Tide and Effect

Trixie hung her head low as she nervously walked up to the door through the rain. The clanging of the heavy raindrops on the metal roof rang through her ears as she slipped up the cold stone steps. She held her breath, hesitating to knock on the door with her hoof. “Bless this Home” read the ornate sign on the front, the price sticker stubbornly still clinging to its edge. 4 bits worth of plastic blessing the place with the most gracious definition of “home” ever conceived. Trixie closed her eyes and knocked quickly and loudly, exhaling to release the tension in her chest. She pondered on whether or not he’d recognize her with the hood. Whether or not he’d seen her name on the road. Whether or not he’s proud. She decided to leave it on. Here she was the Meek and Powerless Trixie.
Her ears perked up at the sound of a stallion's voice from the other side.

“Tell Gladmane I’ll pay him what he needs tomorrow, I just need more time!” he yelled through the door.

Trixie stood frozen, unsure of what to say, or even if she should say anything. She felt the door warm up as the stallion’s presence filled the doorway and he looked through the peephole.
The doorknob glowed a brilliant blue as the unicorn feverishly undid several locks before flinging the door open, almost hitting Trixie in the face. She jumped back and lied prone, staring up at him. His eyes met hers. Recognition and disappointment filled them.

“Oh. It's you.” he said haphazardly as Trixie quickly hid her face to look down at the pavement. The lines in his face had gotten deeper, his hair thinning, tired eyes more cynical. Trixie’s heart sank to her core as her stomach did a flip, the silence in the air deafening as she basically groveled. The stallions’ voice came soft as butter, like a wolf cooing a lamb.

“Now son… what did I say about coming back here?” he said with such venom Trixie was sure she had been cut by it. The mare shook, closing her eyes and sobbing silently, her tears mixing with the rain.

“That's right...” he said, smiling smugly to himself, pleased with the power he held. “Now quit wasting my time.”

He turned and moved to shut the door behind him, yet stopped for a moment. His acute hearing caught onto Trixie’s weak sobbing whisper of an apology.

“..Sorry dad.” she said, no louder than a raindrop.
Like a cat finally pouncing, Jack Pot raised himself as high as possible as he chased Trixie down the stone steps, causing her to slip and tumble backwards.

“Get off my property” he growled, storming back inside and slamming the door shut behind him, loud enough to rattle Trixie’s very soul.

Trixie continued sobbing as she lay on the concrete, the rain washing over her, soaking her clothes to the bone. For a moment, she felt like the lowest scum in the world. She looked up into the overcast night, the gray clouds cloaking her in emptiness. She squinted and made out the faint outline of the moon, dimly attempting to shine through the heavy clouds. Her sobs stopped as the tears and snot washed away into the gutters, the hair on her back standing up as she gazed into the night sky.

“... Princess?” She muttered.