in concern as she looked down at the rapidly piling snow beneath her. There was the slightest difference, nearly imaginable, between two sides of the white pelt covering the bare earth.
There was a "track" dragging along the snow, and it could possibly have been left by Trixie's wagon. After all, the snowstorm had started yesterday, when the Illusionist was claimed missing--just maybe not noticed to be gone.
"Okay, well, I just don't see why she'd go this way to who know where. . ." Starlight questioned aloud, taping a bootied hoof to her chin. "I mean, it looks like it might be leading to Manehatten. Yet, that place is so far away! And there's a train that leads right to it! I sure hope she's OK and hasn't lost her mind!!" Eyes widening, Starlight suddenly felt the urge to slap Trixie across the face. She could just be so stupid sometimes, and she didn't think before she acted! She was so full of herself, yet--
Why does my horn feel so hot? Flicking her gaze to the top of her head, Starlight realized that, through the magic flowing around her, there was red smoke billowing from her horn.
Terror spiking, Starlight kneaded the frosty air with her hooves.
"Ooohhh, nonononononono!! Why is this happening?! Again!"
But finally, as Starlight's fury was replaced with fear and concern, the smoke retreated back to her pulsing horn, which alas could feel the cold pricking into it. Now her horn felt hard with ice, and Starlight felt that she'd rather have hot smoke around it and it be hot than so cold ice was building.
"I wonder if Trixie could get so mad smoke comes out from her horn. . .Well, actually, that would be really scary. Never mind." Starlight dismissed the thought with a twinge of embarrassment. Just like when she'd admitted to Maud that she really likes kites. . .
Well, nonetheless, I'd better get back to quickly following this trail thing if I want to find Trixie before she freezes to death.
As dawn approached, (though it didn't feel like it), Trixie's urge to kill herself increased dramatically and her pupils had thinned to a crazy black dot amongst her wide eyes. Her mane was less curly; she'd dragged her hooves down her hair so much.
And, so, it came to be. Clamping the grip of a sharp kitchen knife between her jaws, Trixie raised her head, trembling with tears rolling down her feeling-less cheeks, aiming it for her quaking chest, where her heart would lie.
But that's when the unexpected happened.