//------------------------------// // Goodbyes // Story: Awakening // by Silver Scrolls //------------------------------// Pinkie stepped into the basement, reaching to her left with a hoof and flipping a switch on the wall. Light flooded the room revealing sacks of flour stacked on pallets in a corner to her right, sugar stacked against the wall directly in front of her and spare ovens and parts for other bakery essentials. With a smile she walked over to the sacks of flour, squeezing behind them she reached her hoof out and placed it on a brick that had three balloons scratched into it. Slowly a grinding sound filled the room as the wall slid down into the floor revealing a black archway. “I should probably get this staircase some lighting,” Pinkie mused as she stared into the darkness. She stuck one hoof out and waved it about until a tink sound echoed out. Nodding with approval she began to slowly descend into the darkness, pasuing with each step to wave her hoof her around until she found the next step. After several minutes the darkness began to disperse and lighten up. Pinkie smiled and leaned over the railing looking down at a small rectangle of light below her. With a gleeful squeal, Pinkie jumped onto the railing and began sliding down. As she neared the end Pinkie crouched down and licked her lips. Her first hoof reached the edge and she pitched forward. Pulling herself tight she kicked of the railing with her back hoof. Sailing through the air she spun herself around and kicked open a door visible only by the lines of light around it. A light colored blue unicorn turned slowly, her world slowing down around her as she watched a manic pink earth pony come sailing through the previously closed door. “TRIXIE!” Pinkie exclaimed with exuberance. “I am so glad you could make it.” The mass of pink fur and energy rammed into the unicorn and they rolled across the floor together. Pinkie’s hooves wrapped tightly around Trixie’s neck in a bone crushing hug.” I was worried your show might keep you in Manehatten and you wouldn't be able to attend my fantabulous good morning party for Twilight, even though she woke up in the afternoon, hmmm maybe it's a good afternoon party, no that would be silly, that's what you say to people on the street when you see them not what you say when they wake up, unless its Rainbow and she is waking up in the afternoon again.” Trixie wrestled against the pink pony as her face began to traverse across the darker shades of blue. As it settled on a color reminiscent of a certain princess of the night Pinkie finally released her and she immediately began a hunt for her hat while addressing her almost murder. “That's all well and good Pinkie but why did you feel the need to call me. I have made my peace with Twilight but I don't think I would call her a friend.” Pinkie paused and tilted her head to the side with a small giggle. “Well of course she's your friend. If you hadn't returned and seen what your nemesis had become you never would have stopped to reevaluate your life. If you hadn't done that then we never woulda had our special night. If we never had that night you never would have discovered that other thing you like and then you would have gone back to being a meany pants.”Pinkie dusted herself off and beamed at Trixie. “The reason I called you though was less formal, I need somepony for the fireworks since I don't have my license anymore.” Trixie rolled her eyes and spied her hat over by the door where she had been before a tackle had relocated her across the room. Walking over to grab her hat she smiled, remembering the night she and Pinkie had shared, such a grand night it had been. “I guess you're right, I do owe Twilight a lot. It was humbling to see that even somepony as great as her could fall. Trixie realizes that what happened to her couldn't have happened to a worse pony. Twilight never deserved what happened to her. Trixie thinks that Twilight deserves any future happiness she finds and Trixie will gladly help you with that Pinkie.” Pinkie giggled. “There you go with that third person again. You know you don't have to do that around me. Even if we aren't special someponys we did share a wonderful time together and are real close.” She deflated a little and frowned. “I know you wanted more but I just couldn't do that to everypony else. I can't give one pony more smiles than the rest, it's not fair.” “Trixie understands and is okay with it, no need to frown on Trixie’s behalf.” Trixie pulled Pinkie into a reassuring hug. “So what do you have planned for the party tonight and do you need anything from Trixie other than a fireworks display.” Pinkie instantly recovered from her sadness and bounded off towards a door on the far side of the room. Flinging it open she bounded onto a balcony and pulled a giant lever. Light flared to life, racing down a gargantuan room. The lights continued to flicker on into the distance far after anypony would have thought feasible for a hidden warehouse. Down below the balcony a sign read “You are here.” Trixie shook her head and turned to look at the pink pony as she spoke up. “I am glad you asked Trixie, it's time to gather supplies and get out the big cannon.” Trixie shook her head. “This is going to be one hell of a party.” Pinkie started down a staircase and paused. “Before that can you go deliver the invitations, there by the industrial printer.” “I think that sounds good, I will be back later to help you finish up the preparations.” Trixie turned and headed off to find the industrial printer and paused. Turning back she started to speak. “Wait, how did you lose your...” Pinkie had already disappeared into the depths of the party warehouse. Trixie shook her head and sighed. “It’s probably better I don’t know.” ~ ~ ~ Trixie stepped out of the door and looked around, spotting a telltale rainbow mane sitting at a table in front of Sugarcube Corner. With a smile Trixie shifted the heavy canvas bag of invites and headed off towards Rainbow Dash. “Hey Rainbow, you seen Twilight around. Trixie is delivering invitations for Pinkie’s shindig and Trixie wants to deliver hers first. Trixie wishes to see her and talk. Trixie hasn’t had a chance to and theres a few things Trixie wishes to get off my chest.” Trixie took a seat across a table from Rainbow Dash waving the server off as she sat. “I don’t know, she said she wanted time to be alone and think. I let her go because I had some stuff to do as well. I would try by the statue, she gravitates to it a lot.” Rainbow put her drink down and sighed. “Things have been hard for her since she woke up. I do what I can for her but Twilight isn’t really letting anyone in. Good luck Trixie, I gotta go help Carrot Top with her harvest.” Rainbow stood and placed a few bits on the table. “See you tonight Trixie.” She left, heading for Carrot Top’s place and her next months rent hopefully. Trixie grabbed the bag in her magic and turned towards the hill and set off. She gave out a few invitations as she met ponies along the way but didn't do more than give them a cursory greeting with the invitation. Trixie reached the hill and paused, staring up towards the top and fidgeting nervously. With a heavy sigh she made her way up the hill. Cresting the hill she paused and stared up at the large statue of the mare she had only met briefly. Taking a seat, she fixed her eyes on the hollow eyes of the statue. For several moments Trixie’s gaze stayed fixed to the statues as her mind mulled over what little she knew of the mare before her. They had only met briefly and it was in one of the hardest times of her life but she had been so kind if not a little harsh. Trixie lowered her head to grab the special invitation from the bag and froze. She saw just a few feet from her, the mare she wanted to talk to most in the world. The mare who had caused her more pain than any other in her life. The mare she had hated for so many years. The mare who had destroyed her life not once or twice but three times. For a moment her heart began beating a beat of hate before it broke for the mare. It broke as Trixie was unable to see any of the strength she remembered from the mare. She sat hunched forward with her hooves crossed in her lap and ears hanging forward slightly. The only sign of life coming from Twilight was a gentle rise and fall of her chest and two dark trails adorning her cheeks. Trixie couldn't help but feel as though she looked small, broken, defeated. Trixie stared and squirmed in place as she watched Twilight, unsure of what to do. I need to talk to her but, I... she wouldn’t want to talk to me, I have never been anything but horrid to her. This isn’t right I should leave. With her thoughts sorted Trixie turned away and froze as her hoof snapped a twig. Turning her head back she watched Twilight for any sign that she had heard before slinking down the hill a moment later. The further down the hill she got the slower Trixie’s steps got until she froze with one hoof raised for her next step. Turning her head back she met the hollow unflinching gaze of Applejack. Trixie shivered, feeling as though the statue was glaring her down. “What would you have me do, say to her? Applejack, what should I do? I am the last mare she should see. The way she remembers me is a horrid mare. Why would she want to see a somepony she thinks is a monster?” The statues gaze bore down on Trixie, making her sink lower and lower to the ground the longer she kept her gaze fixed. With a heavy sigh Trixie stood. “FINE. YOU WIN.” She whisper shouted before slowly making her way back up the hill. Cresting the hill she slowly approached Twilight. “Twilight,” she whispered, hoping that she wouldn’t respond so she could leave. Turning her eyes to the statue she met the hollow gaze and slowly sat beside Twilight. The hill was silent for several minutes before Twilight suddenly broke it. “Please make it quick.” Trixie’s eyes went huge and she turned her head slowly like someone turning to look at something that was about to kill them. She started waving her hooves frantically. “WHAT, NO...That’s not why Trixie is here.” Trixie dropped her hooves back to the ground and rubbed one on the back of the other. “Trixie is here to...Trixie is here.” Trixie mumbled the rest quickly and barely audible causing Twilight’s brow to furrow. Twilight looked up slightly, her eyes never leaving the statue. “You’re here to what, banish me again. Maybe finish your here to finish me off. Oh I know, you're here to mock me now that you can claim to be the Great and Powerful and I won't be there to prove you wrong anymore is that it. Please, be my guest. I deserve it.” Twilight’s sighed and rubbed her back legs through the blanket she had covering them. Trixie sat quiet for a moment her mouth opening and closing. “I deserve that but it’s not why I am here.” Trixie rubbed the back of her head with her hoof. “Trixie isn’t like that anymore. Trixie is here today to...Trixie wishes...Trixie wants to thank you. You probably have no idea why Trixie is thanking you but Trixie owes her new life to you. If Trixie hadn’t seen you in that coma then Trixie never would have changed. You forced Trixie to take a new look at her life, even more so than any of the other times you had beaten her.” Twilight turned and looked at Trixie with a mixture of anger and confusion. “You want to thank me for killing my friend and destroying Rainbow’s dream. You want to thank me for putting myself in a coma and ruining my families lives and the Celestia only knows how much I hurt the princesses.” Trixie shook her head slowly before meeting Twilight’s gaze. “No, that’s not it at all. Trixie is thanking you for making her see how wrong she was. Trixie came to Ponyville while you were in a coma and...it...it forced Trixie to see that there was no such thing as great and powerful like she thought. Trixie realized that no matter how great and powerful a pony is there is always somepony somewhere who is better. When Trixie saw you in a coma it broke her, and what followed were anything but a shining moments for her.” Tilted her head back and popped her neck and let a silence fall for a minute. “At first Trixie denied it. Trixie screamed and raved, nopony could convince her someone as great and powerful as Twilight Sparkle could have succumbed to such a fate. Trixie is not proud of what seeing you like that brought out of her.” Trixie lowered her head and pulled in on herself, trying to hide from the the thoughts in her mind. “After those thoughts dried up though, Trixie got worse. Trixie kept trying to to wake you and prove you were faking it. If Applejack had not been around Trixie fears what might have happened. But you Twilight, you have forced Trixie to see herself in a new light three times and that is why I am here. I am here to thank you for making Trixie see what a horrible mare she was.” Trixie looked up at the statue and the hollow gaze no longer felt harsh, she swore she could see a slight smile on the statue now. “You gave Trixie a chance to be normal and to learn about the things she neglected.” Twilight sat silent, staring at Trixie like a pony who has just had advanced thaumic energy theory explained to her for several moments before her mind finished processing what she had just heard. She slumped over and tried to bury her head in her lap. “Everywhere I turn I see a new life I wrecked. How many ponies did I hurt with my stupidity. Why, why, why, why?” She slowly trailed off, the cries of why dying off into sobs. Trixie hesitantly raised a hoof towards Twilight and paused, staring at her shaking back for a brief moment before gently resting her hoof against it. She massaged in small circles, offering what little comfort she could. “Sh Twilight. It will be okay.” Trixie offered the words to Twilight hoping she would believe them more than she did. They sat like that for several minutes before Twilight’s crying subsided enough for her to speak again. “Look at me, crying at the drop of a hat and in front of a mare I thought wanted me dead. I...” She trailed off, staring intently at the blanket. “I just, why did I have to wake up. Why couldn’t Rainbow Dash have left and moved on like the rest. I destroyed her life and she still stayed by my side the entire time I was in a coma. One mistake and I ruined not only one life but several. Now I am here, forcing myself back into those lives that have forgotten me. Everypony expects me to just pick up and resume the friendships but these ponies are barely the ponies I remember. All of them have moved on and have these ugly scars across their heart that covers my name. What did I do to deserve this cruel fate?” Trixie tried to speak up only for Twilight to continue. “Rainbow told me to just treat it like meeting new ponies but I can’t. I keep seeing them as they were before I went into a coma. I see how different they are and it scares me. I am terrified of these ponies around me now. Nothing is the same, it’s all feels wrong.” Twilight wrapped her hooves around herself and leaned forward, her body quaking in fear for a moment before it settled and her eyes took on a slightly vacant appearance. “ I want to pick up the pieces and move on but everytime I see one of them I am terrified. I put on a fake smile and pretend I am fine and I can tell most of them don't believe me. Why me, what did I do to deserve this?” Twilight looked up at Applejack. “Why? Why me? What wrong did I commit to deserve this punishment?” Trixie let the words run around in her head before she came up with a response. “As Trixie sees it, none. It was an accident, a tragic accident but an accident nonetheless. You are not wrong, many were hurt by it. You had a great influence on so many and for them to see you reduced to something so small, it hurt a lot of ponies. Others were hurt by the after effects of the accident, Applejack’s passing and the breakup of the elements of harmony.” Trixie paused as a fresh wave of memories washed over her. The day she had seen the article and how afraid the ponies reading it were. She remembered that one pony who wasn’t afraid but rather he looked pensive. “But, there were others who were swayed by it. Many who saw the papers took away from it a lesson in humility. That is the lesson Trixie took. Trixie believed she was invincible but you proved her wrong simply by not being invincible, her and many others.” Trixie stood up and turned to face the horizon, gesturing out with a hoof. “Trixie travels far and wide, it’s her trade. In her travels she meets a lot of ponies. Ponies of all walks of life and ponies of all mindsets. Many believe themselves to be like Trixie, great and powerful but all them saw what had become of you and were shaken.” She turned back to Twilight and smiled slightly. “To read about the most powerful pony of all time being unable to prevent such a tragedy to her own mare friend, it’s a sobering idea for a pony who thinks they are invincible.” Her smile fell and she shook her head. “It was a sad day when it happened but it echoed out, changing the lives of everypony whose ears it reached.” Twilight sat silent, her brow furrowed in thought. “Did I really shake that many ponies?” “You did, and not just ponies like Trixie but regular ponies as well. Your name was well known and it was a great tragedy to lose you and Applejack but tragedy affects all differently.” Trixie took a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling. “Some let the sadness be what they take away but others, others see it as a lesson. They see a sorrow that can teach them a lesson about life.” Trixie shook her head. “Some like me decide to learn everything they can from what happened. It’s even more the case when that someone is as important as you.” Twilight looked up into the cloudless sky, a pensive look on her face. Silence ruled the hilltop for several minutes before Twilight’s head tilted down to meet AJ’s eyes. “Thank you Trixie.” Turning she reached under her blanket. “Could you do something for me?” Trixie nodded and Twilight pulled an envelope from under the blanket. “Please deliver this to Rainbow as soon as you can.” Trixie nodded and Twilight turned and began wheeling herself away before she paused and turned back. “One more thing Trixie. If you found somepony that makes you happy never let them go. Hold onto them like every day is your last.” With that she turned away and wheeled off towards Sweet Apple Acres. Trixie looked over the note and then to where Twilight had gone off, trying to place the look she had seen on Twilight’s face at that last moment. “Trixie doesn’t understand. What are you trying to say Twilight?” Turning she headed off towards Carrot Top’s to deliver the letter and more invitations, questions rattling around in her mind begging to be answered. ~ ~ ~ Pinkie Pie bounced along the between the shelves of her party warehouse, humming a song she had just made up when suddenly she froze. She closed her eyes and shuddered for a moment before her face turned up to the ceiling and a tear rolled down her cheek. “But you're gonna miss the party if you do that Twilight.” Her head lowered and she dropped to all fours. “And what about Dashy?” Slowly she began to walk towards the nearest exit, stopping to look over at the party that would never get thrown. She stepped onto the lift that would bring her out near Carrot Top’s and turned to look at the warehouse as she hit the lights and it all went dark again. The lift rose as darkness overtook her party supplies once more. Pinkie shook her head and slapped her cheeks as the lift rose but her hair remained flat as she stepped off the lift and saw Rainbow Dash slumped over in Carrot Top’s garden. Trixie stood nearby looking around for anypony to help before she spotted Pinkie Pie and motioned her over desperately. Approaching slowly Pinkie ran over a thousand different things in her mind and finally settled on taking a seat beside Rainbow and placing a hoof over her shoulders. A sudden pressure against her chest nearly knocked her over and she wrapped her other hoof around Rainbow as she broke down and sobbed turning her bubblegum pink coat a deep shade of ruby. Her eyes shifted down to a note that sat discarded on the ground. Tears filled her eyes as she read it and she buried herself in the prismatic mane and joined her friend in her tears. The note read simply: Dear Rainbow Dash, Thank you. Thank you for everything you have done for me and for being there for me. I tried but I can’t do it anymore. Thank you so much for everything you did but this is goodbye. Your dearest friend, Twilight Sparkle