Ch. 1
Fluttershy thought it was very nice of her friends to come to the train station to see her off like this.
Even if two of them could hardly stand to be around each other.
Rainbow Dash didn't find it so nice. "Are you two still mad at each other? Come on, we're supposed to be saying goodbye to Fluttershy!"
"Unlike some ponies, I can understand what you mean to say. Rarity retorted, pointedly not looking at Applejack. "So I won't take offense to the insensitive way you said it."
Applejack had no problem looking at her antagonist. "Well unlike some ponies, I can apologize when I've done something wrong. Sorry, RD."
"Don't apologize to me!" Dash bristled. "Apologize to Fluttershy! We're all supposed to be here for her."
"Umm, actually... I don't really think you need to apologize. It's okay." Fluttershy looked down, saying it more to her hooves than to ponies around her. She hated it when her friends fought with each other.
Rarity didn't seem to hear her. "Hmph! I'm very busy right now, so if you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave." Rarity gave Fluttershy a hug and left.
"Can you believe her?" Applejack exclaimed as they watched Rarity walk towards her boutique.
"You're not exactly helping the situation." Twilight pointed out. "And Rainbow right. We're here for Fluttershy."
Now that the focus of her ire was out of the immediate area, Applejack could see things a bit clearer. She rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I really am sorry, 'Shy. I shouldn't let this thing with Rarity ruin your trip."
"Oh, it's okay Applejack." Fluttershy put a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "I know you and Rarity don't have any ill-will for me, and I'm sure that by the time I get back you two will have solved your problem."
Applejack looked doubtingly at her, but otherwise accepted her reassurance. Then the earth pony stomped a hoof as she remembered something. Oh yeah, I meant to ask you something."
"What is it, Applejack?"
"Trixie has returned!" Announced a voice from behind them. Sure enough, when they turned around the blue unicorn was standing there. She was posed with both forelegs raised, a big smile on her face. "And all of Ponyville trembled at her coming!"
"Hey Trixie." AJ said through a face-hoof.
Trixie trotted to join them. "Hey Step-mom." She smirked as the others giggled at that. Applejack just groaned. "So, did you ask them?"
"I was about to when you made your grand entrance."
"Then prepare to be upstaged!" Trixie didn't let AJ's deadpan deter her. "As I, Trixie... ask Fluttershy if Trixie can come with her on her trip,"
Everypony's jaw dropped, with the exception of Applejack, who knew beforehoof what she was going to ask. After a few seconds, Fluttershy found her tongue. "You want to come with me? Why?"
"Trixie has scheduled a show in the Griffin Kingdom. So when Applejack told Trixie that you were also traveling there at the same time, Trixie thought it would be a good way to get to know one of Trixie's step-mom's friends."
Applejack groaned again, lifting a hoof to her heart.
Fluttershy looked to her friends uncertainly, but they were just as perplexed as she was. "Umm... I guess it's okay. If you really want to."
"Outstanding!" Trixie grabbed Fluttershy by the hoof and led her to a train car. "So long, Step-mom!"
Fluttershy could hear AJ shout as she stepped onto the train, a loud, plaintive wail. Despite herself, she smiled. It was kind of funny.
"Clear the way! The Great and Powerful Trixie needs to get to her seat!" Even though it was more forceful than Fluttershy would've liked, Trixie's method managed to part the sea of ponies so they could find their compartment.
A few minutes after they got settled, the train started to move. As always, a food cart came to take their orders. Fluttershy found it somewhat odd when her companion only asked for a few smoothies. For her part, Fluttershy got a salad and looked out the window as she enjoyed it.
The scenery passing by was simply breath-taking. Fluttershy had never had an opportunity to travel to the homeland of the griffins, so she'd never seen this part of Equestria. She wondered what kind of animals made their homes in the area...
Then she thought of the griffins themselves and frowned. Gilda had left a pretty bad impression on her, and even though Pinkie and Rainbow Dash told her that Gilda had changed for the better, they also told her that most of the other griffins were a lot like she was back then. Fluttershy had a feeling that this was going to be a difficult trip.
Trixie noticed her frowning and set down her second smoothie. "Fluttershy, can Trixie ask you a question?"
"What's your question?" Fluttershy could've made a joke about how the unicorn already had, but she'd never liked that joke. It always seemed foalish. Rainbow Dash liked it, though.
"Applejack has told Trixie that you're not the most... wander-lustful pony. So why are you going to the Griffin Kingdom?"
Fluttershy leaned forward, excitedly. "I've been asked to oversee the establishment of a brand-new animal sanctuary!"
"You?" Trixie seemed incredulous.
"Oh, yes." Fluttershy nodded. "Princess Celestia knows how good I am with animals. So when she recieved a letter from the griffins, asking to send a wildlife expert to help them, she appointed me!"
Trixie stroked her chin. "Trixie begins to understand..."
"I just can't wait to see all the different kinds of critters that live there." Fluttershy hugged herself, her eyes closed, though in her mind she was snuggling with some fluffball or another. Then she remembered that she wasn't alone and grinned in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I kind of forgot myself."
"Far be it from Trixie to deny anypony an air hug. Just so long as you don't start squealing."
Trixie raised her smoothie again and Fluttershy chuckled uncomfortably at herself. She had actually been about to start doing just that.
Things were quiet for a while in the compartment.
Ch. 2
The train ride was so quiet and peaceful.
While it lasted.
A few hours into the trip, the train suddenly began to slow to a stop. Fluttershy, and most of the other passengers, didn't really take much notice of the deceleration. At least, until they all realized they were in the middle of nowhere.
There was quite a bit of clamor and confusion, with one particularly paranoid pony shouting that the train workers planned to kill them all. Fortunately, nopony paid him any attention and his friends were able to calm him quickly enough.
After a short time, it was announced that there was a problem with the steam engine. It wasn't anything dangerous, just a blockage that prevented the steam from traveling. But this meant that they were all going to have to wait for a replacement train. However, they were free to exit the train to stretch their legs.
Fluttershy did just that, and even flew a few laps. She hoped it wouldn't be too long before the new train arrived. She didn't want the griffins to think she didn't care. Fortunately, Trixie had an idea.
"You know, we're halfway there. We could always take Trixie's wagon."
That seemed like a good idea to Fluttershy. So while Trixie telekinetically unloaded her wagon, Fluttershy explained their situation to the conductor. He didn't have any objections, and even told them that they would probably get there quicker if they took the wagon. Apparently, the only train that was free was on the other side of Equestria.
So, Trixie's magic propelling them, they set off. They followed the tracks. That probably could've made better time with a short cut or two, but Trixie insisted they stay near the railroad. Fluttershy, knowing full well that they could possibly face dangerous predators if they got off the beaten path, didn't argue. Even following the railroad, though, they traveled pretty quickly.
As the day wore on, Trixie began to slow down a bit. They came upon a train station and Trixie informed Fluttershy that they were stopping for the day.
"But it's not that late. Maybe we could try to make it a little further?" Fluttershy suggested.
Trixie flatly refused, so they rented a room above a tavern. In the tavern proper, they sat and had a small meal. Once that was done, they drank cider and engaged in some idle chit-chat. Not much was really said until Fluttershy got up to get the next round.
She saw, out of the corner of her eye, two stallions take notice of her. The earth ponies followed her back to her table.
"Heeeyy filly..." The taller of the two slurred. "Why don't you and yer marefriend her hang out with us?"
"C'mon, it'll be fun!" the shorter one added after Fluttershy didn't respond.
"P-Please, just leave us alone. We've had-"
"Oh! I get it! Just because you got wings on your back, you think you're better than us earth ponies!" The tall one raged.
Fluttershy shrank away. "No, it's not that, sir. I just meant-"
"Me and my buddy here are trying to have a good time, La-"
"Enough!" Trixie was fed up with their rudeness. "The Great and Powerful Trixie will not abide bullies. Not anymore!"
With that, she lifted the two into the air and deposited them outside. None of the other patrons seemed to mind.
"Was that really necessary?" Fluttershy said meekly.
Trixie sighed. "Trixie is certain you've been told this before, but you have to stand up for yourself! If you'd told them off, what would've happened? They'd have been angry, sure, but only until they drank enough to forget. You're not doing anypony any favors by being a doormat. Stand. Up. For yourself!"
The unicorn seemed edgy for some reason, and stayed that way until Fluttershy suggested they call it a night. The room they'd rented was nice enough. It even had a cute painting of a dog playing with a little filly.
But Trixie ignored that and flopped down on her side of the bed. After a bit, Fluttershy took the other side and they both went to sleep.
Fluttershy was woken some time later by a commotion in the bar below. Trixie was not in the room with her.
Rising from the bed, the timid pegasus made her way downstairs. Before long, she was in front of the bartender. "Um, excuse me."
"I'm sorry, ma'am." She looked up from the glass she was wiping down. "If this is about the noise a little bit ago, the drunks have already been thrown out."
"It's not that, it's... have you seen the pony who was with me?"
"Blue unicorn?" The bartender scrunched up her face, trying to remember. "Oh yeah, she was down here about half an hour ago. She went out back."
The bartender pointed a hoof to the rear exit. Fluttershy nodded in thanks and walked through it. Though it was fairly dark outside, she didn't have too much trouble finding the magician.
Trixie was standing in the middle of a field, and as Fluttershy approached she could see that Trixie was staring at something on the ground in front of her. The pegasus let out a small squeak when she saw what it was.
Trixie looked up when she heard her. "Oh, it's you. What are you doing up?" She asked the question noncommittally, then returned her gaze to the object in front of her.
It was a little grave stone. The date of death was only a few weeks ago.
"Is... Is that...?"
"Yeah." Trixie nodded. "We held the service in Canterlot, but Trixie buried him here."
"Can I ask why?" Fluttershy moved to stand next to Trixie.
The magician smiled, but it wasn't a very big smile. "This was his favorite bar. No matter how big the crowds got, whenever he wanted to get away from it all he would come here."
Fluttershy didn't really know what to say, so she said nothing. After a while, Trixie spoke again. "Has Applejack told you? About when Trixie's father came to town?"
"I've heard." Although technically, it was Twilight who told her.
"Trixie was there." Trixie smile turned upside down. "Trixie didn't even remember coming to Ponyville until Trixie heard about Apple Bloom. Didn't even remember Dad being interested in Applejack. And why would Trixie? Dad just liked to chase mares, and it gave him an ego boost if he could catch a young, pretty one. Trixie thought that Applejack was just another groupie, that Trixie would never see again."
She hung her head, shaking it slightly, felling shame for someone else's actions. "Trixie didn't know what a terrible thing Dad was doing when we left. Trixie doesn't know how many ponies he did that to. Trixie hopes it was just her and Apple Bloom, but Trixie just... doesn't know!" Tears came, and Fluttershy drew Trixie to her. She needed the hug. "And yet, he wasn't all bad! After the thing with the Amulet, before Trixie won the crowds, he was the only pony who was nice Trixie. He could be impatient sometimes, and something he snapped at Trixie, but that wasn't all the time." The tears became sobs. "Dad would spend hours teaching Trixie tricks, and he never got jealous that T-Trixie could use magic. Tri- I just miss him so much!"
Fluttershy simply held her as she cried.
The next morning, Fluttershy was confident they could make it to the Griffin Kingdom only slightly behind schedule. She turned to the pony next to her. "Are you ready to go, Trixie?"
The unicorn nodded. "I'm ready."