//------------------------------// // Chapter 69 - Retract // Story: Trixie's Forest Retreat // by crowscrowcrow //------------------------------// After Rainbow Dash's awkward dare, the game seemed to pick up speed, despite the continued nervous habit of Trixie to continually look at Rainbow Dash before she dared Fluttershy. One round had Trixie daring Fluttershy to give Rainbow Dash a backrub, another had Rainbow Dash daring Trixie to give Fluttershy a good belly rub. She vehemently insisted that it was totally different, and that she hadn’t run out of ideas or anything. The good mood lasted for quite a while between the three. As much as Trixie would have liked to keep her hooves on Fluttershy, she had to relinquish her turn eventually. After she asked what the next dare was going to be. Fluttershy responded with, as far as Trixie was concerned, the most adorable dare thus far, which apparently had been something they had not done since flight school. Hold her like they used to, for the rest of the game? While Trixie was at first puzzled with the request, she soon smiled as she watched the two of them. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had cuddled up together, their hooves wrapped tightly around each other. Fluttershy had her muzzle snuggled against Rainbow Dash’s neck. Quite quickly, Trixie recognized the embrace. It was the same hold she had shared with Rainbow Dash while flying, which also explained why it had been one that the two friends had ceased using after graduating, since by that point Fluttershy would have been able to fly on her own. Both pegasi blushed heavily while they shared the embrace. “Like this, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Y-yes, just like that.” Fluttershy rested her head against Rainbow Dash’s neck. As much as Trixie adored watching them together like that, she also felt a little left out, and even more so when she realized this was supposed to last for the remainder of the game. She was well aware that it was her turn now, and she was supposed to make some kind of dare, but she did not want to ruin the moment. Trixie can wait a little while, oh, what if Trixie dares to join in? We did that before, it felt really nice. She smiled warmly, recalling the group hug after the conclusion of the whole dragon incident. That certainly felt like a great dare, or well, maybe not that great of a dare, but definitely something she’d enjoy. However, she quickly remembered it was also Fluttershy’s dare, so she couldn’t copy it. Curses. “Tri—I mean, I suppose you two were flying like that once?” Trixie winced a little, though she had been trying to talk in first person for Rainbow Dash on occasion, after so long it just did not feel natural anymore. Rainbow Dash perked up suddenly, as though only now recalling Trixie was even in the room. “Oh! Yeah. Hehe, good guess, Trixie. ” She gave a few beats with her wings as though to illustrate the point. “I figured Fluttershy could use the experience of really soaring through the sky. Turns out I was right, we had a lot of fun didn’t we?” Nodding, Fluttershy chimed in. “Yes, it was very, uhm, inspirational to get to fly like that with you Rainbow Dash. It was one of my favorite exercises. Though I still can’t fly as fast as you could back then.” Trixie’s too, definitely the best way to fly. Trixie smiled at the thought, but did not interrupt, staring longingly down at the hooves the pair of pegasi had wrapped around each other. “Mine too! And hey, I just happen to be that awesome, most pegasi are not as fast at their best as I was at my slowest!” Rainbow Dash puffed up her chest in pride. After a moment, she deflated a little again and looked at Fluttershy, pulling their hug a bit tighter. “But, I’m sure that you have what it takes to keep up even with me, Fluttershy. Just think how much you’ve improved already.” Fluttershy just blushed and shook her head. ”O-oh, no, Rainbow Dash, I know you’re trying to help, but you already did that. I’m satisfied like this, really. Not everypony is as amazing as you are.” She added the last line a little softer than usual, tilting her head down but keeping eye contact with Rainbow Dash. Trixie looked from one to the other, then spoke up, clapping her hooves together. “Well, Thanks for making it easy for me! That settles it then, I dare you both to do another flying lesson to—” Just before she finished her sentence, a clap of thunder shook the windows, making her flinch. She glared at the window. “Let Trixie finish! By which I mean, tomorrow! Once the weather is cleared up.” She smiled, it was not entirely according to the rules, but she did not feel like breaking the cute pair up just yet. After all, she needed a little more time to commit the image to memory. Apparently, Rainbow Dash liked it enough not to call Trixie on her blatant bending of the rules, as she just smiled. “Hey, not a bad idea, Trixie.” “Uhm, isn’t that against the spirit of the game? I’m sorry.” Fluttershy mumbled. Trixie stroked her chin, looking contemplative. “Well, yes, a little bit. Okay, a lot, but do you really care?” She grinned while she watched Fluttershy shake her head in response to the question. “Tr—I did not think so.” “Is it really that hard, Trixie?” Rainbow Dash asked, tilting her head while she looked at her. “Talking in first person? I mean, the way you talk. I thought it was just for shows. No normal pony talks like that you know.” Smirking, Trixie brushed her mane out of her face. “Thank you for acknowledging that Trixie is no mere ordinary pony.” She paused for a moment, and grumbled. “Curses. That I am no ordinary pony.” Rainbow Dash chuckled with yet another mess up on Trixie’s part. “Eh, it’s fine. We’re used to that by now I guess. Still, what’s up with that though? I’ve been wondering for a while now.” Fluttershy stayed quiet, just content to remain in the embrace and just observe the conversation between the two. Though by the way her ears were perked up and at attention, Trixie could guess it was something she was interested in knowing as well. Talking slowly and deliberately to avoid further mistakes, Trixie waved a hoof dismissively. “I happen to like it. You can say it is because it just sets me above others by default.” Raising a brow, Rainbow Dash shook her head. “But, that is not the reason is it? Come on, you want me to believe you are trying to put yourself above Fluttershy and me? I don’t believe that. You’ve been terrified before and still called yourself Trixie. Though, you did talk normal other times… huh?” Rainbow Dash looked as though she had confused herself by this point. Fluttershy giggled softly at Rainbow Dash, giving her a light nuzzle. “I think she means that you aren’t really consistent sometimes. Maybe you could explain that?” Folding her hooves across her chest, Trixie tilted her head up and scowled with indignation. “What is with the third degree? Trixie talks however Trixie pleases.” “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” Fluttershy looked apologetic. Rainbow Dash inhaled, but held it after receiving a look from Fluttershy. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it. I was just curious to know more about you, and I think Rainbow Dash was too. All we really know is that you have a magic show, while you already know so much about us.” Trixie slowly slipped from her hostile pose. Her anger seeped away while she dropped one hoof back the ground, using the other to stroke along her elbow embarrassed. “Oh… Uh, Trixie is sorry. It’s just… normally when anypony is asking about Trixie… it is to only ‘unmask’ her, not because they actually care to know Trixie.” Nodding, Fluttershy smiled sympathetically. “I’m sorry to hear that, Trixie. We’re not trying to do that.” “Yeah, Fluttershy’s right, Trixie.” Rainbow Dash added. Taking a moment to consider her situation, Trixie smirked and got up on her hooves, trotting over to the hugging pegasi pair. ”Well, I can make an exception, just let Trixie get comfortable first.” “Well sure, Trixie, by the way you are talking in th—Whoa! Hey!” Rainbow Dash cried out surprised as Trixie set her hooves against both Rainbow Dash’s and Fluttershy’s shoulder then unceremoniously toppled them over with a push. Fluttershy let out a soft squeak as she landed on her side with Rainbow Dash still in her embrace, but neither of them were hurt from falling over on the blanket. “T-Trixie?” Meanwhile, Trixie climbed on top and got herself comfortable on her pegasi bed with a grin. “What? There is no rule that says Trix—I can only act if it is a dare.” She wrapped her hooves around the pair, or at least as much as she could manage. Rainbow Dash protested, “Trixie, you can’t just randomly decide that!” She squirmed below the pushy unicorn. “Do you want to hear Trixie’s story or not? Hush.” Though Trixie did her best to sound cool and collected, she could feel her heart pounding in her throat. she made sure to put a little more of her weight on Rainbow Dash than Fluttershy. Not merely because Trixie was worried she’d hurt Fluttershy, but also because she was still a little apprehensive about touching her without the convenient excuse of a dare, though the lack of any real retaliation by Rainbow Dash was quickly building up her confidence. “Uhm, uh, okay, I think.” Fluttershy conceded. Rainbow Dash did not follow suit in actually saying she accepted it, but she did stop struggling, making it easy for Trixie to get comfy on the warm, soft fur below her. “That’s more like it.” Trixie smiled genuinely pleased, then turned her attention to actually answering their questions. The lovely feeling below her did her concentration no wonders however. ”Well Trixie was uhm… I have to talk like this. Right so here goes. My reason isn’t that great anyway.” “It better be entertaining, or next time you are on the bottom.” Rainbow Dash gave a nudge up into Trixie’s ribs that made her squeak. “Quit that! Trixie is concentrating! I mean I am! So, I told you before that Trixie had a friend called Flitter, yes? Well back then I spoke, what I guess you’d call, normally in everyday conversation. But for her shows Trixie spoke normal, I mean abnormal, or ugh you know.” Fluttershy looked confused. “Uhm, I think I understand, but… you said you were just a filly back then, right? You already had your own show?” She sounded somewhere between surprised and impressed. “Oh! Did Trixie not mention that? Uh, I had a little show, but it was more like Trixie could do a few tricks for her classmates. Still, Trixie liked to put on a good performance and would become The Great and Powerful Trixie on stage! Wait, I did not have a stage, yet. Anyway!” “Flitter really liked my act, and I don’t mean the tricks themselves, but the persona Trixie used for them. She wanted Trixie to use it all the time, so Trixie did.” She smiled. Rainbow Dash blinked for a moment, then stared up at Trixie. “That’s all?” “That’s all. Why, does that not answer your question? It’s just Trixie has gotten used to it.” Trixie looked down at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Did you really need to knock us over and climb on, just to tell us that?” “Tri—I, probably not, but Trixie liked it better this way.” Trixie grinned playfully. Staring intently at Trixie for a moment, Rainbow Dash finally moved on. “Fine, so what about when you actually did start talking in first person then?” “Oh, uhm… Trixie is not sure if she should say. I mean, I’m not.” She saw Rainbow Dash shoot her a look that threatened some kind of retaliation if she weaseled out and sighed. “Oh alright, you both told Trixie not to talk like herself, so when I wanted to appease you I would try that.” “Huh, okay.” Rainbow Dash thought about it for a moment. “When did I say you shouldn’t be yourself?” Trixie pondered briefly. “Trixie, no, I think it was maybe the third day Trixie was here or so, same as Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash nodded slightly while she looked in thought. “Well, I don’t remember saying that so, uh, could you forget about it? No offense, Trixie, but you are terrible at this whole first person thing. If anything, I think I like you better when you are being yourself. And, by the looks of it I don’t think I’m the only one.” “Trixie?” Fluttershy drew Trixie’s attention, she looked almost cross-eyed . “I withdraw the dare. So, uhm, please, please talk normally again, forever.” She looked up at Trixie pleadingly. “Well if that is what you really want me—Trixie to do.” Trixie laughed.   Rainbow Dash shook her head, though she looked as relieved as Fluttershy was. “Well, I guess it is my turn, I’ll think of something eventually. Trixie, you are not getting away with just one question if it’s that short to answer. Uhmm…” She paused while she looked Trixie over. “What is your horn made from?” “That’s the best you could come up with? It’s made from alicorn.” Rainbow Dash eyed Trixie’s horn. “What’s that taste like?”