• Published 16th Feb 2014
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Trixie's Forest Retreat - crowscrowcrow



Following the events of Boast Busters, Trixie decides to hide from the town (and Rainbow Dash in particular) by taking cover in the Everfree Forest. Not every problem can be outrun, and sometimes facing them can have unexpected consequences.

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Chapter 95 - Ruminate

Canterlot.

It was every bit as beautiful as Trixie had always been told it would be. The very city itself sparkled in the sunlight, and everywhere Trixie looked she saw adoring faces soon to be admiring her obvious talent.

Above, the sun shone down on her ever brighter. It’s light reflected of every surface, and in the eyes of each pony. What began as pleasant warm weather got worse every passing second, until not even her hat could shield Trixie from the light and heat. Trotting blindly, Trixie collided against something painfully hot and tripped backwards onto her haunches. Through squinted eyes, she could barely make out a set of white furred knees that came up to her horn.

“There is a very special place in Tartarus for ponies like you, Trixie.” Celestia smiled without warmth down at her. The sun’s hatred boiled in her eyes, scorching everything in her sight, but Trixie was unable to look away from her. “And if you come back, I’ll send you there myself.”

Her entire being gripped with fear, Trixie fell to her knees before the fiery sun goddess. “N-no! Please forgive Trixie!” She sniveled while somepony grabbed her mane and painfully dragged her away as she pleaded for mercy.

“Please...” Trixie awoke with a whimper while her heart beat in her throat. Opening her eyes, Trixie found herself looking directly at the headboard. Something was forcing her to crane her neck by pulling on her mane, causing her quite a bit of discomfort.

A quick glance revealed Fluttershy was the culprit, once again. Quickly, Trixie’s eyes scanned what little of the room she could see before breathing a sigh of relief. R-relax, Trixie. It’s over now. It was just a s-stupid dream. Even if the dream was over, she could still faintly feel the burning sun on her face, or maybe that was the soup.

From the corner of her eye, Trixie stared at the window. Even though the cloth blocked out the morning sun, she knew it was there, trying to get in. Wasn’t Luna supposed to be guarding Trixie’s dreams? Was this her way of warning her? Is it getting harder to breath in here?! Trixie felt herself starting to hyperventilate and tried to sit up, but was stopped by a tug on her mane, reminding her that Fluttershy was there.

Though it was not exactly painful, it was still a pretty awkward position to be stuck in. “Fluttershy,” she hissed in between ragged breaths, receiving another tug in response. “Fluttershy, let go.”

“Mphy?” Fluttershy muttered drowsily around Trixie’s mane while she peeked out of one eye. Upon catching sight of Trixie, She shot up wide awake, guilty tears forming in her eyes. “Mphy! Mm—Bleh! Trixie! I-I’m so sorry. Oh my goodness! I didn’t mean to hurt you. Oh, please stop crying.”

Free of Fluttershy’s grip, Trixie forced herself to take proper breaths while listening as Fluttershy rattled off apologies for biting her mane again. She considered stopping her, but maybe a little bit of panic would make her less likely to repeat her offense in the future. That last one stumped her though. “Excuse you? The Great and Powerful Trixie does not cry.”

“O-oh, but, uhm…” Fluttershy petered out and just stroked a hoof along her own cheek while she gave Trixie a look.

Raising an eyebrow, Trixie mimicked the gesture. Her cheeks were wet. “Oh, great. Just what Trixie needed. Look, that wasn’t you Fluttershy it was… Erm…” Trixie paused. There was no way she could admit to a mere dream reducing her to tears; she was supposed to be a grown mare, and greatest magician in Equestria. “Trixie had something in her eye, okay?”

Fluttershy nodded slowly. “O-okay. I believe you.”

“If you need her, Trixie will be fixing her mane, again.” With hurried steps, Trixie trotted out of the room and closed the door behind her. Once she was out of earshot, she dragged a hoof down her face with a groan. Great, now Fluttershy thinks Trixie is a wuss.


Despite the rough start to her morning, Trixie quickly found herself in a great mood. Dropping her brush in the sink, she took in one last moment to savor the blueberry scent that hung in the bathroom. In the mirror, the pinnacle of perfection smiled back at her before she took her leave.

Right outside, Trixie encountered Fluttershy, apparently waiting her turn. “Oh! Trixie didn’t realize you were out here. Why didn’t you say anything? Trixie would have hurrie—actually, on the other hoof, you cannot rush perfection.” She smiled proudly while she ran a hoof through her mane as she stepped out of the way. “All yours.”

“Oh, no… I… uh…”Fluttershy trailed off while she stared wide-eyed at Trixie with a look that was some curious mix of awe and dawning horror. As soon as her path was clear, she rushed into the bathroom and closed the door. It was nearly impossible to hear Fluttershy’s voice through the thick wooden door. “Y-yes, thank you.”

That was… odd. Trixie mused while she trotted her way into the kitchen. As though of their own accord, plates, cups and coasters flew off the shelves and neatly arranged themselves upon the table under Trixie’s watchful, and more than a little gleeful, eyes. “This is so easy now! Oh, maybe we’ll have breakfast before the animals today.”

Though it was usually Fluttershy’s chore, Trixie had a score to settle with a stack of hay and some loafs of bread, both of whom she was currently giving her smuggest grin as she put them down on the table. “Tremble before the might of Trixie! You will never humiliate her again!” Within seconds the cowardly ingredients obeyed her will and arranged themselves into two perfectly aligned haywiches.

Beaming with pride, Trixie set out on a mission to exert her regained superiority over every other task she could remember. Closets pulled open, feed bags swam through the air, bowls arranged themselves in all the right locations, and Trixie could not stop smiling while she stood reared up on her hind legs, directing all the actions with her hooves like the world’s greatest conductor.

Just a few days ago, attempting to perform all these tasks by herself took her the entire day, yet now she had completed their entire routine by the time Fluttershy came trotting outside with a confused look on her face. “Trixie? Do you know why… oh… my.” Her eyes veered up to the sky as the Trixie hung up the last balls of birdfeed.

Trixie rounded on Fluttershy with delight. “Why, yes! Trixie knows exactly why she is amazing. Everything is done! We have the whole day to ourselves! Isn’t that great?” Fluttershy’s appearance gave Trixie pause. The mare always looked naturally picturesque, but never quite like this. Huh, did she do something with her mane today?

Fluttershy's eyes darted around the meadow, settling on each animal enjoying its morning meal briefly, before finally coming to rest on Trixie again. Fluttershy fidgeted with her hooves, a nervous habit of hers Trixie knew all too well by now. “Y-yes. Great. I can’t believe you did all this, Trixie.” She did not sound as ecstatic as Trixie had hoped, but she did look impressed.

Smiling, Trixie watched as Fluttershy wandered around the field as she inspected the various animals, offering assistance, but naturally Trixie had done everything perfectly. Afterwards, it was finally time for their own breakfast.

As was often the case, their morning meal was peaceful, but this time Trixie got to entertain herself by taking care of the mundane tasks like handling the tea while comfortably seated. “When are we going to see the wolf cubs? Next week when Dash is done working? Trixie’s never seen them little. Since we have the day off, maybe we could sneak a peek? Oh, wait, come to think of it… Didn’t you say we were going to do something special today? You made Rainbow Dash move our date and everything.” Once Trixie remembered, she could barely contain her excitement while she stared at Fluttershy expectantly. Whatever it was, it had to be amazing if Fluttershy would demand her schedule be kept.

Flustered, Fluttershy shot to attention and stuttered. “O-oh, u-uhm, uhh, th-that is… I, erm… M-maybe. D-d— uhm…” Finally, she ended up just making that adorable little squeaking sound before she shut down entirely. By now she’d lost all capability to even look Trixie in the eye, and retreated behind her mane, blushing.

Though Trixie liked to think that she was used to most of Fluttershy’s quirks by now, this was a new one. Or if not new, at least one that she’d thought they’d grown past by now. All she did was ask what Fluttershy had planned, didn’t she? That shouldn’t have been too hard to talk about.

Whatever was going on, Trixie knew what an under pressure, nervous Fluttershy looked like. If Trixie didn’t try to relieve her somehow, she’d clamp up for Luna knows how long. Showing her best smile, Trixie waved her hoof dismissively. “No rush, Trixie can wait, okay? Do you like your haywich?”

All Trixie got out of Fluttershy was a careful nod before she bit into her meal, clearly not ready to talk yet.

“That’s good. Trixie knew you would,” Trixie said before following Fluttershy’s example. As she ate, she observed her quiet companion. Even now, the poor thing was all tensed up, and stared down at nothing while she ate. Lowering her voice, Trixie asked, “More tea?” Her offer went ignored, or rather unheard, as Trixie expected. Mhm, What is she thinking about?

The minutes crept by slowly while Trixie waited, and attempted to appear as though she was not at all getting impatient. Though by now, Trixie suspected Fluttershy was not about to say what was on her mind any time soon. That has to mean it’s something unusual then? She wouldn’t be this timid if she wanted to go look at animals or something, right?

The more Trixie thought about it, the more the word ‘unusual’ seemed to apply to Fluttershy lately. It was not merely yesterday evening, but the past few days. Fluttershy seemed to be both more forward, and paradoxically at the same time more timid than usual. She’d asked to be present when Trixie and Dash discussed their date, and was interested in knowing what kissing was like, but when Trixie actually talked about the date afterward, Fluttershy was not as interested.

Mhm, that’s right isn’t it? She started being weird ever since the sleepover… Fluttershy said she was cold, but Dash said pegasi don’t get cold. Was she lying? Don’t be silly, Trixie saw her, she didn’t look good. Trixie felt a gnawing sense of uncertainty. Yes, she had seen Fluttershy’s face was red and puffy, but she was perfectly healthy in the evening. How many illnesses made a pony look like that, then cleared up in a day? It didn’t add up.

Something must have happened to make Fluttershy act this way around her. Racking her brain, Trixie went over what they’d done during the sleepover. If she was honest, she had not really put any thought into that night since each time she tried the very first, very distracting, memory was of Rainbow Dash surprising her with a kiss, and finally agreeing to give her a chance. Trixie could feel her cheeks burning while her heart raced just from recalling that night, but she did her best to push past it and think of what else had happened. W-well… there was Trixie’s stupid kissing bet, Dash didn’t like that. Fluttershy yelled at her tricking Trixie, and then, uhm… Trixie talked with Fluttershy about how much they meant to her. Fluttershy was confused, and wanted Trixie to help her understand, but she said she was okay with Trixie lov— Her eyes slowly widened to the size of dinner plates as the memory unfolded before her.

Fluttershy shifted uncomfortably, as though she knew something she shouldn’t. “Oh, Uhm, I-I was just thinking… I don’t think you should leave just because of unrequited love. You said you really like to be around, uhm, us… so why throw that away? Even if the feeling isn’t mutual, I’m sure Rainbow Dash would be okay with knowing you like her, uhm, a little more… I know I am…”

Far too late, Trixie covered her mouth with her hooves, as if she expected to retroactively stop herself from speaking. That was absolutely not how she had wanted Fluttershy to find out, if ever at all. Trixie sat frozen while she stared at Fluttershy, silently cursing herself while she tried to go over what else she had said.

Seeing Trixie starting to panic, Fluttershy gave a reassuring smile, and reached one wing out to wrap around her. “Uhm, Trixie? It, it’s okay, okay? I’m not upset, honest. Nothing’s different, but… I don’t really understand how you feel that way about two ponies. Can you help me? If that’s alright with you?”

If her heart rate had been through the roof before, now it was reaching for clouds in a fright-filled gambit to escape. She stared shocked at Fluttershy as she absent mindedly chewed on her bread. That’s it! That is what’s happened! Resisting the nearly overwhelming urge to smack her face into the hard wooden table for her massive oversight, Trixie rapidly ran through her folly in her head. She’d accidently confessed to Fluttershy, in a moment where they both thought Dash was not interested in her, then the very next moment Dash had returned and claimed Trixie.

At the time, Trixie thought Fluttershy’s accepting reaction was just simply Fluttershy being Fluttershy, but what if it wasn’t? Hadn’t Fluttershy been a little too okay with finding out Trixie liked her that way? Her only question at the time was how Trixie could like two ponies, but she never questioned that Trixie liked her. What if Trixie’d foolishly gotten Fluttershy’s hopes up, and then immediately ditched her for Dash?

Trixie swallowed uncomfortably, feeling as though her throat was closed off. A-and then Trixie went and tried to talk to her about how much fun Trixie had with Dash, completely ignoring her feelings… She bit her lip while she watched Fluttershy eat quietly. Trixie is the worst!

When she looked at it like that, everything made sense to her. The unusually cool reaction to the talk about the date, the stolen glances, the times she subconsciously drew nearer. At the same time it explained why Fluttershy had been trying to be more distant, breaking away each time she noticed she’d gotten closer, and acting more uncomfortable. Of course Fluttershy would feel terrible about her feelings if she thought she was disrupting a relationship. Although… Trixie and Dash had been getting their moments interrupted with uncanny frequency by Fluttershy, maybe she wasn’t all that averse to disrupting them? …The date. She never had anything planned, she was trying to make us move it to next week? Who knew she was that cunning? In a strange way, Trixie felt more respect for Fluttershy, despite her attempts at sabotage. Trixie figured she would probably be more upset, if not for the fact that most of Fluttershy's attempts at sabotage had backfired, and the few that did anything only resulted in a delayed kiss or two.

So, that was one issue taken care of. She now knew what the problem was, but that still left the actual problem. It would have been much easier if it had been something relatively minor, like say the return of the ursa. Trixie had never considered how to deal with a hurt and jealous Fluttershy, and she’d gladly take the ursa instead at this point.

Finally turning her attention back to her meal, Trixie swallowed her last bite, then closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. Once she was sure she was not in imminent danger of suffering a stroke, she looked across the table. Fluttershy was still slowly nibbling away at her food, but noticed Trixie this time as she looked back at her apologetically.

Trixie opened her mouth her mouth to speak, but wordlessly closed it again when she noticed something that had escaped her when Fluttershy had been avoiding her gaze. Since when does Fluttershy wear makeup? She blinked slowly while she looked at the subtle touches of mascara and eye shadow. The makeup wasn’t heavy, instead it merely highlighted her natural beauty. Had Trixie not spent the last weeks in close quarters with her, she would never have even noticed it was there. Trixie knew that the cabinet behind the bathroom mirror contained some beauty products, but they looked like they’d never been touched, leading her to think they’d most likely been gifts.

Realizing she’d been staring, Trixie shook her head. She cleared her throat. “Fluttershy? Trixie has a question.”

“Oh, uhm. Yes?” Fluttershy put down her half-eaten haywich.

Though Trixie did not really have much of a plan for what she was going to do about this. More than that, she could still be wrong. She’d just have to start by getting some confirmation from Fluttershy, then go from there. “Trixie has been thinking… You didn’t actually have anything planned for today, did you?”

Fluttershy eeped and stared at Trixie like she’d just been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar. “N-no I, uhm, I thought w-we could go see t-the d-ducklings?”

Trixie raised up a skeptical eyebrow, though she couldn’t help but smile. “Ducklings? Trixie doubts that. Trixie is sure it must have crossed your mind during all that time you took trying to think up an excuse, that you had to invent something grave enough to warrant your behavior.” She took a sip of her tea, letting the words linger briefly. “That wasn’t it.”

Fluttershy looked to be burning up while she tried to retreat behind her mane again, stammering quiet noises that Trixie could only assume were apologies of some sort.

“Trixie’s had some time to think about this,” she said while getting up, trotting around to the other side of the table as she spoke, “and she believes she understands now. You were a little jealous, weren’t you?”

Fluttershy visibly shrank under the accusation and hid her face in her hooves.

Right on the mark. Trixie paused beside Fluttershy. “Trixie didn’t want to believe it, but you’ve been doing this stuff on purpose, haven’t you? Were you that mad you were ignored?” Fluttershy wouldn’t speak, but she folded her ears flat against her mane, which told Trixie all she had to know. Though she could see Fluttershy shaking, and shifted to a softer, understanding tone while she took a seat next to her. “Fluttershy, Trixie’s not mad, okay? C-could you… uhm… help Trixie understand? Trixie doesn’t think you really meant to act this way, or you’d have come up with an actual plan, right?” She slid one hoof gently around Fluttershy’s shoulders, pausing only briefly when Fluttershy flinched at the first touch before she settled down.

Without coming out hiding, Fluttershy whimpered. “N-no. I-I j… I just. I d-didn’t know what to do. I was scared I’d be a-all alone. and… a-angry.” Her sobs drowned out her voice as she shook in Trixie’s grasp, hiccupping. “I-I’m s-so sorry. I tried to b-be happy for you, really, but it hurt so much!”

Trixie’s chest ached as though she’d fallen three stories down onto a hedgehog. She’d unwittingly caused Fluttershy so much pain and anxiety. “Hey, c-come here.” Pulling Fluttershy into a hug, Trixie lent her a shoulder while she stroked along her back. “Trixie understands, this is new for you, right? You just acted on impulse.”

Fluttershy sniffled and gingerly pulled away till she could look at Trixie. “Y-you don’t hate me? B-but I—”

“Of course not.” Trixie interjected impatiently. “Trixie loves you, even if you did something crazy. It… well, it makes Trixie a little happy to know you care that much, if that makes any sense.” She blushed furiously. In all honestly, she probably should have been angrier with Fluttershy, but when she looked at it like a sign of affection, she simply couldn’t. “Sometimes love just makes you do crazy impulsive things, right?”

Wincing slightly, Fluttershy nodded as she looked away for a moment. “Y-yes, stupid impulsive things you h-hate yourself for…”

Trixie chuckled softly while she gently lifted Fluttershy’s muzzle till she looked at her again. “Trixie is intimately familiar with those, you know. She’d never hate you for them, and… they aren’t always bad.”

Looking into Trixie’s eyes, Fluttershy tilted her head slightly with a puzzled look on her face. “Uhm, Trixie? What do you mea—mpf!” Her eyes shot open wide as Trixie kissed her without warning then pulled away, leaving Fluttershy to stare at her in shock. “B-b-but?” she stammered, failing utterly to get out more than one word.

Licking her own lips, Trixie savored a taste as mild as the soft pony herself, and smiled at the sight of Fluttershy so completely flustered. Though Trixie couldn’t hide her own scarlet blush, despite her attempt to act in control. “You have no idea how long Trixie’s been fighting that particular impulse.” The continued look of shock on Fluttershy’s face gave Trixie a nervous clawing feeling in her gut. “T-Trixie’s saying, d-do you, uhm, want to try?”

Fluttershy shook all over while she visibly tried to piece her mind back together. “B-but I, I m-m—uhm…” Fluttershy went quiet again, her brow furrowed. “W-what about Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy finally managed to force out what few words Trixie imagined laid heaviest on her mind. Those words had, in fact, laid heavily on Trixie's own thoughts earlier as well.

Letting out a breath she’d not even realized she’d been holding, Trixie felt a tremendous sense of relief wash over her. If she had been wrong on this one… the thought was too frightening to even consider. “She’s told Trixie before that she was okay with Trixie doing this. If you’re not comfortable, we can wait till Dash gets back, and then talk about it. Would you like that?”

Fluttershy’s eyes looked as though they were about to pop right out after that, but she quickly shook her head. “N-no.”

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed.


This is kind of a scary chapter to put up... Please don't lynch me, yet. :fluttershyouch:

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