//------------------------------//
// The one and only chapter 
// Story: Trixie’s Sick Day 
// by Lulamoon-Crystal 
//------------------------------//

It was a lovey morning. Ponies were getting up and rising. Heading off to do what they need to do. Many ponies had a cheerful smile on their face as they greeted their friends, family or co-workers. Starlight hummed to herself as she prepared a batch of pancakes. They weren’t the best, they were okay. But not as good as Pinkie’s. But Starlight didn’t mind, at least she was far from the days of burning them, or flipping them onto her own face. Or the floor!

Starlight soon grabbed a bottle of whipped cream and sprayed some onto the irregular-shaped pancakes she evenly placed on each plate. She sprinkled some berries on top. As an extra, she sprinkles some ground up peanuts and pine cones on only one of them. She happily levitated the plates in her magic and walked to the dining room, where she expected a certain friend of hers to be waiting.

“Trixie?” She said as she placed down the plates. Starlight was a little confused, because Trixie did agree to have breakfast with her that morning. After breakfast, they were going to go to the Crystal Empire to help Sunburst with setting up for a special event. Where was she?

Starlight poked her head out the doorway, “Trixie?” She called, expecting that maybe she was somewhere down the hallway. No response besides her own echoing. “Trixie? Breakfast is ready!” She called after walking down the hallway. “It’s gonna get cold!” She exclaimed. Then face-hoofed as she realised where she might be. “Ugh, she must have slept in! I should have thought of that first!” She groaned. It wasn’t the first time Trixie slept in when they agreed on something that morning. Or the second. Or the third. She really needed a working alarm clock. Soon Starlightvanished in a flash of her own magic, appearing in front of Trixie’s wagon.

She walked to the door and knocked, “Trixie? Are you in there?” There was no response. But just before she was about to knock again, she heard a groan. A sickly one it seemed. Like someone was annoyed at being awoken or something.

”Leave the-“ The voice was hoarse, “Weak and powerless Twixie alone...”

”Trixie?” Starlight asked, really concerned now. Trixie sounded really off. If she ever called herself that. Or talked so lowly of herself, it meant something was wrong. Very wrong. “Are you okay?” Starlight said.

”Go away!” Trixie shouted from inside, followed by sniffling. Plus a sneeze.

”Trixie, what’s wrong?” Starlight asked. She tried to have a peek, but all the curtains were shut. So all she got was colour... “Can I come in?” She asked, hoping she would be allowed.

There was no reply. Starlight’s heart was beating. Something was surely wrong with Trixie. She looked up at the door, “Please?” She asked. Wanting to make sure Trixie was okay.

”Trixie, c’mon! It’s your friend. Starlight. You can talk to me about whatever is bothering you. Remember?”

”It’s best you don’t!” Trixie cried loudly. “Leave me alone!” There was then a pause. “It will... uh...” There was a sneeze, “Make you wanna... Make a spell to forget! Trust me!”

Starlight rolled her eyes at Trixie’s excuse. ”C’mon Trixie. You know me. I’m not leaving here until you tell me what’s bothering you!”

“Fine! Just don’t tell me you didn’t warn me!” Trixie growled.

Soon enough, the doors opened up for her. It was kinda dark with all the curtains shut. Starlight looked at the lump on Trixie’s hammock. “You should really let some right in here.” She said before opening the curtains. Followed by a hiss under the lump, soon Trixie rose her head out from under the blanket and looked at her.

Trixie’s eyes had marks under them, indicating little to no sleep. Did she not sleep at all? Also, unusually, her hair was ruffled and tangled. Her fur was messy. “What?” She groaned. Then she sniffled and wiped her nostrils onto her foreleg. Her eyes were glassy like she was crying.

Starlight felt bad for her. But to be honest. She knew how this happened, she wasn't gonna rub it in or anything, but.... Trixie was in the rain yesterday, for way too long! When Starlight told her to get inside and warm, Trixie didn’t listen. Claiming that the rain was no match for her. Yep, as you can see, that clearly was not the case. She must have gotten really cold and managed to get sick

”The Great and Powerful Trixie didn’t ask to be sick. Trixie can’t get sick!” Trixie said, whining before sniffling, “Trixie is the Great and Powerful!” She cried. “Trixie did not-“

”Shh... Everypony gets sick sometimes,” Starlight assured her as she put a hoof on Trixie’s hot forehead. She was running a temperature. “Yikes...” She said as she took it off.

“Not the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Sniffled Trixie who sneezed into a tissue, “Trixie hates being sick! She’s too great and powerful to be sick!”

Starlight looked down at Trixie’s trembling body, obviously she was feeling cold. “Oh dear... You should really rest up! You’ll feel better if you do!” 

”Trixie doesn’t wanna!” She cried out, slamming her hooves down. “We were gonna visit Sunburst!”

Starlight simply rolled her eyes as Trixie coughed and sniffled. “That can... I’m sure he’ll understand the situation.” Starlight told Trixie. “Look. Getting sick sucks. But you just need to stay warm and rest. I got some stuff. I will be right back!”

Trixie whined as Starlight vanished in a flash of light. “Don’t go....” She reached sadly. “You were supposed to use magic to make Trixie better!”





Trixie laid in her hammock. Wondering how on earth she got sick. She wondered who did it, whoever made Trixie sick will pay! She felt tired, she ignored that she wanted to close her eyes, her nostrils were all stuffy. She hated it. Sometimes it felt she couldn’t breathe if her nose was stuffy. She then rose up a bit and looked around. Noticing all the used tissues were gone.

Soon she looked at herself. Was she really great and powerful? Or was she the weak and powerless? Getting sick like this with no cause! Maybe... she wasn’t as powerful as she thought?

Nah!

It was clearly the cause of some spell done by a jealous unicorn. Or maybe a jealous earth pony or pegasus, somehow. There was no way Trixie would get sick naturally. She was the great and powerful Trixie. Soon, Trixie looked out of the window, seeing birds flying around and playing. In the distance, she saw some foals with a kite.

That wasn’t fair. If everyone was sick, so should Trixie. Right?

Trixie’s body felt heavy, she wanted to sleep. But she just couldn’t seem to make it happen. Maybe it’s the stress of being so weak. Or maybe it’s the germs attacking her body. Maybe it was because it was daylight! She didn’t sleep a wink. Because she sneezed, felt gross or was distracted by her yucky breathing.

“Achoo!” She made such an adorable and squeaky sneeze into a tissue. With a groan, she tossed it into the bin. Not bothering to use her magic. Why did she have to be so weak?

Starlight better not be telling anypony. Because she wants to always be known as the Great and Powerful Trixie! Because that’s who she is! Not some sick, gross, ugly, slimy mare laying in a hammock! She isn’t useless, or ugly, or gross. Anypony who thought of her like that is gross! They should be banished!

Or maybe she was weak and powerless if she did get sick from that. Trixie used her magic to grab a small plush of herself. But in a hula skirt. “Twickie Hulamoon. Do you think I’m weak and powerless?”





Suddenly, Starlight appeared in a flash of light. Trixie scrambled to hide the silly plush she had. Starlight didn’t notice the plush. She thought Trixie was being silly when hiding something like usual. She calmly put a few books down on Trixie’s table near her hammock. “I got you some books I’d thought you’d like,” She said happily, before noticing Trixie’s sad expression. Really sad.

Starlight sighed and put on a reassuring smile. “It’s gonna be okay, you’ll feel better. I even got you some soup!” Starlight held up a bowl of warm soup. Concern and worry filled her as she noticed Trixie’s eyes water. “Trixie?”

Trixie looked at the soup. She didn’t have breakfast, but she didn’t feel hungry the slightest. But that wasn’t why she was crying. As she looked at Starlight, she wiped her eyes, “Y-You don’t think I’m w-weak and powerless... Do you?”

“Wh-what?” She gasped as a response, “No way! What makes you say that?”

”Trixie isn’t great and powerful anymore... She’s just a gross, powerless mare...” She sniffled.

”Trixie... Don’t say that!” Starlight exclaimed, “You’re still the great and powerful Trixie! You just uh... Have a cold, that’s all. No pony is gonna think of you any less. Just because you have a cold! You’re still the same pony! You’re not any less of a friend to me”

Trixie made another very adorable sneeze. “I- Are you sure?”

Starlight smiled, “I know,” She got a spoonful of soup, blew on and passed it to Trixie who sniffed it
Not feeling hungry, but feeling a little thirsty. She sipped it up. “Everypony gets a sick day. Every race, every species, Even the Princesses! Twilight, Cadence. Even Luna and Celestia!”

Trixie sniffled. “I guess so...” She wasn’t gonna believe Starlight. Just no way the princesses would get sick. Would they?

“Here. I think you’ll like these books.” Starlight smiled, wanting to change the subject and make Trixie feel better.

Starlight put the soup down onto a small table she placed near the hammock. So Trixie could reach it, if she was ever hungry. She put some books down on Trixie’s lap to keep her occupied. There were adventure books, comedy books, novels, comics, picture book. Even interactive ones like puzzles or mazes or spot the difference and such.

“Also, I have this blanket for you. It was actually... Uh... Yours. I borrowed it and forgot to give it back.” She placed the fuzzy pink blanket it on Trixie as she gave her a brief glance. Trixie looked at it happily, she was wondering where her extra blanket went, she only used it for colder nights. But was glad to have it back.

“Oh yeah!” Starlight said as Trixie looked at the books. She passed her a small bell, “If you ever need me, ring this, okay?”

Trixie looked at Starlight. “Trixie knows you only said that to make Trixie feel better... Trixie doesn’t understand who made her sick, but...”

“No one did...” Starlight said, not wanting to tell her it was her fault. “It just happens... Maybe next time... Try to spend less time in the rain and get warm and dry after! Or wear a raincoat or boots.”

Trixie grumbled as she started at Starlight. “Are you saying this was Trixie’s fault?” She was clearly getting annoyed. Whoops.

Starlight made a nervous chuckle, “It sounds like that... But umm... It was just a mess up on your side! See? You’ll learn from it and uh...” She noticed Trixie sneezed and crossed her hooves and glared at her angrily.

“I... Think I should go...” Starlight made a nervous smile and teleported away. Leaving Trixie behind with everything she gave her. She rolled her eyes and opened a book she found interesting. It had an earth pony stallion and a pegasus mare on the front. The characters were staring into a forest it seemed.

“Tale of Leaf Blower?” She read the title and questioned as she read the blurb. “Might be interesting, at least...” Soon she opened to the first page of this novel.





After reading as much of that book as she wanted. She put it to the side and opened a book filled with puzzles. Like finding images within one big image. Trixie blew her nostrils and opened to a random page. She looked at what she needed to find. It was a beach theme, she needed to find a seal, a penguin, a watermelon, a dragon, an elephant and a pirate ship

“Oh! Found it!” She said happily as she pointed at a flying bird. Deciding that was the dragon. Unfortunately, she didn’t have enough time to block her incoming sneeze. She gasped at the mess she made. Feeling a little bad, she put the book aside. “I-I’ll tell Starlight about that... Later...” She then sneezed, this time into her own hoof.



 

Bored of books at the moment, Trixie grabbed her magican hat and cape and stood in the middle of her wagon. Ignoring Starlight’s orders to rest. She put the cape on and held her hat in her hoof. She cleared her throat, not making herself sound any less hoarse.

“Stallions and gentlemares!” Behold! A giant cupcake! She made her horn glow, which was a bad idea. As she sneezed, the spell shot out from her horn. It bounced onto a mirror and hit the light source right above her. Turning that into a cupcake that proceeded to slap her right into the face.

“Trixie meant that to happen!” She defended to no one at all. She put the cupcake down, not caring too much about the light source she destroyed. She rarely used it anyway, since she could make her own light source from her horn.

She then proceeded to make her horn glow again. Not learning the lesson from last time. As expected, it went flying out of control when she sneezed. She cried out in horror as it hit her box of peanut butter crackers. Turning it into a box of marmalade jars. 

“Oh...” Trixie looked at the marmalade. “Could have been worse.” She shrugged, lighting her horn once more. To do the magic trick she wanted to do. Only to sneeze. Turning the box of marmalade jars into a box of cat food. 

“Yeah... that’s enough magic for one day...” Trixie groaned, taking off her cape, with her magic.  Before sneezing once more. Screaming as her magic made the cape disappear.

“No! Not Capie!” Trixie cried out loud. “I need it for my magic shows!” She cried out before something landed on her head. Giving her a view of purple... She used her hooves to get it off. Letting out a flat “Oh...” She then blushed. “Wh-what! No, Trixie did not nickname her cape! She’s not that silly!”  




Trixie sneezed as she came inside after being outside. She slammed her door shut and sat on her hammock. She wiped her nose with a tissue and grabbed a bottle of lemonade that she had. As she levitated it towards her mouth, for a drink. She sneezed. The contents of the bottle ending up over her.

“Ugh! Being sick is horrible!” She cried as she picked up the empty bottle.



 

Trixie yawned as she laid in her hammock. Wrapped in her cape and two blankets, she looked at another book. This one was a comedy. As she laid on her belly with the book restoring on the pillow. She opened it and started to read the first page. Reading it out loud quietly.

“The otter jumped over the fence with a bag of stolen goods. The cop yelled ‘stop, you otter give them back’ he said before faceplanting on a sign that read. ‘Irony’”

There was a pause. Then Trixie face planted on the book, asleep. That book must have been pretty boring.





That afternoon. After a long nap, Trixie woke up with a groan, feeling less tired. But her throat was now scratchy and she coughed. She was only getting through the beginning of a week or two long cold. How annoying. The soup was gone, not because she ate it. She only ate a little bit, Starlight must have taken it when it got cold. But she did have a few peanut butter crackers for lunch. 

As Trixie turned,  she then noticed a paper bag in her hammock. She opened it curiously to see a bunch of envelopes.

“Huh?” Trixie groaned, not exactly thinking straight.

She then opened one of the envelopes. With the inside being a get well card with her favourites colours on it. Made by Pinkie Pie. Trixie groaned a bit. Starlight told them... But also smiled as she read the next few.

Starlight was right. No pony saw her any less. Or saw her as a weak, gross mare just because she had a cold. A grin appeared on her face. Her worries were gone now. Just have to wait for this cold to be over