//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 - A Friend In Need // Story: Start Of A New Life // by Madox //------------------------------// Chapter 3 - A Friend In Need One week later... It was a quiet day in Ponyville. The sun was shining, there was not a single cloud in the sky and, to the surprise of some of the townspeople, nothing terrible or extraordinary has happened lately. Twilight wandered through the streets of Ponyville on her way to the library. She just came back from the Everfree Forest from a visit to Zecora’s for a cup of tea and bought a few new quills on her way back. She just could not understand what happened with all the quills she bought last week, but that’s a mystery for another day. While walking Twilight noticed Pinkie Pie running fast in her direction and stopped to greet her friend. “Hi, Pinkie. What are you -,” she started, but before she could finish her sentence Pinkie ran past her to the other side of the town without saying anything. Twilight looked confused after her friend for a few moments just like a few other ponys that noticed the pink whirlwind, but soon she just shrugged and turned around to finish her way home. But the moment she turned and started walking again she collided with a pink wall in front of her. “Hey, Twilight, what are you looking for?” Pinkie Pie asked while looking past her. Twilight looked over her shoulder for a second and then turned  her head  in front of her at her friend. She wanted to say something, before she remembered who she is talking to. She let out a small sign while shaking her head. “Nothing important, Pinkie,” she answered before smiling. “So, you seems to be in a hurry, what happened today?” “Well, I need to restock my party equipment, I will need it soon. I’m so excited right now,” Pinkie said with a big smile on her face while bouncing around. “Oh, another party? What is the occasion this time?” “My Pinkie Sense told me that there will be a new pony in town soon, so I need to prepare a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party. I can’t wait to meet a new friend, that will be so much fun.” “I’m always happy to make new friends, too. So I will stop distracting you from your preparations. Just remember to inform me early when the party will be, so that I can make room in my schedule.” “I surely will, would be a shame if one of my best friends would be amiss. Bye, Twilight.” With this both ponys parted and went their own ways. ‘A new pony will come to town, huh?’ Twilight thought. ‘I wonder who it will be; maybe it will be someone with an interest in books. I really love the ponys around, but there are not that many that enjoy a good lecture. Well, I will see in time.’ Twilight was now near her library and noticed that something was wrong. Spike sat at the front door grumbling to himself with his arms crossed. “Spike, what’s wrong?” Twilight asked him. “Why are you waiting outside? “You got a guest, Twilight,” Spike said with a snarl. “She is waiting insides and I couldn’t stand to be in the same room as her too long.” “Who are you talking about?” Twilight asked confused. “Who is this guest? Someone I know?” “You’ll see. And yes, you know her. The whole town knows her.” After this Spike got to his feet and started walking away. “Since you are here now, I’ll go to Rarity in the meanwhile.” Twilight stood there and watched Spike walk away, now extremely confused. ‘What just happened?’ she thought. ‘I don’t now when was the last time I saw him this angry.’ She turned to the front door of the library. ‘Who could be this guest?’  Twilight went to the door, and with a last breath to prepare herself for the unknown she opened the door with her magic. When she walked inside, she noticed a blue mare sitting at the table with a book in front of her.. When the mare heard the opening of the door, she turned her head to look at Twilight. “Hello, Twilight.” “Trixie?” Twilight gasped. “Is that really you? You look horrible.” Trixie looked different from the last time Twilight saw her. Her coat was covered in dust and mud and several bruises could be seen all over her body. Her mane was a total mess and it was clearly visible that it has been some time since the last time it was washed. Her voice was hoarse and she has large bags under her eyes. It was also visible in her eyes that she was completely exhausted. “Wow, really? Trixie didn’t notice before,” Trixie snarled. “Trixie wants to see how you will look like after living on the streets for more than three months.” “Wait a second, you mean you were homeless all this time?” Twilight couldn’t believe what she heard. “Why didn’t you say anything back then that you have no place to live?” “That’s none of your business. This is something Trixie can handle herself later. It is not important right now and not the reason why Trixie came back.” “Ok, I still think this is something we need to discuss,” Twilight said with a sigh, “but I think we need to calm down first. How about I make some tea for us and then you can tell me why you came to see me? Does this sound fine to you?” Trixie thought for a moment, before slowly nodding. “Fine.” Twilight used her magic to raise her saddlebags from her back on the floor near the front door and trotted over to her kitchen to prepare the tea. After a few minutes she came back with a tray floating in the air with two cups on it and set it on the table. “Here is your tea, Trixie.” Twilight said while she levitated one of the cups to Trixie. “So, why did you come back to Ponyville to see me? From what you said earlier I presume it has nothing to do with your appearance.” “Well, Trixie has to admit, that her problem is partly the reason for her appearance,” Trixie began to say. She took a sip from her tea. “Since the day you and your friends freed Trixie of the Alicorn Amulet she is haunted by nightmares. At first she thought nothing about it, but they didn’t stop, so Trixie visited several doctors, but none were able to help her.” “That sounds awful, but why didn’t you come sooner?” “As if the Great and Powerful Trixie would be afraid of some stupid nightmares. She is more than able enough to go on and ignore them. They are not even as bad as it sounded and Trixie is much too powerful to be affected by them.” Trixie used her magic to take another sip of her tea. Twilight noticed a small flicker in Trixie|s magic aura and thought for a moment that she would drop her cup, but Trixie got hold of it and set it back on the table. ‘She is way more affected by these nightmares than she want to admit,’ Twilight thought. ‘Trixie, you are truly not really good at hiding something like this from others. “So, if these nightmares are so easy to handle, why are you here then?” “They might not be a bother to Trixie, but they got a little bit annoying over time, that is why Trixie decided to visit you. You are the only pony she could think of who might be able to help her get rid of them.” “Ok, now I understand your situation.” ‘At least the part you want to admit.’ I feel honored that you think so highly about me, but I don’t know that much about dreams or nightmares. It is still possible that I can find something in my library.” Twilight stood up from her place and walked over to one of her bookshelves. “Since it might take some time to go through the books, I would suggest you stay at the library over night. After all, you mentioned that you got no place to stay right now, and that way I will be able to help you the moment I find a solution.” Trixie just sat at the table, her mouth slightly opened. After a few moment she caught herself again. “Trixie admits that you got a point there, but Trixie wants to make clear, that she only stays to get rid of this annoying problem as fast as possible.” ‘At least I got her out of the cold night for now,’ Twilight thought. “By the way, Trixie, I noticed that you are without your hat and cape. What happened to them?” “Trixie had a little encounter with a Timberwolf on her way to Ponyville and used them to distract it. But they are replaceable. Trixie used to have more than one set in the past.” “A Timberwolf?” Twilight turned around to face Trixie. “Are you hurt somehow?” “As if a Timberwolf would be able to hurt the Great and Powerful Trixie. And if she would be severely hurt, you would have noticed it till now.” “That’s a relief, you worried me there for a moment. Timberwolfs can be really tough.” After this conversation Trixie and Twilight stayed mostly quiet for some time. A few hours later, when the sun started to go down, the front door to the library opened. “Hey, Twilight. I’m back,” Spike said with a smile, but the moment he saw Trixie at the table, his smile turned into a frown. “What is she still doing here?” The tone in his voice made it more than clear that he was not happy about Trixies presence, but Twilight didn’t seem to notice. She didn’t even looked at him while he was glaring at Trixie, who just looked at the table in front of her. “She asked for help with a problem she got, and since it takes some time to look through the books she will stay here overnight.” “Are you kidding me? How can you help her after all she did? She banished you from the town the last time, who knows what she is going to do this time!” Twilight turned around after hearing that and walked over to Spike. “Spike, watch your mouth! You know that it wasn’t her fault the last time she visited! It was the Amulet that was responsible for her actions! And she came in peace this time without making any problems, so please don’t be the one to start one now!” “As long as she doesn’t do anything I won’t say anything more, but I don’t think that this will last long!” With this Spike went to the stairs and made his way up to the bedroom. “Haaach, I’m sorry that you had to listen to this, Trixie,” Twilight sighed after Spike was gone. “You must know, he is really sensitive about me, since I’m the one who raised him, and he was never able to forgive you for banishing me from Ponyville. But I’m sure that he will overcome it one day.” “It’s okay, Twilight. Trixie thinks she can understand him after everything she did and she got used to hear things like this over the past few months.” Trixie said, but Twilight could see that his comments still hurt her. Twilight decided to change the subject to distract her thoughts from Spike. “So, I think I found enough books for now about dreams and nightmares. Would you like to help looking through them? This way we can find a solution quicker.” Twilight used one of her biggest smiles on Trixie, while she floated a big stack of books to the table. Trixie thought for a second, before her frown turned to a small smile. “Trixie would like that. It has been a while since she has company while reading.” Twilight sat down on the opposite site of the table across from Trixie and levitated a book to both of them and they started reading. After a few minutes, Trixie coughed slightly to get Twilights attention. “And, Twilight.” Twilight looked up in Trixie’s face. “Thank you for defending Trixie. She really appreciates it.” Twilight once again smiled at the mare in front of her. “No problem, Trixie.” ~*~ A few more hours passed since the two mares started looking through the books without finding anything. Twilight started to get frustrated, she could not believe that she couldn’t find anything that sounded like Trixies problem. She just grabbed the next book with her magic, when she heared a slight whimper and groaning in front of her. As she looked up at Trixe she saw her with her head lying on the book in front of her. She had fallen asleep without Twilight noticing. And from her twitching and the noises she made she had another nightmare. “Trixie!” Twilight quickly rushed around the table to the blue mare to wake her up. She started to shake her shoulders, but Trixie didn’t responded. “Come on, Trixie, please wake up!” Without a warning Trixie suddenly arised with a scream and her eyes wide opened in pure fear. She looked frightened around the room, before her eyes fell on Twilight. “Trixie, are you-,” Twilight started in her calmest voice, but was interrupted as Trixie swung her hoofs around her neck and layed her head on her shoulder, quietly sobbing and crying. “Tw-Twilight, please help me. I can not bear this any longer, I will go down if it doesn’t stop. You need to help me, please!” Twilight was shocked to see Trixie like this, but soon she started patting her back. “It’s ok, Trixie. I will do whatever I can do to help you. I have to admit I underestimated this. I don’t think I will find a solution in my books, so will go to the only two beings who might be able to help you.”  Trixie unclasped Twilight and pulled herself back to look into her face, still sobbing with tears going down her face. “We will go to Canterlot and meet the princesses.