On the Road to Friendship: The Realistic Version

by Nebbie

Prolog: Being Prepared

Author's Note:

By its very nature, this chapter doesn't have much to diverge with and is a retelling of the episode's setup phase, so I consider it really a prolog to the main event.

Starlight and Trixie had just decided to go on a trip to Saddle Arabia based on advice from a mysterious Saddle Arabian stallion named Hoo'far about Trixie's many fans there, and all that was left was getting everything in the wagon.

Starlight was sure to bring supplies, as she'd ran a town and knew just how much ponies ate. She approached Trixie's wagon, hearing banging noises from inside, and knocked on the door. "Trixie, are you okay in there? I've got some supplies."

Trixie opened the door triumphantly, despite something falling with a clatter behind her. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has everything we need inside already!"

Starlight "Right, well, I figured a little extra couldn't hurt." She levitated over four boxes in sequence. "The classic, Dragon Pit, in case we get bored; 5 pounds of pancake mix and 2 pounds of dry macaroni; my collection of campfire spices, butter, and a water purification kit; and of course, an inflatable emergency raft!"

Trixie looked at her worriedly.

"Did I forget anything? I've got 20 bits too, hidden in the Dragon Pit box." asked Starlight.

Trixie hesitated a moment and nudged with her head towards the inside of the wagon.

Starlight laughed nervously. "I'm sure we can make room..."

Trixie sighed, but went along with it, and soon, the two had put together a double hammock on one side, and used the entire other side of the wagon for supplies. Trixie put on a cheerful voice "Ah, that was a great and powerful job we did, my great and powerful assistant!" She tried to squeeze out from a nook, and ended up falling over, ending up tackling Starlight and making a smoke bomb fall on her head.

When the two had finished coughing, they nervously chuckled and hugged. Starlight got up first. "Well, it is a little too...cozy, but I think we can manage to Saddle Arabia."

The two then hit the road.

---

Trixie had the wagon hitched to her as Starlight was alongside. "You sure about this? I've shared a hammock before and it's a little...tricky. You could nap in there while I pull it along."

Starlight rolled her eyes as a smoke bomb went off. "I'm sure I can handle it, and we'll only need to sleep together a few days, there's plenty of inns along the way."

Within moments, a song had broken out. The inflatable raft came in quite handy after an incident with a waterfall, leading to the two briefly snuggling up and rubbing cheeks, giggling, squeezed together by it. As they went along, they passed Hoo'far offering his wagon in a trade, and some pegasi mail carriers stranded by hot jets of fire. The two simply kept on singing the whole way, even through a perilous jungle.

Eventually, they came upon Somnambula and its marketplace as evening came. Trixie got out a list of supplies to buy. "I've been on the road a lot, so I know exactly where to buy what you can't bring from a place like Ponyville." Trixie pointed towards an absolutely luxurious-looking vendor selling exotic fruits and fruit juices.

Starlight raised an eyebrow and pointed the opposite direction. "Couldn't we get it from that other vendor? He's selling for half the price. I'm sure any fruit juice will do for getting our vitamins."

Trixie scoffed. "Oh no no no, I only get my fruits from him. You need the finest quality to survive the harsh wilderness."

Starlight sighed as they wasted 10 whole bits on 4 mangos and a pint of passionfruit juice. "We could have gotten two whole watermelons as well if we went to the other vendor, but I'm suuure that you know better since you've traveled more."

Trixie glared a moment. "I most certainly do! You've never traveled this far in your whole life, and you were scared of those crocodiles."

Starlight hesitated a moment. "W-well I'm sure we can agree after a good night's sleep."

After checking every inn in town well into the night, and finding they were so full they had ponies sleeping on top of each other, Hoo'far came across them. "Ah, the Glowpaz Festival, everypony from far and wide has come to stay here tonight."

Trixie's eye twitched. "Plenty of inns, huh? Couldn't you have sent somepony ahead to make a reservation?!"

"Who would I get to do that? Ponies don't just do it for free and we don't have that many bits!" Starlight asked.

"Well I don't know, maybe one of those many friends you have?" Trixie said, seething a little.

Starlight looked back at her and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Trixie...just because I have more friends doesn't mean I get everything done for me, and you're one of my best friends. I just didn't know there'd be a festival, okay?"

Trixie sighed. "Sorry, I'm just frustrated that we can't get a good night's sleep in a warm inn...thanks, you're my best friend too." She yawned. "Now let's get some sleep. Good thing we've got the wagon, huh?"

They smiled and hugged, not knowing what was in store.