Chapter 18
Get a drink with Trixie: 35%
“You owe me a drink at the very least,” Kestrel said, fluffing out her feathers. “I did save your life after all.”
“A fair enough proposition,” Trixie agreed. She removed her magician’s outfit and hung the articles on pegs, then brushed some of the sand and dust out of her coat that she’d picked up when the stallions knocked her over. “Trixie needs a drink herself anyway, after all of this…”
Kestrel waited outside the wagon for Trixie to finish things up. She raised her eyebrow as the magician folded the wooden stage in on itself and neatly tucked it flush with the wall of the wagon; the mare truly had mastered the art of bringing everything she needed with her in that one wagon. Her horn flashed a few more times, and Kestrel saw the afterimage of ghostly chains settle around the wagon’s door and side before they disappeared entirely. Satisfied, Trixie turned around and began to confidently strut up to the saloon. “Come along, the desert sun is practically burning my poor coat.”
“You should wear a duster, then,” Kestrel suggested, following her to the door.
Trixie scoffed in incredulity. “More clothes? The heat would surely kill Trixie then!”
“The heat ain’t what gets you, it’s the sun.” Kestrel pushed open the door with a wing and led the way inside. “Keep it off your back and you don’t feel it near as much as you’d think.”
Despite all the commotion outside minutes before, the saloon seemed unchanged. Kestrel always thought saloons were an interesting oddity of the southwest. No matter what may be happening in town, the saloon was always the same. It had the same patrons, plus or minus a few travelers, the same music, the same drinks. The only thing that changed was the gossip. When it came to getting news in towns like Rock Ridge, there were two sure places to get it: the newspaper and the bartender. The newspaper didn’t serve you shots of whiskey, though.
The two mares soon found an open spot at the bar, and Trixie dropped a pair of bits on the wood. “Two shots of whiskey,” she said, sliding the coins toward the bartender. After a second, she put a third coin on the counter. “Make that three, actually. Trixie needs two shots herself after all this nonsense.”
The coins disappeared, replaced by alcohol a few seconds later. Trixie immediately took her first shot and downed it, grimacing at the fiery drink running down her throat. Coughing once, she shook her head and frowned at the second shot sitting in front of her. “That… is strong.”
Kestrel managed a little chuckle as she took her own shot. “You don’t drink much whiskey, do you?”
“Trixie prefers gin and tonic,” the blue mare said, gingerly lifting the second shot in her magic. “Whiskey is usually… too strong for her.”
“Why’d you get it, then?” Three bits clattered to the counter as kestrel flagged down the bartender for a tumbler of whiskey she could sip on instead of just more shots.
Trixie eyed the glass of whiskey Kestrel wrapped her feathers around as she brought it to her lips. “…Trixie thought it would do her some good to try new things.”
Kestrel rolled her eyes as she set the glass down on the counter. “You don’t have to try and keep up with me. Celestia knows that’s a tough order.”
Trixie frowned and quickly downed the second shot, trying very hard to keep herself from coughing afterwards. “No order is too tough for the Great and Powerful Trixie!”
“That’s your funeral, then.”
Hoofsteps approached from behind, but Kestrel was familiar enough with their cadence to know who it was without looking. “Tell me you found more than empty bottles here, Wanderer.”
The elderly pegasus leaned against the bar to Kestrel’s right, his wing sliding a half-finished bottle of whiskey onto the counter. “I’ve certainly been busy,” he said, his words surprisingly crisp and clear despite what the bottle in his grip would otherwise indicate. “I’ve been treating a few new friends at the poker table to free drinks. It’s great for loosening up their tongues some. How’d you make out?”
“Went and saw the sheriff. Did you know he’s a griffon?”
Wanderer shook his head. “Didn’t know much of anything about this town until today. That’s surprising; folk in the southwest usually aren’t that kind to creatures who aren’t ponies.”
“He’s apparently done a good job cleaning the place up; there used to be more than Vipers out here before he came to town.”
“Well let’s hope he isn’t too good at his job.” Wanderer’s teeth flashed in a smile, though it faltered momentarily when his eyes settled on Trixie. “Who’s this? A new friend of yours?”
Trixie proudly puffed out her chest. “You are speaking to none other than the Great and Powerful Trixie, the most powerful unicorn to ever live!”
Wanderer cocked his head at her. “Weren’t you a street performer back in Reino a few years back, doing card tricks for bits?”
The blue unicorn’s face immediately flushed red and she pointedly looked down at her empty shot glass. “Even the greatest unicorn to have ever lived has to start somewhere…”
“She needed my, uh, assistance with the show of hers,” Kestrel said. “Good thing I was there, too. A few doting fans got a little too pushy up there.”
Wanderer chuckled. “I figured if anypony out here was going to be firing their gun off, it was you,” he said. “When nopony shot back, I figured you were alright.”
“Glad to know you care so much about me.”
Trixie suddenly frowned at the two pegasi. “I don’t believe I got your names,” Trixie stated. “Who are you two? You obviously know each other.” Her eyes flicked to Kestrel. “Is he your father?”
Wanderer burst out laughing, a wheezy, airy noise. “I’m old enough to be her grandfather,” he said. “But there’s no relation. We’re a… traveling troupe of do-gooders, venturing all across Equestria and righting wrongs wherever we happen to encounter them.”
“Don’t get any fancy ideas,” Kestrel warned her. “It ain’t as glamorous as it sounds.”
But there was no mistaking the whirring of the gears in Trixie’s mind. “A troupe, you say? Perhaps Trixie is willing to grace your company with her presence. At the very least, having somepony to travel with would make the long roads between towns safer—I-I mean, more entertaining. They are already as safe as can be for a mare as powerful as Trixie.”
“I’m sure,” Wanderer said, an easy, flattering smile on his muzzle. “Perhaps our little company would be even safer with you there to protect us. We’re certainly lacking great and powerful unicorns, as of late.”
Kestrel shook her head and stifled a chuckle; Trixie was too dense to realize Wanderer was making fun of her.
Wanderer’s eyes lifted from the blue mare to the entrance of the saloon, and he waved a wing. “There’s the boss and Silvie,” he said to Kestrel. “Looks like they made it out of the mayor’s place in one piece.”
“That’s good,” Kestrel said, leaning away from the bar. “Means they really don’t know who we are.”
That earned a funny look from Trixie, but the two pegasi disregarded her as Tumbleweed and Silver approached. “Well, pleasure to see you two again,” Tumbleweed greeted, his magic tugging on his suspenders. “I hope you two made out as well as dear Silvie and I did.”
“You found something, then?” Kestrel asked.
“Oh, the Mayor was quite chatty,” Tumbleweed assured her. “We had plenty to talk about. Let’s find a nice quiet place, we can discuss it further.”
Then his eyes fell on Trixie, who continued to watch them with a strange look. “You, uh, got a friend, Kessie?” he asked Kestrel. “I ain’t had the pleasure yet, I’m afraid.”
“Whatever it is you four are up to, Trixie wants to be a part of it,” Trixie said. A sly grin settled on her muzzle. “It certainly has to be better than pulling a wagon across Equestria and parading around for a few bits here and there.”
“I wouldn’t get ahead of yourself, little missy,” Tumbleweed cautioned. “You have no idea what you’re talkin' about.”
“I think I do,” Trixie said. Something bothered Kestrel about the look in her eyes. “Trixie thinks it’ll be better for everypony if she gets to help. Whatever it is you’re doing, it will certainly beat the solo act.”
Kestrel felt Tumbleweed’s eyes on her before she saw it. He knew what he was asking with that simple look:
Do you trust her?
1. Tell Trixie to scram. I barely known her for a few hours; that ain’t long enough to get a good sense of her trustworthiness. We can’t take that risk.
2. Tell Trixie she can join and deal with her. If this mare knows who we are, she’s too dangerous to keep around. Best to take her someplace far away and deal with her… permanently.
3. Let her come along. She looks like she’s already guessed who we are; letting her go at this point would be a mistake. Besides, the Gang’s always got more room for charlatans and swindlers. Easiest way to make pocket change for supplies. [TRIXIE joins the Gang]
(Confidence Required: 40 Votes)
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Hmm, tough choice here. I'm betting Trixie will scram upon seeing the truth of what the gang does, but at the same time she could be useful, if annoying at times.
Know what, take her along. Could be useful down the line
I see her as vary useful. Her magic is all about tricking others, vary usefull for outlaws on the run and keeping the law off the track. But her magic is not so strong as to put ther gang in danger if her trys to back stab them along with her being someing of a wimp. I don't think she'd have what it takes to try to risk her life to trun on them. So in all she can be more usefull then bad, along with being a fun show mare to keep the gang entertain.
She's got a big ego, obnoxious, loud, and likes to show-off. Perfect for any distraction. Plus, she appears far less threatening than us. I say we bring her along.
That's the problem with old people with long memories.
It's all in how you define who you are doing good for.
Oh god, Trixie wants to be an outlaw. I hope we get to vote for that.
Yes! 3!
Hmm, well, obv. no murder waifu, but I definitely think it's dangerous to send her away at this point—she's a traveler, so she may very well have just remembered seeing wanted posters about us. So I guess bringing her in for the time being is what's left. Her skills (magic, slight of hoof, and at least some experience with engineering and explosives) could definitely be useful, but she is certainly not a front-line horse...more of a sapper. Hmm she's also loud, obnoxious, and intrusive, but currently doesn't have any heat on her and is clearly observant, so she could potentially get us more intel.
Just have to hope it doesn't end up getting her killed (by opposition or by us).
I want to ask that can we still make a pass with her? Give us that poll please