Of Maids and Mistresses

It was already past noon by the time Future Twilight started to wake up, and she cursed Past Twilight silently. Her neck hurt, and her body felt sort of stiff, but it was nothing compared to the pounding in her head. On top of that, she could feel a weight pushing down upon her chest. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the light.

“Ughh... I had the weirdest dream,” she muttered as she rubbed her eyes.

She looked up, blinked, and then rubbed her eyes again, but the image of Trixie smiling down at her lovingly did not fade. Instead, the other mare kissed her on the forehead, before cuddling up, rubbing her cheek against Twilight’s. The showmare’s mane was quite messy, but that only added a certain sex appeal Twilight found hard to describe. It just constantly made her think about the best parts of last night.

“Not a dream?” the purple unicorn asked silently.

“Not a dream,” Trixie confirmed, “are you having second thoughts?” She looked down at Twilight with concern in her eyes, biting down upon her lower lip.

“Not at all,” Twilight reassured her as she pulled her into a tender kiss, her hooves ruffling through Trixie’s hair. “But I just found out that I love you, that I’m a fillyfooler AND that we had sex... I’m still a little surprised.”

Trixie grinned. “Well, you better get used to it fast, Twilight Sparkle... Magic tricks aren’t the only thing Trixie is exceptionally good at.” She winked, and Twilight felt her cheeks flush, a little shiver running down her spine. She suddenly realised they were still in the library, so if Spike had already unlocked the door...

Spike.

“Oooohhhh, dear,” Twilight said with a groan, “I need to get to Fluttershy’s right away.”

“Who?” Trixie said as she used the tip of her hoof to lazily trace patterns across Twilight’s coat, not intent on letting her new marefriend go anywhere just yet.

“Fluttershy. You know, the yellow mare who...” Twilight paused, as she racked her brains for memories of the last time Trixie had come to town. “... who you’ve never seen before in your life, right.” She pushed a hoof up against her forehead, as if that would miraculously cure her headache. “She’s a timid pegasus who likes caring for animals... Spike said that’s where he was going.”

“We don’t need him here,” Trixie said, “just the two of us, together, is ideal to Trixie. And it sounds like your friend Fluttershy will take good care of the... dragon.” She nearly spit out that last word.

Twilight sat up a bit straighter, as she shook her head. “No, I can’t just leave him there. I was the one who hatched him, and he’s been my number one assistant for ages... I need to at least go see if he’s alright.”

“But he’s such a bother,” Trixie whined.

Twilight glared at Trixie, until the showmare sighed and got off of her. The purple unicorn got up and pressed a soft kiss on Trixie’s cheek. “I’ll go, you stay here and prepare lunch, ok?”

“Well, Trixie really thinks you shouldn’t...”

“Trixie...” Twilight said as she rolled her eyes.

“But Twilight, Trixie is just trying to-”

“Look, I finally admitted I love you, but you’ll just have to learn to get along with Spike,” Twilight said as she strode towards the door, “just like he’ll have to learn to get along with you. He’s my assistant, you’re my marefriend, end of discussion.”

“Yes, fine, but-” Trixie tried again, but Twilight had already vanished out of the door. “But you look like you haven’t combed your mane in a week, and you smell like sex and... Trixie,” she finally concluded with a sigh. She shrugged.

At least they wouldn’t have to worry about how and when to make their relationship public.

***

Twilight was immensely relieved when she finally crossed the bridge out of town. Everypony kept staring at her for some reason, and it made her feel really uncomfortable. She didn’t mind it when Trixie was with her, she just hadn’t expected the showmare’s reputation to brush off on her like that. It was possible that wasn’t it at all, of course, but she couldn’t for the life of her think of a different reason that made even the slightest bit of sense. At least the fresh air had done her headache good.

She crossed the second bridge leading up to Fluttershy’s cottage, and made her way over to the front door. She took a deep breath as she knocked on the door, mentally preparing what to say. It took a few moments, but finally the door opened slightly, and Fluttershy peeped out.

“Yes? Oh, it’s you Twilight,” she said as she pushed the door open further. She was finally able to take a good look at Twilight, and her eyes widened. “Oh my...”

Twilight stood up on the tips of her hooves, trying to look into the house over Fluttershy’s head. She managed to spot a few random animals, but Spike was nowhere to be found. “Hey Fluttershy, did Spike come here yesterday, by any chance?”

The pegasus looked over her shoulder, then stared down at the ground uncomfortably. “Euhm... yes.”

Twilight sighed in relief. “Well then, could you go get him for me?”

Fluttershy hesitated, as she scratched at the ground with a hoof. “He... he doesn’t want to see you, Twilight...” she said almost inaudibly.

“What?” Twilight said in surprise, before chuckling softly. “Hehe, I think I misheard you there, for a moment I thought you said he didn’t want... to...” she started to say, but she fell silent as Fluttershy shook her head. “Wait he... he really doesn’t want to see me?”

Fluttershy nodded, cringing slightly. She really, really didn’t want to do this to her friend, but she didn’t want to betray Spike’s trust, either. On top of that, she kinda agreed with the baby dragon, especially considering Twilight’s current condition.

“At least tell me why,” Twilight demanded, but Fluttershy shook her head. Twilight bowed through her knees and turned her head, trying to meet Fluttershy’s eyes, but the pegasus just turned her head away. “Tell me!”

“Y... you really want to know?” Fluttershy said in a little voice. Twilight nodded, and the other mare took in a big breath, before letting an entire flood of words out in one go. “You invited Trixie to live with you without even asking if he was ok with that and then you kept taking Trixie’s side in every debate and so Spike feels ignored and he doesn’t like Trixie and he’s afraid it will continue to get worse and then he saw the two of you making out and he decided he was just a third wheel so he doesn’t want to see you for a while.”

Fluttershy panted, and Twilight blinked several times.

“That’s not true at all! I didn’t ignore him, I tried to get both of them to get along,” Twilight said in frustration.

“Yet every time he disappeared, you stuck with Trixie instead of looking for him,” Fluttershy said in a reprimanding manner, standing up a bit taller.

Twilight recoiled slightly. “That’s... I thought he needed some space,” she said defensively.

“He didn’t then, but he does now, so just leave him here. I’ll take good care of him, you know I will,” Fluttershy said soothingly.

“I’m taking him with me,” Twilight said as she tried to slip past Fluttershy, but to her great surprise the pegasus pushed her back, standing up tall and spreading her wings to block off the door.

“Now you listen here, Twilight, he doesn’t want to see you. What’s more, you aren’t fit to care for an infant right now,” she said severely.

“But-”

“No buts, missy!” Fluttershy cut her off harshly, and Twilight shrunk back under her commanding gaze. “You were making out in the middle of the library, where Spike could walk in at any time, and now you come here with your mane all messed up and alcohol on your breath, smelling like some animal in heat! I can’t, in good conscience, trust you with the care of a baby dragon when you’d obviously rather be spreading your legs for this Trixie character right now.”

Twilight was too shocked for words. She combed a hoof through her hair, and then lowered her head to sniff at her own coat. Her mane really was messed up, and she could very clearly make out Trixie’s scent on herself. For other ponies, it probably hung around her like a cloud. She slapped a hoof against her forehead and groaned. So that was what Trixie had tried to warn her about. She sighed; it was hardly fair to ask Spike to trust Trixie if she didn’t give the mare the benefit of the doubt herself. She’d have to apologise when she got back.

“I don’t know if you love this mare or if you just needed a good bucking, Twilight,” Fluttershy continued, “but as long as Spike doesn’t want to go back, I’m not going to let you make him. Are we clear?”

Twilight sighed again, and nodded. “Crystal,” she said. “And if you really want to know... Yes, I do love her. She... she’s my marefriend, now...”

Fluttershy’s expression turned back to one of kindness and understanding, as she put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “I’m so happy for you two, Twilight. You’ve made a lot of friends since you got here, but what you really needed was a soulmate, I could tell.”

“R-really?” Twilight stuttered. “Well, I did feel lonely at times, even with all my friends around, but...”

“Yes, really,” Fluttershy said as she nodded sagely. “Why don’t you just enjoy life for a bit, and leave Spike to me? You’re like his mother in a lot of ways, and it’s hard for him to accept that he has to share you now. Owloysius was one thing, but now you’ve gone and accepted somepony into your life that he just can’t compete with. You have got to understand why he needs some time to come to terms with that, don’t you?”

Twilight bit her lip, and nodded reluctantly. “You promise to take good care of him?”

Fluttershy beamed. “You can count on me to meet all his needs, Twilight, I promise.”

“Alright,” Twilight said as she took a step backwards and prepared to start the return trip, “I guess I can leave it up to you then. Please tell Spike I’m not mad at him, he can take all the time he needs, and Trixie and I will be waiting for him at the library. Now if you’ll excuse me I... I really need to shower.”

Fluttershy waved her friend farewell, going back inside and closing the door as Twilight finally crossed the bridge and rounded the corner, where the trees hid her from sight. She’d have looked after Spike anyway, of course, but now she’d really do everything in her power to take care of him. She simply couldn’t disappoint Twilight, not after shouting her down like that.

She felt a little bit bad about that, but at the same time she smiled on the inside. Twilight, of all ponies, had a marefriend? Fluttershy had thought nopony would ever manage to steal Twilight’s heart away from her books and studies, but today that had finally happened. Trixie had to be a very special mare indeed, and Fluttershy was certain Spike’s claims were exaggerated when it came to her. Twilight would never fall in love with a pony who didn’t have a good heart. She frowned; her friend just had to find a good balance between the conflicting elements in her life. And learn some discretion, of course. Running through town with a bedroom mane like that...

“Oh Spike,” she called out, “do you want some gems?”

She smiled. This’d be a piece of cake. Twilight had nothing to worry about.

***

Having been made aware of how scandalous she looked, Twilight’s second walk of shame through the town proved to be especially humiliating, and she was blushing profusely by the time the library appeared within view. She could’ve teleported around, of course, but since she could only make short hops to places within sight (unless she just jumped randomly), that would’ve garnered even more attention to herself. There’d already be enough rumours floating around after today.

As she approached the door, she heard her marefriend yell inside, and she froze for a second. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is not in the least bit obliged to answer to the two of you! Her private life is not on display for a bunch of foals, it is none of your business.”

“Hold on there, sugarcube, ya’ll be getting involved with our friend, so I reck’n that makes it our business,” Applejack said.

“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash concurred. “Still on about that ‘great and powerful’ stuff? You’re nothing but a loudmouth, Trixie.”

“We don’t take kindly to yer kind around here,” Applejack added.

Twilight finally opened the door, as she burst into the library. Three pairs of pony eyes locked onto her in an instant, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash quickly sped over to her. Applejack didn’t pay any attention to her friend’s appearance, but Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow.

“Twilight, please tell me ya’ll thought very carefully about this,” Applejack said, “ah’m not sure ah trust Trixie’s motives.”

“She’s just using you for an evil plot to get back at Ponyville, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said as she pointed a hoof at Trixie. “But why do you look like you flew through a hurricane? And you smell like... like...” She gasped, as she glanced from Trixie to Twilight. “You didn’t!”

“Yes we did,” Trixie yelled triumphantly as she jumped in front of Twilight, “so why don’t you two turn around, and take a hike? You’re not needed here.”

“Trixie...” Twilight reprimanded.

“Twilight, we know you have your, uh... needs,” Rainbow Dash said awkwardly as she flew up above Trixie, “but Trixie is just using those to get to you!”

Twilight shook her head. “Look, I know it may sound weird after what happened last time, but I... I really love Trixie. If you just gave her a chance...”

Applejack wanted to say something, but Trixie cut her off, as she drew Twilight in for a kiss. Twilight was momentarily too stunned to react, and Dash glared at them.

“Come on AJ,” she said as she flew down towards the door, throwing Twilight foul looks. “We’re obviously not wanted here.”

Applejack hesitated for a moment, but then followed Rainbow Dash, throwing one last look over her shoulder before she stepped out of the door. Trixie looked back as well, smiling at Applejack cockily as Twilight tried to catch her breath.

“W-what was that for?” she finally managed to say when they were alone again.

Trixie stepped away, falling down onto the sofa and hiding her face in her hooves. “It just keeps happening,” she said softly, “Trixie always felt so weak, helpless... until she stood on stage... and now, Trixie just can’t...”

The purple unicorn walked over to Trixie’s side, and softly stroked her mane. “Oh love, it’ll take some time, but they’ll come around eventually.”

Trixie shook her head, then looked up at Twilight with tear-filled eyes. “You don’t understand... If Trixie had just been nice to them... But Trixie can’t do it. Trixie can’t take off this damn mask...”

Twilight smiled sympathetically at the other mare, as she embraced her. She kissed Trixie’s cheek, and suddenly an idea came to her. “Wait... that’s it! You’re stuck in a role, right? So what if we replace it with a different role? One on the other side of the spectrum? Maybe you’d be able to find a balance between the two.”

Trixie dried her eyes, and frowned. “Trixie isn’t sure she gets what you mean...”

Twilight let go of her, and started to pace around enthusiastically. “We’ll need to go see my friend Rarity. Hopefully she’ll uh... forgive you for the green mane thing...”

The blue unicorn stood up as well. “Trixie isn’t sure what this is all about... but she does know one thing.”

“Yes?”

“You still need to take a bath.”

Twilight smiled sheepishly. She couldn’t believe she’d almost forgotten again.