...farther from the limelight...

"Thank you, thank you!" shouted Trixie, as she finished her show with a flourish, setting off the last of her fireworks and standing in a heroic pose on her improvised stage. "The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you for your patronage! She will be here all week!" There was scattered, reluctant hoof-stomping from the few ponies still in attendance, as most of them had wandered off long ago. Some did throw a few bits onto her stage as they left, and her heart sank at the low number, but she kept up a brave face and a smile and repeated, "Thank you all!"

She waited until all had left (which wasn't long) and quickly gathered up all the money, making sure she got every coin. Then and only then did she let her face fall, stowed the few bits into her cape, then set about disassembling her stage. All throughout her performance, she'd hoped her stomach rumblings hadn't been heard over her many tricks, light shows, and fireworks, but now that the show was over she could finally settle down and get something to eat. Stowing away her cape and hat and locking up her wagon, she ventured into the Town proper, looking for a cheap restaurant or an inn. Her budget was tight, but she simply couldn't face another evening of old, roasted carrots or thin porridge.

Ever since the fiasco in Ponyville, she'd been forced to stick to more and more remote towns in Equestria, on the off chance nopony had heard of her disgrace. But it seemed that even out here, news traveled fast, so that sometimes she was denied entrance to a town by the Mayor even before she could set up, as she was immediately recognized. This stung more than she cared to admit to herself, for though she loved the life on the Road, and thoroughly enjoyed her own company...it still rankled to be rejected out of hoof before given a chance! She was sure she could regain her reputation for after all, she is still The Great and Powerful Trixie!...but...here she was...in this backwater town whose name she'd already forgotten...looking for a place that would serve her enough cheap food to quiet her stomach for one night...

As she was slowly trotting along, trying to ignore her cramping stomach, she saw a sight that made her eyes widen. On the corner, under a streetlight, stood a couple of laughing mares. But that wasn't what caused her to stop still and stare, it was how they were dressed. All of them were wearing either tiny skirts or skin-tight shorts, thigh-high stockings or socks, as well as far too much makeup! She ducked back around the corner and peeked around it to watch them, her hunger forgotten for the moment.

Very soon, a stallion came up to them, and she watched as they giggled and flirted with him, then one of them nodded and walked off with him, leaving little doubt in her mind as to their..."profession." Trixie turned back away from the sight and slid to a sitting position with her back against the wall, as thoughts of her..."encounter" with a certain stallion a year ago came unbidden into her mind. Her wagon had been on the verge of breaking down, her last performances had only netted her a hoofful of bits, she hadn't had a bite of fresh fruit in weeks, so she'd done what she had to do. With the money she'd..."earned"...she'd repaired her wagon, restocked her supplies, treated herself to some farm-fresh produce...and tried to forget.

But, she couldn't.

She looked around the corner again, studying the faces of the mares who were left. Obviously, they did this on the regular, yet they didn't seem troubled in the least! Maybe...maybe it took a certain mindset, or maybe they were...damaged in some way? Far from being a prude, Trixie had very much enjoyed the occasional bedsport as much as any mare...but to do it with total strangers? For...for...money?! She...she had to know why!

And so, taking a deep breath, she got to her hooves and slowly approached them. The two mares watched her coming, then smirked at her. "Well, hello, sweetie! You're really cute... and you look like you haven't had a nice, warm body in your bed in a while!"

Trixie drew herself up proudly. "That is not why Trixie is here!" she said with an indignant sniff. Immediately, their demeanor changed.

"Yeah?" one scoffed, as her face grew hard. "Then take a hike, loser; you're scaring off the paying customers!"

Trixie backed off a few paces, then said, "Tr...Trixie only wanted to ask a few...questions..."

She rounded on her. "About what?! About us?! What do you think we're doing out here, running a gossip column?! Beat it!!"

As she turned to go, the other hooker said, "Hey, wait a second...I know you: you're that magician that just came into town, aren't you?"

She looked back over her shoulder. "Y...yes, that is I...the...ahem," she turned around, "The Great and Powerful Trixie!" While the second one just stared, the first one broke into derisive laughter.

"Are you kidding?! You're the biggest joke in Equestria! Everypony knows about you and your little "performance" back in Ponyville! How you can still show your face in public is beyond me!" Still laughing, she nudged her friend. "Come on, Brandi, let's go find another corner. This one's got "loser-vibes" all over it!"

Brandi frowned at her friend and said, "I'll...be right with you, Joy, I...want to talk to her for a bit..."

Joy looked at them both with disgust. "Fine. But if you miss your quota tonight, don't expect me to cover for you with Slick." So without another word, she flicked her tail in her face and sauntered off.

Trixie watched her go, then said in a small voice, "Trixie is sorry if she caused trouble between you and your friend."

But Brandi just smiled and waved a hoof. "Don't worry about it. Me and Joy go back a long way. She's really sweet once you get to know her." At the look on the other mare's face, she said, "No, really, she is! She's gotten me out of trouble plenty of times! I probably wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for her..." At that moment, Trixie's stomach chose to growl, and her face went beet red. Brandi said, "Umm...why don't we find somewhere a bit more private to talk? I know a place that makes the best hayburgers and fries!"

Trixie stuck her nose in the air. "Trixie...is...not hungry..."

Brandi smiled. "Well, I am! Shall we go?" Trixie sighed.

"If you insist."

She could smell the food when they came within a block of the restaurant, and as soon as they went through the doors, it was all she could do to keep from openly salivating. The place was bustling with customers of all ages and to Trixie's famished eyes, all of them were sitting before tons of food...all of them happy and smiling, seemingly without a care in the world. One of the cooks looked up and saw Brandi come in, beamed at her, and waved. "Hey, Brandi, sweetheart! You're in early tonight!"

She smiled and waved back. "Hey, Joe...yeah, I brought a friend in." She glanced briefly back at her and added, "Give us two of your "Monster Specials" with all the works, and a quiet booth if you've got one left!"

With a toothy grin, he said, "Sure thing, babe!" He reached up and popped the bell on the counter. "Mabel! Git Brandi and her friend a booth in the back! Chop! Chop!"

A greying mare, with several orders still in her hooves, yelled back, "Gimme a second!" Setting the orders down on the tables, she quickly bustled up to the two and said, "Hi, Brandi!" Then she stopped and her brow lowered as she stared at the unicorn. "Hey...don't I know this one?"

Trixie began with, "Trixie is The Great---" but that is as far as she got before she was cut off.

"She's just somepony that needed a friend tonight, Mabel," said Brandi with a smile. "...and we're starving, so how about that booth?"

Mabel raised an eyebrow as she spared another suspicious glance at the unicorn, then back to her friend. "You're too sweet, hon. It's gonna get you into trouble." She sighed. "Follow me..." Wending their way through the restaurant, (and ignoring a few hostile stares) they finally arrived at a booth in the very back, far from the crowd. Once they were seated, Mabel asked, "What'll you two have to drink?"

Brandi grinned. "Got any of that 'Sweet Apple Acres Cider' left?"

Mabel nodded. "I think we might have one barrel we haven't tapped yet...I'll go see."

"Great! Two big mugs of that, then!" As the waitress made her way off, Brandi froze as she realized the other mare was staring at her. "Is...something...wrong?"

"Tr...Trixie...cannot remember...the last time...she had...cider..."

Brandi giggled. "You're cute...and the way you talk...it's quite different!"

Trixie frowned. "Are you...laughing at Trixie?"

Brandi's eyes widened. "No! I've just...never met anypony who talks like you do...it's very...regal!"

Mollified, Trixie drew herself up proudly and declared, "Trixie hails from a long line of famous performers, dating back many centuries...Trixie's ancestors have entertained royalty on many occasions!"

Brandi's eyes sparkled. "That's... Impressive!" Then she sat back and sighed. "My..."family"...isn't so impressive, however..." She shrugged and added, "But, one must play the cards one is dealt, so I'm not complaining." At this last, Trixie looked away and blushed slightly. Brandi read her face, and smiled. "You're about to ask me about how I became a whore, aren't you?"

Trixie's eyes shot open at this brazen question and her head jerked up. "NO!" Then seeing the serene smile on the other mare's face, she lowered her eyes and whispered, "...yes. That was the question Trixie wanted to ask out on the street."

Brandi giggled again. "No need to be embarrassed! I don't mind talking about it, but I suggest we eat first...you...might not be hungry after you hear my tale." She looked up to see Mabel returning. "Ah! Right on time! And look! They did have the cider!"

Though she tried to remain 'ladylike' while she ate, the food was SOOO good and so much better than what she was expecting she found herself wolfing it down, while her companion politely declined to notice. It wasn't referred to as 'The Monster Special' for nothing, for it consisted of a triple-patty cheese hayburger (Pepperjack), served on a freshly-baked Brioche bun with pickles, mustard, ketchup, sauteed red onions, grilled portabello mushrooms, vine-ripened tomatoes, and fresh Green Leaf lettuce, along with a veritable mountain of crinkle-cut fries! Even the ketchup was made in-house and their own special recipe, and was almost good enough to be eaten on its own! Washing it down with the 'Sweet Apple Acres' cider was the pinnacle of the heavenly epicurean adventure, so much so that Trixie knew she would be set for at least another day!

After she was done, she sat back and sighed. Her plate was spotless and looked clean enough to be put back on the shelf without being washed. Brandi didn't say anything, but her eyes told a different story. Trixie cleared her throat and said, "Trixie was raised never to leave food on her plate, for it is considered impolite to one's host..."

Brandi nodded. "Of course, that makes perfect sense..." Taking a last sip of her cider, she said, "So! How much do you want to know?"

Trixie blushed again, and said, "W...whatever you feel comfortable telling Tri...I mean...telling me..."

Brandi noticed the change in inflection but again, kept silent about it. "Well, it's pretty simple, actually. My father started raping me when I was eight years old, and when I was about ten I told my mother, but she didn't believe me." At Trixie's shocked expression, she added, "It wasn't so bad. I put up with them both for another two years and then ran away, and started living on the streets, but the police kept catching me and sending me back to them. so when I broke out one night, I traded sex for anypony that would help me travel until I could make it to another city, far enough away from my parents, and tried staying out of the grownups' attention and living as best I could on my own. Of course, I got caught again and got stuck in a foster home, and wouldn't you know it? The same thing happened to me there with the stallion who was my foster Dad. So I ran away again, and that's when I met Joy. She and I had the same background, but she was smarter than me about it. She took me to meet Slick, and me and the other girls have been working for him ever since." She gave a bitter laugh. "I figured I was just too pretty, even at that age, that stallions just couldn't keep their hooves off me, so I decided if that's all I'm good for, why not get paid for it?"

Trixie was almost speechless. "Wasn't...wasn't there...anything else you could do?" she stammered.

Brandi smiled. "Like what?" She extended her wings and gave them a little flap. "Join the Wonderbolts?" Another bitter laugh. "Unless they have 'Blowjob Division', I doubt I'd be of much use to them." She looked up to see the cook smiling at her from across the aisle. "And speaking of blowjobs..." She got to her hooves and said, "Excuse me a moment..."

Trixie stared at her. "Wait! Where are you going?"

Brandi smiled at her over her shoulder as she walked away. "To pay for our meals, of course..."

Back home in her wagon, Trixie couldn't sleep. Her mind was reeling with the information she'd learned that night, and she was still trying to process it all. She and Brandi had talked for at least another hour after Brandi had..."settled" the bill, and Trixie had found herself opening up to this stranger about all the pain she'd endured over the past year. She'd told her all about that bastard Pinion, and why she'd done what she'd done, but also how she couldn't understand how Brandi and her friends could do what they did and not feel the guilt and shame she did.

"You're not like us, Trixie," Brandi had told her, "...you're a good pony..."

She certainly didn't feel like a good pony. And right now, she wasn't a hungry pony...but that would soon change if she didn't do something...drastic. And by Celestia, she wasn't going to keep going to bed hungry!!

There was one other thing Brandi had given her: an address. It was only temporary, she told herself. Just enough to get by, and then never again.

Tomorrow, she would seek out this 'Slick', and see if he could use an extra mare.