Rarity blinked several times, unsure of her situation. Trixie, the pony with the biggest ego she’d ever met, was standing in front of her—but she was drenched, dirty and injured. Rarity felt bad for seeing her like this. Even after all that she’d done, nopony deserved that.
“Please…” Trixie said in an almost inaudible tone after several moments of silence. The fancy Unicorn stepped aside.
“Come in.” Rarity said after sighing, closing the door as soon as the other Unicorn had stepped inside. Trixie didn’t say anything, opting to just stare at the floor. “I’ll light the fireplace and you can sleep by it tonight… Would you be so kind to give me your cape? Where’s your hat?”
“Trixie doesn’t mind if you take her cape, but her hat was lost in the middle of the storm,” The blue Unicorn said as she took off her cape and gave it to Rarity.
“Oh… I’m sorry to hear that,” The white pony said softly.
“I don't need your pity, it was just a hat. Trixie can get a new one,” Trixie said, puffing out her chest proudly. However, that caused her to step on her injured leg. “Ouch!”
“Let me get the first aid kit…” Rarity trotted to the bathroom, leaving Trixie’s wet coat on one of the chairs. She returned moments later with a towel and a box with a red cross painted on it. She covered Trixie with the towel first. “Sit on the couch while I take care of your injury.” Trixie did as she was told. She was too weak to protest and, besides, she really did need medical attention. Once she sat, she raised her injured leg for Rarity to take a look at it. “…It’s burnt. Were you playing with fire?”
“Don’t ask questions; just do what you have to!”
Rarity sighed, trying not to look offended as she opened the first aid kit and grabbed the ointment from it. She carefully applied it to the injury as she pursed her lips. “Now the bandage and then we’re finished.” Rarity said as she put the ointment back in the kit and took some bandages out. She wrapped Trixie’s injury with it. “Good as new! You need look after that leg for a while and get some rest. I’ll bring down some sheets and light the fire before you catch a cold.” The blue Unicorn nodded before sneezing. “We don’t want it to get worse, do we?” Rarity smiled warmly, but Trixie only glared at her. Rarity's smile faded away and turned around. “I’ll be right back.” She said before heading out of the room. Rarity returned minutes later. She covered Trixie with a sheet before lighting the fireplace.
“I’ll prepare a bath for you in the morning,” the fancy Unicorn said, still feeling pity for the other pony.
“Trixie... would like that.” Trixie said as she stared into the fireplace.
“Good night, Trixie.”
Trixie nodded and laid on the couch. Rarity sighed and headed to her room, placing her night coat on the bed before laying on it and covering herself with the sheets.
Poor thing… I hope that she gets better soon. She may not be a nice pony, but it still hurts seeing her like this. I won’t let her leave until she gets better. Rarity thought as she closed her eyes, falling asleep with the sound of the storm raging outside.
Trixie didn’t fall asleep. As soon as she heard Rarity’s door close, she sat up. “Finally that mare’s gone! I thought she would never leave… What is she planning to do with me? If she thinks that she can fool the Great and Powerful Trixie, she’s wrong!” The blue Unicorn looked down at her injured legs, now covered in bandages. "She gave me a place to sleep by the fire and she even treated my injury. Why? What does she get by doing this? I wonder… What if she asks Twilight Sparkle to send me before Princess Celestia to banish me? Oh no, I can’t leave with this storm and in my current condition. I’m done for! I can’t say I’ll miss this place. I should never have come here; I was better off outside…” Trixie let out a sigh before resting her head on the couch again. “I better sleep for the last time before getting banished.” She said in a low voice. She then sneezed. “Banished and sick… Perfect…” She closed her eyes and fell asleep moments later, not knowing that she was being watched by Rarity, who was behind her. She came back downstairs to get a glass of water.
She was talking to herself… Does she really think that she’s going to get banished? This pony has problems; I hope that I can show her how wrong she is. Rarity thought before going to the kitchen for the glass of water she came looking for before returning to her bedroom.
The next morning…
Trixie woke up to the scent of something delicious being cooked. She opened her eyes only to find a filly staring down at her.
“Hi!” The filly exclaimed, grinning.
Trixie fell off the couch, lucky not to have hit the floor with her injured leg. Rarity came from the kitchen at the sound of somepony falling.
“Sweetie Belle, you shouldn’t disturb other ponies while they’re sleeping! Especially if they’re sick!” Rarity scolded her sister.
“I’m sorry, but I wanted her to wake up on the right hoof!”
The fancy pony sighed. “Next time, wait for them to wake up by themselves, darling.”
“Okay, sorry…” Sweetie Belle said as she went to sit at the table. Rarity approached to Trixie and helped her up.
“I apologize for my sister’s behavior. She’s staying with me for a few days until our parents get back from their—”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
Rarity frowned, but calmed down after remembering it was Trixie she was talking to. “Anyway, I didn’t know she was disturbing you.”
“Trixie will forgive her. She’s just not used to waking up with company.” The blue Unicorn said as she stood up.
“Never?” Rarity asked.
Trixie shook her head. “She has been all alone since she left her parents’ house.” The fashionista looked at her with concern. Trixie noticed her expression and shook her head. “Don’t worry about Trixie; she’s fine by herself.” Trixie said, trying to sound proud, but Rarity noticed a strange tone in her voice, besides sounding weird because of her stuffy nose, of course.
"Right… The bath should be ready by now, you can go ahead and get in.” Rarity smiled as she tried to direct Trixie to the bathroom, but Trixie shoved her hoof the moment she was touched.
“Trixie can walk by herself, thank you very much.”
Rarity looked at her with annoyance as Trixie walked to the bathroom. Being polite once in a while won't kill you...
After taking her bath, Trixie returned to the table. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were already waiting for her.
“Trixie, after eating your breakfast, I want you to rest on the couch again while I make you some tea.”
“Nopony tells Trixie what to do!” Trixie said, raising her voice.
“Do you want to get better? I suggest you do as I say if you want to recover.”
“Trixie is fine!”
“That’s not what your red nose says!” Rarity exclaimed, pulling out a portable mirror and making Trixie look at herself. Her nose and eyes really were red.
“Do you still carry around that mirror?” The filly asked, looking at her sister with a raised eyebrow.
“I never leave home without it.” Rarity said smugly as she put the mirror away.
Trixie grumbled, “Okay, 'pretty mare', Trixie will do what you say!” She shoved her food into her mouth promptly, glaring down at her plate.
Rarity hissed at her guest. “You’ll thank me when you recover. Luckily for you, I’m not waiting for any customers today so you’ll be able to rest on the couch all day while I do some errands.” The white pony said before she started eating. Sweetie Belle joined her soon afterwards.
After breakfast, Rarity left with the promise to be back soon, leaving Sweetie Belle and Trixie alone. Rarity told her sister that if anypony came, to tell them to come back later. Trixie remained on the couch, covered with the sheet she slept with, drinking tea with gingerbread and sneezing occasionally while Sweetie Belle kept her company.
“How are you feeling, Trixie?” The filly cheerfully asked.
“She had been better.” The blue Unicorn answered, taking another sip of her tea.
“Why do you always say your name when you’re talking?”
“Because! Because… Trixie doesn’t have to answer you!”
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you upset…” The filly looked down, ashamed.
Trixie glanced at one of the windows, not for any particular reason. All she wanted was to get better so she could leave Ponyville for good. “So… What do you think your sister is doing?” The magician pony asked out of nowhere.
Sweetie Belle looked at Trixie, surprised and confused at the same time. “She didn’t really tell me… But I think that she went to look for more supplies for her workshop.” The filly placed a hoof on her chin to help her think.
“Do you think she’s going to see Twilight Sparkle or any of her friends?” Trixie asked in an almost serious tone, still looking out the window.
Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No, I don’t think so… She normally would, but she promised to be back soon. Besides, she has to look after you.”
“Trixie does not need anypony to…!” Before Trixie could finish speaking, she sneezed hard, then, she sneezed again and again.
“Do you need a tissue?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“No!” Trixie yelled, but she kept sneezing over and over again. “On second thought, Trixie could use one or two…” Sweetie Belle trotted to the kitchen and brought back a box full of tissues. She placed it next to Trixie, who immediately took one and started blowing her nose. The filly then went to the kitchen again and brought a trash can so Trixie could throw the used tissues away. The blue Unicorn looked at Sweetie Belle after throwing a tissue into the trash. The filly was smiling innocently. Trixie didn’t know why, but there was something on her face that she couldn’t resist. “Th-thank you…” Trixie nervously said, receiving a grin from the filly.
“No problem!” Sweetie Belle said, sitting on the couch. The magician pony looked out the window again.
Fancy mare, you’d better hurry before I turn soft over here! Trixie impatiently thought.
***
“Thank you very much, sir!”
“Please come again, Rarity!”
Rarity left the shop, waving at the cashier. “I’ve got everything I need now… I should probably get back to my boutique then.” But as Rarity had started her way back, she saw the Golden Oak library and stopped. “Maybe if I pay Twilight a visit and tell her about Trixie, she’ll help me.” The fancy Unicorn smiled at her brilliant idea and hurried to the library, entering. “Twilight, darling, hello!” The Unicorn in question turned as soon as she heard somepony calling her.
“Rarity, good morning! What brings you here?” Twilight said as she hugged her friend.
“Well…” Rarity began as she pulled away from the hug and looked at her friend. “Last night, in the middle of the storm, I had a visitor…”
“A visitor, really?” Twilight asked, intrigued. “Who would visit you in the middle of a storm?”
“You’d never guess who… It’s Trixie.”
Twilight’s eyes widened. “Trixie? You mean Trixie, Trixie? The Trixie whose ego surpasses even the clouds? The Trixie who kicked me out of Ponyville while under the corruption of the Alicorn Amulet? That Trixie?!” The lavender Unicorn questioned as she raised her voice.
“Yes, that Trixie!” The fashionista said, smiling nervously. “She’s staying at my place for a while...”
“She's what?! Why?!” Twilight asked, clearly confused.
“She knocked on my door last night, sick and injured. I couldn’t just leave her outside; she would probably have died! Besides, didn’t you say that she apologized for kicking you out of Ponyville?” Rarity explained.
“Yes, she did, but I don’t know if she meant it.” Twilight said before she sighed. “You did what you had to do, Rarity; you're very generous after all. Should I pay her a visit?” The bookworm pony proposed with a smile.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea, darling. You know her. Last night, when I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, I overheard her talking to herself, saying something like she’d better get some sleep for the last time before getting banished… She doesn’t trust us.”
“Hmm… How sad. I hope she isn’t being too hard on you,” Twilight said, concerned.
“She is… she's demanding and proud, but I’m trying to be patient with her. I don’t know why, but something about her catches my attention. While she’s here, I’ll try to see if I can show her that we’re not bad as she thinks.”
“Good idea. Who knows, we might get a new friend!” Twilight said with a grin. Before Rarity could say something else, the library’s door opened and a timid yellow Pegasus entered.
“Um, Hi, I’m here…” Fluttershy nervously smiled at Twilight.
“Shy!” Twilight said as she trotted over to where Fluttershy was and gave her a peck on the lips. “I’m glad that you made it! Hold on, I have to find my bits before we can go…” Fluttershy nodded as Twilight went upstairs. Only then she noticed her best friend looking at her.
“Oh, Rarity! I’m so sorry I didn’t see you before!” The shy pony exclaimed, embarrassed.
“Don’t worry, darling. I understand that you’re nervous; it’s your first month anniversary with Twilight after all.”
Fluttershy nodded with a blush, smiling. Twilight returned moments later.
“I’m ready! Oh, Rarity, I hope that I’m not being rude…”
Rarity shook her head and closed her eyes. “Not at all, Twilight. I had to go anyway; you know why.” The fancy Unicorn exited the library and waved at her friends as she left. “Enjoy your lunch!”
“Thanks, Rarity!” Twilight said as she and Fluttershy waved back. They left the library a few minutes later. Twilight put a sign on the door that said: ‘Went to lunch, be back in an hour’. As they started walking to a restaurant, Twilight intertwined her tail with Fluttershy’s, both having big smiles on their faces.