//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Testing // Story: No Romance For Twilight Sparkle // by socky_dude //------------------------------// Twilight was curious. Trixie knew that. She also knew she didn't have to say anything. Due to the fact that it was her little secret, and also the fact that Twilight said that she wasn't even going to pry her for it either. Trixie appreciated that. That didn't mean the Princess wasn't curious, oh no. Trixie could tell by the way Twilight would look at her when she turned away. She could tell by the conversation she was having with her now, how Twilight still seemed to be endlessly searching for clues. The alicorn would never ask however, just listened, waiting for Trixie to give her the answer herself. She found this very generous of her. Pressuring somepony to tell you something wasn't the right way to go, and Twilight understood this. But was this really what Trixie should be thinking about? No. She should be thinking about what happened last night. Her memories... they could always grasp her feelings whether she liked it or not. The things she's been through were dark enough to shrivel Celestia's mind. It didn't usually bug her that much, and she found ways to move on. Yet there was always that one little thing that would trigger flashbacks. That's what happened four nights ago. Maybe she should try having a glass of wine every night, something like that. She didn't want to put herself through the heavy medication, and wine often did the same thing for some ponies. It wasn't as if she was considering alcoholism, only a glass or two every evening. It could make her feelings more solemn, and she could forget about some of the bad memories she had. Calm her down. It could help, but she'd hate to ask Twilight to buy her a bottle of wine every once in a while. She had already done so much. And good wine was extremely expensive. She had grown to a miserable state, all she could think about was the single most horrible and terrifying moment of her life, replaying it over and over in her mind like a broken record. She couldn't think straight, she could barely even remember speaking to Twilight before the party. Trixie knew she had been rude, and shut the Princess out. She knew that she probably hadn't eaten anything, which would explain why she was so hungry at the party. The few times these flashbacks would happen before, she would sometimes wake up in the morning in extreme pain. She remembered once being so thirsty that she crawled to the fridge for a simple cherry soda. It was scary being alone at times like this, and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't control this. Her past didn't allow her to. But last night, she had found out how she actually could control it. The present. She didn't need to be hung up on her past like that, because she had friends that were there for her, to help her get back onto her hooves. Last night, one of the sweetest things she had ever witnessed happened to her, and her alone. Twilight had given her hope. She had gathered up all of her friends, put down all her responsibilities, and threw her a party just to cheer her up. It was going to Trixie's head. She had been so surprised, so shocked, that she couldn't hold it all in anymore. She broke down, her wires fizzing with everything that ever hurt her. She was an exploding dam, a newly formed waterfall, the blue of her coat now representing her emotions, loud and clear. And Twilight was there, they were all there. The supporting arms of the purple mare guiding her back to tranquility. Then there was that thing towards the end of the party, the girls and her had all began playing bored games. First Sorry, then Jenga, Candy land, Chutes and Ladders, and finally The Game Of Life. Everyone had left to grab some cake, except her and Twilight, of course. The whole night was pure bliss, the party was simply a get together of them just playing games and listening to music. It was perfect, everything about it was perfect. Then, pure confusion took a toll. Twilight had nuzzled her. ...... WHAT?? Okay, let's look at the facts here. Other then, TWILIGHT NUZZLED HER, she had what she said afterwards, and the few hints as to how she exactly nuzzled her. Trixie had been going over it all morning. So, first off, she had said "Keep it that way", referring to how she wanted Trixie to stay happy. She also included the nuzzle into her conversation, meaning; A) It was a naturally occurring thing. B) It was a means of comfort. This told Trixie that it was a way of friendship, and put her nerves to ease so she could fall asleep that night. However, in the morning, she realized some other things that slightly effected her outlook on the situation. Twilight was blushing, just the slightest bit to where noppony else would notice. But Trixie did. Also, her smile. Oh Celestia her smile at that moment could have lit up a million dark skies. It was so pure, and remained there the rest of the night. She never had a face of regret, and she never apologized for her actions. THAT meant; A) She meant to do this, 100%. B) It didn't upset her in the slightest. C) She didn't care how Trixie felt in the situation, as she was surrounded by her own giddy excitement. D) She enjoyed. Every. Single. Bit. ........WHAT?!?! Trixie was flipping the FUCK out! What was the meaning of this?? It put the unicorn on edge, that's for damn sure! What was she supposed to think now? What was she supposed to feel now?? ALL THE BOUNDARIES HAVE BEEN CROSSED!! ALL OF THEM!!! She sat up in her bed at this moment, turning her brooch over and over in her hooves. The brooch that Twilight gave her. Man, was she confused. "Trixie? Are you alright? Breakfast is ready you kn- Oh! You're awake!" Trixie turned her head to face the pony in her doorway. She immediately blushed. "Hey! Isn't that the brooch I bought you? Are you gonna wear it today??" She sounded excited, her eyes lighting up. Dumbfounded, Trixie merely nodded, the Princess squealing at her reply. She seemed to realize what she was doing, and shook her head. "AHEM!" Twilight asserted, coughing a bit, her face tinted a shade of pink. "I MEAN, that's very nice of you and all, but I was actually thinking about taking a swim today..." Trixie blinked. "If you wanna come with.. then that thing can't really....." Without a word, the unicorn placed her brooch on the nightstand. "Cool!" Seemingly snapped out of it, Twilight began to walk out of the room. "Come on then!" Trixie had already gotten used to eating her food slower, not taking off like she did on the first few days. She nibbled on her eggs, catching the few glances Twilight gave her, the usual. Except it wasn't the usual. There was a tense nature in the air, one that wasn't there before. She didn't know if Twilight had noticed it or not. Trixie didn't say anything, watching the clouds in the sky slowly move past. "Trixie, are you alright? You haven't spoke all morning..." Okay, she had noticed it. "I...." "And why are you so red?" Twilight asked, and reached across the table to feel Trixie's forehead. Her eyes widen, and she instinctively swatted the hoof away. The alicorn raised an eyebrow at this. "I-it's just hot in h-here...." She huffed, her face heating even more. Twilight smiled. "Good thing we're going swimming then!" "Y-yeah...." Twilight wore a sleek navy one pieced bathing suit with a ruffly skirt and white polka dots. Trixie didn't wear anything, she didn't like the way it felt. She was, however, carrying a pair of saddlebags for Twilight. It contained all the necessary swimming gear, as well as a few snacks and other necessities. She was a lot more nervous then she probably should have been, but she couldn't help it. This had to be a means of friendship, it had too! Twilight was so very comfortable, it almost hurt Trixie's feelings. She was over analyzing this, and that was the alicorn's thing! Not hers! Trixie needed to calm down, and just continue on with her life. But there was a small problem. It affected Trixie more then it was supposed to. Why was it slightly upsetting that the Princess and her were just friends and nothing more. Trixie may have been new to this whole friendship thing, but she knew it wasn't supposed to turn out like this! "I haven't been swimming in awhile. A shame too, this spring we're heading up to is overlooked by most of Ponyville. Maybe even all of it," Twilight said, leading Trixie over the small plains right beside the town. It was a beautiful area, wildflowers and dandelions poking out of the luscious green grass. Every couple of minutes Trixie could spot a couple of foals playing tag or some loan cows grazing. It was nice and quiet, and the further the two walked, the quieter it got. Every so often Twilight would say something, and Trixie would respond to the best of her abilities. She did not want a repeat of what happened that morning. So, she asked a question, still trying to sort through her own thoughts. "Why is that?" Twilight gave a small smile, her wings fluttering the slightest bit. Trixie did her best to ignore this, because for some reason this affected her in a way she couldn't explain. And if you couldn't explain it, then she would rather avoid it. Sometimes however, it was required to acknowledge something, so the unicorn looked back to her quickly, grinning a bit. "I'm not sure, maybe it has something to do with how it's a bit close to the Everfree, but honestly it's a good 2 miles away, so there isn't anything to worry about." "I concur," Trixie nodded, continuing in giving automatic replies to the conversation. "Some ponies do have false fears that end up clouding their judgement." "Now, I didn't say that." "What do you mean?" Trixie stopped walking, forcing Twilight to do the same. As much as she hated to admit it, the unicorn was just as curious as the mare in front of her. There were still many thing Trixie couldn't comprehend about the Princess, so it was pony nature to be a little interested. But after what happened to her, she didn't want to seem forceful in getting answers. Especially since Twilight was being so kind about the fact Trixie didn't want to talk about some things. "Well, fears like that are often triggered by past events, and sometimes they're just caused by anatomy of the brain. While being irrational, it isn't always easy to just ignore them. Sometimes ponies don't even realize they have these kinds of fears. Haven't you ever seen a mouse scurrying in your kitchen and all of a sudden go into fight or flight?" "Well yes bu-" "Well then Trixie, there's your irrational fear! Don't call them false either, they're just the mentality of ponykind trying to make sense of their surroundings. You can understand that, right?" And with that, Twilight trotted on, barely even registering how Trixie stood still in shock. Eventually, the blue mage began to walk once again. "That.... You're actually really smart...." She mumbled, placing herself next to the mare once again. She faintly spotted a blush on her counterpart's face, but Twilight shook her head, looking at the ground in front of her shyly. "No... I just study a lot... Read a lot of books..." She sounded unsure, but Trixie could still spot the small smile on her face. Her heart stopped for a moment, continuously staring at the mare in front of her for answers. She didn't understand what was going on. She was seeing a completely new light of Ms. Sparkle herself, and none of it was making sense. Her imagination was running wild. More nuzzles, close enough to where they could feel each others soft fur. More peaceful moments like this, just the two of them talking. Waking up to breakfast and a kiss, leaving the door only to look forward to coming back. Hers, and hers only. Desperately wanting to make that 'Ms.' a 'Mrs.' Dear Celestia what was happening to her?? "Twilight, you must be an idiot if you don't realize how much you know compared to the average intelligence. You really do know how to answer everything." Trixie didn't even hear the words leaving her lips, let alone remember even thinking them up in the first place. Twilight looked up, a bright smile upon her features. Trixie couldn't cope with the reality of her situation. The answer was staring her straight in the face, but she refused to acknowledge it. It couldn't be true, and she wasn't having any of it. Twilight was her friend and nothing more. Why did that hurt her? "Th-thanks Trixie..." "You're welcome..." A few minutes of silence between the two arose, forcing the blue mage to focus on the sounds of the birds as they flew through the sky. This was a lot more difficult than Trixie thought it would ever be. She could remember her extreme debt on her rent, the landlord getting tired of waiting. She was forced out of her house, and onto the street. She lived in her magic carriage for some time, earning money by impressing ponies with silly card tricks and such. But then that was destroyed by an Ursa Minor. She didn't have anywhere to go, and she absolutely despised Twilight for doing that to her. She had found her precious amulet, sworn on getting revenge for what happened. But, she once again failed, but something else happened that day. Trixie found the good heart that laid inside of the Princess, how smart she was, and how much she cared about the ponies around her. Trixie may have failed that day, but she realized that, as much as she hated to admit it, Twilight was actually a decent pony. Did that mean that Trixie liked her? Oh no, it meant that she held a certain... respect for the mare. Once again, Trixie went off, alone and homeless, too proud to ask for help. Then, it happened. Something that had been haunting Trixie for the past year. It caused her to loose all control. She couldn't even think anymore. She had a difficult past, and it brought her down before, but this was absolutely dreadful. She walked the streets, not sleeping for days on end. It took over two months for her to move past it, and take care of herself again. Her motivation was simple; Move past it, or die. But every day she lived on, she knew that she couldn't work more and more. She had to face the facts, and accept that she needed help. But where would she go? Well, the only pony that really could stand her was no other than Twilight herself. Trixie figured she would be kicked out in a matter of a few weeks, her arrogant attitude would likely drive that mare insane. But, the blue mage was surprised by the fact that, Twilight wasn't just goody-two-shoes bestie of Celestia, but now she was a princess. She was baffled, soon realizing that she could be arrested. She decided it would be best to give Twilight the utmost amount of respect. Soon she realized that the Princess wasn't that type of pony at all. Rather, a very nice and caring mare, who would do just about anything just to see Trixie smile. Which made this correlation much more difficult. Trixie always knew she was bisexual, but could she really fall for a nerdy, bossy, stubborn Princess? The fact was, yes, and it was happening to her before her eyes. "Trixie.... Trixie!!" "Uh bu- .. what?" "You okay? I've said that we're here three times already!" The Princess asked, giving her counterpart a confused look. "Trixie's fine... Just th-thinking about something.." "Well come on! I want to show you it!" There was a spark in her eyes, telling Trixie that there was indeed something exciting up ahead. So, she followed her up the hill towards a cliffside. A crush was a stupid, stupid thing. Forcing Trixie to feel like crap. It was idiotic, she should just pack up her things right now. Why stay? Why bother? Her. The unicorn grumbled something, rubbing her burning ears with her hooves. Twilight didn't seem to notice. That's when they got to the top of the hill. "Oh wow...." There was a beautiful fresh water spring, a small waterfall running from the cliff side and into the clear water. Many fish could be seen underwater, as well as many fresh water plants. A distinct blue shown off of it, the beauty of it all grasping Trixie in her place. It was really amazing, everything about it was great. Trixie couldn't wait. Maybe she should just calm down and have some fun for once? And with that, she ran to it, getting ready to make a big splash with her great and powerful canon ball. Ready to forget about whatever she was feeling and simply swim for a bit. Or she should probably think about it, just in a calmer situation. "TRIXIE!! WAIT!! IT'S-" Too late. And directly when the tip of her tail touched the water, Trixie knew, she fucked up. KERSPLOOSH!! "AAAAAHH!!!! COLD!! COLDCOLDCOLDCOLDCOLD!!!!!" Twilight facehoofed herself as Trixie flew out of the water, freezing. "Tw-Twilight w-w-w-what the h-heck?" "It's a spring.... it's cold. Springs are usually cold Trixie." "W-WELL I D-D-DIDN'T KNOW SM-SMART ASS!!" Twilight rolled her eyes, stepping slowly into the water as her fellow peer stood there shivering. The unicorn cursed herself silently, the air around her making her even colder. Stupid spring. Why was it cold anyway? It was summer, it should be nice and warm! Did physics apply to this stupid body of water? How absolutely idiotic. It threw off her train of thought. And her train of thought was very important right now. She needed to decide what to do about her current situation. "You'd better just get used to the water," Twilight advised. She sighed irritably, making her way down to the shore once more, although very slowly. The Princess smiled nonchalantly, motioning for Trixie to follow her into the water. The unicorn blushed, shivering as she put a single hoof into the water. Following that was a leg, another leg, and the body of a very irritated mare. Why did springs have to feel like an ice bath? She was already in a sour mood, and now swimming didn't seem so wonderful at the moment. "Just move around, it's fine once you get used to it!" Twilight smiled, swimming across the spring in long strokes, Trixie quickly following. They both stopped when they reached the cliff side, the clear water running down into the spring. There was a look in the mare's eye that Trixie couldn't decipher. She had a warm smile gracing her face, while her eyes were focused on the waterfall ahead of her, as if she were trying to unlock all of its secrets. She seemed to brighten the slightest, but yet looked even more troubled. "I don't know why I brought you here," She mumbled, looking down. Well that was rather rude. "I didn't mean it like that..." She corrected, catching Trixie's face. "I meant... I haven't told any of my friends about this place, not even Spike. I just tell him I'm swimming in the pond that's closer by Ponyville. This is where I go for a break I guess, just to relax without anyone around. I don't know why I brought you here." Trixie's whole form submerged into shock. She stared at the Princess, wondering what she meant. Her heart started to pound, unnoticeable by the mare next to her. "I guess... I didn't want to leave you alone in the castle all day... Spike just goes over to Rarity's... But you just stay at home..." Home... Did Twilight really see her as part of the household? Saying 'house' was one thing. But 'home'? Home was completely different. Home was where you went after work, relaxing into the comfort of the surroundings. It was where everything you needed was, and everything you wanted could be. It was where your heart was stored, everything familiar and prosper at your reach. When you were part of someone's home, you were part of the reason they keep coming back, comforting them just the same. A house, was just a house. A house could be a home, but so could a car, a cloud in the sky, or even the hug of someone you love. Trixie fell back into the water, ignoring Twilight's questioning look. If she wanted to relax, fine, but that was not relaxing to the blue mage. It needed to be quiet, she needed to think. She had only been over in Ponyville for two weeks at most, maybe even less. She couldn't even tell anymore, it was all blending together like the huge mass of everything else in her life. She knew she wasn't there for long, so these... feelings couldn't have developed overnight. How long had she felt this way? Why was it all surfacing just now? But most importantly, did Twilight feel the same way? Parts pointed to yes, while others pointed to no. It was like she was being picky. Trixie couldn't understand this if she tried. Which is why she needed a test, something to indicate whether or not this was reciprocal. And that's when she got the best idea she's had in awhile. She came back above the water. Twilight and her had been swimming for awhile, and Trixie was now running through the town of Ponyville. Her erratic breaths and her burning muscles did nothing to stop her. Her plan was unfolding nicely, but there was only hope of what was to come. Shocked screams and screeches rang through Trixie's ears as she pushed past the buyers and sellers of the streets. "TRIXIE!!!!" The exasperated cry of the newest princess did nothing but push her motives forward, her slim body darting through the several stands. Maybe this would be a good way to dry off? After all she was still soaking wet, and that helped cool down the heat of her muscles, since she was indeed colder now than she was in the fresh water spring. Her hair flew behind her, whipping many ponies with the cold water. Whatever, she could apologize later. Her goals at the moment were a bit more important. Maybe she was being arrogant, but no part of her seemed to care. One thing was in her mind, and one thing only. And that was to figure this whole 'thing' out. She dashed toward the large shining palace, forcing the door open and slamming it behind her. She took this time to catch her breath, since she knew Twilight was well behind her. She may be a princess, but damn was she slow. "Uh.... Are you and Twilight having a race or something?" Trixie halted, looking up to see the little dragon with quill and paper in hand. Welp, she had not accumulated him into her plans. Wasn't he supposed to be at Rarity's as always? It wasn't a big deal, she supposed. It just meant that he had to watch. It was a little embarrassing, but it was important that she proceeded. Twilight would likely be pissed when she arrived. Speak of the devil, the door opened. Trixie didn't even get a chance to speak. Here she was, the Princess tossing her wet bathing suit on the ground. She had taken the time to dry off, unlike Trixie. But that wasn't important. Now was the time to execute the second part of her plan. "Trixie.... what in the wor-" Twilight didn't even get to finish her sentence, since Trixie slammed her against the wall. The wind was knocked out of the alicorn, and she panted for a long moment before staring at the mare before her. "What the.. What are you...?" She must have cut herself off, since Trixie wasn't saying anything. Twilight's face was evident with shock and confusion, as well as the tiniest tint of pink splashed across her cheeks. Spike didn't say anything, but Trixie wasn't even looking at him. He didn't exist right now, and all she could see was the deep purple eyes in front of her. She didn't move, and remained a mere few inches in front of Twilight's face. A playful smirk rested on her features, but inside she was dying. She desperately wanted to either back away or move forward, but she didn't bring herself to do it. Even if she wanted to, she wasn't going to force herself onto Twilight, she knew exactly why it was multiple types of awful. So she stayed right there. Twilight kept looking more and more unsure of everything, but she didn't look away either. The unicorn held her position for a good five minutes, both of them mirroring each others silence. Then Trixie fell back, chuckling the slightest, even though all she wanted to do was run off again. But plans were plans, and she would follow them damn it!! "Hey Spike!" Trixie said sweetly, trotting off past him. He looked insanely deep in revelation, his jaw down to the floor. Twilight looked like she had seen a ghost, as she slid down from the wall and plopped lightly on the floor. Trixie's plan was in action, and part three was coming up quickly. Without another word, she walked off to her bedroom, leaving the Princess to her thoughts.