//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Acquiescence // Story: Lodestar // by BubuJones //------------------------------// Chapter 9: Acquiescence Twilight shifted uneasily across the small table from Princess Luna, eyes gazing downwards and filled with empty contemplation. A porcelain cup of tea was set before each of them, hot steam dissipating into the air from the beverages.   “Drink your tea, Twilight, before it gets too cold,” the alicorn insisted with a nod. “It’ll soothe your nerves.” Luna took a delicate sip, prompting Twilight to follow suit, both setting their cups back down with a small clang. The larger mare looked over with a soft smile, which was returned with a meager grin of appeasement.          “You are not at ease. Tell me, what occurred between you and Trixie last night?” Luna inquired calmly, in no rush to get to the bottom of the situation. Twilight sighed in return, looking away in thought and letting the silence settle into the room. “Well... things didn’t go as well as I had hoped,” Twilight admitted with a frown. “I asked her to come back to Ponyville with me so that I could help her train for the tournament. And as I predicted, she didn’t take it very well.” Luna raised her brow, inviting her to continue. “She said... that she didn’t want or need my help. And wanted to be able to do things on her own for once. I’ve tried to talk to her again, but she won’t open the door to her room.” “I see,” the Princess of the Night said, taking another sip of her tea. “It seems your approach was not the most effective.” “I’m sorry, Princess?” “I had expected differently of you, Twilight. You did no wrong, but the situation with Trixie is such that you must tread carefully. She is in a fragile state, one that she herself does not realize. Her pride is perhaps her most formidable foe, not you. But you must learn to work around this, and not feed it. This is how she can overcome such a heavy burden. What she needs more than a teacher or a trainer is a friend. Do you understand what I am saying, Twilight?” Twilight nodded with eyes wide and mouth slightly opened. “Yes... I understand.” Luna smiled at her confirmation. “Excellent. Now, you should return to Ponyville for some well-deserved rest.” “W-wait, Princess, what about Trixie?” “Please do not fret, Twilight. Everything will be all right. Trixie is not the only contestant that I have kept a close eye on. I have been putting a little effort in quite a few ponies I feel need a push in the right direction. I am sure I can be of a little more of assistance in this case.” “Really? I mean, I didn’t mention it before, but I can’t help but feel a little uneasy about giving so much attention to Trixie. We have to be fair, after all.” “You are allowed to do what you please. If you wish to help her then that is up to you. I, on the other hoof, have been doing what I can in order to ensure the partial success of any potential victor. Trixie is only one such pony that I feel deserves some of my attention.” Twilight couldn’t help but tilt her head slightly in a questioning manner, still not convinced that what they were doing was entirely okay. Luan smiled, hoping to settle the unicorn’s qualms. “I do not mean to cheat in any way, Twilight. I may aid these ponies in various ways, but ultimately, it is up to them and their will if they truly wish to win,” she said, matter-of-factly. At last, a weak smile crept onto Twilight’s face. “Now, I’ll escort you to a chariot.” Luna stood up from her cushion and headed for the door, Twilight following close behind.  ~*~*~*~          Trixie looked into the mirror mounted in the bathroom of her lavish room in the castle. The reflection returned a glum, half-lidded stare. Her mane and tail were combed back to their previous luster, and her coat nearly shone from the recent grooming. But her rejuvenated appearance belied the dull ache in her limbs and the haze in her mind; the course had taken quite a toll on her. It had been a whole day since the preliminary, and she was already reaching the end of the second with only the slightest improvement in her condition. Trixie had not seen Twilight nor the Princess since then, which made her wonder if she was overstaying her welcome. It wasn’t surprising that she hadn’t seen anypony else, having spent the previous day sleeping, and then never leaving her room that day. However, she could distinctly remember knocking at her door the day before; coming often at first, the futile attempts eventually came to a halt. Trixie couldn’t help thinking it may have been Twilight persisting with her offer. Something inside Trixie even hoped that Twilight would insist further - maybe even manage to convince her somehow. The thought was quickly pushed aside by a multitude of other worrying concerns, but even those faded away with much-needed slumber. Today was another well-deserved lazy day of naps and seclusion. Only a few ponies came by this time, offering food and drink from the other side of the locked door. Trixie could have sworn that Starfall was her visitor a couple of times, but she chose to ignore the alms, eventually giving enough hints for them to leave her be. The discomforting feeling of not belonging in the castle persisted. The option to stay for the duration of the break was out of the question, as the mere two weeks before had left her mind in constant unrest. She couldn’t rely on the Princess forever, sure that the path to greatness and power must be sought on her own. She didn’t need anypony’s help anymore. But pondering over staying no longer mattered now; she wasn’t about to spend another night. With a sigh, she magically lifted her saddlebags off the bed and settled them onto her back. Her full magical strength hadn’t returned yet, but she was at least able to perform the simplest feats necessary to get by. Turning back around gave her one last image of the beautiful view of the nighttime Canterlot City, with shimmering lights that were reminiscent of the stars in the night sky. She had to admit it was a little saddening to part ways with such comfort, but she knew it was for the best and that one day it would be hers to claim by right. With a silent goodbye, she headed towards the door. To her surprise, Starfall wasn’t there waiting for her. Seeing him so often had become a regular custom by now. It brought her no unhappiness, but it would have been nice to say goodbye. She had been his concern for a little over two weeks, after all. Walking down the empty hall, she eventually bumped into a patrolling guard, who politely directed her along the quickest path to the exit. It was only a few minutes before she found the grand doors that led into the royal courtyard. Pushing herself through with a bit of effort, Trixie at last found herself in the Canterlot night. She paused at the low steps before the door, pondering over what lay ahead. What to do now was something that had lain heavily on her mind for the past two days. Not having considered this before the preliminary, she felt stupid for not thinking ahead. But then again, how was she supposed to know there was a break before the actual tournament? She shook her head, only certain about one thing. She had to leave. Moving onwards, Trixie reached the bottom step before the feeling of a presence halted her. Somepony was behind her, and she had a good idea of who that pony was. “Did you not understand the first-” she began as she spun around, only for words to leave her as her gaze met the Princess of the Night. Silence befell the two as Luna, standing tall at the top of the steps, looked down at Trixie. “Leaving so soon?” the Princess spoke casually, taking a few steps down to close with Trixie. “I-I am sorry, Princess. I thought-” “I was Twilight?” Luna finished, making Trixie look away. “Come, I shall accompany you to the front gates.” She kept walking, Trixie turning to follow close at her side. Trixie felt slightly nervous; it was something she didn’t feel too regularly, being one who often sought attention. Neither of them spoke as they walked through the courtyard. “Twilight departed for Ponyville last night,” Luna said, breaking the silence. This was unexpected to Trixie, having thought Twilight to have put a little more effort in convincing her to return to Ponyville. “Did she say anything?” Trixie felt she had to ask, curious as to what the mare could have said to the princess. “She informed me of what occurred.” The obvious mention of that night made Trixie grimace slightly. “I do not mean to pry, and there is no need to worry.” Trixie nodded in response, but the alicorn took no notice, keeping her attention forward. “However, I have a question for you, Trixie,” Luna said, looking over and catching the apprehensive mare’s eye. “Are you truly confident in yourself? In your skills, choices, and thoughts?” Luna’s tone was direct, yet soft. Not too long ago, Trixie’s answer would have been an unequivocal and assertive ‘yes’. But now, nothing was certain in her life. She didn’t know how to answer. She could easily have lied, but it didn’t feel right, especially considering it was the Princess. She pursed her lips tightly before she answered in the only way she could. “I do not know,” Trixie muttered in a hushed tone. The presence of the Princess at her side was heavy and overbearing, making everything seem all the more difficult. They came to a halt a few steps before the gated door that exited to the Canterlot streets. Luna turned over and looked down at Trixie, who was looking away towards the exit. “I mean you no ill feelings. Nor do I want to leave you with a heavy burden on your mind. I only wish you to heed my words. Think upon your choices, and decide what is best for yourself. At times you must face discomforts and struggles, but they accompany change. And when one changes, one can progress and grow. Eventually, they can succeed.” Luna smiled and nodded as Trixie looked up, holding a tight-lipped smile that was betrayed by her sad eyes. A dark blue aura surrounded the gate, slowly swinging it open. “I wish you success, Trixie.” “Thank you, Princess,” Trixie replied, turning away and passing through the threshold of the castle grounds and into the city. It was a few steps before something came to her, something she had to know. Turning back around she saw the Princess still standing by the doorway. “Princess Luna.” Luna raised her brow inquisitively. “Yes?” “Why did you give me this chance? Why did you let me stay in the castle?” Trixie tried to face Luna with vigor, but it was difficult to keep her eyes locked with the Princess’. Shifting her gaze between the ground and Luna, there was effort in keeping her full composure. The alicorn smiled in return, only increasing Trixie’s anxious bewilderment. “I believe that everypony deserves another chance to prove themselves. I did not want you to miss yours.” With another nod, the Princess turned away and walked back to the castle. Trixie watched her as she disappeared through the large doors. She stood silent for another minute before turning back around, heading towards Canterlot Station. It wasn’t a terribly long walk through the near-empty nighttime streets to the station. The silent solitude of the open space was a relief, surprisingly so. The castle may have been the most luxurious place she’d ever set hoof in, but being a guest meant that she’d had to give constant consideration to her every action. Out here, she was free from all that, back to where she was a few weeks ago. Thinking about it now, she didn’t know which was better: having everything, but being unable to do anything with it, or to be free of scrutiny, but have absolutely nothing. ‘Discomforts and struggles,’ she scoffed, reminiscing over the princess’ words. What does that have to do with change? I do not have to change to succeed. I just have to try a little harder, is all. I know I can succeed. I made it this far, after all. Walking through the dimly lit alleyways, Trixie’s persistent thoughts returned, pushing away all else. I can go back to the city and find a cheap apartment to stay in for the time being. Maybe even get a job where I might use my magic from time to time for practice. Or I can go on the road again and try dedicating my time to training by myself. I can put on a few more shows in smaller towns when I stop and rest. Trixie continued to list any possible way for her to survive the three-month waiting period. Every time, the scenarios envisioned only seemed to get more difficult for her. She knew being on her own would be a challenge, yet she also needed the most effective means of improving. She continued to ponder, throwing away idea after idea, which only came to build upon her frustration. I need to get even stronger. I may have passed the preliminaries, but… she forced herself to admit that her results weren’t the most favorable. She just narrowly passed every challenge, defeat nearing much too close for comfort. I know I can get stronger. Stronger than Twilight. Perhaps I can use her. But that means… This time her thoughts were accompanied by the Princess’ words. I am not confident in anything anymore, she thought with a huff of breath. The thought made her angry; angry at herself for falling so far, for reaching such a point. A furrowed brow and serious look expressed her deep frustration and anger. If anypony were around to see her, they would have turned tail and ran. Each hoofstep shot an aching shiver through her limbs as she stomped against the hard stone cobbles. Once again, she began to recall the last few weeks of her journey to become Princess Luna’s protégé. At times she came to forget that. The whole point of her going through all this trouble was to be at the Princess’ side one day. So she could at last be seen as the greatest and most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria. But so far, that goal seemed more distant than ever. She might have made it through the preliminaries, but so did many others. Her mind continued to wander back to Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna. To what the Princess did for her. And what Twilight offered her. It is all so ridiculous! There was no doubt Trixie was grateful, but there was a nagging doubt at the back of her mind. I am great and powerful! I just need to be more so. And I can do that on my own! She considered her options, but once again her thoughts veered back to the conversation with Twilight two nights ago. No...! I cannot! How can I ever become the greatest unicorn in Equestria if I will only be beneath her shadow! Trixie shook her head, wanting to distract her mind in some way or form. Using her magic she dug into her bag, finding the little silver ball and pulling it out. It had a considerable heft to it, giving the impression of it being a whole, solid silver piece. Trixie however knew that wasn’t the case, as she was convinced there had to be something contained within. She brought it close to her snout and, after careful inspection, noticed intricate lines shallowly carved across the sphere’s surface. If the lines made some sort of picture, Trixie couldn’t tell. She slowly rotated the ball within her magical grasp, following the lines closely with her eyes before losing her place in its precise complexity. Focus drifted away from the road before her - she simply continued to walk in a straight line as she carefully scrutinized the artifact. She only managed to walk for several more paces, however before the ball was pushed forward into Trixie’s nose, and soon after, the rest of her face came in contact with something. She staggered back, trying to quickly regain her senses while still wincing from the hit to the face. “Ow,” Trixie said as she rubbed her nose, “watch where you’re going!” “Hey, hey, you bumped into me. I should be telling you the same thing!” Trixie knew that voice, looking up to confirm her suspicions. Her features hardened at the sight of the turquoise unicorn from the preliminary. “It’s you,” she said, a little annoyed. “Oh, so you made it through after all,” her opponent replied in mocking disbelief. “I’m surprised to see you up so soon, actually. Good job,” she continued in her sarcastic tone. “Why’d I have to bump into you, of all ponies?” Trixie muttered, in no mood to be dealing with anypony at the moment. “Hey, hey, can’t I be out on a little stroll, too?” she replied casually, looking over at Trixie with a coy grin. “In the middle of the night? What, are you following me?” The other mare gave a short laugh, which only increased Trixie’s irate feelings. “I was out celebrating for the day, of course. I placed first in my preliminary group, as if that was a surprise. Been relaxing a bit before I head home. Can’t let this time we’ve got go to waste, right?” Trixie was still wary of this other mare, eyeing her intently and keeping quiet. Slowly, she returned the sphere into her saddle, just in case. “Hey, don’t be so uptight. We’re all contestants here,” she grinned. Trixie’s serious expression didn’t waver, remembering what happened the first time she met a fellow hopeful contestant. “Ah, I see how it is. Why trust someone hanging out all by themselves at this hour, huh? Well, I’ve got my reasons. Canterlot rush hour is the worst.” Why she continued to talk was unknown to Trixie, and with nothing else around, it was difficult to ignore.   “My name’s Elusive Flash. A good name for the fastest unicorn in Equestria, don’tcha think? Maybe knowing my name will make you chill out a bit.” “Fastest unicorn in Equestria?” Trixie had to ask. Speed and athletics weren’t something unicorns often bragged about. “Hey, hey, how about you tell me your name before we get personal, okay?” At last, such casual cheerfulness forced Trixie’s defenses to diminish. Her face softened and even her agitation began to settle. “I am... Trixie Lulamoon.” “Lulamoon, eh? Never heard of you. It’s an okay name, I guess. Nowhere near as cool as mine, though,” she said, pridefully bringing a hoof to her chest. Trixie let her mouth fall slightly as she gave the cocky mare a bewildered look. “So you asked about me being the fastest unicorn? Well you heard right! I’m physically built to be faster, stronger, and cooler than your regular athlete!” she said, striking a sideways pose and showing off her yellow lightning bolt cutie mark. “Flaunting your abilities around like that is rather annoying” Flash gave another obnoxious laugh, making Trixie grimace ever so slightly. “Not like it matters. If ponies know how great I am, then maybe they’ll try a little harder,” she said, excited at the proposition of a challenge. “Not like any other pony has a chance, but I’d like to have a little fun, y’know? Yeah, you should know, you were in my group.” Trixie glared. “What is that supposed to mean?” “Well, what else could it mean? The tournament will be a breeze if the competition is what I saw back there!” she said, letting out a chortle. Trixie’s anger rose at her mocking, intentional or not. “I mean, why even bother coming back for the tournament if I’m in it, y’know? Spare yourself the embarrassment and just stay home, I’d say. Save everypony a little bit of time.” She spoke with a wide grin plastered on her face, looking at her fellow contestant with the most gleeful look one could give. It was only pushing Trixie closer to the edge. “Shut up! What do you know of my skill!?” The other mare’s expression was unwavered at this outburst. “I know you got last place in our preliminary group.” Her brow furrowed slightly, making her grin look slightly more wicked than cheery. “Unless you’ve got some sort of trick up your sleeve, Trixie Lulamoon, I wouldn’t bother coming back at all.” Another silence befell the two as they attempted to glare each other down, but to no avail. “But!” The silence was abruptly broken by a long drawl of the word. “If you really do have some spunk, then I wouldn’t mind beating you in the tournament,” she said with a waggle of her eyebrows. “I will show you!” Trixie said in her still-boiling state, taking a quick step forward. But as quickly as she did, the pompous mare had already doubled the distance between them, holding a defensive stance with a fierce, almost angry look. The change in demeanor was like night and day, and almost instantaneous. It was so unexpected it even took Trixie off guard for a second. “Don’t touch me,” she said, almost at a hiss. “What? I was not intending to.” Her intense glare held strong for a few seconds longer before her posture and agitated disposition began to settle. She let out a sigh before a wavering smile returned to her face. “I’m okay,” she told herself. The odd occurrence was fresh in Trixie’s mind; she was now more confused than before. Trixie could have asked, but she didn’t care enough about the mare to do so. The situation was already awkward enough. “Well, I’m leaving,” the now well-demeanored mare said, although not sounding as carefree as she had before. “Let’s meet again, Trixie Lulamoon. Maybe by then you’ll have enough training to actually be a worry. Or not.” She let out a haughty laugh before turning away and walking off into the darkness, leaving Trixie gritting her teeth in silence. Her words were a stark reminder of the preliminary results: how she had painstakingly struggled through every trial she faced, reaching the finish line with nothing more than her limp body, void of any stamina and vigor. It was obvious she wasn’t ready for the tournament if it meant facing Elusive. Even Starfall placed higher than her, a thought that made Trixie grimace. She had to make a choice, and the sooner she could get to training the better.   “I have to win,” Trixie whispered to herself as she continued to walk. Her brow lowered in a determined glare as she picked up her pace. I must become even more great and powerful. By any means necessary. Eventually, the train station came into view, a small lit booth situated near the entrance to the platform immediately catching her eye. Trixie walked up to it, noticing the clerk behind the glass dozing away. A quick bang on the counter roused him to notice the perturbed-looking mare. “O-oh, hello there, miss, what can I do you for tonight?” he asked with politeness, as if he hadn’t just been sleeping on the job. “A one-way ticket,” Trixie replied flatly. “Of course. And to where will you be travelling tonight?” For several seconds a long pause was all the clerk received. With a defeated sigh, Trixie muttered the word, “Ponyville.” “Right then. That’ll be twenty bits, please.” Trixie used her dim magic to rummage through her bag, digging deep through her few belongings to reach her bits purse. “Just to let you know,” began the clerk again, “trains can pass rather irregularly at this time. It might be a long wait.” Trixie didn’t care, as long as she could be on her way. Feeling her purse at the bottom corner, she found it wedged against the heavy silver ball. Pulling both out, she let the ball fall on the counter with a heavy thud as she counted her bits. “Oh, you’re one of the contestants! Congratulations on getting through!” The preoccupied mare paid him no mind, slowly counting the bits from her bag. “Here’s your ticket!” he said, sliding the slip of paper through a slot under the glass and over the counter. This at last made her look up, stopping her count. She gave the ticket and the smiling clerk a questioning glance. “What is this for?” Trixie asked, bits still in her magical grasp. “Oh, you don’t know? Odd. Every contestant of the Lunar Tournament has access to free railroad services. All you have to do is show your artifact. It’s a little perk that comes with the tournament, you could say.” Trixie only nodded, returning her bits to her purse and back into her saddle. She lifted both the sphere and ticket with her magic and turned for the platform. “Have a good night!” the pony called after her. “Be safe!” Trixie did not return his valedictions, already too far away as well as having lost interest. The platform was empty and mostly dark, with only a few spots of light from the lanterns above. Standing at the edge of the platform, rails could be seen as far as the night allowed, but not a train was in sight. Trixie sighed, moving back to sit on a lit bench. She had no idea when the next train was coming, but at least it gave Trixie some time to rest. Sitting down and staring with unseeing eyes, she sighed, only nothingness in her mind. She was tired, but didn’t allow her heavy eyelids to fall. Her head began to tilt slightly, making her sway back and forth in a meager attempt to stay awake. But at last she heard it: the chugging of a train over steel rail. Walking closer to the edge of the platform, light could be seen breaking the darkness, quickly drawing nearer along with the reverberating noise that shook the platform ever so slightly. It wasn’t long before the train came to a grinding halt with a screech and a cloud of steam. A loud hiss from its engine cut through the silence of the night. The doors opened, letting a few ponies off from each of the attached cars. Trixie waited before one of the entrances to an empty railcar, staring blankly into the warm light. With a deep and audible breath, she stepped in. There was nopony else on her particular train car that night, so she was free to sit anywhere she pleased. Like she cared where she was sitting. Choosing one of the window seats, she settled herself, letting her head rest against the glass. It was a few more minutes before the train’s doors closed and it began to chug out of the station, away from the great city of Canterlot. Trixie watched as it disappeared into the dark distance, wondering if she had made the right choice. It wasn’t long before the drowsiness kicked in, together with heavy eyelids and a hazy mind. Trixie decided a quick nap would make getting to her destination a bit faster, and give her a break from her conflicting thoughts. She closed her eyes, quickly becoming enveloped in a deep sleep. ~*~*~*~ “Miss... Miss, wake up.” Trixie shifted as her head came off the glass and her eyes slowly opened. A strand of drool hung from her slightly opened lips, which she quickly wiped away with a hoof. “We are nearing our first stop. May I see your ticket, please?” The question was a reminder of her last train ride, making her feel a bit uneasy, but the feeling was expunged as she quickly slipped the ticket out of her bag. The conductor gave it a swift glance before returning it and heading off to the next car, once again leaving Trixie alone. She looked out of the window to see nothing but the nighttime darkness. Not certain of how late or early it really was, she wanted to fall back into her rather uncomfortable sleep, but her stop was coming up. It was only a little while longer before the station came into view, and eventually the train came to a full stop with a short, forward jerk. Stepping off the train and onto the platform, Trixie seemed to be the only pony getting off here. There were fewer lanterns, making the emptiness all the more apparent and eerie at this hour of the night. Once she left the platform, it didn’t take long for Trixie to reach the edge of the completely barren town. At this hour, most ponies were in their homes sleeping in their warm beds. With a sigh, she pushed onwards, moving in a slow trot through the vacant and bleak dirt roads of Ponyville. She remembered little of the town, only recalling specific landmarks from the few times she had visited. Using said landmarks, she moved towards her destination, picking up her pace every few steps. This town brought her the most unsettling of feelings. Her stomach churned and her head became light. A heavy, nearly overbearing feeling of despondency fell upon her, but she carried on. Moving at a near trot, she searched frantically for her destination. At last she saw it: a great tree near the center of Ponyville. Light emanated from the windows and a figure's faint shadow could be seen within. Trixie’s body and mind began to settle as she slowed to a walk before the door of the tree house. She lifted a hoof but was hesitant to knock. Looking at the entrance with wide, uncertain eyes, she stood completely still. It was the best choice. She let her hoof fall onto the door, rapping quickly before setting it down. Staring at the ground, she waited, hearing hoofsteps nearing the other side of the door. It opened, revealing a mare on the other side. “Trixie? What are you doing here?” said Twilight Sparkle, looking surprised at seeing a disheveled Trixie at her door. Trixie refused to look up, the feeling of shame hitting her more than ever at the sound of Twilight’s voice. “What do you think?” she spat, sounding harsher than intended. Her eyes quickly shifted to Twilight and away, catching a glance of the wide-eyed mare. “O-oh, right. Sorry. It’s just... rather unexpected. Especially at this hour. Come on in,” she invited in a cheerier tone, taking a few steps back from the entrance. Once again, Trixie was hesitant. For a split second, the thought of turning away and leaving crossed her mind. But it was far too late for that now. She had already gone this far, and she had to accept it. For Princess Luna and, more importantly, herself. Trixie looked to Twilight with an unwavering glare, who returned a welcoming smile. With an assenting sigh, Trixie walked into the lit room, which she now noticed was a whole library. Her mouth fell slightly as she turned in place, looking in awe at the countless books that seemingly made up the walls. And it wasn’t only the walls covered in books, but the floors and tables were littered by small stacks of them. The door shut behind Trixie as Twilight trotted past her. “Sorry for the mess. I was doing some late night studying... and reorganizing, you could say,” she said with a short, sheepish laugh. Trixie gave her a queer look, watching her run back and forth, trying to arrange the books neatly. It was all very odd to Trixie. Was Twilight actually happy to have her there? Maybe even excited? Standing awkwardly at the center of the room, Trixie was unsure of what to do. The seemingly spry unicorn was completely ignoring her, mumbling eager plans to herself as she worked. “Twilight... Twilight,” Trixie repeated, her voice beginning to rise. “Twilight!” At last, her host’s attention was pulled back to the, once again, disgruntled looking mare. “Right, you must be tired! Umm... I guess you can take my bed for tonight. I probably won’t get much sleep anyway,” she said with another smile. “Just head up the stairs to my room. We’ll talk about all this in the morning.” “Of course,” was Trixie’s only reply, walking lazily up the steps. At this point, she didn’t know if this was real life, or just another nightmare. But her fatigue was certain; throwing herself onto the bed, it wasn’t long before she fell into a deep sleep.