Without the cover of a roof to shield them, the sun's rays bared down onto the bodies of Trixie and Clara. They stirred and whined, trying to sleep as long as possible. Yet the combination of the sun and the birds chirping did not give them that luxury. With a yawn, Trixie straightened herself and gently nudged the sleeping girl next to her.
"Come on, Clara. It's time to wake up..." She craned her neck to look up at the skies above her. The sun was just in the middle of the sky, indicating just how long they had slept in. Trixie frowned but decided that there was nothing else she could do but get Clara awake as soon as possible. "Come on now! Trixie demands you wake up!"
When Clara groaned and rolled on her side with her back facing her, Trixie's lips curled into a devilish smirk. She lit her horn, several magic tendrils forming. They menacingly moved towards their target...
...and proceeded to tickle her sides. Clara couldn't help but giggle and squirm as Trixie tickled her. "I'm up! I'm up!" She cried for mercy, and her laugh made Trixie's heart melt.
I'm going to miss her...
Trixie cancelled the spell and climbed onto her hooves to stretch. She watched as Clara did the same, while also patting the dirt off her clothes. The unicorn trotted over to the remains of her caravan. Off to the side were the things that managed to still be in decent and usable condition after the previous night's tragedy. She picked up her saddlebags and placed them on her back, and then slid the few books remaining into the pouches. After that, she put on the one set of her hat and cape that wasn't too badly damaged--only a few tears and dirt. She did not reveal herself to the public without her signature items.
With the first obstacle of the day over with, there was another major one that needed to be dealt with: Getting Clara inside Ponyville without the citizens causing a panic.
"A teleport spell? No, the discharge would alert anypony nearby, and I'm not that skilled in long-range teleporting to begin with..." Trixie muttered under her breath as she started to lead Clara down towards the town. "I'd have to keep up an invisibility spell...and still, the magic shift in the air would be of notice, hm..."
Clara frowned at Trixie's escalating frustrations. She wished she could offer up some suggestions of her own, but even living within the world for a month was nowhere near long enough to know about anything about the world, especially in such isolation. Trixie let out a groan, and Clara wrapped an arm around the unicorn's neck.
"You'll figure something out, Miss Trixie."
Trixie couldn't help but lean into the one-arm hug. A part of her wanted to drag this out as long as possible, but she knew she couldn't. The little girl didn't belong in Equestria, she belonged wherever she came from. And Trixie, as egotistical and selfish as she was, was not willing to separate Clara from her true home.
After a couple hours of walking, Clara could see the edge of the town. Her lips curled into a wide smile as she could see that there was some sort of celebration going on. She could hear music, see multitudes of banners and confetti, and hear the distant sounds of laughter and cheer. She bounced on the heels of her feet in excitement.
"Oh! Miss Trixie! It looks like a party! What kind of parties do ponies have?"
Trixie, however, frowned in thought.
It looks like a big celebration. The entire town could be out and about! I knew sneaking Clara in would be difficult, but--
A hand suddenly flew in front of her, breaking her out of her thoughts. Clara smiled to Trixie. She tugged at the end of her pajama dress and rocked on her heels.
"Can we go see the party?"
Trixie really didn't want to disappoint her. She bit the inside of her cheek and took a quick look at her surroundings before nodding. "Alright. But you have to follow me, alright? And be very, very quiet."
Clara let out an excited squeal, then made motions as if she were zipping her lips and placing the key in an imaginary pocket. Trixie was amused at such a gesture, but decided not to comment on it, leading Clara towards the heart of Ponyville through the backstreets.
As they neared Ponyville Square, Clara could hardly contain her excitement. She wanted to run and join in on the fun, play games, and eat lots of sweets that were the norm at the parties she usually attended. She let out high-pitched squeaks and gasps whenever she would get a clear glimpse of the party.
Trixie, on the other hand, was less amused. She could make out some banners that read "CONGRATS ---- TWILIGHT!" with various things like balloon bouquets or a mountainous cake blocking the center word. She wondered just what Twilight Sparkle did, and if that was the reason for her less-than-professional behavior regarding their letters. She briefly wondered if Twilight even had the solution for getting Clara home, but decided that it was just best if she found out herself.
The two of them reached a point where they would have to cross through the public area in order to continue forwards. Trixie stopped and turned to Clara.
"Just stay here, and remember not to say anything." Clara nodded, and watched Trixie disappear into the sea of multicolor ponies.
Trixie joined the crowd, idly thinking that the size of Ponyville had grown considerably since she last visited with that accursed Alicorn Amulet, something she hoped that would not be brought up again; she just wanted to have the entire event behind her. Unfortunately, the townsponies of Ponyville couldn't help but noticed her presence, and began whispering rumors as she walked past.
'Isn't that Trixie?'
'What's she doing here?'
'She doesn't look like she's trying to cause trouble.'
'The nerve of her returning!'
'I don't understand how Twilight could forgive her.'
She held her head up high and tried to tune out the whispers among the laughter as best as she could. After several minutes of walking, she had yet to find Twilight Sparkle, and even worse she was sure that everypony knew she was in town. She let out a soft groan under her breath and trotted up as casually as she could to a random pony.
It was a tall, gangly yellow stallion who looked at home by the treats table. He slid a tray of freshly baked goods off his back and onto the table, and started to arrange them in a more pleasing-to-look-at manner. He didn't even notice that someone was walking up behind him until he heard a throat-clearing noise. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the showmare.
"What can I help ya with?" He smiled and turned his full attention to her.
For a moment Trixie was stunned. She had expected resentment, not friendliness. She cleared her throat again. "Trixie needs to locate Twilight Sparkle. Do you know where she is?"
The stallion raised a hoof and scratched at his tuft of a beard. "I think I saw her and her friends go over to Carousel Boutique. Rarity made something extremely special for the occasion. You see, Twilight--"
Trixie didn't wait for the stallion to continue speaking before sprinting off towards the fashion boutique. She paid little mind to those she bumped into, and before she knew it she was standing before the door. When she strained her ears, she could hear multiple voices just on the other side, and she took a shaky breath. While Twilight had forgiven her for her wrongdoings, she wasn't exactly sure if the others had. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that she got Clara home safe and sound, and a protective instinct rose whenever she thought about how long she had left the girl alone in the alleyway.
Without further hesitation, Trixie knocked at the door.
The voices paused, then started up again for a moment. Hoofsteps grew louder as they approached the door, and flew open a moment later. Rarity stood speechless and her eyes widened in surprise. She stumbled over her words, then coughed into her hoof to regain her composure.
"Trixie. Just what are you doing here?" The white unicorn started at the other with equal parts contempt and curiosity.
Trixie stood her ground, her expression serious and her demeanor showing that she would not back down or be turned away. "Trixie is here to see Twilight Sparkle. Let me talk to her, it's urgent."
Rarity raised a brow and cocked her head to the side. "And why should I do that? Last time you were here you took over the town and forced her out. Twilight says you've changed, but well...old habits die hard, darling."
She huffed and opened her mouth to rebut, when a voice was heard further inside.
"Rarity! Who is it? Are you alright?"
"Just fine, darlings! Just...give me a moment." Rarity turned to Trixie and let out a sigh. "Wait here. I'll bring Twilight out. But the other girls and I will be right inside in case Twilight needs us."
She watched as Rarity trotted inside, then return a moment later with another pony in her stead. Once her companion was outside, Rarity closed the door to give them their privacy. Trixie gaped as she saw Twilight Sparkle. She was different--she had wings. They were folded against her side but Trixie was unmistakable in what she was seeing.
Twilight Sparkle was an alicorn.
When she realized she had just been staring at her, she sputtered. "You...wings...how?"
The purple alicorn blushed and rubbed her foreleg with her other hoof. "It's a long story. I've just been so busy after, ah....ascending, as Princess Celestia calls it."
"Are you--"
"A princess? Yes, I suppose so. However my official coronation is a few days from now. I just can't believe it...anyway, why are you here. Trixie?"
The showmare just blinked as she processed the new information. Twilight Sparkle was an alicorn. Nopony had ever heard of any normal pony becoming one--even Princess Cadence's rise to princess status was shrouded in mystery. But here was one, one Trixie knew and considered her rival no less, that now sported wings and a promise of a throne.
Old feelings of jealousy and resentment started to bubble up from within, but Trixie tried her best to push them down and remain calm. "Do you now remember, Twilight? The letters we talked about? You had stopped responding after a while. Did you find a solution for her?"
It was Twilight's turn to blink. When realization hit, she smacked her forehead. "Oh! You mean the human girl! Right, right. I'm sorry Trixie. I did get your letters, but I was kind of preoccupied with..." She opened her wings for a brief moment. "...you know. But! Good news is I think I did find something to do with dimensional travel. I'm not sure if it will help, because it was mostly a theory and the author of the book was regarded as, well, crazy for it... but it's better than nothing."
Trixie let out a small sigh. It was small, but it was a chance.
"So where is she?"
She lifted her head and motioned behind her. "She had to hide. Trixie's caravan got destroyed just outside of town, so I couldn't just walk her inside as I had originally planned. Just...follow me."
With a nod, and a quick message to her friends inside that she would take Trixie to the library, the two of them went off to retrieve Clara from her hiding place, and take her to the Ponyville Library.
Clara rested her head on her knees as she sat in the alley behind a trash can. The sounds of the party only kept her interested for so long before she started to get sleepy. It was the same as watching the other kinds play a game while she was too sick to join in; it just left her with a feeling of isolation and boredom.
After Trixie had left her in hiding for five minutes, she started to wonder if something happened. When it approached ten minutes, she started to wonder if Trixie had simply left her. She frowned and closed her eyes, trying to banish the negative thoughts by drifting off to sleep.
Next thing she knew, she was shaken awake. Clara let out a soft noise as she looked up to see Trixie and another pony standing above her. Blinking and letting out a yawn, she crawled to her feet and leaned against the showmare as she slowly woke up.
"Am I going home now, Miss Trixie?" She mumbled her the blue fur.
There was a moment's silence before there was a response. "Yeah. Let's get you home, Clara."
A tingling sensation covered Clara's skin, and when she looked up she was in a room that where the walls were covered with shelves of books. As she looked at her new surroundings, the other pony that had joined Trixie stepped into her field of vision.
"Hello! My name is Twilight Sparkle. Trixie told me so much about you." The alicorn smiled as she spoke, but also studied the girl. Clara was nothing like Twilight had ever seen. If it wasn't for Trixie's insistence--and the girl's obvious young age--she would have liked to sit her down and learned more about her world and her species.
Unfortunately she did not have that luxury, so instead of questioning she levitated a rather thick book from a pile near the stairs over to her. Clara gasped when she could see Twilight in her entirety.
"You have wings!"
Twilight couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, I'm just getting used to them myself."
"Are you a pegasus or a unicorn?"
"Hmm. I guess I'm both now, aren't I?"
That seemed like a good enough answer for Clara, and stared at Twilight as though she had just discovered something new and exciting.
Jealousy once again bubbled up within Trixie, and she stomped her hoof impatiently. "Twilight. Do you think you can help or not?"
The book that floated before Twilight opened and was turned to a page in the middle of the book. "Space Searcher was a great scientist of his time. He was the one that discovered many facts about stars and space that we rely on today. He took a page from Starswirl's book and started to research time and with the knowledge he had, theorized that there may be other dimensions other than our own.
Sadly, he was seen as insane and taken to an asylum and well... With the help of Princess Celestia I was able to get some of his workings. If Space Searcher is correct, then all I'd need to access a dimension without a known portal is something from that dimension as a sort of link."
Clara and Trixie stood in confused silence. Both were incredibly lost by Twilight's explanation, and didn't know what to say. When the alicorn picked up on this, she smiled sheepishly and turned to Clara.
"Do you have anything from your world, Clara?"
She nodded. "I have my bear!" She glanced at Trixie. "Do you still have him?"
Trixie nodded and floated out the small stuffed bear from the hidden saddlebags, and handed it to Twilight. She looked it over with a worried expression.
"Is something wrong, Twilight?" Trixie asked.
"Well...It's possible that whatever is used to establish the link can be...destroyed. Are you alright with that?"
Clara felt her stomach drop. She always had her stuffed bear, it was one of her best friends. But she had to return home as well. Tears started to well up as she nodded slowly. Trixie pulled her close and comforted her.
"Alright...here we go."
Twilight levitated the bear before her and closed her eyes in concentration. Under her breath she recited an incantation, and her horn shined brighter with magic energy.
The fur all over Trixie's body stood on end as the magical atmosphere in the room changed. She knew all to well that the stronger the spell, the bigger the explosion should it backfire. And they were doing something that had never been tested before.
In a show of motherly instinct, Trixie grabbed Clara and moved her to the opposite side of the room, as far away from Twilight as possible. She wanted her to be shielded from the potential blast, even if it meant that she would take the brunt of it.
Hair whipped around Twilight's face as the beam from her horn grew in size. A blue circle appeared around the bear, and slowly expanded in size with each passing second. It grew to a large size until it nearly touched both the floor and the ceiling, and then stopped as Twilight collapsed from the exertion. The stuffed bear fell in front of her.
She panted heavily with sweat rolling down her forehead, but she had done it. She had successfully opened a portal, and deep down she hoped it led to wherever Clara was from. She turned and gave a weak smile to the two.
"That...should take you home, Clara..." She paused as she caught her breath. "And even your friend survived the endeavor!"
Trixie cautiously guided Clara over to the portal, and pressed a hoof against it. It took it in, but did not suck her through entirely. Her ears pressed flatly against her head. The time had come for Clara to return home to her real mother, in her real world. She didn't belong in Equestria.
She pushed the feelings deep down and turned to the girl, who was hugging her bear close against her chest and thanking Twilight. Her words died in her throat. She didn't want her to leave. This past month she had come to think of Clara as her foal, and she didn't want to let her go.
But she wasn't, and she had to.
"Are you ready to go home?"
Clara turned on her heel and faced Trixie. She gave a small smile and a nod. Trixie halfheartedly returned them. Trixie's horn shimmered under her stage hat, and--along with her cape--levitated off her and onto Clara.
She blinked. "But, these are the only ones that didn't--" She was cut off by a wave of Trixie's hoof.
"I will get more. They were already a bit torn anyway, and Trixie needs fresh ones when she does a show. So, you can keep them."
Clara wrapped the cape around her as she thought. And then she smiled. She reached out her arms and offered the stuffed bear to her.
Trixie was taken back. She wasn't expecting that she would try to offer her something in return, especially not the bear that she had a bit of a hard time giving up. But Clara just nodded with the bright smile, and Trixie took the bear in her hooves.
"I...Thank you, Clara."
The two of them stood in silence, and Trixie was finding it harder each passing moment to allow her to go through the portal. "Go on, Clara. I'm sure your mother is waiting for you..."
Clara hesitated, then wrapped her arms around the unicorn's neck in one last embrace.
"Thank you, Miss Trixie...thank you for everything."
Before Trixie could formulate a response, Clara pulled away from her and stepped into the blue portal. Once the portal had taken something, it swallowed closed for no chance of returning. It was just Trixie and Twilight, standing in silence and staring at the spot where Clara had just been standing.
Twilight slowly approached Trixie. "Are you alright...?" She whispered.
She didn't respond. Tears welled up and overflowed from her eyes, hitting the library floor with a soft plink. They came harder and harder in larger and larger droplets, and soon Trixie was sobbing on the floor.
Twilight sat next to her and gently rubbed the unicorn's back. Once Trixie had calmed down, she managed to choke out a few words.
"I..I'll never see her again."
Twilight gave her a sad smile. "But you helped her get home. And I don't think she'll ever forget you. And you have something you can always treasure."
She was met with sniffles as Trixie hugged the bear close to her chest. Though that didn't satisfy the aching feeling she had in her heart, she knew on some level that Clara would be home safe and sound. And that was all that mattered to her.
But she would never forget her, as long as she lived.
Clara held on close to the hat and cape as she traveled down the portal's path. She didn't want to lose the gifts she had been given, she wanted to keep them forever.
After what felt like a lifetime, Clara was spat out of the other side.
She let out a painful groan as she slowly pushed herself up to see where she was. It was her bedroom, just as she had left it when she disappeared into the mirror a month earlier.
"Mommy?"
She walked out of her room, looking to see any signs of her mother. From the top of the stairs she could hear noise from the dining room.
"Mommy?"
Clara ran down the stairs, holding tight to Trixie's hat so it wouldn't fall off, and towards the source of the noise. She nearly slipped on the hardwood floor as she turned the corner.
She could see her mother turn in shock as she ran in, along with her father that sat opposite of her. She didn't know why her father had been there, since she only got to see him on weekends, but was glad nonetheless.
"Clara!"
The two adults shouted as the jumped out of their chairs and grabbed Clara in an embrace. They cried, talked over each other, and thanked the heavens that their daughter had been home safe and sound.
Clara's mother had a million things to ask, but decided it would be better if the three of them just sat down and enjoyed each other's company. There would be time for questions later.
Clara smiled to herself and a thanks of her own under her breath. She knew that she would never forget the time she spent in the land of ponies, with a unicorn named Trixie.
The End