//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Turning to Friends // Story: The Trixie Treatment. // by DerpyDitzyDerpyDo //------------------------------// Applejack was silently seething as she stomped her way over to the Golden Oaks Library. Yeah, okay, Ah get it! Pinkie's all about makin' new friends and Trixie could really use this kinda opportunity. Fine! Ah understand! In fact nopony's more suited to introducing new folks to the town than Pinkie. Ah know that as well as anypony does. But that don't mean that she can jus' go whisking mah Trixie away like that. This was s'posed to be our day together. Ah wanted to be the one to show her round town! The two of us have barely had a chance to talk... besides most of yesterday afternoon... and most of last night... and all of this morning. Pinkie Pie had carried a squealing Trixie away earlier, slung over the pink mare's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She always got like this when there was a new potential friend in town. A potential friend being somepony who wasn't trying to enslave the town using an evil artefact. AJ was unsure what the hyperactive party animal had planned for Trixie but she had been unable to keep up with the two of them. Sometimes she suspected that Pinkie had the ability to outrun even Rainbow Dash. Still, Applejack was a pony who could always turn adversity to opportunity. She had been looking for a chance to discuss her feelings with one of her friends, away from the object of her new affections. Twilight seemed like a good choice. The two had discussed the Trixie situation two days prior and, despite Twilight being knee deep in preparatory check lists for the upcoming Winter Wrap up, they had reached something approaching a conclusion. Trixie could be welcomed into their friendship circle if she was willing to play by their rules and keep her ego in check. Twilight must've told somethin' similar to Pinkie. That'd explain why she grabbed Trixie the moment she laid eyes on her. AJ huffed heavily. She had reached the door to the Library moments earlier and was now rehearsing how she was going to explain her newfound feelings to the purple unicorn. "Well, howdy Twilight. Uh... remember how you told me to carefully invite Trixie to be mah friend? Well Ah invited her to live with me and now Ah have to damn near kick mahself in the face jus' to stop mahself kissin' her right on the mouth," try not to be too graphic about it. "Hey there... Twilight. Ah'm crushin' on Trixie so hard Ah'm surprised the heat and pressure of it hasn't turned mah heart to diamond," maybe the studious Twilight would appreciate a science metaphor. "You know how Trixie is a magician... well she's... uh... workin' some kinda magic on me," at this point AJ was embarrassing herself. Jus' be honest. Be yourself. Tell Twilight the truth and she'll tell you exactly what to do. That mare reads so many books she knows everything about everything. Applejack knocked nervously on the Golden Oaks front door. "Coming," came the melodious call from inside and moments later the door swung open to reveal the town librarian and her assistant. Twilight's face always visibly brightened up when she saw her friends and today was no exception. In truth, Twilight was all of the elements of harmony combined. Capable of matching anypony in town with her kindness, generosity, loyalty, honesty and laughter. Then again her 'laughter' might need a bit of work. She had been experimenting with recently with mixed results. "Please, come right in. Are you alright? You seem a little upset," AJ scolded herself for the umpteenth time that day as she walked in. If she didn't learn to hide her emotions more effectively then a certain blue unicorn might catch on to her secret adoration. "Uh... not exactly upset but there is somethin' Ah need to talk to you about," she glanced meaningfully at Spike who was ambling around the library interior, his little arms laden with books. "Spike?" the young dragon glanced up, "Why don't you go down to Sugarcube Corner and see how Pinkie's party preparations are coming along?" Twilight smiled warmly, "And get yourself a treat while you're at it," she flicked a bit his way telekinetically and he caught it sharply in his clawed fist. "Talking about girly stuff again? Okay, I know when I'm not needed," he unloaded a pile of books on the floor and took off, pausing at the door and then turning back to Twilight, "You are going to make it to the party though, aren't you Twilight?" "Wouldn't miss it for the world." And with that, the two were alone. Golden Oaks Library was already plastered wall to wall with plans for Winter Wrap Up despite the event being days away. Twilight had taken to her job as All-Team Organizer with characteristic enthusiasm. She had even tried to organise drills and rehearsals but unfortunately few of the other townsponies shared her passion for preparedness. "So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked inquisitively. "Ah... think Ah like Trixie..." "Oh yes, me too," after a few seconds of spluttering and wide eyed panic AJ realized that Twilight had misunderstood her, "Yes, Pinkie brought her in here a little while ago. They took off again moments before you arrived. Pinkie's got a whole party planned. We didn't get a chance to talk properly but Trixie seemed very different from the way she did on her last few visits. I think I'd be glad to call her my friend. Pinkie certainly seemed very excited... more so then she usually is anyway." "No... Ah mean... Ah don't like her as a friend... well... Ah do like her as a friend but Ah want to be more than friends," actually saying the words was proving to be more difficult than the orange earth pony had imagined. "More than friends?" Twilight cocked her head, "Like best friends then?" "No... Ah mean..." Applejack paused for a long moment when an odd realization hit her, "Twilight... you do know that Ah like mares don't you?" "Of course! I'm a mare and you like me don't you?" "No, no, no, not like that, consarn it," Applejack was beginning to get frustrated. "You don't like me?" asked Twilight with a shaky voice and a look of genuine hurt in her eyes. "Of course Ah like you Twilight... jus' not in a romantic way." Twilight stared blankly back at her as the realization slowly dawned on Applejack. A young mare raised in seclusion and isolation. A mare who had not even a single friend for much of her life. Much less a special somepony. Twilight may know almost everything about anything but she was, in all likelihood, completely ignorant when it came to romance. This was the one topic that the most knowledgeable pony in town couldn't help her with. "On second thought, Twilight, never mind," Applejack smiled and placed a hoof on her friends shoulder, "Forget Ah said anything." Twilight was still extremely confused. Shoot! Ah usually turn to Twilight for advice first. Now who do Ah have left? Rainbow Dash would tease me inside out if she found out Ah was interested in a weirdo like Trixie. Pinkie's busy with Trixie so Ah can't really ask her right now... not that Ah would even if she wasn't busy. The last time Ah talked to Fluttershy about mah love life she got so embarrassed that she didn't even come out of her house for a week. Which leaves...