Trixie paused as she stared at the motel Gilda was allegedly staying at as Snips, Snails, Strawberry Sunrise and Thunderlane all stood in front of.
“What in Equestria are we doing here?” Strawberry Sunrise asked finally as the pegasus trotted back and forth between the two colts.
“Gilda hurt you all right?” Trixie asked as Strawberry Sunrise nodded.
“She stole a few cases of strawberries off my stall at the market the other day,” Strawberry said as she sighed.
“And she insulted my brother for crashing into a cloud,” Thunderlane added as he glared at the motel. “I remember Gilda from flight school. I don’t know what happened but she changed and not in a good way.”
“And she pushed us aside,” Snails said as the three adults looked at the two. “And I thought Diamond Tiara was annoying.”
“Why are they here?” Thunderlane asked as he gestured to the two.
“Because I couldn’t freaking get them to leave me alone,” Trixie hissed quietly to the two. “Nor could I get them to shut up until they came along.”
“Gotcha,” Strawberry Sunrise said with a grin. “So you’re getting blackmailed by kids. Tell me why I shouldn’t leave right now and back out of this Celestia awful idea?”
“Because you get to destroy apples,” Trixie said simply as Strawberry froze and looked at her. “Trixie knows of your feud with the Apples. She has a proposition that Big Mac agreed to. He allows you to have their spot in the market for two days in exchange for you helping Trixie out deliver a strongly worded letter to a certain Gilda. Big Mac has already shook on it with Trixie and you can trust her.”
“You got me excited. Thought I was gonna be able to destroy the farm but you do have a tempting offer. Four days.”
“Three, no more than that,” Trixie countered as Thunderlane looked back and forth between the two. “Big Mac figured you’d try to negotiate for more days.”
“Fine. I will help you deliver this letter but you have to help me run the stall for a day. Plus my sister loves your shows so you have to give her a private one at my house for her.”
“Deal,” Trixie said instantly as she and Strawberry shook hooves. “Trixie loves meeting fans.”
“What about me?” Thunderlane asked as Strawberry examined the letter Trixie had given her.
“You know Gilda since you were a colt. You and these two are gonna distract. They’re gonna run into her and you’ll catch her, and then recognize her and strike up a conversation while Trixie and Strawberry finish putting up the letter.”
“Hold on, I thought we were delivering the letter directly to her?” Strawberry interjected with a raised hoof.
“You seriously think we can out run her? You see the signatures telling her to leave. She’s a griffon and Trixie has seen how capable they can be first hoof. It’s not worth the risk,” Trixie explained as Strawberry nodded. “Now break, Roseluck unknowingly told me she walks from the fountain everyday around this time.”
“Okay. Come on you two and I’ll show you how a distraction,” Thunderlane said with a grin and gestured the two colts forward with a wing.
“That stallion is something else,” Trixie muttered as she and Strawberry snuck up to a motel door.
“Do I even wanna know why you know which room Gilda is sleeping in?” Strawberry asked as Trixie levitated a hammer and nail to the door, hammering softly.
“Trixie kindly asked the motel owner to direct her to Gilda’s room. Said she was an old friend of Gilda’s and wanted to leave her a surprise gift,” Trixie answered as Strawberry stared at her. “Okay, fine. Plus Trixie was given Derpy’s mailmare uniform. Bit loose, especially around the flank but it helped seal the deal so to speak.”
“Uh huh. I’m surprised Derpy went along with this.”
“She uh didn’t exactly know Trixie was using it for this. Trixie just gave a vague answer so it wasn’t lying nor really taking advantage of one of her best friends.”
“Oh sweet Celestia.”
The two paused at a loud crashing sound and what sounded like a wall being slammed into before giving each other worried looks.
“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!” Snip’s voice traveled around the corner as the two hastily went back to work.
“Yeah yeah whatever!” Gilda snapped as Strawberry gritted her teeth.
“Hurry up!” Strawberry hissed as Trixie levitated the letter up to the door and hung it up.
“Oh hey Gilda haven’t seen you since flight school. How’s it going?” Thunderlane asked as Trixie and Strawberry galloped away, tossing quick glances behind them.
“Those three are a bit dramatic,” Trixie noted as Strawberry gave her an incredulous look.
“You’re joking, right? That’s rich coming from you!”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Trixie demanded as she gave Strawberry a dirty look.
“It means you are pretty dramatic yourself,” Strawberry answered as she sat down next to some bushes. “How did you ever get Big Mac to agree to let me have their spot?”
Trixie grinned at the mare as she patted her on the head condescendingly before shrugging.
“Oh you know, mainly just us in the orchard for an hour with Trixie saying harder,” Trixie commented casually as she leaned back.
“You and Big Mac? Surprised Applejerk allowed that to happen.”
“Trixie doesn’t need permission from sisters. It’s not Trixie was sleeping with their dad,” Trixie scoffed and rolled her eyes.
“Their parents are dead,” Strawberry said flatly as Trixie paused.
“Oh. Trixie retracts her previous statement.”
Strawberry huffed as the pegasus shoved her muzzle into her wings, biting a few broken feathers and pulling them out, spitting them onto the ground. She didn’t necessarily have the greatest friendship with Trixie but they both had a common enemy at the moment.
“Trixie was joking by the way. She didn’t actually sleep with Big Mac. She helped get some apples off some trees in exchange for being helped with her wagon earlier. Applejack wasn’t happy about it but Big Mac is older than her so she had no room to fight,” Trixie said as she watched Strawberry preen her other wing.
“Well now you get to help me. Fucking Apple family is too damn big and arrogant. You don’t see me having hundreds of ponies helping me out with harvesting my fruits, do ya? At least a good majority of ponies use strawberries for baking a lot in the world,” Strawberry grumbled as she finished preening her wings. “I’ll find you when I want your help. And to come to my house. Don’t bring Applejerk, Apple Bloom, Granny Smith or Big Mac.”
“Okay.”
Shoeshine hummed to herself as she stirred the soup she was making for her, Noi, Dinky, Sparkler and Derpy as she listened to the front door open.
“Sunset?” Shoeshine called out as she looked to the doorway as Noi took off towards the door.
“Mom’s home!” Noi called back as Shoeshine nodded.
“Why did you think I was Sunset?” Carrot Top asked as she trotted into the kitchen with Noi attached to her foreleg. “Can you let go Noi please? It’s hard to walk with you holding on for dear life. I’ll hug you after I sit down.”
“Because Shoeshine and Sunset have been having sleep overs,” Noi answered before Shoeshine could speak for herself.
“Yeah it’s true,” Shoeshine admitted after a moment. “It’s been going uh well. Sunset is a nice mare.”
“I see. After Noi goes to sleep, you’re going to tell me all about it. In detail,” Carrot Top said as she stared into the pot. “Don’t forget to add pepper and salt, carrot and potato stew isn’t decent without it.”
Shoeshine tossed a mock salute as she complied.
“Aye aye captain,” Shoeshine commented sarcastically. “Anything else?”
“Nope!”
Shoeshine nodded as she picked up her beer and took a long sip before setting it back down.
She had a feeling she would drinking a lot more than just one tonight.