Lunchtime Therapy

by crowscrowcrow

Rating: everyone
Tags: Equestria Girls, Trixie, Octavia, Slice of Life, DJ P0N-3
Length: 7599

To Trixie, the cafeteria is not only an excellent place to fill up her stomach, but it is also a great place to spill her guts after getting robbed in the Battle of the Bands. Time to vent to her best friend .

After the Battle of the Bands concludes in victory for the Rainbooms, all is well again in Canterlot High. The villains have been vanquished, trust in Sunset Shimmer has slowly been restored, and Trixie Lulamoon has yet another thing to add to her long list of 'totally legit' grievances against the world.

Fortunately, she knows just where to go.

To Trixie, the cafeteria is not only an excellent place to fill up her stomach, but it is also a great place to spill her guts after getting robbed in the Battle of the Bands.

Time to vent to her best friend.

Edited by:Phaoray

Published 2016-11-16 04:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-12-08 22:55:27 UTC

Table Talk

It was lunchtime at Canterlot High.

Even when there weren’t any spontaneous musical numbers going on, the place still managed to be obnoxiously loud and annoying.

Almost as loud and annoying as Octavia’s table guest.

Well, that might have been a little confusing. Actually, there were two table guests. One of which she got along with relatively well. Vinyl Scratch, a fellow music enthusiast, to the point of always wearing her headphones, even at lunch. Despite her affinity for loud music, Vinyl herself was agreeably quiet; either because she was mute or because she refused to speak until she figured out how to turn her own voice into dubstep.

Octavia wasn’t much for modern music, preferring the classics, but she could appreciate the art that went into making it all the same.

No, the problem was her other table guest, the one that fortunately only showed up sporadically: whenever she had something to vent about.

“Trixie can’t believe it, Vinyl! Everyone just keeps blabbering on about that stupid siren music contest as if the Rainbooms actually won!” Trixie motioned angrily with her fork. “It’s as if they all conveniently forgot that it was The Great and Powerful Trixie that rightfully won the semi-final! Trixie isn’t sure how they got the judges to say otherwise, but it was an affront, wasn't it?!”

Vinyl replied with her favored method of communication, nonverbally, of course. She nodded.

Octavia busied herself with her plate and did her best to pretend she couldn’t hear Trixie. Where did Trixie even get a fork from? She didn't have a tray with her. Speaking of which... Octavia noticed she only had a knife on her own tray! She was sure she had not made a mistake in selecting cutlery. She shot a glare at Trixie, but said nothing.

No one that Octavia knew liked Trixie. She was a notorious showboat at the best of times, always looking for competition or a chance to talk herself up. She was the type of person that would help you only if she got attention out of it.

While the siren magic had influenced most of the students into acting like complete jerks, it hadn’t escaped anyone’s notice that Trixie had been just her usual self.

“Now if Trixie brings it up people just think she’s a sore loser! Trixie doesn’t know why she even bothers. Every time she makes an effort she gets snubbed for it. It’s the gym incident all over again, you know?” Trixie interrupted her dramatic gesturing for a moment to give a quick glance to Vinyl for confirmation, who nodded.

Everyone knew that back when Sunset Shimmer trashed the gym, Trixie had been among the first to offer to help redecorating, but she lost interest when she wasn’t allowed to put up life-size posters of herself. Who did that?

"Yeah, this was Trixie's big chance." Trixie stabbed the fork into the table with enough force to leave it standing upright if she could ever bring herself to let go of it, anyway. Not that Trixie did; she clutched it even tighter, as though she were trying to choke the life out of it. “If Trixie had won they’d all have to take her seriously again, but nooo it’s all fancy magic light show this and saved the school that! Trixie did fancy magic light shows first! Where is her praise!? Now Trixie’s just a loser like everyone else, again.”

A loser was right.

“Stupid jerks, abandoning Trixie like that...” Trixie seemed to be shimmering down; that was to say, she was merely scratching the fork along the table instead of actively stabbing it.

Octavia bit her tongue. Of course, even the two cronies Trixie had managed to recruit into her band left her as soon as the siren magic wore off. Apparently, Trixie had taken advantage of their magic addled minds, manipulating them to participate in sabotage and… what did trapping a band below the stage till nightfall count as? Kidnapping maybe?

Trixie let go of the fork, leaving it discarded on the table besides what was now clearly a carving of Trixie's own name in cursive. “At least Trixie can always count on you. Did you see that movie Trixie told you about? Wasn’t it great?”

Octavia wondered if Trixie even knew that Vinyl had been the one that freed the Rainbooms. It didn’t matter. Trixie certainly didn’t see it that way if her continued familiarity was any indication. All the while, Vinyl just nodded along with everything Trixie said.

“Hah, Trixie knew it would be your kind of thing. Hey, we should hang out at my house sometime.” She looked over at Vinyl and in sing-song voice to entice her she added, “Trixie has the sequel.”

Vinyl nodded in agreement.

“Great, it’s a date! What say we start around…” Trixie looked down at her watch and squeaked as though she’d seen a ghost. “Gah! It’s this late!? Trixie forgot to get lunch! She can’t be expected to sit through math class on an empty stomach! Trixie would die!” Trixie sprung up, knocking the chair backwards with reckless abandon, straight into some poor guy sitting at the table behind her. “Trixie will talk to you later, alright?” She didn’t wait for a reply as she immediately sped off to make good of the dwindling minutes of lunchtime left.

Vinyl nodded, seemingly undisturbed by the outburst. Perhaps she was already used to Trixie acting this way.

Watching the magician run off, Octavia couldn’t help but notice how much Trixie's mood had changed from when she’d sat down at their table. Before, she was loud, annoying and brooding, now she was cheerful… but still loud and annoying. It had to be some kind of special talent.

Once Trixie was out of earshot, Octavia breathed a long sigh of relief. Peace settled back over their usually quiet table. As much peace as one could have in a school cafeteria anyway, which admittedly wasn’t a whole lot.

From her seat, Octavia could still see Trixie, busily arguing with Granny Smith, the lunch lady, presumably about her right to be served a meal even one minute before classes started again.

“Far be it from me to critique your choice in friends, Vinyl,” Octavia shook her head, “but I fail to grasp how you can tolerate her presence. Not that I am not glad to see you engage with other students… It is just… An unorthodox choice, no?”

Vinyl nodded.

“It’s just, I would hate to see you fall in with a bad crowd.” She tried to look Vinyl in the eye, but all she could see was her own worried expression reflected back in those large sunglasses. How she was allowed to wear them at school was anyone’s guess.

Looking away from herself, her gaze fell upon the Rainboom’s table. Rarity was busy picking confetti out of Sunset’s hair, while Pinkie Pie was reloading a can of it into what looked like… a cannon? Seriously? Forget the Sunglasses; standards in this school were way too loose! Sunset seemed to be laughing it off. “Although… if Sunset Shimmer is getting second chances, I suppose it would be petty of me not to allow Trixie such a benefit… Just be mindful of her antics, and please tell me if she makes you uncomfortable?”

Another nod put Octavia’s worries at ease some.

“If you say so. Now then, what class are you headed to?”

Vinyl nodded.

“That wasn’t a yes or no question, Vinyl.” Octavia sighed and held out her hand. “Show me your agenda, if you please.”

Vinyl nodded, but no agenda was forthcoming.

“Vinyl?”

Vinyl nodded.

“Agenda?”

Vinyl nodded.

“VINYL!”

Vinyl jolted and lifted up one side of her headphones, loud dubstep spilled out as she made a face as if to say ‘what?’

“I asked for your agenda, didn’t you hear?”

Vinyl shook her head with an apologetic smile, then quickly dipped into her backpack, handing Octavia her agenda.

“Thank you,” she said while leafing through it. “So, math? That’s good, we can walk together.” She paused. “Mhm, Trixie did mention she had math as well… I guess… we could walk with her too, considering she too is your friend. It would be impertinent of me to object.”

Vinyl gave her a puzzled look.

“I know, I know… I can’t believe I’m doing this either.” Octavia leaned back and ran a hand through her hair. “I suppose I just didn’t think of Trixie as someone one could get along with.” She admitted while handing the agenda back to Vinyl.

Vinyl pulled out a pen and scribbled on one of the pages then turned it over for Octavia to see.

'Who?'

Author's Note

A short, little experiment with something different.

I've never written the human counterpart of my fav pony Trixie before. Turns out it was just as fun. It's nice to take a break from making sure I write 'hooves' instead of 'hands'... only to be left double checkin the reverse. :rainbowlaugh:

This story's concept was actually fleshed out months ago, I just never actually buckled down to write it. :ajsleepy:

In Passing

It was unusual for Trixie to show up twice in a row, but there she was.

Like last time, Trixie sat across the table from Octavia, robbing her of any chance at a half peaceful lunch. At least she had remembered to bring her lunch this time, but if one thought that would mean even a moment’s respite then one was sorely mistaken.

“So, this Saturday is good for you?” Trixie asked Vinyl in between bites. Apparently, she had yet to notice that her supposed companion was oblivious to her existence.

Octavia had thought to prepare this time. That was to say, she clutched her cutlery the moment she saw Trixie approach. Fortunately, Trixie was preoccupied with her own food. Unfortunately, she didn’t appear to accept the reality that her milkshake had long since run dry. Any hope of the table getting away unscathed today was lost as Octavia dug her fingernails into the tabletop each time Trixie made that loud, strangely-echoey slurping noise of failure.

Every single time, Trixie proceeded to look at her drink as though it was its fault for not magically refilling in the intermittent minute or two.

Vinyl nodded, prompting Trixie to flash an excited smile. “Excellent! Be there at—Hold on, Trixie has decided she will order pizza, are you in? Cool, then be there at six. Not a moment later. You know how Trixie hates to wait.”

Oh, she was going to wait, alright.

Octavia suppressed a smirk.

The problem was clear now. While Vinyl was always nodding along to the beat of her music. Trixie had a tendency to avoid eye contact and announce her every statement as though she were on stage, speaking before some unseen audience. She only glanced at Vinyl when she desired confirmation, and she found it in a nod, but Trixie never actually looked at Vinyl long enough to notice the next rhythmic headbob right after it.

All the world’s a stage, or so the Shakespeare wrote. Trixie did seem like the kind of person who would take that too literally.

“Trixie doesn’t like to brag,” Octavia choked on her noodles, “but she believes you will be impressed with her home entertainment system. It even has color. Of course, The Great and Discerning Trixie could accept nothing that is not at least half as impressive as she is."

Octavia rolled her eyes. A color tv? This day and age it would almost be more impressive if it was still black and white.

"The same goes for the tv couches. They even fold out into a bed. It’s really comfy you know. Trixie can personally vouch for it after she’d had a small incident with her smoke bombs in her bedroom at night." For a brief moment, Trixie faltered, showing just a hint of self awareness. "I-it doesn’t matter what she was doing. So, hey, have you ever wondered what those foldout beds are like?”

Vinyl nodded, obviously.

How Trixie functioned in daily life was beyond Octavia's comprehension. Could a person really live their life without giving anyone the time of day for longer than it took them to agree? Surely, that type of thing would lead to catastrophic misunderstandings, much like this one, actually. Perhaps the experience of getting stood up would teach the selfish magician to pay more attention.

“Well, Trixie normally would not tolerate just anyone, but as a special favor to you... Trixie supposes she could allow you try it out.” She turned away in a haughty pose, trying far too hard to appear disinterested as she carried on. “Of course, you can’t have the true experience if you don’t sleep in it, but surely you would not have time to spend the night, or would you?”

With poorly hidden tension on her face, Trixie peeked as inconspicuously as she could at Vinyl.

Vinyl, of course, nodded.

Then tension visibly drained out of Trixie’s shoulders. She turned her back to Vinyl, not even looking at her at all anymore. “Then it’s settled,” she announced simply, “Trixie will allow you to stay the night. Don’t you dare keep Trixie waiting.” She got up from the table and carried her half-empty tray away.

For someone with a love of the stage, Trixie was a pretty terrible actor. Moreover, one would think that as a magician, Trixie would better understand how to hide things from her audience. While she succeeded in hiding her expressions from Vinyl, she hadn’t paid attention to Octavia.

From Octavia’s angle, the look of sheer joy on Trixie’s face was hard to miss and even harder to forget.

Octavia bit her lip as she watched Trixie practically skip away. What seemed hilarious a minute ago, was now decidedly less so.

“Vinyl,” Octavia said aloud while she turned her back to her mute, head-bobbing companion. “Please, tell me you actually heard all that. Was she talking to a brick wall again?”

Vinyl nodded, and nodded, and nodded, obviously not hearing a thing Octavia was saying either. That suited Octavia just fine. She kept talking anyway.

“Yes… I had expected as much. That girl is an annoying, attention-seeking jerk, but she’s going to be really hurt, isn’t she?”

Vinyl nodded.

Octavia sighed and slowly rubbed her temple. “I’m going to have to tell her, aren’t I?”

Vinyl nodded.

“Oh, sure.” Octavia half-smirked. “Allocate your dirty work to me, mhm? Maybe I should just unplug those headphones of yours and make you do it yourself. On the other hand, at the moment I am the only one who knows. It would be twice as humiliating for her if I inform you too, wouldn’t it?”

Vinyl nodded.

Octavia stared at Vinyl nodding obliviously for a long, lingering moment, then pushed herself away from the table with a resigned sigh. “I can not imagine what she sees in this. I only attempted it for two minutes and you have already convinced me to do something I do not wish to.”

It wasn’t hard to find Trixie. What a surprise.

Near the vending machine, Trixie was munching on crackers; a small package of peanut butter held in her other hand. It struck Octavia as strange, given that Trixie had not even managed to finish her lunch earlier.

Now that she was actually here, Octavia was not quite sure how to proceed. “Trixie? Do you have a moment? I’d like to talk to you.”

That was a lie, Octavia would rather be doing anything else.

Trixie froze midbite, holding half the cracker outside her lips as she gave Octavia a wide-eyed look, like a deer caught in headlights. As Octavia met her gaze, Trixie seemed to grasp that she was in fact being addressed.

Of all the times for her to finally be quiet.

It was an awkward moment for Octavia as they stared at one another without a word, but then the cracker in Trixie’s mouth started to slowly wiggle up and down slightly.

Blinking, Octavia focused on the little snack, then once comprehension set in she glared at Trixie. “Oh, honestly! You are eating? Get rid of that cracker or I'm leaving.”

Raising up one finger between them, Trixie motioned for a moment’s respite, then used that same finger to push the rest of the cracker into her mouth. Perhaps under the very mistaken impression that Octavia wouldn’t notice her chewing if she just did it slowly enough.

“I can not believe I am putting up with this.” Stricken with disbelief, Octavia tapped her foot impatiently. “Will you hurry up? Actually, what am I doing? Vinyl can go take care of this mess herself.” Turning on her heels, she headed back to the cafeteria.

“Vinyl?” Trixie’s voice called from behind. “What about her?”

“She is not your companion,” Octavia said over her shoulder without breaking her stride. “I apologize for my bluntness, but you have squandered my patience.”

“Hey! Get back here!” Trixie skidded past Octavia and blocked her way. “What are you on about?” Trixie looked Octavia up and down. “Trixie remembers you, the one Rainbow Dash blew off stage in the very first round... Octavia, right?”

A vein pulsed on Octavia’s forehead. “Sunset forced us to sit at the same ‘entertainers’ table for most of the school year, and that is how you remember me?”

Trixie adopted her trademarked cocky grin, folding her arms as she leaned back against the cafeteria door. “You should take it as a compliment. The Great and Powerful Trixie is not in the habit of remembering losers.”

Perhaps the most infuriating thing was that Trixie actually looked as though she thought this was a reasonable thing to say. As though Octavia should be grateful that she was remembered at all.

“Did you perchance forget you lost as well?” Octavia mirrored Trixie’s pose, folding her arms as she looked down at the little magician.

That wasn’t even a putdown. Now that Octavia finally stood face to face with Trixie, she couldn’t help but notice the difference. If it wasn’t for the absurdly high heels Trixie wore, they wouldn’t even be able to look each other in the eye.

For someone with such a big ego, Trixie certainly was petite.

“Hah, only by bribery.” Trixie guffawed, holding the back of her hand before her mouth as though she was embarrassed for some imagined blunder on Octavia’s part. “And in the semi-final. That still makes Trixie two wins ahead of your zero. What is zero times a hundred? Oh, right, still zero. That makes Trixie at least a hundred times better than you.”

“I signed up back when it was still a musical showcase. The idea was to demonstrate the appeal of classical music, not some petty popularity contest.” Octavia narrowed her eyes at Trixie. “Perhaps if popularity is so important to you, we ought to attempt to compare the number of friends next, mhm? We’ll see about that hundred times.”

Trixie scowled. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Octavia bit her tongue. Truly, this was not how she imaged this conversation going down in her head. She was supposed to be helping Trixie, not arguing with her. Octavia wasn’t even sure how she could be this easily tilted over a silly contest. Trixie just had this aggravating way of getting to her.

“Ah, you did mention Vinyl,” Trixie puffed up her chest. “You’re jealous. That’s adorable, but you shouldn’t feel threatened. There’s no sense in worrying about things you cannot change, you know? So, please, don’t try to compete with someone so clearly better than you.”

“Yes, jealous; that’s me.” Octavia rolled her eyes. “You are of course aware then that she cannot hear a word you say?”

To Octavia’s surprise, Trixie gave her a very confused look but then started laughing. Really laughing, not that little mocking guffaw.

“Haha, you--you thought? Hah! Oh, haha, my god!” Trixie said, gasping for breath while rubbing a tear out of her left eye while Octavia looked on with equal confusion and annoyance. “Trixie’s sorry, but, hehe, you are such an idiot. Haha!” Trixie broke down fully again.

Octavia’s cheeks burned and she looked around at the few passing students that stopped and stared. She wasn’t used to drawing this much attention to herself, outside of recitals, much less being just straight up laughed at like this.

Clearly, Trixie was perfectly in the know. In hindsight, of course she’d have noticed. Octavia figured it out after two minutes.

With haste, Octavia spun on her heels and headed for her next class, or more accurately, as far away from Trixie’s laughter as she could reasonably get. Octavia could hear Trixie attempt to force out some words between gasps, but apparently it was just so funny that she couldn’t bring herself to form a sentence.

As Octavia turned a corner, Trixie managed to compose herself just long enough to shout after her.

“She’s mute, not deaf!”

Monday Blues

Monday blues, it was a real thing. It was also the only day on which Octavia ever got anything close to actual peace and quiet during lunchtime. Strangely, this Monday was simultaneously both more and less blue at the same time. More, in the sense that it was even quieter than usually, but less in the sense that, as far as Octavia knew, a certain little blue magician had not come to school today.

Octavia poked at her uninspired lunch. She could only imagine that the reason for Trixie’s absence was sitting across from her.

Vinyl bobbed her head rhythmically, blissfully unaware of anything that didn’t sound like it had gone through a robotic blender/dishwasher combo, twice.

After her encounter with Trixie, Octavia had washed her hands of the whole affair. If Trixie wanted to disregard good advice, then Octavia wasn’t going to force the issue. Nor had she told Vinyl about what was going on. Octavia was done with all of it.

It wasn’t her fault that Trixie insisted on setting herself up for disappointment. Obviously that was why Trixie was missing. Well, good. For all Octavia cared, if she ever saw Trixie again it would be too soon.

As though summoned by some sixth sense for the opportunity to aggravate her, Octavia spotted Trixie on the far side of the lunchroom.

Trixie stood half hidden behind the door leading into the cafeteria and was staring right back at Octavia, well, not at Octavia herself. After all, Trixie had made it painfully clear she was beneath her notice. Which left only one other person at the table, Vinyl; who was as blissfully unaware as ever.

“Ah, there she is.” Octavia said to Vinyl, who just nodded along to the beat. Octavia squinted. “I would venture that she is here to deride you for ‘standing her up’ last Saturday. I had hoped she would come to realize the futility on her own.”

Still, that Trixie’s presence had eluded her until only now struck Octavia as strange. Had Trixie been attending school all morning after all? it couldn't be, Trixie always made her presence known one way or another. That was just an inescapable consequence of her boisterous confidence in everything she did.

Trixie didn’t look nearly as confident now.

Octavia couldn’t see her very well from this far away, but it was clear she was conflicted. Trixie would take a tentative step through the door, just to lose confidence and withdraw, disappearing fully behind the door for a minute before she would try again.

“What is she doing?” Octavia wondered aloud. “It’s not like her to be so indecisive.”

Eventually, Trixie disappeared behind the door and didn’t come back out again.

The rest of the day was as uneventful as the morning had been. If Trixie was still in the school building, then Octavia didn’t notice her.

Of course, it wasn’t to last.

When Octavia and Vinyl entered the cafeteria the following day, Trixie was already there, sitting at their regular table, in her regular place. Well, ‘regular’ might not have been the best word for it, given the irregular frequency of Trixie’s visits, but it was the seat next to Vinyl’s regular spot.

As they sat down, Trixie visibly stiffened and glanced over to Vinyl. Without a word, Trixie turned her attention back to her own tray, silently stirring a spoon through her mashed potatoes, though she didn’t eat a bite of it.

Octavia observed Trixie for a time. Normally, the girl rarely sat still long enough to get a good look at her.

The first thing Octavia noticed was that, although diminutive to begin with, Trixie looked much smaller than usual. It wasn’t merely that her downward gaze kept her head lowered, rather than proudly raised. No. While Trixie normally used her arms to claim much of the space around her with wild gestures, now they were nervously tucked in close to her body. Almost as if she was cold.

It was strange to see her so quiet and subdued.

“Are you just going to sit there?” Trixie asked, suddenly.

Octavia startled.

“You owe Trixie an apology.” Trixie said while giving Vinyl an impatient look. She didn’t even seem to notice Octavia, again. “You forgot we had plans, didn’t you?”

Vinyl nodded.

“Ugh, of course you did.” Trixie started sculpting her neglected mashed potatoes with the spoon. “Trixie swears sometimes it is like you don’t listen to a word she says. Well? Are you sorry?”

Vinyl nodded.

“Good. The Generous and Forgiving Trixie will overlook your negligence just this once.”

Barely resisting the sudden urge to headbutt the table, Octavia rolled her eyes. How anyone could be this dense was a question for the ages.

“Any ordinary person would feel terribly betrayed, you know.” Trixie muttered, sounding no less tense than she had from the outset. “You should be grateful that Trixie is so great she immediately deduced the situation correctly and had no desperate need for your phone number. For she would never spend a whole weekend bouncing between sorrow, anger and concern for your safety. You understand?”

Vinyl nodded.

“Though even Trixie would not normally stand for such a heartless insult, she...she...” Trixie went quiet.

An uncharacteristic lull in the conversation prompted Octavia to look over and take stock of the situation. Trixie was taking rapid, shallow breaths. She’d let go of her spoon, leaving the potato star sculpture half unfinished.

“S-she really values you,” Trixie managed to squeak out. “M-maybe she doesn’t say this often enough… but Trixie isn’t sure how she would have gotten by this past year if it wasn’t for you. Nobody else seems to want to listen to her, but Trixie could always talk to you about anything. Do you realize how much that meant to her?”

Vinyl nodded.

“Good. You’re Trixie’s best friend, Vinyl,” Trixie sucked in a shaky breath, “but you didn’t hear a thing Trixie said just now, right?”

Vinyl nodded.
Vinyl nodded.
Vinyl nodded.

Octavia’s chest tightened as, perhaps for the first time, Trixie looked at Vinyl. Really looked at her, not one of those quick glances for confirmation or to check if Vinyl was still there. There was no escaping it now: Vinyl’s rhythmic nodding.

Her eyes glued on Vinyl, Trixie showed a weak, faltering smile. “And you never did?”

Vinyl nodded.
Vinyl nodded.
Vinyl nodded.

“I know… now.” With a whimper, Trixie turned away from Vinyl and slumped down on the table, pushing the tray out of her way. She ran her hands over her head. “The boring girl wasn’t the idiot, after all… right?”

Vinyl nodded.

If Trixie wasn’t so pitiful, Octavia might have taken offense to that. As it was though, it struck her less as an insult and more as Trixie conceding the point, in her own aggravating little way.

“Maybe Trixie should pull those stupid headphones off.” Looking over at Vinyl, Trixie rested her head on one arm and muttered. “Trixie would make you listen to her. Maybe we’ll be friends for real. Or maybe. Maybe you’ll be like everyone else?”

Vinyl nodded.

Trixie looked at the headphones and reached out her free hand. However, halfway towards them her hand trembled and she pulled back. Staring at her shaking hand, Trixie grumbled something under her breath that Octavia couldn’t make out, but it seemed to be directed at herself.

“Trixie’s never gonna know.” Trixie sighed, looking up at Vinyl. “Maybe that’s okay. She’d rather not know if it could have been real. She’s okay with just… thinking so. It’s your loss, really. You’d have loved the Great and Powerful Trixie for a best friend, right?”

Vinyl nodded.

“Yeah, thought so.” She gave a sad chuckle then got up from the table. The guy behind her flinched. “It was nice to think I had a friend I could talk to. So, thanks… for listening… or, well, for not listening, I guess.”

Despite Trixie’s attempt at putting up a brave front, her voice was shaky. It was obvious to Octavia that she was on the verge of tears.

Trixie turned away. “G-goodbye.”

Rubbing her sleeve along her face, Trixie walked off.

Before Octavia even realized what she was doing she stretched out a hand and called after her. “Trixie, wait!”

Octavia couldn’t let it end like this. Trixie was clearly hurt and without Vinyl she had nobody to talk to about it. If all Trixie really needed was a listening ear, then it wasn’t as if letting Trixie talk to her was all that different from being at the table every time she spoke to Vinyl.

Trixie froze mid step. She rubbed her eyes with her sleeve quickly then looked back with a surprised look on her reddened face. “What? Where did you come from?”

“Me?” Octavia blinked. “I’m always here. I, I was listening an—”

"Huh..." Trixie rubbed the back of her head. "You blend in with the background so well, Trixie must not have noticed you at all. Anyways, stop listening in like a perverted lawn gnome from now on. What do you want? Trixie is busy."

“I, well, I...” Octavia faltered.

In the following moment of stillness between them, Octavia reconsidered. Was this really a good idea? It wasn’t a fluke that everyone Trixie actually spoke to dropped her like a bad habit. Her longest lasting relationship had been with what had been in essence a deaf yesman. A yesman that Trixie couldn’t even be bothered to speak to unless she needed something.

Trixie obviously needed someone to talk to but… did it have to be her?

Even if by some miracle this worked, what would it even be like to have ‘The Great and Powerful’ Trixie as a friend? Octavia had exactly one interaction with her and within minutes Trixie had dragged them both into the centre stage, with everybody staring at them. That kind of attention Octavia only wanted when she was performing.

Oh, gosh, what about when she was performing? Trixie was so socially tonedeaf that if she was in the audience when Octavia was performing a recital, she would probably cheer for her! Utterly unaware of the disapproving stares she’d get and embarrass Octavia to death! She’d be ousted from any further chances to perform!

Octavia slowly lowered her hand back down to the table.

This was social suicide.

Through Octavia’s crisis of faith, Trixie had been quietly standing there, staring back at her. Waiting, or, perhaps, hoping.

Octavia averted her eyes. “...You forgot your tray.”

Trixie glanced down at the forgotten tray on the table. “Oh… right.” With an almost robotic stiffness, she picked up the tray. “Thanks. Trixie wouldn’t want to cause,” her eyes darted to Octavia, “another mess.” After lingering just a moment, she turned away again and walked off.

Octavia slumped in her chair, despite not having moved a muscle, she felt as though she’d run a marathon. Her heart was thumping in her chest and sweat pooled in her palms as she watched Trixie’s retreat. “...She wasn’t talking about the tray, was she?”

Vinyl nodded.

Solitaire

Trixie slouched down against her favorite tree. Her new companion was already there. “Ah, greetings. Eager to see Trixie again, huh?” She chuckled.

It had been over a month since Trixie set foot in the cafeteria. That wasn’t to say she hadn’t had any lunch, of course. Trixie would sooner be dead than hungry. It did, however, mean she had to find a different place to spend the lunch break.

Not that she was avoiding anyone.

"Trixie saw Vinyl in the hall today. She held open a door for Trixie." She chuckled weakly. “Nice of her to finally notice me.”

Fortunately, it just so happened that Canterlot High had what Trixie could charitably describe as a small park on it’s grounds. Perhaps ‘park’ was too generous a word to give to a fenced-off handful of trees and bushes, but it suited Trixie’s purposes just fine.

It wasn’t so much the park itself that she preferred as it was the seclusion it provided. Even in the pitiful excuse for a park, she could find some privacy by virtue of the unkept leafy bushes to the side, blocking out the view of the school.

“I-it’s stupid,” Trixie rubbed her eyes with her sleeve, “but at least she knows Trixie exists, you know?”

Coincidently, 'Just fine' were exactly the words Trixie would use to describe how she’d been since parting ways with her ‘best friend’. Sure, it had been a little hard at first, but it wasn’t as though she’d tried to sit at different tables and was asked to leave with varying amounts of clarity. Absolutely not. She didn’t want to sit with those losers anyway.

It hadn't even taken her long to find a new friend. Trixie was popular like that.

“Trixie had something in her eye...Shut up.” She grumbled and waved dismissively at her companion. “Of course Trixie knows that it’s not really about Vinyl. Trixie never missed Vinyl, just having someone to talk to. That’s why Trixie graces you with her presence, even though you are as dull as a rock.”

On the other side of the small clearing, among some loosely scattered rocks, Trixie’s companion these past few weeks stood: A friendly smiley face, carved in the bark of the opposing tree. If anyone asked, it had always been there and Trixie was not in any way responsible for it.

“Anyway! Let's see what we’ve got then,” Trixie said while popping open her lunchbox. “Oh, peanut-butter sandwich, excellent. Trixie approves of this.” Her face turned sour as she lifted out a juice box with two fingers as though it was a dirty sock. “Really now, apple? Trixie is not some farmer.”

The smiley face smiled at her.

“No, Trixie isn’t sharing. You should have brought your own.” Trixie smirked. “Flattery will get you nowhere with Trixie. She is not giving you any without at least a milkshake in trade.” By way of demonstration, she took a big bite and smugly chewed it. Not an easy task to pull off, but she was well practiced.

The smiley face smiled at her.

In the silence that resulted from Trixie having her mouth full, she stared at her self-made companion. Without her own chatter to drown out her thoughts, Trixie’s brave face faltered. She chewed gradually slower until she just about stopped.

She hated this.

Quickly swallowing, Trixie chucked her juice box over at the tree. “Fine, have it. Trixie never wanted this, anyway.”

The smiley face smiled at her.

“Yes, yes. Trixie is too good for you. Too good for anyone.” Trixie put the sandwich down and sighed, looking up through the canopy. “...It is too quiet here.”

“My sentiment exactly.” A vaguely familiar voice answered.

Trixie startled and pointed her most deadly weapon, her lunchbox, toward the talking, rustling bush. “Who’s there!? Reveal yourself or Trixie will, uh, use this!.”

After a moment, a dull-colored figure emerged from it.

“Ah, the boring girl.” Trixie surmised. “What are you doing here? Before you start, Trixie knows trees can’t hear her either. Thanks a lot. Don’t you have someone else you can annoy?”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “You are familiar with what is said of glasshouses, yes?” she asked while taking off her backpack, setting it down against the smiling tree. “Do you mind?” Without actually waiting for a response, she sat down against it.

“Oh, sure. It’s fine.” Trixie gave her a disapproving glare. “Trixie won’t even know you are there.”

“Could you, perchance, not?” Octavia asked while rummaging through her bag.

“Not what?” Trixie raised a curious eyebrow.

“I didn’t think so,” Octavia said while unpacking her own lunch, which seemed to consist of the regular cafeteria food.

It led Trixie to think Octavia must have bought it inside before coming to find her, which meant this was no coincidence.

“Here.” Octavia interrupted Trixie's thoughts and held out a soft drink cup towards her. “Consider this my peace offering.”

“For what?” Trixie asked, suspiciously.

“Spying on you, I suppose,” Octavia answered, but when Trixie gave her a look of horror she quickly clarified. “While you were talking to Vinyl, I mean! Not, not whatever it is you are thinking.”

“Right...” Trixie eyed Octavia warily, but she still reached out and took the cup. It felt cold. “A milkshake?” She gave Octavia a confused look.

“You always get those. I assumed you would miss them.”

That was true. Though it still left Trixie wondering how Octavia could know that. “This is not helping your ‘I am totally not a stalker’ case, you know?”

Octavia’s face flushed red. “It’s not like that! I—you know what, this was a foolish idea. Give it back if you don’t want it!” She reached out toward the cup.

“Hey! No take backs!” Trixie quickly pulled it out of her reach. “Trixie didn’t say she didn’t want it!”

After ensuring that Octavia wasn’t making a lunge for her, Trixie took a moment to enjoy her victory while it was still cold. It tasted every bit as good as Trixie remembered.

Trixie was halfway done with the cup before remembering she had a guest. “Oh, uh, thanks. I guess…”

Octavia had procured a drink of her own while Trixie had been preoccupied. She looked up from her cup. “You’re welcome.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes while she gave Octavia an appraising look. “Now, what do you want?”

“How are you?” Octavia asked.

Trixie blinked. “Uh, just fine?”

“You call This,” Octavia gestured around off limits park, then pointed at the carved face above her, “just fine? If you hadn’t admitted from the outset that you know the tree can’t hear you, I would have assumed you’d gone mad. Are you going to do this the rest of the school year? What do you do when it rains?”

“Hah, of course not. This is only temporary!” Trixie announced proudly. “Trixie is merely biding her time; she has the perfect plan to turn it all around. Also, Trixie doesn’t come here when it's raining, obviously.”

“You have a plan?” Octavia asked with a skeptical tone to her voice that Trixie found most offensive. “Your last one involved trying every table with an open spot… that didn’t… well….” She looked hesitant to mention the result.

“Yes, yes, they all hate Trixie,” Trixie said with a dismissive wave. “Same thing happened to Sunset Shimmer.”

“Only for a few weeks or so,” Octavia commented. “Sunset’s reputation has improved.”

“But Trixie’s hasn’t, right? That’s what you are trying to say?” Trixie said, venomously, causing Octavia to look away. “Trixie noticed, thanks. It’s because Sunset won the ‘Battle of the Bands’ contest. Trixie should have won that one. If they hadn’t cheated, Trixie would be popular now!”

Octavia gave Trixie a bemused look. “As popular as one could be in a world ruled by magical fish-horses, surely.”

“Oh… I guess.” Trixie soothed that burn with some more cold, delicious milkshake. Thus strengthened, she resumed her tirade. “Anyway! It’s obvious that winning makes Trixie popular. Even better if she defeats some terrible foe while she’s at it, right?”

Octavia nodded.

“What big event is happening this next week?” Trixie questioned but didn’t wait for Octavia to answer her. “The Friendship Games!”

Octavia’s eyes widened. “Now hold on, you--”

“Trixie will crush Crystal Prep!” Trixie exclaimed excitedly and threw her arms out in a grand gesture. “Everybody will love Trixie! It’s perfect!”

Octavia didn’t appear to share her enthusiasm. “You do realize we have never won that event?”

“Do you realize The Great and Powerful Trixie has never participated? Coincidence? I think not!”

The sheer radiant awesomeness of Trixie’s plan must have been too much for Octavia to handle because she was covering her face with both hands.

Trixie had herself a victory sip. Of course, she had already shared this plan with the smiley tree, but it felt good to get to talk to someone who would actually react.

“I… I am at a loss of where to even start.” Octavia finally managed to recollect herself. “Did you make the team?”

“What team?”

“The Friendship Games team!” Octavia exclaimed. “Did you even signup on the form?”

“Trixie didn’t see any sign-up form.”

“It’s right there in the cafeteria.”

As soon as Octavia said it, comprehension set in over Trixie’s paling face. She hadn’t set foot in there for a month.

“...Oh…” Trixie slumped back against her tree. “...I see…”

“I apologize,” Octavia shifted uncomfortably. “I never meant to be the bearer of bad news each time we speak. It must be hard for you.”

Trixie had to wonder if this was true. Perhaps it was deliberate after all, Octavia could just enjoy kicking her when she was down. What other reason was there for her to keep seeking her out. To deliver milkshakes? Hah.

No, the true reason, Trixie suspected, was a far greater insult than mere mockery.

Octavia felt sorry for her!

“Trixie believes you,” she grumbled. “Now if you are done treading upon Trixie’s soul, maybe you can take your little pity party and leave Trixie alone. The Great and Powerful Trixie only inspires awe! Awe and admiration! Not, not whatever this is.” She averted her gaze, glowering at a nearby bush.

“What?” Octavia blinked, clearly taken off guard. “I-I’m not here simply out of pity, Trixie.”

“Oh, yeah? Then what did you come here for!?”

“I’m not certain,” Octavia admitted.

“Oh, good. That’s reassuring.” Trixie groaned and returned her attention to the drinking straw; a much more worthy investment of her attention.

“I am certain I do not like you any more than you like me,” Octavia continued, drawing Trixie’s ireful gaze, “but I think I dislike getting what I wanted more. Careful what you wish for, I suppose?”

“Feel free to start making sense any time now.” Trixie gave her an offhanded wave.

Octavia refused to look at Trixie, instead letting her eyes rest on the drink in her own hands. “I guess… It’s too... boring? Do not misunderstand, I am quite pleased with my life the way it is, but it is rather mundane. The occasional magical mind control notwithstanding.”

“Is this about Trixie calling you the ‘boring girl’? Because Trixie assures you that wasn’t a value judgment on your life. You just look boring.”

“Stop. Stop trying to help, or to drive me off; I honestly cannot even tell which it is with you.” Octavia held her eyes closed while rubbing her temple. “I am attempting to convey the contrast. Every now and then you used to show up unannounced and spin this crazy story about how whatever you did this time blew up in your face. It was loud and annoying, but hearing about your turbulent life? All the things that go wrong for you? I, well, I suppose it also helped me appreciate the stability of my own life.”

“Oh, Trixie is pleased to hear she could inject some flair into your otherwise dull existence.” Trixie didn’t put much thought in the reply; she was much more preoccupied with the fact that Octavia had described her as ‘helping’ at least twice. “Still, eavesdropping is not a thing Trixie can appreciate.”

“You are a rather difficult person to ignore.”

Trixie smirked. “Trixie will take that as a compliment.”

“Of course you would.” Octavia sighed. “See here, do you wish to ‘hang out’ at lunch, or not?”

Trixie blinked. “That’s what you were talking about?”

“Yes. Very astute,” Octavia said while she got up and dusted off her clothes. “I am not saying we’ll be friends, but we can at least both get something out of this. No strings attached. Unless of course, you actually prefer this,” Octavia motioned to the smiley tree, “to me. I wouldn’t hold it against you.”

“No strings, huh?” Trixie asked, holding her cup with both hands while she looked up at Octavia.

“Unless you like there to be strings?” Octavia said, reaching out a hand towards Trixie, “I promise nothing, but we could always see where things lead.”

“Heh, you promise nothing, huh?” Trixie reached up and grabbed Octavia’s hand. “The Great and Powerful Trixie needs nothing.”

“I am regretting this already.” Octavia pulled Trixie up. “Is it too late to back out of this?”

Trixie nodded.

Author's Note

THE END

Thanks for reading folks. This was a fun little diversion.
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. :rainbowdetermined2:

Oh, how did things turn out for Octavia and Trixie?
By the looks of things... Just Fine. :raritywink: