//------------------------------// // It's Only Fair // Story: Tiny Trixie Tales // by Zodiacspear //------------------------------// It’s Only Fair! She gave an excited squeal and rushed ahead to the brightly colored booth, her little stuffed mare bouncing around on her back.  “Hurry up, Daddy!  I wanna play!” “Beatrix Lulamoon, what did I tell you about running ahead like that?” her father called after her, but it went ignored as she stood up on her hind legs to look over the counter to marvel at all of the stuffed animals that hung on the walls of the booth.   The bored-looking attendant smirked as Trixie looked at all the balloons that hung in neat rows along the back wall.  He bounced a trio of small, plastic darts in his hoof as he flew toward her.  “Wanna try your luck, kid?  Pop a balloon and win a prize.” She practically shook in her excitement.  “Yes!” She looked over her shoulders as her father finally caught up to her. “Daddy, I wanna play! I wanna get Lulu a new friend to play with.” Maximus winced as he looked first at the cheaply made stuffed animals and then at the sly-smirking attendant. “Trixie, you already have enough stuffed animals.  I’m sure Lulu can go on without another one.” “But she’s lonely. Look!” She took her off-white colored stuffed mare from her back and presented it to him to see up close. “See? She’s all sad.” He looked into the button eyes of Lulu before he glanced at the attendant when he snickered.  “Yes, very sad.  Come on, Trixie.  There is still more of the fair we haven’t seen yet. We can’t stop at every booth we walk across.” Seeing that her father was being adamant about it, she tried for the one thing she knew always worked.  Her eyes irises grew wider, and she stuck out a bottom lip just enough to count as a pout. “Pweeasssse…” Her father’s resistance melted away like butter and he sighed. “Fine.  But this is the only one.  I don’t want to hear any complaining again.  You understand?” A wide smile burst across her face and she hugged his foreleg tightly. “Yes, Daddy. I pwomise!” Maximus sighed again, looking back at the attendant as Trixie once again stood on her hind legs. “How much a game?” “One bit,” the attendant said. “First balloon that pops, she gets whatever prize is under the tag.” Maximus passed over the single coin, and the attendant set the darts in front of her. “All right, kid.  Pop one and you get your prize.” Even as her father moved to stand behind her, she looked over her shoulder at him. “I wanna try, Daddy.” He blinked before looking at her. “You do?” She nodded quickly. “Mmhm! I’ve been practicing. I can do it!” A smile grew across her father’s face. “All right then.  It’s all you.” Rubbing her hooves together, she concentrated on one of the colored darts.  Her horn gave a few sputters of magic, but her aura surrounded the dart and shook as it lifted from the counter.  With a grunt, she got the dart to face the right way, and she gave it a toss. It barely got halfway before thunking into the floor. “Two more to go,” the attendant said as he scooped up the fallen dart. Biting at her lip, she concentrated on the second dart—a bead of sweat forming on her brow.  Gritting her teeth, she lifted the dart up, and, with a grunt, sent it flying at the board. It hit the balloon, but bounced away harmlessly. “Oooh!” She thumped a hoof on the counter. “Need help, Sweat Pea?” she heard her father ask. She shook her head stubbornly. “Nuh-uh, I’m gonna do it on my own, Daddy. Just you wait and see.” He gave her a knowing smile.  “All right.” She turned her gaze back at the evil dart and glared at it. “All wight, you.  The Gweat and Poweful Twixie wants Lulu to have a new fwiend, and you're gonna get it for her!” Standing resolutely, she closed her eyes and concentrated real hard on the dart. As the sweat started to appear on her brow again, her tongue poked out of the side of her mouth. “I’m gonna get it.  I’m gonna do it,” she repeated to herself over and over as the dart floated in the air. With her eyes shut, she didn’t see that when she threw the dart, a flash of her father’s aura sped it along. When she heard the balloon pop, her eyes flew open and she saw that her dart was stuck into the board. “And we have a winner!” the attendant announced, giving a sly glance to her father. She bounced around her father, gleefully shouting, “I did it! I did it! I did it!” Turning a look at Maximus, she beamed with pride. “Did you see me, Daddy?  I popped the balloon all on my own!” “I did see.” He ruffled her mane, a warm smile on his face. “You’re getting better, Trixie.” “So which one do you want, kid?” the attendant asked, sweeping a foreleg out to the assembled toys. She hummed a moment before pointing. “That one!” The attendant raised an eyebrow before looking at her. “You sure?” She nodding vigorously. “Uh-huh, that one,” she said again, motioning to a stuffed, bug-like doll. “Huh.  Never had anyone want one of those before.” He flew up and presented her prize to her. “Enjoy it, kid.” As Trixie hugged her new stuffed animal, Maximus could only stare at it with a bemused frown. “That has got to be one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen.  Why did you choose that one, Trixie?” She gave it another hug. “Because it looked lonely.” He again looked at the black, insectoid stuffed animal and its black covering and blue eyes before shaking his head. “What are you going to name it?” Tilting her head, she frowned a bit before her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. “I’ll name him Cuddles!” “...Cuddles?” “Mhmm.” She nodded as she set ‘Cuddles’ behind Lulu on her back. “Because he’s so cuddly.” In her excitement, she didn’t hear her father’s groan. “Oh! Dad, they’ve got funnel cakes!” She tugged at his foreleg. “Come on! Come on!  We can get one with strawberries and share!” He sighed as his daughter dragged him along past other carnival goers. “All of this carnival food is not going to agree with me.” “That’s why you got your tummy medicine, Daddy,” she said as her little hooves scampered to pull him along in her haste. He rolled his eyes and sighed. “All right, all right.  Don’t pull my leg off.” Later on that night, as the Mare-in-the-Moon shined down brightly upon the carnival, Trixie’s eyes widen and she gasped. “Daddy! Daddy! Let’s ride the ferris wheel! Please?” Maximus looked to the brightly lit up ferris wheel for a moment before looking down at her. “Trixie, it’s getting late.  Aren’t you getting tired yet?” “Nuh-uh. I’m wide awake. See?” She opened her eyes big and wide, her violent irises reflecting the lights of the carnival. “The Sand Stallion hasn’t found me yet.” He looked into those eyes and sighed. “All right, one ride on the wheel, then we go home.  It is well past your bedtime.” She wrapped a tight hug around his leg. “You’re the bestest, Daddy.” Sighing, he got in line for the ferris wheel, his daughter bouncing beside him in barely restrained eagerness. The closer they got to the front of the line, the more Trixie’s excitement grew. By the time they made it, Maximus was surprised she hadn’t keeled over. When the attendant lifted the bar for them to climb in, Trixie hopped into her seat and patted next to her, setting both Lulu and Cuddles on her other side. “Come on, Daddy.  This is going to be so much fun!” Smirking to himself he climbed into the seat beside her and used his magic to secure their seatbelts before the attendant lowered the guard bar. When the machine roared to life, Trixie gave another happy squeal as the wheel started forward.  When they reached the highest point of the ride, Trixie pointed toward the mountain that Canterlot resided upon. “Look, Daddy, I can see home from here.” His gaze followed her hoof. “Sure can.  We can see pretty far from up here, can’t we?” “Uh-huh!” She looked around before the ferris wheel began its journey back down. She gave a gleeful cheer as the wheel started back up. “Whee! This is fun!” Her father smiled. “Sure is, Sweet Pea.” When the wheel reached its zenith, Trixie stood as tall as she could to look around. “Do you think we can see Mommy from up here?” When her father didn’t respond, she looked back to see him looking away, his brow furrowed. “Daddy?” The furrow lessened when he looked back at her, a smile on his face. “I’m sorry, Trixie.  I don’t think we’ll be able to see Mommy from here.” She blinked, there was something wrong with his smile. “Daddy, are you okay?” She grabbed Lulu and offered her to him. “Lulu likes to share hugs.” His smile widened a bit more. “I’m fine, Sweat Pea. Don’t worry.” A startled squeak escaped her as the wheel gave a jolt and came to a halt.  They looked over the side of the seat to see the attendant working furiously at the controls. “What’s going on?” Maximus called down. “Sorry, sir.  There’s something wrong with the controls.” The attendant swore under this breath as the controls sparked at him. “We’ll get this fixed as soon as we can.” “Daddy, what’s going on?” Trixie asked as he settled down beside her. “Looks like the ride is broke.” He sighed as the wind blew through their manes.  “We might be up here for a while.” “B-but, I don’t wanna stay up here!  Can’t we climb down?” He shook his head. “No, we could get hurt.” Looking around, he frowned. “At least we’re up high, we can still enjoy the view.” “But we need someone to go get help,” she said, her eyes widening some. “We might starve up here!” Maximus smiled. “We’ll get down before that, Sweet Pea.” Her eyes widened again and she smiled. “I know!” He tilted his head at her. “Hmm?” She picked up her newly won doll. “All right, Cuddles, go get help.” Before he could stop her, she tossed the insect-pony thing over the side of the cart.  The stuffed animal bounced off of a rail before landing pitifully on the ground not far away. “He’ll get us help,” Trixie said with a smile. Maximus rubbed between his eyes. -o- A few hours later, just as pony rescuers were helping those in the lower carts back to the ground, Maximus rested against the back of their seat.  His hoof running over the mane and side of the sleeping filly who nuzzled into his side. She shifted a bit, mumbling in her sleep as she slept peacefully.   A slow smile grew across his face as he looked at her.  Charging his horn, he brought Lulu to her side.   His eyes turned from her sleeping form to the full moon above. ‘The Mare-in-the-Moon is bright tonight.’  Another breeze blew through, causing Trixie to shiver and snuggle closer with to him. Despite it all, the horrible fair food, dealing with a hyper filly, and being reminded of her mother, Maximus concluded that being stuck on the ferris wheel was the best part of his night that night.