//------------------------------// // 5 - Post-Inspection Review // Story: A Solid Foundation // by thedarkprep //------------------------------// Chapter 5 Post-Inspection Review “I’m going to miss you soooo much, Maud!” The airport’s grand hall was never particularly quiet on the best of days. It was the main concourse of the airport, housing various shops and eateries and ending at the security checkpoint, essentially serving as the last point of contact before friends and families had to separate from their outbound travelers.  Between the rolling of bags on polished floors, people talking to each other or on their phones, and the beeping of security scanners, the noise threshold was pretty high to begin with. And it was perhaps for this reason that Pinkie’s wailing did not cause a stir amongst the surrounding crowd of people getting on with their day. Well, for the most part, Trixie thought, glaring at some guy in a suit that was side-eyeing the sisters as he passed by. Yeah, say something. I dare you. I don’t care how fancy— “Oh, and I’m sure Trixie is going to miss you too!”  Trixie’s gaze shifted back to the sisters, now standing side-by-side and staring in her direction. “Um… Yes. It’s been fun having you around, Maud. It’s a shame that you can’t stay longer.” “I wish I could,” Maud said, her monotone whisper of a voice somehow managing to cut through the noise. “Still too much to do before graduation. I procrastinated too long.” “Did you at least figure out what you wanna do after school?” Pinkie asked. “Not really. But I did rule out one option.” Pinkie nodded, a proud smile on her face. Trixie waited for a moment, then another, for Maud to elaborate but the girl seemed to have said all she’d meant to on the subject. “Well, Trixie is glad you were able to come by when you did. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you these past few days.” “The pleasure was all mine,” Maud replied, her rasp a shiver in Trixie’s ears. “If you’re not too busy,” Trixie began, placing jittery hands in her pockets, “maybe we can visit you next time? Show us around?” “I would love for you to visit.” Maud’s eyes shifted away from her and to the side, where Pinkie was standing. “Both of you. I would love for both of you to visit.” Trixie noticed a slight tremble in Maud’s posture, the slightest hint of a blush. She noticed her looking away. And she might’ve noticed more had she not herself looked away, trying to control her own blush and reaction. “Aaaaah! You’re both so cute!” Pinkie yelled. “Of course we’ll come visit you, Maud!” “Yeah!” Trixie mustered, looking back in Maud’s direction. “Just name the time and place.” “Okay,” Maud nodded, and in doing so she showed a hint of something. Something so small most would not have noticed it.  Trixie was good at being observant, however; her performances depended on it, in a way. And so, when Maud replied to her and her lips showed that slight uptick, that brief flash of a smile, Trixie was proud to say that she did not miss its appearance—did not miss its warmth. And that smile only grew when Trixie smiled back. “—And then she called Limestone on speakerphone to wish her a happy New Year in front of my parents because of course she did.” “Because of course she did,” Trixie parroted back before taking a sip of her milkshake.  After seeing Maud off, Pinkie and Trixie had made their way over to the food court, stopping by to get some milkshakes, at Trixie’s suggestion, before driving back home. The frozen treats and the opportunity to relax and reminisce on the good times from the winter break had done wonders for Pinkie’s sullen mood, and Trixie allowed herself a brief moment of congratulations as she let the sweet taste of vanilla chill her tongue. “Your sister is a bit of a drama queen.” “Yeah, she is.” Pinkie chortled. “I think it’s part of having a good sense of humor, you know? Like you can’t be really funny without being sort of dramatic?” “And she is really funny,” Trixie nodded. “She is literally the bestest.” “I just hope I didn’t bore her,” Trixie closed her eyes, thinking back over the weekend. “She kept asking me about my magic tricks and stuff, and I kept explaining but…I don’t know? At some point I got the feeling like she’s too smart or refined for my kind of stuff? Like I might have been boring her and she was humoring me for you?” Pinkie’s laughter got her attention. “No way! Maud was eating that stuff up. She was trying to play it cool, sure. But she can be a total nerd sometimes and she was totally geeking out about the magic tricks.” “But I was so awkward around her?” “Oh. Please,” Pinkie said, over enunciating the syllables. “She was totally into you.” “No. She wasn’t.” “Yeah, she was,” Pinkie winked. “She was so timid around you. Hung on every word you said. Wasn’t sarcastic at you. She obviously thought you were cute.” “So what?” Trixie said, fighting her blush. “A lot of people think I’m cute.” Pinkie gave her a knowing look. “I’m just saying…” “Pinkie…” Trixie groaned. “I’m just saying,” Pinkie said louder. “It’s ok if you’re into her, you know? Trixie sipped defiantly in response, the milkshake clogging in the straw. She slouched in her chair. “Right, because that wouldn’t be awkward. Me and your sister?” “Well, why would it be?” Pinkie clapped her hands for emphasis, just a bit too loudly—a bit too harshly. The noise drew the attention of a few nearby tables and she turned to wave in apology, Trixie noticing that she hadn’t so much as touched her own milkshake. “Pinkie?” Trixie tried and failed to make eye contact. “I was saying, it wouldn’t even be weird since…” “—Pinkie?” “since we’re not…” “—Pinks.” “...since we’re not together or anything.” Pinkie… Trixie sighed as the girl in front of her slunk back into her chair.  The table fell silent, the noise of the food court oppressive in its ubiquitousness. Neither girl made eye contact for a while, Trixie instead watching the forgotten milkshakes on the table, cups sweating and dripping onto the surface. She tried to find the words to say; she really did. And yet, they would not come. This was not the first time, after all, that Pinkie had voiced such thoughts—such frustrations. Trixie was growing familiar with the hurt in Pinkie’s voice and there was a disquiet in that, in knowing that she was treating the same wound with worn out bandages—the salve providing diminishing relief.  Pinkie gave so much and asked for so little, Trixie knew, asked for it in whispers between covers in unsteady embraces. Her wishes tasted, not of sweets and decadence, as one would expect, but of tears and solace. And yet, for as little as she asked, it was more than Trixie was able to give. “You know how I feel about you, Pinkie,” Trixie began, her voice shaky, wavering. She began to fidget with her bracelet. “You know I would love to make things official but… But I can’t promise—” “You can’t promise you’ll stay.” Trixie flinched at the interruption, before looking up to meet Pinkie’s eyes. Pinkie wasn’t looking at her, however. Pinkie’s eyes were locked on Trixie’s bracelet, the words “Do Not Resuscitate” clearly readable in white letters against the black metal. She pulled her sleeve up. “I want to. You don’t know how much I wish I could promise that. Most days with you I even think I could. But then I have a bad night.” “Or a bad couple of nights.” Pinkie’s gaze was still on Trixie’s sleeve, but her eyes were distant and Trixie knew that whatever she was looking at was somewhere in the past, some memory she had helped shape. “Yeah, and all it takes is—all it takes is one,” Trixie’s voice caught in her throat, along with her shame. “You deserve someone you can build a life with—build a future with. You know that right?” Trixie waited for a moment, but Pinkie did not answer, her gaze still fixed on where the bracelet was, tears beginning to pool beneath her eyelids, and so Trixie continued. “Besides, we can’t have Caramel thinking of me as a proper rival for your affection, can we? He’d get all jealous and pouty. You know how he is.” Pinkie shook her head and finally met Trixie’s gaze with a wilting longing stare. “He wouldn’t be jealous. He’d be happy… for me. And for you.” The noise receded to the background, and all Trixie could focus on was that stare and the tension it caused in her chest. It all sounded so easy, the way Pinkie explained it. And when Pinkie held her, in some ways, it was. Flashes of nights gone by flickered past Trixie’s eyelids, as she blinked back tears, steadying breaths tinged with hints of vanilla. She could almost hear the storm still, from that night two months ago, could still feel Pinkie’s warmth beside her. She opened her mouth unsure of what she’d say, wanting to say exactly what Pinkie wanted to hear. But she could feel the metal bracelet under her sleeve as well—could hear the silence that waited for her at home.  “...we’ve got a working thing here, don’t we?” Trixie asked, taking a deep breath. “We’re happy right now with things as they are. Why risk it by changing things?” Pinkie opened her mouth to respond, but then closed it. Her eyes began looking over Trixie, studying her and noticing her as if for the first time. She took a breath as well and wiped at her eyes. I wonder what she sees. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?” Pinkie smiled, pretending to agree. Trixie nodded, pretending to believe her. With an unspoken agreement, the moment of tension seemed to pass, at least for the moment. At least to any who would happen glance in their direction. Both went back to their milkshakes. Pinkie went back to talking about what antics happened at her household over the break. And Trixie… Trixie thought of Pinkie’s eyes and did her best to ignore that pang of worry she felt at the memory. No, this is for the best, she thought, with a slight shiver. Pinkie will be ok; she has Caramel after all—someone she can truly be happy with. Someone better. Memories of Pinkie sleeping by her side, of Pinkie dancing with her, of breakfasts and dinners alike came to the forefront of Trixie’s mind.  And I'll be there as well, a temporary addition for as long as I can be. Everyone wins. When Pinkie’s eyes flashed in her mind again Trixie was able to shake off the guilt, easier this time than before. She focused in on Pinkie as she talked excitedly about some story Marble had told her over breakfast some morning that past week. Yeah, this way you get to have a future, she thought, feeling the bracelet under her sleeve. As for me? Not much of a future, is there? After all, it was hard to build something on a broken foundation.