Old mare tales

by Shenzy

Friendship was magic

The old mare was done with her week and could not wait to get into her bed, when she walked trough her living room and looked around her self.

All walls been covered with shelf's with books inside. There must be a few hundred all around her, most of them she actually had written her self over the past years...

who had thought she would do such a thing one day?

When she was still on tour, she only stuck with the necessary things, so the cart would not get to heavy, making her able to travel long distances. Traveling wasn't an option anymore, it would take at least two or three carts to move all her belongings... also she had seen so much and felt to tired to do so. Every book in this room contained at least a dozen story's from her past, so technical they ain't simple storybooks, they been her diaries.

The mare walked over to her red armchair with the golden frame and sat down on the soft pillow.

She really liked this seat, it was a present of a fashionista she used to know, probably the only pony who could out-brag her.

Her eyes wandered trough the room, while she tried to think on what shelf she had started when it occurred to her and an old brown book floated from the top left shelf and landed on her lap and the sides started to browse them self and a bleached photo of flying animals made her stop.

Back in the day, Trixie tried to get her revenge on Twilight and her friends. She had used an old mystic amulet and forced Twilight to an duel of tricks, which the purple unicorn had lost. It wasn't until she got later outsmarted and defeated, that she had discovered what friendship really meant.

Neither her friends, nor Twilight did punish her. They understood why she did it... they had more or less accidental ruined her show act and driven her to revenge, so if they would continue like this, there was no way to know where it would end one day.

So they offered her forgiveness, which Trixie gladly accepted.

It was the morning after this, when Trixie dropped by Twilight's library, insecure knocking on the door.

“Hello, its me, the great and Apologetic Trixie” she said shyly.

The unicorn smiled at her “Good to see you, why don't you come in?” and the two mares walked inside.

“So, what makes you drop by?” Twilight asked, “I thought you would leave town”.

“The great and pow... I mean...” she tried to be a little more humble, thinking about what her behavior had led to in the first place “I came here to apologize...”.

The unicorn rose an eyebrow “....but you did already yesterday”.

Trixie walked up to her and put her hooves onto Twilight's shoulders and “You don't understand...I have to do better than this...” , this was when Spike stumbled into the room, caring a tablet in his claws, but dropped it as soon he noticed Trixie, slamming him self onto the ground “Everypony in cover! She is back again!” he shouted, crossing his paws over his head.

The two unicorn looked confused on the young dragon.

“Spike, please stand up, she is just here to apologize...”

The dragon dared to peek from under his claws “Uhm... I … I knew that” he said and quickly got up on his feet, looking onto the scattered glass pieces “Sorry...” he sighed “i get broom and mop...”, but before he could do so, the pieces glowed in a blue touch, levitated onto the plate and the tea puddle landed in a nearby vase.

“I cause chaos where ever I step... I better leave...” Trixie sadly said and was about to leave the room with lowered head.

“No wait Trixie...” the purple unicorn stepped in front of her “Its alright, just some shattered glass, no reason to run off” leading her back to an couch nearby “Spike, would you be so kind and bring some tea?”

“Uhm, sure” the dragon said and took the tablet and the vase, taking a nibble out of it and giving and thinking glance toward Twilight, which had noticed “Fresh Tea, Spike!”

The young dragon twisted his eyes and left the room towards the kitchen.

“So Trixie, what you wanted to say?” Twilight said and sat her self to the sobbing pony next to her.

“Well I … I acted like a real jerk and when I want to get on tour, I have to redeem my name again...” she forced her self to a smile “so I thought it would be the best when I start here”.

The blue unicorn shyly rubbed her hooves on one another. Most of her life she would be praised on arrival, showing of all the tricks she had learned over the years... than there was a phase most pony's just pointed at her and laughed her out of town... and now she was just and ordinary pony, who tried to belong.

“I see. I guess it means a lot to you.” the alicorn said and thought about what she could do, when the little dragon once again carried the tablet into the room, but this time really carefully and slowly, switching his sight back and forth between the tea and the blue unicorn - until he was able to place the tablet onto a small table next to them “Right now I cant think of anything...” Twilight said.

Her library was alright, as well the others as much she knew.

“Whats the matter?” Spike asked.

“Trixie want to help us out a little, but I don't know how...”

“Why don't you let her help A.J.?”

“Who is that again?” Trixie asked.

“That's the orange mare... the cowgirl”

“Oh. I remember her... she was the one with the age-trick, right?”

“Yes indeed.” Twilight said and got back to Spike “So what she needs help with?”

The little dragon looked a little ashamed “Uhm... you remember we had to paint BigMac for the trick... and we run a little short on paint... so I grabbed some other...”

The purple unicorns face got worried since she could already guess where this was going “Spike, please don't tell me...” she shook her head.

It had turned out the paint the little dragon had used was permanent. So removing it was way more difficult than giving him a long bubble-bath, like on the others. They had to use some more sharp cleaning detergent's... on which he had been a little allergic, so right now he had fur-less patches all over his body... making him to ashamed to leave the house, at least for a few weeks till the fur would grow back a bit.

“So, what you think? Would you like to help them out?” Twilight asked.

“Trixie will do her best!” the blue mare said excited with a smile and run outside but came back just a few minutes later, peeking trough the door “uhm, where does Applejack live?”

The purple mare giggled “Spike, be so kind and show her the way? I still got a letter to write...”.

The dragon obeyed walked her down the road, but the mare got more than one angry glance towards her, as well some mean jokes.

“Don't mind them...” Spike waved off, but could not help to feel still a bit angry at her himself.

“Actually, Trixie is used to this...”

The young dragon looked up onto her “What you mean, ain't you a star?” the dragon said a grumpy “performing your fancy tricks” as he quoted his words sarcastically.

He had every right to be mad, like the others. Trixie had used her magic against him, forming him to a basket ball and throwing him trough the air and that was the least of her mean tricks.

“You know, after I left the town the first time, everypony laughed at me where ever I went... and I think I made things even worse” she said sadly “i don't even know if I can perform ever again.”

Now even the dragon felt somewhat bad about his comment, but still wasn't anywhere near to be convinced, so when they got on the border of the farm he just stopped “there, that's the farm” and turned around, with a grin on his face. He hadn't suggested the farm for no reason, since the work there was quite hard.

“Thank you” the mare said to him, making him turn around and give her an unsure glance “okay?” he shrugged and walked off.

The blue unicorn walked up to the door and gently knocked, but not after quickly putting down the big hat she had on as usual, when Applejack answered it, Apple Bloom was standing right behind her, curious as always.

“What yu want?” the cowgirl said with a frown.

“The … apologetic Trixie wanted to help...”

“The what?” she gave her an close look “so yu say yar here to work?”

The pony nodded quickly “I do what ever you ask me to... and you don't have to pay me”.

The mare tapped her chin. A free worker wasn't too bad and BigMac was knocked out for a while, still... she wasn't to big a fan of her.

Her little sister pocked Applejack “We could need her help” the filly said.

“I don't know sugar-cube” now whispering to her “i'm quite sure this unicorn isn't up to farm work”.

“She just want to help us” her little sister said stubborn.

“But I don't want yer on the farm” A.J. said through her teeth.

Unlike Applejack, Apple Bloom was way more open to new faces, so she didn't listen and walked around her sister “Yu can start right now!” the filly said to her, making the mare smile.

Applejack sighed and played along, but already had an idea how to get rid of her, without having to fight with her sister over it “Well, than I guess ya don't mind to bring the cart to down” she said with a false smile “Apple Bloom, why don't ya be a sweetheart and show her the barn” this sure would put her off. It was one thing to forgive her, but another thing to have her all day around.

The filly didn't see the problem with that until they got into the barn and stood in front of the cart - it was way fuller than usual, since BigMac was the one to bring it to town. The stallion easily would pull it to town and back in not even half an hour.

“I guess ma sister had forgotten about that” the filly said apologetically.

“Its alright, Trixie is up to the challenge!” she said confidently and strained her self in front of it, but her first attempt didn't work.

“Wait, I will help yu” the filly said and pushed on the other end, when she tried it again, but using a little of her magic to make the start, after that the blue mare managed to pull the apples on her own.

She sure wasn't anywhere fast as BigMac, but she did it and she did it steady.

“We did it!” the filly cheered and quickly noticed that the unicorn was a lot stronger than she looked like, in fact almost strong as her sister “how come yu are so strong?”

Trixie sure had to put in a lot more strength as usual, but at least she had the endurance to do so.

“I pulled my cart all over Equestria” she huffed “can you imagine how hard it is, to pull it up Canterlot-Mountain?” making the filly smile.

The cart came about forty minutes later to town and Apple Bloom sealed the deal, selling the apples for a good price to her usual customers as well some traders.

The way back was a lot easier and took not even half the time, but the yellow filly was today a little out of breath herself - she also had to work double time like her sister, to replace her brother.

“Why dont you jump on the cart?”

“Nah, it's alright” she said.

“The great and apologetic Trixie insists!” she smiled at her.

The mare didn't take no for an answer and levitated her onto the cart under some mild protest. Most pony's around still pulled an angry face, but Apple Bloom did enjoy the ride anyway.

“We're back!” the filly yelled loud enough so her sister could hear it, which was caring for her brother, using some creme on his skin spots, until she heard the yelling outside.

She walked to the window and opened it, taking a look down to see her sister standing alone in front of the house.

“Didn't I told ya to sell the apples?” she said and looked around “I guess she gave up eh?” she said pleased since Trixie was nowhere to be found.

“But we did!” the filly yelled up, showing a bag full of bits, when Trixie now walked from the backside of the house next to the filly, once again putting her hat down, as she sat herself next to the young one “Anything else?” the mare asked with big eyes.

“Hu... how the heck you got the cart to town?” the cowgirl asked, rubbing her head “did ya use your fancy magic?”

“Na ah! But I helped her!” the filly said proudly, receiving a few clops on her back by the mare.

“Well... I guess I got some more to do for ya...” the cowgirl said, scratching her head.

The blue unicorn worked all day on the farm till it was afternoon and Applejack left her of the hook.

“Okay... I guess I see you tomorrow?” the unicorn asked and received an approving nod from the cowgirl “Wait a moment sugar...” the orange mare told her and got back into the house, to come back a minute later with a small bag, putting it in front of her onto the ground.

The mare picked it up and gave a look inside. It was a hoof full of bits.

“On ma farm, you get yur share for yer work” the mare explained, but the blue mare suddenly began to cry.

“Whats the matter?” the orange mare asked confused.

“I … I don't know...” the mare sobbed.

At first the cowgirl struggled with her self, but got close to her and put her hoof around her, so the unicorn s head was laying on her shoulder. “There, there... its alright...”

“No its not...” the mare began “you still hate me... and the others too...”

“I … well... I guess I was a little harsh today...” Applejack admitted “I'm sorry sugar”.

But the mare still could not stop her self, it was like everything she had built up inside would burst out all at once.

“What ya say, we bring your cart here and yu join us on breakfast? Ma Granny makes the best apple-pancake's there are...”

“I... don't have a cart” the mare said huffing”.

“What ya say there? But where ya wanted to sleep tonight?”

The blue mare just shrugged on that question and Applejack could imagine, that even if she had the bits, the hotels in town would refuse her anyway.

“Ya still got time? I think I need ya help on sumething inside...”

Trixie still was a little sobbing, but followed as told, since she stuck to her offer.

Applejack lead the way and got upstairs and down the corridor and got into a small side room.

It looked a little messy, there were some boxes standing around and what seemed to be a few farming tools and some cabinets, which been hidden below blankets in order to protect them from dust.

“Yer job will be to clean up this mess, is that alright for yu?” Applejack said and left her alone, yelling for her sister “Apple Bloom, come here!”.

Trixie slowly began to push the small boxes into one corner and levitated the stack in the middle on the side as well, to get an system into this mess, until her boss would tell her what to do with them.

Applejack and Apple Bloom returned and had what seemed bags along with them.

“So, shall I put the smaller things into the bags?” the mare said – finally she had managed to fetch her self, but could not help to sigh.

“Those ain't bags” Applejack showed her, while Apple Bloom walked into the back of the room, to jump on some fitment, bouncing a little on it “Those are yar blanket and pillow”.

“This was ma old room” the filly cheered - jumping up and down on the bed a little more, until she got down and pulled away the cover.

“Its a bit messy, but if ya want yu could stay here for a while...”

Now unicorn almost had cried again, but just grabbed Applejack and hugged her.

“Hey!” the filly felt left out and walked up to them, just to get grabbed as well.

Trixie worked after this a few weeks on the farm, until Twilight had found a spell to help BigMac on his fur. The first attempt wasn't to lucky and his mane grew like wildfire, but after a second attempt, it was almost good as knew, good enough for him to get outside again.

The blue unicorn wasn't forced out after BigMac had got back to work, in fact Applejack got to know her a little better and even allowed her to call her “A.J.” at some point, like her closest friends would.

Their deal had changed slightly, however, now the blue mare only would help out on weekends, in order to earn her share and spend the rest of her time to work for somepony else, so she could cover other pony's she had treated badly.

Sometimes she would work for them for just a few days, other times she would spend a week or two... of course a few refused it and just took her apology, but it worked out as she hope for and her name wasn't a laughing stock anymore.

Now if she walked to town, might pulling one of the apple carts along with BigMac or to get a little shopping on her own, pony's would greet her nicely or walked up to her for a small talk. It was nice to have some friends and a home, to which she could return in the evening, where somepony was waiting for her.

Trixie had tried to avoid this moment for a while now, but it was time and she already had told the others in town... now just the Apples had been left to break the news to them.

The blue mare got into the room to find a nice smell of apple-pie hanging in the air.

Granny Smith just had served it for lunch.

“Could I have a word with you?” the blue mare asked into the round.

“Whats the matter sugar?” Applejack asked, while the blue mare stepped a little closer to the table, looking on the served food. She would miss this as well, since she wasn't to good a cook herself.

“I wont need the room anymore...” the mare said saddened.

“Don't ya like it?” the filly asked.

How could she not like it? It was maybe a little small, but after a little rework and a few patches of paint it was quite comfortable, they had even replaced the mirror for her, so she could make her mane in the morning.

“No, its fine. It's just...” she took a deep breath “i will leave soon.” as she pulled her lip.

“What, why is that? Ya can stay here if yu want...” Applejack pointed out.

“Yar part of de famly” Granny Smith said in her thick accent.

The red stallion said just an deep “eyup” on this.

“Yeah! Why ya wanna go?” the filly wondered.

“I want to travel again... I have to visit other towns... I still got a lot to make up for I think” the mare explained “so... I bought my self a new cart and will hit the road soon.” giving them her best smile.

Apple Bloom was the first to jump up from the table “I will miss ya” she said sadly as she swung her small hooves around the mares neck.

Applejack was the next to walk up to her, reaching out her hoof to shake hers, but as soon the unicorn rose hers, the cowgirl pulled her close and also swung her hooves around her “I know ya will be alright”.

Granny also gave her a short hug as well BigMac, just a lot more carefully, so he would not hurt her accidentally, but blushed doing so. He wasn't quite the sentimental type, at least not in public.

A few minutes later Trixie was outside and put her few belongings into her cart. It almost looked like her old one, but lacked the posters of her showing off, instead it was just her face on the side, giving a nice smile to everypony who looked upon it.

The green old mare walked up to her “Tere, make sure to eat enugh” she said and hoofed her a small packet with apple treats inside. “I will, thank you”.

The others stood on the side and gave her a last look, when the filly walked up to her for a last time “ya sure ya want to leave?”

Trixie thought about it a minute and grabbed her magician hat, to place it on the filly's head. Of course the hat was way to big for the filly and did hide her almost completely, so not even her red mane could be seen, but after pushing it a little into place the filly could look at her again and smiled.

“You sure grow into it” Trixie said and got into motion.

On her way she heads through town and to her surprise, the streets been full with pony's, almost all of town had come to say her good bye. There been so many familiar faces.

There been the other two cuttiemark crusaders – which threw a little self-made confetti... she had spend days with them to figure out new ideas, even showing her some of her magic tricks, but sadly no new mark had appeared on their flanks.

There was the mare Cheerilee, she had asked her a lot about her journey's in order to form a school play out of it. It was so funny to watch the filly's re-enact it to her.

Mayor mare was also there, she just wanted to make a little chat once in a while, keeping up with some of the gossips.

Junebug, who she had helped to adorn her shop with flowers, in order to attract customers for a big-sale, she walked up to her and put one into her mane. “There, a looks nice on you”.

The mares from the spa winked her also, since she had given them some good tips - being a show-pony, looking good was part of her business.

Derpy... her she had given a special pair of glasses, which she had created with the help of Twilight, helping her to fly less into obstacles in her path.

Then there was the pony's she had spent the most time with, the remaining of the mare six.

Fluttershy – her she had given a special pan-flute, so now Fluttershy could summon some rare birds from afar. The mare even had it with her, blowing it like she had told her and a few colorful birds came flown and sat down on her head, giving her a kind smile “P-please visit us... if, if you want to...” she said shyly

“I will try...”

Pinkie Pie – she gave a salute with her party cannon, five rounds of cupcakes flew through the air, landing into the crowd on the other side of the road. It was fun doing bakery work and she had learned a lot, like how to make her own delicious cake, just with some simple ingredients. “Byeee Byeee! She waved excited.

“Bye bye Pie Pie” she said, making the pink mare giggle.

Rainbow Dash – she was a little harder to convince, but as soon the words “flaming ring trick” came into the conversation, the pegasus was all ear for her suggestions – combining those with her flight tricks to make them more “awesome”. The blue mare gave her an casual wink, along with a whip of her hoof “stay cool”.

“About twenty percent” the mare confirmed.

Rarity - had put on an elegant dress, waving a handkerchief. She had helper her on some important stitch work along with her younger sister, which was right next to her. Since she had a lot of practice with magic, it was not too hard to learn the necessary moves, also she suggested to add some magic onto the gems she often used, so they would even sparkle in the dark – which the mare found fabulous. “Stay classy, won't you?”

“Of course my dear” she said, making a short pose.

The last one in line was Twilight. They had talked a lot about magic and studied together some books and it turned out the two could learn quite a lot from one another. Twilight had shown her how she could increase her levitation spell for some of her tricks, so she also could pick something up like an Ursa-Minor... that for Trixie had figured out how Twilight might could increase the range of her teleportation spell one day, since she knew a certain type of magic rocks that would help her on that – which later turned out, would work better than expected...

Trixie stopped a moment. “Thanks, Twilight, thanks for everything.”

“Oh, I didn't do anything, that was all you.” The unicorn smiled.

“No... you believed in me... even when I didn't...” the mare lowered her head, as well Twilight, so their head and horns slightly touched. An old gesture of respect, between magicians.

Spike stood right next to Twilight and had to role his eyes on this girly stuff.

“Oh Spike, I almost had forgot about you...”.

She barely had spend time together, the dragon could not find to much in common with the mare.

“We see us some time” the dragon said dry.

An envelope floated out of the mares cart and landed i his paws “Whats that?”

“Just something I saved some bits for”

The dragon opened the envelope and found an rare comic he never was able to afford, since he already spend so much on other issues each week.

“Wow! That's the special edition of -The amazing mare-”! He said and slanted it back and forth, so the hologram on the cover would give him a hoof-kiss as well an wink. “THANKS!” he grinned, while jumping up and down like a rabbit and right away began to browse the sites.

Now the mare left town, but not before looking back an last time. One day she might would return, but there was a long journey ahead of her...

… and with that her book closed.

“And they all lived happily ever after... the end”.

Author's Note:

Isn't it nice to get out old photos once in a while?... old recordings are such a great way to see, how far you just come in life,that's why we love old stuff i guess :)Nostalgia lets us remember everything a little better than it used to be, the grass was greener... the apples juicier...and the neighbor not as mean when he founds you in his yarn - stealing apples :]Oh those times.

---

Oh don't you worry, this isn't the end yet!

Well a little note i want add about Spike's comic...I came up with "<strong>The amazing mare"</strong>in another story, which i tried to create around Spike, but had to put on ice. Spike is more of an "antagonist" than a "protagonist" (i guess), but it took me 2 attempts to realize that.
First one didn't go anywhere and had 6 sites - got deleted.
Second was better, but than i kinda got stuck, when it was about to get him into action...One day i might figure out what to do with it, maybe shift the focus a little or so, because it would be too bad to waste them since other characters are in there as well, which played their part fairly well :)What else left to say? Oh right!
Damn you little dragon! ... *Zzz...* (snoring sound) ... he doesn't even listen... lazy bastard :(