//------------------------------// // A day of work // Story: An unexpected home // by JuyUnseen //------------------------------// Trixie would have wished to be able to say that her second night in a bed had been as comfortable as her first, but sadly it ended far earlier than she had intended. Five o' clock came bright and early, and so did Braeburn. "G'MORNIN' TRIXIE!" he yelled through her newly opened window, placed comically above the headboard of her bed, allowing the tan stallion to look straight down onto her face. With a yelp, Trixie fell out of bed, startled. "Who dares disturb the Great and Powerful Trixie's slumber?!?!?!?" Braeburn chuckled as she looked frantically for the source of her wake-up call. "Up here." he laughed, drawing her gaze to his face. "Oh," she huffed, "It's you..." "Expectin' somepony else?" Trixie sighed. "No," the blue mare murmured, "I suppose not." Braeburn shrugged and pulled his head out of the window. "I just wanted ta wake ya fer the mornin' watering duty. It's my turn and I thought I might as well take ya with me." "What makes you think I would even want to go do something like that?" Trixie pouted. Suddenly, Braeburn's voice became serious. "If you live in Appleoosa, you work. Simple as that." Trixie sat on her haunches and crossed her forelegs. "Then Trixie won't go." Braeburn poked his head back through the window and looked at her a moment. "You know?" he sighed, "I liked y'all better when you were talkin' all normal like..." "There is nothing wrong with the way Trixie talks." Braeburn sighed again. "Alright, you can stay here. But if you do, you don't get any food. Simple as that." Trixie's jaw hit the floor. “You can’t do that to Trixie!” Braeburn grinned, “Yes Braeburn can.” Trixie sighed and stood before walking through the house to her front door. It looked like she had work to do. Tiring was an understatement. It was torture to Trixie, plodding along through those miles of trees, dragging the heavy watering machine that felt like it got her wetter than the trees. Trixie huffed and grumped the entire way. Why did SHE have to pull this thing with Braeburn? This was the perfect job for a strong, simple earth pony like him, but her? A magician, a performer, a unicorn? She wasn’t cut out for this. Twelve o’ clock brought break-time, and Trixie collapsed under the nearest tree the moment the word ‘lunch’ came from Brae’s lips. Braeburn laughed as she threw herself into the shade of the proud tree. “What? Somepony not used to a little work?” He chided playfully as he removed his saddlebag and sat beside her. Trixie was gasping for breath, “A little?!?! That… machine weighs a ton!” Braeburn laughed again. “It only weighs ‘round two hundred pounds. ‘sides, It’s getting lighter. The more water we use, th’ less there is in th’ tank.” He shrugged and began to dig around his bag, seeming to search for something. “You’re crazy…” “Hey, look at the bright side!” “What bright side?” “All the work got ya to stop callin’ yourself Trixie.” “I… I mean…” Trixie stopped and though about this for a moment, “Trixie was just…” “Don’t start. Like I said, I like ya better this way.” Trixie sighed. There was no reasoning with this one. Braeburn simply smiled and moments later produced two sandwiches from his bag. “That’a all we get?” “Course not.” Brae said as he stood again. Then, with a strong, well placed kick to the tree behind him, four apples fell. Not yet in their prime, but still good enough to eat. “Two for you, and two for me.” She smiled as Trixie grabbed one with her magic and stared at it hungrily. Before she took a bit however, she trotted over to the watering machine and opened the lid of the tank. “What’re ya doing?” Braeburn asked, confused. He had already bitten into his first fruit. “Washing it off of co-“ She stopped talking as she saw him already eating his fruit, unwashed. She yanked it from his grasp with her magic and brought it to the tank as well, “No, no, no. They need to be cleaned first. They might have... BUGS or something!” The twin shiny fruits were quickly dunked into the water and magically scrubbed. Trixie did the same with the other apples and moments later, the apples were gleaming with their new, thorough wash. She handed Braeburn back his two. “There. Now you may eat.” Braeburn laughed and took another bite. “Ya’ll are weird, ya know that?” “And you are all muscle and no brain, not to mention hygiene.” “No brain huh?” “Most certainly.” With a smirk, Braeburn produced something from his back, and unfolded it. It was a chess board. “Care to test that theory?” He asked with a faint air of sweetness to his voice. Trixie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re on. Nopony can best the great and powerful TRIXIE!” As it turned out, it was quite possible to best the great and powerful Trixie; multiple times over in fact. After an hour and a half of chess and lunch, the score stood at 5 Braeburn, 2 Trixie, and the two of them were having the time of their lives. “Alright,” Trixie finally said, “I concede. You win.” Braeburn kicked the air triumphantly. “Good, glad ya finally see th’ truth.” “Whatever,” Trixie stuck her tongue out at him, “Let’s just finish the watering.” “What’s this? Trixie the city-pony talking about doing work?” Braeburn looked mock horrified. Trixie giggled. “Oh shut up you, I just want to get home. That’s all.” The two harnessed themselves back in and set to work, this time talking as they walked. “So how did you get so good at chess?” “it’s a long story actually. Wanna hear it?” “Sure. I’ve got time.” “Well, it all started a few months back, over at the salt lick.” The two trotted through the orchard, weaving back and forth between the rows of trees, until they made it back to town, about fifteen minutes after the sun had set, neither of them realizing that the chessboard still sat where they had eaten their lunch, the chess pieces still set up where they had been left at the end of the game. The black queen, and white king stood next to each other, alone on the squares, the last pieces of the game.