> The Great and Powerful Who?
>  by Quick Wit -Littlepip-
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Amnesia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

If a pony were to look at Room 13, they would say the room was like any others in this area of the hospital. 

White. 

White walls, doors, curtains, bed, the machinery, even the white mare standing by the bed. The only thing that stood out among all the white was the azure mare laying in the bed. This mare was ‘The Great and Powerful’ Trixie. It had been thirty-four days since Trixie was admitted to the long-term treatment center. Thirty-four days since her surgery. Thirty-four days since she was beaten within an inch of death.
The silence of the room was broken as the door slowly opened, revealing a tall red and black unicorn stallion wearing a doctor’s coat. He was known as Dr. Horspun, the head of the long-term treatment center. Horspun broke the silence as he drew near. “How is she, Flitter?” he asked calmly, looking down at his comatose patient.
The nurse looked at her clipboard of notes and nodded. “Everything seems to be in order. I expect her to wake up soon,” she replied with a small smile. “She looks so sweet right now… I still can’t believe somepony would do this to her.”

“Hmm… yeah, I suppose,” he said as he flipped through his clipboard of papers in a distant manner.
They both stood there in silence for a few seconds before turning to leave. “So, nopony has showed up to claim her?” Nurse Flitter asked as they exited the room.
The doctor shook his head. “Not yet. I probably shouldn’t just throw her out on the street when she gets better. Look what happened last time she was out there. Celestia knows she’ll be weak and frightened after this whole ordeal,” Horspun explained with a sigh. “We’ll just have to see how she turns out when she wakes up, I suppose,” he added, entering his office. As he walked to his chair he couldn’t help but groan in frustration.
I hate when this kind of thing happens. It never ends well for me, he thought as he took a seat. Well, I suppose we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.  He opened his desk with a sigh, grabbing another patient file. I guess there’s no rest for the wicked
                                     ………………………………….
Nurse Flitter walked towards the lounge area, looking forward to a well deserved break when she was cut off by a yellow coated pony with a blue mane and a scalpel cutie mark. This mare happened to be Flitter’s best friend, Dr. Twinkle. The two had been friends since they were little fillies, and when they each received cutie marks dealing with medicine, they continued being best friends through school. Eventually they both got a job working in the same ward.
“Slow day, huh, Flitter?” she asked.
“Thankfully. The past few weeks have been rough on us. Y’know?” Flitter replied, earning a sigh in agreement.
“I’m just glad we get a break,” Twinkle stated as she walked into the lounge. The two were greeted by several other staff members as they made their way towards the coffee pot. “So, how’s Trixie?” she asked with a sideways glance.
The nurse smiled as she poured herself a cup of coffee. “She’s gotten loads better,” she said, looking at her friend. “We expect her to wake up any day now.”
“That’s good. When are you scheduled to visit her next?” Twinkle asked curiously. 
Flitter took a sip of coffee and sighed happily. “In an hour, actually. Why? Do you wanna come with?”
“Well, seeing as I’ve yet to actually meet her, I’d love to.” And with that the two grew silent and enjoyed the peaceful breeze that entered from the window. 
                                             ………………………………..
Where am I? 
That was the first thought to enter the mare’s head as she slowly opened her eyes. She lay there, staring at the ceiling in confusion. What’s going on? I can’t remember. My name. What’s my name? 
Sudden realization hit her like a ton of bricks. I can’t remember anything! 
Her heart began to race, filling with fear and panic. Oh no! What’s that sound?  As she frantically searched for the rapid beeping noise, she suddenly felt fear when she noticed all the machinery hooked up to her. Her anxiety spiked, and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. 
“Urgh!” she cried in pain, rolling in agony. As the pain in her chest began to subside, the mare lay there gasping for air. I have to get out of here! But where do I go? I know nothing about myself… Who am I? she asked herself repeatedly, her despair growing with each moment.
As she finally rolled off the bed onto her hooves, an incredible pain shot up her forelegs from the impact. Ignoring the pain, she ripped the leads from her body. The mare slowly limped towards the door, fear of what waited on the other side growing with each step. With one final breath, she opened the door, stepping into a mysterious hallway. As her eyes adjusted to the sudden change in light, her heart stopped as she came face to face with two unknown mares.
Flitter and Twinkle stood there, surprise etched on their faces as they looked at the mare they were currently going to check on. Their surprise turned to concern when they noticed the confusion on Trixie’s face. The injured mare backed away in fear, staring at the strangers in front of her. “Wh-Who are you? Where am I? Please don’t hurt me!” she pleaded with a sob, backing into the bed frame.
With a gentle smile, Flitter stepped forward, only to stop after seeing her patient recoil. “It’s okay dear, you’re safe. This is Manehattan hospital.” Flitter spoke with a gentle and caring voice. Confusion replaced the frightened look on her face.
“Manehattan hospital? I don’t understand. Why?” she asked in confusion, fear slowly ebbing away.
“You don’t remember? You must have been unconscious for most of it. Well, it’s okay now. Your injuries, for the most part, are almost healed,” Twinkle chimed in with a rough yet gentle voice.
Flitter gently helped the still-confused mare onto the bed. “Can you stay here, Trixie? I’ve got to go inform Dr. Horspun that you’ve woken up,” she said as she turned to leave.
“Trixie? I-Is that my name?” 
Upon those words, both mares froze up with the same thought crossing their minds. Oh crap!
                                         ………………………………………..
                                       
                                 Without you - one night alone
                                 Is like a year without you, baby
                                 Do you have a heart of stone?
                                 Without you - can't stop the hurt inside
                                 When love & hate collide

Dr. Horspun sang, spinning with his front hooves in the air, completely oblivious to the new occupant in his office.
 “You do not do that song justice!” cried Twinkle with a barking laugh, causing Horspun to jump in surprise.
“I told you to knock!” he screamed with a blush on his face, annoyed at the laughing doctor on the ground. After a few more minutes of gut busting laughs, the mare finally remembered why she came.
“Oh! I almost forgot, Flitter sent me to grab you. Trixie woke up earlier,” she said, slowly growing serious. “There’s just one problem… she has no idea who she is.”
Horspun looked at her with malice. “Why? Why can I never get a break?” He whined quietly. Horspun grabbed his clipboard and rushed towards Trixie’s room. She could have woken up perfectly fine, but no, she had to have amnesia!

Horspun found himself in front of Room 13 once again. As he entered, he saw his nurse consoling the confused-looking mare. At the sound of the door opening, Trixie hid herself shyly behind Flitter.
“It’s okay, Trixie. Dr. Horspun is here to explain a few things,” Flitter said with a supportive smile. 
Trixie looked up at Horspun with a nervous frown. “H-Hello,” she stuttered out, looking at the floor.
“Well, I won’t be too long. I just wanted to clear a few things up,” Horspun said, pulling out his clipboard. “Seeing as you are still injured, we will be holding you in the hospital for a little while. Eventually, we will move you towards the front of the hospital, where you’ll have access to the garden out front,” he said with a forced smile. “You’ll be free to leave in a week, if you wish, or you could stay in the amnesiac ward as you get back on your hooves.” With that, he turned and left.
“Don’t mind him, Trixie. He was never much of a talker,” Flitter said with a roll of her eyes.
“Trixie… I like that name. It’s pretty,” Trixie whispered, smiling at the comfort of the name. 
The comfort of her name...


> Fear
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

N-No! Please let the nightmares end! Luna please! Trixie cried in her head, unable to avoid the horrors that were about to come. She lay there in fear for several seconds, then it began.


“Hah! Not so ‘Great and Powerful now, are we?“ asked a green stallion with orange hair as he kicked the bloodied and bruised mare, earning a laugh from his friends. On the ground before him lay a mare whose brilliant azure coat was covered in blood.


“P-Please, Trixie didn’t mea—” She never got to finish as she was kicked once more in the face. This time by a dark blue stallion with grey hair.  Her vision blurred as more ponies began to join in.


“Shut up! We didn’t ask you to beg!” he yelled in anger, kicking her in the ribs. The ponies cheered as they heard a small crack.


“Next time you wanna go around acting like you’re something special, you better watch out,” said a grey mare, a sadistic grin crossing her face . She laughed loudly as Trixie spit up blood.


Why did it come to this? I didn’t mean to hurt these ponies. I-I’m sorry, .  

Trixie lay there in unimaginable pain, crying, praying for it to be over. After what felt like an eternity, the beating stopped, even if the pain didn’t. As Trixie opened her eyes, all she could see was a dying flower. 


“Looks like we’re in the same boat, huh?” she said with sad grin. Just then, a hoof stepped on the flower. Seconds later, Trixie felt something grip her mane, pulling her head off the ground. She closed her eyes in fear. “No! Not again! Please Celestia please! Let it end!” she begged as she began sobbing.


"Do you submit, Trixie?” said a soft and mocking voice. “You challenge me, time and time again. You will never win, so why bother?” Her eyes began to open against her will. No! No!  


She internally screamed as her eyes began to clear, and then she saw them; those cold, heartless, purple eyes.  At that moment her heart stopped, and Trixie felt all the fear and pain she had felt earlier return.

…………………………………………

Trixie woke with a start, her heart racing. 

Why? Why does she haunt me? Why do I feel as though I know her?  Trixie rolled onto her side, fearing to go back to bed. They won't stop…

Two months. That's how long Trixie had been having these nightmares. Feeling tired and sick, Trixie had begun to neglect her personal hygiene, much to the displeasure of the hospital staff. 

Trixie lay there, fearing what would happen if she were to attempt sleeping again. Looks like another sleepless night, Trixie thought with a sigh, scooting towards the edge of her bed. A groan of pain passed her lips as she stepped down on all fours, putting a little more pressure on her sore leg than intended. 

Sighing, Trixie walked towards the welcoming light of the bathroom. As she entered, she stopped and stared into the mirror.

To say that Trixie looked unhealthy was an understatement. She looked dead, her once-beautiful mane and tail now lay flat and unkempt. Her eyes, now dull and full of pain, had bags under them. The coat she once had so much pride for had lost all its life, and lay matted across her thin body. 

What stood out the most, however, wasn’t her mane or coat, but the scars. The scars that reminded Trixie daily of her worth. The Great and Powerful Trixie, huh? she asked herself with a weak chuckle. Yeah, right. There’s nothing ‘Great and Powerful’ about me. After all, I’m alone.

………………………………

“Ugh!” Rainbow Dash shouted in annoyance. She was currently at the Manehattan Hospital, getting bandaged up after a rather embarrassing crash. 

Applejack chuckled at Rainbow’s situation from the side, standing with the rest of her friends. “Oh, suck it up Rainbow, ya shoulda known this was gonna happen when you tried ta attempt that crazy stunt of yours,” Applejack scolded playfully. 

Rainbow Dash glared at the country pony. “But this is so annoying. I just wanna get back to Ponyville,” she replied, not realizing the doctor had finished.

“It only took a minute, Miss Dash. You can go now,” the doctor said, ushering them out of his office. “Just stay off your wing for a day or two, and you’ll be okay. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have other patients to attend to. Good day, Your Highness,” he added with a low bow, before slamming the door in their faces.

“How rude,” Rarity chimed in, turning towards the exit. That was the moment her stomach decided to speak up. “Erm. Perhaps we should get a bite to eat. I’m completely famished.

Twilight put her hoof to her chin in thought. “How about the Hay Burger? I haven’t been there in forever,” she suggested, her mouth watering at the thought of the delicious burgers. 

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt somepony bump into her. Before she had a chance to look at the pony, she had already left.

“Well that wasn’t very nice. She could’ve at least stopped to see if you were alright,” Pinkie said, a small frown gracing her face. 

Fluttershy simply nodded in agreement. “She looked absolutely awful, do you think there’s anything wrong with her?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at Fluttershy. “Besides the fact that she’s completely rude? Nothing at all,” she said sarcastically, walking towards the exit. 

As the six friends stepped onto the busy Manehattan sidewalk, Applejack decided to ask the question they were all thinking. “Where in the hay is this joint?” she asked, turning to Twilight. 

Twilight gave her an apologetic glance. “Umm…”

Applejack face-hoofed in response.

“I could offer directions,” a new voice offered, causing the six ponies to turn towards it. 

Standing before them was a completely white mare, with dark brown eyes. On the coat she was wearing held a name tag, on it read “Nurse Flitter”. Standing behind Flitter was a yellow mare with a blue mane. She also had a name tag, which read “Dr. Twinkle”. 

After giving Twilight a quick bow, Flitter spoke again. “Where would you like to go?”

“Oh! Thank you for your help. We don’t live here, so we’re kinda lost,” Twilight said, giving Flitter a sheepish smile. “We’re trying to find the Hay Burger. I don’t suppose you could give us directions?”

At that, Twinkle licked her lips. “I love the Hay Burger. It’s my favourite restaurant in Manehattan! Too bad it’s not doing so well,” she said, her thoughts slowly drifting away.

With a giggle, Flitter gave them quick directions. “Head up the street and take a left. It’ll be the second building on your left. I’d love to show you myself, but I’ve got a patient to attend to. Bye now,” she said with a big smile, elbowing Twinkle out of her food-induced stupor. 

As the two ponies entered the hospital, the six friends began their journey to the not-so-renowned Hay Burger.

………………………………………….

“Sorry,” Trixie muttered, not bothering to stop for fear of the mysterious purple mare. 

Why does she seem so familiar? she asked herself nervously, eyes glued to the ground.

“Well that wasn’t very nice…” was the last thing Trixie heard as she exited the hospital. Wh-What if I made them mad, and they come looking for me?! Please don’t… she thought, looking over her shoulder. 

Get ahold of yourself. Quit being so paranoid. 

She kept staring at the ground, walking to her destination at a quickened pace. After a minute or so, she neared her destination: The Hay Burger. It was an average restaurant. Not the best, not the worst, but the ponies there are what motivated Trixie to go on a daily basis. As the bell rang, announcing her entrance, everypony looked at the newcomer.

“Trixie! There you are! How are you today, dear?” asked an elderly pony with a cutie mark of a cat.

“I-I’m okay, Miss Felinisty. I’m just a little tired. The nightmares haven’t gotten much better,” she said with a nervous smile, earning a look of sympathy from the rest of the restaurant’s occupants. 

The ponies seated at the restaurant were about the only regulars The Hay Burger had. With so many high-class restaurants in Manehattan, the Hay Burger was often overlooked. Therefore, it’s only customers were the bums that lived there.

Trixie often wondered how the ponies paid for everything here, seeing as how Trixie had never seen a single one of them work an actual job. Trixie assumed it was the two ‘sales’ mares in the far corner of the restaurant, playing a silent game of cards.

They were known as Sadie and Gradie. The ponies of the Hay Burger often questioned the legitimacy of how they made their money, but they gave the owners a hefty sum of cash to stave off any lingering questions. Despite their shady appearances, they were good ponies who deeply cared for their family.

Staring out the window at the passing ponies was a young pegasus filly by the name of Shooting Star. She lacked a cutie mark, but had a huge heart. Upon Trixie’s very first visit, Star had opened up to her in a flash, becoming one of the unicorn’s very first friends.

At the bar were her parents; a green earth pony named Dipper and a midnight blue pegasus named Constellation. They were an odd pair, living in a small trailer behind the restaurant and stargazing during warm Manehattan nights.

Behind the bar was the wife and co-owner of the Hay Burger, Mrs. Hay. She was a stout, light yellow unicorn with a heart of gold, always willing to help a pony in need. The first day Trixie entered with Flitter, she had been a nervous wreck.

The regular occupants of the Hay Burger were a strange bunch, but as Trixie learned more about them, they became her only friends outside the hospital.

“Trixie!” Star yelled, attempting to hug her friend. “I was wondering when you’d show up. I’ve missed you!” she said, filled with energy. 

At the sound of Trixie’s name, another pony walked through the kitchen doors with a grin. This was Mr. Hay, an orange, beefy unicorn wearing a greasy apron. “Mornin' Trix. Coffee?” he asked in his deep, booming voice.

Trixie simply smiled shyly and nodded. “I’ve missed you too, Star… even if it’s only been a few hours,” she said with a giggle, giving Star a hug. “So how is everypony?” Trixie asked softly.

Dipper stretched and yawned. “Same old, same old. We were actually discussing a move.” At that statement, Trixie’s face fell. Tears swelling in her eyes as she looked at them.

“B-But, that would mean… you’ll leave me,” she choked out, looking at the group with a crestfallen face.

Constellation hit her husband over his head, and walked over to Trixie, embracing her, causing her to flinch. “No, sweetie, that’s the thing. We were gonna ask you to come with us. You are practically family, we’d all love for you to come.” She said in a soft soothing tone. “Besides, it would probably be healthier for you to live somewhere peaceful, rather than living in this crowded, noisy city."

Trixie stared at that, happiness growing inside her like a balloon. “You… You want me to come with you guys?” Trixie asked curiously. “Where would y-we go?” 

“It’s a little town near the center of Equestria. A small, peaceful town where everypony knows everypony.” Mrs.Hay spoke up. “I heard that all the ponies there are so friendly. It’s a little town called Ponyville.”

At that word, Trixie felt her heart skip a beat. Ponyville? Why do I feel as though I’ve been there. Maybe I have. Perhaps going there could help me regain my memory. Still in deep thought, Trixie didn’t notice the newcomers entering the restaurant. 

Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when she heard her name being yelled by an unfamiliar voice. As a sense of dread began to fill her gut, she slowly turned around. Trixie stared in fear as she recognized the group of ponies from the hospital. 

N-No! They came for me! Wha— Her thoughts were cut short as a hoof made sudden contact with her face.

She reeled from the impact, toppling to the floor in pain. She covered her head with her hooves, preparing for the punches and kicks that were sure to come. 

She lay there sobbing and expecting a beating, which never came. She glanced up, and noticed Sadie and Gradie, who had evidently come to her defense, and now stood between her and the group of newcomers.

As she got a better look at the new ponies, her heart stopped in terror. 

There, at the front of the group, were the eyes that had caused endless pain each and every night for the last two months. The eyes that Trixie feared above all else. 

Those haunting, purple eyes.
	
> Apologies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Hay Burger grew ever bigger as the six ponies neared the restaurant. 

“Tell me again why you chose this place?” Rarity asked, obviously unimpressed with its outward appearance.

“A few years before I moved to Ponyville, I visited Manehattan with the princess. When I went out into the city to explore, I found this neat little restaurant with some of the nicest ponies I’ve ever met,” she explained, fondly recalling her time there.

Her memories were cut short, however, by a familiar sight.

“Hey! That’s the big meanie weenie who bumped into you at the hospital!” Pinkie stated, frowning through the window towards the filthy, blue mare. “Wait a second. Isn’t that Trixie?”

At that, all the ponies quickly looked through the front window. Sure enough, standing in the center of the room, was Trixie. 

“Full of nice ponies?” Rainbow Dash spat. “Yeah right! I should go in there and give her a piece of my mind!” 

“It looks as though she’s had it rough since we last saw her,” Rarity added, clearly disgusted with her current appearance. “She’s probably had to live on the streets. With the reputation she has, I wouldn’t let her stay with me.”

“Well serves her right. She’s nothin’ but trouble,” Applejack said, her words laced with venom.

“Girls!” Twilight stated in shock. “Nopony deserves that, not even Trixie. Besides, I told you she apo—Hey! Rainbow, get back here!” Before she even had time to finish, Rainbow Dash had already barged through the door.

“Hey Trixie!” Rainbow yelled, rushing towards the showmare. 

As soon as Trixie turned around, Rainbow Dash hit her with as much force as she could. At that moment, the atmosphere in the room changed. Before Rainbow had time to continue, she was thrown to the ground by two mares who had previously been sitting in the corner. Quickly getting to her hooves, she stared at them in anger.

“Don’t even think about it,” one of them said, shooting a murderous look at Rainbow Dash. When Rainbow opened her mouth to respond, the door behind her opened once again.

“Rainbow Dash! What do you think you’re doing?” Twilight yelled, pulling her hot-headed friend back. 

The occupants could do nothing but stare in shock. Standing before them was one of Equestria’s princesses.

“Y-You,” Trixie sputtered, staring at Twilight.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and smirked, happy to have gotten Trixie’s attention. As she opened her eyes again, however, she noticed something unusual. 

Trixie wasn’t staring at Twilight with recognition, or jealousy, or even spite. Instead, her eyes were filled with absolute terror; the kind of terror you see from a pony who’s seconds away from death. 

“T-Trixie? Are you… Are you okay?” Twilight asked, growing nervous about the situation. 

At that moment, Trixie began to sob. “P-Please! L-Let this be a dream!” Trixie cried out, backing towards the far corner of the room, covering her face with her hooves. “Please, Celestia! Wake me from this nightmare!” she screamed, grabbing her head in pain, memories of her dream returning.

Rushing forward, Constellation grabbed Trixie, pulled her into a hug, and shot Rainbow Dash a furious glare. “What did you do to her?” she demanded.

“I-I was just…” Rainbow, at a loss for words, rushed out of the restaurant. Fluttershy shot an apologetic look towards Constellation and went after her friend. 

By this time, Trixie had grown silent, falling into an unconscious state. “Come on, Stella. We need to get her back to the hospital,” Dipper suggested.

“Back to the hospital?” Twilight asked in surprise. 

Suddenly reminded of the alicorn princess standing before them, the occupants of the room bowed.

“P-Princess, forgive me for being rude, but we need to go. Now,” Constellation said, looking more confident than she felt.

“Of course. I understand completely,” Twilight said, smiling gently and turning to address one of the other ponies in the room. “So… what did you mean ‘back to the hospital’? I saw her walk out of it earlier. Has she been visiting it a lot recently?” she asked, a little bit concerned for the showmare.

“Visiting? No, my dear. She’s been living there for nearly two months now,” said the old voice of Miss Felinisity. “She’s only been awake the last couple of weeks, though.”

Twilight and her friends stared in shock. Whatever answer they were expecting, that wasn’t it. 

“If I may ask, whatever happened?” Rarity spoke up, looking at the sleeping showmare.

“She was attacked. Nearly killed. Put in a coma for a month. As if that wasn’t punishment enough for this poor mare. The mare you’re looking at isn’t Trixie. But a weak and scared shell. Amnesia can be tough on the mind…”

Pinkie gasped in shock, putting a hoof over her mouth. Applejack looked down at the showmare who wronged her in the past. “Ah can’t pretend to like her, but nopony deserves somethin’ like that.” She said, looking at Trixie with pity.

Rarity nodded her head in agreement. “Personally, I think she had it coming.” She said, earning a glare from the injured mares friends. “She didn’t deserve it of course.” Rarity added. “It’s just, with her reputation combined with her attitude. She wasn’t exactly the best company.” 

“I’d have agree’d with you two months ago. But now I can’t help but like her.” Dipper said, petting Trixie’s ruined mane. 

“She’s so nice to everypony.” Mr. Hay added, walking forward. “She’s always complimenting everypony else, putting others above her.” 

Applejack and Rarity shared unbelieving looks. Twilight gently picked Trixie up in her magic, turning towards the door. “Well let’s get her back to the hospital, make sure she’s okay.”

                                       …………………………………………

Rainbow Dash looked out over Manehattan, laying on a cloud high above the ground. “I only hit her once, it wasn’t even that hard! So why did she freak out like that. And why does it bother me so much?” Rainbow thought, shoving her face into the cloud with a grown.

“Dashie?” Fluttershy asked, looking at her friend with concern. “Are you okay?”

Rainbow Dash sat up, turning towards her friend. “I don’t know why that happened! I hit her yeah, but I was just angry at seeing her again! Especially after the last time we saw her…” The pegasus said, looking at her friend with sad eyes.

“I get where you’re coming from Rainbow Dash. But running into a crowded restaurant, and punching a pony, doesn’t exactly make her look like the bad pony. She looked like she was having a rough time in the first place, so perhaps that punch did more harm than intended.” Fluttershy said, looking at her friend with a soft, supportive smile. “I think you should go apologize to her.”

Rainbow simply stared at fluttershy. “How? She’d probably not want me anywhere near her.” She said, stepping off the cloud, beginning to float slowly to the ground.

“Just say it. Walk straight up to her and apologize.” Fluttershy said, flying next to her rainbow maned friend. “ Whether she accepts or not is up to her. But you still have to play your part.”

“It seems so much easier after hearing it from you. I sat there, thinking of the best way I could do it. But nothing seemed right.” Rainbow Dash said, giving a grateful smile towards her shy friend.

“Sometimes, it takes a friend to help make a choice.” Fluttershy said with a smile.

“Thanks Fluttershy. Come on, let’s g- Hey! Everypony is going into the hospital!” Rainbow Dash said, watching her friends enter the hospital, carrying Trixie. Rainbow stared in fear, afraid she had hurt Trixie worse than she thought. “Q-Quick! Let’s go!” Without waiting, Rainbow Dash rushed towards her friends. 

“Rainbow Dash! Wait up!” Fluttershy quickened her pace, watching a Rainbow Dash rushed into the hospital.  As Fluttershy landed, she rushed through the doors.

                                      …………………………………………..

“What do you mean I can’t see her?! I just need to apologize!” Rainbow yelled, glaring at Constellation.

“When?! After you hit her some more?! I don’t think so!” Constellation yelled back, returning Rainbow Dash’s glare.

“Please girls! There’s no need to fight! Let’s all just calm down.” Twilight said in annoyance, stepping between the two angry mares.

“Aw come on Twi, we’re in a hospital. Ain’t no reason to worry.” Applejack added, watching the scene with a large grin.

“Not helping Applejack!” Twilight yelled, shooting a glare at her friend.

“WILL YOU PONIES SHUT UP?!” Nurse Flitter screamed, eye twitching with annoyance. Behind her Twinkle was rolling on the floor, laughing at her friends outburst. “Trixie’s awake. She said she doesn’t care if she has visitors. You can go see her now. Except for you princess.”

“What? Why?” 

“Well when she asked who was here to see her. I mentioned you, which seemed to bother her greatly. She said she didn’t care who came in, as long as it wasn’t the purple one.” Flitter added, shrugging her shoulders.

“She should stay too.” Constellation added, pointing her hoof towards Rainbow Dash.

“As if! I’m going to apologize. Whether you like it or not.” And with that, Rainbow Dash rushed towards Trixie’s room.

“Let’s give her a couple minutes.” Fluttershy chimed in, earning a look from the starry couple. “She needs to apologize. And it will be easier without everypony around.”

“I really don’t like her,” Constellation said, looking at her husband, who simply chuckled.

                                        ………………………..

“Trixie? Are you here?” Asked the the pegasus, slowly opening the door. As she looked at the bed, she saw the dirty mare sitting up, nervously looking at her lap. At the sound of her name, she looked up.

“Y-You… You were the one who hit me.” Trixie stated, looking fearfully towards Rainbow Dash. “I-I’m sorry, for whatever it is I did to you. If you need to finish it. Please do it quickly.” She added, closing her eyes, readying herself for the familiar feel of pain.

Rainbow could only stare at surprise. “You’re sorry?! After what I did?!” She asked, eyes widening. “I’m sorry Trixie, for hitting you, and for causing the little freak out you had in the restaurant.” 

“S-Sorry? Really?” Trixie could only stare at Rainbow, praying she was being serious. 

“Yeah, really,” Dash said, smiling sheepishly at Trixie. “Perhaps I misjudged you. And maybe we can start over. Pretend Ponyville never happened.” she added, putting her hoof out.

“P-Ponyville? You live there?” Trixie asked, ignoring the outstretched hoof, surprised at hearing of the place her friends were moving to.

“Um. Yeah? What, did you lose your memory or something?” Rainbow Dash asked jokingly. Dash’s hoof quickly fell as she looked at Trixie’s sad face. “Insecure? Dirty? Living in the hospital? Acting really weird?” Realization quickly entered Dash’s eyes. “Dear Celestia! I didn’t just hit an unsuspecting mare! I hit an unsuspecting mare with absolutely no clue!”  Looking at Trixie, she couldn’t help but feel worse than before. “I-I’m sorry Trixie…”
	
	
> Scars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

How did I not notice something was up with her?  Dash thought to herself, looking at Trixie with pity. 

“Can you tell me what happened?” she asked. As Trixie looked away, Rainbow Dash smiled at her gently. “Hey, it’s okay, Trixie. You can trust me. I may not be a doctor or anything, but I know a thing or two about this stuff.

“R-Really? How?” Trixie asked, looking at her visitor curiously.

“Well… maybe I’ll tell you later. You don’t have to tell me what happened, either. After all, we barely know each other. On top of that, I did clock you earlier.” 

Trixie flashed a meek smile at that. “I-I don’t mind sharing…” With that, Trixie looked away, sadness filling her eyes. “Well, from what I was told, I was attacked. Nearly k-killed. They said the police couldn’t find out who did it,” she explained, tears coming to her eyes as she remembered the pain. “I was out walking, I suppose. No idea what I did to them. Well, I was found only a little after and rushed to the hospital. Not much else besides my injuries, and amnesia...”

Rainbow stared at Trixie, feeling more sorry than she had before. That’s horrible! No matter who you are, nopony deserves something like that! Rainbow Dash turned towards Trixie, causing the injured mare to flinch. “It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you,” she said softly, pulling Trixie into a warm hug.

Trixie sat there, shocked at the sudden show of affection. Just as quickly as it started, it stopped. Blinking away her surprise, Trixie looked at the blue pegasus, who was looking away with an embarrassed blush on her face. “Ugh, this is getting way too sappy for me. Well, I should go tell the others to come see you now,” Rainbow said, turning to the door.

“W-Wait! What’s your name?” Trixie asked, reaching her hoof out. 

Rainbow Dash turned around with a sly grin. “C’mon, even if you lost your memory, you should at least remember me.” 

Trixie’s eyes widened in realization. “Y-You’re my marefriend!” she all but yelled. “You hit me because we had a fight in Ponyville, an-and I came to Manehattan to get away?” Trixie looked at her lap, clearly surprised at the discovery of her “marefriend”.

Rainbow Dash could only stare. Where in the world did she get that idea? I mean, as funny as that would be, it would be cruel to play around like that. She’s got amnesia, for Celestia’s sake! 

After a few seconds, Rainbow Dash began to laugh, causing Trixie to stare at her. Doubling over, her laughter slowly turned to hysterics. “M-Marefriend?” she choked out, gripping her sides. As a sad frown appeared on Trixie’s face, Rainbow Dash’s laughter came to a stop.

“What’s wrong?” Rainbow asked, looking at the downtrodden pony.

“I-I guess I was just hoping to finally meet somepony who knew me before I was, well, this,” Trixie replied, gesturing to her current state. “I suppose it makes sense that you aren’t my marefriend, considering your first reaction was to hit me. I wasn’t exactly the most liked pony around either, it seems…” 

Rainbow Dash shook her head. I just can’t make her happy, can I? she asked herself, sighing in annoyance. 

“Look, Trixie. I can’t say we were friends. Heck, we hated each other. But hey, maybe we coulda been friends if we met somewhere else. I wouldn’t be surprised if you had colts lining up. You aren’t half bad… Well, when you’re clean, that is,” she said, eyeing the mare’s unkempt appearance. “Hey, I’m not much into that girly stuff, but I have a friend that could fix you right up.”

Trixie glanced towards Rainbow, slightly nodding. “S-Sure, that would work… I guess.”

                                            …………………………………

“So, you want me to give her a bath?” Rarity asked, looking at Rainbow Dash skeptically. “Darling, she may have amnesia, but I’m pretty sure she knows how to care of herself.”

“No, Rarity! It’s not a matter of her not knowing how. I think she has Post-Dramatic Stress Disorder,” Rainbow replied, trying to explain the situation to her friend.

“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,” Twilight interrupted, causing Rainbow to look at her in confusion.

“What?”

“You said dramatic, the correct word is traumatic.”

Rainbow brushed her off with a hoof. “Yeah, that thing. My point is, it could help her feel a little better. Maybe boost her confidence.” 

“Fine. Perhaps she’ll be a little nicer than the last time we met,” Rarity submitted, looking at the clock. “They said they would be only a few minutes. Where are they?”

“Hold your horses, we’re done,” Dipper said, walking out of Trixie’s room. Following closely behind was Constellation. “You can go in now, we need to get back to Star, anyway.”

“I’ve got my eye on you,” Constellation whispered as she passed by Rainbow Dash.

Yeah… she’s never gonna like me, Rainbow thought, rolling her eyes. 

“Well, time to introduce you to the new Trixie.”

“I’ll just go wait over there,” Twilight said, walking towards the closest bench.

Rainbow looked at her friend and sighed. “Do you want me to ask why she won’t let you in?” 

Twilight shook her head, a frown coming to her face. “It’s just… I feel kinda responsible for her, she was in a rough situation when we last saw her. I feel as though I could have helped her,” Twilight said, looking at the floor.

“Don’t worry, darling, it’s not your fault. We’ll talk to Trixie. Perhaps she’ll tell us why she’s so afraid of you,” Rarity chimed in, smiling at her friend.

“I suppose you’re right. Go on then, don’t keep her waiting,” she replied, smiling at her friends.

Rainbow Dash nodded as she opened Trixie’s door. “Hey Trixie? Got some ponies who wanna meet you,” she said quietly, looking over to where Trixie was sitting. At the mention of more ponies, Trixie covered her face shyly. Ponies piled into the room, surrounding Trixie.

“H-Hello.”

Before Rainbow Dash could speak, Pinkie Pie quickly jumped in front of Trixie. “Hey Trix! I’m Pinkie Pie! How are you doing? It’s so good to meet you, even if I already knew you before! It’s like meeting somepony all over again!” she said with a big grin, causing Trixie to jump in surprise.

“H-Hey there…” She said, a little bit scared of the strange pony bouncing in front of her.

Noticing the discomfort on Trixie’s face, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Pinkie can be a little crazy. Don’t worry about her too much,” she said, catching Trixie’s attention. “Well, anyway, here’s everypony else. This is Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy,” she added, pointing to each pony respectively.

Trixie greeted them with a short wave. “Hello, everypony,” she whispered, her voice breaking from the nerves of meeting new ponies. 

Rainbow dragged Rarity forward. “Rarity’s gonna wash you up real quick, alright? But before that, what’s up with you and Twilight?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“T-Twilight?” 

“Yeah! You know, the purple one, set of wings and horn, purple eyes,” Rainbow replied, staring at her curiously.

Trixie stared at Rainbow Dash nervously. “I-I don’t want to talk about it… It’s just…” she trailed off, looking out the window.

Rainbow Dash nodded towards Rarity, causing her to speak up. “Well! Let’s get you cleaned up! I guarantee you’ll feel fabulous!” Rarity said, pulling Trixie out of bed. 

“Um, sure, I guess,” Trixie said awkwardly.

As Rarity entered the bathroom, she started a bath. “So tell me, Trixie, why are you so—if you don’t mind me being blunt—unclean?” Rarity asked, adding some soap to the water.

“Well… I-I don’t wanna talk about it,” Trixie replied, looking at the bath with a frown.

“Sometimes the best way to feel better is to talk about it with somepony.”

Trixie stepped into the bath, feeling comfort at the warm, soapy water. With a sigh, Trixie closed her eyes, letting Rarity work on her mane. “H-Have you even bathed since you woke up?” Rarity asked, rubbing the dirt from Trixie’s head.

“For the first couple of days, yeah, but after they started, I just—I just don’t want to…” Trixie said in a quiet, shaky voice. 

“They?” asked Rarity, raising an eyebrow.

Trixie sighed, but didn’t answer. After a few seconds of thinking, she looked up at Rarity. “So… Who is that Twilight mare?” she asked, remembering her nightmares.

“Twilight? She’s a princess, actually. A very nice pony who always thinks of others,” Rarity responded, smiling at the thought of her friend. “She feels responsible for you actually. Feels like she could have helped you,” she added, glancing down at the mare.

“R-Really? Why?” Trixie asked curiously. Rarity bit her lip, looking up in deep thought.

“Well… When we last saw you, you weren’t exactly nice,” she said, stopping her scrub. “I don’t know the best way to tell you this, dear, but you were out for revenge.”

Trixie gasped in shock. After all, she would never think about hurting another pony. “W-Why would I want revenge? What did I do?” she asked nervously.

With a sigh, Rarity continued her scrubbing. “Hmm, I suppose I should start from the beginning…”

                                     …………………………………………

Trixie only felt worse about herself as she heard the story. Was sh—I really that bad? she thought sadly, covering her eyes with her hooves. 

“I deserve this…” she whispered out, catching Rarity’s attention.

“De-Deserve this?” she asked incredulously, looking at the mare. “Not at all, darling! You aren’t a bad mare, you just made bad choices.”

“...Now I’m here… I-I wish I was dead…” Trixie said, tears coming to her eyes. 

“No!” Rarity cried, causing Trixie to look at her in shock. “You have so much to live for, and this,” she said, gesturing to Trixie’s body, “is just the start of a second chance, so cheer up!”

Trixie looked at Rarity as though she had grown another head. “Y-You barely know me, though… Why would you care what happens to me?”

Rarity smiled at Trixie, helping her out of the bath. “I wouldn’t be who I was if I just let other poni— Oh my!” she exclaimed, shocked at what she was seeing. As she poured water down Trixie’s back, Rarity noticed a few odd spots on the mare’s skin. 

There, on Trixie’s back and sides, were numerous scars of all sizes. 

Trixie turned her head to look at Rarity. All she saw was Rarity looking at her back, mouth wide open. As she followed her stare, Trixie saw what she was looking at. “Oh… those. They’re just small reminders of that night,” she explained, looking at her scars. I know they’re ugly, but—” Before she could finish, she was pulled into her second unexpected hug that day. 

“Some ponies like a mare with battle scars, but...I’m sorry darling,” Rarity said softly.

“I-It’s not a big deal, Miss Rarity.”

“Rarity.” 

Trixie raised an eyebrow at the mare. “What?” she asked, confusion in her voice.

“No need for ‘miss’ . Friends can talk to each other without worrying about simple things like that,” Rarity explained, letting go of Trixie. “Come on, dear. Let’s get you dried.”

“Friends?” Trixie asked, shock evident on her face. 

As Rarity began to dry Trixie off, she laughed. “Of course, darling. Sure, we didn’t get along before, but now we have the chance for a fresh start. Besides, what you need most right now is a friend or two to help you out,” she replied, brushing Trixie’s mane.

Friends… I-I have two more friends! Trixie thought to herself, happiness overwhelming her. 

“Earlier you asked why I didn’t clean myself,” she began, catching Rarity’s attention. “Now that we’re friends, I think I can tell you why...”

She’s opening up! Thank Celestia! Rarity thought, grinning at her success. “So, why?” she asked, sitting in front of her new friend.

“Th-This is also the reason why I’m scared of the purple one… It’s about my nightmares…” 

At the mention of nightmares, Rarity felt bad for Trixie. I may not be a doctor, but I think I have an idea where this is going. Rarity flashed a supportive smile towards Trixie. “You can do this, Trixie…”

                                      ………………………………………………..

The door burst open, disturbing the serene quiet of the room. “I present to you: ‘The New and Improved Trixie’!” Rarity shouted, motioning Trixie through the door. If anypony besides Rarity looked at her, they likely wouldn’t see much of a difference. Trixie looked much like she did before her hospitalization. The only difference is, she looked completely insecure. 

“You look just as pretty as before!” Pinkie shouted, rushing towards Trixie.

Trixie blushed at the statement. “Th-Thanks, Miss Pinkie…”

“Hey, Trixie, It’s getting late and we have to get back to Spike. I bet the kid’s been getting bored, being by himself all day,” Rainbow Dash said, catching everypony’s attention.

“Do you have to go?” Trixie asked, feeling a little sad at seeing her friends leave. Trixie cast a glance towards Rarity, who gave supportive nod. With a shaky sigh, she looked to the rest of the group. “Before you go… I wanna meet Twilight,” she said, gulping down her nerves.

“Are you sure?” Rainbow Dash asked, wondering what could have happened in the bathroom to make Trixie change her mind.

“Y-Yes,” Trixie replied, pushing at the ground with her hoof. “It’s something I have to do.”

Rainbow Dash raised a curious eyebrow at Rarity, who did nothing but shake her head. “Alright then,” she said, trotting towards the door. As she opened it, she stuck her head out. “Hey Twilight!” she yelled. “Trixie wants to meet you! Again!”
 
Trixie kept her eyes closed, listening to the hoofsteps as the mare entered the room. When the clopping came to a stop, Trixie took one final breath as she opened her eyes, nervously staring at the hooves in front of her.

“Hello, Trixie,” said a calm voice.

As she raised her head to the pony addressing her, Trixie began to hyperventilate. Her heart raced, and she backpedaled instinctively. Those sharp, purple eyes seemed to pierce her soul. She tried telling herself this wasn’t the pony from her nightmares, but it didn’t stop the terror from filling her heart. Trixie opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. 

With a final sigh, Trixie flopped to the floor. Why can't I speak? I thought I could do it... I guess not.
> Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight sat there, boredom growing inside her like a 8 month pregnant mare. She was reading one of the many old, hospital magazines. Sweet Celestia! Have these ponies even updated their reading selection in the past ten years? she thought incredulously. As the minutes slowly passed by, Twilight grew more and more tired. 

“Hey Twilight!” Rainbow Dash yelled, breaking the peaceful silence. Twilight jumped at hearing her name being called.

“W-What? Rainbow Dash? What’s up?” Twilight asked, looking at Rainbow Dash peaking out of Trixie’s door.

Rainbow rolled her eyes, nodding her head towards Trixie’s room. “Trixie wants to meet you! Again!” she said, disappearing behind the door.

Finally! It’s going to be exciting to see Trixie again! Twilight thought as she neared the door. Opening the door, Twilight entered to see Trixie standing there, cleaner than she remembered, looking at the ground. Smiling, Twilight began walking towards Trixie, breaking the intense silence.

“Hello, Trixie.” Twilight said, smiling at the mare. Slowly, Twilight's smile started to drop as Trixie's breathing started to become heavier and heavier. Almost mechanically, Trixie's head slowly raised, shocking Twilight when she could finally see the terrified look on Trixie's face. Trixie opened her mouth to speak, but before anything came out, her legs seemed to give out under her. As she laid on the ground, Trixie brought her hooves up to cover her head. She began mumbling too softly for anypony to hear, and slowly, her breathing began slowing to a small sigh.

Rarity smiled sadly at the fallen mare, walking forward, she gracefully helped Trixie to her hooves. “It’s alright darling, don’t push yourself. Just look at the ground, take baby steps, Trixie.”

 “Wh-What’s wrong Trixie? Should I go get a doctor?” Twilight asked, confused at Trixie’s sudden break down from looking at her.  Trixie shook her head, but said nothing, choosing to stare at the ground in fear.

“Well, you see…” Rarity began, glancing at Trixie in concern. With a sigh, she pulled Twilight towards the rest of her friends. 

“So, what’s wrong with her?” Fluttershy asked, glancing at Trixie, who was swinging her hoof nervously.

Rarity stood there in thought, choosing her words carefully. “Well, we haven’t exactly thought on her little ‘incident’ in the Hay Burger have we?” she asked, looking at all her friends. “We all got so caught up with the fact that it happened, not the reason why it happened.”

“Ya know, the doctors in this hospital kinda suck,” Rainbow Dash chimed in, thinking about the lack of care put into their patients.

“Whataya mean, Dashie?” Pinkie asked.

“Well, it seems as though they don’t care about their patients. When we ran into Trixie, she was an utter mess-” 

“She has scars,” Rarity suddenly said, interrupting her friend. 

“Huh?”

“I think she might have been so filthy because every time she looked at herself she saw her scars. If you look closely enough, you can see a number of them on her sides.”

Everypony turned to look at Trixie, causing said mare to fidget uncomfortably under their gaze. The ponies gasped quietly as Trixie turned, showing her side more clearly. Even from afar they could easily see the small pink lines running across her body. 

Pinkie frowned at the sight. “Oh no! Poor Trixie! She needs some cheering up! I say we go over there an-”

“Yes darling, we’ll cheer her up. But let’s get back on the topic at hoof,” Rarity said, cutting Pinkie off. “Trixie has been having nightmares, and it’s probably common for an amnesiac to have dreams about their past, especially for her, considering her predicament.”

Rainbow Dash stared at Trixie from the corner of her eye, completely losing track of the conversation at the memory of her childhood friend. “It’s not common enough...” she muttered out.

“What was that darling?” Rarity said, breaking Rainbow Dash from her stupor.

“Oh? Nothing,” Rainbow replied quickly, looking back at Rarity. “What were you saying?”

Rarity rolled her eyes and continued speaking. “So the fact is, Twilight. She is absolutely terrified of you,” Rarity finished, turning towards Trixie. 

Realization hit Twilight like a ton of bricks. “Oh!” Twilight exclaimed, causing Trixie to jump nearly ten feet in the air. “Whoops, sorry Trixie!”

Trixie remained silent and hid behind the first thing she could reach, Rainbow Dash. Said mare smiled slightly at being Trixie’s cover. Especially since it meant Trixie was no longer quite as scared of her as before.
Twilight frowned slightly at Trixie’s reaction. Just give her time, she’ll learn to trust you. But, why does it feel worse than it should…? Shaking off her discomfort, Twilight decided to explain her outburst. “Trixie,” Twilight said softly, looking at Rainbow Dash. “You can stay behind Rainbow, but I wanna let you know something. I have never hurt you, nor tried to hurt you. I think the reason you had a nightmare about me, well, is because I am somepony who has made an impact on your life.” She smiled gently, causing Rainbow Dash to feel more awkward than necessary.

“I-I real-lize that you ar-aren’t the mare fr-rom my nightm-m-mares,” Trixie stuttered in a whisper, which sounded louder do to the high pitched voice in which she said it, causing everypony in the room to flinch. “I-I ju-ust remember t-the p-p-pain,” if Trixie wasn’t already shaking, the occupants of the room would have seen Trixie wince at the word “pain”. But the sound of her voice when she said it was all they needed to realize just how mentally scarred the pony was.

“I-I think we should leave now. Let’s give Trixie a rest, it’s been a long day for her,” Twilight said, catching the attention of her friends. “Besides, Spike’s waiting for us.” With one final glance towards Trixie, Twilight walked quickly out the door. With a nod, the others quietly left, each saying a quick goodbye to Trixie, until all that was left was Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash turned around to see Trixie sitting on the ground, rather adorably mind you. “Well, I guess we’ll see you around. We’re heading home tomorrow,” Rainbow Dash said, feeling her heart drop at Trixie’s saddened face.

“P-Ponyville?” Trixie asked, earning a nod from the two mares. “I wanna say t-thank you. Thank you for being my friends today… Even if you did hit me. I-I have friends at the Hay Burger, but I don’t think I ever connected with them the way I do to you two. Well, maybe Star. But she’s an adorable little filly anyway.”

“It’s no problem darling, we are happy to be your friends. It’s a shame we only had this short amount of time to get to know each other,” Rarity said, smiling at her. “We can always come visit you every once in a while, keep in touch with letters perhaps?” 

“For the time being? Why not?” Trixie replied, causing the two ponies to stare at her curiously.

“Whataya mean Trixie? For the time being?” Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Well, before everything that happened earlier…” she began, looking at the ground. With a shake of her head she continued. “Mr and Mrs Dipper were telling me they plan to move soon.Them and the rest of the Hay Burger that is. And they offered to bring me...”

Realization soon graced Rarity’s face, the same could not be said about Rainbow Dash however. With a turn of her head she shot a look at Trixie that clearly asked “Do what mate?”.

Trixie blushed under the pegasus’s stare. “I-I mean, they’re moving to Ponyville. And-And while I’m still scared of the p-princess, I think it would be nice to see you again. If that’s alright with you of course. We just met after all…” she said, hoofing the ground.

“Ya know you don’t have to ask us for permission. It’s an open town, anypony can come. Besides, It’d be pretty cool to see you some more.” Rainbow Dash replied, grinning at Trixie.

The two ponies could see the excitement in Trixie’s eyes at that. Smiling slightly, Trixie headed for her bed. “I-It’s getting late, do you think you might come back tomorrow?” Trixie asked, hoping to see her new friends the next day.

“Of course darling. We’ll be sure to come by before we leave for Ponyville,” Rarity said, walking towards the door, closely followed by Rainbow Dash. 

“Well, see ya Trixie,” Rainbow Dash said awkwardly, closing the door quietly.

With a final sigh, Trixie laid her head down, thought’s of her new friends rushing through her head. I don’t even feel this excited when thinking about my Hay Burger friends. Maybe it’s because Rainbow Dash and Rarity are the same age as me? Whatever it is, I can’t wait to see them some more… I’ve got new friends! Trixie closed her eyes, laying there for a few hours, feeling genuine happiness.  M-Maybe things will get better from now on… And with that, she fell into a peaceful sleep. The first one since awakening.

                                ……………………………………

For Spike, today had been incredibly fun. A day off, spent reading comics and ordering room service? Who wouldn’t enjoy that? Now, far past his usual bedtime, Spike was awoken by the opening of a door and the loud voices that followed. With an annoyed groan, he covered his head with his pillows, hoping to quickly fall asleep once more.

As the dragon began to drift away, he heard a name that woke him right up. 

“Trixie.”

With speed that’d put even Rainbow Dash to shame, Spike shot straight out of his bed.

“Did someone say Trixie?” he growled out, remembering the last time Trixie was in Ponyville. “Please tell me she isn’t anywhere in Manehattan. I don’t wanna be anywhere near her.”

The six friends stopped at Spikes sudden, yet short rant.

“Oh, Spike! Wait until we tell you about our day,” Twilight said, sitting down with a relieved sigh. While Twilight was still young and in her prime, she was still extremely stressable. And today was definitely a stress-filled day.

“It was a weird one, for sure,” Twilight began, smiling at her friend. “So we start off with Rainbow hurting her wing, of course...” at that statement, Twilight earned a glare from said pegasus. “... So on our way out, we decided to grab something to eat. And of all ponies to meet, it was Trixie!”

Spike rolled his eyes and groaned, walking to his bed. “Of all the ponies I want to meet, Twilight. Trixie is the last on my list. I say we forget about her and go on with our lives.”

“The thing is, Spike. She’s kinda… lost her memory.”

Of all the things Spike could imagine happening to Trixie, losing her memory was not one of them. Sure, living on the street, half starved and crazed, he could picture; and almost get a dark humor out of it. But losing her memory? He couldn’t even imagine how horrid it would be to not even know who you are. It brought a sinking feeling to his stomach just thinking about it.

“Woah..” Spike began, clearly at a loss for words. “I-I don’t like Trixie, but that is kinda awful. What exactly happened?”

Twilight just glanced towards the ground, sadness flashing in her eyes. With that one look, Spike got the idea that it was something bad, something he didn’t want to know. And with that, everypony settled down for bed, talking to each other about the days events. 

They’re going to see Trixie before we leave tomorrow. Maybe I’ll get to see how much she’s changed. See if she’s still the same no-good pony as before. Spike thought, slowly drifting to sleep. 

                                        …………………………………

To say Spike was surprised would be an understatement. When his friends came in claiming Trixie had lost her memory, he was completely sure they were messing with him. But, upon seeing the mare, sitting in her hospital bed, ribs showing, with scars clear on her side, and acting even shyer than Fluttershy; he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.. 



The thing that seemed very odd to Spike was how close Rainbow Dash and Rarity seemed to be with Trixie. While Trixie could talk to everypony else in quiet stutters, whenever she was around Rarity and Rainbow, she glowed with happiness. Spike still didn’t get why. Perhaps the kindness they showed her struck a bigger cord in her heart than the others, or maybe the others just scared her a little.

As Spike watched the others interact with Trixie on the way to the station,  one thing absolutely stumped him. Trixie’s fear. She acted just like Fluttershy, yet her fears were directed towards ponies, not everything in general. Trixie jumped a little when a pony got close to her on the sidewalk, and she even backed up a little from the ponies coming over to take their luggage onto the train. But Trixies biggest fear of all, was the thing Spike couldn’t imagine himself, or anypony for that matter, fearing in his life. His adopted mom, Twilight Sparkle. 

He couldn’t quite figure out why, but whenever Twilight was near, Trixie would tense up, choke on her words, and hyperventilate. It confused Spike to bits seeing Twilight have to back up with a upset look on her face for Trixie to recover. 

                                …………………………….

“All aboard!” the conductor yelled, breaking Spike from his thoughts. As he began ushering ponies onto the train, the small group of friends said their farewells to Trixie.

“So we’ll see ya soon, right?” Rainbow Dash asked, feigning indifference. Spike could tell Dash was beginning to care for the mare. The way she talked sounded as if she was merely curious, but her eyes conveyed her concern.

“Y-Yeah, Miss Constellation said we are planning to move within two months.” Trixie replied, looking nervously at all the ponies walking about the Manehattan train station.

“Well that’s good, it’ll be healthy to get out of the big, bustling city,” Twilight said, looking at Trixie with a smile. 

Trixie simply stared at the ground and nodded, turning away from the group.

“I-I’ll be sure to write.” 

Twilight sighed, turning towards the train in defeat. 

“Hey Trixie… Try to warm up to the idea of Twilight alright?” Rainbow Dash suggested, looking at her disappointed friend head for her cart. “She really wants to help, ya know? It’d just make her a little happier to know you can at least talk to her.”

Looking at Rainbow nervously, Trixie nodded slightly. “I’ll try…” she said, glancing at Twilight’s back. “The hospital said they’re going to give me some anxiety medicine. Maybe that will help in the long run.”

“Final call! All Aboard!” The conductor yelled, stepping onto the train.

“Well! It looks like we’re leaving, Trixie,” Rarity said, giving Trixie a quick hug.“We’ll hear from you soon, I expect. Please stay out of trouble.” And with that, Rarity turned towards the train, letting out a small sigh, glad to finally get home.

As Rarity left, each pony gave their little goodbyes, giving Trixie small, quick hugs, and headed off after Rarity. When finally, the only one left was Rainbow Dash. The two stood there, completely silent. Rainbow Dash sighed and pulled Trixie into a soft, gentle hug.

“I’ll write as soon as I get back, got that?” Rainbow Dash whispered, her voice much more caring than she would have liked. “Stay Great and Powerful for me, kay? Don’t let anypony in this town walk on ya, that isn’t the Trixie I know!” 

Trixie blushed at that statement, choosing to look into Rainbows eyes instead of speaking. After a few seconds, Trixie leaned in, giving Dash a gentle nuzzle.

“Don’t worry about me Rainbow Dash, I’ll be fine.” she replied,  smiling at Rainbows back.

After a small sigh, Rainbow let go, and flew to the train. With one final wave, she boarded, heading to the compartment her friends were in. 

With a giggle, Pinkie looked out the window. “This little bye is really intense, it’s like we’ll never see her again. It’s even been dragged on for, like, ever!” she said to nopony in particular.

“Pinkie, what are you walking about?” Rainbow Dash asked, confused at her friends antics.

“Oh nothing~” Pinkie replied, smiling sheepishly out the window.

With a roll of her eyes, Rainbow looked out the window, waving to Trixie as the train began to leave the station. She continued to wave to the lone mare, not stopping until the train zipped around the corner of the station, hiding Trixie from view.

“Well, we’re going home! I can’t wait to be comfortable in my own bed again!” Rarity said with an excited sigh. 

Rainbow nodded, choosing to just stare out the window. I’m glad to finally go home, but I wish I could’ve seen her a bit more… Rainow yawned, closing her eyes, spending the entre trip home in a blissful sleep.
	
> Friendly Advice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ride home was uneventful so far. Rainbow Dash was sleeping, oddly enough. Fluttershy and Rarity were talking about sewing stuff, and Applejack was just relaxing, staring out the window. But Pinkie? Where was she?

Twilight decided to search for her Pink friend, with nothing else to do. She got up, heading towards the hall door. As she slid the door open, she told her friends she was going for a walk. She stepped out, and knowing Pinkie Pie, she headed towards the the lunch cart.

 Her walk wasn’t very eventful, she saw a few ponies she knew and said a quick hello. It seemed like they were everywhere, she always ran into them, no matter where she was.

Continuing her trek towards the cart, her thoughts drifted to Trixie. 

As much as she tried, it seemed, she couldn’t stop thinking about her. She wanted nothing more than to be friends with the mare, to help her through the tough times she was currently having.
Besides, Twilight had to admit the pony was rather beautiful, and her shy, scared demeanor was absolutely adorable.

Twilight blushed and shook her head, trying to remove those particular thoughts from her head. A few seconds later, she entered the lunch cart. And according to her guess, she saw a bright, pink mane, sticking out from behind a pile of sweets. It’s a wonder why she’s still skinnier than Spike.

Pinkie pulled her head out of the sweets,looking right at Twilight. “Hey purple smart!” she called out, waving her friend over.

Ignoring the weird nickname, she walked over and took the seas across from Pinkie. 

“I figured you were here. I was getting tired of sitting in that car,” she said, stretching her wings at the thought of the crowded car.

“Or maybe you just wanted to talk to me about something,” Pinkie replied, chomping on a small cake.

Twilight raised an eyebrow, wondering what her friend meant. The look on Pinkies face clearly said she knew what was on Twilights mind. Could she mean Trixie?

“I know how tough it is to try to make a friend, but have them completely dislike you,” Pinkie said happily, thinking back to Cranky Doodle Donkey. “And it really is saddening! But don’tcha worry sister! It’ll get better, just remember. Don’t stop trying.” 

Pinkie gave an innocent smile, a smile that clearly said “I’m not being supportive, just being Pinkie”.
Twilight rolled her eyes, giggling at how smart her friend really is, even if she didn’t realize it.

“I suppose I do need someone to talk too,” Twilight smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of her head. 

Pinkie grinned at Twilight, sitting unnaturally still. “So what’s on your mind Princess Purple?” 

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to tell you what’s on my mind. Well, you see, I suppose I’m just upset that Trixie doesn’t wanna be my friend…” Twilight began, blushing at the ground.

Pinkie smiled at Twilight, lookin at her with a sly smile. “Buuuuuuut?”

“N-Nothing, I just wanna be her friend,” Twilight blushed and looked away, causing Pinkie to roll her eyes and giggle.

“Like I said silly! Just don’t give up, keep trying, you’ll get there eventually.” Pinkie dove in, grabbing another cake.

Twilight grinned, nodding her head in thanks, it wasn’t much, and very simple, but Twilight needed to hear that. Sighing, she decided to forget her problems, choosing to join in with eating the sweets with Pinkie. Though one very important detail slipped Twilight’s mind… Trixie enslaved the town she was moving to…


        ……………………………………………..


Back at the car, Rainbow was awoken from her sleep be a nudge to her side. With a large yawn, she turned to see Rarity mere inches from her face.

“Baaah!” 

She jumped out of her seat, surprised at the sudden closeness of her friend. “What are ya doing?! Trying to give me a heart attack?”

Rarity giggled, brushing the rhetorical question away. “No dear, I was just considering making something for Trixie when she came to Ponyville. What do you think she’d appreciate?”

“Why are you asking me?” Rainbow Dash asked, a little annoyed at being awoken so suddenly.

“You and Trixie are so similar, I thought I’d ask you what you think would be best,” Rarity explained, smiling at her.

Rainbow Dash yawned, laying back down. “Ponies with amnesia usually feel a weird bond, or something like that, with stuff they had before they lost their memory,” she explained, acting like that was the most obvious thing in the world.

Rarity looked at her, surprised at her answer. “How do you know that?”

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes in surprise, covering her mouth. “Ummm, a guess?” she chuckled out nervously, trying to get comfortable.

Rarity stared at her in disbelief but didn’t dig into it. “Too bad we don’t have her old cloak and hat then.”

Rainbow Dash shot up, grinning wildly. “Are you sure about that?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, confused at her reply.

Rainbow Dash reached into her bag, after a few seconds she pulled out raggy, dirty matching set of a hat and cloak. “I stole them from Trixies room, I was gonna wash them and give them back to her once she moved to Ponyville.”

Rarity shook her head, both at the fact that Rainbow Dash stole from an amnesia patient, and that she was going to give them back ripped up like that.

“Nonononono, That simply wont do! Hand them here, I’ll refurbish them, just for her.”

Rainbow Dash grinned, and held them close. “Only if I get to help!”

If Rarity could get any more white, she would have at the thought of Rainbow Dash trying to sew. She stared at Rainbow for a a few seconds, the look on her face made just barely made Rarity consider even letting Rainbow Dash get near her material.

“Are you serious?”

“Hay yeah! I wanna help make Trixie happy!”

Rarity sat there, considering what could go wrong, but she also thought of what could go right. After nearly a minute, she nodded, earning a cheer from Rainbow Dash.

“I didn’t think you’d ever consider doing anything like this,” Rarity commenting, smiling slightly at Rainbows happy look.

“Oh I’m just gunna be there for moral support. I ain’t doing any of that girly stuff.”

She should have known! With a roll of her eyes, Rarity sat down, shooting out ideas, laughter filling the train car. If anypony would look at these ponies, they could tell this one trip to Manehatten would forever change their lives.
	
> What To Do?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trixie felt like exploding for the second time that day. But, unlike the first time, it wasn’t out of happiness. 

Today was moving day, and Trixie was ecstatic! She went through her day with a pip in her step. She started her day saying farewells to her few friends at the hospital. Six months together had made Flitter and Twinkle her go-to doctors. They were also a couple of her best friends.

She even got a good riddance from Doctor Horspun, which didn’t bother her any. He had never been a very nice stallion.

The thing Trixie was looking forward to most, was her friends in Ponyville. Throughout her correspondence letters with Rainbow Dash and Rarity, the others occasionally added in a few sentences or questions for Trixie. Although not much was really said between her and the others of the little group, it made Trixie feel better knowing that there were other ponies who wanted to talk to her.

A few days after her first letters back and forth with Rainbow and Rarity, Trixie had received a letter from Twilight. Though she was hesitant at first, Trixie responded and slowly started to send Twilight letters as well. While Trixie still had her nightmares, albeit less and less, she grew to feel no fear in contacting Twilight through letters. In fact, Trixie found that she liked Twilight. She was very nice, and nothing like what Trixie saw in her dreams. Though she still couldn’t stand the thought of being around her.

To top off her happiness, some of her memory began to return as she talked to her Ponyville friends. Nothing much at first, but a little of her personality and a few of her quirks had returned. Trixie even remembered some of what her life had been like, mostly her earlier years as a foal. This made the move an even better idea to her. It gave Trixie the hope that maybe she would discover more of her past during her stay.

Her excitement at moving was easily demolished by one thing. Her favorite set of clothes was missing! She had no idea how or when they went missing, but they weren’t where she had left them. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t think of the last time she saw them.

Trixie entered her bathroom with a sad sigh. Walking towards her sink, she began her usual hygiene ritual. She used her magic to grab her toothbrush, and looked into the mirror. Trixie smiled at her own reflection, happy at to how she was looking. 

She had an average weight for a pony her age, and her coat was back to its glorious azure color, managing to hide her scars really well.  Her mane was once again shiny and lively, it was also fairly longer than what it was before, but it gave her something to hide behind when she was around somepony scary. Sadly, her bold nature was another thing that hadn’t been returned to her. But, she caught flecks of memory from time to time, short seconds of an image of herself standing tall and proud. When she tried to think of why she had felt so strong though, the memories quickly turned to ash in her head.

Blinking out of her stupor, she remembered her previous predicament and growled out in frustration. She was so upset at the loss of her clothes, that she just couldn’t wait to move to Ponyville. To forget about the place where she’s seemed to have more trouble than anything else. She quickly brushed her teeth, mane, and coat before packing up her bathroom hygiene items. Throwing her belongings onto her back, she rushed out of the bathroom, through her empty hospital room, and into the hall.

There were ponies walking around, though they mostly ignored Trixie, only occasionally sparing her a glance or two. On the opposite wall was a bench with several boxes on it. Trixie walked forward, tossing her bathroom bag into the last open box, and closed it. With a sigh, she picked her boxes up with magic, and began walking towards the front entrance to the hospital.

As Trixie made it to the front of the hospital, Mr. Hay was waiting there with a small cart already filled with the rest of Trixie’s items. She smiled as she approached him, looking at him standing there next to ponies half his size. 

“All set, Trix? We don’t wanna forget anything, now do we?” he asked in his loud, gruff voice.

With a roll of her eyes, she replied with quite a bit less volume. “Just because I had amnesia doesn’t mean I forget every little thing, you know?”

“Of course, just wanna make sure we don’t have to make a million return trips.”

“I’m in a hurry to get out of this city, but I’m also patient enough to make sure all my stuff is together. I don’t particularly want to return,” she replied, giggling at his worries.

“Well, if you insist,” He said, beginning his haul back to the rest of his group waiting at the train station. With nothing holding her down, Trixie walked slightly faster than Mr. Hay. He couldn’t help but notice how happy and peppy she was. Ever since she met those ponies that she seemed to know from before her hospitalization, she has been much happier and open with her issues.

 Overall, the Hay Burger family grew much closer to the mare, and vice versa, they considered her a part of the family. If Mr. Hay was going to give her a role, it’d be the naive, trouble magnet teen. Trixie and Shooting Star were the youngest of the group, so they treated them like children, even though Trixie would tell them time and time again, she could take care of herself.

The trip to the train station was relatively quiet, Trixie was too busy thinking about her lost hat and cape. This was going to eat her up for the next few days, she could tell. They made it to the train station with time to spare as their train was set to leave in a half hour. 

“You go grab a seat in compartment H-7, all right? I need to put our luggage away.”

“Alright,” Trixie mumbled out, walking towards the nearest train door.

As Trixie boarded the train, she began walking towards her compartment, lost in thought. She just couldn’t seem to put off the thought of her clothes. She’d gone through so much of her life with them. They were a huge part of her past, and that made them especially special to Trixie.

In no time at all, Trixie arrived at her compartment. Looking through the window, she saw the Star family. Mr. Dipper was sitting next to his daughter Star, while on the other side was Constellation. They looked to be deep in conversation, until Trixie tripped into the door, forcing it open.

“Trixie! Are you okay dear?” Constellation asked, offering a helping hoof.

“I’m fine, I meant to do that.”

Star jumped on Trixie, forcing her to the ground once more. “I’ve missed you, Trixie! Where have you been?”

Giggling, Trixie gave the filly a little hug. “Not on the floor!” she joked, ruffling Star’s mane. 

“Darling, can you get off of Trixie? At least let her take a seat before you jump on her.” Mr. Dipper finally spoke, an amused smile on his face.

With a pout, Star jumped off Trixie, allowing the mare to get off the ground. Trixie took a seat next to Constellation. She barely had time to get comfortable when Star jumped onto Trixie’s lap. Causing a smile to form on Trixie’s face. 


“So, Trixie, what took you so long? We were expecting you of all ponies to be here earlier than everypony else,” Dipper asked, stretching out along his seat.

“I was trying to find my cloak and hat… I somehow lost them and i’ve not been able to stop thinking about them all day. I’ve been through so much with those clothes. At least, that’s what my memory tells me.” Trixie sighed and laid her head back, staring at the ceiling.

Constellation understood completely, it was a very depressing thing when you lose something very dear to you. She put a hoof on Trixie’s shoulder, catching her attention.

“You know, Trixie, this could be a good thing. Now, losing something so meaningful to you is a very heartbreaking thing. But think, you could get a new set, and make new, happy memories with them!” Constellation suggested. “Isn’t your friend from Ponyville a designer? What’s her name? Charity?”

“Rarity. She is, so what?” Trixie asked.

“Why not get her to make you a complete new set? They’ll mean so much to you, coming from a friend. It’ll be a start to new, beautiful memories.”

Trixie stared at Constellation for a second, seeming to take her words in. Perhaps she was right, it was time for Trixie to worry about new memories, not just her old ones. Those would come in time, but until then, she would need to focus on who she currently was. 

“You’re right, I need to focus on the here and now. Thanks for that, Constellation,” Trixie said, smiling at her. She really was the closest mother figure Trixie had. “Can I have some more advice?”

“What is it, dear?” 

“What should I do about the princess? We’ve been talking through letters and stuff. I like her, she’s really nice, but every time I think about standing face to face with her, I just feel sick inside. How do you think it’d be best to get over my fear of her?”

Constellation thought for a second at that How would Trixie go about facing her fears?

“I’m not sure with this one, but I’d say just face it until you can no longer feel afraid. Start off small, hang out with her and several other ponies, and instead of talking, use your normal means of communication, letters. Eventually, you may get so used to being around her that fearing her doesn’t even make sense to you anymore.”

Trixie was astounded at Constellations advice. She wasn’t expecting anything like that, especially with it’s simplicity. With a smile, she leaned in and hugged Constellation.

“Thanks, Stella, I’m glad I have you here. You have the best advice ever.”

“No one ever asks me for advice…” Dipper finally chimed in, pouting slightly.

“If Trixie ever needs mare advice, she’ll come to you!” Trixie giggled out, not realizing her little slip into third pony. The slip was caught by the oldest members of the compartment, however. They didn’t say anything, but they shared a look and a small smile. They were happy at Trixie’s returning memories and personality.
	
> Anxiety and Reassurance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

This train ride couldn’t possibly be any longer, could it? To Trixie, it felt like forever. The seconds slowly inched along, each minute felt like an entire hour. Trixie was rather confused by this. Why, in the wide world of Equestria, does this feel like the longest train ride in history? 

Trixie had tried everything to pass the time; games, reading, napping, eating, even telling stories to Star. But not a single thing helped Trixie out for long. It was the most tedious situation Trixie felt like she’d ever been in. Each time she would look at the clock, it seemed as though somepony had turned it backwards. She felt as though there was a mysterious force at work, trying to keep her from reaching Ponyville.

With a loud, annoyed sigh, Trixie rested her head against the window, moaning in agony. Her heart was beating in her chest anxiously, to the point that she was feeling the blood pulsing through her head. Her mind was racing with thoughts of what it would be like once she arrived in Ponyville. She was hoping it would be a wide open little town, much different than the high rise city she had stayed in for the last few months. Trixie was even beginning to feel claustrophobic, perhaps due to her extended time in this accursed little train car. 

She was also hoping for a nice relaxing stay. Maybe, if she was lucky, she would get a small town, with no trouble in it. Yeah, why would they put a princess in a dangerous town? Of course it was safe.  

The loud train whistle broke Trixie from her thoughts, causing her to jump in the air. Ignoring her tiny bit of fear, she looked around the compartment with wild eyes.

 “Are we finally there?! I’m getting sick of this train!” she practically screamed, jumping off of her seat and heading towards the door in a furious trot, attempting to get off the train as soon as possible. Before she could make it to the door, however, she was stopped by Dipper’s voice.

“What’re you talking about, Trixie? We haven’t even left Manehattan! Are you in that much of a hurry to see your friends?” he said. Trixie could easily hear the suppressed laughter coming from him.

“You mean we haven’t even left yet? It feels like we’ve been here for hours!” Trixie groaned out, slumping down into a sitting position.  Today was going to be a long day. “Maybe  I just have a fear of trains or something.”

“Or maybe you’re just hungry?” Dipper replied, shrugging his shoulders unsurely. Unlike his wife, who was currently leading Star to the bathroom, he wasn’t quite as good with advice. “Maybe you should go get something to eat.”

If looks could kill, Dipper wouldn’t even make it out of Manehattan. Trixie sat there, glaring him down like he was an annoying big brother. And funny enough, that’s how Trixie felt about him.

“Well, since you’re no help, I’m gonna go ask someone else. Do you know where everypony else is?” Trixie asked, sighing at her predicament. She was close to praying to Celestia for an easy life once she got to Ponyville. 

“The Hays and Mrs.Felinisity are in the compartment to the right of us, and Sadie and Gradie are somewhere else. Why? You nee-  And I’m alone!” Dipper never even had a chance to finish his sentence before she whipped the door open and rushed out.

With a close of the door, Trixie took a few steps towards her right, and sure enough, there were a few of the other ponies in her little caravan of misfits. Knocking on the door, she slid it open, receiving three warm, welcoming smiles. On one side were the Hay’s, both of them holding hooves, which Trixie found rather cute, and on the other side was the old cat mare herself, Mrs. Felinisity, who happened to have a cat in her lap. The conductor would only allow one in the compartment, the others were in the private cargo car Mr. Hay paid for.

“Hello there, Dearie. Come to check up on us?” Mrs. Felinisity asked, setting down her cat.  Trixie recognized the cat to be Mittens and relaxed, as he was one of Mrs. Felinisity’s more relaxed pets. Trixie was quite happy not to deal with Angel again, she had been lucky to not need stitches after her last encounter with that particular feline. What kind of animal was dumb enough to leave its tail out where anypony can step on it like that anyways? 

“In a way, I just came to ask you for a little advice. Mr. Dipper isn’t exactly the pony to go to when you’re confused about anything,” Trixie explained. “I didn’t think anything was really wrong in the first place, but after Mr. Dipper said something about me possibly being hungry, I started to think that the knot in my stomach might be due to being worried…”

Trixie smiled a nervous, sheepish smile. Honestly, she had no idea why she should be having any problems. She already resolved her distress over her missing clothes, and had a plan for her Twilight issues. At least, for the most part. And now that she was thinking about it, she was definitely feeling a queasy on the inside. But why was she feeling like this?

“Well, Trixie. What’s the issue?” Mrs. Hay asked, hoping to be useful in aiding Trixie.

“Well, that’s the problem. I thought all my other little problems were bad, but the way I feel right now. It’s all queasy-like, like stage fright if you’d like to compare it to something. And I have no idea where it’s coming from. I just- I just-”

“Woah, Trix! Take a breath kid! It’s probably just moving jitters, nothing to worry about,” Mr. Hay barked out, chuckling at Trixie’s disgruntled state. Causing Mrs. Hay to shake her head at his actions.

“Please dear, you know nothing about mares, so let us offer our assistance,” she said, referring to Mrs. Felinisity and herself. “And, Trixie, I know exactly what you’re going through. It’s what I like to call The Pen-Pal Syndrome.”

The compartment grew silent at that, which was shortly broken by Mr. Hay’s muffled laughter. With a glare sent his way, Mrs. Hay continued.

“What I mean is this. You’ve gotten so used to talking with your friends through letters, you’re afraid they’re going to be different in real life,” she stated with a sagely nod of her head.

“But, I’ve already met them, that doesn’t make any sense.” Trixie really didn’t understand how Mrs. Hay could have reached that conclusion. They can’t be any different than they were three months ago, right? 

“But, my young grasshopper, you hardly knew them at that time, and now, now you know them extremely well. So you think of them as different ponies altogether!” Mrs. Hay stated happily, crossing her hooves, proud of her explanation. This caused the rest of the ponies to look at her, somewhat confused.

“So… what are you saying exactly?” Trixie asked, her confusion only growing. Why is it that nopony could give her a straight answer?

“I suggest you sit down and reassure yourself that they are your friends, and they’ll be exactly as you know them. You’d have to figure out the best way yourself, ‘cause everypony is different.”

“Reassure myself? I have the perfect thing in mind! Thanks!” Trixie yelled suddenly, turning to quickly rush out the door, though not before saying a quick goodbye and thank you, of course.

Trixie closed the door quickly, took a left turn, and began walking. As Trixie moved through the train, she could barely hear her own thoughts. The rushing of ponies through the train, the announcements and yelling of the ponies in the station, combined with the normally bustling noise of the big city all caused Trixie to feel like her eardrums would soon blow out. Of course, a mare as great as her had rather sensitive ears. Trixie paused for a second and shook her head, confused at where such a strange thought had come from.

As soon as Trixie passed onto the second car, she ran into Constellation, who was leading Star through the hall by hoof. 

“Hey there, Stella,” Trixie shouted out, catching her friends attention.

“Oh hey, Trixie! What are you doing here?”

“Just heading to grab something from my belongings,” Trixie explained, smiling sheepishly at Constellation. “I didn’t get to tell Dipper where I was going, so it’s a good thing I ran into you, huh?”

“Trixie.. you know the luggage cars are at the end of the train, right?” 

“Ummm……. yeah?” Trixie asked rather nervously. There was one thing she seemed to always do, and that was make a fool out of herself.

“Well, you’re heading towards the front of the train, not the back,” Constellation said, giggling at how silly her friend could be sometimes. It was always the small things that Trixie would mess up, never something big.

Trixie just stood there, staring at Constellation. How did I… Trixie groaned in annoyance, turning around and stomping away angrily.

“You mad, Trixie?” Constellation yelled behind her, laughing at Trixie’s behavior.

How could I go the wrong way!? I hate this train! Trixie thought to herself, shoving a hoof in her face as she rushed her way towards what she now knew was the end of the train. She quickly passed by her compartment, only sparing small glances at her companions.

There wasn’t much to see for the next several train cars. Trixie passed a number of ponies, and occasionally a family, on her way through the train. But overall, it was rather boring. 

I despise this train with every fiber of my being… trains suck! Wait! What is this!? The most beautiful thing she had ever seen had just entered her view! Love at first sight? Trixie now understood it all. She just stopped and stared. And what was it she saw? She would call it heaven, but anypony else, they would call it the buffet.

Trixie stood there, stars in her eyes. They say food was the way to a stallion’s stomach, but everypony knew that was also true for Trixie. So… hungry! I didn’t realize I was this hungry until now. Trixie felt her stomach growl as she licked her lips. Maybe just a bite. No! I have to get this done! But… A snack for the road doesn’t seem too bad. And with that, Trixie used her magic to grab a nice large brownie from the dessert table, quickly restarting her quick pace towards the luggage car.

On her way, she slowly munched on the brownie, savoring every bite. She honestly wondered how she weighed so little, yet ate so much. It was a surprise that she was still skinnier than Spike with how much she ate.

It didn’t take much time for Trixie to devour her brownie and make it to the end of the train. Her journey was treacherous, lesser ponies would have dropped dead from the agonizing quest long ago, but Trixie was more than a normal pony, so of course she made it. Trixie shook her head again, wondering where this strange rush of emotion and pride kept coming from.
 
Trixie stood before the doors of the luggage cart, and, with a deep breath, pushed them open. There, on the inside of the car, was the treasure Trixie was searching for. Mountains of suitcases, boxes, safes, bags,  and everything else you could pack onto a train. Thankfully, Trixie could see her very own luggage packed neatly into the corner. Mr. Hay must have personally made sure everypony’s stuff was put on board correctly.

Trixie approached her items, aiming towards a particular box in the corner. Unlike the other boxes the family had packed, this one was made of a much more sturdy material. Not to mention it was deep purple in color, her favorite.

Why was this box different than the others? Because unlike the others, this held her more personal belongings, the things that meant more to her than anything else. It wasn’t much, but it was all Trixie really needed. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
> Letters From Her Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trixie let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. She was feeling a little overdramatic, really. Standing there, staring at her own belongings as though they were priceless treasures. Though, when Trixie really thought about it, they were.

Now, what was in the box that was so important to Trixie? Money? Jewelery? Maybe even deluxe edition Playmare? No, none of that. It was a huge stack of every letter from her friends. Trixie considered those her most prized possessions, for the simple fact that they were the things that made her happier than anything else in the world. They reminded Trixie that she had more than just her surrogate family, she had real friends.

Trixie set the box on the floor, staring down at the letters from a better view. She smiled at how neatly they were sorted, each letter categorized under the name of the sender and the date she had received it. From what Trixie knew of Princess Twilight, she believed the Alicorn would be pleased at her filing system.

Trixie hummed a little as she rifled through the letters, too engrossed to bother moving from the floor to a nearby bench. Idly, Trixie picked up the most recent letter from Rarity.

Maybe some gossip will calm my nerves. Rarity is always good at making her letters feel like a casual conversation.

After looking around to make sure no pony would interrupt her, Trixie looked at the parchment, recognizing Rarity’s refined hoof-writing, and began to read.

Dear Trixie,

Good morning, Dear! Sorry I couldn’t reply to your last letter yesterday. I was feeling a little sleepy, and I just couldn’t help myself to a relaxing bath.  You know how it is. Taking care of the Ponyville Days festival is hard work. All that drama with Trenderhoof was thankfully only a misunderstanding between Applejack and I. I’m so excited to finally see you again, Trixie, I’ve been enjoying our little letters greatly. I simply can’t wait to see the progress you have made since our last encounter. I do hope you have been taking care of yourself, else I will be most upset with you. -

Trixie smiled at that, perhaps her fears really were for nothing.

-Rainbow Dash, too, is excited for your arrival. We’ve been talking about it for days! We simply can’t wait to give you our gift-

They got me a gift! I can’t wait to see what it is. Trixie thought, smiling happily.

-we’ve put together for you, even if you may be a little upset at first.-

Wait, what? That was the thought that entered her mind the first time she read that line, she's been thinking on it all day.

-This should be my last letter to you as you’re going to be arriving soon, perhaps even later today, so I suppose I shall let you finish getting ready for your move. Goodbye for now, I will see you soon, and don’t forget to dress warm. 

Your dearest friend, Rarity.

With a smile, Trixie folded the letter up neatly, and set it right back into her box. Trixie, you truly are nothing but a worry wart. Perhaps she just has jitters, but after reading that letter, she felt much more relieved. With a sigh, she moved to the next letter in the box.

She pulled out the next letter, opening it to that familiar messy penmanship of her favorite pegasus, Rainbow Dash.

If Trixie remembered correctly, Rainbow wasn’t too good at the letters in the beginning. She knew how to write, of course, but it was never really… natural, per say. After a while, Dash finally started getting the hang of it, and if nothing else, Trixie appreciated the effort Dash went through to write to her.

Trixie shook her head, breaking her train of thought.

Trix! TRIXTRIXTRIXTRIX! -

Trixie groaned inwardly. Mention a nickname would be embarrassing once to her, and she does this.

-How ya been? Ponyville’s still cool, though its been pretty hilarious here the last few days. It wasn’t even Pinkie’s fault this time! Check this out!-

Like clockwork, Trixie picked up the photo that came with the letter again, showing her a picture of Rarity dressed up like a ‘country bumpkin’, as she would have put it.

-Rarity really has been losing it lately. My guess is, she’ll be in the nut house faster than I can fly!-

Trixie rolled her eyes at that poor joke, even if it did bring a chuckle to her throat every time she read it.

Yeah, I know, that joke totally sucked. But knowing you, you probably laughed your flank off.-

“Yeah right,” she muttered, “wasn’t funny the first time, and it still isn’t, Rainbow Dash…”

- Well, anyway, hope things are good, it’s gonna be awesome to see you tomorrow! Tell all your restaurant buddies I said ‘what’s up’, kay? Well, I’ll catch you later, Trix, I almost can’t wait!

Trixie smiled at the anticlimactic ending to her friends letter, the abrupt end was such a Rainbow Dash thing to do. She put the letter back in its spot, while letting a relieved sigh escape her lips.

“Trixie, you are probably the most paranoid, worrisome pony ever,” she groaned out, repeating her earlier thoughts. She ran a hoof down her face, shaking her head from side to side at her own silliness. “Well, I’ve come this far, suppose I should read the princess’s letter too…”

Trixie reached for the final row of letters, grabbing the most recent one. These were from none other than the Purple Princess herself, Twilight Sparkle. 

Trixie found their ‘friendship’ the strangest out of the three. While she knew the dreams weren’t real, and Twilight was nothing like that, she still couldn’t stand the thought of her. Literally visualizing the Princess caused Trixie’s hooves to begin shaking. But, with these letters, she could talk to her like she would Sadie and Gradie, not exactly best friends, but enough to casually talk and joke.

Opening Twilight’s letter, she looked down at the writing. It was definitely refined, not the elegant hoof-writing like Rarity’s, but definitely better than Rainbow’s squiggly lines. With how straight and proper the Princess’s words were, she could likely have been a surgeon as opposed to a princess.

Chuckling silently at her own joke, she began to read.

Dear Trixie,

How are you? I’m doing great, we had a huge Ponyville event yesterday. Seeing as it was my first time attending, I was just busy, busy, busy. It’s really too bad that you couldn’t attend. You only missed it by a day! What terrible luck.-

“You’re telling me! Not only does the event sound relaxing, the day leading up to it sounded incredibly fun!”

-But since you are moving to Ponyville, you shouldn’t have to miss it next year. You’ll be showing up later today, right? If so, I don’t have too much to say now that can’t be said to you when you arrive. But, if this is the end of us being pen pals, I might as well say this. I loved getting to know you in your letters, you’re a lot more interesting than you give yourself credit for. I really can’t wait to see you again, I couldn’t stop thinking about you! I mean, in an ‘excited friend seeing another friend after a long while’ kind of way, of course.-

“Sure, Princess, that’s what you meant,” Trixie giggled out, blushing at Twilight’s lack of tact. A slight shudder ran through Trixie’s frame from the thought of the Princess meaning anything else beyond friendship. A hazy image of Twilight staring at her and saying her name with a hiss appeared in Trixie’s mind for a second, along with the feeling of pride in herself, and hate for the Princess. It was gone almost as quick as it came however, leaving Trixie slightly dazed for a few seconds. 

Geh, Tr … I , I really need to get over this thing with the Princess. I’m going to be around her a lot more now, after all.

-I do hope that we can work around your… reactions to me when we finally get to see each other, I really like talking to you, and would hate for it to not work out because of those horrid nightmares.-

“Me too, Twilight… You have no idea…” 

-Well, I guess I should say my farewells here then, seeing as how you have lots of work to do. I can’t wait to see you, and hope you have a safe journey!

Your friend, Twilight Sparkle.

P.S. I know I say this every letter, but you really don’t need to address me as ‘Princess’, none of my friends are required to.

Trixie returned the letter to it’s proper place, closing the lid of her special box. With a smile, she wiped a tear from her eye. “Look at me, I forgot why I was even upset earlier, and now I’m going and tearing up over my friends. I’m such a softie.”

She placed the box back in it’s rightful place, locked her luggage up, and turned straight around. She plastered a smile to her face, but unlike the usual ones she tended to put out, this one was genuine.

She made her way back to her car with ease, the walk almost a haze as Trixie thought things through in her head. She felt at ease with the world, such as a child without any worries. She was ready to tackle the day head first.

“So, are you feeling any better?” Mrs. Hay asked, smiling at Trixie as she opened the door to her car.

“Yes, Mrs. Hay. I know for absolute certain, that everything is gonna be just fine.” And with that, she entered her car, leaving a smiling Mrs. Hay to watch after her as she disappeared behind the closed door.

“She really has come a long way from that weak and sad mare from all that while ago. She’s a strong pony. She just doesn’t know it yet.” Mrs. Hay turned towards her own car, entering it with a pip in her step, leaving the hallways empty.