Dear Journal,
Is journal appropriate for this? Maybe I should call it a diary. Either way, I guess I'll continue to write down the day's events in here as long as they're interesting. And what a terribly eventful day it was.
After a nice long sleep in a real bed, I set off into Las Pegasus to find myself a nice and sturdy cart to bring on my travels. Perhaps then I would be able to actually travel a decent bit without my haunches feeling like putty. Unfortunately, it seems that Brooks was completely and utterly right about Las Pegasus. I must've tread through the entire city looking for anyone who could possibly be selling even the simplest travel cart, without a single bit of luck.
However at least the city was brimming with life, more than I had ever seen in Ponyville. It was filled with performing acts, ponies of awe inspiring talents, and casinos. It was quite a weird place for ponies. Perhaps if there wasn't a place like this, ponies would let out their primal desires elsewhere. A playground for grown stallions and mares it almost seemed, I felt a little guilty just watching the little bits of degeneracy take place around me.
It was near the end of my search when I met a strange young mare. I could hear her speaking from the depths of an alleyway, a grandiose tone drifting into my ears. I slowly peered down the alleyway to see a light blue mare, with a pale mane. I watched her as she was angrily tapping her hoof on a door yelling with an indignant tone.
"Excuse you! You do not shut the door on Trixie! Especially when Trixie is simply asking a question!" She yelped, huffing as she turned and trotted past me and along the street. I trotted after her quickly to catch up, turning my head to face her. I noticed her nose was held up high, and her eyes were practically shut.
"Uhm, excuse me miss, but what was that all about? Are you alright?"
Her eyes flickered open as she stopped and lowered her head slightly, she looked in my general direction. "If you must know, Trixie is stuck in this horrible place." She responded, a rather fierce grimace crossing her face.
"Trixie? Is that a friend of yours?"
"No, I am Trixie." She stated, almost seeming annoyed at having to say it.
"O-Oh well uhm, I'm sure it's not all bad. This place seems quite lively, might I ask what you were looking for?" I pondered the odd way of addressing herself. In an interesting way she reminded me of the more regal Canterlot citizens.
"Trixie was searching for a way out of this place. She cannot find a ride, nor even a simple cart to put all of her things in!"
"A cart? I've been looking for one myself. Did you happen to- Oh wait, you just..." I sighed, and started to hope wherever I ended up at night at least had a patch of grass to lie on.
"The most Trixie could find was oversized stage carts." She snorted in annoyance, almost talking to herself more than me.
It was probably the best words I've ever heard in a sentence together. Found and Cart. Well, technically she said find but I was still rather excited. "Really? What was wrong with them? I'm sure it wasn't because they were too small."
"Trixie will not settle for anything with less than four wheels."
I thought about it for a moment, if I could get my hooves on one... "I think it would be simple enough to modify it. Just add another set of wheels in the front." I continued to imagine what you could do to turn it into a good travel cart, the size was fine enough it just needed to be able to be moved with much more ease. With the size and the wheels taken care of, all that would be left would to make it more homelike.
"Hmm, Trixie thinks this is a fine idea." She said softly, for the first time I felt like she was actually addressing me with her answer rather than speaking it to the wind. "Perhaps Trixie can finally leave this ridiculous city!" She started prancing off immediately, I yelped as I practically had to start chasing after her.
Whether she meant for me to follow or not, I had followed Trixie to an immense theater in the center of Las Pegasus. After winding through the theater filled with showponies, we finally came to a stop in front of a rather lanky stallion. I was about to speak when Trixie stepped in front of me and began speaking herself.
"Ahem! Trixie has reconsidered your deal, and is willing to purchase your excuse for a cart." Trixie announced, the stallion seemed to be confused by the sudden request. "It has come to Trixie's attention that she can simply modify it to fit her needs."
"Huh? Oh, it's you again? Whatever you say missy, it'll be fifty bits then." The stallion responded once he recognized Trixie, rolling his eyes in the middle of the statement.
"Excellent- Wait, Fifty?! That is ridiculous, it's just a cart!"
"Yeah, a cart meant to carry heavy equipment that even most unicorns can't float around. Listen, you gonna buy it or not?"
"Trixie refuses to-!" I blanked out what she was saying, pondering just what I could do... The mare did help me find a cart after nearly a full day of searching for one. I never would have considered even coming to this theater if she didn't lead me there. I gulped a heavy breath of air as I knew what I should do.
I interjected, leaning my head in between the two, "Excuse me, I'll buy it." I looked to my side, seeing Trixie already beginning to huff in air to speak. "Two, I'll buy two. One for me, and one for her." I had already begun siphoning the bits out of my saddlebag. I couldn't help but gulp as I felt the pouch feel considerably lighter from it.
"That's more like it. The carts are all yours girls." He walked off as two other stallions pushed a pair of large, two wheeled carts towards us. I looked towards Trixie and gave a little bit of a smile, and was met with an expression of pure surprise.
"You..." She stammered. I felt like she was a prideful sort, so I didn't let her pride get the best of her.
"I certainly owed you one, I'm not quite sure how long you've been here and I thought I was trapped! I've only been here a day and was losing hope on getting anything, it was the least I could do." I stated quickly, I was almost convinced of my own words.
"Well... Trixie-."
"Don't mention it." I waved quickly before collecting my cart, trotting out with a bit of haste. I looked back at the theater with a sigh, at first I wasn't sure if I was happy or regretting my decision. The odd mare was one I didn't expect a thanks from, nor did I really wish to hear if she didn't appreciate my action.
I lugged the cart back to the inn, only to discover they didn't really have anywhere for me to keep the cart. So, I had to pack up and find somewhere else. The day was coming to a close and I was quickly running out of options, and it finally hit me I'd likely have to camp outside the city while I fixed up the cart to be more proper for traveling. I wasn't exactly looking forward to sleeping on the grass, but I ran into my... acquaintance.
At first all I saw was a campfire, a large lavish tent, and a familiar two wheeled cart. It didn't quite hit me who exactly had set up the camp until I nearly ran into her as I approached!
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't see you there I was uh- Oh, Trixie?"
"Hmph, Trixie did not invite any visitors. There's no- Oh, it's you..." I sensed a bit of distaste to her tone at first, "Despite your lack of manners earlier, and now, Trixie still finds your kindness appreciable."
"Erh..."
"Nevertheless, Trixie still has to modify this poor excuse of a cart. Ideas are a plenty... Everything else, not so much."
"What do you mean?" I asked, suddenly forgetting I didn't exactly have a place to sleep.
"Since you seem to insist." She backpedaled away and lifted a rather shoddy looking wheel with her magic, certainly too small to be fixed properly to the side of the cart. "It was the best Trixie could get her hooves on. Your idea of fixing this mistake of a cart doesn't seem to be as good as Trixie thought."
I rolled my eyes, "Look, I can probably fix it for you as well but, this time it won't be free. I don't have a place to sleep because of my cart and you seem to have enough room in that tent for two."
"Deal." She stated suddenly.
"Listen I- Wait what?"
"Trixie doesn't stoop to such simple work unless absolutely necessary. If such a bargain can be made she will make it."
I rubbed the back of my head, I still wasn't sure what to think of the mare... She did just give me a place to stay, "Alright... I'll take care of the carts, and you tell me what you want with yours. In exchange for a place to sleep while I'm here in Las Pegasus." I offered my hoof to shake on the deal.
"Trixie has already agreed, but if it makes you feel comfortable." She hesitantly placed her hoof on mine and shook.
I'm trying my hardest not to feel a bit awkward, writing about her while she snores next to me. It isn't working... Work starts on the carts tomorrow, I'd best get some sleep.
Dear Diary,
You know, I think I'll skip the intros... Just isn't really my style. Anyways, I am not exactly in the best state of mind after today. It all started once I woke up and headed off into the city to get the supplies to fix up the carts. It was still remarkably early when I noticed a flock of ponies still walking about and talking as if it was still partying time, and it piqued my interest.
"The ponies of this city are always partying. Certainly too out of their heads to notice when a proper act graces their presence." Trixie harrumphed, laying idly in the entrance of her tent while I studied the wheel already affixed to the cart. I was trying to see just how the wheel was attached so I could copy it. After all, the stallion did say they were made to support a lot of weight.
"Really? They must have been at it since before the break of dawn... When would they ever sleep?" I slowly positioned the first wheel against the side of the cart, and began to fix it in as best I could. It certainly was a little more difficult than I originally anticipated, I figured it'd take a bit of trial and error now that I was properly working on it.
"Trixie supposes it's something about the energy of the city." I looked back at her and tilted my head, she didn't seem too focused on the conversation so I continued working without speaking for awhile. I only glanced at Trixie occasionally, who seemed in a more irritable mood than usual.
After a bit, I seemed to have managed fixing the wheel problem with both carts. They rolled smoothly enough, but I quickly learned that was going to be the least of my problems fixing up the carts for travel, as I made the worst mistake I ever could... And asked what Trixie wanted.
"A foldout stage, a fully enclosed roof, doorway, and window."
"What? I can't just-"
"Ahem, Trixie recalls that as long as you are staying at her camp, you are the one fixing the carts." I leaned back, annoyed with what seemed like her taking advantage of my proposition. "Unless of course, you take back your word. Trixie thinks you've done enough work for the night she let you spend."
I decided not to argue, didn't want her to get cold hooves and force me to leave, "Alright, I get it. I'll just need to get more supplies then." I turned and left back into Las Pegasus, trying not to stamp my hooves in the dirt from frustration. I certainly didn't trot straight to get wood from the store, I needed a break from working on the cart... Not to mention I had to think about how I could even make such a cart.
I growled, I wasn't sure how I'd turn a cart into what is essentially a house! I thought about what she wanted and realized I certainly would want that if I was going to be traveling on the road for days, perhaps minus the stage. Her requests seemed rather ridiculous, but after a long walk and a lot of thinking, she was simply unafraid to ask of what she wanted in a long distance cart. It didn't stop me from feeling sour about it though, sour enough to wander straight into a club.
The first thing I noticed was the rhythmic bump of the electric music, I lifted my head as I suddenly realized where I had stumbled into in my thoughtless stupor. I turned to leave and noticed there was even a stallion guarding the door! Did he notice me walk in? Did he let me? I was too busy being pushed deeper into the crowd to really ponder those questions.
"Eep! A-Ah uhm excuse me can-" The crowd roared as the music suddenly got more intense, the feeling of coat against coat, my head swimming in the energy of the crowd, mentally and magically. The longer I stayed the more I wanted to join into the odd chant of ponies, I could feel the unicorns in the crowd freely expelling wild pleasurable magic. I was doomed the moment another tapped horns with mine, he seemed to notice I wasn't connected with the rest of the partying crowd of magically enabled.
It was then I realized one of the truest spirits of Las Pegasus, the euphoria of utter freedom. These ponies were liberated from any responsibilities, and they enjoyed every single moment of it to it's fullest! I'd felt like a rebel many times before in my more risque writings but, I never quite experienced what it felt like to be utterly liberated from law and reason. Soon enough I must've been enjoying myself just as eagerly among the crowd as the rest of them.
Eventually I wandered out with a pack of unicorns, I wasn't quite sure just who was among the crowd, all that mattered was the heavy magical link that kept us liberated from the thoughts of responsibility. We wandered around the city, chatting about anything and everything, commenting on even the color of a wall or the shifty eyes of a nearby pony. The group and I wandered into a show, shuffling in without any admission and watching the wonderful performance. I can't quite remember what it was, but the beautiful and bright colors only furthered my detachment from the world around me.
I must've been wandering for a remarkable amount of hours, simply sightseeing with a completely random group of ponies who had practically abducted me! I must've walked so much in that single day that I covered more ground than I did simply walking to Las Pegasus! I can only imagine that the reason why I could've handled so much of it was from the shared energy of the unicorns. All those wandering packs of ponies made perfect sense to me, and I was enjoying every bit of being part of it!
I finally manged to disconnect from the pack of ponies, by sheer luck I wandered too far to share their energy and the fatigue hit me like a sack of bricks. I groggily wandered back to the camp, I could see the sun rising over the horizon... I was out partying for almost 20 hours! I suppose I managed to answer the question I asked Trixie this morning. There was no sign of Trixie even when I entered the tent, so I figured it safe to write down what I remembered the day's events.
I've started to think about how much I was looking for freedom when I left Ponyville, yet here I've found it in all of it's beautiful glory! The complete feeling of freedom here surely didn't match anywhere else. Perhaps the wanderlust I had was simply a misunderstood feeling of simply wanting to be free of responsibility. I'm much to tired to think about all this junk, I'd best get some sleep.
Hello book of terribly conflicting ideas and thoughts,
Yeah that's a little much... Anyways, Trixie came back after I managed to squeeze in just a few hours of sleep. I wasn't able to settle enough to feel groggy or tired, as Trixie was completely furious. It didn't exactly make for a very comfortable morning.
"Trixie supposes, you were caught in the 'energy' of the city?" She remarked with a small snort, one that you only heard from annoyed ponies. I looked up at her groggily, slowly shifting onto my hooves and rubbing my eyes. I couldn't quite tell how long I was asleep, nor did it really matter once she got close. "Do you know how long Trixie spent looking for you? You foalishly forgot your bits when you went back into the city. Trixie doubts you would forget something so major if you were attempting to abandon her."
"Urgh, Sorry... I really didn't mean to worry you. Perhaps I was just a bit frustrated, and yes I did get a bit roped into the energy of the city." I rubbed my head, then my horn as I pondered just how I let myself get so crazy... Perhaps I need to read over what I scrawled last night, I did wake up with my book in my hooves. "I think the unicorns of the city tend to link up-"
"And share their magic so they can feel free from all their little problems and responsibilities unlike the rest of us." Trixie interrupted, looking rather annoyed before continuing. "Trixie is all too familiar with such a feeling, but it doesn't fix everything. Forgetting such issues doesn't make them go away now does it?" She motioned to the two carts, which now both had a sizable piles of shaped lumber sitting upon them.
"Yes that- Huh?" I shook my head, looking over at the annoyed mare. "Did you know about it? It was... Goodness I don't even really remember much of it." I blushed as I looked over at the carts, I still had responsibility over them. No amount of memory loss and partying would change that, though I was certainly curious about the wood that was piled onto them.
"Trixie once enjoyed the mindless use of time before it ruined her ability to perform. The reason why she came to this city in the first place! Without anywhere to perform, Trixie cannot make her living so she has to leave." She stated quite firmly, it was strangely honest. Albeit in a very egotistical way, she seemed to have a good point. "Now, Trixie has taken the liberty of getting her requests formally planned."
"Huh? Oh, you mean the extra wood?" I tilted my head and fixed my gaze upon Trixie as she trotted close to the carts and pulled several sheets of paper off the top and passed it to me. It was a complex, yet easy to follow guide of how to construct EXACTLY what Trixie wanted with her cart.
"Trixie would have hired his services personally if she had the bits, but she had to settle with simply making sure you could do what was necessary. After your misuse of time yesterday, Trixie assumes you are willing to work extra for lost time?" She huffed, the ego surfacing as her main quality once more.
"Mhm... I suppose It'll be easy now. Planning it out was the hard part anyways." I looked at the carts, giving a slow heavy sigh as I began to follow the steps. I'm a few parts into it now, and I have a feeling this is going to take all day. At least I have some interesting company to share it with.
I don't think I've ever done so much heavy magic lifting in my entire life.
Yeah that feels right. After spending the entire day working on it, I've finally manged to finish constructing the carts. Not just Trixie's either, I worked on both of em at the same time. Though I'd be lying if I said I didn't do Trixie's first to give her the impression I was trying to get hers done first. In reality I figured It'd be best I'd fix mine up after I had done each step once on Trixie's!
"Hmph. It seems Trixie underestimated you." I turned and looked back at the approaching mare, who lit up her horn... I squeaked as the foldout stage suddenly opened up, thankfully it worked exactly as intended! "Trixie is pleased." I was more surprised to see that she had packed up all of her belongings and began to float them into the cart.
"Huh? You're leaving already?" I watched as she slowly piled up her belongings. I shuffled my hooves, realizing I was going to be alone again. It didn't quite hit me until then, Trixie felt more like a business partner than a companion for the entire duration of my stay around her. However, now that she was going away I realized that even such a small company was one I loved to have.
"Trixie did mention she was trying to leave this city, did she not?" She closed up the stage, levitating the metal loop around her waist. "Though, Trixie does feel obligated to allow you this." She floated a little golden slip of paper to me, I took it and looked down at it. "Perhaps if we cross paths again, you can come see the glorious Trixie in her proper state! Trixie is sure you will be in awe at her greatness!"
I simply laughed, I suppose it was her attempt at a kind gesture. I didn't mind it. "Thanks, I'll make sure to keep it." I shuffled my hooves a bit as I giggled, trying not to laugh as I spoke. "I'm sure you can show everyone how great and powerful you are."
"Indeed! Trixie will certainly remember that one." She gave a quick nod, a flourish, then began to trot down the road. I couldn't help but watch until she disappeared behind the landscape.
I turned and entered my own cart, it was quite an odd feeling at first. I was standing in what was mostly my own hard work, and it felt remarkably nice to be inside a set of walls that felt... Like home. I looked at the empty space, already wondering what I could do to fix it up and be more homely. Of course the more comforting things could wait until later, I at least needed a place to lay down! I slipped the ticket into my saddlebags and set them aside, pulling my scarf tight and tucking a modest amount of bits into it's folds as I turned and exited the cart and into the city.
I looked around at the city I must've seen all of at some point, albeit in a magic induced stupor. It was an odd feeling going back in just to purchase a few pillows and a blankets. This was a city of showponies, of freedom, an adult pony playground... But like anything that draws us away from responsibility, it often did more harm than good to indulge in it heavily. With a clear head, I realized I probably was a bit more responsible than other ponies who came here to escape their troubles! Who knows how many ponies wandered here for a quick relaxation adventure, and ended up spending more days than anticipated.
I settled back into my cart, and not even the lavish tent compared to the feeling of being inside this cart. It reminded me of the night I spent in Brooks' cart, a wonderfully comfy night I certainly had there. I finally had a moment to stop and recollect all of this into the book. Perhaps I'll keep this up, just for fun if anything.
I'll wave goodbye to Las Pegasus in the morning, south seems like a good direction to head. Maybe I'll take a break from all this big city stuff and visit a farm marked on the map. There's sure to be a friendly face in those lovely places, not to mention the land! I'm sure it's a beautiful place, lush with wildlife and crops.