A Little Kindness
Trixie groaned, her entire body throbbing in pain. She shifted under the sheets, fighting to keep the cold at bay. There was something nice and warm nearby, and she snuggled up to it. She wasn’t ready to wake just yet…
She drifted in and out of consciousness for a while, never really sure when she was awake. The pain helped a little. Gradually, unhappily, she grew more and more aware of her surroundings. She was in bed, so Luna must have brought her back to the Nocturnal Wing. What had happened to Pinkie and Fluttershy? How long had she been out? Why did her sheets feel like silk? Was her horn ever going to stop aching?
And just what was she pressing against?
She rubbed her eyes to get the sleepiness out. When she opened them at last, she found herself staring at something… blue. A very dark blue.
Luna. She was sleeping next to Princess Luna.
Now Trixie was wide awake. She gaped at the princess, who slept in blissful ignorance of the situation. Luna lay on her belly, nose tucked just under her pillow and a tiny smile on her lips. Her peaceful slumber was a stark contrast to the mind-numbing anxiety coursing through Trixie’s mind.
Slowly, quietly, she slipped away from the princess and off the bed. Eyes locked on Luna’s pretty face, she walked backwards from the bed until her rear pressed against the wall. She tried to focus her mind and think clearly, but it seemed impossible.
At last she managed to tear her eyes away. She was in a vast bedroom, lavishly decorated with black and extra-dark shades of blue. The moon decor, the great silk-covered bed, the sheer size… there was no questioning that this was Luna’s private chambers.
Why in the name of the Moon was she sleeping next to Princess Luna?
Breathing heavily, Trixie approached the bed once more. She stood by it and studied the princess, her face growing hot. With embarrassment? She recalled the warmth of being next to her and the sheer pleasure it have given her. She wanted to feel it again, but she wasn’t sure what to make of that thought. Even more troubling was the question of why Luna had brought her here. That had to be the truth of things, didn’t it? Why else would she find herself sharing a bed with the…
She shook her head forcefully, face burning even hotter; that particular line of questioning brought up some very improper imagery! She needed to cool down.
She turned and crept for the door. She opened it as slowly and quietly as she could muster, stepped out into the hallway and closed it once more. Satisfied that she’d escaped, she pressed her back against the door and slid to the floor.
She had no idea what was going on. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, ignoring the soft pain that still thrummed through her entire body. Her mind drifted to her most recent decisions.
Twilight. She had asked Trixie to do something important. She wanted her to ‘save’ Luna, whatever that really meant. She doubted it had anything to do with sharing the princess’ bed. Yet perhaps it meant winning these fights in her name and taking up her side of the royal conflict. What else could it mean? A month ago she would have taken the words at face value. Now she found herself questioning what seemed obvious.
She was supposed to save Luna, and that was what she intended to do. But what if the princess was growing… fond of her? Was that a bad thing? Did she want it to be a bad thing? Why did the thought make her feel so warm? They weren’t a couple – what had they ever done to attract one another? Luna was a beauty, no doubt, but what else was there?
“Oh, you’re awake.” Trixie glanced to her side and found Fluttershy standing just a few feet away. “Umm… Are you okay?”
Trixie groaned, rubbing her head tenderly. “Trixie did not expect to see you so soon after the fight. Why are you here?”
Fluttershy blushed and glanced away. “Umm… I’m sorry. I was helping Luna and Nye look after you. I mean, it’s the least I could do after how I tried to hurt you.”
Trixie blinked and took a closer look at her former opponent. She realized that Fluttershy's entire demeanor had changed. Where was the bitterness and anger from before? “You’re taking care of Trixie?” Fluttershy nodded. “But she thought you hated her.”
Fluttershy blushed once more, chewing her lip with her eyes downcast. “I… I did, and that was wrong of me. If you want to hate me, though, I’d understand.”
Trixie struggled to her hooves, wincing at the pain that came with the effort. “Trixie doesn’t hate you. She understands that you were a victim of Nightmare Moon even without hearing your story.” Her stomach rumbled so loudly that she thought it might wake Luna. “Good Goddess, Trixie feels as if she hasn’t eaten in days.”
Fluttershy gave her a bemused look. “Well, you have been asleep for nearly twenty-four hours.”
Trixie felt her jaw drop. “R-really? That means it really has been days! Trixie absolutely must get some nourishment.”
Fluttershy giggled and walked to the door opposite the hall, which Trixie recognized as her own. “Come on, then. There’s something in here that will cheer you up.”
Trixie dubiously raised an eyebrow, but followed. When she entered the large room she was surprised to find two big baskets full of bright, red apples. Her hunger was so strong that she immediately ran to one of them and devoured a couple in just a few big bites.
“Oh my…!” Fluttershy hovered to her side. “You really shouldn’t eat so quickly, it’s not good for you. Especially when you’ve gone so long without eating.”
Trixie swallowed a big bite and sighed with pleasure. “Maybe it’s because Trixie is so starved, but she could swear these are the best apples she’s ever tasted!”
Fluttershy smiled even as she reached a hoof down to stop Trixie from eating a fourth apple. “I’m sure Miss Applejack would be pleased to hear it, but you really should slow down.”
Trixie’s hunger disappeared instantly as she stared up at the hovering pegasus. “Wait, did you say Applejack?”
Fluttershy flew back a little and cringed. “Y-yes? I know you had to fight her and all, but she’s really not a bad pony. And she did deliver these herself…”
Trixie rubbed her aching head once more before taking a good look at the apples. “Why would she gift these apples to Trixie?”
Fluttershy landed as she answered. “She told me it was in thanks, for ‘helping her see the truth’. She looked a bit worn out, the poor thing. After all that happened…”
Trixie turned to her, her curiosity piqued. “Did something happen to Applejack?”
“You didn’t know?” Fluttershy tilted her head. “She was forced to leave her farm in Ponyville. Something about being disrespectful.”
Trixie choked on her fifth apple. “You mean she got fired?”
Fluttershy winced. “B-but I’m sure she doesn’t blame you for it! She did bring you these apples, which were her severance pay.”
“Her severance pay was in apples?” Trixie looked at the apple in her hoof and considered throwing it away. It just seemed wrong to eat them, now. Her hunger won just enough of the battle to let her finish it, but she refused to eat another. “Trixie must find a way to give them back. Where did she go?”
“She went to see Rainbow Dash with Rarity.” Fluttershy swiftly flew in front of Trixie as she made for the door. “You can’t leave yet!”
Trixie glowered. “Why not?” She started to move around.
“L-Luna said you needed to stay rested.” Fluttershy moved to block Trixie’s path once more. “She says that if you’re to be ready for the next fight, you have to recover and stay off the magic for a while.”
Trixie wasn’t about to argue the magic part; she’d been using so much so often that her magic-induced headaches were coming faster and lasting longer. Everypony knew repeated overdoses were bad for one’s health, after all.
She still wanted to see Applejack, but Trixie realized that Fluttershy had opened up a door to a new topic, and she was really interested in it. Glancing away with a blush, she asked, “You would not happen to know why… why Luna had Trixie in her bed?”
Fluttershy’s face flushed an intense red as she glanced away. “Umm… She w-wanted you with her, so you’d be s-safe. I didn’t know you were sharing her b-bed.”
“Safe?” Trixie tilted her head towards the door. “From wha—” She paused; Luna must have been protecting her from Nightmare Moon.
“Oh.” Part of her was pleased with this revelation. Luna was taking steps for her, and it meant a lot. Even before all this mess began, ponies had never looked out for Trixie’s interests. To think that the princess was doing so was… touching.
She glanced at Fluttershy and abruptly felt very foolish. What was she doing, asking Luna’s former lover a question like that? “Umm… Sorry. Trixie didn’t mean to be—” She paused to think of the proper word, but couldn’t find one. “She really lacked tact, didn’t she?”
“It’s okay,” Fluttershy told her, though there was no disguising the sadness in her voice. “Luna and I… We aren’t an item anymore, after all.”
Trixie sat and studied her. “If you don’t mind her asking, Trixie would like to know what happened between you two. Considering how furious you seemed before, she finds your current manner confusing.” Fluttershy winced as if the question physically hurt, prompting Trixie to quickly add, “Y-you don’t have to answer, if you don’t want.”
Fluttershy considered the question, avoiding Trixie’s gaze. She kept her sad eyes on the door, as if she expected Luna to walk in and start explaining things. That didn’t happen, of course. “No… I think you should know. Luna said you already heard the stories of the other ponies, so why not mine?”
She walked to the window, pulling on the cord that opened the curtains. Bright sunlight filled the room, making Trixie wince against the glare. She walked a little closer to get a better look outside and realized it had to be well past noon. Her eyes fell on Fluttershy, who was gazing down towards the gardens solemnly.
“I lived in Ponyville for some time, and I’m really good with animals. You may or may not know it, but the Canterlot Gardens used to be filled with creatures. When the last keeper of the animals died, Princess Celestia sought me out. I was thrilled to take over, for I’d always wanted to see the Royal Gardens. She even let me bring Bearrington along.”
She closed her eyes and smiled at the happy memory. “It was like a dream come true. I was doing what I loved, and the princess was very generous. The number of transfers was a bit troublesome, though; the animals were on a ‘recycle system’, and few were around for more than a year before they were sent back to be in the wild.”
Trixie wondered what relevance any of this had with Fluttershy meeting Princess Luna. She kept her mouth shut, though; it wasn’t as if she was in a hurry.
Fluttershy pressed on. “And then Luna returned from her exile. I admit, she scared me at first, but I could clearly see she was hurting. Her misery was as obvious as the full moon in a cloudless sky. So I was kind. I may have been the first pony to ever show her such kindness.”
Trixie eyed her, thoughts churning through her brain. “You were the first of her lovers, weren’t you?”
Fluttershy nodded, keeping her gaze on the gardens. “For a time, I actually believed her frequent visits to the garden were due to a love of animals. Turned out she was just looking for me… For my kindness. Things developed very slowly for us, but the months seemed so quick. Before I knew it, I was—” She paused, turning her head away from the window with a blush. “Well… You know.”
Trixie didn’t have to catch where Fluttershy was glancing to get the picture. She felt her own cheeks burning. How must it have felt to suddenly learn that somepony else was sharing Luna’s bed? Then again, Luna’d had several lovers, so Trixie was by no means the first. The subject still felt… touchy.
“S-so,” Trixie pressed, “what happened?”
Fluttershy sighed. “To be honest? I have no idea. It was as if she’d become an entirely different pony. She became distant, rude, sometimes even mean. And when she wasn’t like that, then she was worried. Sometimes she even seemed afraid for me. It was as though she couldn’t decide how to treat me. Was I her lover? Was I trash? I couldn’t make any sense of it, but it hurt.
“One night, she broke it off altogether.” Fluttershy returned her gaze to the gardens, a lost look in her eyes. “I was… I think she broke something inside me that night. I had pinned so many hopes on her, and she had responded so wonderfully. And it was over just like that? I felt betrayed.”
Nightmare Moon. Trixie wondered if Fluttershy was even aware of the divergent personalities. Judging by how she was telling her story, it was unlikely. Should she say anything about it? Would Luna be mad if she did?
“What Luna did was painful,” Fluttershy confessed, “but what happened afterwards was… infinitely worse.”
“Worse?” Trixie gave her a quizzical look. “What else did she do?”
“I don’t know that she did it,” Fluttershy replied in a whisper. “In fact, I’m certain it wasn’t Luna. I woke up one morning to do my usual duties, and… and…” She bowed her head and shuddered. “My friends. All my poor animals. They’d been slaughtered.”
Trixie gaped. “W-what?”
“The birds, the tigers, the bunnies – somepony had come into the gardens and brutalized them all.” She blinked rapidly as her face began to redden. “Th-those that weren’t dead were going to be scarred for life, even Bearrington and Angel, who had come with me from Ponyville. I tried to find Luna to get some help, but couldn’t. When I needed her, she was gone.
“So I left.” She turned away from the window and pulled the cord once more, closing the curtains against the brightness beyond. “I took Angel, Bearrington and all the other animals I could save, and I smuggled them all out of Canterlot. I couldn’t rely on Luna anymore, and there was no telling if what did all that might come back. Of course, by taking the animals with me I was technically stealing from the crown, so I was marked as a fugitive.”
“So you went into hiding,” Trixie concluded, a small pang in her heart for the mare.
Fluttershy shuddered once more. “It was a terrible time. I had nowhere to go, so I went into the wild. The animals tried to help me, but they were having trouble getting by themselves, after all that had been done to them. I was always hungry, always dirty. I was miserable… and I blamed Luna. I felt as though everything was her fault – as if her dumping me had started it all. I knew it wasn’t really her fault, but I was so upset that I didn’t care.
“Even after Pinkie found me and gave me a place to stay, I was always unhappy, always bitter.” She looked away from Trixie in shame. “It was wrong of me to blame Luna for everything. I knew it even as I did it. When I learned that she was with you, I just… I’m so sorry to say it, but I wanted to see you hurt. I felt like you were taking the happiness that I used to have, happiness that should have been mine. That was wrong of me, too. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you like I did, and I am so very sorry.”
Trixie was mildly surprised at this complete change in demeanor, but she was more preoccupied with her sadness over this story. “It’s okay,” she muttered. “You were a victim, just like the rest of them. But if you were so mad, Trixie has to wonder why you were so quick to forgive.”
Fluttershy fidgeted and chewed her lip. “I haven’t really forgiven her. But to hear Luna finally acknowledge what had happened, to hear her confess to such guilt… I don’t understand it, myself. It just made me happy to know that she understood, and was trying to make amends. We’ve spoken a lot since the fight, and we’ve come so far in a matter of hours. It was like she was the old Luna again – the one who used to visit me in the Gardens every night.”
“Huh.” Trixie considered her former opponent for several seconds, trying to make sense of her answer. “I think I’d be a lot harder to appease. What about Pinkie?”
“Pinkie?”
“Yeah.” Trixie eyed danced about the room in a fruitless search. “If you’re here, what happened to her?”
Fluttershy averted her eyes. “Umm… She’s… What did she call it? On disaster control? You and Luna pretty much wiped out her entire work force, so now she’s rushing to find some way to keep her business open.”
Trixie cringed. “Right. Trixie supposes she should apologize for that when she gets the chance.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” Fluttershy gained a light smile. “She’s more happy than I’ve ever seen her. Almost as if she were a completely different pony.”
Trixie relaxed at that news; it seemed that she’d actually done something right for once. Yet she was still a little worried. “What’s next for you?”
Fluttershy gave her a questioning look. “What do you mean?”
Trixie waved a hoof at her. “Did you not tell Trixie that you were named a fugitive?”
“Oh, right.” Fluttershy gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m under Luna’s protection at the moment. As long as I stay in the Nocturnal Wing or with Nye, I’ll be fine.”
“Well that’s good, at least,” Trixie acknowledged. “But then what? Where will you go? What will you do?”
“I’m not sure.” Fluttershy’s entire body sagged as she averted her gaze. “Luna said she would try to have the arrest warrant lifted, but could make no promises. If she can, then I may go back to Ponyville. I was happy there, after all. Otherwise?” She sighed and chewed her lip. “I… don’t know.”
Trixie considered this, picturing Fluttershy on the run once more. Then she looked at herself and couldn’t help chuckling. “Well, if you do end up on the run, maybe Trixie can go with you.”
“Go with me?” Fluttershy gave her a questioning look, head tilted just slightly.
“Trixie is an experienced drifter,” she admitted with just a touch of sadness. “No matter how this little adventure ends, she bets she’ll be on the road again. Maybe two drifters are better than one.”
Her new friend promptly perked up with an appreciative smile. “Maybe that would be nice. Thank you, Trixie.”
Trixie waved a dismissive hoof. “Don’t get too excited. There’s a good chance that Trixie will be dead before this is over. You ponies play rough.”
Fluttershy frowned and glanced away once again. “I must admit, I didn’t really think you’d survive Pinkie and me.”
Trixie chuckled once more, rubbing the back of her head. “Yeah. Trixie had her doubts, too.”
Fluttershy sat at the table near the window. She fidgeted and averted her eyes, ears low as she gazed at her hooves. Trixie turned to examine the apples, giving the pony time to get whatever she was trying to say out. She couldn’t help wondering how she was going to deliver all these apples back to Applejack. Surely the pony would be needing them, to eat and to sell. Why give them all to Trixie?
“Um…” Fluttershy’s timid voice reached Trixie’s ears. She glanced back at Fluttershy, who in turn glanced away with a blush. “Well, I'd like to ask… I mean, if you don’t mind… How did you get together with Luna?”
Trixie stared at her, a complex wave of emotions running through her mind.
Fluttershy ducked a little and cringed. “I-if you don’t wanna talk about it… I mean, it was a personal question. I shouldn’t have butted in on your privacy, and… Umm…”
“No, no. It’s okay,” Trixie replied, bowing her head in thought. “It’s just… Trixie is not sure how to answer that question anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
Trixie sat and let out a deep sigh. “Trixie never intended to get involved in these fights. Somehow it just… happened. And now every pony whom she duels thinks Trixie is another of the princess’ lovers.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “You mean you’re not?”
Trixie gazed at her bewildered face for several seconds, trying to think on the question. At last she bowed her head. “I… I’m not sure.”
Fluttershy appeared no less confused. “How can you not be sure? I don’t understand.”
“What qualifies as a lover?” Trixie asked, rubbing her still-aching head. “Does it specifically mean a pony with whom one has sex?” Fluttershy went red and let out a squeak.
Trixie went on, hardly noticing. “Is it a pair of ponies who spend a lot of time together? Does it imply trust? At what point does a pony go from being acquaintances to friends? When does friendship evolve to love? Can a pony go from mistrust directly to love?”
Fluttershy, recovering from her moment of embarrassment, gave Trixie a curious look. “You make it sound so very complicated.”
“Isn’t it?” Trixie turned away to stare at her bed. She tried to imagine herself and the princess sharing it, as they were in Luna's room before. “When this all began, I was angry at Luna for dragging me into it. When she supported me via healing, I thought maybe I could accept my role, but then I learned just how far her wrongdoings went. I didn’t trust her anymore. I might have even hated her.
“Yet the one pony I do trust told me that I need to help Luna. I felt a moral obligation, so I kept on. I didn’t feel any less alone, but at least I had a goal. But then… then Luna rushed to my rescue while I was fighting you and Pinkie. If she hadn’t shown up and distracted all the Pinkie clones, I may have died. I most certainly would have lost.”
She turned back to Fluttershy, mind full of uncertainty. “Princess Luna came to my aid. Now I wake up in her bed, and she’s right next to me. What does that mean? Does she care about me? Is she just toying with me, like she did all of you?
Trixie exhaled and stared at her hooves. “You tell me, Fluttershy – what am I? Am I just another pony caught up in a web of deceit? Or am I… a lover? Have I reached that status, even if I don’t know it?”
Fluttershy gazed at her, appearing at a complete loss. Neither of them said a word for some time. At last, she spoke. “Do you… do you actually care for the princess?”
“I don’t know!” Trixie threw up her hooves. “If you had asked yesterday, Trixie would have said no in an instant! But after what she did…” She stared at her hooves, as if they might hold all the answers to her questions. “When Trixie woke up next to her, it felt… comfortable. Nopony’s ever gone to such lengths for her before. It feels good to be cared for.”
She dropped to her belly and buried her head in her legs. “A couple days ago, Trixie thought she had settled her mind, but now I’m more of a mess than ever before! Listen to me, I even keep bucking up my lines…”
She lay there for a long time, mind muddled with thoughts and questions. What was she to Luna? Why did Twilight want her to fight for the princess? If she won all the fights, would that lead to her and Luna being something more? Did she want that to happen? Why did all of this matter to her all of a sudden? Just three days ago she hated the princess!
Why couldn’t anything make sense anymore?
She emerged from her mental stupor at a soft touch upon her mane. She tensed… and then realized that somepony was rubbing her shoulders. And… humming.
She gradually raised her head, her mane over her eyes, and looked up to see Fluttershy sitting next to her. “Wh-what are you doing?”
“Trying to be comforting,” Fluttershy told her in a soft voice. “Has nopony done this for you before?”
Trixie could only drop her head, resting her chin atop her legs.
“I see…” Fluttershy didn’t stop. “I learned something long ago: this world is mean. Equestria, it’s not a nice place. Maybe there was a time when it was, but if so those days are long gone. We all need to give a little kindness every now and then, because the world won’t offer it to us at all.
“I forgot that lesson,” she confessed, patiently stroking Trixie’s mane. “I forgot it when I left Canterlot, and I was in a state of misery all that time. Yesterday, when Luna came to apologize, I finally remembered. It was like that little something I’d lost had come back again.”
Trixie said nothing, yet her thoughts were far less troubled. Somehow – and she couldn’t comprehend why – she was actually enjoying Fluttershy’s soothing touch. So this was what it was like to be comforted, huh?
“You told me I was a victim,” Fluttershy continued. “You’re a victim, too. We’re all victims of Equestria. I should thank you; if you’d not shown up in Luna’s life, I might have remained in the dark forever. So let me repay you with a little comfort and kindness.”
Why did Trixie feel so happy? This strange, unfamiliar touch made her relax. It was so nice… “Umm… Th-thanks…”
“Don’t mention it,” Fluttershy whispered. “Something tells me it’s long overdue.”
Weekends are nice. You can get so much writing done in them. It took me nearly a week to write 5,000 words and finish No Heroes, but I just finished this chapter in under 24 hours. So yeah, I like weekends.
This chapter was intended to serve two purposes. First, it establishes the situation for Fluttershy. Have I ever mentioned that she's my favorite of the Mane 6? Second, to highlight the 'shipping' mystery of this story. When I started writing TvE, I intended it to be a Lunatrix story, but that got lost amongst all the deception and trickery and fighting. Will it evolve into one, anyway? I honestly don't know... but that's the whole point of this chapter.
There's a hidden third purpose, too. 
I finished No Heroes just yesterday, to my great pleasure. That means I'll be able to finally start on a new major story! But first, I need to come up with a good Nightmare Night-themed LunaXFancy Pants story for Random Romance. This'll be.. interesting.
UPDATE 4/28/2014: Edits have been uploaded!
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Hmm, not much to say on this one. I'm glad we got Fluttershy's story and fleshed out her end of the "reawakening".
Not too much longer now until Trixie faces her worst nightmare: Twilight Sparkle.
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Yeah, this one wasn't a big deal compared to most of the others. That's okay, in my mind: Trixie needs a little break.
Aah, Twilight. For the longest time, I had no idea what I was going to do for that fight. Now I know at least how it will end. Pardon me whilst I chuckle in a villainous manner.
...
...
This website really needs some emoticons representative of malicious intent.
y does this story not have more readers?????
??????? its awesome!!!
3306158
Because I'm crappy at self-advertisement?
This development, I like it. Trixie is on track with restoring the Elements, and they are flocking to her banner even as they risk their own safety to do so. And she will need all the support she can get, because the fight against Twilight is going to be a doozy the likes of which no Pinkie has ever seen.
3306188
Well, I can see that expectations are high.
There are certain... let's call them 'logistics' that I need to sort out about the Twilight fight. There are certain major things that I want to occur, and I'm still not certain exactly how to work them out.
I digs whats going down big time. Though the Trixie/Luna pairing is what got me reading it I've stuck around for the story and you haven't disappointed maaaan. Seems like we're on the final stretch though sadly enough!
3308089
What? Final stretch? Oh not, not quite yet.
Why does everyone think that Twilight's the big bad final boss? Such silly people.
We're moving to the deep end of the pool now.
3308661
Yes, it's obviously Celestia. Twilight's just her metaphorical dragon.
4917559
I'll avoid commenting on your speculations, if only because I don't want to risk giving things away. But tell me: is it anything like you were expecting?
Looks like you're really getting into this story.
Holy crap! Someone finally threw Trixie a freakin' bone! Thus far, most ponies have just tried to tear her down or use her. On the rare occasions where the action is even marginally nice, its still colored by their personal agenda. But Fluttershy was comforting to Trixie just because she needed it.
Up to this point, I'd say your most spot on characters have been Trixie, both Twilights (over in Inferno), and Fluttershy's piece here. I have particularly enjoyed Trixie's interactions with Celestia. Her complete lack of reverence or fear is just great. I am probably only slightly less amused than Celestia herself.