//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: One Mistake Was All It Took // by Seth Typofather //------------------------------// It’s been….hours now? She wasn’t sure, but she had held the same position since sunrise. It felt comforting for some odd reason, maybe it’s the feeling of being relied on to keep a tower up. The feeling of belonging maybe? One flinch and the whole thing would crumble, one wrong breath or a single solitary distraction and she would be crushed. The worst part is that the tower isn’t even completed yet, though the whole thing was practically touching the tip of the forest clearing judging from what she’s dealing with. Zecora had been gone for a while now, sternly ordering Trixie to keep still. She sounded rather frantic, if Trixie remembers correctly. Voices? At last, even if I couldn’t speak it would be nice to hear another sentient being. “…and her body is completely fine?” A voice asked, Twilight’s, surprisingly distinctive now that she thought about it with the distracting gothic manestyle not in her face. “That’s what I’ve been saying.” Replied another, Zecora. Again, very distinctive. “She could barely lift something heaver than a door with her magic, so how’s this possible? You know I trust you, but even that I find hard to believe, even if you were the one who told me!” Shot back Twilight. Gee, thanks. Once the two mares passed through the bushes to the training area, Twilight’s jaw hung open like a broken gate. Trixie was in a still pushup position with her mane and furrowed brow shadowing her eyes which were closed in an act of intense focus. Not one movement since Zecora last left her there to get Twilight. “How…?” The lavender unicorn approached, crouching under to get a look at Trixie’s face. “Since when did you become so strong…?” I dunno, maybe you should ask the zebra. “Trixie, you may remove the weight.” Commanded Zecora. Finally! This was getting boring. Oh...ow ow ow this hurts when I move! Raising her back with some difficulty, the rocks slid down her back and toppled onto a pile behind her. Stretching slightly, Trixie sat back on her haunches. “So,” She clicked her tongue. “Hard to believe?” She smirked at Twilight through pained breaths who shook her head in disbelief. ==++==++==++== The moon was glowing radiantly in the night sky, the hut illuminated by a few lamps hung out the door. Zecora was outside tending to her koi pond while the two unicorns inside conversed about today. “And you held up all those rocks?” Asked Twilight. “Well, yeah. I dunno how, I just felt like I could do anything and that just happened, I guess.” Shrugged Trixie, taking a sip of herbal tea. The lavender unicorn rested her forelegs on the table. “Trixie, this is serious. Nopony would suddenly be able to lift a pile of rocks without the years of training Zecora had been through. She was practically out of breath from simply explaining this all to me! What made you do this?” Trixie sighed, pulling up the stool as if getting ready to tell a bedtime story. “After getting knocked out by a stray rock from Zecora’s pile, I had a dream…” “Dream?” “I was talking to myself, well, kind of myself but crueler. She was wearing the alicorn amulet and went on about how I need it, I see no reason to wear it.” Twilight nodded. “You’re right, you have no need to wear it.” “But…” She looked up into Twilight’s eyes. “I don’t know if it’s right or not. It said the only reason I got your pity was because of it…” “Pity?” Gasped Twilight, placing a hoof on her chest as if she had been hurt. “You know I’d never pity a friend like that! I saw good in you, and you just needed help getting pushed in the right direction.” “And it said that you were trying to make yourself look better by making me practise a ‘lower form’ of power.” Added Trixie. The lavender unicorn cocked her head to the side, arching an eyebrow at the box behind Trixie on the shelf. “It said that?” Trixie nodded, solemnly staring at her hornless reflection in the tea. Twilight got up and trotted over to Trixie, placing a reassuring hoof around her with a smile. “Don’t let it get you down, you know you have friends like me and Zecora backing you up. This is no lower form of magic. I had trouble with potion recipes myself.” She chuckled at the memories of her various potion failures, like a shrinking potion that gave her a huge head. “And here you are, being able to push through with trial and error alone, never giving up. I’d say what you’re doing is harder than my private studies, and from what I saw, you will make a great potion maker and alchemist in no time.” “Thank you…you have no idea how much this means to me.” Replied Trixie with sincerity laced in her every word, sipping her tea again. Though that thankful expression did not last long and she became as crestfallen when she woke up to no horn. “Does Ponyville still hate me…?” “Well…I won’t sugarcoat it. They still do. In fact, Mayor Mare had you officially banned from Ponyville…” Answered Twilight. “Isn’t Zecora an official Ponyville resident now, making this place part of Ponyville? Meaning you would go so far to break the law for a friend, for someone like me?” Twilight blushed, scratching her mane slightly. “Well, I do what I can. Anypony can make mistakes, it matters that you learn from them. I’m actually trying to get you unbanned though, so we don’t have to keep you in hiding.” "And how did you get me here?" Asked Trixie "Applejack disguised your mobile stable into an applecart to get you through the town without arousing suspicion." Giggled Twilight. They both stared at each other for an awkward amount of time before bursting into laughter. "I do not mean to intrude," Entered Zecora. "But my student has her training tomorrow. I apologise if this was too abrupt." "It's fine, I understand. See you tomorrow, Trixie. I'll let you know when I manage to change Mayor Mare's mind." Said Twilight, leaving through the door as Trixie waved goodbye with a smile.