Jot Day -3
With a raucous laugh, Jot stumbled out of the bar.
Trixie followed him half a beat later, with an apologetic glance to the annoyed bouncer, before trotting to catch up with him. He winked at her goofily as she caught up, and they began to giggle and chat. The two had become fast friends - both enjoying the same sort of impish humor best enjoyed over an intoxicating beverage with salubrious cheer.
A quiet stall near the back of the establishment had been their refuge for the evening, and the clumsy awkwardness of their earlier conversations quickly became a relic of the time before ‘the incident,’ as the two had taken to calling it.
Throughout the peaceful night, with Trixie sipping on rose wine and Jot nursing a dry scotch, it only took a joking impression of any of the three ponies who’d assaulted them earlier, and their ignominious defeat, to set the couple to laughing loudly with mirth.
Now, as they took a step into the warm Manehattan summer night, the atmosphere seemed a bit more subdued, a little more… intimate.
“You don’t have to walk me back to my wagon if you’re headed in another direction, Jot.” Trixie smiled.
Jot grinned back. “Naw — it’s right on the way to my place.”
“Really?” Trixie arched an eyebrow at him.
Jot sighed, hanging his head playfully. “Well… no, but I wouldn’t mind escorting you back.”
“As if the great and powerful Trixie needs an escort!” Trixie grinned and winked at him. “Let’s not forget whose plot was plucked out of a magical suspension field!”
Jot laughed and shrugged his shoulders. “Alright, call it a guide service then!” Jot blushed a bit as he looked at the blue unicorn, her silvery mane sparkling in the streetlamps of the Manehattan night. “I’d… like to chat more.”
Jot watched as Trixie’s face melted slightly, that dopey-happy grin that he loved to see on her flickering across her features for just a moment before it resumed the facade of a haughty showmare. “W-well… I’ll allow it…” Trixie held her chin up for half a moment before looking down at her hooves with a blush. “I guess I’m enjoying chatting with you too…”
The two began to trot along, comfortably close to one another that Jot could feel Trixie’s tail hairs brushing his back legs from time to time, could smell the lavender scent of her perfume, could hear the little breaths she took.
“S-so…” Trixie coughed. “I-is there a Mrs. Bawdy?”
Jot choked out a scoff. “Not hardly. Nope! It’s the bachelor life for me.”
“Why have you given up so quickly!?” Trixie cocked her head to one side. “Trixie would have thought a handsome, strong stallion like you would have been snapped up by a mare by now!”
Jot felt a bubbling glee deep inside him. ‘She thinks you’re handsome!’ That statement alone would make tonight a good night. “Well, I have to admit I’m a bit of a curmudgeon — long hours working… not the most active pony when it comes to social events.” Jot sighed. “...and of course I’m a hopeless buffoon when it comes to such things. But what about you? How come the most famous showmare in Equestria doesn’t have a bunch of A-list celebrity ponies wrapped around her hoof?”
“Who says the great and powerful Trixie doesn’t?” Trixie sniffed, flicking her head such that her mane spilled gorgeously over her left shoulder. Jot had started to get used to this act — it seemed to be Trixie’s goto response whenever a question was asked of her — put on that prideful, showmare front; even though it was about as thin as a piece of paper. It was cute.
Trixie blushed and coughed into her hoof. “I just… my show takes up too much of my time.” And even cuter when that facade cracked.
“Yeah, work work work.” Jot sighed, scratching his beard while wistfully looking up at the moon. “I hear that… used to be, that was enough for me — along with friends and family.”
Trixie shivered next to him. The movement caught Jot’s eye, but before he could say a word, Trixie cut in. “Trixie…. I don’t need those… my show is all I need.”
“Ah…” Jot mumbled. “You don’t get a chance to see your folks much?”
“I… I never met my father,” Trixie whispered, staring up at the moon herself. “My mother… she’s amazing of course… and I love her dearly, but I… I find it hard to go visit her in Fillydelphia.”
“Why’s that, if you don’t mind me asking?” Jot tilted his head.
“More research for that ‘article’ of yours?” She caught his eye and arched an eyebrow at him playfully.
The implication suddenly rushed back to Jot — he was a reporter after all. Trixie might think that he was trying to dig up dirt on her! His eyes widened slightly and he quickly waved a hoof at her to ward off the accusation. “No no! I… nothing for an article, it’s all off the record… not even background information, honest! I’m just interested.”
“Hmm?” Trixie grinned. “And why would you be interested, if not for a story?”
Jot swallowed nervously. He could feel his heart beating in his chest. “W-well… you’re an interesting pony, Trixie. I want to know more about you.” Even as his mumbles came out of his mouth, he felt like a complete idiot. He physically chewed the inside of his cheek as he regretted everything he’d said so far.
But the words seemed to have a different effect. Trixie blushed and coughed herself, before again proudly tapping her chest. “Well… of course you would want to know more about Trixie!” The bravado lasted only a moment, as per usual, her shoulders sagging. “But in reality… I haven’t seen my mother since that… amulet incident…”
Jot blinked. The Ponyville alicorn amulet debacle had been years ago now.
“Don’t get Trixie wrong!” She hurriedly went on. “I’ve had plenty of correspondence; I call her every other week or so! I just… I always find a way to be on tour around the holidays.”
“Why?” Jot couldn’t help but ask.
“Why do you think?”
“But… that was so long ago. And everypony knows that the amulet was cursed — it wasn’t even your fault. It—"
Trixie harumphed, her tail flicking with annoyance. “It was my fault. I was stupid.” She shook her head. “I appreciate you trying to be nice about it, just like Starlight and Twilight and all her friends… but I knew the amulet was cursed. I thought I could use it... responsibly... to show Twilight just how special I was...”
“That’s what I mean — it wasn’t like the first mistake makes you culpable for all the ones that followed!”
“Is that what they tell drunk drivers after they’ve killed somepony? That the mistake of getting behind the wheel doesn’t make them responsible for what happened after?” Trixie shook her head somberly. “I’m just lucky nopony was hurt. I had the power of an alicorn and was... a complete, evil… bitch.”
Jot closed his mouth. He’d never thought of it that way before. Had never even heard anypony else make that argument. Most of the ponies who didn’t like Trixie were convinced that she was evil incarnate, or had her head so far up her plot that she was beyond saving. He would never have thought that the Trixie-opponent with the most rational arguments against her would have been… Trixie.
“But you saved Equestria — you rescued all of the Princesses from the second changeling invasion! Your mother should be proud of that!” Jot pointed out. “And everypony makes mis—"
“I know.” Trixie sighed. “I just… it’s hard to go back and face my mom. I know… I know she wanted so much more for me.”
Jot nodded thoughtfully. “They always do, don’t they? Career, health, happiness… it’s not enough - gotta find that marefriend...”
“...get hitched to a nice stallion and start popping out foals…” Trixie agreed with a sigh.
“I used to roll my eyes at the regular lecture I’d get from my mom about settling down…”
“The crazy thing is… I think I’m starting to understand why they were going on about it…”Trixie smiled up at the moon.
“Yeah,” Jot said, following her gaze, looking through the silvery leaves of Manehattan’s Central Park trees at the crescent-shaped sliver. “I have to say, coming home to an empty apartment after a long day of work… it just isn’t cutting it anymore.”
“Heh. You should try a wagon.” Trixie glanced at him. “You don’t even get to know your neighbors.”
“Maybe we should get cats. I hear being a crazy cat pony is the next step in being a hopeless loner.” Jot snarked.
“Hee hee!” Trixie shook her head. “I’m more of a dog pony.”
“Oh me too, a nice beagle… or a retriever.”
“No, no, no.” Trixie shook her head. “It has to be a dalmatian, she would make such a great assistant for the show.”
“Well you can have the dalmatian, I’ll get the beagle.” Jot smiled. “It would be so nice to have something to come home to…”
“...someone who is always there for you.”
Jot nodded. He felt Trixie shift her walk slightly toward him, bringing their bodies into contact. Just the warmth of her fur against his was an alien feeling — it had been so long since he’d been so close to somepony.
It was nice.
He wanted to lift his left wing, extending it over Trixie’s back and draw her in closer… but he worried that was a step too far. Everything else could still be in the realm of platonic friendship, but doing that would be like grabbing her hoof: it was pretty definitive. In any case, the last thing he wanted to do was to ruin this perfect moment… under the stars.
Out of the darkness, Trixie’s blue and purple wagon came into sight. He felt his back stiffen with alarm — the critical moment was approaching. Next to him, he could feel Trixie quiver as well. Was she thinking the same thing? What did that mean? What should he do!?
The thoughts raced through his mind as the pair reached the bottom of the small wooden stairs to her home. Agonizingly, she pulled away from him. He was focusing on the area where they’d been touching so intently that he could feel pins and needles from his skin where she’d left him.
“Well…” Jot began a hoof reaching up to scratch the back of his mane.
“W-would… you… like to come in?” Trixie asked, unlocking her door and looking hopefully over her shoulder with a blush.
Fireworks exploded in Jot’s mind.
‘She… she wants me to come in! She wants me!’
Thoughts raced as he considered everything that might imply — his mind strained to remember every technique he’d ever learned, dusting off old memories of the few romps he’d had, what felt like years ago. Sweat appeared on his brow.
Trixie blushed slightly and covered her mouth with a hoof. “N-not l-like that! The g-g-great and powerful Tr-Trixie was inviting you in for a cup of tea is all!”
Jot blinked, his face turning crimson as he realized how he might have misinterpreted her invite. “O-oh! Y-yeah… what did you think I was thinking?”
Now it was Trixie’s turn to go beet red. “N-nothing! I… Trixie was just worried you might think that Trixie was trying to hit on you… I wouldn’t!”
“Oh.” Jot sagged.
“I mean — I would.” Trixie groaned. “But y-you’re probably not interested in… I mean… Trixie is not the kind of pony to do… that… on the first date.”
“Date?” Jot blinked. He watched as Trixie melted into a pile of confused pony, even worse than he’d been just moments earlier.
“Err… uh, the Great and Powerful… you see…”
She fell silent — the both of them standing there in the moonlight, blushing and staring at the ground between them.
“I-I’ll go…” She turned around.
Something inside him, perhaps a spark of Princess-intervention, compelled him. Every bone in his body wanted to reach out to the blue unicorn who looked so sad as she turned away from him toward her lonely wagon — and thankfully, something made him move.
“T-Trixie!” He stepped forward, just as the mare turned back at his cry.
He extended his forelegs in a swift movement, grasping her around the body just as she finished her half-turn, wrapping her in a tight hug. He felt his wings flutter and extend naturally, wrapping around her body instinctively, pulling her closer to him.
For a terrifying moment, he felt nothing in return, just the press of her warm fur against his, her muscles coiled in anxiety. Then he heard it.
A delighted sigh.
She melted in his forelegs, her hooves extending up as she pressed back against him, hugging him back under his wings. A rumbling little coo could be felt, as much as heard. Her muzzle carefully pressed underneath his chin, careful not to poke him with her horn.
It was incredible.
The sensation of being held by her — the sensation of holding. Of being so close. The affection of her nose against his neck. The pounding of his heart — and the pounding of hers… the little squeezes they traded.
He didn’t want to even breathe. He was worried if he did anything it might break the spell, wake him from the dream… it all felt so surreal. Only a week ago he’d never even spoken to her, and now he was embracing her!
“Mmmm… th-thank you Jot.” Trixie’s muffled voice came from below him.
“Trixie… I-I had a great time tonight.”
“I… I understand.” Trixie glanced up at him. Jot was surprised to see what looked like watery tears forming in her big, violet eyes.
“N-no! I…” Jot chuckled. “I want to see you again… tomorrow! I understand if you don’t do, uh… that… on the first date… but I really like spending time with you.”
Trixie sniffed slightly, a small smile starting to form on her face. “Y-you d-do?”
“Yes!”
Trixie’s eyes blinked, her grin becoming warmer. “Trixie also… I also like spending time with you.”
For some reason, Jot couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe his heart was just too full. But it was infectious, and soon Trixie was laughing too.
“We’re both just a couple of clods, aren’t we…?” Jot grinned, his laugh subsiding.
“Mmm-hmm…” She blinked, stared intensely at him, then began to close her eyes, and lean forward.
Jot felt his heart stop.
And at that moment, possibly due to the intervention of an evil princess or chaos god, his courage failed him. He coughed and stepped backward, releasing the embrace.
“I… I w-wouldn’t, want to make you break your rule…” Jot blushed, kicking the dirt at his hooves, bashfully. It didn’t help. He still felt like he’d let her down. “S-sorry.”
Trixie coughed, blushing herself and shaking her head. “We really are hopeless, aren’t we?” She laughed derisively at herself, then opened her door.
“So… tomorrow — can I take you to dinner?” Jot asked, smiling hopefully.
“Oh… of course not.” Trixie grinned.
“W-what?” Jot felt his wings sag slightly.
“I may not do anything on the first date.” Trixie chuckled as she walked into her wagon, flicking her tail seductively. “But the great and powerful Trixie has no qualms about taking charge for the second date…” She looked over her shoulder with a seductive smile. “Trixie will be choosing the nature of our second date, Mr. Bawdy Jot. And she intends to order in.”
Jot felt a flush overtake him, rushing through his face and boy… images and thoughts of the wild night that Trixie was preparing for him danced through his head. He found himself tucking his tail against his body as much as possible to avoid embarrassing himself, before swallowing heavily.
Trixie chuckled at his response, covering her mouth with her hoof. “Cute, Jot. But don’t worry — Trixie will take care of everything. Get lots of rest tonight!” She winked at him, closing the door.
Jot took a deep breath. Air rushed into his lungs for what felt like the first time in minutes, hours, days. He felt a trembling excitement coursing through him, shaking through his muscle fibers as he strained to deal with the adrenaline in his veins.
He crouched down then sprung up in a mighty jump, wings extending as he took off into the night sky, pumping a forehoof in triumph as he cried, exuberantly: “Yahoo!”