Trixie walked through the space between the Everfree Forest and Ponyville's border, trampling sprouting foliage as she ducked behind many of the suburb's backyards, easily avoiding being spotted by any of the hecklers in town. A chill ran down her spine as she passed the library, the back door to the building shut tight. The blue showmare soon came upon the front doors of Frazbear's restaurant, a party apparently in-progress just beyond the double glass doors.
'Well...this ought to be fun...' Trixie thought, entering the establishment.
A waitress rushed to her stand beside the door, hearing the bell above the door ring, menu in hand. A confused look quickly crossed her muzzle, before she slapped the menu down on the kiosk next to the door. The mare scurried off, presumably to do tasks more demanding of her attention.
Walking past long rows of tables, Trixie spied the three animatronics, each in their proper place, currently entertaining a small herd of foals. She shuddered, even though the objects of her uncertainty were clear across the room. She suddenly spied a stallion, clothed in a uniform similar to hers, standing at attention with his hands behind his back. She took notice of the nightstick hanging from his belt, and felt a pang of jealousy. He at least got some protection, why couldn't they do the same for her? The stallion discreetly nodded in her direction, touching the bill of his hat with his right hand. She awkwardly did the same, returning the gesture, as she passed, on her way to Frank's office.
"Hello? Frank?" she asked, peeking into his office.
The owner looked up from a stack of documents on his desk, revealing his tired eyes behind a pair of rectangular glasses that rested on his muzzle.
"Tr-Trixie? What are you doing here? Your shift doesn't begin for another three hours!" the stallion stated, rushing to cover the papers with a manila folder.
"I-I know sir...I just...er...wanted to...get to know the place..."
'Celestia, that sounded lame.'
Frank peered at her strangely- proof that he didn't find any stock in her claim.
"Trixie...can you do me a favor?" the stallion asked, his voice quiet.
"Of course sir, anything." Trixie replied, not much enthusiasm in her voice.
"Don't go poking your muzzle where it doesn't belong." he stated grimly.
The mare was shocked that Frank would make such a bold statement. Something twisted in her gut, mangling her stomach, her unfounded fears began to take root as Frank continued.
"You can arrive for your shift, and nothing else- I just...j-just don't come around during the day, understand?"
"Yes sir, perfectly."
"Good...you can uh, come back later..." he finished coldly.
She nodded stiffly, and turned to walk out of the room. A waiter carrying a deep dish pizza on a circular, metal platter brushed past her, rushing out to the party waiting out in the dining room.
Sighing to herself, Trixie left the restaurant, removing her hat. Dejectedly walking down the street, she no longer cared that she was out in the open. She just had to face the reality that nopony wanted her around, not even at work; her very last chance. Ponies heckled her, same as yesterday, unrelenting in their assault. Doing her best to ignore them, she saw her consort standing in front of the library, no boxes thankfully in his grasp.
"Oh, hey." he said suddenly as he passed her.
She almost tripped and fell, being so startled by the stallion's voice.
"Y-You're...you're..."
"I'm what?" he asked, genuinely confused.
"You're...t-talking to me..." she stammered.
His smile wavered on his face.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?"
"ARE YOU BUCKING BLIND?!?!" she wanted to shout "HAVE YOU BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK?!?!"
She held her tongue, however, not wanting to blow her only chance at making a connection with the stallion.
"Um...I'm- I'm Trixie, who a-are you?"
"Ghost Writer," he replied "your last name wouldn't happen to be Lulamoon, would it?"
She gulped, knowing it was over.
"Y-Yes..."
'No sense in lying...'
"I think I knew a Lulamoon back in Manehattan, funny guy."
"Oh...oh, of course." she said, finding herself smiling widely.
"Are you from Manehattan? You don't sound like you are."
Trixie coughed into her fist.
"Er, no- I'm from Broncton, originally..."
"Oh, that's a nice town, they've got a good theater troupe there."
Trixie nodded, barely meeting the stallion's gaze.
"They do indeed, that's...that's sort of how I got into magic."
"Wow, really?" he asked.
She nodded again, getting a bit more comfortable.
"Yes- I was really into acting, I used to perform short plays for my parents..."
"And that led into magic?"
"Yeah...there was a travelling circus coming through town, and I...I was just so- so- hypnotized by the magicians. I decided I wanted to try it and...I never went back..."
She was silent for a moment, not believing that she shared such a personal memory with a complete stranger. The two stood in the street, neither quite knowing what to say. The silence was interrupted as the library door opened, revealing the purple alicorn princess herself. Twilight Sparkle closed the door to the library, calling to somepony inside. Trixie did her best not to run screaming from the couple, but having difficult remaining rooted to the spot.
"Pr-Princess Sp-Sparkle..." Trixie stammered, staring down at her hooves.
The alicorn's eyes lit up, surprise and shock displayed on her muzzle.
"Trixie! It's been so long! How have you been?" Twilight asked.
'You ruin my life, and you dare ask me how I am?'
"Fine," she mumbled "I see life has been fairer to you than I."
Twilight had the nerve to blush, looking back at her wings as they flexed.
"..."
"Well! I believe you and I had somewhere to be, correct?" Ghost said to Twilight, while shooting an apologetic glance at Trixie.
"Oh, yes! Yes we do!" Twilight said, as if she just remembered.
The princess turned from her coltfriend, and to Trixie.
"It was...nice...seeing you again, maybe we can schedule to have lunch some time?"
"I would enjoy that." Trixie stated, attempting to sound interested.
Twilight nodded, and she and Ghost linked arms as they turned to walk down the street, leaving Trixie alone.
Ignoring the many stares she was getting, she turned and headed towards her wagon, looking forward to a three-hour nap.
Trixie sat back in her chair, flipping through the camera feeds on the tablet. The clock in the office read 1:45, and she sighed to herself as she realized just how much of her shift was left. Here alone...
...in the dark...
...with nopony to talk to.
'Livin' the dream, Trixie...' she thought amusedly to herself.
Keeping an eye on the show stage, she cycled through each of the rooms one more time before leaving the camera on the stage.
A low thumping suddenly made itself known at the front of the restaurant. Checking the tablet, she found nothing wrong inside the restaurant, and figured it must be the repair-pony Frank was talking to on the phone. She set the tablet down as she wondered if she should leave the office, or just wait for the repair-pony to find her. Her heart thumped in her chest as the sound of hooves clopping against the linoleum floors echoed throughout the office, growing closer.
"Are y'a-"
Trixie screeched, the tablet flying from her hand. It landed with a sharp crack on the floor as Trixie clutched her heart, staring at the red stallion hanging in the doorway.
"D-Don't s-sc-scare me like th-that!" Trixie shouted "And just who are you, anyway?!"
"Ah'm here t' do a favor fer Frank." the stallion stated, still chewing on the straw of hay hanging out one corner of his mouth.
"You? You're the repair-pony?" Trixie asked incredulously, looking the large stallion up and down.
He certainly didn't look like somepony who'd be educated enough to know about mechanics, judging by his dirtied, blue overalls and orange workshirt. His green eyes looked as if they held little information beyond knowing the best time to pick crops!
"Aren't you th' pony that went and took over all a' Ponyville a few months ago?" he asked.
"Yes," Trixie sighed "yes I am- I've heard it all before, so let's hear it."
"Pardon?"
"Go ahead, mock me."
The stallion cocked an eyebrow.
"Insult me, you know?"
"'Fraid I don't follow, miss." the red stallion stated in his low baritone.
"What I did."
"Ah remember."
"You...you aren't going to...harass me?"
"Don't see why ah should, ah made mah fair share a' mistakes."
Trixie inspected his muzzle for any hint of insincerity, or maybe sarcasm.
"Not one that big, o' course..."
There it was, the other horseshoe had dropped.
"I'm well aware of my...transgressions..." Trixie sighed "now, are you going to explain why you're here, or do I have to throw you out?"
That was a joke in and of itself, the stallion was at least a good three hooves taller than her.
"Ah see," the stallion stated "ahm Big Macintosh, by th' way."
He turned, and walked down the hall, leaving Trixie alone in the office.
"W-Wait a minute!" Trixie cried, picking up the tablet and running after him.
The stallion half turned, still walking, but not stopping.
"Yeah?"
"You're seriously the stallion that Frank hired to fix the animatronics?"
"What? A simple farm pony can't have a hobby?"
"You build robots...as a hobby?"
"Beats carvin' whistles, ah got twenty of 'em already."
"But you're so...so..."
"Unintelligent? Dimwit? A Dirt-raker?"
"YES!" her mind shouted, but she pushed it out before the word could escape her lips.
"'Ah heard it all before.'" he said, quoting her own words.
"Ah, I...I see..." Trixie said "...sorry..."
"S'alright." he replied.
"So...are you and Frank very close?"
"Known each other since we were colts." he replied simply.
"Oh..." she said.
The conversation died right then and there.
Macintosh climbed up onto the stage, and ducked behind the animatronics. Due to the darkness, she couldn't quite make out what he was doing, but could hear him well enough.
"Er, what exactly are you doing?" she asked, trying to peek.
"Checkin' the joints," he grunted as his red fingers pinched at Freddy's elbows "these guys might be left on a roamin' mode, but hey, better t' be safe than sorry, right?"
She nodded numbly- and then felt something snap inside her head.
"Wait...roaming mode?" she asked.
Macintosh stopped inspecting Freddy, and stared down at her, over the robotic bear's shoulder.
"Nopony ever told ya?" he asked incredulously.
"T-T-Tell me wh-what?"
"Ah built 'em with a night mode, that way ah don't have to come in everyday an' check 'em fer problems."
Trixie held a hand to her head, trying to make sense of the situation she was in. Here she was, stuck working the graveyard shift at a creepy pizzeria, getting only a hundred and twenty bits a week, with possessed robots roaming the halls.
"Could this get any worse?" she muttered into her hands.
Fate, being the cruel bitch that it was, decided she hadn't suffered enough.
The three robotic animals came to life, faint clicking and whirring emanating from inside the suits. Macintosh backed way, climbing off the stage, and waited patiently. The rabbit worked its jaw, as Freddy and the chicken stretched their arms. Three sets of eyes looked down at her, and almost wet herself.
'Buck my life...' she moaned inwardly.