//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 (part five): Putting the "Fun" in "Funeral" // Story: Actually, I'm Dead // by Magenta Cat //------------------------------// It’s a party, a Pinkie Pie Party, which should mean the ambiance is anything but silent. Somehow, everypony present is silent as if for a funeral. Honestly though, it was all they could do, given the circumstances, for in the main door there was a pony for whom they only felt anger and fear. A twisted mare who they knew should never be allowed around civilized ponies, because the last time she was allowed such kindness, she brought only disaster and torment to them. And worst of all, she is now pure evil magic. She is a thing that would have died days ago if it weren’t for the dreaded Alicorn Amulet keeping her going. Their ruler was too nice and permitted this monstrosity to live but they weren’t going to wait for its next move. The ponies of Ponyville, sick of always playing the victim, are ready to take action into their hooves. It’s too much of a danger to have her around. One of the bravest stallions grabs the monster by the neck and tosses her outside. She tries to escape, but the unicorns among them already have her held in place. They get closer and the monster is now screaming, pretending to be a victim, but they don’t let the monster’s poisonous words cloud their judgment; what has to be done, has to be done. One of the farmer ponies, the granddaughter of the town’s founder, gets ready to land the first hit and-- Twilight Sparkle shook her head, trying to get rid of the horrible images. How could she bring herself to think something like that? She knew that even if the town’s ponies weren’t the brightest crayons in the box, they were far from losing themselves to mob rule. Twilight mentally lectured herself on how she allowed her mind to wander so wildly that she thought Applejack, of all ponies, would do something like that. She was actually surprised she wasn’t picturing the town’s ponies chasing Trixie with torches and pitchforks. Immediately, the mental image of Trixie running away from a mass of ponies holding torches and pitchforks popped into her head. “No,” she thought. ”I should be smarter than that. Trixie relies on me and I should not let myself wander like that.” With another shake of her head, she told herself she would do better, for Trixie’s sake, right on time to notice they already arrived at Sugarcube Corner. She looked to the side to reassure herself. Seeing Spike standing without any trouble next to a pink cloak covering an equine figure calmed her nerves. Twilight let a sigh and knocked on the do-- “Heya, Twilight!” Twilight Sparkle’s hoof never even touched the door as the pink perpetual motion machine looked for its target, which was the unicorn hiding under the similarly pink cloak in front of her, and assaulted it with hugs. “I’m so glad you could came. I heard what happened in the market this morning, and I felt guilty because it was me who made you trip and fall, so I trotted the extra mile and did all I could to make this the greatest super-duper over-every-top especially best party I could make.” Twilight and Spike could only gaze at how Trixie was being crushed by Pinkie’s hug. For her part, Trixie was actually glad that in her current condition she didn’t need to breathe any more. Before anypony else could do or say anything, Pinkie hug-trapped Twilight and Spike too, and dragged the three of them inside, where the party was clearly already well under way. Yet it was not a party as Twilight or Spike would have expected it. Uncharacteristically, the place wasn’t flooded with any and every pony in town as was common for one of Pinkie’s Welcome Parties. Instead, there was a very small number of ponies inside the bakery. Just the other Elements, Big Mac and just a hooffull of ponies Twilight barely recognized. Once Pinkie released them from the hug-trap, Twilight leaned over her friend. “I have to admit, Pinkie,” she whispered. “This party isn’t anything quite like I expected.” “Oh?” Pinkie tilted her head to a side, still widely smiling. “How so, Twilight?” “Well, it’s just so…” Twilight gestured with her hoof. “Small... and low key.” “You didn’t think I could do small and low key?” Pinkie’s smile began to decrease. “Uh, no,” Spike said dryly. “Not really.” “Spike!” “Ha!” Pinkie replied. “Come on, I’m Pinkie Pie,” she said, confetti exploding behind her. “There’s no type of party I can’t do. Big ones, small ones, I know how to assemble just the right amount of ponies any pony could need in a party.” With that, Twilight remembered whom was the party intended for. She quickly turned her head to see how Trixie was reacting so far, only to discover that the azure grayish unicorn wasn’t next to her anymore. Twilight was already starting to hyperventilate when Pinkie hoofed her one of the emergency bags she had hidden around the room for a situations like this. After Twilight breathed in and out of the paper bag enough to calm down some, Pinkie tapped her shoulder and pointed to her left. There, Raindrops was talking to the pink hood that was Trixie as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “Wait, why isn’t Raindrops…” “Completely freaking out like everypony this morning?” Pinkie finished for her. “That’s because I invited everypony one hour early and took my time to explain Trixie’s condition, so nopony gets scared over her.” She put a hoof around Twilight. “Also, just to be sure, I only invited the ponies who enjoyed her show the first time, so no awkwardness whatsoever.” Pinkie pulled Twilight closer to her. “Relax, auntie Pinkie has this.” Twilight looked once more at Trixie and Raindrops, who were now laughing together at Celestia-knows-what. She relaxed and decided to let Trixie enjoy the party by herself. Pinkie directed Twilight to the punch table, where they shared a glass and watched over Ponyville’s new inhabitant at her debut party. For her part, Trixie was having a very enlightening discussion with Raindrops. “So, even after all that Trixie has done,” Trixie said, “which includes but is not limited to publically humiliating local heroes, boasting about it and lying, followed by Trixie’s recent and cruel dictatorship,” she pointed each one with a gesture of her left hoof. “You’re actually willing to forgive and forget, to give Trixie a second-- third chance?” Trixie shrugged, hiding her head further inside the cloak. “Trixie doesn’t get it.” “Well, in all honesty, I still have some doubts,” Raindrops admitted quite bluntly. “But considering that one of history’s greatest villains is now our co-ruler, I suppose I can get behind you wanting to be good now.” She directed Trixie a small but somehow warm smile. “Also, I really liked your show that first time, too bad it had to end like it did.” “Yeah…” Trixie answered as she rubbed the back of her neck, not really paying too much attention by that point. She lost herself in thought the moment Raindrops compared her to Nightmare Moon. “So, Trixie’s now the local nightmare?” she thought to herself. “And yet, all these ponies are completely okay with attending to a party dedicated to her.” After realizing about that, Trixie ran a quick mental count on the party goers. She identified five of Twilight’s friends, alongside a mixed group of stallions and mares. None of them seemed to mind Trixie’s presence and some of them, like Raindrops next to her, looked quite enthusiastic to meet her. There was a feeling growing inside Trixie, but not a very familiar one. Since she could remember, Trixie has been a ‘Discord may care’ mare. She always preferred to move on and keep going. This attitude was reinforced by at least two of Trixie’s mentors and more so when she learned about her mother’s legendary trickster habits. With a background like that, Trixie was completely lost at what to do with this feeling; guilt. Guilt over lying that first time. Guilt over her pride. Over how little fight she gave to her inner rage and thirst for revenge and over how badly she gave herself over to her own demons. Trixie remembered many of her past actions, and realized how much damage she has caused. Not that she didn’t knew already, but it was these ponies willingness to forgive her that made her more conscious about it. A consciousness that was also tearing her apart from the inside with guilt and regret. What was worse, Trixie knew exactly what she had to do to ease the guilt; apologize. A part of her cringed at such an act of capitulation, but it was something that needed to be done. The sooner, the better. Bracing herself for what she was about to do, Trixie tried to clear her throat first. When the sand-like feeling prevented her from doing so, she stomped her left hoof on the ground while saying out loud. “Uh, ponies of Ponyville, could Trixie have your attention for a moment?” Every pair of eyes turned to meet the hidden figure of Trixie under the pink cloak. “Are you all listening? Fine, because what’s Trixie is about to say is not something she-- that I would like to repeat anytime soon.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw how Twilight was already trotting to accompany her, but Applejack stopped the purple unicorn with a hoof. Trixie didn’t know how to react to that, so she threw back her hood and decided to continue. “Trixie-- I want to be above board with what I’m about to say. Trixie’s past is not a mystery to all of you, especially her sins. I am aware that some of you still doubt that a pony like me can be redeemed, especially with my most recent round of mistakes.” She paused for a moment. Trixie was saying very important words and timing needed to be perfect. “However, I want you all to also know that, even if Trixie is not the most reliable pony, she’s willing to do all at her hoof’s reach to atone for her past sins.” Another pause, this time longer. “Trixie is not a pony who likes to bow down on general principle, because of her heritage, which makes it a very fitting first penance.” She lowered her upper body, an act she never expected herself to do before anypony less than royalty. “Trixie is sorry. I am sorry.” A moment passed, longer than anypony would have liked. None of the ponies at the party knew how to react and Trixie wasn’t moving from her self-imposed punishment. With her head lowered, she didn’t see how a grey pegasus with a blond mane got close enough to tap her shoulder. Trixie slightly raised her gaze, just enough to meet two eyes looking at different directions. “I know how it feels to screw things up too, Trixie,” Ditzy said. “I forgive you.” Slowly but constantly, the other ponies trotted closer, each one giving their own version of forgiveness to the fallen magician. After less time than anypony could have expected, Trixie was back on her hooves and talking with the ponies around her, no more as a social pariah, but now on equal terms with them. “It’s all a matter of hoof-eye coordination,” Trixie explained while holding the edge of her cape. “A little of pressure here, a tug of the fetlock there aaand…” She threw the cape’s edge at the table, where the tip wrapped itself around the handle of the knife lying next to the cake. “Get over here!” Trixie pulled it back and the knife hit the ‘pin the tail on the pony’ perfectly in the, well, tail. “Whoa!” Raindrops, Cheerilee and Lyra’s collective jaws hit the floor as their hooves instinctively started to stomp in admiration. For the first time in a period longer than she would like to admit, Trixie felt really at home, between the applause and admiration of a public. Her public. Deciding to not lose the already gained momentum, Trixie ran a quick mental check on her repertoire. She ignored the ones that required extra implements or the use of her horn. Any other time, Trixie would have cringed at realizing how limited her act was, but right now she had a show to keep going on. “For my next trick,” Trixie finally picked an easy target demonstration to keep the theme. “Trixie will need a volunteer.” Three hooves immediately reached for the ceiling in response, plus two more belonging to Carrot Top and Ditzy Hooves, who had joined the crowd to see Trixie’s improvised show. “Ah would like tah help,” a voice called from behind Trixie. She turned around and saw the orange farm pony advancing towards her. “As long as it isn’t a problem, of course.” Applejack trotted next to Trixie with a very calm and neutral expression, while the undead unicorn was unsure of what to do next. “Of… course,” Trixie finally answered, while thinking of what to do next. She had been going to read the astral chart for somepony, since it didn’t require any magic from her horn and could easily impress the right crowd. The orange frampony across from didn’t look like one easily impressed, though. No matter, Trixie already asked for a volunteer and certainly had one now. “The show must go on,” said the voice in her head. “Very well,” Trixie finally spoke out loud so all the ponies could hear her, quickly coming to a compromise to her original idea. “Now Trixie will need a deck of cards.” With a flourished gesture, she held her empty left hoof out from side, waiting for the requested item. “Here ya go!” chirped Pinkie, providing the necessary item from somewhere in her mane. Trixie couldn’t help the smile at the recognizable deck as she walked over to a nearby table, Applejack following, and began unboxing the cards. “Now, everypony knows that Equestria runs on magic. What they don’t always understand is where illusion ends and true magic begins.” She sat across from the farmer and split the deck of cards into two piles. Reaching up, she tapped her horn. “Everypony knows unicorns use magic. Everypony knows pegasi use magic.” She began shuffling the card, getting a feel for them. “Not every pony appreciates that earth ponies use magic just as much.” “Darn right they don’t sometimes,” Applejack replied with a sage nod. “Trixie though, does.” She was about to mention that was how she was able to defeat all the challengers the first time she was in town but quickly stopped herself. No need to go around opening old wounds at a time like this. “She also understands that many other things besides ponies have magic, including many things that no pony would really think do. Such as cards.” She spread them out on the table before herself and tapped them with a hoof. “Choose one. Don’t let Trixie see. Then put it back.” Applejack drew herself a card, looked at it, then placed it back in the pile. “Thank you.” Making an elaborate show of it, Trixie reshuffled the cards, flipped them between her hooves, split the deck several ways and generally showed off greater hoof dexterity than many ponies would expect from a unicorn. When it was over, she passed the pile back to Applejack. “Cut the deck, if you would.” Applejack obliged. “Is this your card?” Trixie asked, turning over the ace of spades. “Nope.” Trixie’s ears twitched back. “No? But...but that’s not possible.” She reshuffled the deck and went through the motions again only a little more hurried. “Now... is this your--?” she asked only to be drawn up short as the ace of spades came up again. “Nope,” Applejack replied with a smug grin. Growling in irritation, Trixie reshuffled the deck once more. She cut the cards viciously, and thumped them hard and loud on the table when she split the deck. “Now, this time Trixe is sure that...” Trixie flipped over the ace of spades again. She frowned at it and some ponies in the audience snickered. While she backed her ears in seeming irritation, it was all going to Trixie’s plan. Playing the buffoon wasn’t something she had done in a while, but without her true magic to really show off she was rather limited in her choice of performances. Still, it was a good role that she had found would ingratiate herself amongst ponies with relative ease. “Now you’re just mocking Trixie!” Angrily she tossed the Ace to the side, face up, and reshuffled the rest of the deck. She had Applejack cut it once more. Concentrating harder than before, Trixie waved her hooves over the deck for a longer period before giving it a sharp tap. The audience erupted into laughter as another ace of spades was turned over. “Bah! A curse upon all of you!” Trixie spat at the cards. “Trixie will see you wind up confetti at the pink one’s next party for this!” She looked up at Applejack and stopped. With a frown, she cocked her head to the side. Motioning with her hoof, Trixie asked “Applejack, would you...” Applejack turned her head to face the audience and Trixie reached over the table. Tipping the farmer’s Stetson forward a bit, the showmare drew out a playing card. “Hah! So this is where you were hiding from Trixie!” She placed it on the table. “Trixie believes that’s your card?” “Yup, that’s the one,” Applejack affirmed as she resettled her hat on her head. “Ah, the two of diamonds; the lover’s card.” Trixie spun it around with her hoof and smirked at Applejack. “Any pony we might know?” “No, I ain’t got no special some pony.” Applejack shook her head with her eyes shut. “You sure about that?” The showmare shot a pointed look at the white unicorn across the room with the diamond cutie marks. The farmpony sat rigidly upright in her chair. “Hey now--!” Trixie just chuckled back and waved Applejack down as she shuffled the deck again. “Well as you’ve seen, cards can be mischievous creatures when they want to be. But, if they are asked nicely, they can also reveal the secrets of the universe.” She started to shuffle the deck again. This time, showing off some more complicated moves. “The cards, the cards, the cards will tell,” Trixie continued in a singsong tone. “The past, the present, and the future as well.” With a single hoof, she placed the deck closer to Applejack and spread it. “The cards, just take three,” she instructed, keeping the same playful tone. “Take a little trip into your future with me.” Doubtfully at first, but with a firm hoof, Applejack chose three and pulled them apart from the rest of the cards. Trixie rearranged the ones left into a deck again and put it to side. She then placed her left hoof over the first card Applejack chose. “The first card shows the past, where a pony came from to arrive where they are now.” She turned it over, seeing a four of hearts. “The four signifies change. Hearts typically indicate family. Trixie would say... a change of home in your past, your leaving family.” Applejack’s ear twitched against the brim of her hat. “Yah, I did have somethin’ like that,” she admitted while rubbing the back of her head and closing an eye. “Still, you coulda heard about that from most any pony.” “Ah, but it was you that drew the cards,” Trixie gently admonished. “Now, onto the present -- or near past as the case is sometimes.” The card was a jack of spades. “Hm, youth. The black suit symbolizes conflict, but the spade indicates something emotional such as jealousy. You recently crossed paths with a youth in rebellion, did you not?” “Ma cousin’s filly, Babs Seed, came to town just recently.” Applejack shrugged, glaring at the unicorn across from her. “She caused a bit of a ruckus about the place, fought with ma sister some. None of that isn’t anything you couldn’t pick up from town gossip.” “Then perhaps a glimpse at the future will convince you of the true power of the cards.” Trixie didn’t look away from Applejack as she reached down and drew up the last card. “The cards say that you believe that the future is unwritten, that every pony writes their own destiny and is responsible for their own choices.” When she turned the card to face Applejack, both her and the audience could see that it was blank and unmarked. “The future is our own to make of it what we will.” Even Trixie herself couldn’t deny that all the ponies including Applejack herself looked impressed with that final trick as she let the applause from the gathered ponies wash over her. The best part of it? It was all pure unadulterated skill. No spells whatsoever, just Trixie and her cold dead hooves. “Now,” Trixie said with all the ponies now listening to her. “Who’s next?” “And a gesture of Trixie’s hoof and…” Trixie passed her hoof in front of the deck, making it disappear as if it was never there to begin with. The small crowd of ponies stomped in admiration. “Thank you all. Of course, none of this would have been possible for Trixie without her lovely assistants.” She opened her hooves to point at Raindrops and Applejack beside her. “Please, a loud stomp for them too.” The audience complied as Trixie backpedalled, leaving the two mares to take the admiration while she decided to give the act a rest. By all accounts, with the necroplasm fueling her, Trixie had yet to feel tired. When she first made the connection back in the hospital, it only unsettled her further to realize how different from a living pony she had become. But now, she decided to look at the bright side of things, and being a pony who couldn’t even feel tired was one heck of a bright side. However, Trixie still felt it pertinent to give the audience a rest. Also, even with her new handy deck of cards, she still needed to think about something else to keep the show going. Trixie walked to the snack table, with the intention of drinking a good old glass of punch. Right before the drink was about to touch her lips, she remembered sleep wasn’t the only thing she didn’t need any more and then cringed at the thought of what awaited her if she ever tried to ingest anything again. Shaking her head in an effort to dispel the idea of another stomach pump, Trixie walked away and sat down on the line of chairs against the wall. She entertained herself with the deck of cards by shuffling it between her hooves until a shadow blocked the light in front of her. Putting the hood away to look up, Trixie saw a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane looking back. “Hey, can we talk?” Rainbow Dash asked Trixie. “No.” Trixie put the hood back, pulling it further to cover her eyes. “Trixie has nothing left to say for you and your words lack any value for Trixie.” She leaned back in the chair, shuffling the cards between her hooves again. “I suppose I deserve that.” Rainbow scratched the back of her head while looking away too. “Mind if I sit down with you? It’s been a long day with the weather team.” No answer. “I’ll take the silence as a yes.” She awkwardly sat next to Trixie. After both ponies spent the first minute in complete silence, Rainbow spoke again. “So, will you at least listen?” Once again, she was met with no response. “Okay, here it goes.” Rainbow Dash, the pony born with no fear, readied herself for what was coming next. “I’m really, really, really sorry for how I treated you back there.” Dash took some air again. “I shouldn’t have said those things about roanis, or you, or call you gypsies, or implied you were going to stab Twilight in the back because of all that.” Dash saw how Trixie had stopped shuffling the cards. The undead pony stayed immobile. “So, all is forgiven?” Trixie’s only answer was to rise up and hastily walk away from Rainbow Dash. “Aw, c’mon mare, it wasn’t even--” But as Rainbow tried to speak again, Trixie quickened her pace in the direction of the back door. Rainbow Dash quickly took flight and landed right in front of Trixie, who raised her gaze and glared at her. The combination of the gaze’s severity and Trixie’s cadaveric face sent all kind of shivers down Rainbow’s spine, but she planted her hooves firmly and stood her ground. “Okay, you probably hate me right now, and I can totally get why. But I’m trying to make amends for it, surely you can understand that, too.” Since Trixie didn’t do anything to interrupt her, Rainbow took it as her cue. “Truth is I never even meant any of that.” She gulped, not sure if she should say the next part. “You see, I just wanted to annoy you enough so you would stand for yourself, you know, it was all part of a plan to…” But Trixie wasn’t listening anymore. Quick as the lighting and with all the fury of the storm itself, a pair of grayish azure back-hooves hit Rainbow in the head and chest in quick succession. After the butterfly kick, Trixie released an uppercut as strong as freight train that connected with the pegasus’ jaw, shattering it. Dash hit the roof, hard, before falling. But her fall was stopped by Trixie’s back-hoof, which connected once again with Rainbow’s head, finally breaking her skull and sending the speedster smashing against the wall behind her. *Ultraaaaaaaaaa!!!* Trixie turned around and walked away from the mess she made of Rainbow Dash. To manipulate a pony like that was insulting, and nopony insulted Trixie Lulamoon and got away without paying the price. “..so, since it kinda sorta worked, what do you say if we start over again?” Trixie blinked back, returning to the real world from her fantasy, and looked down to see Rainbow’s extended hoof. She hesitated for a moment, not sure if it was worth it or not. After realizing that denying forgiveness to anypony would be extremely hypocritical from her part, Trixie finally took Rainbow’s hoof with her own. And used it as support point to pull Rainbow Dash towards her and into an elegant over-the-withers throw to the floor, knocking the wind out of the pegasus. The ponies around them, who had taken interest after seeing Rainbow flying to get in front of Trixie, gasped in unison. Not paying attention to them, Trixie calmly trotted next to Dash. Then, it was her who offered an unusually thin hoof to help the downed speedster. “Now Trixie accepts your apology.” Rainbow looked at Trixie’s hoof and began to laugh. “Think we could do it without the martial arts next time?” “Trixie knew you could take it,” she replied while helping Dash get back up. “Well, I suppose it’s the least I deserve for the whole ‘gypsy thief’ comment from earlier.” Rainbow put a hoof over Trixie’s back. “So, are we cool now?” “Think nothing of it,” Trixie said, her lips twitching up in a small smile. “Trixie has been called far worse by better ponies.” “Hey!” Rainbow feigned hurt at that but couldn’t hold it. She smirked first and started to laugh again as Trixie joined her. Surprisingly, that made way for a discussion of feats of physical prowess between the pegasus and unicorn. Given the competitive nature of the two involved, it eventually degenerated into a series of boasts and dares. Pinkie once more proved useful to both participants as she had stored a straightjacket leftover from her brief stint in Ponyville’s Hospital for “a psychological check-up” a little while back. (“Madame Le Flour would have been at this party, too, but she had plans to spend the evening with Sir Lints-a-Lot instead.”) That was how Trixie found herself tied up in said straightjacket, while hanging upside down from the ceiling. And blindfolded. Pretty much the entire party had gathered around her and Dash after Pinkie came out with the straightjacket and rope to see what was going on. Twilight wound up in the corner with the paper bag again, even after Rainbow had explained that it was part of a dare and all Trixie’s idea in the first place. “Are you ready to do this?” Dash asked. Trixie nodded in response. “Alright. Remember, you gotta do this in ten seconds flat, okay? Ready and... go!” Despite the cheering of the ponies around her, with the blindfold over her eyes and concentration focused on getting out of the straightjacket, Trixie was alone in the darkness. The straightjacket itself was a posey, one of the safest ones out there. Mister Free once explained Trixie the way any pony could get out of one of those if they chose to. It turned out to be quite simple, just that it involved a certain amount of pain. Trixie gritted her teeth for what was coming next, which was raising her elbows up to her neck till her shoulders were dislocated. After that, it should be absurdly easy to slip her hooves under the jacket’s torso and reach the lock. But something was off when her humeri popped out of the joints. Instead of the pain she was expecting, Trixie barely felt a minor itching in her elbows. It wasn’t even close to the usual near-paralyzing pain of getting two major bones wrenched out of place that she had experienced doing this trick in the past. “Hmm,” Trixie thought to herself. Maybe this whole ‘walking corpse’ thing has its advantages. Trixie dismissed the discovery for the show’s sake and focused on the lock behind her back. Once she pressed it in the right directions, it was the turn of the rope holding her to the ceiling. But after the other two previous steps, identifying a butterfly knot and untying it --even if blindfolded-- was foal’s play. But twisting herself midair in less than a second before hitting the floor and in the right position for landing, all while still blinded by the piece of cloth? Now that was hard. *thump* But far from impossible. “Right on the money! Nicely done, Trix!” Rainbow cheered. Once again, the stomping of an admiring audience gave Trixie a good reason to keep going, and probably woke the neighbors up again, but mainly gave Trixie back her reason to live. Still, even if she had the crowd’s admiration once more, Trixie was quick to swap the straightjacket for the broad pink cloak allowing her to hide her appearance. Nopony should be forced to see what she was now, and she wasn’t really eager to expose the testimony of her sins emblemized on her chest to her new audience. Once that little problem was covered, Trixie turned and bowed before the ponies. “Thank you, thank you very much.” Trixie addressed her newfound public. “Trixie will now take a break, but do not worry, for she’s not done with tonight yet.” And with that, she turned around and retreated to think over her next move. The cards and straitjacket were a blessing, but she didn’t expect Pinkie Pie to have more implements she could use. Maybe Trixie could end the night with a small story. Nothing too elaborate, just one or two quick strophes. “Trixie, darling?” somepony called from Trixie’s side. She turned her head while also pulling the hood away to find the marshmallow-white pony standing next to her, holding a sheet of paper in her magic while smiling at her. “Yes, Rarity?” Trixie didn’t realize till now, but she actually trusted and felt close enough to Rarity to be at first name basis with her. “Is there something wrong?” “Au contraire,” Rarity replied in a perfectly poised Prench accent. “It’s just that when I was designing your new vestment, I found something I do believe you might like to see.” Without saying anything else, Rarity hovered the paper towards Trixie, who took it from the unicorn’s magic. Rarity doesn’t believe that a traveling street magician could have any contacts with two of Equestria’s most famous showponies, much less being mentored by them. Trixie had already shown a history of embellishment, even if she professed to be turning over a new leaf. Despite these doubts about Trixie’s story, which is probably another Ursa Major, Rarity still understands how important this new outfit is to the ex-showpony. Because of that, she is now looking through her albums on magic designs. Over the years, Rarity had collected articles and photos depicting some of the most influential outfits in fashion history, just in case she would need the reference. Rarity’s heart almost stops as her eyes take in the picture she comes to. The article with it was cut from a fairly old magazine, the paper it’s printed on now yellow with age. Yet, Rarity can clearly read how it’s about the generational change affecting the stage magician scene, from the street trick, to the escape act, to the special effects driven performance, but none of that is important to Rarity. What really catches Rarity’s attention is the three ponies posing for the article’s photo; at the left, there is a pale purple unicorn mare with black mane, wearing a black tuxedo. A little short for her age, but compensating it with a quite large top hat. On the opposite extreme, there’s a red and yellow earth stallion who’s visibly older. He’s sporting a considerably long, emerald cape. Holding them together with her hooves draped over their backs, is a very familiar looking mare. There is no... possible... way. Rarity says internally while reading the photo’s description. She shuts her eyes after that, expecting the photo, or her perception of it, to change when she opens them again. Yet when she does so, all she sees again are the similarities and they are undeniable; grayish blue instead of azure, white with a golden strip instead of silver, and a crystal ball in the place of the wand, surrounded by mist instead of pixie dust. Still, besides those three differences, Rarity can easily recognize the mare looking back from the picture. “You have got to be kidding me.” Trixie looked again at the image of two of her mentors and her mother. Although she has seen other pictures of Hope Lulamoon before, seeing a new one had a heavy effect on Trixie. The article accompanying it, testifying to her mother’s life and work, was something new for her as well. Trixie tried to swallow the tears that were about to come, but she remembered she was left unable to do such thing. Or that’s what she thought as two drops of the green liquid fell unnoticed from her cheeks to the floor. “Trixie, are you alright?” Rarity asked with uneasiness. “Yes, I’m alright,” Trixie replied. “Everything is fine now.” Without any indication or warning, Trixie gave into the impulse and threw her hooves around Rarity in a hug. “Thank you.” The fashionista cringed a little at having the walking corpse with green ichor running down her face hugging her. But she got over it and returned the hug. “That’s what friends are for, darling.” “Oh, don’t you sail and don’t you row and certainly don’t you swim, ‘cause if you aren’t careful you’ll end up inside of him. He’ll eat you up, he’ll spit you out. You better stay away. Heed the sign that says Beware” “Trixie should know, she put it there!” ”Heed the sign that says, Beware The Beast of Pirate's Bay” That last part was accompanied by everypony in Sugarcube Corner as they picked up to Trixie’s enthusiasm. After a great show of divination and a powerful act of escapism, Trixie decided to tone the act down according to the late hour. So, instead of wooing them with more astonishing theatrics, Trixie gave them what she called “Trixie’s First Encounter with Equestria’s Strange”. It was a tale set before her time in Neigh Orleans, before even knowing about her true heritage. In a time when she was just a wandering unicorn without a past that could be called such or a real home to return to. A lifetime ago, when walking the road was literally her only drive. True to Trixie’s predictions, the ponies attending the party decided to call it a night and go home to have the rest they’ve been surely denying the neighbors the last few hours. Once most of them were away, the place felt really quiet. The only ones still inside Sugarcube Corner, besides Trixie, were Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, helping with the place’s clean up. Trixie tried to aid them, but Pinkie stopped her, arguing that the guest of honor wasn’t supposed to clean-up the aftermath. “You can rest here while we finish, Trix,” Pinkie told her while guiding her to a cushion. “But you can always join the clean-up for the next party.” And with that, the party animal bounced back to take a broom and start with the floor’s sweeping. Trixie was about to say how she wasn’t tired, but Pinkie’s last two words gave her something else to focus on. “Next party?” Trixie wondered out loud while raising from the couch and walking towards the backyard’s door. How could there be there a next time? Another party? If she wasn’t going to be the honored guest, why else should Trixie even be invited to a party? For somepony else? Maybe one of the ones she just met? When she entered the party, Trixie only saw nineteen ponies plus a dragon. Apart from her new and only friends that were Twilight and Rarity, Trixie was ignorant of who were these strangers or why were they assisting a party in her honor. After three hours of sharing with them, she understood those ponies were the ones willing to give Trixie her first chance in over a year of being apart from everyone. “Maybe,” Trixie thought. “Maybe I could take this chance.” The chance for what? “A chance to have that one thing Trixie lost that long time ago.” And what could that be, pray tell? “Friends,” she concluded, while walking outside of Sugarcube Corner. She sat down on the stoop, looking up at the crescent moon. “But Trixie is more of a loner, not really a pony of friends,” Trixie said out loud, not really expecting a reply. *roawk* But Equestria in general, and Ponyville in particular, has that interesting way of never meeting the ponies’ expectations they way they may want. Trixie looked down, in the direction of the strange reply. What she saw wasn’t anything she would have predicted; a small but fierce looking blue and black raven gazing back at her. “Hello there?” Trixie really found strange seeing an animal this close to her, especially considering how most of animals reacted to her that last time. *roawk* replied the raven, its head twitching about as it examined her. “Roawk,” Trixie called back in return, a grin pulling at one side of her muzzle. The bird squawked at her once more and hopped off its perch, landing close by. “Are you not afraid of Trixie, little one?” Trixie asked, more bemused by the whole situation than anything else. “Perhaps you’ve come here to pluck out Trixie's eyes as a tasty treat, hmm?” The bird only tilted its head in response. Trixie got up from her sitting spot and, not sure if she was thinking clearly or not, trotted slowly towards the animal. The raven, for its part, didn’t even twitch at Trixie’s movement and patiently let her get closer. Once she was right in front of it, Trixie extended her hoof to pet it, but the birds roawked at her once more before dancing playfully out of her reach. “Well, fine then,” she scoffed back. “Be that way.” She turned around to show it her hurt feelings, but instead she got a surprise she wasn’t expecting; a couple of cats, one snow white and the other obsidian black were walking next to her. Again, they didn’t show the same primal fear the animals from before showed to Trixie. Instead, the two cats only looked at her and meowed as if standing next to a walking corpse was the most natural thing ever. “Wha…” Trixie said at the strange appearance. *who* someone corrected her. Trixie looked up to a close tree to see a big old owl sitting on the lowest branch, accompanied by raccoon sitting next to it and eating a pastry likely pulled from the garbage of the building next to her. Trixie’s vision was interrupted then by various small grey dots flying right in front of her eyes. She pulled her head back and realized there was a group of moths circling her or maybe the light above the entrance. Trixie closed her eyes, expecting it all to be a dream. When she opened them again, looking at the sky to avoid seeing all the animal life around her, she noticed a quartet of bats flying in circles right over her head. “Okay…” She said with a little fear on her voice. “Is Trixie missing something?” She felt something landing on her back, and turned her head to see what it was *awk* the raven said, not taking its gaze from Trixie. “That doesn’t answer Trixie’s question.” Trixie combated the nervousness in the only way she could; trying to not take the situation seriously. *roawk, awk* the raven continued. “No, seriously,” Trixie raised a hoof in protest. “You’re not answering anything here.” “He means to say he wants to be your friend,” said a very soft voice. “All of them, actually.” Trixie, alongside with every animal now accompanying her, looked at Fluttershy, who was nervously peeking out from the top-floor balcony of Sugarcube Corner. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude.” “It’s okay,” Trixie said carefully. “Trixie doesn’t mind.” She remembered this pegasus and how she was about to have a heart attack the last time Trixie was close to her. She was also absent at the party. “What are you doing here anyways?” Trixie asked. “Oh, I was invited to come too.” Fluttershy climbed over the balcony and sailed to the ground, landing a few meters away from Trixie and crouched down to behind her mane. “But Pinkie didn’t say it was a party for…” she muttered. “You were still scared of Trixie, weren’t you?” Trixie guessed. “You realized too late that it was Trixie who was coming, and hid out of sight.” “I-- I was-- hmm.” Fluttershy struggled while scratching the ground with her hoof. Even the animals were now silent, as if waiting for the pegasus’ answer. “I’m sorry,” Trixie broke the silence. She started to trot towards Fluttershy, with the raven still standing on her back. “I never meant to scare you or your animals back at your own home.” Trixie stopped right in front of Fluttershy and apologetically lowered her head. “Trixie should have been more careful, considering what she is now.” “Bu-but-- But it’s me who’s sorry!” Fluttershy hastily answered. “I shouldn’t have told you to go away like that. It was mean of me. You needed help and I just…” She raised her gaze to meet Trixie’s. “I shouldn’t have let fear get the best of me. I’m sorry.” “Heh.” “Heh.” Both ponies realized about the irony of their situation, almost at the same time. Both of them were in the wrong and both of them were in the right at the same time. It was obvious that both of them also forgave each other, so there was no point on vocalizing it. Because of their silent agreement, neither Trixie and Fluttershy knew what to say next. Their dilemma was quickly solved by the third party sitting on Trixie’s back. *roawk* the raven said. “So,” Trixie tried to keep the night from becoming tomb-like silent around them. “Trixie has heard you’re quite good with animals, right?” Fluttershy nodded. “Any clue why this raven is annoying Trixie so?” Trixie wanted to stay outside for a little longer. There was something about being surrounded by the nocturnal life, under the moon’s serene light that brought a calm to her heart that the party couldn’t offer. Understanding this, Fluttershy went alone inside to help with the cleaning. It was long past midnight when it was finally over and everypony was now relaxing on the living room before taking their leave. Realizing how late it must have been, Trixie decided to return inside again. She waved a goodbye to all the animals she left behind her while turning around towards the door. Yet, the raven was still on her back, showing no signs of leaving anytime soon. “Look, little bird of the night’s Lunar shore, although Trixie would like to keep your company, she feels we would be pushing our luck with the ponies inside.” The raven pushed its head back, as if taking offense on Trixie’s words. “Don’t act like that. Enough that they have to look at the decaying corpse Trixie is now. Surely you can understand it wouldn’t help your image to enter while also riding me.” The bird tilted its head to a side and then nodded in a agreement. “Fly over the tree that is not a tree, in the house that doesn’t look like a house. Trixie will meet you there once she’s finished here.” The raven extended its wings, gave Trixie one last roawk and took fly to become lost inside the night’s veil of darkness. Once Trixie couldn’t see the raven anymore, she pushed the door open, entering Sugarcube Corner’s kitchen. The lights on that section of the building were off, leaving the light seeping in under the dining room door as its only and very weak source of light. Yet, Trixie discovered that despite the room’s darkness and shadows, she had far less problem seeing her surroundings that she may have thought. Another unexpected benefit of her condition perhaps. Without any problems navigating between the kitchen’s furniture, Trixie made her way through it till she was right next to the door. But instead of crossing it immediately, the voices at the other side prevented her from doing so. Twilight and her friends were talking about a subject that not only had Trixie’s full attention, but that also brought out the worst of her curiosity. They were talking about Trixie herself. “You look awful, Twi.” Rainbow’s voice was the first Trixie could make out. “Running back and forth after Trixie the whole day. You must be close to your limit.” “It’s not like that, Dash,” Twilight’s voice replied. “Actually, going around the town wasn’t all that different from my first time here.” She paused to yawn. “Or each time something happens, and a lot of things happen in Ponyville.” “Then what?” Rainbow Dash demanded. “Because you can’t tell us you’re not about to fall down asleep. I mean look at you, you’re barely staying up right now.” “Rainbow, for the last time, I’m not tired.” Twilight's tone and paused speech said the opposite. “It’s just that--” “That you still blame yourself over what happened to Trixie.” Rarity finished the sentence for her before taking a sip from her cup. “Don’t you, darling?” “It was me who tricked her into taking the Amulet off.” Twilight own cup made a clink as it was set down. “I’m responsible for what Trixie has become. That has to be the reason of why Princess Celestia left her under my care.” At hearing this, Trixie only wanted to rush inside the room and tell Twilight how nothing of this was her fault. That it has been always Trixie’s fault. “If it wasn’t for me--” “Trixie’d be still wearin’ the amulet and probably tryin’ to take over Equestria.” Applejack’s grim tone prevented Trixie from moving any closer. “And even if not, Trixie’s what she is by her own hoof. Or yer gonna tell me she was forced to usin’ it?” There was a long pause. Trixie and Twilight knew the answer, and the other ponies probably had a very good guess on it. “No,” Twilight finally answered quietly. “She made the decision by herself.” That was it, the last thing Trixie wanted to hear, even if it was true. She looked down at her own chest, where the accursed thing was still mockingly encrusted to her body. Trixie was about to turn tail and make her way out of Ponyville, only for Twilight’s voice to stop her. “That’s why she needs me.” “Trixie is an adult mare, sugarcube. She surely can take care of herself.” “Maybe,” Twilight said. “I can only imagine how life must be for a pony like Trixie, and how a life like that must have hardened her.” Trixie got closer to the door again, this time trying to also see what the friends were doing. “I’m sure that overcoming obstacles is what she does the best when alone.” Trixie wanted to agree with her. But alone in the darkness, Trixie allowed herself to admit that she didn’t want to face this by herself. Trixie didn’t want to face the world alone, not again. She wasn’t that strong. “Then why keep it up with her, Twi.” Rainbow asked. “If she’s as strong as you say?” “Because that’s what you girls taught me,” Trixie finally found Twilight from her spying spot. “When it comes to guilt, regret, facing one’s own mistakes, all of that. Even the strongest pony struggles with those. But you showed me that a pony doesn’t have to do it alone, not as long as there are friends around to help.” Twilight shrugged while smiling. “Trixie is my friend now, and helping her is only the right thing to do. Could I do less than the right thing for a friend?” Trixie didn’t know how to respond to that. On one hoof, she could rush inside and tell Twilight how much she thanked her for offering Trixie her friendship, telling her how sorry she was for dragging Twilight into this mess. But on the other hoof, doing so would force her to admit she was spying her new friend, and even Trixie knew that wasn’t something friends should do to each other. Trixie could imagine two smaller Trixie on her shoulders; one wearing a white version of her old attire, telling Trixie to be honest, that this wasn’t the moment of enclosing inside herself, again. On the opposite side, a Trixie dressed in red told Trixie to never open herself, for that would mean lowering her guard and letting the world harm her, again. “I’m going for another glass of water!” A high-pitched voice interrupted Trixie’s inner debate and she could see from the door’s edge that Pinkie Pie was coming to the kitchen. She backpedaled away from the now-closed door, hoping to get back closer to the backyard’s entrance and pretend she just came back in. But in doing so, she bumped into something soft behind her. Trixie quickly turned around, only to see the pink party pony herself filling a glass with water from the kitchen’s sink. “Hey Trix, whatcha doing?” Trixie wasn't sure, but she could have sworn that for a second, the Alicorn Amulet stopped running the necroplasm inside her. “What the-- who the-- how did you--” Trixie tried to ask, but her brain was still trying to process how in tartarus’ unholy name did the pink one managed to sneak behind her like that. Trixie looked back at the dining room door, checking that it was still closed, only adding more confusion to the matter. “A glass of water, Pinkie Pie and by pouring water into it,” Pinkie calmly answered Trixie’s half-questions. “How about you?” She said cocking an eyebrow. “You weren’t practicing master Kunai’s teaching on your new friends, right?” The question caught Trixie off guard. “What? No… Trixie was just… No,” she tried to defend herself, but then something clicked inside her mind. “Wait! Hold everything!” Trixie exclaimed. “What do you know about master Kunai?” Trixie felt how a hellish fire of pure rage building inside her. “Did Sparkle fail to honor my request and told you Trixie’s story without Trixie’s permission?” She held an accusatory hoof that, combined with its bone-like look, was effectively intimidating, even for Pinkie Pie. “No, nothing like that.” Pinkie raised her forehooves defensively, but kept her smile. “Then reveal to Trixie who told you about one of her secrets, so Trixie can properly lay vengeance upon the author of such insult.” If Trixie still had her magic, she would have well burst into flames, burning her flesh and skin till leaving only the bone. “Oh, I know that one!” Pinkie answered, happily trotting closer to the angered ghost. “That was you, silly.” She said while bopping Trixie on the nose. “Come again?” Trixie’s rage died in that moment as confusion took its place. “‘Get over here?’” Pinkie quoted mockingly. “It was kinda obvious you knew the school, and master Kunai is the only teacher out there.” “That only raises further questions, Pink one.” Trixie pointed out. “Well, you see, it all happened a winter when-- hey!” Pinkie interrupted herself while raising the same eyebrow again. “Now you hold everything, you Miss-Terious McSecrets. Were you spying on us?” Before Trixie could backpedal, Pinkie held her by the withers with a hoof. “I-- I mean Trixie…” But she just hung her head. “I’m sorry” Trixie apologized. “It was completely by accident, I can swear that over my mother’s lost grave. I was going to enter, but when Twilight revealed that she was feeling somewhat responsible over Trixie, I just froze there.” Trixie slightly raised her gaze to meet Pinkie’s, but her face was unreadable. “Oh, that’s all?” Pinkie’s expression softened. “Dontcha worry, Trix, it’s nothing that big.” She directed a grin at Trixie. “Now come on, we were just waiting for you before leaving.” Pinkie started to trot towards the dining room’s door. “Except for Spike. The poor little guy is already asleep, but not because he means to be rude, it’s just that he’s very young yet and Twilight doesn’t let him have coffee. I don’t drink it either, but because everypony puts on a weird face each time I’m too close to a cup. If they knew how many I drank one night when a filly…” But Trixie wasn’t listening. Instead, she just pondered how kind the pink hurricane was to her and how little Trixie had done to actually express gratitude. Not wanting to make a public scene, Trixie rushed before Pinkie could open the door and grabbed her tail with her mouth. That cut Pinkie’s rambling as she turned around. “Is something the matter, Trix?” “Miss Pink...” she started, unsure of how to phrase her next words. “Oh, please.” Pinkie waved her hoof playfully. “All my friends call me Pinkie.” “Very well, Pinkie,” Trixie thought for a moment, comforting herself with the trust that Pinkie was putting in her. “Trixie feels she owes you her gratitude for tonight’s events.” “Oh, really?” Pinkie asked excited. “Can I see her?” “No, Trixie-- I mean…” Trixie fought down her temper, wishing the pony before her could take one thing seriously this night. Instead, she just rolled her eyes and tried rephrasing what she meant. “Look, Pinkie, I’m trying to say how grateful I am for what you have done to me tonight.” “Ooohh,” Pinkie tilted her head up and down while saying that. “Why didn’t you say so? Say, why do you talk in third pony and all that anyway?” Trixie was about to dismiss the question as she has done a thousand of times before. But this time, there was something else. Just in the same way she told Twilight the story of Kunai Tail, or her story of Hope to Rarity, Trixie wanted to repay Pinkie Pie in the only way she knew how; with a piece of her history. “Well, you see, when Trixie started her trips, she wanted ponies to remember who she was,” Trixie began. “And since that was a lonely path, she decided to be as unforgettable as possible.” She took the edge of the pink replacement hood with her hooves, extending it to make herself look bigger, but also displaying her thin and pale figure underneath. “All Trixie ever had, was the presentation and illusion of her act. Trixie already lost the second one.” Trixie let the hood hang, covering everything but her face. “So she tries to keep going with the little of what’s left.” Trixie checked on what impression she had left on Pinkie, but she saw only puzzlement on her face. “I’m sorry, this isn’t making much sense, is it?” “Actually, I can see what you mean,” Pinkie said, her voice calmer than usual. “But you don't need to be like that between friends.” She got closer, taking Trixie’s hood by the upper part and pushing it behind her head, revealing her face. “You can be you around us.” Trixie was about to pull the hood back, but Pinkie’s reassuring nod stopped her hoof. Instead, she gave Pinkie a smile of her own, nodding back. “Thank you, Pinkie Pie.” She awkwardly looked aside. “By the way, Trixie barely remembers all the details, but she knows she did something to you with the amulet, after you said I wasn’t good enough for a rock farm.” Trixie tried to gulp, but once again the lack of fluids on her throat played against her. “Whatever it was, I’m truly sorry and I’ll be honored if you could tell me a way to repay the damage done.” “Oh, that? Pff, think nothing out of it.” Pinkie smiled at Trixie. “Water under the road, or something like that.” Pinkie then turned around and opened the door, but let Trixie walk into the dining room first. After that, the seven mares talked for a little longer before heading back to their respective homes. The first ones were Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, mostly because they promised the Cutie Mark Crusaders to take them on a trip the next day. Then it was Fluttershy, who had to be up early in order to keep track on the animals who were still in a bad mood and needed extra caring. Finally, Trixie, Twilight and a very asleep Spike resting on her back were ready to take their leave too. They said their goodbyes to Pinkie and departed down the road towards their now-shared home.