Tales Of Friendship

by Bluecatcinema


A Rocky Past

The self-proclaimed "Great and Powerful" Trixie had returned to Ponyville. She had parked her wagon in a nice open spot, and was walking through town.

As she walked, she took a deep breath, savoring the small town air. Not too long ago, Trixie considered Ponyville to be the setting for a lot of unpleasant (and embarrassing) memories. But after she had made her first and best friend there, the town occupied a far warmer place in her heart.

"Trixie!"

Trixie turned, and saw Starlight Glimmer sitting at the local cafe, waving at her.

"Hi, Starlight!" Trixie smiled, walking over to her. "Now this is a pleasant surprise. I thought I'd have to walk all the way over to Twilight's castle to see you. Not that I don't think you're worth the effort, or anything..."

"It's good to see you too, Trix." Starlight grinned.

"So, how have things been since my last visit?" Trixie asked. "Anything exciting happen?"

"Well, there haven't been any rampages due to ponies being infected by my repressed anger recently." Starlight joked.

"So in other words, nice and boring." Trixie chuckled.

"Yep." Starlight nodded. "But I did get to make a new friend recently."

"Oh, did you now?" Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I sure did." Starlight beamed. "And she is really great. Like nopony I've ever met before."

"She sounds wonderful..." Trixie pouted.

"Don't get jealous, Trix." Starlight picked up on her friend's attitude. "You're still my best friend. No matter how many new friends I make, that will never change. Nopony can ever take your place."

"I am quite unique, aren't I?" Trixie nodded proudly. "But, just out of curiosity, what is this 'really great' new friend of yours like?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Starlight declared. "She's meeting me here for lunch. She should be here any minute now." She looked around. "Hey, here she comes!"

Trixie looked in the direction Starlight was pointing at, and suddenly froze in place, as a gray-colored, purple-maned Earth Pony in a blue dress approached the cafe. Her face set itself into a speechless scowl as the mare drew closer.

"Hello, Starlight." Maud Pie said in her usual monotone as she joined them at the table.

"Hi, Maud." Starlight smiled. "Glad you could make it." She pointed a hoof toward Trixie. "I'd like you to meet-"

"You!" Trixie, finally finding her voice, gasped dramatically.

"Oh, hello." Maud declared. "Long time, no see."

"Wait, you know each other?" Starlight frowned. "Seriously? Have all my friends already met before?"

"I wouldn't say we 'know' each other exactly." Maud replied. "We did make each other's acquaintance some time ago."

"Really? When?" Starlight asked.

"It was a short while after my first visit to Ponyville." Trixie admitted. "The... let's say, unfortunate events there, led to my performing career going downhill. Things got so bad, I was forced to work at a rock farm to make ends meet. Specifically, the rock farm belonging to Maud's family..."

Flashback...

In the middle of the Pie family rock form, Trixie, holding a pickax in the grip of her magic, was tapping away at a medium-sized rock.

"This is ridiculous." She muttered bitterly. "I am the Great and Powerful Trixie. I should be astounding ponies all over Equestria with my amazing feats of magic, not breaking rocks for some unfathomable reason..."

"Excuse me?"

"Ahh!" Trixie yelped, almost dropping the pickax. She turned around, seeing Maud standing before her.

"Sorry." Maud said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie was not scared." Trixie lied. "You just... startled me."

"I didn't mean to startle you, either." Maud replied.

"Then why did you decide to sneak up on me like that?" Trixie growled. "Not to mention waste my time with apologies. I'm not standing in this field just for my health, you know. I'm working here."

"I know." Maud nodded her head ever so slightly. "This is my family's rock farm."

"Really?" Trixie frowned. "I haven't noticed you around much."

"I've been away, studying for my Rocktorate degree." Maud admitted. "I found myself with a little free time, and thought I'd drop by for a visit. It's been a while since I last saw my family, and I really do miss them."

"...Right." Trixie said awkwardly, acknowledging that Maud's expression hadn't changed at all throughout their conversation. "So... the reason for your interrupting my work?"

"I just wanted to point out that your rock-breaking technique is flawed." Maud declared.

"'Technique'?" Trixie frowned. "You hit the rock with a pickax!" She demonstrated her point by striking the rock, causing a small piece to break off. "That's all there is to it!"

"Actually, it's not." Maud retorted. "May I?"

"By all means." Trixie scoffed, passing her the pickax.

Maud take the handle in her mouth, and struck the rock with what seemed like little force at all, causing it to break cleanly in half.

"What the..." Trixie gaped. "I've been trying to do that for the last five minutes!"

"I told you, your technique was flawed." Maud announced. "It's far more efficient to strike the rock at a fifty-five degree angle. It allows for a cleaner break, with little waste fragments. The way you were going, we would have lost some valuable mass with each broken rock."

"Oh, would we?" Trixie sneered. "What a shame that would be!"

"Don't take it so hard." Maud told her, seemingly incapable of acknowledging Trixie's sarcasm. "It's a common rookie mistake." She turned in the direction of the farmhouse. "I should get going now. Keep practicing. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it sooner or later."

As Maud walked away, Trixie seethed.

"Who does she think she is?" She scowled. "Telling me I'm making a mistake? The Great and Powerful Trixie does not make mistakes!" She swung her pickax at another rock, causing it to shatter into pieces. "Grrr!" She roared. "This job was already bad enough. No way I'm going to keep working here if little miss 'fifty-five degrees' is going to be criticizing my 'technique. I've got to get out of here, and soon..."

Trixie struck another rock in frustration, almost unable to believe her already-unbearable situation had actually gotten worse. Once she got her payment for the week's work, she intended to get out of the rock farm as quickly as possible. After all, she had more pressing matters to attend to...

The present...

"And that's what happened." Trixie finished her story. "I was just standing there, minding my business, when she decided to criticize my work, acting like she was so much better than me!"

"I'm sure Maud meant no offense." Starlight said awkwardly. "Right, Maud?"

"Of course not." Maud agreed. "I was just trying to help you improve your rock-breaking technique."

"I don't seem to recall asking for help." Trixie pouted.

"A pony doesn't need to ask for help for you to provide it." Maud replied.

"Well, you just know everything, don't you?" Trixie growled.

"Not everything." Maud replied. "I am highly knowledgeable about geology, though."

"Gee, I wonder why?" Trixie said flatly.

"Probably because I grew up on a rock farm." Maud said matter-of-factly.

Trixie gritted her teeth in annoyance, her eye twitching.

"Here's an idea: why don't we all let bygones be bygones?" Starlight offered, eager to defuse the tension.

"Of course." Trixie nodded. "Just as soon as Maud apologizes for being such an insufferable know-it-all?"

"I never claimed to know everything." Maud declared. "I don't anypony can."

"It's an expression, you monotone-!" Trixie snarled.

"Okay!" Starlight laughed nervously as she pulled Trixie aside. "Maud, could you excuse us for a minute?"

"Of course." Maud nodded. "I'll go get us all some drinks while you two are talking."

"Thanks." Starlight smiled brightly. The second Maud was out of earshot, she rounded on Trixie, her smile becoming a frown. "Trixie, would it really be so hard to try to be nice to Maud?"

"Maybe if she had been nice to me first..." Trixie muttered.

"So you're going to let a bad first impression keep you from being civil with her?" Starlight asked.

"The second impression wasn't so great either." Trixie scowled. "How can you possibly be friends with a pony like that? She's so, so..."

"Weird?" Starlight offered.

"Yes!" Trixie nodded.

"I know Maud can be a little... Eccentric." Starlight admitted. "But she's also fun, and accepting, and, well... Unique. Like I said, I've never known a pony like her."

"On that much, we agree." Trixie scoffed. "And I, for one, couldn't be happier about that."

"Knock it off, Trixie." Starlight scowled. "I mean it. I don't want to hear you insulting Maud, or trying to pick a fight with her, okay?"

"Oh, I see how it is." Trixie frowned. "You've got yourself a new friend, and suddenly, I don't matter to you the way I did before."

"That's not true." Starlight retorted. "You're still my best friend, Trixie. But Maud's my friend too. I know you have... History, but can't you just leave that in the past, and try to get along with her? For me, your best friend?"

"...Ugh, fine." Trixie groaned. "I'll try."

"Great." Starlight beamed. "You never know, maybe once you get to know her, you'll start to like her."

"Stranger things have happened..." Trixie put on a forced smile... which instantly faded the second Starlight turned away. "I wouldn't bet on it, though." She added under her breath.

They returned to the table, where Maud had, true to her word, gotten them some hay smoothies.

"Hey, look, Trix." Starlight pointed. "Hay smoothies, your favorite!"

"Great..." Trixie sighed, as she reached for one of the cups.

"That one's mine, actually." Maud pulled it away. "Special order. Extra pebbles."

"My, what... unique tastes you have." Trixie cringed, grabbing another cup. "Must come from growing up on the old rock farm."

"You eat what nature provides you." Maud declared, taking a sip.

"Somehow, I doubt most ponies would be willing to go that far..." Trixie mumbled, drinking from her own smoothie.

"Isn't this nice?" Starlight spoke up. "Three friends, hanging out together, having a good time?"

"Yes." Trixie said through a fake smile. "It's just wonderful."

"It is a nice way to spend the day." Maud agreed.

"And you know what else friends do?" Starlight continued. "They share their interests with each other." She caught Trixie's eye, and inclined her head in Maud's direction.

Trixie rolled her eyes, then reluctantly started speaking.

"So, Maud... other than rocks, what are you interested in?" Trixie asked.

"Minerals, plate tectonics, soil samples..." Maud reeled off.

Trixie looked less and less interested with every subject Maud brought up.

"And stand-up comedy!" Starlight interrupted. "Maud is really funny!"

"She is?" Trixie frowned.

"Go ahead, Maud." Starlight urged. "Show her!"

"Okay." Maud nodded. "Why was the geologist so happy to find an extra layer of foliation?"

"...Huh?" Trixie gaped.

"Because it was twice as gneiss." Maud delivered the punchline in her best deadpan.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Starlight chuckled. "Good one, Maud!"

"It... was?" Trixie asked, utterly lost.

"Yeah, because gneiss is a type of metamorphic rock." Starlight explained. "And it's usually foliated."

"And I was supposed to know that... how, exactly?" Trixie frowned.

"Those are very well-known facts in the field of geology." Maud pointed out.

"Of course." Trixie rolled her eyes. "Should've known you'd use rock-based comedy..."

"In my defense, it is a very expansive field." Maud replied "Lots of useful joke material to... dig up there."

Starlight giggled lightly.

"Yes, hilarious." Trixie scoffed.

"How about you tell Maud a little about your interests, Trix?" Starlight suggested.

"Finally, something I can work with." Trixie grinned. "Well, Ms. Pie, between your 'Rocktorate' studies and the stopgap career I found myself in when we met, you probably wouldn't know this, but I happen to be the most skilled and talented magician in all of Equestria: the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

"Magician?" Maud asked. "As in, stage magic?"

"That's right." Trixie nodded proudly. "And if you were to ask Trixie nicely, perhaps she could be convinced to take you over to her wagon and show off a few of her best tricks."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass." Maud declared.

"Excuse me?" Trixie frowned.

"I'm not really a fan of stage magic." Maud admitted. "Illusions, sleight of hoof... it's all so fake."

"Fake?!" Trixie spluttered.

"No offense, but I prefer subjects more grounded in reality." Maud sated. "...No pun intended."

"How dare you?!" Trixie growled.

"Trixie, calm down-" Starlight started.

"No, I will not calm down!" Trixie yelled. "Bad enough she tried to tell me how to break a rock, but to look me in the eye and bad-mouth my profession-!"

"I wasn't bad-mouthing it." Maud stated. "I was just speaking the truth. Illusion is, by definition, fake."

"There you go again, correcting me!" Trixie scowled. "Making it look like you're so much smarter than me, so much better!"

"I never said-" Maud started.

"Well, you're not." Trixie said coldly. "I am the Great and Powerful Trixie, and you are some country bumpkin who plays with rocks!"

"Trixie, that's enough!" Starlight yelled. "Leave Maud alone!"

"Y-you're taking her side?" Trixie gaped. "Even though she's been looking down her nose at me this whole time?"

"No, she hasn't." Starlight said coldly. "That was you. You've been looking down at her, all because of some stupid, petty grudge."

Trixie gasped, dismayed. Then her face took on a look of anger once again.

"I knew it." She scowled. "I knew you'd take her side."

"It's not like you've given me much of a choice!" Starlight retorted.

"Well, maybe I should just leave you and your new bestie alone." Trixie growled.

"Maybe you should." Starlight agreed. "Come back when you're ready to talk to Maud like a civilized pony!"

"If that's what you're counting on, you'll be waiting a long time!" Trixie yelled.

Stopping only to throw her half-full smoothie cup into the trash, Trixie stomped her way out of the cafe.

"Unbelievable." Starlight scowled. "I ask her to do one little thing, as a friend, and look what happened..." She turned to face Maud. "I'm sorry about that, Maud."

"It's okay." Maud said fairly. "But I really think you should go after her."

"What?!" Starlight frowned.

"You and I both know I have trouble expressing myself around other ponies." Maud declared. "To some ponies, I probably come off as kind of a know-it-all, or an aloof snob. But it can't be helped. Not everypony can understand me like you can. You shouldn't hold that against Trixie."

"I... guess you're right." Starlight admitted.

"And she is your best friend, isn't she?" Maud prompted.

"Yeah, she is." Starlight nodded.

"Then you should go find her, and talk this out." Maud urged. "As your friend, the last thing I want is to cost you another."

"Thanks, Maud." Starlight smiled.

"Anytime." Maud gave her one of her small smiles.

Starlight trotted off into town. She had a pretty good idea of where Trixie might have gone: her wagon. And, as expected, she found Trixie leaning against its side, looking deeply depressed.

"...Hey, Trixie." Starlight said tentatively.

"Oh, look who it is." Trixie said bitterly. "I'm surprised you could tear yourself away from your new BFF."

"Maud isn't my best friend." Starlight corrected her. "You are."

"Really?" Trixie scowled. "It didn't seem like that earlier."

"I know things got... heated back there." Starlight admitted. "But I was only defending Maud, the way I'd defend you if somepony treated you that way."

"Somepony was treating me that way." Trixie snorted.

"I know Maud can sound like she thinks she's smarter than others, but that's really the last thing she'd think of somepony." Starlight declared. "She can't really express herself like most ponies. But she never means to hurt anypony's feelings. In fact, she was the one who convinced me to come find you."

"She was?" Trixie frowned, surprised.

"That's right." Starlight nodded. "Because she didn't want me to lose my best friend."

Trixie stared at her hooves, suddenly full of regret.

"...How can you still call me your best friend after all that?" She sighed.

"Remember what you once said to me?" Starlight prompted. "Our friendship is stronger than a few angry words." She held out a hoof. "And it always will be."

Smiling, Trixie accepted Starlight's hoof, and was pulled into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry for the way I've been acting." Trixie apologized. "You were right. I let some silly little grudge cloud my judgment. And not for the first time, either..."

"I'm sorry, too." Starlight sighed. " I shouldn't have tried to force you to be friends with Maud. I just wanted you to get along."

"I know." Trixie smiled, as they broke the hug. "And I want that too. But the fact we don't share much in the way of interests is a problem."

"Yeah, it is..." Starlight admitted. She was then struck by inspiration. "But I do have a one idea we could try..."

"Whatever it is, I'm willing to give it a shot." Trixie pledged. "What are best friends for, after all?"

A short while later, Starlight, Trixie and Maud were standing on one of the hills outside Ponyville, flying kites. Starlight had her box kite, Maud had her rock-patterned kite, and Trixie was flying a glittery kite which shared the same colors as her cape.

"Behold!" Trixie said loudly. "The Great and Powerful Trixie's great and aerodynamic kite soars through the skies like a majestic falcon!"

"Way to go, Trix!" Starlight cheered.

"You're really good at this." Maud noted. "I'm still a beginner, myself."

"Well, fret not, Ms. Pie." Trixie grinned. "I'd be perfectly willing to give you a few friendly pointers regarding proper kite-flying technique."

"I'd like that." Maud smiled.

Trixie was momentarily taken aback by Maud's smile, having never seen her change expression before. She quickly recovered, though.

"It's the least I can do, after the little... sustained misunderstanding." She smiled back. "I apologize again for all that ugly business at the cafe."

"That's okay." Maud nodded. "It happens more often than you'd think. Makes me glad I have a friend like Starlight."

"On that, we agree." Trixie chuckled.

Starlight looked away from her own kite to savor the sight of her two friends getting along.

'This could be the start of a beautiful friendship...' She thought hopefully.