Chapter Five: Old History
The tornado had certainly been destructive before it was stopped, but it had mostly missed Wellshod. There was a strip half a field wide torn out of Happy's oats, though, and in town a house had been blown in. To be honest, though, everypony agreed it hadn't been built well in the first place. Fortunately, nopony had been lost or seriously hurt, though one had a turned ankle and another a wrenched wing from fighting the winds on the way to shelter. The farm animals were all upset, but otherwise well, and the local wildlife had wisely protected themselves in their own ways. Then Jars came up from his cellar to announce that half his stock had been smashed when one shelf fell and knocked over another one. The dirt wall hadn't been properly shored up, and as the heavy rain had soaked into it, the wall had turned to mud and collapsed into the room, pushing the first shelf over. At this announcement, the town's residents groaned.
"What's wrong? He's a tavernkeeper, right? It's not like he stores everyone's preserves for the winter, right?" Trixie received a number of stares. "R-right?"
"I do, Miss," answered Jars. "I have a way with preserving things, and everyone here brings what they can to my workshop in back when the time comes for it. That was most of this summer's stock, all smashed up now. We might not have enough to last the winter now."
Several ponies volunteered to clean up the mess, while Trixie looked around at the damaged buildings. "What will you all do now?"
"Pick up and go on," said Happy.
"She's right," added Harvest. "That's just what you do after a fall."
There was a sort of... tug, and Trixie looked behind her, but nopony was there.
"What'cha lookin' at, honey?" That was Bindlestick's voice nearby. Trixie looked sharply at him.
Honey Oatcakes replied, "I see a bumblebee late for home." The crowd laughed, and relaxed some, Trixie with them.
"Oh, I'm sure she'll make her way there soon enough. I hope it's not blowed down, though. Good luck, Ma'am," offered the brown-on-brown pegasus to the bee the foal had seen.
That tug kept tugging, though, and Trixie started to turn. "I- have something I need to take care of," she told Harvest.
"All right, dear. Don't you be too late, though. We all have a long day ahead of us in the morning, best we get some good sleep tonight." Mrs. Full waved a hoof, then turned toward home, Sunny following along.
Once Trixie was hidden from clear sight behind a few trees, the tugging stopped and an image began to form. "Mother, is that you?"
Trixie!
Trixie blinked. It sounded like her mother's voice, but it wasn't exactly in her ears. "I'm crazy, right? I'm seeing things that can't be, hearing things that aren't there?" She looked around, panic rising.
Whose story are you telling?
The image seemed like her mother, warm and powerful, but like a mist or...
"A ghost! You're a ghost! Oh, no, I'm insane and seeing ghosts!" She wanted to run and hide, but instead she felt pushed to stay and sit, and did just that.
Whose power do you claim?
Not "I love you" or "You can be anything you want." Trixie was taken aback, and her mind whirled.
"I... don't know?"
The warmth grew, and then a scent came, that awful hospital smell.
Remember why.
She couldn't help but remember. Her mommy had gotten sick, and couldn't watch her perform. She was getting weaker and weaker, and Trixie was trying to be strong for her. But she was still a foal and feeling so weak and small. Her daddy had brought her by to visit, and the doctors wouldn't promise to make her well. She wanted to make them promise! Then a nurse said she could curl up with Mommy for a while.
And then came those incredible words, recalling her recent win at the local talent competition, where she'd put on a magic show.
"You're the Great and Powerful Trixie. You can do anything."
Anything.
But she was-
Know who you are, Trixie.
"Mommy?"
I love you.
The image faded, and Trixie realized it was almost fully dark. She raced back to Harvest's, her mind full of memories.