//------------------------------//
// Chapter Fifty Two: Of Broken Brains and Broken Drains 
// Story: Trixie is Pregnant and It's Twilight's Problem 
// by TheCrimsonDM 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Fifty Two: Of Broken Brains and Broken Drains



Written by TheCrimsonDM


Trixie sat there staring at the cup of tea she had. Her mind still piecing itself back together. She must have dozed off for a moment, that had to be a dream. Twilight being vengeful, vengeful enough to hurt her? Shadow Heart saving Trixie from the shadows. Celestia being proud of Trixie's apparent lack of skill? No, something was wrong here, that was just a weird dream brought about by the recent trauma she'd had. 

Still looking around the kitchen inside of Applejack's house, she noticed that Twilight was staring at her. Those sweet, gentle, and concerned eyes could never hate her… right?

"Trixie, are you okay?" she asked gently.

Trixie nodded. She looked away and down at her tea. She thought for a moment and then knew she had to ask. "Twilight... would you ever... have you ever attempted to hurt Trixie?"

Twilight frowned. "I don’t think so... I mean, I know we got into some arguments at school and all, but I don't think I ever tried to really hurt you. It'll never happen again though, I love you too much."

Trixie looked at her. They were alone in the kitchen, perhaps she could ask some questions now. "Did Celestia ever talk about me when we were at school?"

"I think she mentioned you once or twice. She seemed happy about the progress you made. She was always so happy with her students' successes." Twilight giggled at the clearly happy memory. "It was nice. She talked about everypony like that though."

Trixie nodded. Perhaps this was a dream after all. 

Or it could be a memory? One that was removed from both her and Twilight right? If that was the case was it possible that Twilight would remember all of a sudden one day and try to hurt her again? No, that couldn’t happen. Not with her unborn child on the way. Trixie couldn’t risk anything bad happening. Not even stress.

Twilight's frown deepened. "I... I had a weird dream once though. Back when we were at school. A dreamt about me getting really mad at you. Jealous even. I think in the dream we got into a big fight, but I don't remember how it ended."

Trixie felt a cold shiver run down her spine. "In that dream, did I throw a lightning cloud at you?"

Twilight's frown managed to deepen some more. "Y-yeah."

"Did you make a red energy orb, one that was going to melt my horn off?"

Twilight's eyes widened and she pulled away. "Y-yes... Trixie. That was just a dream. I didn't even remember it until now. Why would you know about it?"

Trixie took a drink of her tea. "That's a good question."

Twilight reached out with a hoof to try and touch Trixie, perhaps in a gesture of reassurance. "Trixie, I would never, ever try to-"

Trixie's horn lit up and stopped Twilight's hoof. She gently pushed Twilight's hoof away. "N-not right now, Twilight. I think I need a moment... I'm sorry."

Twilight lowered her head. "I... I'm so confused."

"Me too. We'll figure this out together, and what lies Celestia is hiding from us."

Twilight looked at her. "Celestia?"

Trixie nodded. "You don't remember killing my frogs do you?"

Twilight flinched. "I'd never hurt a frog. Oh goddess, don’t tell Fluttershy that I'd do that. She’d hate me."

Trixie offered a weak, fake smile. "Trixie hated you for it too... but Trixie thinks that maybe, Celestia didn't just mess with Trixie's mind. She might have messed with yours as well."

Twilight looked down at her cup of tea. "I... of course, she wouldn't. Even if she did, it would be for my best interest."

"How would you know, if you can't remember and make that judgment call for yourself?"

Twilight's lip quivered and she closed her eyes for a long moment. She opened them up again and stared at the tea as if it was an island she desired to reach but was so very far away. "I don't like this conversation. It... it hurts to think about. Especially after how close I've gotten to her... it just makes me think twice about everything. I am not allowed to think twice."

Trixie nodded. "I understand. But, what Trixie can assure you, is that even if she needs a moment to be... untouched, she will never think twice about you."

Twilight looked up at her. "I'll never think twice about you too. I promise!"

Trixie smiled. "That’s good. It means we have chosen each other. Through good or bad, Trixie thinks you were the best choice she ever made."

"You’re my best choice first!" Twilight said.

Trixie giggled. "I'll let you win this battle my love. You've earned it."

Twilight smiled. It was weak, but it was honest. It was clear she had serious doubts in her eyes, but then again so did Trixie. In fact Trixie feared that perhaps what they were soon to discover was going to be much more than either of them could handle. She prayed that the truth wouldn't tear them apart, not her and Twilight. She deserved at least one good thing in this world. 


***


Fluttershy let out a defeated sigh as she gave the faucet one quick and underpowered kick. The faucet was supposed to be spitting out water, and she'd been working on this all day on the Apple family farm. She'd so far failed. She always failed. Still she had a toolbox nearby and was determined to figure out why water was not coming out of the faucet. If she could get water here, they could get the hose attached and then well she wasn't sure what was going to happen after that. She was just trying to focus on the task before her. Applejack was good at keeping her focused, it was one reason she was still here. The more focused she was, the less she thought about Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie.

Still the detestable fountain wouldn't turn on and send out the water she needed. No matter how hard she stared at it, it just wouldn't do as she pleased. It was about time she gave up, if water still wouldn't come out she'd have to hang her head in defeat and tell Applejack she failed her.

Applejack's voice came out from behind her, warm and soothing. "You okay sugarcube?"

Fluttershy turned to face her. "I-I can't fix it."

Applejack walked over to the base of the pipe where it went into the wall. She pointed a hoof at a small lever. "Did you try that?"

Fluttershy walked to the lever feeling like nothing she could do would fix this mess. She pushed the lever with a hoof. The pipe rumbled for a moment and then water came pouring from the faucet not a minute later. Fluttershy stared at the faucet. "I-I fixed it!"

Applejack nodded. "Ya sure did. You just forgot t’ turn the water back on is all."

Fluttershy jumped for joy a few times as Applejack turned off the faucet. Once Fluttershy was done with her victory jumping she looked Applejack in the eyes. "I fixed something!"

Applejack smiled warmly. "Ayep. Seems yer learning a few things here."

Fluttershy trotted in place. "I never fixed anything like a pipe before. I always asked Rainbow Dash to come and help with that stuff. I'm like, a super mare now!"

Applejack snickered. "Learning to be self-sufficient feels nice, doesn’t it. Now if only Rarity had the same feeling, she just gets mad because she gets dirty. Not that she doesn't like getting dirty sometimes mind ya."

Fluttershy was still overjoyed with her victory. She had defeated the dreaded broken pipe and now could return to her quiet empty home victorious. Her quiet, empty home... There were still some things that she couldn't fix. Her joy over her triumph faded quickly as she realized that it still didn't fix the same problem she'd had for some time now. The same problem that was going to continue plaguing her for some time more. Maybe even for the rest of her life.

Applejack's smile faded as she watched Fluttershy. "Sugarcube, what's wrong?"

Fluttershy sat down and let out a quiet sigh. "It's not fair."

"What's not fair?"

"I'm alone."

Applejack walked up to her and gently put a hoof over Fluttershy's shoulder. "No yer not, you got friends here. Me and Rarity still love ya."

Fluttershy met those bright green eyes for a moment only to feel guilty and look away. "You get to be with Rarity. Twilight gets to be with Trixie. Pinkie gets to be with Rainbow Dash. Who do I get?"

"Sugarcube, I'm sure you'll have a special somepony again."

"Yeah, and how long will it last? A day, a few days, a week?" Fluttershy shook her head. "All my relationships fall apart. It's always my fault too. Something is wrong with me, and I just keep screwing everything up. Why am I such a screwup? Applejack, what's wrong with me?"

Applejack took a seat beside Fluttershy. "You know, being single fer a minute ain't the worst thing in the world."

"It sure feels like it when I look around me and all I see are happy ponies, in love, and able to enjoy themselves. Yet even when I have a mare who loves me more than anything in the world, I just screw it up by becoming... well... a meanie."

Applejack let out a low whistle. "Ah think meanie is a bit too nice of a word."

"I don’t feel like swearing, even if I deserve it."

"Fluttershy, Ah'm sorry."

Fluttershy lowered her head in defeat. "I know... everypony's sorry."

"No, Fluttershy, Ah mean Ah am personally sorry. So is Rarity, and probably Pinkie Pie too."

Fluttershy glanced at her friend. "How come?"

"We sort of forced you and Rainbow Dash together. We thought the two of you would be happy as could be, but we never stopped to consider why the two of you never started to date normally. Maybe we were wrong to make these plans, to manipulate the two of you like that. Sure you two were happy at first, but Ah reckon once the lust was gone, the two of you just didn't fit."

Fluttershy looked away from her and out into the field of apple trees in front of them. They were endless, easy to get lost in, and filled with surprises once one got far enough in them. "Maybe... but I think maybe it was both of us. The parts of Rainbow Dash I loved were the strong, masculine, heroic parts. But after she started dating me, she became so... scared, so weak. It was like dating myself. heh... and I hate myself."

Applejack cringed at that. "Ah know. Maybe it was a bad time to start dating Rainbow Dash is all. She never really dated anypony before, right? Not seriously. So of course she was scared of losing you."

"And I made that fear come true."

Applejack wrapped a leg around Fluttershy's waist and pulled her close so that Fluttershy could rest her head on Applejack's shoulder. "Maybe, but you were suffering too. Maybe one day the two of you can be in a better place to date each other, but Ah reckon right now is a time for you to focus on building up yourself. Get to know yerself, learn to love yerself, and maybe the next time you start dating, it won't end so sad."

Fluttershy put a hoof over Applejack's chest fluff and stroked it. Applejack tensed up a little. "You're really smart, Applejack. I just wish somepony could be here for me now though."

Applejack responded but her voice sounded a little tighter. "Ah know the feeling, but me and Rarity will help out, as friends."

Fluttershy closed her eyes. "I know you will. Thank you... you won't tell anypony about what I said right?"

"Nope, and Ah won't make any magical promises either, otherwise Pinkie would find out, and Ah suspect she's one the last ponies you want to know how torn up you are inside."

Fluttershy nodded. "Thank you."

Fluttershy let her hoof fall back to the earth and Applejack seemed to relax. Fluttershy was worried about that, it made her feel like her presence was so toxic that just a touch made Applejack afraid of her. Perhaps there was something more to it, but she didn't care at the moment. She was just hurt inside and really hoped that things would improve. Maybe one day she could even talk to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie again, she hadn't even done that since the breakup. She feared they might not ever talk again either... but she still had Applejack and Rarity.

She still had friends.