“Hey, girls?” Rainbow Dash suddenly said aloud, attracting the attention to the other mares at the table.
“What’s up RD?” Applejack asked
“Is that Trixie?” Rainbow asked as she pointed across the road. Sure, enough, just across the way was the azure showmare in her cape and hat. She was walking through the town with her muzzle high in the air, ignoring the stares and worried glances from ponies around her.
“What do you think she’s doing in town this time?” Rarity asked nervously as she remembered the numerous things that had befallen their little town, and her mane, whenever Trixie had rolled through.
“I must admit that I’m curious as well. However, it’s her life. We have no right to intrude on it.” Twilight explained as she took a bite from her sandwich.
“She looks like a mare on a mission,” Applejack said as she observed the way Trixie moved, with a complete lack of distractions. She knew where she was going. Turning to the local collector of impossible records and nonsensical knowledge. “What do you think Pinkie?” Applejack asked, only to find her pink friend eating the last of her sandwich in one bite.
“Be right back!” Pinkie announced as she began trotting away.
“Pinkie! Where are you going?” Rainbow called out after the pink roadrunner.
“I have something I need to give Trixie! I won’t be too long!” With that explanation, Pinkie was out of sight.
“Ya know, I don’t think Pinkie ever threw her a welcome party.” Applejack offered as she watched the dust cloud her friend had left settled.
“What!?” Rainbow shouted
“That doesn’t sound like our Pinkie at all. I mean, she throws every new pony in town a party. “Rarity said as she failed to think of a time that Pinkie hadn’t.
“Every. Single. One.” Fluttershy mumbled to herself as she remembered the numerous times the madmare of a friend had drug her out of her nice, quiet, safe home to a party for another pony.
“I know right? Maybe that’s what she’s doing now.” Rainbow pondered on the idea of a party for the showmare. As much bad blood as there was between herself and Trixie, a Pinkie party would probably be one of the few ways they could bond.
“Well perhaps, and this is only a theory, she had been here before and Pinkie had given her the party then.” Rarity explained, thinking it was the only reason she could think of for why Pinkie had not given her one.
“What makes ya say that?” Applejack asked, knowing that the fussy fashionista wasn’t the biggest fan of the showmare.
“Well now that I get a good look at her, she actually seems, well, familiar.” Rarity explained with a shrug.
“Ah think ah know what you mean.” Applejack responded as she searched her memory.
Rarity raised an eyebrow at the fact she wasn’t the only pony feeling like that. “Like somepony from a long time ago?”
Applejack lightly hit the table with one hoof as she pointed at Rarity with the other. “Yeah! Like when ah was just barely outta diapers. Just can’t seem ta be able ta place her.”
“Indeed.” With that, the two searched their memories.
“Trixie!” Pinkie Pie yelled at the showmare who seemed to not hear her.
“Trixie!” Pinkie yelled again. Trixie’s ear flicked back towards her, showing she had heard and was simply ignoring her, or trying to at least.
“Trixie, wait!” Finally, Trixie had enough and she turned to face the little annoyance that had been following her.
“What do you want with the great and powerful Trixie? She is on an important errand.” Trixie stated, annoyed and mentally preparing herself for some sort of insult, argument, warning or something of the sort.
“I know. I made her a cake.” Trixie could only blink. She had thought that surely no pony else had remembered. That none of them cared enough, like him.
“I... but… how did you-?” Trixie attempted to formulate her question as she was cut off by the grinning pony.
“I know the birthdays of everypony in Ponyville, silly.” The party pony stated as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Even so, why-?” ’Why do you care? What is in it for you? Why?’
“Because everypony deserves a good birthday.” Pinkie’s usual overly excited grin had gained an obvious and very strong look of gentle and genuine care. “They won’t let me see her, but you can. So wish her a happy birthday for me too, alright?” Pinkie said softly as she laid the small cake box on Trixie’s back.
“I will.” Trixie said shortly, as she made her way away, not allowing the pink pony to see the smile that had formed. “Thank you.” Most ponies wouldn’t have been able to hear the rare kind words from the showmare but after years of knowing Fluttershy Pinkie’s ears had long since grown used to such volumes. With a grin Pinkie bounced away, convinced that she and the showmare might one day become friends if they weren’t already.
Trixie made her way through Ponyville with her head, once again, held high. She ignored the looks given to her. Though she had walked this way the whole time since she had entered this town again. The difference was the small weight of a box on her back, causing an unnoticed smile to cross her lips.
“Alright ma’am. Looks like everything is in order. She’s over in room three twelve. Have a good day, Miss Lulamoon, and remember that she-“ The mare began to explain, only to be sharply cut off by Trixie.
“Trixie knows all about it. That is why Trixie requested an overnight visit. It is her birthday and the presence of the Great and Powerful Trixie will make it stupendous!” The mare behind the desk didn’t even flinch and gave a gentle nod. Easily recognizing the look in Trixie’s eyes. She was talking big but, she was also trying to convince herself of something.
Trixie didn’t know how long she had stood in front of the door to room three-twelve. Stewing in her memories of the mare she was about to see. The way she remembered her was so very different from the mare she was about to see. Taking a deep breath, she nodded to the stallion next to the door and went in.
“Hello, mother. How have you been?” Trixie asked the mare in the room. The mare cocked her head and stared at Trixie with what Trixie dared to hope was at least a sliver of recognition. When the mare made no noise, Trixie spoke again.
“That’s about what I figured. I’ve been wonderful, in case you were wondering. The world knows and loves the Great and Powerful Trixie almost more than the princesses themselves. It’s only a matter of time before Celestia herself comes to congratulate Trixie on her success.” Trixie was taken out of her daydream as she noticed the mare begin to sniff the air. Remembering what was on her back, Trixie used her magic to slide the box to the ground.
“The pink one, Pinkie, her name was, made you a cake. Obviously, with how much ponies love Trixie, they should love her mother just as much if not more. We can eat it later if you want.” As Trixie took notice of her mother taking more interest in the box than her daughter, Trixie’s defenses began to crumble as she made her way over to the mare.
Trixie sat next to her mother, the faintly familiar warmth her coat gave off making Trixie feel both content and sad. “I missed you. I still haven’t seen dad since he left. I don’t miss him though. I want him to pay for leaving, to pay for you being here. To pay for breaking our family, for breaking you. For not being a father.” Trixie could feel her eyes begin to sting as the defenses her bravado, stage presence and ego had long formed were crushed by the feeling of her mother’s heartbeat.
Laying her head on her mother’s hooves the tears that had been teasing their way out began to flow. “I love you momma. I love you so much. I don’t want to leave you again. I don’t-I don’t want to be alone.” The tears that had been flowing quickly found themselves growing in pace.
“I-I lost your cart. I watched you put every nail and screw into it and I saw it get smashed to pieces. I’m sorry.” Trixie admitted, the memories plaguing her mind as she moved her head closer to the chest of her mother, hearing her mother’s heartbeats. “I lied when I came in. The world doesn’t love Trixie. Far from it, in fact. I’m sorry if I let you down. I just- I don’t even know. I’m sorry but, I just can’t lie to you like that. I’m a horrid daughter.” Trixie could feel something she had not in years, far too many years. The feeling of her mother grooming her coat.
Trixie’s tears began to slow down in their flow and her head hid itself deeper in her mother’s chest. “This was supposed to be your birthday and I ruined it. However, it seemed Trixie has a habit of ruining things where she goes. I wonder if that’s why he left. Because of me.” The next thing Trixie knew she heard a low growl and felt a sharp pain on her ear, courtesy of her mother’s teeth.
“Ow!” Trixie shouted, rubbing her ear. Her ears splayed back as she saw the look on her mother’s face. “I- I know. I’m sorry mom. I just want to be a pony you can be proud of.” Trixie was slowly brought back into the hold of her mother as she continued to speak, slowly gaining confidence and joy to her voice as she convinced herself that what was happening wasn't just instinctual, that she was getting better, that she recognized her daughter this time.
“I will be. One day, we’re both going to walk out of here together and then I’ll use the bits my amazing shows gathered from the generous donations of Trixie’s beloved fans. We can get a home somewhere. We- we could even build a new cart. Together. Just the two of us.” With the happy images going through her mind and the gentle heart of her mother in her ears, Trixie drifted off into the most peaceful sleep she had known in so very, many years.
The mare above her ceased her grooming long enough to nuzzle the mare in her hold, her daughter. She then did something no pony had heard her do ever since she had come to this room. She spoke. “Love…Trixie…”
Lying off to the side of the room was a white box, which held a cake with a simple message. “Happy Birthday, Screw Loose!