Between us braggarts
Nothing went right! First, she`s been forced to stop in this backwater town to get supplies. Then her performance got all but trampled by local rubes, and to top it all off, they then managed to sic some kind of abomination on her just for cheap laughs. Bastards. And now? And now, she was about to... well, actually, about to drown. Running into that forest was clearly not a good idea. She got lost really quick. And while her quick reaction and what magic she could muster kept her away from dangers so far, she understood quite soon that getting out of that forest would be in her best interests. So, she tried to get out. Was not so easy, but she finally stumbled upon the brook. Figuring it ought to lead her to some river, and eventually, to civilisation, she tracked down by it. Eventually, Trixie indeed reached the river.
Unfortunately, that river ran through a ravine. Not a big ravine, of course, but quite wide enough for a lone pony to tumble down it. Which is exactly what Trixie did, when she misstepped on the top. And now, water had been dragging her for quite a while. At first, she struggled. She tried to catch up to something. But ravine was deep and barren enough to render all her efforts for naught. And then, this river suddenly got wide and slow. And she - she was in the middle of it, trying her best to reach the shore before she went under. She knew she didn`t have a chance to. Still, what was the other option? Current pulled her under relentlessly, and finally, Trixie gave up. She simply lacked the strength to make another thrust. Hoof outstretched to sun, she submerged into the water.
'So this is how I`m supposed to go? Laughed out of some backwood burgh, drowning alone in the river I don`t even know the name of? Is that really how I imagined the great and powerful Trixie to end her story?' - she thought, as the sunlight dimmed, - 'I wish I were an airship...'
She shuddered and gurgled, water jetting out of her nose and mouth as someone stomped on her back. Trixie coughed, more water disgorging from her. Being dead positively sucked. If she was dead, that is. Dead weren`t supposed to feel pain. Another stomp on her back. Trixie arched back and spat the water out, finally able to scream - "Bhaaa!... Bhaa! I`m awake, haa... I`m awake!" Whoever was stomping on her back, stopped doing that, and trotted around, to face her. Trixie`s mood immediately dropped twice as low, when she realised she`s staring at one of the rubes who laughed her out of town. That rainbow-haired blue-colored one. Didn`t she trick her once already?
"Look alive, Trixie." - Rainbow Dash offered curtly - "You just about got yourself drowned." Stagemare was about to treat her to a scathing reply, when her stomach throbbed, and she was forced to look down, heaving up yet more water and shreds of pinecones she had for a meal today. Great. Now she`ll be hungry, too. Finally, her stomach settled down, and after a few more dry heaves, she was able to breathe normally again. Her eyes were full of tears as she got up unsteadily, and looked around. Trixie needed some water to get herself in order again. Fortunately, there was a whole river of it nearby. She ambled toward it, unsteadily.
Rainbow Dash spun around and grabbed her by the tail, stopping Trixie dead in her tracks. Irritated, she looked over her shoulder - "What the hey do you think you`re doing to great and powerful Trixie?" Dash muttered through the hair in her mouth - "Nof leffink hu twy dwownink hufelf afain!" Showmare rolled her eyes - "Trixie is not suicidal, you oaf! She just wants to wash her beautiful face." Dash treated her to a suspicious glare, but then relented and spat her tail out. "I`m watching you." - she said stubbornly.
Trixie shrugged as she sunk her hoof into water, washing her face off as best as she could. Although she could`ve sworn she had enough water to last a lifetime, rinsing her mouth out turned out to be quite a refresher, and she ended up even drinking some water. All in all, being able to wash up made her feel quite better, overall. Though, of course, there was still an issue of her savior. Who doubtlessly expected some sort of reward or something. Well, she obviously didn`t have much right now.
Showmare turned around, and considered Rainbow Dash carefully. Dash stared back at her. For a few seconds, neither said anything. Finally, Trixie asked, begrudgingly - "Alright. So what do you want from great and powerful Trixie for saving her?" Obviously, that was not the question Dash expected. She shrugged - "Nothing? I mean, you`re alive, all is well, end of story." Now, Trixie was one not expecting the answer. "You don`t want anything? Why save Trixie, then?" - she asked incredulously. Dash snorted - "Why? Because it`s the right thing to do when somepony`s drowning, that`s why."
"Nopony risks their life for nothing." - objected Trixie heatedly. Pegasus just blinked at her. "Risk? Life? You`re sure you`re not, y`know, having delusions from all that drowning or something? It`s not like I had to swim to get to you, having wings and all." - she offered bemusedly - "Seriously, forget it. If you need a reason, I`m just that awesome, that`s all." Trixie snorted, but... She was quite aware she already passed up all reasonable and unreasonable moments to cop an attitude. So for once, she kept quiet. Instead, she asked - "Well, fine. Trixie understands now you`re a goody-goody two-shoes. But what do you do here, still? Trixie`s saved and alive, so what`s your angle?"
That got her. Trixie could see Dash is having some kind of inner debate with herself. Good. Meant there`s something she`s not sure of - a weakness Trixie could exploit. But then, Dash looked back at her - "Because I`m also a braggart. Because I know how does it feel to write out a check you can`t cash." Trixie did not comprehend this - yet. "A check? Cash?" - she repeated dumbly - "Trixie didn`t..." And then it dawned on her - "OH!" Dash looked away - "Yeah. I`ve been watching Ursa, you know. I saw you gave it your best trying to fight it off before running for help. And I am well aware how`s that feels like, when you brag and then someone steals your thunder."
"Well, this is all fine and dandy, but Trixie is not some backwater pegasus. Great and powerful Trixie should not have been upstaged by some hick hedgemage!" - she retorted hotly, her temper flaring up again. Dash snickered - "Heh. You`ve got no idea whom you were dealing with, have you?" She stomped - "Oh? And who, pray tell, Trixie was dealing with?" Dash shrugged, as she looked toward Ponyville - "Nopony less then Celestia`s personal pupil, Trixie. She`s likely the third most powerful pony in Equestria, right after Celestia and Luna, as far as magic goes."
Showmare sat where she stood, her mouth opening and closing a couple of times as she digested that information. "....You`re trying to trick the great and powerful Trixie!" - she offered at last, - "What would a mage so powerful be doing in your little burgh?" Dash turned to face Trixie face to face - "Well, think about it. Small remote rural burg, a mage so powerful only a goddess is fit to tutor her... You do the math." Trixie did. Then she put a hoof across her face, muttering - "...Sun`s glory... This whole town is her personal... playground?" Dash chuckled again - "Well, playground is a mite strong word for that, but... yeah, you pretty much get the idea, Trixie."
Now she was scared. As much as Trixie wanted to scoff at the idea, all pieces fit. How came a small town was next to a forest chock-full of mystic beasts, why a monster attack happened, how came a single pony repelled it so easily - pieces fit together like a fine mosaic. Trixie knew for a fact that she was no slouch in fighting magic - travelling all alone tended to bring her up with sink or swim attitude. The fact she was bested so handily by a beast, and that beast being bested just as handily by purple unicorn right after meant one simple thing - Trixie was way out of her league in that one, and should be leaving the immediate vicinity as far as her wobbly hooves would carry her and then some.
She nodded at the pegasus, and stood up gingerly. "Trixie has to ask if she can leave now." - she inquired with begrudging humility - "Trixie has no business left to do in this burgh and needs to move on quickly." Rainbow Dash shrugged and flapped her wings, raising a bit of dust as she soared up. "Yeah, you`re free to... whatever." - she offered over her shoulder, as she began her flight toward the cloud home. It was high time for a nap, anyways.
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"...And so, great and powerful Trixie evaded the beast of frost and stars, rode the wild river and left the lands of insane mage!..." - she finished with a flourish. That new story proved to be more popular then she thought. More lucrative too. Two more shows, and she just might scrap together enough to get a new wagon. Who knew a humiliation like this could be turned into a profitable show? Trixie took a deep bow, delighting at the sound of thrown bits bouncing off the boards of rickety stage she`s been performing on. Public loved her again. She briefly thought about Ponyville, and shuddered - now that would be one burgh she`d never, ever, set hoof in again. Yet, in some far corner of her mind, she wondered about that blue braggart of a pegasus. Perhaps, it was just a coincidence. Or maybe that old saying - birds of a flock fly together. Still, she couldn`t help but muse sometimes about what Dash told her. About writing checks she could not cash. Maybe. Maybe she really couldn`t. But ponies loved to watch her doing just that, and she... she always had a pine cone for supper for all her troubles.