//------------------------------// // Ch. 6 - Food reunion // Story: The Great and Delicate Trixie // by DogSomeOre //------------------------------// "Phewie! Another hard workin' day on the field ay Anon?" Applejacks voice rings out in satisfaction as another long winded day roles around. "Man I'll say, just happy to finally have a couple days off, what have we been going on now six days?" "Yah six days on the count. You should be used to this by now Anon, work's good for you ya know, gives you some exercise to workout yer body." Applejack says to you trying bring light to what is in your mind, an exhausting position. "Eyup." Her big brother says with an agreeable tone. "If you guys say so, at any rate I'm tired as can be so I'm gonna "hit the hay." Applejack gives you an unsatisfactory look as your pun didn't really seem to be as funny as it was in your head. "You know because horses eat.... ok I'm going now." Turning away, you walk toward your home before Applejack hesitantly calls for your name. "Wait Anon before ya go." "Yeah what's up?" "Well I hate to ask ya this as I know you really been wantin' some days off and all but.... Ah celery sticks I'll just say it, there's been an unexpected order coming from afar and was really wonderin' if you could run up these apples to this customer in the next couple'a days." Distraught flows through your body after hearing her words. "Wait really? I mean with all due respect AJ why can't you or Big Mac do this?" "Ya I thought you'd ask that. Truth is Anon winter's comin' soon and me and Mac over here gotta get as many apples off these trees before that happens and uh well..." "I get it, you guys can get all the apples off the trees faster because you can buck them right?" "Sorry Anon, I really feel bad about doin' this to ya but just know we won't skip out on an extra day of pay for this." "It's fine AJ. When do you want me to deliver them by?" "They say they'll be expectin' them in the next couple of days so preferably tomorrow?" "Wait, the next couple of days? This pony lives in Ponyvile though right?" She stays silent and looks off to the side scratching behind her neck with a hoof. Something tells you this won't be a quick and easy deal. "*Sigh* well let's just hope they pay good." "Oh they will trust me." The orange mare reassures you as you call it for the day and go to bed before coming back to the farm tomorrow. The next day roles around and you get up from your bed reluctantly knowing what you need to do today. "Would've been really nice to have the day off today." You think to yourself as you lazily put yourself together and head out the door for the day ahead. "Canterlot?! You want me to go all the way to Canterlot?!" You say loud with surprise and confusion in your voice. "I know it's not the best of circumstances Anon and frankly we rarely get any orders outside of Ponyvile. I promise you though since this is a special delivery you'll get a nice sum of payment for yer troubles." You take a deep breath and pull yourself together before speaking. "Alright AJ, don't know how long I'll be gone for so expect me to show back up with the bits in a couple days." "Ya I'm expectin' that, and thank you again Anon, I know you really been wantin' yer days off and believe me after this there won't be a lot of work to do back at the farm. Me and Mac will gather as many apples as we can before winter comes and after that who knows how long it'll take for the trees to grow more." You both say your goodbyes and walk out of the farm. Your next stop is Canterlot and you have a feeling this isn't going to be an ordinary delivery. -------*------- Scenery of grass, trees, and animals alike fly by as soon as you're able to catch a glimpse. An engine roars loudly as the wheels under it tread like a speeding bullet. It's been a couple hours since you first got on the train ride from Ponyvile to Canterlot and nothing too exciting has came from it either. You sit by yourself on a seat by a window, it doesn't seem like to many ponies got on as train station was almost vacant as far as you could see. Sure there were couples and families waiting for the train with you but not nearly as much as you thought there would be going to a place as fancy and luxurious as Canterlot. Honestly you can't stand these entitled rich ponies who think their flank don't stink which is a reason you loathe traveling here in the first place. Well that and of course your supposed days off weren't days off after all and are instead overtime. You think to yourself that you can't blame AJ for this, it's not her fault some weirdo put an order all the way in Ponyvile. If anything, you just find it strange that somepony who lives in such a high class place such as Canterlot would want anything to do with Ponyvile, especially from a "no good lower class earth pony" or that's how you think they see any creature that doesn't have a horn atop their head anyway. The train slows down as the next stop is approaching. You pick up the basket full of apples and head toward the exiting area. Off the train you can see tall buildings made from fancy material you don't quite know of and crowds of ponies walking to and fro different locations. Contemplating what your next move should be you finally decide to book in a hotel close enough from where the train station is. "The Stallion's and Mare's inn" Is marked on a big colorful sign in front of a tall building. You head inside and make arrangements to get a room. The stallion working explains to you all sorts of things you can do in Canterlot but you honestly couldn't care enough to listen. The stallion hands over keys to a room on the second floor. After going in and settling down in your room, you decide to find the customer who wants these apples and give him or her their order as soon as you can. Though it was quite a distance away you find the pony's house and knock a couple times on their door. Opening it, you see an elder mare who graciously accepts the apples and offers to give you a tip in the process. You decline even though she insists but end up taking the extra cash anyway because you were pretty sure you weren't going to be able to leave without finally just accepting it anyway. Leaving the premises, you decide to find a place to eat before you head back to your own room. You haven't eaten all day and your stomach feels like a bottomless pit. -------*------- Trixie sits in an almost empty restaurant that she used to frequent a lot back when she was a little filly. Decorations hang high and the atmosphere rushes back to her like a wave of nostalgia. Her parents would take her here sometimes and it was one of the best experiences she had as a little girl. She didn't have a lot of good memories of her parents but I guess it's why this place is so special to her. Spending time with her mom and dad actually made her feel loved and wanted. *Ring ding* The opening of the door hits the bell with an old familiar chime that Trixie is oh so used to. She looks up from her daydreaming and reminiscing to see a strange, tall creature emerge from the doors. "Is that." Trixie is completely dumbfounded to see who she believes to be someone she'd never think of seeing again. "Anon." She says with the words almost escaping instinctively as if she can't believe what she's seeing. Just as quickly as she says it he looks over to the direction where he heard his name being called. "Trixie?" Anon calls outs in confusion. There's no mistaking that mint blue mane, he knew who it was. Anon makes his away over to her and sits on the opposite side of the booth. "What are you doing in Canterlot?" Anon asks. "I should be asking you the same question! You know the ponies here have a sort of eh-hem 'problem' with anyone that isn't a born unicorn no less something that isn't a pony!" She exclaims to you thinking to herself how much of a bad idea it is for anyone to come here who isn't drowning in bits. "Yeah, yeah, save me the story." Anon begrudgingly says. "I'm here for 'work reasons' and hopefully will be out of here quickly." "What kind of work could have brought you here?" Trixie asks. "Well I don't have the work related package anymore but lets just say that I'm thankfully done with what I had to do." "Well why come here?" Trixie asks once more. "Huh?" Anon doesn't understand what she means. Trixie rolls her eyes and sighs before continuing. "I mean to this restaurant." "Oh well that's easy. I am very hungry and just saw this place as the closest thing. Anyway I'd better order and go, it's getting late and I don't want to be out when the weird ponies are." Anon gets up and turns away as he presumably walks toward the counter to start ordering. Trixie finds herself with the same emotion she had when Anon was leaving her wagon, the feeling of loneliness. She doesn't want him to go again, at least not for right now. "You know, Anon..." She stops him in his tracks as he looks back to her. "I wouldn't mind if, I mean since no pony else is here I think it would be, uhm what I'm trying to say is-" "Ugh. What is wrong with me? Now I can't even form a sentence? Why would he want to sit with me anyway? It's not like he cares about me right? I mean I don't either..... right?" Her mind tries to find a reason as to why she's asking such a frivolous question. "Uh Trixie, you alright?" Trixie snaps back to reality as she's seen by Anon not saying a word. "Ahem, yes I'm fine why wouldn't Trixie be fine? I'm doing just fine. Thank you for asking. Trixie is fine." "Umm ok. Well what were you going to ask before you got trapped in dreamland?" "Oh uh. I was just going to ask if you could find a booth that doesn't block the view of the ponies? Trixie loves her view you know." "Huh? Trixie, I told you I was just going to pick up. I'll be out of here in a few don't worry." Anon says to Trixie who's looking a bit strange. Trixie watches as Anon gets his food and heads for the door. *Ring ding* And just like that Trixie is left without saying a word. She wanted him to sit with her she really did, then why? Why couldn't she just say the right words? Did she change her mind? No of course not. Maybe it's because she just didn't want the company? No, that couldn't be it. She tries her best not to ponder on it for too long as the pressure of what's coming up is already a lot for her. She finishes up her food and heads towards the door, knowing that what she's going to do next will not be easy.