- - -
Twilight almost immediately separated Trixie from Ryan, her eyes glowing almost as red as her cheeks.
"TRIXIE LULAMOON WHAT THE HAY DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
Trixie flushed heavily, but couldn't help a smug grin.
"Trixie was just enthusiastically greeting her coltfriend, while you probably remain painfully single, Sparkle!"
Trixie hugged onto Ryan tightly, as the Prince slowly got his brain working again.
"Ah, wait, hang on-We broke up Trixie-"
"We took a break, sweetie," Trixie said happily, nuzzling him, "and now that I'm back, we can pick up right where we left off-!"
"NO YOU CAN'T!" Twilight snarled, using her magic to yank Ryan into her embrace-Chair and all. "YOU FLAT OUT ABANDONED HIM WHEN HE NEEDED YOU!"
"Abandoned-No! No! W-We agreed to take a break!" Trixie insisted. "So I could pursue my dreams! He-He told me it was good! To go ahead!"
"Oh my Harmony, you are such a dense BIMBO!" Twilight growled.
Trixie scowled back.
"What would you know, you Princess's Pet! You don't know a thing about romance or feelings beyond your precious research!"
Ryan was still a bit discombobulated from that kiss (who wouldn't be?), but he could recognize the look in Twilight's eyes.
"Twilight, don't-!"
"HE WAS GOING TO ASK YOU TO MARRY HIM, YOU TWIT!" Twilight fairly screamed.
Dead silence ensued. Save for the crunching of popcorn, as Vinyl gobbled up some from a food stand.
Trixie gaped.
"He-No he wasn't-Ryan, you weren't...!"
Ryan winced. Trixie's jaw dropped.
"No... You... You weren't-!"
"HE WAS IN LOVE WITH YOU AND YOU JUST FLAT OUT SHATTERED HIS HEART!" Twilight raged. "AND NOW YOU JUST DIVE RIGHT BACK IN LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED?!"
"Twilight, ENOUGH!" Ryan shouted. He covered his face, taking deep breaths to calm himself. He looked into Trixie's eyes.
"Trixie... I'm... Happy to see you, really and-"
Trixie turned away, facing the stage.
"S-Sure," she muttered, "I-I'm glad... To see you're okay... Excuse me."
She practically leaped into her wagon, and it closed up. It began to roll off at high speed.
"TRIXIE! TRIXIE WAIT!" Ryan shouted after her. He scowled at the now cringing Twilight. "What the Tartarus did you do that for?!"
"She just-She just pounces on you after breaking your heart into pieces?!" Twilight demanded. "What was I supposed to do?!"
"Maybe don't air my dirty laundry in front of EVERYPONY?!"
Twilight looked around at the crowd. Applejack cleared her throat.
"There's nothing to see here, ponies! Git, git!" She yelled. The crowd slowly dispersed, but a lot of pitying gazes were offered to Ryan and Twilight.
Which set Ryan's teeth on edge. He glared at Twilight.
"Next time, if you want to defend me, don't scream and act like a loon, huh?!"
"Ry-Ryan, I didn't mean to-!"
Ryan was already rolling off, as angrily as he could make his wheels move. Twilight watched him go, anguish written all over her face.
Applejack walked back, and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"You doin' all right, Twi?" She asked softly.
Twilight shook her head.
"No... No, I'm really not..."
- - -
Trixie didn't really have a direction in mind as she guided her wagon out of town. She didn't know the area, after all. She just stopped when she got somewhere with a lot of trees. A cute little cottage nearby, but not so close she could be seen or heard.
It was perfect, really.
"HARMONY BUCKING DAMNIT!" She screamed, blasting a tree with a shot from her horn. "YOU'RE SO STUPID!"
She raged, tears running down her eyes, as she blasted her anger at anything that was close and destructible. She tore at her hair and her clothes and shrieked her fury up at the sky.
All too soon though, she was exhausted. She collapsed on an uncomfortable rock, and just sobbed, burying her face in her hands.
"Stupid... Stupid... Stupid...!" Trixie muttered, over and over.
"Um... H-Hello? Can I help you? Are... Is there something I can do for you?"
Trixie started, and looked up. A beautiful pegasus mare stood nearby, pink haired, in a big yellow sweater and green shorts. She looked at her in innocent concern. Trixie turned away, wiping her eyes.
"N-No... Trixie's fine," she mumbled, "I'm... I'm fine..."
"You don't sound fine... Um... If you don't mind me saying so. Sorry," the meek pegasus murmured.
Trixie scowled in annoyance... But the mare didn't shrink back. She looked away, glowering out at the woods.
"... My ex-coltfriend was going to propose to me when we broke it off," she muttered, "Trixie... Didn't realize... Trixie was too wrapped up in her dreams..."
She bowed her head. How could she still have more tears?
She felt a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry," she murmured.
Trixie laughed bitterly.
"Trixie... I wanted to pursue my dreams so badly... He just let me. What kind of a stallion does that? Lets his mare run off? He-He didn't fight for me!"
The pegasus mare nodded, stroking Trixie's back.
"He probably wanted you to be happy," she said quietly, "because he loved you. And wanted you to be happy."
"Trixie would have been... Been just happy as a princess!" Trixie sniffled.
The mare's stroking paused.
"Oh...?"
Trixie nodded.
"Y-Yes... What mare would turn down marrying a prince, huh? Sure he's an alien but... He was kind, and brave... And I wasn't there for him when he fought a goddess..."
Trixie bowed her head further. She felt absolutely terrible, like razors were ripping at her insides.
"From what I know of the prince... Um... Not that I know him as well as you," the mare said quietly, "he would... He probably does still care about you. If he was willing to let you go, he probably loves you. A lot."
The pegasus mare sound very sad about that. Trixie couldn't think why.
"You... You think so?" Trixie sniffled, looking up at the mare. She nodded firmly.
"Yes... I-I'm very sure he loves you," she said, "and... And he would only want you to be happy! That's real love..."
She looked away. Trixie frowned.
"Are... Trixie is concerned, are you all right?"
"F-Fine," the mare mumbled, "I'm just fine-!"
"TRIXIE!"
Trixie looked up. There was Ryan, wheeling himself down the dirt path. He was red faced and sweaty, and grit his teeth as he yanked on the brakes. He skidded to a halt right in front of the Unicorn and Pegasus Mares.
"Geez... You gotta give me some time to explain," he panted. He shook his head. "First off, I'm so glad to see you. You look great!"
"I... Th-Thanks," Trixie muttered.
"And second?" He sighed. "Look... You told me your mom wanted you to marry me so your family would be rich. But you wanted to become a performer. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't deny you your dream, could I?"
"... You could have been selfish," Trixie muttered. Ryan laughed softly-He was still very tired.
"A prince doesn't get to be selfish," he said. He looked at Fluttershy, and smiled warmly.
"Thanks for taking care of her, Fluttershy," he said, "I was so worried."
"It... It's nothing," Fluttershy managed, again hiding her face behind her long, pink bangs. Trixie stared intently, really stared. She had a knack for telling the mood of patrons in a crowd, what they were thinking...
And given how sullen Fluttershy suddenly looked... How angry Twilight looked...
Oh. Well... Now she felt even worse.
Ryan wheeled over, and rested a hand on Trixie's shoulder.
"I'm very glad you're okay, Trixie, and I really appreciate you coming all this way just to find me," he said earnestly. "And... Sorry about Twilight. She's really protective of me. Ya know... After fighting a demigoddess and all."
"I... Trixie can imagine," Trixie murmured. She cleared her throat, and stood up.
"Ryan... Listen-"
She began... But then a very loud roar interrupted them. Fluttershy's eyes widened in shock.
"Oh no... I can't believe it... It wasn't supposed to wake up for another few months-!"
"What?!" Trixie cried. "What did I just wake up?!"
And a gigantic, glowing blue bear, as big as a barn, stomped through the trees with an angry roar. Trixie gasped in disbelief.
"Ursa Minor!" Fluttershy cried, immediately grabbing Ryan's wheelchair and flying him down the dirt road. Trixie ran for it, not far behind.
"I'M SORRY!" Trixie wailed.