Crossing Paths

Chapters

Finding Kindness
These Jealous Hearts
Friends Come and Go
The Price of a Broken Heart

Finding Kindness

A Great and Powerful unicorn stood atop a hill overlooking a familiar town. Her icy white mane and star-speckled purple cloak waved freely in the wind while her deep blue coat shimmered in the moonlight. Several years ago when she first came to this town, this proud pony was forced to come to terms with a disturbing fact: there were other unicorns like her, talented in using magic in general rather than for one specific purpose. Even so, she was determined to retain her status as the best. After several years of honing her magical skills and searching the forest for an Ursa Minor to vanquish, she had decided that if she couldn't find one, then vanquishing Twilight Sparkle would be an equal-if not better-accomplishment to prove her greatness. If she managed to defeat the one who defeated the Ursa then no one would be able to question her again, or so she convinced herself.

With a hoof, she brushed a few strands of mane out of her face as the light breeze continued to blow through. It was a cool and crisp summer's night, the moon and the stars brightly illuminating the trail into town. She started down the hill at a slow trot, her narrowed eyes burning into the distant buildings. Her heart was racing as she approached the town as she passed the city walls and made her way through the quiet streets . Stopping in the middle of the silent Town Square, she wondered; would it be best to call Twilight out into the open? Drawing a crowd to witness her fall?

She looked up at all the dark windows, at second story rooms where ponies must be sleeping. She realized that mares, stallions, and foals alike would be startled and their eyes would take to the streets. Her heartbeat slowed back to a normal pace as she imagined the fear and destruction that could potentially erupt from a conflict with a mare like Twilight, and how innocent bystanders could wind up getting hurt. She coughed and stamped a hoof, rolling her eyes at the weak-minded thoughts. Doing so, she caught a glimpse of the night's unusually bright stars. Despite her intentions, she couldn't help but time to look up and admire their beauty. Living in Manehatten, the stars were never so clearly visible through the thick air polluted by several large factories and endless city lights. Seeing them so clearly struck her heart in a way she couldn't explain.

She was humbled.

Trixie gazed into the sky, her eyes shifting between each twinkling star. Her mind became absent of thought as the bright lights overhead shone down. She couldn't help but feel that there was something more to this crystal clear night sky than the crisp and clean country air. The stars continued glimmering and shining brightly, like they were attempting to convey some sort of pattern or message. A subtle voice lingered in the back of Trixie's head - something vaguely familiar, yet unrecognizable. Her mind was racing, desperately trying to deduce what was happening. A warm sensation washed over her as she continued to stare, as if the stars themselves were whisking away the pent-up anger and frustration in her heart.

Suddenly her motives began to slip away, and for the first time she could recall, she found herself questioning her intentions. Grinding her teeth, her hard exterior shell begin to crack, and a few tear drops trickled to the dirt road as she hung her head. The thought that she had been wasting her life had been lingering in the back of her mind for quite some time now. However, proving herself to everyone, being a show-pony, creating spells - these things were all she knew. She looked back towards town. She had thought that something had to be done, but maybe not. What was there to gain other than more self-proclaimed greatness?

Was it all worth it? she wondered.

Trixie once again found herself looking down at an entire town with an all-too-familiar disdainful glare. She turned back around and trudged down the road towards the edge of the forest with starlight gleaming in her watery eyes. Although she'd never admit it, she was lonely and ashamed. This life she chose to live was getting her nowhere fast. She knew something had to change, but didn't know where to even begin. She had abandoned her spot performing in Manehatten, and her stage was stranded a kilometer down the trail into the Everfree forest with a broken wheel.

"Trixie, Trixie, Trixie. What have you gotten yourself into this time? Has the Great and Powerful Trixie really been reduced to taking shelter in a forest, alone and without ponies to grovel at her hooves?" The unicorn asked aloud, her eyes staring at her hooves as she wobbly cantered down the trail.

Spotting a grassy clearing just outside the forest entrance, she veered off her trail, collapsing onto her stomach and stretching out her hooves as she huffed into the grass.

"Um, excuse me? I don't mean to bother you, miss, but... are you okay?" An unfamiliar voice sounded. A quiet yellow pegasus tentatively stood at the edge of the clearing, keeping a safe distance.

"Have you come to further degrade the Lost and Powerless Trixie?" The self-pitying unicorn asked, her words flat and forced as she glanced up distrustfully towards the recoiling pegasus.

With a couple of deep breaths, Fluttershy looked over her shoulder at the safety of her home. Oh boy, I should go... I should definitely go... but she might need my help. I should say something... or just go... What would Twilight want me to do?

The easily annoyed unicorn stood back up and trotted towards the nervous pegasus. She circled the now terrified pony, her horn glowing. "What, Trixie doesn't even deserve an answer to her question? Is that it?!"

Fluttershy lowered her ears and gave off a light squeak. Trixie loomed over her, harshly peering down into her eyes with a spiteful stare. Fluttershy began to break down, her lip quivering and her wide eyes filling with tears.

Oh Trixie... What are you doing? Her horn dimmed and she stepped back, a deep breath forced from her chest.

"Trixie is... sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Her words were sharp and insincere despite her genuine apology.

Fluttershy scurried backwards across the grass, distancing herself from the potential threat. The flustered unicorn then stamped her hoof in frustration.

"Why are you running away from Trixie?! I said I was sorry!"

The coy pegasus stopped despite her instincts telling her to run as fast as she could. Instead, she took a moment to look into the clearly upset unicorn's eyes. Behind the obvious pent up frustration and anger, she noticed something more; a hint of regret. Beyond that there was a deep and great depression residing beneath it all. The thoughtful yellow mare sighed and placed a hoof on her head. Fluttershy, you need to mare up and stop being such a baby. Twilight would be ashamed. I'm sure this pony could use some kindness and you're the one who should share it with her.

Fluttershy stood still other than the glimmer in her eyes. She scanned the ground as she pondered what to do. Right, I have to do the right thing.

Trixie had laid back down in the grass and was looking up at the stars, seemingly lost in thought. Fluttershy silently fluttered over to the unicorn, then stood directly above her, looking straight down into her eyes.

"Oh, you again..." The harsh unicorn once again failed to control her sharp tongue, breaking off a chunk of Fluttershy's courage.

"Yes, I don't mean to disturb you, but you're laying in my garden, which is completely okay, but if you get cold or hungry or tired, you can come into my house. That is, if you want to. I won't mind at all. I'd just hate for you to get sick." Fluttershy blushed and smiled, her heart racing and a bead of sweat forming on her brow.

As Trixie opened her mouth to speak, Fluttershy quickly galloped back into her house, shutting the door behind herself. She caught her breath and slowly slid down to the floor, her front hooves over her thumping chest.

Trixie rolled over and watched the strange mare subtly peeking at her through a window. She huffed and forcefully threw herself over, facing away from the cottage. Then she broke a smile.

Fluttershy continued to over-analyse all possible options as to how to deal with this mare appropriately, then went up to bed. She looked out her bedroom window, Trixie was still laying in the same spot staring up at the cloudless sky. She looked straight down at the ground then quickly took a few steps back after realizing how high up she was on the second floor.

"Do... do you think I should do something Angel Bunny?" She said as she glanced down at her already snoozing pet.

"You're right, maybe I should go talk to her."

Fluttershy trotted downstairs and out her door with her chest puffed out and a bright, confident smile. As she approached Trixie, her pace slowed from an upbeat trot to nervous tip-hoofing. The shy pegasus immediately noticed that the previous spite and anger was absent from the mare's eyes. Instead, she saw only loneliness. Trixie's still wet cheeks glistened in the starlight, and her breathing was slow but hard, as if each breath were being forced. She realized that Trixie hadn't noticed her and contemplated returning home and leaving the mare to her thoughts. Before that could happen Trixie rolled over on her side, and her eyes met Fluttershy's.

"Yellow pegasus, do you now wish for Trixie to leave your garden?"

A sigh of relief escaped when she wasn't met with a sharp or spiteful remark. Fluttershy looked down at the pony, who was shrouded in self pity. She began to tap the grass with her hoof and look off to each side, the right words not coming to mind. She knew what she wanted to say, but couldn't bring herself to form a sentence no matter how many times she rearranged the words in her mind. Instead of squeaking again, she closed her eyes and fell to her stomach, facing the teary-eyed unicorn.

"I'm the Great an... I mean, I'm Trixie, just Trixie, what's your name?"

"Fluttershy..."

"Flutter-shy you say? You're by far the most shy pony I've ever met and your name is... Fluttershy?"

Trixie rolled over on her back and began to lightly laugh, while Fluttershy's gentle smile twisted into a crooked frown. She blushed, her ears drooping as the mare continued to laugh and wiped away a mirthful tear.

"Oh my, I'm sorry Fluttershy, I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't laugh at you, I just..." Trixie choked up and her smile fell.

"That's okay, I'm just glad you're feeling better." She looked up into Trixie's eyes as her smile returned. "You know, I remember when you performed here in Ponyville, and I thought you were really great."

"You... you really think so? Not everypony would agree." Trixie regained a small amount of her ego as Fluttershy looked at her with familiar adoring eyes.

The modest pegasus nodded and smiled. "So, why are you out here anyway? Aren't you cold?" She fluffed her wings, keeping herself warm in the chilly night air.

Trixie shrugged and covered her eyes with a hoof as she let out a long, overdrawn sigh. "I'm just thinking about things. Ya know?"

Fluttershy smiled and nodded as the unicorn lifted her hoof and glanced over at her. "What are you thinking about?"

Trixie rolled over on her side again, facing the worrisome pegasus. "Well, I... I really don't know anymore. I came here to see Twilight Sparkle. After I left Ponyville all those years ago, she's always been in the back of my mind, like I need some kind of settling closure or something of the sort. She made me feel so weak, and I never really let it go."

Fluttershy easily related to the feeling of being overshadowed by somepony more talented. "Well, Twilight is Princess Celestia's magical prodigy after all. Did you know that?" The unsure pegasus looked down at her hooves as she stretched out in the grass, hoping she was being helpful.

Trixie looked down as well as mixed emotions of jealousy and depression filled her mind. "That explains her proficiency. I've only ever dreamed of having such a privilege."

"Twilight is amazing and really smart, she reads a lot of books and I bet if you read as many books as she did, you could have handled that Ursa too. You're very talented as well." Another encouraging smile shone brightly on Fluttershy's caring, moonlit face.

Trixie narrowed her eyebrows and held onto her stomach. Before Fluttershy could react, the grateful unicorn lunged towards her and tightly wrapped her forelegs around the most kind and considerate pony she had ever met. A vast torrent of emotions had been flooding Trixie's heart and mind for the past few hours, suppressed by her strong will. The first sincere, kind words she had heard in several years warmed her heart, her harsh bitterness usually preventing ponies from offering such kindness.

Trixie held onto Fluttershy and continued to cry into her shoulder, pent up depression and self-doubt finding their way out.

The pegasus patted her on the back with a hoof. "There there, you just let it all out."

Trixie bit her lower lip, trying to hold back the flow of tears. "Thank you so much Fluttershy."

"You're welcome Trixie, but um, what did I do?" The pegasus cocked her neck as the sobbing pony began to pull away from her.

Trixie looked into Fluttershy's eyes, glancing back and forth at each one with a troubled expression. "What did you do? You were nice to me. Ponies don't usually take well to my... personality. And I've been alone for a long time now, so I just can't thank you enough for being so kind. Especially considering I've done nothing to deserve this."

"Don't mention it, I know everypony needs to be shown a little kindness now and then." Fluttershy's soft smile and lightly twinkling eyes melted into Trixie's heart. "You look tired, Trixie. Do you want to come back to my house and get some sleep?"

"I'd like that... I think." The unicorn tentatively accepted the kind pegasus' offer, already feeling in her debt.

Fluttershy stood up and stretched. "If you need anything at all, just be sure to let me know."

"Thank you, Fluttershy." Trixie coyly looked up with lowered ears, once again taken aback by Fluttershy's helpful nature.

The kind mare smiled and nodded, leading the unicorn back towards her house. Trixie followed her new friend, admiring each of her striking characteristics. In all her time performing, she knew she had never been able inspire feelings of awe and humility like the ones she was feeling right now. Fluttershy had amazed her beyond all expectations, simply by being herself. The Great and Powerful unicorn recalled the challenge she had issued in this town so many years ago, that anything anypony in Ponyville could do, she could do better. But Trixie realized that there was no way to top what Fluttershy had just done, as simple as it may have been. Suddenly a realization hit her like a bale of hay, and everything she had ever been sure of, everything she knew about life, was turned upside down.

"Thank you again Fluttershy, for all of this. I don't know what I'd have done without you."

The pegasus wrapped a wing around her as they walked inside, leading her upstairs to the bedroom. "You're welcome Trixie, now go ahead and get some sleep okay?"

"But where will you sleep?"

"I'll sleep on my couch. I like sleeping down there." Fluttershy nudged the hesitant unicorn onto her bed and pulled the blanket over her with her teeth.

"Goodnight Trixie, sleep tight." Fluttershy trotted out of the room, shutting the door behind herself. With a sense of accomplishment, she puffed her chest out and fluttered down the stairs, then took a seat on her couch.

"I feel good about this. I think we did the right thing." Fluttershy said as she closed her eyes and smiled down at her groggy pet, who hopped towards the couch toting a blanket over his shoulder.

She gently fell onto her back and let out a deep breath, the long night having weighed in on her mind and body. Moments later, she peacefully drifted off to sleep with a snoozing bunny curled up in her tail.

Trixie sat up and looked around the room. It was nice, and modest. After taking in her surroundings, she fell forcefully down onto her back. She rolled over and faced the door, silently begging Fluttershy to come back upstairs, if only to stifle the growing sense of loneliness she had grown so accustomed to. She grabbed an extra pillow and hugged onto it tightly, squeezing it up against her aching chest. The sharp pangs of loneliness pierced her stomach as she once again fell asleep with nopony to hold onto her, a longing she had never realized she had.

***

As the sun rose, Fluttershy woke up bright and early. She trotted upstairs and opened the door to see a messy unicorn sound asleep and still tightly squeezing a pillow. The helpful pegasus decided to take this opportunity to head into town and gather some food and supplies. She quietly shut the door behind herself, then fluttered downstairs. Angel Bunny stood at the front door with his arms crossed, tapping his foot.

"Shh. Don't you worry. I know you don't like visitors, but she won't be here forever." Fluttershy explained, patting him on the head. "Now go on and eat your breakfast, it's on the table. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

Angel widened a skeptical eye, then hopped into the kitchen. With a sigh of relief, Fluttershy slipped outside.

The cheerful mare smiled as she merrily fluttered down the trail to town. Upon arriving in Town Square, she saw Twilight Sparkle was doing some morning shopping as well. Fluttershy attempted to quietly trot past her unnoticed as the fact that she would have to explain her current guest entered her mind. Twilight immediately spotted the bright yellow pegasus and trotted up next to her.

"Good morning Fluttershy, what brings you here so early?" Twilight wore her brightest smile and gave her friend soft hug.

The shy yellow mare blushed and looked down.

Twilight raised an eyebrow as Fluttershy's eyes scoured the ground. "Are you alright? Is there something you need to talk about?"

Fluttershy simply shook her head, wishing that she had prepared for this encounter. She guessed that telling Twilight about Trixie wouldn't go over very well, but knew it needed to be done eventually.

Twilight shook her head and shrugged, more positive things on her mind. "So, I got a letter from Rarity today. She says she's doing great and that's she's made a lot of new friends. She misses all of us and wants us to go visit soon. Oh, and she also wished us a happy anniversary. Isn't that sweet? She remembered, even though this letter is a couple days late."

"That is sweet. I'm glad she's doing well," Fluttershy said, glad to be onto a new topic.

Twilight smiled and tilted her head to look into Fluttershy's eyes. She leaned in a gave her a sweet kiss on the muzzle. "Come stay with me tonight. We haven't been spending nearly enough time together, and I've missed you a lot lately."

The shy pegasus tentatively gulped. "I can't... I have things to attend to at home."

"Well then I'll go over to your place tonight. Spike'll be fine." Twilight smiled.

"I'm sorry Twilight, you just can't. Maybe tomorrow." Fluttershy looked away and grimaced, knowing her stubborn marefriend wouldn't let it go that easily, not with questions unanswered.

Twilight frowned, deciding it was now necessary to pry. "Alright, I need to know what's going on. What's got you acting so weird today?"

Fluttershy cringed and whimpered as she searched for the right words to say. She found it strangely difficult to lie to Twilight, no matter how many stories she quickly came up with in her mind.

"Well? Are you just gonna sit there and stare at me or tell me what's going on?" The quizzical unicorn stared down with distrustful eyes.

"I... um... You see, well..." Fluttershy choked up, tears welling up as she shied away under pressure.

"Out with it already!" Twilight immediately regretted yelling at her timid friend; she wasn't even sure where this anger was spawning from. "I'm really sorry Fluttershy, I didn't mean to yell, I've just had a long morning and it was wrong of me to take it out on you." The apologetic pony took a few steps forward and placed her hoof gently on the upset mare's shoulder.

Fluttershy took a moment to calm herself. She knew Twilight loved her and would accept the truth, and not only that: keeping it from her was wrong. "That's okay Twilight. I'm sorry I'm acting so... weird. I... I should probably tell you... You're not gonna like it, but... I'm letting Trixie stay with me until she gets back on her hooves."

"You're... what?! Have you lost your..." Twilight stopped herself from snapping a second time. "Fluttershy, please, Trixie might be dangerous. I don't want you around her, I don't want her to hurt you."

The shy pegasus didn't pay any mind to Twilight's warnings; she knew in her heart that Trixie wouldn't harm anyone. "I'll be careful Twilight, thanks."

"I don't like this at all Fluttershy. Honestly, I'm really not okay with it." Twilight stared into her eyes with a pleading gaze.

Fluttershy cringed. "I should really be getting back now, Twilight. Can we talk about this later please?"

Twilight let out an angry sigh. "Fine, I wouldn't want to keep you away from Trixie for too long, would I..." She promptly turned and trotted away.

Fluttershy winced under the stress, then continued to gather the things she needed before heading back. A few minutes later she arrived back at her home. Upon entering the meadow she was immediately greeted by Trixie, who had woken up to the sound of her friend closing the door behind herself earlier and was enjoying the nice morning outside.

"Well good morning." Trixie gave a mild smile, clearly in a better mood today. "I was just thinking - I wish there was something I could to do repay you. I really can't tell you how much this means to me. Staying in the forest by myself is hard sometimes."

"I'm just glad I could help." Fluttershy dipped her head with a smile.

Trixie was beginning to grow accustomed to Fluttershy's innocent yet reassuring smile.

"Here, let me help you with those bags." She trotted up to her helpful friend and gave her a tight hug, lifting the bags into an aura of magic.

"Okay Trixie, I can't breathe..." Fluttershy was reluctant to break her friend's embrace - this was the happiest she'd been so far - but she really couldn't breathe.

"I'm sorry Fluttershy, I didn't mean to..." Before she finished her sentence she was stopped by the sight of the pegasus smiling at her again. This time as she stood outside, the nature around her amplified the effects of her beautiful smile. There was a light breeze blowing through her mane, and her deep, turquoise eyes reflected the beautiful daylight as the soft sun warmly illuminated her pale yellow coat.

"That's okay, don't mention it," she murmured and eased her way past the awestruck mare.

The captivated unicorn lowered her eyes as the beautiful pegasus lightly trotted by. Her heart pounded in her chest, filling every inch of her body with reverberating pulses of pain. Trixie searched the depths of her heart and mind for an answer as to why she was feeling this way, but found only more questions.

Fluttershy noticed Trixie seemed to be lost in thought. "So, um, well... I was thinking. You're welcome to stay here until everything is going well for you again. You can stay even longer if you want, I don't mind."

Trixie snapped herself back to reality as she began to try and form a response to that statement. "I don't want to outstay my welcome Fluttershy, but I honestly have nowhere to go until I'm able to get back on my hooves anyway. I need a new stage, and probably a new act... So just let me know when you need me to leave and I will."

"So you'll stay?" Fluttershy's face brightened and her smile lit up the room.

"Are you saying you want me to stay? That it would make you happy?" Trixie was surprised to see her reaction, assuming that she would only have been a burden, but glad her friend didn't seem to think so.

The glad-to-help pegasus nodded at her enthusiastically. "I get lonely in here sometimes, I mean, sure, I have my pets to keep me company, but it's not the same as having another pony staying with you. I... I have a marefriend too, but she's usually busy with her research and experiments, so we don't spend a lot of time together anymore..."

"You get... lonely?" A feeling Trixie was all too familiar with.

"Sometimes. My friends don't often visit here, so unless I go out to see them, I'll usually spend my time here alone."

"Well that's a shame. Your marefriend is really missing out, you're such a pleasure to be around. I'll be happy to stay here, as long as I can help you out in return in some way." Trixie looked around the already nearly immaculately clean house. House cleaning wasn't an option.

"Sure! You can help me with the pets, but I wouldn't want to trouble you too much. You don't have to help me with anything, your company is payment enough for me." Fluttershy bashfully stamped the floor and looked down, thinking of something the two might enjoy doing together to pass the time.

"I will help you with anything you need, don't hesitate to ask!" Trixie happily trotted up to Fluttershy and gave her a sweet hug.

"Thanks Trixie..." The modest pegasus blushed, not used to receiving so much attention, especially from such a new face.

"Don't mention it Fluttershy." The helpful unicorn blushed as well and smiled while holding on to the sweetest little pony she'd ever met.

Trixie began to giggle, then laugh into her friend's shoulder. For no clear reason she began to laugh harder. Fluttershy smiled and pulled away from the hug. As she met her eyes, she noticed they were teared and she seemed to be caught between laughing and crying. The empathetic pegasus wiped her friend's tears away with a hoof and put on a wide smile. The blue mare had never been shown such kindness before, and she wasn't quite sure how to react. In a day, she had gone from being completely alone and estranged from everypony around her, to sharing a house with a pony who seemed to only care about making her happy and comfortable. She lost control of her emotions again and forced her face into Fluttershy's comfort.

"I don't get it, how can you be so nice?!" Trixie closed her eyes and squeezed tighter, never having been treated so well without feeling obligated to give anything in return.

Fluttershy's cheeks turned red and she searched for an answer to that question. Nothing in particular came to mind, so instead she decided to change the subject.

"You're welcome to stay here as long as you'd like Trixie, and don't worry about the ponies in town. They're not so bad, and I'm sure they'll all warm up to you as soon as you're ready to meet them." Fluttershy smiled and enjoyed the thought of another friend living in town. Ever since Rarity moved away to Canterlot and Applejack to Appleoosa, things hadn't been quite the same.

"I don't think the townsfolk would like it if they knew I was around." Trixie glared out Fluttershy's window.

Fluttershy giggled and stroked Trixie's mane. "Did you have any ideas for a new act? One that won't make ponies chase you out of town."

Trixie laughed. "Ha! No, I don't. I always thought that proving I was the best would make everypony love and respect me. But it doesn't - it never does. I don't know why I keep doing that."

"I can tell that you're really good at magic, and you know some amazing spells even though you don't use them in nice ways. I think maybe you should use your magic to make ponies happy instead of making them feel bad about themselves."

"How can I do that? I don't really know any spells to make ponies happy, and I don't have the means of learning new ones." Trixie nervously began trotting towards the couch.

Fluttershy thought for a moment, then raised her hoof. "I can get you some spell books if you want."

"Spell books? How?" Trixie sat down and scratched her chin with a puzzled expression.

"Twilight will have some in the library where she's staying. I can go borrow them and let you learn new spells." Feeling accomplished, Fluttershy joined Trixie on the couch.

"That would be great! I can't wait to get started, I've never had library access to spell books before, the Manehatten Library only lets ponies with special permission see them."

"That's strange, why?" Fluttershy asked with a hint of concern.

"Well, spell books have a lot of information on tuning into specific magic frequencies and what effects they have. If the wrong kind of pony had very specific information, they could create their own spells meant to harm others. Usually there's a fine line in between the safe frequencies of magic that can be dangerous, and if you know exactly how to tune into that fine line, you can inflict serious harm. Here, let me show you what I mean."

Trixie stood up off the couch and saw a small log in Fluttershy's fireplace. She levitated it in an aura of magic and brought it over closer.

"If I focus on the log and keep my magic flowing at a low pitch, I'll be able to hold and move it with ease. But watch what happens if I accidentally let my magic slip into a higher pitch."

Trixie's horn began to glow brighter and her magical aura began to appear thinner and more liquid. Then the log slipped through it and hit the floor.

"I couldn't hold it at that frequency, now watch this."

She lifted the log back up, then began to slowly tune her magic into a very specific pitch. Fluttershy quietly and curiously watched and listened to Trixie's explanations.

"You see, at a low pitch the spell is simple and easy to do. At a high pitch it's impossible to hold anything. But if I find a very specific spot in between the two extremes, something else happens."

Trixie closed her eyes and carefully focused. Her magic seemed to be rapidly vibrating off her horn as she continued to fine tune the pitch. When it was exactly right she opened her eyes.

"I've practiced this so many times that I know it by heart - now watch the log, Fluttershy." The curious pegasus watched in awe as Trixie's magic became something horrifying.

The log began to crack, and from within the cracks a dark purple light shone through. Suddenly, the log shattered into what seemed like millions of tiny glass shards. A blackish-purple fire turned the remains into dust that scattered into the air around them and dissipated into the light.

"That's exactly why they tell you never to levitate a living creature or anything valuable when you're first learning, even though it's nearly impossible to let something like this happen by accident. It takes too much concentration to hold one monotonous pitch for such a long time. It has to be precise as well, there's no room for error. If I left that pitch even for half a second the entire process would start over." Trixie puffed her chest out with a sense of accomplishment.

"Trixie, that was impressive - why don't you do that in your new act?" Fluttershy smiled and clapped her hooves together.

"No, I can't. That kind of magic is forbidden. I could get in a lot of trouble if someone saw me do that on purpose." Trixie raised one eyebrow and looked at Fluttershy, surprised that she didn't already know this.

"Oh, okay then, we'll think of something new. Oh, Trixie... can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can."

"Why did you stop referring to yourself in the third pony? I mean, that's fine, I was just wondering." Fluttershy crossed her hooves and waited for a reply.

"I don't know, it's just something I do during shows to spread my name around and become more popular. It's a habit that sometimes sticks." Trixie blushed and looked away, feeling a little embarrassed.

Fluttershy cheerfully closed her eyes and placed a hoof on Trixie's shoulder. "Don't feel bad, I think it's cute."

Trixie's eyes shot open. She looked over to Fluttershy with dozens of questions but didn't say anything. Instead she lowered her eyes again and looked at the floor in confusion.

"Is everything okay?" Fluttershy asked, her soft voice reflecting her concern.

Still looking at the floor Trixie put on a fake smile and nodded. "Yes, everything is perfect. Thanks."

Fluttershy realized something was wrong but wasn't one to pry. "So when did you want to get started on learning new spells? I don't have anything to do today other than the usual chores."

"Then we'll start today. Let me know what needs to be done and I can do that while you retrieve a spell book." Trixie's attitude completely changed at the thought of reading a spell book, her emotional confusion temporarily set aside.

"Okay, well... just, um... Fill all the animal dishes with water." The shy pegasus hesitantly began to back out the door, still talking. "Don't forget the ones outside. I'll help you learn how to feed them later. Um, bye." With that she turned and trotted down the road towards the library, hoping she hadn't given Trixie too much to do.

On her way, she realized she'd need to face Twilight again. She hoped there wouldn't be too much of a confrontation, but expected exactly that. She'd just have to talk it out, and even though she dreaded the conversation, it was inevitable.

The nervous pegasus stood outside the library door, lightly tapping the ground with her hooves as she worked up the courage to knock. She always seemed to lose every ounce of bravery she had when it came to confronting her lover with issues. Before she could knock, the door swung open and Fluttershy shrieked.

"Whoa! Oh, hey there Fluttershy. You scared me." Spike placed his claw on his chest and caught his breath. "What brings you here anyway?"

"Oh, hi Spike. I'm sorry to bother you, I just needed to borrow a book, is Twilight here?" Fluttershy attempted to peek past the little dragon into the house.

"No, she's off dealing with some boring girly issues. I'm about to go spy on Pinkie and Rainbow Dash, I'm beginning to suspect those two are up to something... Here I'll get your book for you before I go. What did you want?" Spike quickly changed the subject and led the pony inside.

Fluttershy looked shocked. "You're about to what?"

"Nothing! I'm about to... pay a visit to Pinkie... and Rainbow Dash. I haven't seen them... in a while. What did you need again?" Spike nervously glanced around, hoping to have changed the subject.

"I need a spell book to read. I want one about a spell that would make ponies happy please." Fluttershy patiently waited for the dragon to think of something.

"A spell book?" Spike scratched his chin. "Why would a pegasus want a spell book?"

"I just want to read it so I can know more about spells." Fluttershy looked off to the left, hoping Spike would let it go.

Spike, being in a hurry, decided not to question it further. He moved his ladder over to a tall bookcase, then climbed to the top shelf and ran his claw down the spine of a book, causing it to glow an off green for a moment. He then pulled it out of the case and climbed back down to Fluttershy to give her the book.

"Make sure you get this back as soon as you're done okay?" Spike looked Fluttershy over, still curious as to why she'd want this book.

"Okay Spike, thanks." Fluttershy took the book in her mouth and trotted down the road back home.

Spike locked up and headed down another road in the opposite direction with a sense of urgency. He wore a pair of binoculars around his neck and quickly jumped into a bush. He peeked through the leaves and spotted Pinkie and Rainbow walking uncomfortably close together as they left Sugarcube Corner. "Aha!" he shouted before jumping out of the bush and keeping a safe distance while he followed.

As Fluttershy arrived back home she nearly dropped the book in an attempt to contain her amusement. Trixie was balanced on top of an overturned bucket with a swarm of angry chickens fluttering beneath her.

"Back! Back foul fowl!" Trixie was levitating each chicken individually back into the coop, only to have it immediately run back out as she grabbed another one.

Fluttershy set the book down on her porch and ran to Trixie's aid.

"Come on now little chickens, you guys know better." Fluttershy fluffed her wings out and calmly led all the chickens back into their coop.

Trixie fell to her hooves. "Thanks for that, I guess I'm not so great and powerful when it comes to animals."

Fluttershy covered her mouth and laughed at the flustered unicorn. She trotted up to her and brushed a couple of feathers out of her mane then led her back inside.

"Here, I got your book. Don't worry about the animals, I can take care of them." Fluttershy smiled and left the eager mare to her reading while she finished feeding and tending to the animals.

A short while later, Fluttershy was done with her daily tasks and decided to take a seat on the couch next to Trixie, who was still focused on every detail in the book. The intently studying unicorn took a moment to greet her new friend with a smile, then went back to reading. The kind pegasus took pleasure in watching her more-than-content friend's expression lighting up as she read on. As she turned the next page her smile faded and her eyes narrowed.

"Fluttershy, why did you pick this particular spell book?"

"I didn't. I just asked for a spell that would make ponies happy and thought you could start there. Why, is something wrong?" Fluttershy began to nervously twiddle her hooves.

"No, nothing's wrong. I just thought I'd ask considering what this spell does. Here, can I try it out on you?" Trixie smiled knowing her friend would be right to object.

"Um, sure, as long as you think it's safe." The tentative mare stood up and walked in front of Trixie with a nervous smile.

"Fluttershy, I was only joking. I have some preparing to do before I'll be ready to try it in practice. By the way, do you know what this spell does?" Trixie's eyes widened as she felt a familiar yet confusing feeling fill her chest.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't read any of it and the title doesn't help." Throemere's Cast.

"That's alright. This spell creates an illusion when you cast it on a pony. The illusion fills the area around the target with images of what that pony would love to see more than anything else in the world. It seems simple enough and it's meant to be used to calm down angry or violent ponies, but I think a broader display of the illusion would make for a good show."

"Can you do that?" Fluttershy looked upon Trixie as if she were her hero.

"Of course I can, no level of magic is beyond the Great and Powerful Trixie's abilities." The unicorn couldn't help but be proud of her aptitude for learning and memorizing spells.

"And Fluttershy, feel free to return this book whenever you're ready. I won't be needing it anymore. Oh, and before I forget: thank you for this Fluttershy, thank you so much." Trixie pulled the quietly blushing little pegasus in for another grateful hug.

Fluttershy didn't say anything. She simply let Trixie continue to show her affection and gratitude.

A few days went by and Trixie seemed to be growing more fond of Fluttershy than ever. Day after day the curious yellow pegasus would find a new way to make her heart flutter. However, she didn't let her growing infatuation hinder her magical practices. This particular spell had proved to be quite a challenge. The basic conjuration was easy enough, but expanding the result so that an entire crowd could see it's effects was a bit more difficult, to say the least. Several days of long hours practicing later though, she was beginning to feel comfortable with the spell. She had been casting it on a rock during her practices, which, rather than actually displaying a brilliant illusion in the air, would fill the area with a blank purple sphere. Once Trixie was comfortable with the output and size of the area affected, she decided to try it out on Fluttershy.

As the evening fell, Trixie asked the mare to let her try the spell out. She of course agreed and allowed her friend to lead her into the living room where they'd perform the magic.

"Alright Trixie, I'm ready when you are." Fluttershy stood still and closed her eyes.

Trixie pushed the couch slightly off to one side and stood a couple meters in front of her target. Fluttershy opened one eye and looked a bit nervous, but managed to smile, giving her the motivation and encouragement she needed. The infatuated unicorn looked at her friend and felt her heart sink. She lowered her eyebrows and looked down as she always did when she felt this way. With a crooked smile she looked back up and felt the need to impress this mare, to make Fluttershy feel the same way that she did. Trixie stood strong and set her horn ablaze. She had done this seemingly a thousand times over the past few days and was quick to create the proper pitch for the spell. As the aura engulfed the pony, she quickly lowered the pitch of her magical frequency, allowing it to expand around the pegasus and fill the room. Brilliant beams of light brightly shone through the windows of her friend's tree home, filling the evening sky with powerful rays. The room lit up, and a beautiful image filled the room, Fluttershy's deepest desire. It was an image of her trotting down a small trail through an orchard. Twilight Sparkle trotted by her side and Fluttershy's wing was tightly wrapped around her. Both of them were smiling and seemed to be speaking to each other, but couldn't be heard. Along with the beautiful scenery, colorful autumn leaves fell creating a veil of orange and yellow at each end of the trail. The two trotting mares stopped and began to gaze into one another's eyes, before slowly leaning together to share a deep kiss. As they eventually broke apart, the illusion faded and drifted out of sight.

Fluttershy's heart raced as she stood there with a hoof over her mouth. Trixie felt as if every ounce of her motivation had disappeared with the spell.

"Twilight Sparkle..." Trixie spoke with sharp disdain.

Fluttershy lowered her hoof, her eyes were teary, fixed on where the image had been, and her lip was quivering. "That was beautiful Trixie. Thank you."

"Don't mention it..." Trixie muttered, already moving outside to clear her head.

It was dark out, and the stars and moon were shining brightly in the night sky. Trixie laid down in the grass and gazed up into the cosmos. She saw a shooting star streak across the sky and allowed herself to get lost deep in thought. She closed her eyes and thought about the past few days spent in Ponyville: all the fun and laughs she had shared with her new and only friend; how a few simple acts of kindness had changed her entire view of the world; how this wonderfully amazing pegasus had taken a lonely mare and given her the ambition to change her life for the better. She opened her eyes and looked at the now blurred skies as tears slowly trickled down her cheeks once again. The answer to her confusion was clear: she had fallen in love.

To her despair, she had fallen for a pony who had already given her heart to another mare.

Fluttershy trotted outside to see if she could help. "Trixie, are you alright?"

The depressed unicorn rubbed her eyes to dry them, letting out a deep and painful sigh. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry I ran out like that, I just needed to clear my head."

Fluttershy quickly detected the signs of a troubled mare, but decided it was best not to pry. "Okay, well, when you're ready, please come back inside. It's chilly out and I wouldn't want you to get sick."

She headed back indoors and made herself comfortable on the couch. She was still feeling the deep effects the spell had on her. Things between her and Twilight hadn't been quite the same lately, and sharing a beautiful moment like that was truly what she wanted more than anything else. It was something she had imagined several times, but seeing it so clearly and so beautifully was both amazing and somehow painful. Fluttershy laid down and tucked her hooves in. She rested her head on a small cushion and tried to relive that moment in her mind, admiring the impact it had on her.

Trixie began to level herself, her mind at ease, and she came to a few simple conclusions: Fluttershy deserved her best - jealousy was foalish and uncalled for. Then again, if there was ever anypony to be envious of, it was Twilight. She decided she'd gladly accept all the help she could get from the pegasus until she got back on her hooves. Then she'd repay her in any and every way she could. Asking for more was simply selfish. As far as she was concerned, such an amazing pony deserved much better: she deserved Twilight Sparkle.

Trixie lost track of time as she gazed up at the sky. She was attempting to imagine what it must be like to have Princess Celestia as your personal teacher. The most powerful pony in the world along with endless resources for study... She would have given nearly anything to trade places with Twilight Sparkle. Not only that, but the mare she wanted was in love with her. Twilight had everything Trixie wanted, everything she dreamed of. An amazing life, a large circle of loving friends, a warm home to call her own, and a beautiful mare waiting for her acknowledgement. The mare had everything going for her.

At some point Trixie began to feel tired and stood up to go back inside. She stretched out and yawned as she drearily headed towards the door. Inside, the first thing she saw was Fluttershy fast asleep on the couch. She took a moment to enjoy the sight. The cute pony's light breathing with her mouth open combined with her hooves neatly tucked in was simply the most adorable thing in the world.

I wonder if that Twilight Sparkle knows how lucky she really is... Trixie couldn't stop herself from feeling jealous, and in her opinion she had every right to be. But as long as she didn't let it affect Fluttershy then it would be okay. She trotted quietly upstairs and found a small spare blanket before heading back down and throwing it over friend and tucking her in. She then returned to the bedroom and made herself comfortable. Admittedly, she still felt a bit guilty for sleeping in Fluttershy's bed while she was forced to sleep on the couch, but the stubborn pegasus wouldn't have it any other way. The bed was more than large enough for them to share, but the shy mare feared she'd be invading her personal space or privacy despite Trixie reassuring her that wouldn't happen.

Trixie reached over and grabbed a pillow to hug, somewhat of a routine she had developed over the past few days. She hugged it and faced the door, a large part of her hoping Fluttershy would get uncomfortable and head upstairs to bed, even though she never did. Eventually, she dozed off began to dream of better days, days to come.

Trixie woke up unusually early that morning. The first thing she did was head over to the window to see Fluttershy already wide awake and feeding the morning animals with her usual cheerful demeanor. The groggy unicorn let out a long yawn and stretched out before heading downstairs to get herself some breakfast. As she neared the kitchen, her friend came trotting in.

"Oh... You're up. Um, good morning." Fluttershy nervously smiled and looked away.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, I'm just surprised to see you up so early I guess." Fluttershy kicked at the floor while avoiding eye contact.

"Should I return to bed for now? Would that ease your mind?" Trixie joked, wearing a nervous grin.

"Oh no, of course not. It's just, I have to go out today and was hoping to be back before you missed me too much. I should... probably..." Fluttershy paused and nodded towards the door.

"Yes of course, you go ahead and do what you have to do, I'll be fine." Trixie wore the most reassuring smile possible and trotted into the kitchen.

Fluttershy raised a hoof but paused before swallowing what she was about to say, then heading out the door.

Trixie wasn't sure how to react to Fluttershy's unusual behavior, but did her best not to consider all the worst possibilities. She nervously trotted back and forth throughout the house trying to take her mind off all the horrible things that could possibly be happening. Did I say something wrong? Maybe, maybe she regrets letting me stay here and doesn't know how to tell me to leave. Maybe she's getting advice on how to kick me out... Maybe she's going to bring her friends here to make herself feel safer when she tells me to go. Trixie placed her hooves over her eyes and attempted to stop all the pointless over-thinking.

She decided to try something out, to use the new spell she had learned on herself. It was a spell originally intended to calm ponies down after all. She stood in the middle of the room and took a deep breath. She focused her energy and released the spell onto herself. As it came into effect, she lowered her pitch out of habit, creating a larger affected perimeter although it wasn't necessary this time. The room lit up and Trixie took a seat on the couch to enjoy the view.

Something didn't set the way it was meant to in the lonely unicorn's mind as she saw the thing she wanted most being displayed in front of her. It was like she was being taunted with something she knew she could never have. But despite that fact, the image was truly a beautiful one, and she didn't regret seeing it.

Trixie was laying in Fluttershy's bed as she did every night. She was alone and hugging her pillow as usual. But unlike reality, after a few moments the shy mare came upstairs and gently opened the door. The image of the blue unicorn smiled at her and gestured her over to the bed, lifting the blanket so she could climb in. The two lay there talking for a while, although they couldn't be heard. They continued to inch closer together until they were touching noses, as their eyes reflected the deep love they felt for one another. Then Trixie's widened as Fluttershy locked lips with her. After the initial moment of surprise, Trixie's eyelids slid shut, and she let herself drift away in the sweet serenity of their first kiss.

Before she knew it, the illusion had faded and she was left in the empty room, alone. She rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling, going over what she had just seen in her mind. It truly was exactly what she wanted more than anything else in the world: for Fluttershy to return the love she felt for her. Trixie closed her eyes and continued to imagine that moment as vividly as possible. After a few minutes, she opened one eye and peeked around the room, but she was still completely alone.

Feeling empty, Trixie decided to grab some food and began reading her newest spell book. Enstabler Polarus, a spell meant to dazzle and captivate lesser equids with a stunning light show, making them easier to control and herd.

She flipped through the pages while chomping on a few carrots. The simplicity of this spell was a bit boring, so she began to work on ways to make it more interesting. Hours slipped by and she seemed to lose track of the day while calibrating her magical frequencies. She soon noticed the sun was beginning to set and there was still no sign of her friend returning. Just then, to her relief, Fluttershy slowly opened the door, looking exhausted.

"Fluttershy! You're back!" Trixie jumped up and grabbed onto her with startling force.

"Yes, sorry I'm so late. I went to go visit Twilight, but it didn't go as I expected. Not that it was bad, but it was just... Anyway, when I left, I saw that Pinkie Pie needed help with something, so I tried to do what I could, but I'm not the strongest mare in the world." Fluttershy blushed and looked down.

"What did you help her with?" Trixie asked, happy to be spending time with her friend again, but eager to stay off the subject of Twilight Sparkle.

"There was a big shipment of flour delivered to the bakery, and I helped her carry it into the pantry. Now I'm sore and tired, but I couldn't let her do it on her own." She smiled and looked up at Trixie, almost looking proud of her own act of kindness.

Trixie laughed at the selfless mare proving, once again, to be the most unique pony she had ever met. "I wish I'd known you sooner Fluttershy, I could have learned a lot from you when I was younger. Maybe I wouldn't be in this mess right now if I had had a few lessons in kindness back then."

"I think you've changed a lot already Trixie - you're much nicer now than when I first met you. I'm not scared of you anymore, so that's a plus, right?" Fluttershy giggled at her own joke.

"It is, I suppose." Trixie returned a laugh and the pair headed into the main room to get comfortable.

"Fluttershy, I'd like to try out another spell tomorrow if that's alright with you. I put a lot into this one and I'm sure it's going to be exciting to watch. I really hope you like it."

"Okay, I can't wait to see it." Fluttershy yawned and made herself comfortable on the couch. It wasn't very late, but she had had a long day today and was ready to relax.

Trixie sat down at the other end of the couch and began to rub Fluttershy's back hooves. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, my hooves and legs are just sore after carrying all those big bags of flour. They're a bit heavier than my bags of pet food, and I'm not really used to lifting such heavy things..." Fluttershy stretched herself out and let Trixie continue to offer her comfort.

"Aw, you poor thing. Let Trixie rub those sore hooves of yours and make you feel better." She continued rubbing her own hoof softly against Fluttershy's.

The tired yellow pegasus smiled and seemed to enjoy it well enough. "Thanks Trixie, that feels... nice."

Trixie simply smiled, feeling glad that she was able to help out in some way. Moments later, Fluttershy's eyes were closed and her smile had almost faded from her face. Her breathing was calm and she seemed to be asleep. The affectionate unicorn leaned forward and rested her head on the sleeping mare's stomach as she sat on the floor looking up at the precious pegasus. She ran her hoof through her soft pink mane and wished she knew a spell to stop time so that the moment could last forever.

After what felt like an eternity of hesitation, Trixie covered the snoozing mare and tucked her in. She then blew out all the candles and shut off the lights before she went upstairs, taking a notepad and the spell book along with her. She laid in the bed and began jotting down a few more notes before committing them to memory. She wanted this to be perfect, and she needed Fluttershy to love it. After a few hours of note-taking, she began to feel tired herself, and climbed into her customary position, hugging onto her pillow and facing the door. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, the knob began to turn.

Trixie's heart sank deep into her stomach. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew what she was hoping for. Fluttershy poked her head into the room and quietly whispered.

"Trixie, are you awake?"

Trixie worked up the courage to speak. "Yes, what did you need?"

"I was just... I... well..." Fluttershy stumbled around her words.

"What is it? You can tell me anything, don't worry."

"Um, okay... It's just that, well, I was wondering if it would be okay for me to sleep in here with you tonight." Fluttershy whispered as she began to blush.

Trixie never imagined her heart could sink any deeper than it already was. She held her breath for a moment and gulped. "Yes... yes of course you can, this is your bed after all. I've told you several times before that I didn't mind."

Without a response, Fluttershy gently shut the door and made her way towards the bed. Trixie shifted her body, scooting as far over in bed as she could. With her hoof she lifted the blanket, allowing her friend to climb in and make herself comfortable.

"I'm sorry, its just that you shut off all the lights, and when I woke up it was dark. I don't like the dark." Fluttershy laid on her back staring up at the ceiling, hoping she wasn't making a fool of herself.

Trixie smiled and contained her urge to chuckle. "You're scared of the dark?"

The timid little pegasus didn't answer, she simply closed her eyes and turned to face her friend. She placed her head on Trixie's shoulder and soon began to drift off to sleep.

"Goodnight, Fluttershy," she whispered.

She didn't get an answer, as her friend was already fast asleep. She placed a hoof on Fluttershy's head, gently stroking her mane. Her muzzle made it's way down into the soft pink mass of hair and she reveled in the sweet scent until she could hardly keep her eyes open. Overwhelming warmth and comfort soon took their toll and Trixie's eyes fell shut, brilliant dreams of laughter and happiness filling her mind.

The morning came quickly and Trixie woke to the same empty bed she was growing used to. Fluttershy was already up as usual, going about her daily morning routines. After getting up, Trixie began rigorously going over the details of her new spell in her head. The anxious mare lost herself in her mental preparations and let the day slip through her hooves, fine tuning everything as Fluttershy bustled about, doing her normal daily chores. She went outside just as the sun was beginning to set and urged her friend to follow.

"Fluttershy, I reworked this spell and redesigned it just for you. It's my way of saying thanks for all that you've done for me these past two weeks." Trixie let her sincerity shine.

Fluttershy smiled and waited for the spell, curious as to what would happen. Trixie took several deep breaths to keep herself level, and then she began. A large orb of light left her horn and entered the sky a few meters above them, before exploding into thousands of tiny swirling balls of light. They illuminated the entire area with bright flashes of pink and yellow. The mass of lights blended into one solid shape as they began to spin through the air more rapidly. The center of the swirl glowed brightly with a turquoise hue while the majority was a vivid yellow, and the outside of the spinning mass was light pink which faded into darker shades. Fluttershy looked on in awe, feeling the brilliant display captivate her. As the mass of magical light stopped spinning, the individual orbs gently fell to the ground like thousands of brightly glowing snowflakes and dissipated as they made contact with anything. A few landed on the enchanted mare's nose and disappeared before she could feel them touching her.

"That was beautiful Trixie. I liked it a lot." Fluttershy spoke softly and seemed humbled by the display of magic she had just seen.

"Thank you Fluttershy. I decided that when I use this spell during any of my shows, I'll dedicate it to you. You are the one that inspired it after all." Trixie modestly smiled and tried to resist the urge to blush.

"Thanks, but you don't have to do that."

"No, I insist. I must." Trixie clearly wasn't going to take no for an answer, so Fluttershy let it go.

"Trixie, there's something I want you to have. I think it'll help you." Trixie followed Fluttershy back inside and up into her room.

Fluttershy opened a small jewelry box that sat on her bookshelf. Inside was a golden ticket. She grabbed it with her mouth and placed it on her bed.

"This is my ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala - I want you to take it. You can perform there in the garden and everyone will see you. You can become really popular that way." Fluttershy put on a positive smile in an attempt to encourage Trixie to accept the gift.

"Fluttershy, how in Equestria did you get a ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala?... I've always dreamed of performing there, and you're just offering me your ticket, as a gift?" Trixie walked over to the window and looked up at the slowly appearing stars.

"Twilight gets the princess to give her extra tickets every year, and she always gives one to me. But I don't really like the crowds and I think you'd enjoy it more than me anyway."

"Twilight Sparkle. I should have guessed. Is there anything that mare doesn't get hoofed over to her for free?" Trixie struggled to regain control of her jealousy.

"Fluttershy, I want you to be at my first performance when I'm ready, even if it means I'll be passing up the opportunity of a lifetime. I don't care if I'm performing in a Manehatten back alley as long as I have you with me." Trixie placed her arm around her friend's neck as emotions bubbled within her.

"So you don't want the ticket?" Fluttershy's ears drooped and she let it drop to the floor.

"No, I don't care about the ticket, I don't care about anything other than being with you! All that matters to me right now... is being with you." She paused, her voice reducing to nearly a whisper. "I, I think I love you Fluttershy. Meeting you is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Fluttershy stepped back and looked down at the ticket. "I'm glad I met you too Trixie... But, I..."

"I know you think you're in love with that insufferable pony, Twilight Sparkle, but please - just give me a chance and I'll show you I can be everything you want. Just give me the chance, please Fluttershy." Trixie's eyes were wide as she was reduced to begging.

"What did you have in mind?" Fluttershy spoke softly, knowing she couldn't be swayed.

She trotted up to her and pressed her mouth to Fluttershy's, whose eyes widened as she wasn't sure how to react. Trixie pressed forward, eyes closed, and continued kissing the subject of her deepest desires. She blissfully parted her lips and enjoyed the moment that she'd imagined several times while falling asleep in that very room. Suddenly, her stomach dropped and she felt her heart shatter as she realized Fluttershy wasn't kissing her back. The heartbroken unicorn opened her eyes and pulled back to meet her friend's unloving gaze.

"I'm sorry Trixie..."

"Well, hay. I tried right? Thanks again... for everything Fluttershy. I'll be going now, and I swear I'll repay you for everything you've done for me as soon as I can." Trixie built a strong wall over her emotions and put on a mask of independence.

"You're going? Are you sure?" Fluttershy wasn't sure what to say, but felt like everything had gone wrong.

"I can't stay here, not now. I've managed to... do what I always do. I need to go, I'll make a home in the forest and visit you soon." Trixie trotted outside.

"Wait, Trixie, I'm sorry. I... I just don't know what to say..." Fluttershy desperately searched for the words to make everything right again.

Trixie laughed and turned around. "Don't be sorry Shy, you didn't do anything wrong. This whole thing is just... silly. I need to go now. My stage is broken down less than a mile into the forest from here. I'll fix it up and camp out there until my show is ready. Then I'll travel Equestria and perform - its just what I do. It's really all I know, and thinking I could ever... Well, it was just stupid of me."

"Trixie, please, wait a minute..." Fluttershy let her tears dot the ground beneath her.

"I'll see you soon, okay?" Trixie spun and galloped into the forest, disappearing into the night.

The flustered pegasus couldn't control her fragile emotions and went back inside to reflect on what had happened. She couldn't help but blame herself for the situation. Fluttershy, I hope you know what you're doing. I hope it was worth it... I hope you're worth it, Twilight...

Trixie made her way down an old forest trail until she came to the clearing where her old stage was resting. Using her magic, she lifted it up and removed the broken wheel, placing a few logs in its place to keep it level. She trotted inside and looked around - everything was the way she left it. She went back outside and took a deep breath, wondering what had gone wrong. Through the treetops she could make out a few stars and where the moon was. Not as nice as an open field, but it was still soothing. On my own again... Great.

Trixie's walls came tumbling down, and she felt the loneliness sink in again. Fluttershy's crushing rejection hadn't come as much of a surprise, but she had still had her hopes up. She held onto her stomach as she rolled over and cried in a state of deep depression. Twilight Sparkle was in her mind, taunting her with everything she could ever want. Trixie forced herself let it go - if her time with Fluttershy had taught her anything, sharing kindness was the only way to find peace in life. She rolled over and let her pent-up sadness escape into the quiet night air of the forest. The white noise created by branches swaying in the breeze and various bugs and crickets chirping was relaxing in it's own way. In the back of her mind she knew that tomorrow was a new day and a new chance to discover who she was meant to be. These thoughts along with the subtle sounds of the forest around her soon lulled her to sleep.

Several weeks went by and Trixie fixed her stage-home up as much as possible, decorating it with several items she found around the Ponyville tree-lawns at night. She had befriended Zecora and adopted her decorative tastes. As the days passed, she had developed a steady routine which included visiting Fluttershy at least once a week.

Today, Trixie planned on going to visit her friend once again, but as she made her way to the clearing she spotted something unusual. She jumped back and took cover behind a bush on the edge of the meadow, Twilight Sparkle was angrily leaving the house. Fluttershy chased behind her, crying and trying to say something. Twilight wouldn't hear it though, and instead she pushed the crying yellow mare back with a wall of magic and galloped away. The devastated pegasus laid down on the dirt road sobbing. Trixie quickly trotted over to her to investigate what had happened.

"Fluttershy, are you alright?"

The pony simply looked up at her friend and shook her head.

"Want to talk about it?" Trixie put on a small supportive smile.

Fluttershy nodded and stood up wiping at her tears. The supportive unicorn placed a hoof over her friend's shoulder and walked her back inside. The two then sat down on the couch where Trixie waited quietly for her friend to begin.

"... Well? Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak but nothing was heard. She took a couple deep breaths and then began to pour her heart out.

"Well... I was visiting Twilight and we got in a fight then I said something I maybe shouldn't have said so Twilight kicked me out of the house then Rainbow Dash came out of nowhere and started trying to get me to tell her to go beat up Twilight but I didn't and then she came home with me and we talked about her and Pinkie Pie and how great their relationship was compared to mine and I tried not to let it bother me so I changed the subject and we talked about the old days and played games and told stories and stuff like that then Rainbow Dash fell asleep in bed with me and in the morning Twilight showed up and Rainbow ran off and now Twilight thinks I cheated on her with Rainbow Dash and even though I promised I didn't she won't listen and she's really mad at me..."

She ran out of breath as she finished and began desperately trying to catch it.

"So, you didn't cheat on her with Rainbow Dash then?"

Fluttershy shook her head.

"So Twilight won't believe you because she walked in on what looked like you sharing a bed with Rainbow Dash in a way that implied an affair. That's not good. I can see why she'd be angry though. Still, she should have a bit more faith in you than that if you told her that you weren't doing anything, don't you think? Unless..." Trixie gasped and covered her mouth.

"Unless what?!"

"Unless she cheated on you first! Unreasonable suspicion is a telltale sign of a cheater. I may be biased in this but I don't trust her for a second." Trixie crossed her forelegs as if she had made up her mind and wouldn't be swayed.

Fluttershy began to cry again. "You really think so?"

"Well, let's not jump to conclusions. Let the Clever and Deductive Trixie investigate the matter further, and I'll bring you proof before you make a rash decision."

"Oh... okay Trixie. Thanks, you're the best friend a pony could ask for..." Fluttershy closed her eyes and hugged onto the supportive unicorn.

As she held the distressed mare, Trixie's mind was already filling with devious schemes. If Twilight truly had done something to hurt Fluttershy, then she would be punished.

This is it. I'm going to get you Twilight. You're going to regret ever crossing Fluttershy... It seemed Trixie might finally be able to fulfill her original intentions for returning to Ponyville: fighting and defeating Twilight Sparkle, and proving that she was the greater of the two.

Trixie gently stroked Fluttershy's mane while she looked out the window. A dark smile and spiteful stare burned into the buildings in the distance as her newfound kindness was put aside in favour of familiar overwhelming urges for retaliation. That was something she was good at. She had so much in store for the smug little purple unicorn, and, more importantly, she now had justification to unleash her pent-up animosity towards her.

"No need to thank me Fluttershy, I'm just glad to be able to help..."

These Jealous Hearts

Late in the afternoon, Fluttershy had mostly calmed down with the comfort of Trixie. However, the Great and Powerful unicorn herself was far from calm: in fact she was verging on fury after having seen the one pony in the world she cared about brought to tears through no fault of her own.

"Thanks for this..."

"Don't mention it." Trixie sounded harsh as she spoke.

"No, I mean it. Thank you for being here with me right now. I'd be worse off..." Fluttershy pressed her face into Trixie's chest and muffled the rest of her sentence.

Trixie reached down and began stroking her mane again. "Really Fluttershy, it's my pleasure. I'll always be here for you when you need me, and I'll always be happy to do so."

Fluttershy squeaked another nearly incomprehensible thank you and wrapped her arms tightly around her supportive friend. Suddenly the anger Trixie had been feeling seemed to vanish for a moment, and instead a torrent of unfamiliar emotions filled her mind. She almost felt grateful for Fluttershy's situation, as it at least meant she had an excuse to be near. Trixie quickly forced the selfish sentiment out of her mind.

"Fluttershy, I have some preparing to do, so if you'll excuse me." Trixie stood and headed for the door.

"Oh, okay..." Fluttershy laid down on the couch.

"Well if you'd like I can stay longer I suppose." Trixie turned back.

"No that's alright, I need to go talk to Rainbow Dash anyway." Fluttershy offered her most sincere smile, then remembered an important detail to mention.

"Trixie, please be careful. I forgot to tell you... or I should say I chose not to tell you because I didn't think it would really matter, but Twilight knows that you're here in Ponyville, and I think she hates you... Please don't let her see you, I'd hate for you to get hurt."

With a spiteful glance Trixie trotted out the door. Fluttershy recoiled, but after a moment shrugged it off as Trixie just being herself. After trying to figure out where Rainbow might be, she decided to simply wander the town for a while until she ran into her. Fluttershy trotted out her door and down the road, scanning the sky for any evidence of the distinctly colorful pegasus. A conversation she had had with Rainbow Dash the previous night began to replay itself in her mind, causing her to blush as she trotted down the public sidewalks.

"Perhaps now would be the perfect time to put it to the test." Fluttershy thought out loud as she paused in front of Sugarcube Corner.

DING!!!

Fluttershy walked into Sugarcube Corner, hoping for some advice. She stepped up to the counter but no one was in sight.

"Um, excuse me."

"Hiya! What brings you here?" Pinkie jumped up from behind the counter, "Oh, thanks again for all your help before!"

"You're welcome, and, I just wanted to ask you something." Fluttershy gulped. "Well, I heard about you and Rainbow Dash, and I heard you're really good at... something..." Fluttershy's voice faded off into silence.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Let me guess! Is it tap dancing?!" Pinkie hopped onto the counter and began tapping her hooves with surprising precision.

"No, Pinkie. It was something else... Well you see, me and Twilight got in a fight and there's something I was hoping to get better at so I could make it up to her. Rainbow said a good... um well... she said a good um, lick would get me on her good side again." Fluttershy looked across the counter at the still-tapping hooves, a deep blush growing across her cheeks.

Pinkie paused and thought for a moment. "Ohhhhh! Why didn't you say so?! I can help with that..."

She placed a hoof on her chin and cleared her throat. Then, little to Fluttershy's surprise, she began to sing.

So you've got a cutesy marefriend and she's pretty mad at you

You want to make it up to her and know just what to do

But when it comes to eating pie you haven't got a clue

So you came here for a tip, well I've got quite a few

Make sure to set the mood just right and keep the lighting low

Then rub her body hips and thighs make sure to take it slow

Call it insight, practice or just my mare's intuition

But following these steps will bring your plans into fruition!

Eating pie is so exciting

Tasty mares are too inviting

Subtle licks can turn to biting

The sweet taste is quite delighting!

Now remember when you're going down you can't just jump right in

If you make sure you play your cards right you'll make this mare's head spin

First rub her hooves and kiss her thighs and maybe bite her skin

Then lick around her sweet spot and there's no way you can't win

Make sure the timing's right before you do what you must do

You'll know right when she's ready when her body begs for you

Then use your tongue to make her squirm, you can never be too rough

And then you'll hear that mare scream that she just can't get enough!

Eating pie is so exciting

Tasty mares are too inviting

Subtle licks can turn to biting

The sweet taste is quite delighting!

Pinkie stood on the counter-top breathing heavily with wide outstretched arms and a bright smile. Fluttershy was looking up at her, jaw hanging ajar and eyes wide. She took a couple steps back, torn between gratefulness and hysteria.

"Uh... Thanks?" Fluttershy tentatively offered.

"Sure! Did you need anything else?" Pinkie jumped down and stood back behind the counter.

"Well actually I was wondering if you knew where Rainbow Dash was." The shy pegasus was glad to change the subject.

"No idea, I haven't seen her since yesterday morning. I sure miss her though. Oh, I know! When you find her tell her to come see me right away!" Pinkie's eyes lit up at the thought.

"Oh, okay Pinkie, I will. Anyway, I should be going now, I really need to talk to her about something before she finds Twilight." Fluttershy smiled and Pinkie nodded before ducking back behind the counter.

"Well... I'll see you later Pinkie, and thanks again." Fluttershy waited for a reply but got nothing.

She quietly exited the building and continued making her way through Ponyville in hopes of finding Rainbow before it was too late. The last thing she wanted was either her or Twilight getting hurt if they decided to fight, especially since there was no good reason for it. Approaching the intersection, she decided she would head towards the library, which was around the corner. Just as she reached it, she collided with Scootaloo, tripping over her and sending her scooter flying into the air.

"Whoa! What are you doing?! Learn to walk will ya?!" Scootaloo forcefully pushed Fluttershy off of herself and immediately regretted what she had done as soon as she realized who it was.

"Oh Fluttershy, I'm sorry I didn't realize it was you!" Scootaloo jumped to help her friend up.

"I'm really sorry Scootaloo, I didn't mean to..." Fluttershy was quickly cut off.

"Psh, don't worry about it. I've been through a lot worse today." Scootaloo trotted around Fluttershy and brushed all the dust off her coat with a wing.

"You... you have? Oh! Have you seen Rainbow Dash?"

"Uh, yeah... She's at the hospital I think. At least that's where she was going when I last saw her, but you know how she is." Scootaloo began casually fixing her own mane.

"Hospital?! Is she okay?! What happened?!" Pinkie Pie shouted from next to Fluttershy, startling her into a high pitched shriek.

Scootaloo glanced around, not sure where Pinkie came from or how long she'd been there. "Oh, well, uh, she crashed and I think she broke her nose. No big deal though, she'll be fine, at least I hope so. Anyway I really need to get home before I get in trouble again. Bye Fluttershy, bye Pinkie Pie." Scootaloo hastily hopped back on her scooter and made her way down the road.

"No time to waste Fluttershy! Let's go!" Pinkie stood behind Fluttershy and pushed her down the sidewalk with a few rough nudges.

"You don't have to do that... I'm going..." Fluttershy narrowed her eyes in annoyance until she remembered Rainbow could be hurt.

The two then quickly made their way to the hospital. As they approached the emergency room wing, Fluttershy noticed that for the first time she could recall, Pinkie wasn't smiling. In fact she looked worried beyond all reason and kept a very quick pace, nearly galloping.

As they entered to facility and approached the receptionist, Pinkie lost it. "Where is she?! Huh?! HUH?!"

"Shh, Pinkie, please calm down." Fluttershy nervously flattened herself against the floor as the nurse behind the desk angrily glared at them both.

Pinkie placed a hoof on her face and calmed herself down, then Fluttershy spoke in a more reasonable manner. "Um, excuse me ma'am, I'm terribly sorry for the noise, but we're looking for our friend Rainbow Dash. Can you help us?"

"Yes well... she's being treated now in room twenty three. Head down the north wing, take a left, and it should be the eighth room on the right." The mare tipped her glasses and stared the two down, implying they should hurry and leave before she decides not to allow them to visit.

"Thank you, we'll just be on our way then." Fluttershy gently nudged Pinkie towards the north wing, who was still trying to regain her own composure.

"I'm sure Rainbow's fine, you'll see." Fluttershy attempted to reassure her worrisome friend.

"You're right, of course you're right... Right? You are right, right?" Pinkie began hyperventilating.

"Oh dear, Pinkie, you're overreacting. Please calm down, look we're almost there." Fluttershy wrapped a wing around Pinkie and calmly walked her down the hall.

The eighth room seemed to be a mile away as Pinkie looked down the ever stretching hallway. "Fluttershy, I'm not used to feeling this way. When I heard Rainbow Dash was hurt I... I just... I got scared."

"You heard Scootaloo, she's not that hurt. Don't be scared." Fluttershy cheerily smiled.

"That's not it, I just started to think. It could have been worse, she could have... She could have broken a wing again! Or worse..." Pinkie stopped and pressed her hooves into her eyes to keep herself from crying.

Fluttershy didn't know how to respond, but fortunately she didn't have to, as they were finally there. Pinkie excitedly trotted in, eager to give Rainbow Dash a greatly overdue hug. As she entered the room, she came to a slow trot, then stopped. Nurse Redheart was sitting on the bed next to Rainbow Dash, who was happily bragging and boasting about how great she was in bed. The nurse's usually snow white face was blanketed by a thin layer of blush as she held her hoof up to her mouth and giggled like a young school filly.

"...And that's how I got these bad boys." Rainbow held up each arm and put on a wolfish smile while flexing, still speaking in a nasally voice with her muzzle tightly bandaged.

Pinkie stood shocked, her mouth wide open as she watched her new-found love betraying the unreasonably large amount of trust bestowed upon her.

"Rainbow Dash?!" Pinkie's emotions completely flipped.

"Oh dear, I'll... uh... chart something." Nurse Readheart jumped up and trotted towards Pinkie with an awkward smile. "And you are?"

"I'm Pinkie Pie. What's it to ya?" Pinkie gave her a stern glare.

"Oh, hmm. Haven't heard of you." The nurse then trotted out of the room, unpleasantly flicking her tail.

Fluttershy remained quiet, and Rainbow was the first to break the tense silence that filled the room. "Hey Pink, what's up?"

"Your wings for starters..." Pinkie lowered her body and looked as if she were ready to attack.

"Oh, oops, sorry about that." Rainbow scratched the back of her head and lowered her wings.

Pinkie growled and stamped the floor with a hint of rage in her eyes.

"Whoa there, are you mad at me for that? You need to chill Pinkie, I didn't even do anything." Rainbow's voice took on a harsh edge.

"Didn't do anything? Didn't do anything?! Are you kidding me?!" Pinkie's ears lowered and she began breathing heavily, searching deeply for the words to convey exactly what she wanted to say.

"Forget you Rainbow Dash!"

She turned and angrily stomped out of the room, knocking a clipboard along with a small stack of papers out of Nurse Redheart's hooves as she quickly trotted past.

Fluttershy stood in the doorway quietly and awkwardly, not sure whether she should leave or not. "Rainbow... are you alright?"

"Duh, yeah... of course I am! Pinkie's the one with the problem!" Rainbow forcefully fell backwards onto her hospital bed.

"Oh... well, I don't know if I should get in the middle of this."

"That's alright Shy. I'm glad you came to check in on me, I'm fine though, so don't worry about me. You can go if you want." Hearing those words, Fluttershy quickly trotted up to Rainbow and gave her a tight hug, then left the room.

"Bye..." Rainbow shouted as Fluttershy hastily trotted away to catch up with Pinkie. Easy to see which one of us she cares about more... Rainbow selfishly thought.

Rainbow was strong and Fluttershy knew it, she'd definitely be fine. Pinkie on the other hoof... Well, no pony knew for sure what she'd do under this kind of emotional stress. It was essential that she wasn't left alone to do something reckless or crazy. After spotting Pinkie down the street sitting calmly on a park bench, Fluttershy face hoofed. She had forgotten to tell Rainbow to stay away from Twilight for a while and why. It was too late now though: Pinkie had become the priority. She needed attention, and the concerned pegasus knew it. With a deep sigh, Fluttershy worked up the kindness to once again put every pony in the world ahead of herself and her own interests. It was sometimes hard, but Fluttershy would never say it wasn't worth it to make those around her feel good, or at least better, even at her own expense.

Pinkie is... complicated, this could very well take all day... Fluttershy thought as she took a deep breath and approached her sulking friend. As the two talked about everything that had been happening recently, Pinkie got in touch with a part of herself she never knew existed, jealousy. This was something most ponies in this town dealt with on a daily basis. Something Trixie was all too familiar with. Fluttershy decided to spend the day with Pinkie in the meadow, at least to take her mind of Rainbow Dash for now while she calmed down.

The two made their way back to Fluttershy's tree home and got comfortable. The pink mare was still sobbing and seemed unreasonably upset. Tentatively, Fluttershy decided to inquire to Pinkie's apparent overreaction. "Do you want to talk about why you're so um, upset?"

With a couple sniffles, Pinkie wiped her eyes and put on a light smile. "I can't really explain... It's just, I thought this was more than just a game to her."

Fluttershy awkwardly frowned. "Why do you think that she thinks its just a game?"

"Well, she's always running around with other mares. And when she's with me, she never wants to just have fun or spend time, all we do is... is..." Pinkie blushed and placed her hooves over her eyes.

"There there, you don't have to say it Pinkie. So how long have you guys been together?" Fluttershy hoped for an easier topic.

"I... I don't know. We never officially got together. I don't think we're together now anymore anyway." Pinkie bit her lip and stared at the floor.

"Why not?" Fluttershy couldn't help but ask, hoping to know exactly what was on Pinkie's mind.

The sulking pink mare brushed her mane aside and looked her friend in the eye. "Dashie promised me that she'd never do this again, that she'd stop floozying around all the time."

"Well, I think Rainbow Dash really cares about you a lot. She's just not used to this kind of relationship yet. Maybe you should talk to her one more time. Just tell her how you really feel." Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and puffed her chest out, hoping to appear confident in her statement.

Pinkie looked away, more than insecure and unsure about the idea. "I don't know... maybe I can give her one more chance... You don't know what it feels like though Shy, this is really not good. Its bad, or worse. Its awful. Its horrible."

"I think I can relate Pinkie. I'm having a... well maybe a kinda similar problem too... I don't wanna talk about it though." Fluttershy looked down, feeling guilty for dragging her life problems into the conversation.

"Oh you, Pinkie won't have any saddy sad heads around here." The less than selfish mare put on a big smile to encourage Fluttershy to stay positive, hiding a sniffle and stopping a quivering lip.

Each mare giggled and wiped her eyes. Letting her issues out and getting them off her chest helped Pinkie lighten up if only a little. Her time with Fluttershy wouldn't go unappreciated. Its always nice to have a friend to talk to.

***

As the moon slowly crept above the horizon, Trixie packed her saddle bag in preparation for the night ahead. She trotted around her shelter in the Everfree Forest, pacing in front of a mirror she once used to prepare her outfit before a show. She had remodeled her old mobile stage into a much larger structure, using old lumber and supplies she found in various areas throughout the forest. The stage now took up most of the clearing she made in forest, it became her home. Over the months she had found many different things scattered across the streets of Ponyville on trash night which she used to make her stage a little more homely. Along with these old materials, she had decorated the walls with various paintings and the results of the other crafts she practiced during her lonely days spent in the woods.

With a deep breath, Trixie threw her satchel over her back. She steeled her nerves and worked herself up with negative thoughts about Twilight Sparkle. She was hoping for more than a simple confrontation: she wanted to find the evidence necessary to pry Twilight and Fluttershy apart forever. Trixie had already convinced herself that Twilight had cheated on Fluttershy and deserved nothing less than a punishment that would reflect the emotional pain Fluttershy would be forced to endure to when found out.

She trotted outside and headed down the trail leading to Fluttershy's home. Trixie lowered her head and quickly made her way down the road, ensuring she wouldn't be spotted. As she came into town, she detoured off the road and made her way around a treeline. Cutting through bushes and back yards, she soon found Twilight's library home. She inched closer and stayed well hidden in the shadows and darkness as the moon became blocked out by thick cloud cover. From within her satchel she took out a scroll and opened it across the grass before closing her eyes and sending a small ember of magic from her horn to gently fall into the center of the outspread parchment. It began to dimly glow, and as Trixie focused on Twilight, an image appeared on the parchment. It was a birds-eye view of Twilight in her home. Trixie carefully and patiently observed to detect any signs of foul play.

An hour slowly slipped by and Trixie grew bored. Twilight was sitting at a desk, writing down endless notes as she performed what seemed like random chemical experiments. What she hoped to achieve was beyond Trixie, and the less than exciting event was proving to be getting on her last nerves. She considered rushing in and confronting Twilight on her own without any evidence. More so than not, she had simply worked up her own sense of disdain and resentment towards Twilight that she allowed to fester into near hatred.

Suddenly Twilight made a move. She nervously glanced around then quickly and quietly trotted up to Spike, ensuring he was asleep. She then crawled into bed and tightly grabbed onto her pillow. Seemingly upset, she began crying into it and curled up into a ball. Trixie uncomfortably shifted and glanced around feeling a bit awkward. Twilight rolled over on her back and tightly pressed the pillow into her face, then angrily threw it over the edge of the bed. Trixie began to watch more carefully as Twilight made her way downstairs. The flustered unicorn grabbed a piece of paper and began frantically writing. Trixie focused as carefully as she could, but couldn't make out what was being written. As Twilight wrote, tear drops were gently falling into the paper. It was obvious that this was an emotional letter, it needed to be seen. Trixie readied herself, her horn lit up and she closed her eyes and waited. Soon a purple flame exited the library and began drifting into the air. As it passed over Trixie, she caught it in a small net of magic and purple embers rained down. Trixie gathered them up into her satchel and went back to observing Twilight. A few minutes later the mare was fast asleep.

Trixie dispelled the scroll, which then burst into a cold flame for a second before disintegrating into the air. Feeling a bit disappointed at the lack of incriminating activities, she could only hope that this letter held something useful. She decided it'd be safe to sweep the house for any sings as well while she was already in town. She trotted up to the library door and easily unlocked it with a simple spell. Security in this town wasn't by any means tight, considering the crime rate was nearly nonexistent. Trixie quietly trotted inside, making sure her steps were as silent as possible. She closed her eyes and let out a deep pulse of magic from her horn, it radiated through the house, and created an image in her mind that reflected her surroundings in the dark room. Trixie closed her eyes tighter and focused on the image imprinted in her mind. She then began checking drawers for a journal or something of the sort. Nothing downstairs. She levitated herself upstairs and repeated the process.

There was a particular drawer in Twilight's room, particular in that it was frequently and recently used. She knew this because of the magical traces left behind in the image created by the spell. Twilight's laziness would prove her downfall in this situation. Trixie opened the door to the room containing the overused drawer. Twilight was fast asleep in the bed directly in front of where Trixie stood. She licked her lips and thought about how easily she could end Twilight in this situation. Clearing her mind, she focused on the task at hoof. She was no murderer. She opened the drawer and sure enough, a journal was cleverly tucked within, attached to the top of the inside, just out of sight. Trixie took it in an aura of magic and concentrated for a few moments. Then the book split into two copies, a spell she'd worked up just for the occasion. She tucked the duplicate into her satchel and returned the other, then headed outside before she woke anyone up.

She quickly trotted down the road and out of the library's line of sight. When she felt like she was clear, she jumped up and down in joy and giggled to herself, her heart teeming with pride. Then Trixie suddenly paused and stood still in the middle of the road. She almost felt as if she had been struck by the bright moonlight as the dark clouds drifted towards the horizon. Looking up at the stars between the veil of breaking darkness, she felt a pang of emptiness fill her heart, as if they were trying to tell her something was wrong.

Everyone makes mistakes, Trixie...

She felt almost pathetic as she realized how painstakingly hard she was working to appease her jealous rage. As if proving Twilight's infidelity would cause Fluttershy to come running into her arms for comfort and fall in love with her. It was a useless endeavor.

However, what was done was done, and Trixie's curiosity wasn't going to allow her to return the stolen letter or journal. She made haste on her way home, this time not straying from the main roads. It was late, far past midnight, and Trixie figured no one would be awake at this hour, and if there was someone around, they'd most likely not recognize her. Then, in a heartbeat, Trixie had ducked off the road and taken cover in a roadside bush, seeing a familiar pink earth pony slow-trotting down the road. As Pinkie paralleled the bush, she stopped and glanced over.

"Why are you hiding in there? Are you playing hide-and-go-seek? Oh, can I play?! Shhh, don't blow your hiding spot, I'll hide with you." Pinkie jumped into the bush next to the shocked unicorn.

"I'm not hiding! What's wrong with you?!" Trixie jumped out of the bush and brushed herself off.

"Not... hiding? Then what are you doing? Spying?" Pinkie stood up and widened a questioning eye.

"No, I'm not doing anything, leave me alone... I'm very busy." Trixie gave her an evil glare.

"Oh... okay, I'll just go home then... by myself... alone... without anypony..." Pinkie uncharacteristically lowered her head and continued her slow trot down the road.

Something in Pinkie's tone or eyes caught Trixie's attention and a bit of her empathy. "Wait."

Pinkie stopped and allowed her beautiful smile to shine in the night. "I'm waiting, now what?"

"I don't know, just... Do you want to come with me or something?" Trixie subconsciously tried to contain her angry tones but failed to do so.

Pinkie seemed oblivious to the obvious yet somewhat unintentional disdain in Trixie's voice. "I'd love to! Where are we going?"

"Shh, it's the middle of the night and you're yelling like a maniac. Please be quiet and follow me." Trixie then led the way back to her forest home.

At the edge of the forest, Pinkie stopped and let out a deep yawn. "Are you sure you want to go in there? It can be dangerous at night."

"Don't you know who you're traveling with? None other than the Great and Powerful Trixie! Fear not my merrily-mundane messy-maned mare, I'll protect you from any threats within the forest!" Trixie lit her horn up and led the way, casting light through the darkness.

The two made their way down a small overgrown trail, a familiar path for Trixie. It wasn't long before they reached the modded stage that was Trixie's home and there were no threats to be seen.

"Welcome to my humble abode, you're the first visitor I've had." Trixie bowed and allowed Pinkie to enter first.

With a flick of her horn, several candles lit with a deep purple flame before turning to a soft orange and illuminating the small home. Pinkie looked around with a straight face. She looked over at the cracked mirror, then across the walls. Pinkie gulped, feeling a bit disturbed. As soon as Trixie realized what the pink pony was looking at, she began to blush and regret inviting her in before redecorating. There were dozens of vivid paintings displayed across the walls, each one being a representation of one of Trixie's emotions in one way or another. From eerily lifelike portraits to abstract colors patterned across canvases, each one seemed to reflect not only Trixie's ever-changing moods, but also her artistic talent. One in particular captured Pinkie's attention. A strikingly realistic painting of Fluttershy standing in the forest, blushing and smiling. A couple of birds sat perched on her wing and beams of sunlight shone brightly around her shadowed yet elegantly lit face. It couldn't be described as anything other than a masterpiece.

"Great and Powerful Trixie, why is this huge painting of Fluttershy in your house?" Pinkie couldn't help but ask.

"That's not as easy to explain as one might think. At least not in depth. But essentially, I love to paint, and she is my inspiration, this was a tribute to her. Oh and by the way, just call me Trixie."

"She's your inspiration?" Pinkie asked, confused.

"Yes well, she inspired the first piece of art I've ever made. A spell actually, a beautiful spell if I do say so myself." Trixie blushed as she recalled her days practicing.

"So... Trixie, now what do we do?" Pinkie's short attention span was lost.

"Now, you sit quietly. Like I told you before, I'm very busy and have work to do." Trixie sent her a sharp glance, as if she already regretted inviting the mare over.

"Oh... can I watch?" Pinkie jumped up and trotted over to Trixie, who was unloading a mess of glowing purple embers.

"If you must. But be quiet, okay?"

"I'll be quiet, promise!" Pinkie zipped her mouth up and threw away the key.

Trixie nodded and began carefully sorting the cool glowing embers across a table. A mere few seconds later, Pinkie spoke. "Ooh, what's that?"

"Shh, aren't you supposed to be being quiet?" Trixie was clearly annoyed.

"Ugh... fine... Why'd you invite me here anyway... I'm bored." Pinkie collapsed onto the floor.

Trixie stopped focusing on the task at hoof for a moment. "I don't know okay? I just didn't want you to be alone. No pony should have to be alone if they don't want to be."

Pinkie considered offering a playful retort, but detected sincerity in Trixie's voice. Rather than ruin it with insincerity, she considered what she'd say before saying it, something she wasn't used to at all.

"Trixie, thanks for that. I'm glad I'm not alone right now, even if I'm bored. It could be worse..." Pinkie sighed, feeling a bit ashamed of herself.

"I'm working on being kind, something Fluttershy has taught me about making the world a better place. Now if you really want to thank me, you can do so by staying quiet! Don't push your luck with this kindness thing. Unlike Fluttershy, my kindness is in unhealthily short supply." Trixie then went back to work and Pinkie sighed.

Before long, Pinkie Pie was fast asleep on the floor. Disturbed by her snoring, Trixie levitated her into a small mostly dry-grass bed. Feeling as if she'd accomplished a good deed, she went back to work, feeling confident and more level headed than ever. She pieced the embers back together very carefully, using her magic to detect the right order in which to place them. Hours slipped into the night as she diligently worked on the arduous task. After a while, she decided to take a break from the letter and pulled Twilight's journal out. It was, as expected, sealed tightly shut with a simple locking spell probably designed to keep Spike out. Trixie quickly and easily disarmed the trigger and opened it up. She skimmed to the most recent entries. Boring, lame, boring, blah blah... Nothing caught her interest, until an entry made on the date Goldenmane, 35th. Cycle 5.

It was an entry, describing in explicit detail, the emotions Twilight had been feeling after having a sexual encounter with a mare who's name she didn't recognize. Trixie almost felt as if she were going to faint. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hooves as she read on. This was it... This is more than she'd ever hoped to find.

She decided she must finish reassembling this letter immediately, as her curiosity now needed to be satisfied like never before. She worked diligently, forcing her horn to stay precise despite the sharp headache it was causing her to focus so intensely. She carefully aligned lightly flaming fragments of magic that held the essence of the letter together. Her eyes felt as if there were about to cross as she was nearing completion and her head felt like it was about to explode. Then, with a poof of smoke and purple flame, the letter appeared in front of her.

"I did it!" Trixie jumped up and celebrated. She glanced over to Pinkie who was still asleep, wishing she could celebrate with her.

She looked over Pinkie, the now quietly snoozing earth pony seeming so peaceful. Her light breathing and subtle smile were simply comforting to look at. Trixie felt as if she was once again losing sight of her goals. After thinking about it, she wasn't even sure what those goals were anymore. It seemed now the only potential result would be hurting Fluttershy. Is that really something she could go through with? Trixie couldn't help but wonder.

Without further delay, Trixie opened the letter to invade Twilight's privacy and hopefully incriminate her further. To Trixie's surprise, this letter was actually to Fluttershy rather than the other mare as she had anticipated.

Fluttershy, this is Twilight Sparkle. I know what I did was wrong. I know that I should trust you more. I'm sorry that I jumped to conclusions and didn't give you a fair chance to explain what had happened. In truth, I'm the one that should be sorry. I have something important to tell you, a confession to make. I'd like to do whatever it takes to make this up to you. I love you Fluttershy, I love you with all my heart and I only hope you can forgive me.

Trixie read over the letter several times. Each time she read it faster and her breathing quickened.

No... no no no... This isn't right... This can't be right. Trixie placed her front hooves on her face and sunk into her own despair. She knew Fluttershy would immediately forgive Twilight despite everything she had done. It wasn't right, Twilight didn't deserve another ounce of Fluttershy's affection. Something had to be done. But she knew it wasn't her place to speak for Twilight, no matter how much she'd love to throw her under the carriage, so to speak.

Trixie stood up and walked outside for some fresh air. With a deep exhale, she watched her breath get carried away on the cool night breeze. As always, her eyes were then drawn to the stars. She searched the sky for answers she knew she'd never reach on her own. She drew invisible lines in between them, hoping to form some kind of message telling her what she should be doing. She knew the answers to her life were there, she felt it. Giving up, she collapsed onto the grass and laid face down. After such an exhausting night, she had no trouble drifting off into sleep, even in this cold air.

A few short hours later, the sun breached the horizon. Beaming rays of light crept between the trees and across Trixie's face. She placed a hoof over her eyes in annoyance.

"Screw you Celestia..." Trixie accidentally spoke out loud.

"Good morning sleepy head!" Pinkie cheerfully yelled from within the house.

Trixie leaned up and forced her aching eyes open with an obnoxiously long yawn. Laying back down, she took in all the familiar scents the early morning forest had to offer. However, it was something unfamiliar that caught her attention. She decided to investigate the mouth-watering aroma. The source seemed to be coming from within her home, and upon entering she stumbled onto a surprising sight. All the candles in the house were gathered into the center of the room beneath what seemed to be a makeshift burner. Pinkie was standing over it with her eyes closed and a spatula made from crudely assembled planks in her mouth.

"I made breakfast!" She announced with overly enthusiastic glee.

"Pinkie, where in Equestria did you get these provisions?" Trixie looked over several seemingly well prepared breakfast foods.

"It's grass silly, there's grass everywhere." Pinkie rolled her eyes with a wide smile and continued to serve the food.

"Grass... Grass pancakes? Grass muffins? Grass... uh, what is that liquid?" Trixie raised an eyebrow.

"Uh duh! Grass juice."

"I'm not drinking that..."

Trixie closed her eyes and took in another deep breath, reveling in the scent of a freshly cooked meal, something she hadn't had since living with Fluttershy, nearly three months ago.

"Okay Pinkie, this is all really too much. I don't know what to say." Being honest with herself, Trixie wasn't really sure how to behave in this situation at all.

"Well if I were you, I'd just say... Gee thanks Pinkie, it sure was nice of you to make me breakfast!" Pinkie smiled, hoping for a compliment.

"... Thanks I guess." Trixie sat down and looked off to one side.

"You're welcome. Now eat up!" Pinkie seemed completely immune to Trixie's involuntary disdain.

Trixie slowly glanced over to the warm food sitting on a plate in front of her, finally allowing a slight smile to escape her impervious walls.

"I mean it Pinkie, thanks for this." Genuine gratitude wasn't something Trixie often offered, and somehow Pinkie made that connection, and took it for what it was.

Trixie began eating, levitating small chunks of food into her mouth. Pinkie was digging in to her helping face first. It wasn't hard for Trixie to find amusement in the whole situation, and now more than ever, she was glad she had invited Pinkie into her home.

As she was about to take the last bite, something occurred to her. "Pinkie, how did you mix this grass into batter? It's not like I have the proper utensils, and you don't have magic. I don't see anything around here that you could have used to do it either..."

"Oh, easy. I just chewed it up first."

Trixie sat there with her jaw wide open, dropping the last piece of grass muffin onto the floor. Her eye twitched as she imagined Pinkie pre-chewing the few she had just eaten. Suddenly, Pinkie began to laugh hysterically. She fell off her chair and rolled onto the floor.

"Oh Trixie! You should have seen your face! Ha! You're too easy." Pinkie wiped a tear and tried to catch her breath.

"So, you didn't chew it then?" Trixie asked, torn between relief and rage.

"Of course not, that'd be nasty. I used the spatula to smash and mix it. It's just grass, water, and flour." Pinkie stuck her tongue out to top off the prank.

"Well that's a relief, now I don't have to destroy you. That would have been a shame because believe it or not, I actually kind of like you." Trixie looked up with a sketchy smile.

Pinkie giggled and winked, then stood up to clear the area.

"Sit down you, I'll get it." Trixie levitated the dishes right out of Pinkie's hooves and sat them off to one side.

Pinkie didn't argue, instead she began to walk around the small house, once again admiring the pictures on the walls. "This picture looks even better in the daylight."

Trixie dropped a small wooden plate and blushed. "Uh, thanks."

Pinkie walked up to the portrait and lightly ran her hoof across Fluttershy's face. "It's so lifelike. I'm impressed. Where did you get the supplies to paint these?"

Trixie walked up next to Pinkie and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Come with me, I'll show you."

The two walked outside and around to the back of Trixie's home. There were several blank canvases hung on the back of the house along with a few burned remains.

"Like everything I do, it's magic." Trixie closed her eyes and aimed at a canvas.

Pinkie quietly watched to see just how this worked. Trixie visualized what she wanted to create. Aiming her horn carefully, she sent a thin stream straight forward. With careful concentration she precisely guided the stream in various strokes and patterns. A moment later she stopped and opened her eyes. A very poorly sketched out pink pony had been placed onto the canvas. It did, however, at least vaguely resemble Pinkie Pie.

"Ooh is it me?! Can I keep it?" Pinkie quickly snatched the small canvas off the house and rolled it up.

"Seriously? Sure, but I mean... It's kind of bad don't you think? I need to practice drawing you a few times before I can make anything decent."

"I love it!" Pinkie unrolled the painting and held it up next to herself.

"If you say so." Trixie broke into another smile.

"I say you should give Fluttershy the picture of her too."

"Whoa, I don't think so. It took me ages to complete that, and knowing Twilight Sparkle, it would just end up getting accidentally destroyed, just like the scarf I made her." Trixie took a defensive stance.

"Why would knowing Twilight Sparkle destroy your things? So anyway, how did you figure out you could paint like that anyway?" Pinkie placed a hoof to her chin and tried to imagine how one would go about discovering such a talent.

"Twilight would destroy my things herself because she's a stupid jealous donkey! And I discovered it when I was practicing my own offensive spells on trees. I noticed when concentrating on certain things, I could create colored scorch marks. One thing led to another and I figured out how to burn color into paper." Trixie headed back inside to guard her portraits.

"Does Twilight hate you?" Pinkie's one track mind began to show.

Trixie glared sharply at the undeserving Pinkie Pie, piercing her with the contempt she held for Twilight. "Yes, and she barely even knows me. Fluttershy told Twilight about me though, and how I changed. Twilight wouldn't listen, she said I'm nothing but trouble and commanded Fluttershy to stay away from me."

"That doesn't sound like the Twilight Sparkle I know at all... Or does it?" Pinkie stood on her back hooves and crossed her arms.

"Wait, you know Twilight Sparkle as well?"

"Well of course I do! I know everyone in Ponyville! But that's not the point here! Twilight must be... um, jealous of you." Pinkie fell back to her hooves and dropped her smile.

"Jealous of me? That's a laugh Pinkie." Trixie looked around and lowered her eyes.

Pinkie looked over the surprisingly modest unicorn. "I just realized something, Fluttershy talks about you... a lot. I didn't know who she was talking about at first, but it has to be you. I remember her talking with Twilight at my party a while ago. She said she saw the most amazing spell she'd ever seen before and that her new friend cast it. Twilight's been jealous of you ever since."

"Wait, do you know when exactly that was? Was she talking about the spell I made for her or the one that revealed her deepest desire." Trixie realized she'd likely not receive an answer that indicated which it was, but it was very important to her.

"It was... I think, maybe ... One, two, three, eighty seven days ago!"

"One hundred and seven, you're sure?" Trixie waited for a reply before attempting to calculate.

"Bet your flank I'm sure." Pinkie said with a stretch and a yawn.

Trixie sat down and began to think. After about a week of living in the forest, she had made herself a sort of calendar. It was mostly used to keep track of the time spent as she worked on various projects, whether they be paintings or magical experiments, it would prove valuable in this instance. She consulted it and realized she had only been in the forest for nearly three months now. Trixie soon realized that eighty seven days ago was definitely before she had created her spell dedicated to Fluttershy. This revelation came as somewhat of a devastating blow to Trixie, however it also meant something else, something much more important.

"Pinkie! Do you know what this means?"

"Kind of."

"Wait, you do?" Trixie lost her train of thought.

"It means that before you tried to make Fluttershy fall for you, she you accidentally made her realize how much she missed the relationship she once had with Twilight when you used that spell on her. Which means there's no way the sweet and faithful Fluttershy would have ever given you a fair chance, since those old feelings of when they first got together were fresh in her mind." Pinkie Pie held a straight face and spoke as if she were reciting the obvious, resisting the urge to exclaim her boredom.

Trixie sat back and leaned up against the wall. "You're right, that's exactly what I was thinking."

"Ugh, gag... you girls are so lucky. I wish I could trade places with one of you three. Hay, even one of you four if I count Rainbow Dash." Pinkie put on a self pitying face and sulked in her seat.

Trixie lost her cool, standing up and glaring at Pinkie. "What?! What are you talking about, trade places with whom?! Me? Why, so you can live alone and watch the one you love get hurt over and over again by a stupid self righteous unicorn?!"

Pinkie recoiled slightly, then strongly held her ground. "No, what I mean is it would be nice to be part of something serious. I'd like to trade places with you because at least you know there're some underlying emotions to be found in Fluttershy and you actually have a chance to get her to fall for you especially now that Twilight's pushing her away with all this petty dramatic nonsense!"

"Are you saying you want Fluttershy as well?" Trixie looked worried.

"No, I'd actually rather trade places with Fluttershy. Not because I want to be with you or Twilight, I just wish I knew what it felt like to be loved like that." Pinkie pointed up to the elaborate portrait without looking at it.

"I'm sorry Pinkie, I didn't mean to yell at you..." Trixie sat back down, feeling a bit ashamed.

Pinkie walked up next to her and sat down against the wall by her side, placing an arm around her neck. "It's okay, I yell at me too sometimes. I'm just so frustrating."

Trixie thought she detected a joking tone in her voice but wasn't sure, she decided it'd be best to change the subject. "So how does Rainbow Dash come into play, you mentioned her earlier."

Pinkie lost her smile once again. She looked down and tried to decide how to put it. "I spent the night with Rainbow Dash a few weeks ago. I fell in love with her, I always liked her a lot, and I thought the feeling was mutual, but I was wrong."

Trixie remained silent, not sure words of comfort would be welcomed.

Pinkie took a deep breath and smiled. "I saw her flirting with another pony yesterday... I've never wanted to hurt someone so badly before. You know?"

Trixie could easily relate to that. "Yes I know, I swear I'm insane sometimes... The thoughts that pop into my mind when I think about Twilight Sparkle even scare myself. What makes us strong is not letting our jealousy control our actions though, right?"

"Right," Pinkie giggled and pulled Trixie in closer. "I'm glad I found you. I had fun spending the morning with you, but I really should be getting back now. Can I come over again soon?"

Trixie's heart fluttered with joy: she had made a new friend. "Of course you can Pinkie. I'd be glad to... let you."

"Okay, I'll see ya soon then." Pinkie gave her a tight friendly hug and trotted down the forest trail.

Trixie let her hooves lazily fall to the floor. She was still pretty tired after the long all-nighter piecing the letter together. Which brought that back to her attention. She jumped up and went over to her satchel, which contained the evidence she gathered last night. Now more than ever, she knew Twilight's plans for reconciliation must be sabotaged.

She loves me, I know it... Trixie found justification in her selfish actions. Twilight was horrible, and Fluttershy was trapped in a relationship she didn't want to be in. Whether this was true or not, Trixie forced herself to believe it was an absolute.

Trixie very carefully went over the letter, imprinting Twilight's writing style in her mind. She then began to forge another letter, carefully mimicking the strokes of each character with her quill. It took more concentration than expected to remain so precise. Trixie took a break from the half written letter and began to massage her temple with a hoof, then went back to her project. She continued working diligently, letting minutes turn to hours as the day slipped away.

She completed the letter and headed outside for some air. During the process of writing, she seemed to have lost her motivation. At first she was completely confident and sure that what she was doing was right. But as the letter neared completion, something felt off. A familiar yet unidentifiable voice resonated in her mind. Everyone makes mistakes, Trixie...

Once again doubting her own intentions, she looked to the starry sky for answers. Their celestial beauty seemed to turn her greatest desires into nothing. She laid on her back and stared into the clusters, admiring how each one beamed and twinkled individually. If their existence was simply a spell, it was one without comparison. Trixie lost herself in the night sky, letting the immaculateness of the sight whisk her worries away. She connected the dots in her mind, then a sudden realization dawned on her. She shot up and rushed inside, preparing to head out.

Earlier that day, Pinkie Pie was nearing Sugarcube Corner as she cheerfully hopped down the sidewalk, feeling a sense of rejuvenation after having spent such a nice morning with a new friend. That was all quickly swallowed as she caught a glimpse of a rainbow tail rounding a corner in front of the bakery. Pinkie slowed her pace to a silent sneak. She carefully peeked around the corner to see Rainbow Dash impatiently waiting for Pinkie to let her in. With a deep breath, Pinkie decided to confront her.

"Rainbow, what are you doing here." Pinkie kicked at the ground while she waited for a reply.

Rainbow Dash was clearly fighting herself inside her mind, forcing the arrogant pride she held so tightly down into her stomach. "I'm... I just want to say I'm sorry about earlier."

"Forget it Dash, I'm not forgiving you that easily. Now excuse me, I have work to do." Pinkie pushed her way by and went inside the building, tightly shutting the door behind herself without looking back.

Rainbow Dash took the sharp blow to her self esteem, and turned it into anger. "Whatever, I was just trying to be nice anyway! I'm not sorry because I didn't do anything wrong in the first place!"

Pinkie Pie could clearly hear everything Dash was saying in the quiet bakery, but chose to ignore it as best she could. Her lip began to quiver and she closed her eyes to hold the tears back. She knew the perfect opportunity to get back on track had been blown.

Rainbow Dash flew away with not so surprising speed. She spotted Twilight Sparkle giving Carrot Top a sympathetic hug and decided to pry.

As she flew over she overheard Twilight speaking. "So you're sure you won't tell me who it was?"

With a soft landing next to the two, the earth pony was quick to give a respectful nod and duck out.

"What's goin' on Twilight?" Rainbow inappropriately asked.

"It's personal stuff Rainbow. So um, did you need anything?" Twilight asked with a sincere smile.

"Not really, I just thought maybe we could talk." Rainbow Dash looked genuinely worried.

"Sure, of course we can talk. Come on in." Twilight led the way and rolled her eyes when she was sure no one could see her. What am I, some kind of therapist all of a sudden?

When they were inside, Twilight swallowed her contempt. "So what did you need to talk about?"

"I guess I just want some advice..." Rainbow proceeded to explain everything that had happened. From the night spent with Pinkie leading up the hospital fight.

"You already know I started dating Pinkie a few weeks ago. I guess I didn't take it as seriously as she did. I just wanted to have fun with my best friend, I didn't mean to make her fall for me like that. I really do care about her a lot, and I feel really bad about what happened. Earlier when I was getting my nose fixed at the hospital, Pinkie saw me flirting with a nurse and she flipped out on me. I tried to talk to her but she won't listen. What should I do?"

Twilight didn't take the story well. "Are you serious? You know how Pinkie is, and she's been talking about you nonstop ever since you two got together. What kind of horrible pony are you to not take Pinkie seriously?! If I was Pinkie I'd have kicked that already bucked up nose of yours right then and there! Get out of my library until you learn how to treat your friends right. You don't deserve Pinkie, you don't deserve anyone! Now leave!"

Rainbow backed out of the library, her confidence shattered after the emotional ravaging Twilight inflicted. As the door shut, Twilight broke into tears. Little did Rainbow Dash know, her outburst was partially directed at herself. Twilight now felt worse than ever after letting her own issues get the best of her judgement. Rainbow was clearly in need of a friend, and she had failed to be that friend. She decided to try and catch Rainbow before she flew away, but as she looked outside, she saw Scootaloo being a good friend in her place. Feeling relieved that Rainbow wouldn't be forced to deal with whatever it was she was dealing with alone, Twilight returned to her own self pity.

A few hours later the sun had set and it was dark out, when there was a strange knock at the library door. Twilight drearily got up to answer, assuming it was Spike and he had forgotten his key again. As she opened the door, her eye twitched.

"Trixie?!" Twilight wasn't sure if she should attack her or slam the door in her face.

Fearing the worst, Trixie took a defensive stance and readied her horn. "Look, I'm here to make peace. I'll start by returning these."

Trixie levitated the journal and letter over to Twilight. The purple unicorn felt pure fury boiling in her heart. Trixie hadn't realized the depth of Twilight's hatred for her. She had been dwelling on her resentment towards Trixie ever since she first discovered that she was around.

"Where did you get these?!" Twilight exclaimed, already knowing the answer.

"I um... I broke into your house and took it from your room. I left the original, this is a duplicate I made. Also I intercepted the letter right as you sent it and reconstructed it last night." Trixie looked down and swallowed her own resentful spite after recalling the details of her abandoned projects.

"You did what?!" Twilight was teetering over the deep end; to say that her privacy had been invaded was a severe understatement.

She focused on the target of her building rage. With a sharp flash of light, she shot a focused blast of magical energy directly towards Trixie. Having seen this coming before she even knocked, Trixie was quick to react. She covered her face with her hooves and created a barrier of magic just before impact. The blast sent her sliding across the dirt road outside in a cloud of dust.

"What the hay was that for?! I said I was sorry!" Trixie lowered her spell and shouted.

"No you didn't! But I'll make sure you are!" Twilight readied another spell, waiting for the right moment to cast it.

"Fine, I'm not sorry! If this is how you wanna do it then fine! Bring it!" Trixie dropped her defensive stance and lost her motives. She kept her body low as she approached Twilight.

Twilight grinned and released her spell, sending another powerful blast towards her enemy. Trixie didn't shield herself this time, instead she caught the concentrated magic in her own aura and sent it flying back towards her rival. Twilight was surprised to see such an advanced counter-spell. She had no choice but to shield herself with a defensive spell and brace herself for the impact. The combined force of her own spell within Trixie's powerful aura was enough to break her guard. Twilight tumbled across the library floor. Trixie didn't lose the opportunity to get a hoof up. She galloped into the library and shut the door behind herself. Twilight quickly struggled to her hooves and braced herself for the next attack. Trixie had sent a chair flying towards her target as she continued to charge her. Twilight made the split second choice to deflect the chair and take Trixie's physical attack full force. As she caught the projectile in her own aura, Trixie slid around and forcefully implanted her back hooves into Twilight's ribs.

Twilight whimpered as she rolled away from the blow to her side. Trixie didn't let up, this was something she had been imagining doing for quite some time, although not her original intention. She lifted Twilight up with her magic and violently threw her into a bookshelf, knocking several of them to the floor. Twilight caught herself before she hit the ground. Not giving up, she quickly caught Trixie's leg and pulled her to the ground as she regained her balance. Before Trixie could react, Twilight stamped her front hoof into her face with barbaric force. Her powerful stomp was enhanced by the use of magic to press it down much harder than she could have on her own. It came down like a fiery purple comet as it exploded into Trixie's jaw. As Twilight's hoof was rushing down for a second fiery impact, Trixie saw it coming, but was too disoriented react properly. She took the hit full force and lost her sense of self awareness as she nearly blacked out.

Twilight collapsed to the floor next to Trixie, having overexerted her magic and exhausted herself. Trixie was regaining focus and scurried away from Twilight. She stood up on wobbly hooves and wiped the blood off mouth. Her eye was swollen and her cheek was puffed and swelling as well. She knew it was likely that her cheek bone had been fractured, but that only strengthened her desire to further harm Twilight. Trixie took a moment to focus her energy and level her senses as Twilight was stumbling to her hooves. The last spell she had used was meant to render Trixie unconscious but Twilight had overdone it and used up the last bit of energy she had on the powerful yet highly magic consuming spell.

Trixie saw her opportunity as Twilight coughed and tried to refocus her magic. She grabbed Twilight with her telekinetic force and pressed her tightly against a wall. Trixie closed her eyes and began to focus, Twilight could feel what was happening, and she was all too familiar with forced magical combustion. Trixie opened her eyes and leveled out her magical frequency to the desired pitch. Twilight's horn attempted to break her free, but it was useless. Trixie hadn't used much magic in the fight, a simple counter and levitation was all. She had more than enough strength left to hold her down. Trixie looked into Twilight's eyes as she began to writhe in agony.

"Please! I'm sorry!" Twilight managed a shout through the aura of magic.

Trixie's eyes shot wide open. She saw the terror in the panicking mare's eyes, as well as the horror of her own actions and intentions. She closed her eyes and released the spell, gently lowering Twilight to the floor.

"Enough's enough, I'm leaving." Trixie muttered.

"Wait... I... Just wait." Twilight was gasping for breath.

Trixie paused for a moment, she felt a sharp sting on her lip. It was cut and bleeding pretty badly. Twilight made her way to her hooves.

"Trixie, thanks for... thanks for not killing me. I know you could have." Twilight offered her most humble gratitude.

"I couldn't do that to Fluttershy. Don't thank me, thank her. As for the journal and letter, I haven't shown her yet. So you better be thankful that I'm giving you the chance to make things right between you two. Don't muck it up again." Trixie trotted outside and headed for home.

Twilight fell down on her hooves and was at a loss for words. Her ribs were aching and heart was broken. To her own shame, she brought all this pain upon herself.

Trixie angrily made her way down the road home. She looked up at the stars spitefully rather than with her usual humility.

"Thanks a lot stars! Look where your stupid plan got me." Trixie stopped and kicked a rock across the road. Why am I talking to stars... Am I crazy?

She felt a sudden relief wash over her as the moon beamed brightly down. The stars all twinkled in a distinct yet unexplainable pattern. Trixie heard a voice in her mind, as if the stars really were communicating with her.

You made the right choice. I'm proud of you, Trixie...

Trixie was stunned, and gazed across the bright night sky as she shouted. "Who are you?! Why are you talking to me?!"

She felt like she was at the brink of insanity and hurried home to the safety and solitude of the indoors. Her eyes were drawn to the skies once again as she galloped. The eerily bright stars reflected across a forest pond as she neared home.

Don't be afraid Trixie, I'm your friend.

Friends Come and Go

"Time to get up Scoot, you can't just sleep all day," Rainbow Dash hypocritically said with her eyes still closed and a pillow over her face.

Scootaloo let out a few moans and groans before sitting up to glare at the intrusive pegasus. "I'm up..."

Rainbow stood up off the bed and cracked her neck, then hid her red tired eyes behind a pair of sunglasses. "What time do you have to be back before you get in trouble?"

"Hmm, lets see. Like fifteen hours ago." Scootaloo fell backwards on the bed and placed her hooves over her aching eyes, dreading the punishment to come.

"So does that mean we can sleep in today?" Rainbow asked, plopping back down onto the bed.

"Sure why not, maybe I can just drop out of school and be homeless. Sound good?!" Scootaloo retorted.

"Jeez, cranky much? Whatever, just get up and lets go already." Rainbow stepped over empty bottles and made her way into the club.

Scootaloo attempted to fix her mane and followed. The two entered the main cloud chamber and realized everything had already been cleaned up. The barmare was still there, cleaning and organizing the bar, the sets, and stages. She was whistling a high pitched cheery tune that sounded like a shrill screech to Rainbow.

"Please, stop that whistling before somepony gets hurt." Rainbow rubbed her head with a hoof.

"Oh, good morning Dash. You and your little friend sleep well?" The barmare smiled down at Scootaloo, who just rolled her eyes at being called little.

"I'm not sure, but I could really use some coffee."

"Sure thing Dash, help yourself back in the breakroom. You know where it is." The barmare went back to her chores.

Rainbow Dash made her way back behind the bar and into the employee lounge, an area she was once very familiar with. She looked up at the clock and to her surprise it was already past three in the afternoon. She then poured herself and Scootaloo a cup of coffee, hoping to wake herself up a bit more before the flight home. Rainbow quickly swallowed the hot bitter liquid, while Scootaloo took hesitant sips.

"Slow down there kiddo, you know, they say coffee stunts your wing growth," Rainbow playfully teased.

Scootaloo's eyes widened and she spit a small sip back into the cup. "Can we just go now?"

"Sure thing kid, I just have one more thing to do. Wait here." Rainbow trotted back into the club while Scootaloo groaned and impatiently waited.

Rainbow walked up to the pink maned barmare. "Hey there gorgeous, what do I owe you?"

"Come on Dash, tell me what you're buying first."

"Okay, the kid, the drinking, the secret, and anything else that I might be forgetting that you think I'd want to buy." Rainbow put on a slick smile.

"Ninety."

"What?! Seriously... Come on Sugarcake, how long have you known me?"

"I gotta make my bits off you somehow right?"

"Whatever, but don't expect me back here for a while." Rainbow scoffed and returned to Scootaloo with her ears lowered.

Sugarcake just rolled her eyes and smiled, then continued sweeping.

"Alright, get up! Let's go!" Rainbow shouted at the migraine-inflicted Scootaloo.

"Shush, I'm ready when you are." The little pegasus trotted up to her side.

Rainbow wrapped a wing around her neck and led her to the balcony of the club.

"We're going to do this the fast way alright? So lay down on your back and grab on tight."

Scootaloo did as instructed. Rainbow stood over her and lowered her body so that Scootaloo could wrap her hooves tightly around her neck. Once secure, Rainbow jumped over the edge of the balcony and spread her wings. With Scootaloo's added weight, she quickly gained speed as she nosedived straight towards the ground. After a minute or two of gaining velocity, she sharply pulled up leveled out with the ground. Ponyville was approaching quickly as Rainbow's speed began to slow. Eventually she came to a trotting stop along a dirt road just outside the city. Scootaloo let go and fell flat on her back, knocking the air out of herself. Rainbow stood off to the side and barely contained her laughter as Scootaloo held on to her stomach and rolled over on her side.

"How's that for a thrill ride?" Rainbow laughed.

"... Shhh. I think I'm gonna be..." Scootaloo pressed her hooves over her mouth and tightly closed her eyes.

"Awe, get up ya pansy. We've gotta get you back home before that bitch of a counselor freaks out on you again."

"She's already going to... Just give me a minute alright?!" Scootaloo drearily stumbled to her hooves.

Rainbow quickly led her to the group-home in which she currently lived. She paused a good distance from the entrance and turned to face Scootaloo.

"You're not going to have to live here forever, trust me okay?" Rainbow's eyes were sincere, although she knew may be making a promise she couldn't keep.

"Look Dash, I know what you're trying to do. But you can hardly take care of yourself, how are you going to take care of me? Not that I wouldn't be fine living in a Manehatten back-alley if it meant I could stay with you, I just wouldn't want to see you go through anything that would change who you are."

Rainbow Dash took a moment to reflect on those words. "Why are you like that, huh kid? Look, everything's going to work out. Everything always works out. Now I have some business to take care of with Pinkie, so you head in there and deal with whatever crap you have to take, and I'll deal with mine, alright?"

Rainbow laughed at the nervous Scootaloo, who gulped before working up the nerve to head inside.

Scootaloo paused again, not knowing what to expect or how afraid she should really be. She had never spent the night away without permission before, and the last time she was late checking in...

"You alright Scoot? What's the worst that could happen?"

"Dash, you don't wanna know..."

"Psh, whatever. I'll go in with you if you want."

"No no, that's fine! I got this..." Ignoring her, Rainbow Dash quickly headed inside to greet Scootaloo's counselor.

Each member of the group home was assigned one of five counselors, each of which were notoriously known for their lack of respect and bureaucratic coldhearted ways. To them, these young colts and fillies were nothing but numbers and a paycheck.

"Hey, I need to talk to Scootaloo's counselor." Rainbow placed her hooves on the receptionists desk.

"I am her counselor. I presume you're here to explain her absence last night?" The stoic mare held her sharp expression.

"Yeah, well, I was helping her with her flying lessons and studying last night. I talked to Cheerilee already so you can confirm it with her. I know I should have reported it to you guys but it slipped my mind. So if you want to be mad at anypony, be mad at me." Rainbow held a responsible tone and stood up straight.

"Very well, I suppose I can let it slide this once. Simply because I don't have the time to deal with that one today. I have more promising individuals to attend to." The mare then rolled away in her chair over to another desk with stacks of paperwork.

Rainbow swallowed her anger and took a deep breath. You better hope I never catch you alone...

Scootaloo was standing below the desk behind Rainbow Dash, silently begging her not to say anything else. Rainbow hopped down and kissed Scootaloo on the forehead.

"You're all good kiddo, I'll see ya later today, okay? Promise." Scootaloo nodded in response and quietly headed into her room.

Rainbow Dash flew off to go see Pinkie, and hoped to work out some issues she had time to think about last night. At the very least, she wanted to salvage their friendship.

Scootaloo quietly closed the door and collapsed onto her small bed. Something told her she wasn't off the hook that easily, but was relieved Rainbow actually covered for her, something she'd never have imagined before. After a moment to relax, Scootaloo knocked on the door to the room adjacent to her own. Moments later a dark brown colt answered. He was a bit taller that Scootaloo, and clearly older. His long black mane hung over his shoulders and down his back. Not only was he clearly older, but he still lacked a cutie mark. He spread his wings at the sight of Scootaloo and quickly gave her a hug.

"Oh snap! You're back? And you made past Ms. Creatch alive?"

"Hells yeah I did! I had Rainbow Dash cover for me and she was like, 'Oh I'm so sorry Miss Rainbow Dash, you won't have any trouble from me ma'am.'" Scootaloo laughed, speaking in a mocking tone.

"No way, that's so awesome!" The colt offered a hoof bump.

"I know right?! Dash is the best!"

"So what did you do all night?"

"Oh not much. We just flew up to Cloudsdale and partied all night, got trashed, and slept together." Scootaloo put on a smug smile.

"No way... That's so not fair, you should have came and got me too."

"Maybe next time, Crank. So what did you do last night?" Scootaloo smiled knowing it'd be dull in comparison.

"I just worked on another song, wanna hear it?" He raised his eyebrows and gestured towards his room with his eyes.

Scootaloo followed him into his room. He leaned up against his bed and picked up a guitar with a hoof. With his wing, he switched an amp on and began strumming with the other wing. After ensuring everything was fine tuned, he began playing. He picked up a pick in his mouth and slid it into a thin, filed out notch in his hoof. Standing on his back hooves, the strap fell softly over his shoulder and using left hoof and wing, he precisely pressed the desired frets while strumming and picking with his right wing and hoof. Scootaloo sat back and enjoyed the soft soothing sounds of the instrument being well played. Then, without warning, he stamped on a small metal device sitting on the floor next to his back hoof. The soft soothing sounds turned to harsh distorted clashes. He began rapidly picking and sliding his hoof and wing high up the neck, creating high pitched scales. Despite her searing headache, Scootaloo enjoyed it.

Suddenly, two loud pounds on the door distracted him. "Keep it down in there!"

Crank and Scootaloo shared a quiet laugh and he sat his instrument down.

"That was awesome Crank, I wish I could play like that." Scootaloo gave a halfhearted clap with her hooves.

"Just takes practice, ya know?"

"Yeah, well I'm still really tired. I'm going to take a nap alright?" Scootaloo yawned and headed back into her room.

"Sure thing, talk to ya later."

The exhausted filly fell onto her bed and rolled over, recalling the events of the previous night. She then thought about how Rainbow stood up for her in the office today. That thought hung in the back of her mind as she closed her eyes and imagined what it would be like to live with her. Maybe she's actually serious about this. The hopeful little mare thought as she drifted off to sleep.

***

Rainbow Dash made her way to Sugarcube Corner hoping to find Pinkie. She walked in and was immediately greeted by Miss Cake.

"Good morning there, Ms. Dash. What can I get you?"

"Actually I was looking for Pinkie." Rainbow attempted to peek past her into the kitchen.

Miss Cake looked confused for a moment. "Well she's actually been requesting days off and disappearing all day. I kind of assumed she was with you."

"Well, she isn't... I guess I'll go look somewhere else then. Any ideas?" Rainbow asked, hoping for a place to start.

"No, no clue. But before you go, are you sure you don't want something to eat?" Rainbow's stomach growled in a timely manner.

"Uh, yeah sure. I'm pretty hungry actually. How about a cinnamon roll or something."

"Sure thing dear, just a moment." She trotted into the kitchen and pulled a fresh batch of pastries out of the oven.

Rainbow took the morning treat and thanked her with a smile. She placed the bill on her ever growing tab and trotted off. After taking a few steps down the sidewalk, she ravenously devoured her breakfast, then took flight. She flew high up into the air, hoping to catch a glimpse of that pink pony happily bouncing in the distance. With no such luck, she continued gliding through the air and decided to ask her friends if they'd seen her.

The remains of the abandoned Sweet Apple Acres wasn't far off and it caught her attention. It was depressing to see, but filled her with an empty sense of nostalgia, and often served her as a quiet place to think.

With a sharp swoop, Rainbow landed right in front of the farmhouse door. She nudged the old creaky door open and headed inside of the empty room. It was terribly weathered, the leaky roof was never properly repaired and the scheduled heavy rains had taken their toll over the years.

Rainbow trotted upstairs and entered Applejack's bedroom. She brushed her hoof along the window sill, recalling all the times she had entered and left from here. She turned to face the old bed, but it was nothing but an empty frame now. She closed her eyes and grazed her muzzle across the headboard, taking in it's familiar scent. She missed her old friend, and let out a woeful sigh. I'll see you soon, okay?

Rainbow opened the bedroom window and placed her two front hooves outside as she prepared to take off. First she stopped and looked back one last time, taking in the memories the room had to offer. She then shrugged and flew back towards town.

The next sight to catch her attention was Twilight's Library. She considered stopping there for a moment and quickly decided she'd rather not. Next stop was Fluttershy's tree home, Rainbow felt that she would at least find words of encouragement there.

She swooped down and came to an abrupt stop, skidding across the dirt trail. With a deep breath, she brushed her mane down and knocked on the door. A few seconds later Fluttershy opened the door, then quickly shut it. Rainbow tilted her head and knocked again.

The door inched open. "Oh, hi there Rainbow Dash. What brings you here?" Fluttershy shifted awkwardly and crossed her hooves while avoiding eye contact.

"I was wondering if you've seen Pinkie anywhere?" Rainbow asked slowly, looked Fluttershy over with a raised eyebrow.

"Who? Pinkie? Oh no, I haven't seen her anywhere... lately." Fluttershy quickly looked away and twiddled her hooves.

"Fluttershy, I can read you like a book. Now what I want to know is why are you lying to your oldest friend?" Rainbow let herself in and stared Fluttershy down.

"Well... um... I... I..." Fluttershy cowered and closed her eyes.

"Come on, out with it! What are you hiding?" Rainbow shouted.

"I promised Pinkie I wouldn't tell you..." Fluttershy braced herself for an attack.

Rainbow didn't react as expected. Instead her ears drooped and she lowered her eyes. "Why would Pinkie make you promise not to tell me something?"

Fluttershy detected the pain in Rainbow's voice, but couldn't bring herself to break a promise. "I don't know, please don't make me tell you. I'm sorry Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow swallowed her pride and let out a deep breath. "Fine don't tell me, just nod your head in her general direction. She'll never know it was you. I promise you that."

Fluttershy hesitated for a few moments, then nodded her head towards the Everfree Forest.

"Gotcha, thanks Shy." Rainbow gave her a quick hug and flew off.

She flew straight into the forest and decided to trot down the trail quietly. Looking down a path to the right, she saw Zecora's hut. She headed down to see if that's where Pinkie was, and nervously tapped on the hut door, not sure what to expect within.

"Ah, Rainbow Dash, what brings you hear? I had a feeling someone new was near."

"I was just looking for Pinkie Pie, have you seen her anywhere?"

"If a pink maned pony is what you meant, I saw her this morning and recall which way she went. Straight down that trail to the north, Pinkie travels daily, back and forth."

"Daily? Alright, thanks." Rainbow politely nodded her head and took off.

Zecora let out a lonely, rueful sigh and retreated back into her hut.

Rainbow calmly and quietly made her way down the trail, wondering why Pinkie would travel into the forest daily. In a clearing, she discovered a strange building. Upon further investigation she realized it was empty but somepony was definitely living there.

"Pinkie?!" Rainbow called out, but her own echo was her only reply.

"Anyone home?!" Still no answer.

She trotted around back to investigate further. There she discovered a unsettling image, there was a portrait of Pinkie Pie wrapping her front leg around a vaguely familiar blue unicorn. Rainbow carefully looked over the painting, attempting to discern the situation.

"Did she... did she leave me for this mare?" the distraught pegasus asked aloud.

Rainbow angrily grabbed the painting in her mouth and threw it to the ground, then began to stomp on it until it was completely ruined and unsalvageable. She then bit a few strands of various colors off her tail and dropped them on the tattered remains, simply to indicate she was to blame and that this was her form of repercussion.

Rainbow managed to mask her inner anguish with anger, something easier to deal with. She flew into the air and took shelter on a cloud. Staring up into the bright blue sky, her anger faded and only self pity was left in it's wake. She closed her eyes and rolled over on her side. All the happy days she spent with Pinkie filled her mind, the fun times they had, the laughs they shared, and most importantly, the love they once held for one another. Rainbow wasn't ready to give it all up, but sadly, she wasn't the one to make that choice. Shroud in self loathing, she drifted off to sleep, wishing there was a way to make everything right again.

***

Scootaloo woke up late in the evening. Her sleep schedule was going to be messed up for a while now. She yawned and stretched her wings out, at which time she realized she was in desperate need of a shower. As she gathered up soap and a towel, she got a knock at her door.

"Open it up."

Crank walked in, his expression unusually grim. "Hey Scoots, I got some news."

"What would that be?" She yawned again mid sentence.

"I'm gettin' out of here, and I got my cutie mark..." Crank looked down, his eyes full of tears.

Scootaloo looked over, taken aback by the usually upbeat and confident colt.

"Don't sound too happy about it." Scootaloo joked, her words soft and concerned.

Crank turned his flank to one side, revealing a spatula crossed with salad tongs. Around the image, his flank was sore and reddened. Scootaloo's heart sank. She was at a loss for words, and couldn't begin to express her sympathy.

Crank broke the silence. "Well, Ponyville needs it's fast food employees right? Someone's gotta do it..."

Scootaloo couldn't contain her tears, she trotted up to Crank and gave him a tight hug. "How did it happen?"

"I got too old. It's the CMBA, the Cutie Mark Branding Administration. If you don't get your mark in time, they'll give you one. I'll be graduating school this year, then I'm supposed start my job..."

Scootaloo hugged tighter, desperately trying to think of a solution. "What if... What if you get your real cutie mark before you finish school?"

"Can't happen... There're magic blockers of some kind in this thing, they made that clear..." Crank closed his eyes and desperately tried to remain strong in front of Scootaloo.

"The reason I'm here Scoot, is because I want you to run away. I can give you some bits, and a temporary place to hide out. But you can't let them do this to you, you're better than... than any of this."

"What will you do?" Scootaloo hesitantly asked.

"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. You though, I have something for you." Crank entered his room and retrieved his guitar and equipment.

"I want you to have this, as a thanks for being my best friend in this dump."

Scootaloo lowered her eyes as he set the equipment next to her bed. She began to breath heavily, "This... this isn't happening..."

"Don't worry, alright? I'm serious. I'll see you soon kid, hopefully not too soon, but in due time." He patted Scootaloo on her head and trotted into his room and began packing up a bag.

Scootaloo sat down, searching for the words to say. She looked over at Crank, who was still fighting tears as he gathered his essentials.

"...Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Crank trotted back up to her with a large bag strapped around his haunches. "Good luck kid, you've still got at least a year before they'll do this to you, so don't rush it. I'll send you bits and instructions as soon as I can. Wish me luck."

With that, Crank rushed out his door and out the emergency exit. He took flight and disappeared into the night. A few ponies quickly chased after him, but were too far behind to catch up before he was no longer visible in the darkness. Scootaloo held onto her chest as she leaned up against the wall. She couldn't believe what had happened and that he was gone, just like that. It all happened so quickly and there were a thousand things she wished she had said, but regrettably didn't have the chance.

Scootaloo stood up and wiped her tears, older ponies running away from this place wasn't uncommon. However, actually seeing the cutie mark being branded on somepony was a first for her. Scootaloo couldn't imagine that happening to herself, and decided that her cutie mark needed to become a top priority once again.

Maybe zip-lining... Scootaloo thought, and chuckled.

She picked up her towel and headed off to the shower. The cool water rushed down her back while she pressed her front hooves up against the shower wall. A pang of loss rested in her stomach as she imagined the room next to hers being empty. There'd be no subtle sounds of an unplugged electric guitar's strings being delicately plucked with the tip of a wing. I'll miss you, Crank...

The thought brought the guitar to Scootaloo's attention. She had always wanted to play, but never had one of her own.

A guitar playing cutie mark would be awesome! Scootaloo couldn't help but imagine.

After quickly scrubbing herself clean, she toweled off and rushed back to her room. She lifted the instrument and leaned up against her bed, quietly strumming the strings with her wing while carefully holding it with her front hooves. A short while after getting the hang of balancing the device in her hooves, she began to play with the frets, experimenting with the different sounds she could create. After a few moments of mild entertainment, Scootaloo returned to her sad thoughts. She laid back down in bed and tried to force herself to sleep, knowing she had a long day ahead tomorrow. She realized how late it was and noticed Rainbow Dash hadn't come to see her like she promised she would.

No surprise there... The filly squeezed onto her pillow and closed her eyes. It's probably not her fault, who knows what Rainbow had gotten herself into.

Scootaloo instead let it go and rolled over on her side facing the wall. She closed her eyes and imagined living in the amazing city of Cloudsdale, having large wings that flew with amazing speed. More than anything, she imagined living with Rainbow Dash, the coolest, fastest, and most amazing pegasus in Equestria. It wasn't long before Scootaloo's deep thoughts and imagination turned into dreams.

For the first time she could recall, she woke up bright and early, feeling well rested. Rather than panicking to get ready for school in time, she'd be able to eat breakfast for a change. After stretching out and fixing her messy mane, she shut off her alarm, which wasn't meant to sound for another hour. Trotting down the hallway towards the dining hall, she was stopped by another counselor.

"Good morning there Miss Scootaloo, are you going to attend the weekly morning assembly for a change? I'm sure it would do you some good. We have a motivational speaker today." The counselor looked down at her with insincere eyes.

"Yes ma'am, of course I am." Scootaloo caved, knowing disagreeing with them in any way would get her nowhere.

"Carry on then, foal." The counselor nudged her out the door and directed her towards the school's auditorium.

Scootaloo felt a sense of loss in her stomach knowing she'd be forced to miss breakfast yet again, and shot a glance of disdain at her counselor's back before trotting off to school and into the assembly. It didn't take long to arrive, considering the school was less than a full block away from her facility.

She trotted into the auditorium and looked over a sea of unfamiliar faces, the few that she recognized were ones she'd rather avoid. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle wouldn't be there, they'll show up to school last minute like Scootaloo usually does, missing the assembly entirely.

Scootaloo took a seat away from the randomly distributed bunches of friends chattering away about things that couldn't possibly interest her. Cheerilee took the stage and began to address the students.

"Welcome to the morning assembly everypony. We have a very special guest today, a mare you might all recognize as your mailmare. Today, Ditzy Doo will share her experiences with you all and hopefully teach you the importance of safe practices. Please welcome her kindly."

Cheerilee bowed and backed off the stage. Derpy Hooves made her way past and took her place center stage. She took a moment to look across the hundreds of sleepy faces sitting in the crowd. However her attention was drawn to a frantically waving orange pegasus sitting at the top row. She offered a subtle smile after she realized who it was, then cleared her throat to begin her speech.

"Hello everypony, I hope you're all having a happy morning today. I know I sure am. I'm happy because I get to see all of your smiling faces. Now the reason I'm here is to talk about how sticking to the safety guidelines for using magic can help save you from serious injury..." Derpy was cut off by an obnoxious colt.

"Duh, tell us something we don't know!"

Derpy looked over the audience nervously, trying to figure out where the shout came from. Cheerilee pressed a hoof into her face, ashamed.

Derpy swallowed her embarrassment and continued speaking. "Oh, sorry. Um, what I was saying was, even though unicorn magic is the most common threat when used unsafely, pegasus magic and earthpony magic can be just a dangerous..."

"Boo! Get off the stage!"

Derpy shifted uncomfortably and lost her train of thought. She tried to remember where she was in her speech, but the distraction remained prevalent. Her eyes scanned the crowd of young fillies and colts looking for a reassuring face, most of them were either stunned by the behavior of their fellow student or laughing at her expense.

Derpy retained her composure as best she could, but nervousness and embarrassment washed over her. "Well that concludes the, my, um... Speech. Bye."

Derpy backed off the stage and exited from the back. Cheerilee had taken the disruptive colt by the ear and dragged him into the principals office for discipline. As she dragged the colt down the hallway she saw Derpy heading for the exit.

"Wait Ditzy, I think a certain little stallion here has something to say to you." Cheerilee angrily nudged the disobedient colt towards Derpy.

She stopped and looked at him with worried eyes. "...Sorry Ditzy..." The young colt offered a halfhearted apology.

"That's alright." Derpy smiled and continued on her way out.

"I'd like if you could finish your speech next week, this time I promise you'll be uninterrupted, alright?" Cheerilee said, hoping Derpy wouldn't be too affected by the actions of this colt.

"Sure Cheerilee, but maybe not next week. Maybe some other week, a later week." Derpy smiled and exited the building.

"You're horrible, Jeb, you know that?" Cheerilee glared down at the colt.

Just then, Scootaloo came rushing out of the auditorium and brushed by Cheerilee. "Where do you think you're going little lady?! I have to talk to you about your absence yesterday!"

"No time Miss. C, I gotta catch Derpy. Write me down as absent again today because I probably won't be coming back." Scootaloo rushed out the door before Cheerilee could reply.

"What is with you kids lately?! Sheesh!" Cheerilee finished dragging the colt to the office and returned to the teachers lounge before setting up for her fist class.

She opened up her personal refrigerator and took a long swig from a flask. I swear, these kids are going to drive me into becoming my sister...

Scootaloo caught up to Derpy. "Hey, remember me? I just wanted to say sorry about that kid, he's a total hayseed. No one likes him."

"Ha, that's alright. I do remember you by the way. How's Rainbow Dash." Derpy smiled crookedly.

"I don't know, she's probably fine. So um, if you don't mind me asking, I was wondering about something... I'm really trying to figure out as much about cutie marks as I can so I can get one before the CMBA gets a hold of me. Why is your cutie mark bubbles when you're a mail mare? Shouldn't it be a letter or something?"

Derpy closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "I wasn't always a mail mare, this is just my way of still being a pro... product-ive member of societ... et... Ponyville. My cutie mark isn't bubbles, it's dew drops. If you want, I'll tell you my story."

Scootaloo sat down on the grass and nodded her head, hoping to have some light shed on how cutie marks work. Derpy sat next to her and wrapped a wing around her.

"Well, it all started way back when I was just a little filly, about your age. Back then I still went by the name Ditzy Doo. I had just earned my cutie mark and I was... on top of the world..."

Ditzy was dancing around high above the ground through the stray clouds of Cloudsdale. She loved spinning through the air and crashing through the fluffy white masses that were clouds. Each time she crashed through one, it was as if a part of it had fused to her core. She loved the feeling of absorbing their magic into her body. However, after a certain amount of time, she'd begin to feel heavy and flying would become a chore, she she'd have to rest and recover before continuing her playful dances that she loved so much. One bright summer's day, she rested on a cloud near the start of the pegasus race. She looked down to see Rainbow Dash preparing to show off her speed.

She wanted to participate in the race, if only to be near her friend for a while, but the strange weight residing in her wings wouldn't allow it. Instead she decided to watch and cheer. As Rainbow picked up speed and rushed towards a low ground check point, she created an amazing rainbow explosion that filled the sky with its beautiful, ever expanding magic. The amazing sight caused Ditzy to jump off her could and hover in the air. Her wings were still heavy but it didn't stop her celebration. As the powerful rainbow hit her, she felt the powerful pegasus magic surround her and fill her body. She connected with Rainbow's magic, and it flowed through her like fire in her veins.

She spread her heavy wings out to their maximum width and thousands of tiny water droplets rained down as she spiraled high into the air. Ditzy opened her eyes and looked around as the droplets fell to the ground so far beneath her, just then she felt a soothing warmth on her flank. Her cutie mark had appeared, and she had Rainbow Dash to thank for it.

"Wait a minute! Rainbow's sonic rainboom got you your cutie mark too?! It seems that the only way I'm going to get mine is if she makes another rainboom for me." Scootaloo crossed her front legs in frustration.

"Oh wait, but that still doesn't explain why you're a mail mare, why don't you use your magic to... spread dew or whatever."

Derpy smiled and pat Scootaloo on the head. "Let me finish my story and you'll find out."

The days to follow after she discovered her talent for absorbing cloud magic and converting it to dew drops were more than she could have hoped for. There were several others with similar cutie marks, and they became an elite team. Ditzy was by far the youngest of the group due to the fact that it was very difficult to discover convergence magic. Without the boost of Rainbow's magic, it could have taken her years to realize she had that ability.

She spent several weeks in a training camp learning safety protocols for gathering and distributing morning dew. Their job was essential to the preservation of certain species of plant, insect, and animal life alike, which were essential to balancing a delicate ecosystem on the ground, one which every unicorn and earthpony relied heavily upon. Ditzy leaned first and most importantly, to never attempt to carry a load that may push her limits, and that the risk never outweighs results. She took careful note of this and continued to learn all the practices of safety and all the steps to a proper morning spread.

Once her training was finally complete, Ditzy was ready to go out on her first run. Still being the youngest of the group, she was determined to prove she was just as capable as the rest, even though she was told not to overdo it. Her quadrant wasn't suffering and could go with a few dewless days and be fine. She was in charge of spreading morning dew across one quadrant of land marked off just east of Ponyville. She steeled herself and began gathering the charging magic from preset clouds specifically for this purpose. Once her wings felt full and heavy she dived straight down towards the ground. Upon nearing her target, she swooped up in a graceful spiral, spreading millions of tiny dew drops across the plant life beneath her. Looking down at the results, she felt a sharp sense of pride as the plants beneath her sparkled in the rising sunlight. She then quickly flew back up to the sky as fast as she could. The trip up was much more difficult than the trip down, mostly because now she was flying against gravity.

As she reached the recharge platform, she collapsed on the surface cloud and panted, trying to catch her breath.

"What, too much for ya kid? That's why they shouldn't give a little filly a stallion's job." A large pegasus looked down at her and laughed mockingly before gathering up a massive load of water and heading back down with shocking speed.

"I'll show you!" Ditzy stood up and took a deep breath, forcing herself to prepare for another trip.

The flight back and forth alone was enough to tire any filly her age, but exerting her pegasus magic only took that much more out of her. She knew she could do this though, she had to. She estimated it'd take about three more trips to finish off her quadrant. However, she didn't have time for three more trips, the sun was quickly rising and she needed to get it done faster. She could do it in two trips if she took on a bit of an extra load, only slightly exceeding her weight capacity. She decided to go for it.

She flew up into the recharge clouds and gathered up an extra amount of water, then quickly dived down as fast as she could. It took nearly every ounce of her strength to pull up away from the ground into her distributing spiral. She didn't take the time to look at the results this time, instead she forced herself to return to the clouds as quickly as possible. Upon reaching the platform, she noticed everypony else was done, and she still had another trip and a half's worth of dew to distribute.

As Ditzy landed on the surface cloud, her wings were burning and her chest even more so.

"Done already huh? Wait, no your not, I still see a dry quadrant over there. Don't worry, I'll pick up your slack." The cocky stallion scoffed at the little filly.

"No, I can do it. Just go away, I still have at least five minutes before the sun completely rises." Ditzy held her confidence.

"Better hurry then, chump."

Ditzy stood up and braced herself for one last trip, She gathered up her heavy load and dived off the cloud backwards, she spiraled down at impressive speeds and allowed her aching wings to rest as she fell. She spread them as she approached the ground and felt the sore muscles stinging as she forced them to attempt to pull up.

The weight proved to be too much for her already fatigued wings, and she came crashing down into the ground. She rolled and skidded across grass, narrowly missing a large rock jutting from the ground. She began to lose speed as she tumbled across the terrain, but her luck ran out as she crashed forcefully into a thick tree trunk. She leaned up and looked at her wing, it was severely broken, having been pressed between her and the tree during impact. The light hollow bone was snapped and quickly-pouring water mixed with blood seeped from the wound. She touched the back of her head with a hoof then looked it over to realize it was now covered in blood. Her vision began to blur, and the blood soaked hoof split into two images. She attempted to stand up but only stumbled and slipped across the soaked ground beneath her. As her chin hit the mud, she blacked out.

"Then I woke up in the Cloudsdale hospital. They said I was out cold for over three weeks. After that I was unable to fly at all for a really long time, and I lost my pegasus magic. Even if I tried, I just can't concentrate hard enough to absorb and spread the cloud's magic the way I used to. It's part of my head injury, along with the messed up eyes. My class mates started calling me Derpy Hooves as a cruel nickname since I used to stumble around and fall over a lot when I was still getting used to seeing double all the time, but I didn't let it bother me, and it just kind of stuck. Now almost everypony know's me as Derpy."

Scootaloo reached around and hugged Derpy, her sympathy overwhelming. "So then you moved here to become a mail mare?"

"I didn't really fit in around Cloudsdale anymore, especially since I didn't have any magic to offer their community. So yeah, I came here and got offered this job. It doesn't pay much, but it's a simple life and I get to see everypony around town and they usually greet me with a smile and a thank you. Who could really ask for more?" Derpy massaged Scootaloo's sides with her wing, nearly causing her to laugh with a tickle.

"So what were you doing at that club the other night?" Scootaloo asked, simply to keep the conversation moving.

"Well, I still like to dance, I'll never lose that part of me." Derpy jumped up and grabbed Scootaloo by the hooves.

She then began bouncing around in circles with her. "See? Isn't this fun?"

Scootaloo smiled at the endearing moment. "Yeah Derpy, it is. We should hang out more often, I like you."

"I like you too, maybe we can see Rainbow Dash too?" Derpy smiled at the thought and continued spinning around with Scootaloo.

"Good luck with that one, but I think it would be nice. The three of us, pegasi against the world and all that, ya know?" Scootaloo smiled and stopped spinning.

"That would be nice. Now I have to go... give mail to ponies. Bye-bye Scootaloo." Derpy waved her off and took flight towards the post office to retrieve her mail bag.

"Bye..." Scootaloo waved and decided she should go back to school now, if only because it'd be lunch time soon and she was starving.

She entered the building just as forth period let out. A couple of older colts intentionally walked into Scootaloo, knocking her over on the floor.

"Why don't you watch out before you get hurt pipsqueak! Oh wait, it's you. Did you skip class to catch up with your retarded marefriend?" The two colts shared a hoof bump and laughed.

"Don't you dare make fun of her, I swear, you'll regret it!" Scootaloo stood up and prepared to fight.

"What're you gonna do about it huh? Get your crosseyed fillyfriend to lecture us? Ha!" Once again the bullies shared obnoxious laughs and encouraged each other's bad behavior.

"That's it, you asked for it!" Scootaloo lunged up on her back hooves and began throwing punches as hard as she could.

She caught the much larger colt's nose and caused him to recoil for a moment. The other one quickly grabbed Scootaloo and violently pressed her against the lockers, smashing her head into the steel as he placed a foreleg across her neck.

"You better hide when school lets out, cause we're gonna be lookin' for you." The large colt let her fall to the floor and she began gasping for air.

"You better walk away! I ain't scared of you!" Scootaloo struggled to her hooves and caught her breath.

As she looked up, her eyes were immediately drawn to a cutie mark. It was a golden star with a two bars and music notes wrapped around it. She looked to the left to see another, this one a paintbrush leaning against an apple.

"Are you okay Scootaloo?" Applebloom and Sweetie Belle helped her regain her balance.

"Yeah I'm fine, don't worry about me, I can handle bullies. Now lets go get some lunch!" Scootaloo put on a cheerful smile and led her friends to the cafeteria.

"What were you guys fighting about anyway?" Sweetie asked with a worried frown.

Scootaloo looked over to her questioning friend, she was often referred to as the most beautiful mare in school by her peers. In all honesty, Scootaloo wouldn't disagree. Her mane was long and always styled to perfection. Her long slender body always shined brilliantly in any lighting, especially on the stage when she was singing one of her songs. It would appear beauty runs in her family.

Scootaloo shook her head and cleared her mind. "Nothing, they're just being jerks and I stood up for myself."

"Oh really? You sure about that, I think I heard somethin' about your marefriend when they were pokin' fun," Applebloom teased with a devious grin.

This time Applebloom caught her attention, despite her elegant poise and artistic nature, she still retained her southern accent and charm. She had traded in her large bow for a much smaller one that she wore on the end of her long mane that hung over her shoulder. She began wearing a magenta beret, and she looked rather cute in it. To top it off she now wore a pare of thick-framed glasses, completing her new look. Scootaloo definitely found Applebloom to be one of the cutest and strangest mares in her life.

Scootaloo shook her head once again and blushed for a moment. "No, Applebloom, she's not my marefriend. It was Derpy Hooves, and I was sticking up for her. Happy?"

The other two spoke in unison. "Riiiiiight." Then they shared a light laugh as they all got in line for food.

***

Rainbow Dash had woken up in the middle of the night, and kept herself awake ever since. She was pacing around cloud tops and aimlessly destroying them. She decided to go scope out that forest house again, simply for the sake of sating her thirst for closure. She continued to weigh the possibilities in her mind, how likely it was that Pinkie actually did leave her on a whim for another mare. The more she tried to convince herself it wasn't true, the more she began to focus on the fact the she made Fluttershy promise to lie to her. As she continued to think about it, it became obvious. Pinkie found somepony to treat her right, the way she deserved to be treated.

Rainbow made her way to the house and perched herself on a cloud. She leaned over the edge and tried to see what was happening. There was a dim light coming from within the home. Rather than finding the urge to burst through the door and confront this mysterious mare, she was left wondering if those impulsive selfish acts were the reason she lost Pinkie in the first place.

Torn within her own mind, she backed off and flew back into town. After another nap atop a large cloud, she woke up at some point in the afternoon and couldn't force herself back to sleep, so she took flight. The day continued to slip away as she mindlessly glided over the treetops and wondered what Pinkie was up to, if she was okay, and if this new mare really was able to treat her the way she deserved. Suddenly, there she was, the mare she'd been looking for. However, now that Pinkie was in sight, Rainbow lost her motives. She wasn't sure what to say, Pinkie having found a new mare was beginning to feel like a relief.

Feeling she owed Pinkie some closure at the very least, she flew down to confront her. She landed right behind the pink mare and trotted up to her.

Pinkie must have heard her trotting as she turned around with furious eyes. "You, I've been looking for you Dash!"

Rainbow gulped and prepared to receive a verbal assault for her earlier actions. "Let's just get this over with..."

***

Rainbow decided it was time to pay Scootaloo a visit. As she made her way near the school grounds, she came across a disturbing sight, spotting a bright orange filly laying in the dirt. Rainbow immediately recognized her as Scootaloo and rushed to her side.

"You alright Scoot? What happened?" Rainbow asked, with anger apparent in her voice.

Scootaloo coughed and squinted her eyes. "I'm alright, just a little fight is all."

"What?! You're fighting now?" Rainbow scolded her.

"I had to! I couldn't let some stupid bullies make fun of Derpy." Scootaloo coughed again as she spoke, her lip was bleeding and her coat was messy, but there was no real harm done. At least not physically.

"I guess you're right, I'd have done the same... Get up kid, lets get you cleaned up." Rainbow helped her beaten friend to her hooves. "So you tried to defend Derpy's honor, and got beat. That's pretty crappy of you Scoot." Rainbow teased.

"There were two of them and they were way bigger than me. I tried but... I..." Scootaloo tightly closed her eyes and felt the shame from Rainbow's words wash over her.

The older pegasus looked over Scootaloo again, pitying the poor little filly. Her intentions were admirable, especially since she was outnumbered and outmatched. Her heart was in the right place.

"This town is really going all to hell, isn't it? We need to get you out of here, pronto." Rainbow closed her eyes and considered raising the bits by any means necessary.

Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow. Her eyes were to the sky and she stood strongly with her mane blowing in the cool summer breeze. Scootaloo felt for the first time in her life that Rainbow was somepony she could rely on, rather than just look up to. She closed her eyes and pushed her sore muzzle into Rainbow's soft warm coat.

"Thanks, I'm glad I at least have you to take care of me. I love you, believe it or not, you're my whole world Dash."

Rainbow smiled and looked down at her young admirer. "I believe it."

Scootaloo laughed at Rainbow's cold response, realizing she felt something much stronger but chose simply to keep in inside because that's who she is.

Rainbow looked back up and took a deep breath, then surprised her friend. "No, seriously though. I love you too kiddo, and I'm gonna take care of you no matter what I have to do. You're my whole world too, you're all I have left, and all I need."

Scootaloo took great comfort in those words. She stood up on her back legs and tightly wrapped her arms around Rainbow's neck. The older mare hesitated for a moment, then returned the hug with one leg. She began to force herself to breath regularly as she held back tears.

"Scootaloo, are you sure you'll be okay with leaving your friends behind?" Rainbow had to ask, she didn't want any last minute decisions or changed minds.

"Of course, I mean, it'll be hard but I can do it. We're all almost done with school anyway, then we'll probably just drift apart. Are you okay with leaving Pinkie behind?" Scootaloo asked, simply to put Rainbow in her position.

"Pinkie broke up with me... That's why I said you're all I have left, I meant it. I mean, there still Fluttershy, but we don't talk much anymore, and Twilight seems to hate me. The other two moved away already and I just spend all my time avoiding everypony, ya know?" Rainbow squeezed the filly tighter.

"I'm sorry Dash, I didn't mean to pry... Well, you know, if you get lonely, I'm always here for you."

"Shh, it's fine. Lets get out of here, alright? Come hang out with me in Cloudsdale again, this time it'll just be the two of us. Maybe we can check out places to live, it'll be fun." Rainbow forced her lip to stop quivering as she spoke.

"Sure, oh, and maybe Derpy can come too. I think she gets lonely down here." Scootaloo backed up and looked at Rainbow with wide, pleading eyes.

"Yeah, I don't see why not. She's always trying to get me to spend more time with her anyway. Lets find her and we'll go right away!"

Scootaloo glanced over at some books she left lying on the sidewalk next to the school that contained her homework for the day. She rolled her eyes and shrugged it off, then followed Rainbow Dash to the post office. The two laughed and joked the whole way there, mostly at Scootaloo's expense, but she enjoyed seeing Rainbow back to her old self after coping with not only the loss of Pinkie's relationship, but very possibly her friendship as well. Derpy was of course happy to join them for a night on the town in Cloudsdale, then the three took flight. Rainbow carried Scootaloo tightly as they soared into the sky and disappeared into the brilliant sunlight.

The Price of a Broken Heart

Twilight Sparkle woke up earlier than usual. She hadn't slept well the night before due to her aching ribs and blistered skin. She stirred in the morning light as she recalled her fight with Trixie, and how her surprising speed at casting was more than impressive.

The sore and tired mare closed her eyes and recalled that helpless feeling of being trapped within another's aura, unable to move, and unable to fight. She closed her eyes tighter and realized how close she had come to being permanently crippled or worse. She looked down at her blistered arms and chest, the sharp focused magic Trixie had produced was burning her from the inside out. Twilight wasn't sure rather to be thankful for being spared or to seek vengeance. After taking a deep breath, she figured it'd be best to be glad she didn't get hurt worse in that scuffle. Although she was proud of the number she did on Trixie's face.

Twilight put on a confident smile and went downstairs to find an exhausted Spike sleeping on the couch. She considered waking him up but remembered how early in the morning it still was. After walking in front of a mirror she noticed a large red bruise beneath her coat across her ribs. Feeling cautious, she headed out to the emergency room to get it checked out.

It didn't take long to trot down the road to the hospital, but her ribs were throbbing by the time she arrived. She hobbled inside with an expression reflecting her agony on her face.

"Are you alright miss? Quick, come with me!" A nurse quickly led Twilight into a room and saw to her injury.

With gentle hooves she rubbed the affected area. Twilight jerked away as she touched a particularly sensitive spot.

"Well then, it looks like you have a few broken ribs. You should have come in sooner, do you know how much worse this could have been if you waited any longer?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't think it was that serious." Twilight blushed and looked down, trying to recall the blow to her side that Trixie had delivered. It didn't seem hard enough to break anything, unless there was a spell amplifying the impact. Twilight didn't recall seeing her cast a spell, but it was possible.

"Care to explain these odd burns Miss?" The nurse looked over Twilight's legs and chest.

"No, I'm sorry but I can't explain them. Will you please treat me and send me on my way?" Twilight looked away, feeling ashamed to have been put in such a humiliating position.

The nurse rolled her eyes and prepared a treatment for the burns while the doctor made his way over. She applied an ointment to Twilight's body and instructed her to do the same every twelve hours until they were gone. It would help avoid infection and soothe the pain. The doctor came in shortly after and greeted Twilight with a standard halfhearted formality.

"Good morning, I'm Doctor Stitch, I'll be taking care of you today. Hmm, three fractured ribs huh? Lets take care of those."

The doctor grabbed a large bandage roll and tightly wrapped it around Twilight's torso. She winced under the pain of the applied pressure, but held her strong stance as she allowed him to finish.

"There we are then, all done. This should be enough to keep those old bones held together heh heh. I'm only kidding, but you need that pressure to ensure proper healing. Now in a day or so, have somepony help you change the bandages and reapply the pressure. Come back and see me next week and we'll make sure you're healing up nicely. Now have a nice day little one. Nurse, get her some meds or something to ease the pain will you?" The doctor then lazily trotted off to see the next patient.

Twilight let out a deep breath, still not used to the extra pressure around her chest. The nurse gave Twilight a bottle of pills and a cup of water. "Take one now and another every four hours or as needed."

"Thanks." Twilight immediately took a pill.

She slid off the hospital bed and followed the nurse to a desk, she then signed different papers as instructed and left the building. With a deep breath, Twilight felt she needed to get as much pressure off her chest as possible, whether it be literal or figurative, she decided to go talk to Fluttershy. She slowly made her way down the road, getting faster as her pain pills kicked in.

"Fine then! I never expected anythin' better from a sleazy little mule like you anyhow!" Applebloom shouted and angrily trotted towards Twilight.

"Whoa there little one, fighting with your friends?" Twilight pried.

"I ain't fightin' with nopony! I'm just tryin' to stay civil here, and she's bein' a damn hayseed that won't listen to reason!"

"Please Applebloom, settle down. You're too... rural sounding when you're this angry. I really can't understand half of what you say." Twilight offensively pointed out.

"Sorry Twi, I'm just so... I don't even know what the word is!"

"Frustrated? Flustered? Belligerent? Spiteful? Infuriated?!" Twilight continued to offer suggestions.

"Yes Twilight, take your pick. It just ain't right what Diamond Tiara's doin' now. She's usin' her dad's influence over the school board to cut funding for the arts and crafts classes and distribute it towards the dumb old drama club. Coincidentally, Diamond Tiara loves the drama club..." Applebloom's cheeks burned as she considered what she'd do to stop this from happening. "If we don't stop it, art class will be cut, and those are my only resources for creative output. I can't expect Sweetie Belle's mom to buy me stuff, and I can't get a job, I already tried." Her ears lowered as she hung her head in disappointment.

"Well, financial influence isn't something that can be swayed by you fighting with the money holder's daughter. Maybe you should swallow your stubborn Apple Pride and befriend this mare so that she'll be more reasonable with you. First, you have to be reasonable with her." Twilight raised her leg to give Applebloom a hug but was stopped by a searing pain in her ribs.

"Gosh darn it, you're right Twilight. Thanks... What happened to you anyhow? Looks like you got trampled by a stampede of angry buffalo." Applebloom smacked Twilight on the back as a gesture of tough love.

"I got in a fight with... with an old friend. Don't worry about it, I'm fine now. So if we're done here I really need to talk to Fluttershy." Twilight frowned and attempted to walk away without waiting for a reply.

"Go for it, I gotta go talk to Diamond again anyway..." Applebloom lowered her head and trotted away.

Twilight felt a bit of regret sending an insecure friend off on her own like that, but she had her own agenda to tend to. As she approached the path to Fluttershy's tree home, she realized she'd need an explanation for the injuries. She knew lying wasn't an option, avoiding the truth at all wasn't an option, that that's what got her in this position in the first place. She needed a subtle way to break the truth about both the fight and the affair. This was going to be more of a challenge than Twilight imagined, she knew her sensitive friend wouldn't react in a reasonable manner no matter how delicate she was with her words.

At the front door, Twilight paused and ran through a thousand scenarios in her mind, none of which ended well. Deciding to simply wing it, she tapped on the door.

Fluttershy stumbled downstairs and answered. "Twilight? I didn't expect to... to see you so soon."

"I'm here to tell you I'm sorry Fluttershy. I sent you a letter a couple days ago, but it never reached you." Twilight shifted, not sure if she should try to go inside or not. More than anything she wanted to sit down and rest.

"Twilight, why are you in bandages? Did you fight with Trixie?" Fluttershy placed a hoof to her mouth when she realized she hadn't seen Trixie in a couple days.

"Yes, but it's not a big deal. I've actually been thinking about that a lot. Can I come in Shy, my ribs are killing me." Twilight pushed her way by, not taking no for an answer.

"Sure... Anyway, what happened, is Trixie alright?" Fluttershy askedt.

"Yeah, I'm sure she's fine..." The annoyed unicorn glared, feeling a bit neglected. "Anyway, I'm here because well... I have something to tell you. I know you're not going to like it but, I need to tell you." Twilight looked down at her hooves and took a deep breath.

"What is it Twilight?" Fluttershy began to believe Trixie's suspicions were accurate from the beginning.

"After our fight, I cheated on you with..." Twilight covered her face in shame.

Fluttershy's eyes widened and she swallowed her tongue. She sunk back against the wall with a broken heart.

"I'm so sorry Fluttershy, I know I can't make this up to you. But I'll try, I'll do anything you ask. Please let me make things right." Twilight slowed her speech, seeing the pain in Fluttershy's heartbroken eyes was enough to make her break down as well.

Fluttershy remained dreadfully silent. The horrors running through her mind couldn't be conveyed with words, however, her eyes said everything for her. Twilight sat still, beating herself up. How a stupid mistake could bring so much pain to a pony she cared so deeply for was beyond her.

Fluttershy closed her eyes and sank deep against the floor in the corner of her front room. "Twilight, please leave."

"But, but Fluttershy, please wait. I... I just... Please don't make me leave yet." Twilight couldn't stop her tears form pouring.

Her world came crashing down as more self inflicted pain washed over her already aching chest. Twilight tightly pressed her hoof into her ribs to relieve the heartbreaking pain within by creating a stronger pain on the outside. The fact that she brought this upon herself was nearly unbearable. She stumbled to her hooves and hesitantly left the house. After aimlessly wandering down the roads of Ponyville for what seemed like an eternity, she made her way home. A trail of tears dotted her path. She eased her way inside and was quickly greeted by Spike.

"Heya Twi, where have you been... Are you alright? What's with the bandages?" Spike placed a claw on his worried chin.

"I'm fine, just leave me alone alright?!" Twilight drearily trotted upstairs and slammed the door behind herself.

She crashed into her bed and bit down on her pillow, pouring all her heartache out into the absorbent cushion. Now more than ever, Twilight wanted nothing more than to return to Canterlot. She wanted to escape from these emotions. Friendless days of studying were simpler, and more enjoyable. Although, convincing Celestia wouldn't be so simple.

***

Trixie stared down at the remains of her latest creation. A trampled painting of her and her new best friend, Pinkie Pie. She knelt down and levitated the strands of tail hair that were obviously left on the destroyed painting intentionally. Three vivid distinct colors, Trixie looked to Pinkie for an explanation.

Pinkie narrowed her eyes. "I know who did this, and I know why. I'm sorry Trixie, I know you worked hard on that picture."

"Who would do this? Twilight Sparkle? That doesn't make any sense..." Trixie lowered her eyes, trying to come to terms with the fact that countless of hours of her time had been wasted.

Pinkie trotted up to her and placed her nose softly placed her nose on Trixie's muzzle. "This is my fault Trixie, if you want to blame anypony, blame me."

Pinkie's usual cheerful demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Trixie took a few deep breaths and leveled her mind.

"So do you care to explain what's happened? Clearly you know a lot more than I do." Trixie asked, hurt by this cruel act.

"It's my... my marefriend, or I should probably say my ex-marefriend. She's the jealous type and probably forced Fluttershy to tell her where I was. I'm glad we weren't here when she showed up though. I'd hate for you to have to fight again." Pinkie put on a fake smile and gave Trixie a subtle kiss on her still injured cheek.

"Well... it's just a painting right? No real harm done I suppose." The defeated unicorn closed her eyes and tried to let it go. Forgive and forget, forgive and forget...

"Right, I'll deal with her when I see her again, and I promise she'll leave you alone from now on, Trixie. I should probably go and take care of that now before things get out of hoof... I'll see you soon okay?" Pinkie ran her hoof down Trixie's foreleg, until she was cupping the mare's hoof between her own.

Trixie took Pinkie's smile for what it was worth, then let her go. "I better see you soon."

As Pinkie trotted away, Trixie wanted nothing more than to call out to her and beg her to stay. Instead, she went back inside and plopped down on her bed, alone. Looking across the walls of her home, she noticed something interesting: Over half of the paintings have been replaced by ones depicting her and Pinkie doing something together, usually sharing a smile or a gentle hug.

Trixie decided to take a nap, she planned on spending a good deal of time awake tonight trying to have a conversation with the stars. As crazy as that seemed, there was something to it. She laid her head down and lost herself in thought. Something particular hung on her mind, the fact that Pinkie seemed to have replaced any feelings she ever held for Fluttershy. There was something very alluring about this fun-loving mare. Unlike all the time she spent with Fluttershy, there was no reason to be grateful to Pinkie, other than the fact that she enjoyed spending time with her. Suddenly, it seemed a bit clearer, Fluttershy was the first pony to treat her kindly, it was only natural to develop a bit of a crush. Not realizing it was simply a little crush, she had overreacted and thought it was something much deeper.

Fluttershy, already knowing the difference between love and a crush, was easily able to make a decision as to which mare she cared for more. Trixie rolled over and hugged her pillow, staring at the door. What a fool I've been...

She closed her eyes and thought about Pinkie, the time they've been spending together and fun they've had. Maybe she's the one for me... Maybe.

Moments later, Trixie was fast asleep.

Pinkie made her way into town, knowing Rainbow would likely be on the lookout for her. Sure enough, as she approached Sugarcube Corner, she heard the familiar sound of a pegasus landing directly behind her. She turned around to confront the one who destroyed something precious to both her and her new best friend. "You, I've been looking for you, Dash!"

The pegasus was clearly unsure of herself, she recoiled and looked down. "Lets just get this over with..."

"Get this over with? What is this to you? Hmm Dash?" Pinkie was clearly frustrated, she placed her hooves on her eyes and swallowed her rage.

"I don't know Pinkie, I'm tired of all this drama. We haven't even been together for a month and you act like we've been married for years." Rainbow knew she was being harsh, she looked away and imagined the pain Pinkie must be feeling.

"You don't get it; it doesn't matter how long you're with somepony, what matters is how much you love them. Dash I loved you, you were my best friend and when you told me you loved me, I believed you. I didn't realize all you cared about was having sex with me all the time! That's all you do, you show up when you're wings are up, then you leave me alone all day. I was just a stupid filly that thought you actually cared about me, but not anymore." Pinkie looked down at the sidewalk and forced her tears to stay inside.

"What do you mean by that? Of course I care about you, I'm sorry I'm not ready to settle down, but that doesn't mean I don't care about you."

"Really Dash? You still don't get it? I hope that someday, somepony does this to you. Then you'll know how I feel."

"Why don't you just tell me how you feel, is that really too much to ask? Maybe if you told me from the start we could have avoided this whole mess." Rainbow rolled her eyes, a gesture that only sent more anger coursing through Pinkie's veins.

"You can't relate because I don't leave you by yourself all the time. Maybe if you actually loved me the way I loved you, and I decided to leave and go flirt with other mares all the time, then you'd know what it's like." Pinkie didn't hold back, her frown turning to a quivering pair of lips.

"You're wrong Pinkie, I've been looking everywhere for you lately, but you've been off with another mare. Sound familiar?"

"I found somepony else who actually likes having me around. I think... I think I'm falling for her, and I don't want you ruining it with your bad attitude. If you don't want to settle down then... then I don't want to have anything to do with you!" Pinkie stamped her hooves and turned away.

"Fine, I'll just leave you alone then... If that's what you want." Dash swallowed her emotions and stood strong.

"What difference would it make, you leave me alone most of the time anyway. Also, I'm really mad at you for destroying Trixie's painting, she worked really hard on that! What's wrong with you?! Why do you act like that?!" Pinkie was in tears, the stress of this situation being something she had never dealt with before.

"Wait, Trixie? That stupid unicorn who makes fun of everypony. I should go buck the hay out of her right now!" Rainbow recalled being humiliated by her several years ago, a grudge she never let go of.

"If you want to hurt her, you have to go through me. I won't let you lay a hoof on her." Pinkie narrowed her eyes.

"Really?! Don't you remember what she did to us? You weren't there were you? So you don't even know! Rarity and Applejack would be on my side! Come on, how can you choose her over me, how long have we known each other? Look I'm sorry about what happened between us, but I don't want to lose you as a friend, and I think you're just getting with Trixie because she's the only one who'll give you attention right now, you just want to make me jealous..." Rainbow crossed her hooves and glared at her teary-eyed friend.

"It's not always about you Dash, and she's changed. She's been a better friend to me in the past two weeks than you have since I've met you. So yes, I'm choosing her over you." Pinkie held her ground, her eyes sharp and her voice sharper.

"That's fine Pinkie, I really don't care. You know, I'm going to be leaving Ponyville soon. I'm moving back to Cloudsdale and taking Scootaloo with me." Rainbow confessed for reasons she wasn't even fully aware of, she simply wanted to see Pinkie's reaction.

"Go ahead, you won't be missed." Pinkie's heart shattered at the thought, but she held it all within.

Rainbow Dash took a few steps back, her eyes watering. She took flight and disappeared above the clouds. As soon as she was out of sight, Pinkie let her strong facade fall to the ground. She broke down into an inconsolable crying fit. Pressing herself against the brick wall of the bakery, she held onto her stomach and slowly slid to the sidewalk as she let her aching heart pour out through her eyes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it...

Twilight Sparkle angrily paced her room. She closed her eyes and drowned out all of Spike's pleas to let him in to help. Her mind was full of hateful and spiteful emotions. She directed them all towards Trixie. Rather than worrying about fixing what she had with Fluttershy, she misplaced her energy towards finding a target to release her frustration.

Pulling a drawer open with her magic, she grabbed her journal and forcefully pressed it up against the wall. She closed her eyes and focused. An image of Trixie filled her mind, she imagined her pinned to the ground as she concentrated her magic. She knew it'd be easy to overwhelm her rival when she was at full strength. The book began to glow, then crack as deep blue flames escaped from within, causing it to burst into flames before exploding into millions of tiny particles that scattered into the air and dissipated around her.

I'll get you Trixie...

Twilight sat down at her bedroom desk and began writing a letter to Celestia. She pulled out a quill and magical parchment, then began working out the wording necessary to convince the princess that she was serious.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Most of my friends have moved away, and I've grown apart from others. I don't feel that I have anything left to learn about friendship here. Perhaps if I were to return to Canterlot, I could make new friends and learn more there. Not only that, I no longer feel safe living here. A certain unicorn has invaded my home, stolen my things, and assaulted me, resulting in broken ribs and sever magical burns. I hope you understand all my reasons for wanting to return, I eagerly await your reply.

Twilight rolled the letter up and trotted downstairs.

Spike was more than relieved to see her out of the room. "Twi! Are you alright? What happened, please tell me! You're driving me crazy, I need to know!" Spike closed his eyes and quickly ran up to his friend to give her an overdue hug.

Twilight felt guilty for causing this dragon to worry so much, he didn't deserve to be kept in the dark, and he really did love her.

"Spike, I'm sorry about all of this, but a lot has happened lately. I shouldn't have yelled at you, you're really the only one I can count on to stay my friend no matter what. I love you Spike." Twilight reached up to return his hug, she forced her self to endure the pain for a moment, felling that Spike's affection was worth it.

"It's alright Twilight, you can tell me when you're ready, I just want to be here for you, just like you're always here for me." Spike's sincerity warmed her heart.

"Thanks Spike. You're a great friend. Here, go ahead and send this letter." Twilight let out a deep sigh and realized she needed to reapply her ointment. "Wanna help me with something?" She asked with a mischievous grin as Spike set the scroll ablaze.

"Uh, sure!" Spike answered, unknowingly.

***

After a few hour nap, Trixie wobbled out of bed and headed outside to check on the time. The sun would be setting soon, so she had time to go bathe before Pinkie decided to show back up, whenever that may be. She headed off to a nearby pond near Zecora's hut. The water was cold but she adjusted quickly as she inched her way in.

Trixie gasped and her voice cracked as she lifted her head out of the chilly water. She shook her soaking wet mane out of her face and began to rub her hooves down her body and legs, rinsing the cool water through her coat. Feeling refreshed, she climbed out and shook herself mostly dry. She attempted to mat her still wet and messy mane into place and quickly trotted back towards home. After further drying herself off, she headed back outside to consult the skies. The sun had mostly set and stars began to appear in the sky one by one. Trixie patiently waited for them all to become visible. She stared at them with a hateful gaze while they took their sweet time making their way into her field of vision.

As she watched and waited, Pinkie's light trotting caught her attention. "It's about time you got back, I missed you, Pinkie."

Trixie decided her stars would have to wait; Pinkie took priority.

"Really?! I missed you too! I came back as soon as I could. I think the ponies I'm staying with are mad at me for leaving all day everyday instead of doing my job." Pinkie picked up her pace as she made her way to Trixie for a hug.

"Are they now, big surprise huh?" Trixie sarcastically joked.

"I know, weird right?" She giggled and placed a hoof to her mouth.

"Pinkie, your mane, why is it flattened?" Trixie asked, surprised she didn't notice such a drastic change in style sooner.

The pink mare dropped her fake smile for a moment, a painful lump grew in her throat as she recalled what happened earlier today. "I just, it does it on it's own sometimes... Anyway, what do you wanna do tonight?! We can do whatever you want, it's your turn to pick." Pinkie put her smile back on.

"Oh, well in that case... Look this might sound weird, but do you ever hear voices in your head?" Trixie narrowed her eyebrows and put on an awkward smile after realizing what she just asked.

"Of course I do, doesn't everypony?" Pinkie raised an eyebrow.

"You do?! Wow, I thought I was going crazy. What do yours say?" Trixie happily smiled, feeling relieved.

"Oh... um, well. I don't think they'd like it if I told you. They can get pretty angry sometimes." Pinkie looked worried.

"Angry? That doesn't sound good..."

"Yeah, so what do yours say? If they don't mind me asking, that is."

Trixie thought about it for a moment. "Well, its just one voice, and she usually tells me that everyone makes mistakes."

"That's all? Your voices sound boring." Pinkie laughed.

"Well, actually I think it might be the stars talking to me somehow. I was wondering if you wanted to sit out here with me while I tried to talk to them again." Trixie tried to remain serious as if her request was normal.

"Oh... I guess we could do that..." Pinkie seemed disappointed.

"If it gets too boring for you, I promise we'll do something else, okay? Plus, I think it'll be nice to sit with each other and watch the stars for a while anyway." Trixie sat down and placed her front leg around Pinkie's neck.

"Okay, I guess that sounds nice. I was kinda hoping you'd want to make sky fire again." Pinkie smiled hopefully.

"Maybe later Pinkie, for now lets just enjoy some quiet time." Trixie pulled Pinkie down on her back as they both lay in the grass, staring up at the darkening sky.

There was a cool chill that caused Pinkie to cuddle closer to Trixie. The unicorn cherished the moment and pulled her in as close as she could be. A few bright shooting stars streaked across the sky, however Trixie didn't enjoy it in the least. She stared angrily at the stars, cursing their silence.

"Well stars?! Not very talkative today are we!" Pinkie jumped at the sudden shouting.

"Whoa, are you okay Trixie?" She held on to her rapidly beating heart and caught her breath.

"Yeah, it's just these confounded stars! They speak to me when I want them to shut up, otherwise they're completely silent! Forget them, lets go do something else Pinkie." Trixie stood up and shunned the night sky.

Pinkie happily obliged, eager to have some fun. "Oh, I know, lets play tag. You're it!"

Pinkie spontaneously shouted and ran around the house. Trixie laughed at the sheer randomness of the playful mare and quickly chased after her. Pinkie was much faster and surprisingly nimble for an earthpony, she continued to leap right over Trixie and into trees or out of sight in other manners. Having had enough, Trixie caught her in an aura of magic and levitated her over.

With a light tap on the nose, Trixie smiled. "Tag, you're it."

"Hey, no fair!" Pinkie stuck her tongue out and laughed.

"My magic is so fair! If you can jump around like a maniac I can use magic! No complaining!" Trixie glared as she shouted.

"Cheater..." The playful pink mare carelessly retorted.

Trixie looked as if she were about to attack her friend at any moment, then broke out in laughter. "You know what I love about you Pinkie?"

Pinkie paused for a moment. "That I'm random?"

"Well yeah that, but what I meant was that I can be myself around you without worrying about how you'll react. I know I seem mean sometimes, and you're always so okay with it. If I shouted at Fluttershy like that, well you know... I'm just saying thanks for being... for being you." Trixie smiled.

"You're welcome Trixie, I wouldn't want to be anypony else anyway." Pinkie trotted up to her and gave her a tight hug.

"You know what Pinkie? Tomorrow's my birthday..." Trixie casually confessed.

"Is it?! That's great! I'll throw a party for you at Sugarcube Corner and invite the whole town!" Pinkie excitedly exclaimed.

"No no no, that won't be necessary, I was just thinking we could spend the day together... again... like we always do anyway. But this time it'd be more special because it's my birthday!" Trixie put on an unusually bright smile.

"Fine, but I'm still throwing a party for you out here. Oh oh! I know, let's invite Fluttershy and Zecora!" Pinkie widened her eyes as widely as possible and silently begged.

"...Fine, a small party will be okay. But don't overdo it." Trixie laughed and hugged Pinkie again, expressing gratitude for her thoughtfulness.

Trixie looked up to the sky, the moon was approaching the center, signifying it was nearing midnight.

"Pinkie... It's midnight." Trixie felt as if her heart stopped when Pinkie didn't pull away from the hug.

"Happy birthday, Trixie."

The unicorn closed her eyes and steadied her nerves. This was the first time she'd heard those words since she was just a little filly, and it meant so much more coming from a friend she cared for so deeply. Pinkie detected something was up when Trixie began squeezing her with uncomfortable force.

"Are you... alright Trixie?" Pinkie fought for air.

"Yes. Everything is... perfect." Trixie let go and laughed after realizing what she had done.

Pinkie was still smiling despite her near asphyxiation, smiling was almost habitual for her, whether it was sincere or not. The two made sharp eye contact and both Pinkie and Trixie lost their smiles. The stars were brightly shining in Pinkie's light blue eyes. Trixie stared deep within them, wondering if what she was feeling was meant to be felt. A bright streaking star lit up the sky and disappeared in a matter of seconds, Trixie witnessed the event through Pinkie's amazing eyes. The unicorn's heart skipped a beat, and she smiled, feeling a deeper level of comfort and happiness.

Pinkie swallowed a large lump in her throat. She nudged her friend away and fell to her hooves. Looking into Trixie's eyes was bringing back painfully familiar feelings. All she could think about was Rainbow Dash, and the thought that she'd soon be leaving forever.

"Trixie, will you make the sky-fire again? Please?" Pinkie didn't smile, and she kept her eyes lowered.

The unicorn detected something was wrong, Pinkie needed to be cheered up, that was apparent to her. She wondered why and if it was something she did or said. "Um, sure Pinkie, of course."

With a light glow, Trixie's horn lit up and sent an orb into the sky. It filled a clearing and exploded into an iridescent array of spectacular colors. They expanded and lit the sky up in a display of ever changing waves of color, spreading in a brilliant ring above the trees. Pinkie grabbed onto Trixie and buried her muzzle in her chest. Warm tears soaked her coat and she ran her hoof down Pinkie's long straight mane.

"What happened? Why are you so sad?" Trixie looked up as the remains of her spell finally dissipated into the night sky.

"Can you do it again, please?" Pinkie continued to cry as she kept her eyes closed tightly.

"Sure, if it'll cheer you up, I'll do anything you want." Trixie closed her eyes and sent another ball of light into the air, creating the same spectacular display once again.

Pinkie looked up and watched the rainbow rings spread across the sky. She squeezed Trixie tighter, hoping to bring a smile to her own face, a real smile. Sadly, the feeling simply wasn't there.

"Pinkie, tell me what's on your mind." Trixie pulled her friends cheek tightly against her chest.

"I... I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"I'm not sure what you mean. Who left, and why do you care so much?" Trixie couldn't help but ask, her curiosity always pushed her into asking questions best left unasked.

"It's nothing, I mean nopony. A friend is moving away and she's leaving me on bad terms, I was so angry that I couldn't say goodbye, or let her know how much I'm going to miss her." Pinkie kept her eyes closed and tried to take comfort in Trixie's warm hug.

"And why were you so angry with her?" She asked, wondering why it took this long for her friend to break down.

"It's because, she..." Pinkie let out a long painful quivering sigh, "she broke my heart."

"Was it that wretched Rainbow Dash? I say good riddance to her. We're better off..." Trixie was cut off by a hoof over her mouth and the sound of her friend sobbing.

She angrily smacked Pinkie's hoof away and let her warm embrace fall into a halfhearted hug. With a deep breath, she realized she may have crossed the line. "Look, I'm sorry Pinkie. I'm just a little bitter over my painting, I hope you understand." Her voice was harsh and full of spite, but Pinkie detected the sincerity within.

"Its... its okay, Trixie, I just, I can't..." Pinkie could hardly speak through her constant sniffling and spontaneous gasps for breath.

"Shh, it's okay. Just, stay quiet and I'll take care of you, alright? Everything's going to be just fine, you'll see. I'm certain that when you wake up tomorrow morning, you'll feel much better." Trixie lifted her friend up and walked her back inside.

She lay Pinkie down on the small bed and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Pinkie."

Trixie turned to head back outside but was stopped by her friend calling out to her. "Wait, please don't leave me alone. Will you stay with me? Please?"

With a sigh Trixie turned back. "Of course I'll stay with you." She trotted up to her friend and sat on the floor next to the small bed.

Pinkie scooted as close to the wall as she could, then held her forelegs open, welcoming Trixie to join her in bed. The unicorn tentatively climbed in and laid next to her friend, who was quick to tightly hug her and press her tear-soaked muzzle into her chest.

"Thanks..."

"It's... it's no problem." Trixie cautiously wrapped her hooves around Pinkie, lightly patting her on the back.

Pinkie looked up, the dim candle light brightly reflecting in her deep blue eyes as she met Trixie's gaze. The sympathetic unicorn brushed the mane out of her friend's face as her heart pounded in her chest. Before another tear rolled down the pink mare's delicate cheek, a blue hoof wiped it away, causing her to shudder with overwhelming emotions.

With a deep breath, Pinkie leaned up and kissed the source of her comfort. Trixie felt her heart skip a beat, then she closed her eyes and squeezed sweet warm mare next to her. Only a few short moments passed before they parted and Pinkie returned to the comforting unicorn's chest.

Trixie lay silent, her mind full of questions and her tongue tied in a helpless knot. Pinkie forced herself to smile, hoping this kiss would bring her the happiness she so desperately craved. A heart shattering thought pierced her mind. I'll never smile again...

Eventually, the two lost themselves in their thoughts, and Pinkie quickly drifted off to sleep, still holding on to her new best friend. If anything, at the very least, they weren't lonely tonight. After a while, Trixie gently nudged Pinkie's hooves to one side and eased her way out of bed. She made her way to the door and took a moment to look back at her snoozing friend. The soft candle light gently illuminated her uncovered body; she was perfectly beautiful. Trixie noticed the subtle frown on her heartbroken face, her gentle breathing as her chest slowly expanded, and the way her long straight mane hung over the edge of the bed. She covered her mouth with a hoof as her heart filled her body with a bittersweet pulse of pain. She was in love with this mare, but feared the feeling wasn't mutual.

The stars were as bright as ever as she made her way outside to clear her mind. She stood strong and looked to the sky, her eyes lacked her usual anger and resentment. "Well, stars, here I am. Do you have anything to say?"

She sat down and stared into the ethereal void between the celestial objects, hoping for a small glimpse of the magic hidden within. The vivid moonlight washed over her, erasing the stress of the night. She let out a deep breath and felt a sense of sweet serenity surrounding her as the stars twinkled in their unusual patterns. Normally she'd curse the stars for their silence, but tonight, she found solace in solitude.

Fluttershy lay in her bed, wide awake and alone. Well past midnight, she'd been up crying and imagining Twilight with another pony for hours on end. Painful pulses of heartache filled her entire body as she attempted to fall asleep. Her slightly opened window allowed the breeze to sway her curtains, catching her attention. She looked over at the movement and was distracted by the unusually bright night sky. She stood up and headed to the window. Looking to the stars reminded her of Trixie, a mare who always put Fluttershy ahead of her own desires. She turned away and cleared her mind.

This revelation of Twilight having cheated on her came as a crushing yet somewhat expected blow. The kind mare drearily trotted downstairs and grabbed a photo album. She flipped through the pages with her hoof, smiling at several old pictures of herself and the one she once loved so much. Images of her and Twilight smiling and sharing gentle kisses through various areas in Ponyville sent jolts of pain through her body. These once beautiful memories, now tainted by a cruel act of infidelity, were hardly worth saving. As she turned the pages, something became apparent. The somewhat more recent pictures seemed less happy, they weren't kissing, and their smiles hardly seemed sincere.

She angrily shut the book and threw it across the room with a hoof. As she recalled the last day she spent with her ex-lover, she wondered whether or not the affair had already occurred. Trixie was still living with her at the time she went to visit, several months ago. It almost felt pathetic knowing they've gone months without spending more than an hour or so together at a time, and how she so desperately held on to such an obviously dead relationship. She closed her eyes, and searched her memories for any detail indicating signs of cheating on that day, the last day the shared as a couple.

***

Fluttershy calmly made her way down the streets of Ponyville, enjoying the beautiful morning. She was unusually upbeat today, having left Trixie contently behind with a new spell-book in hoof, new motives filled her mind with joy. Trixie's spell revealing such a beautiful image of what Fluttershy truly wanted most had reminded her of what it was like when she first got with Twilight. All the happy times they shared, all the love that once flowed between them, she wanted it back. With a positive goal in mind, she cheerfully trotted through town.

As she arrived at the library door, she gave it a quick knock, wearing her brightest smile. Twilight soon answered.

"Oh, hello Fluttershy. What brings you here?" She seemed genuinely glad to see her lover.

"I just really miss you and wanted to spend a day together, just like we used to." Fluttershy let her smile shine.

Twilight looked away for a moment, then put on a crooked smile. "Sure, um, come on in."

Fluttershy followed her lover inside and looked around, taking in the familiar scent of her home. Twilight trotted into another room and sat at a desk. The curious pegasus followed and looked over her shoulder. "What'cha doin'?" She asked with a cheerful tone.

"I'm reviewing the results of a few experiments I performed earlier. Let me concentrate please. We'll spend time together when I'm done. This is important." Twilight remained completely focused on what she was doing, paying no attention to the mare behind her.

"Oh... Okay. I'll just, um, sit over here then." Fluttershy took a seat at a desk on the opposite end of the room.

She glanced up at a clock: 10a.m. As boredom began to set in, she found her eyes wandering the room. A few books caught her attention, but she figured it'd be pointless to start reading, Twilight wouldn't take that long, she convinced herself.

She twiddled her hooves and played with her mane for a while, letting it fall in her face then blowing it back to one side with a puff of air. With a deep sigh, she looked back up at the clock: 1p.m.

"Twilight, should I just come back later?" Fluttershy's good mood was gone and her goal felt lost.

Annoyed, Twilight glanced up at the clock. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry Fluttershy, I didn't realize I was letting the time escape me like that. I'll take a break now so we can spend some time together. Again, I'm really sorry."

"Oh, that's okay Twilight, I don't mind." The saddened mare had regained some of her hopefulness. "So what should we do?"

"Hold on a moment, I'll be right back, okay?" Twilight stood up and exited the room as Fluttershy nodded.

She heard Twilight tell Spike to go pick some things up, then she came trotting back in. "Alright, come with me." Twilight stood next to her lover and led her to the bedroom.

Fluttershy trotted up to the window as she forced the painful memory out of her mind. After having sexual relations with her, Twilight went back to work on her research. The disappointed mare left the library and ran into Pinkie Pie, who needed help with a few things, taking up the rest of her day. When she got back, Trixie was more than supportive of everything, despite not even knowing half of the details. She was always willing to go out of her way to make Fluttershy happy, and never selfish.

Several tears dotted the window sill, she wished Trixie would pay her a visit right now, although she was certain that would never happen at this hour. Maybe, maybe you're the one for me, Trixie...

***

The sun rose as one would and should expect it to, however Trixie held her usual disdain, blaming Celestia personally for it waking her up. She stretched and yawned, realizing she must have dozed off outside once again. Pinkie was the first thing to come to mind, she rushed inside to see if she was still sleeping. As she entered, she spotted a small note stuck to the door.

Trixie, I went to get ready for your party today. Be back soon!

There were eraser marks underneath that sentence that clearly covered the words 'Love you!'. Trixie held the letter to her chest and took a deep breath, being honest with herself, she'd much rather cancel the party and be able to lay in bed with her friend right now. She climbed into her bed and pressed her face against the pillow, Pinkie's scent remained. She opened her mouth and inhaled deeply, enjoying the subtle remnants of her latest infatuation. As her eyes slowly closed themselves, she began to picture that beautiful smile, those gorgeous blue eyes, and a soft pink mane that smelled so sweet. Her heart fluttered and soon she was once again sleeping, dreaming of her crush like a little filly. She was finally living a part of her life she was forced to miss out on as a younger mare, she was learning about love and all the wonders that followed it.

After a couple short hours, Trixie climbed out of bed and stretched out once again. She headed outside for some air and took a deep breath. It was a beautiful day, and the crisp summer air carried a slight chill and was very refreshing. After a moment to enjoy the day, she decided to head around to the back of her home. Most of her canvases were still hanging on the wall, and the beautiful portrait that got destroyed was brought to mind. Pinkie loved that painting, it always made her smile, something Trixie noticed she seemed to be having trouble doing lately.

She closed her eyes and imagined Pinkie's bright, heartwarming face, smiling as wide as she could. Waves of magic radiated off her horn and made their way to the canvas, lightly scorching the surface with their combustive contact. The colors were vivid and the picture was coming together more quickly than Trixie usually paints. Before long, a solid outline was drawn, a perfect representation of the most friendly mare in Equestria's cheerful smile. The sight filled Trixie with a sense of accomplishment, if this image could invoke the same feeling that her real smile brought, then it was well done to say the least.

She continued pouring magic onto the canvass as she waited for the return of her friend. It was clearly getting late in the afternoon and she was still alone. What's taking her so long...

After a momentary break, she went back to her painting and lost track of the day, as she often did during her projects. Several hours later, she stood in front of an amazing portrait. She walked up to it and brushed her hoof across Pinkie's face, wishing more than anything that it could really be her. Sadly, she was alone on this birthday. Her stomach growled as she nudged her front door open to inspect her small pantry. Nothing was to be found, sharing her home with Pinkie these past couple weeks had exhausted her food supply much faster than she had planned. Not to mention spending all day with her new friend left her with no time to gather wild crops and other provisions as she normally would.

Trixie wandered back outside and looked over the grass on the ground. After a brief moment of consideration, she scorned herself for even considering it. I will not eat grass off the ground like some cow!

Having made that decision, she collapsed onto the grass beneath her and laid on her back. She held onto her stomach and suppressed her appetite. Today she simply lacked to will to go out gathering supplies, she'd rather go hungry.

Happy birthday Trixie. You're tired, lonely, and hungry with nopony to turn to. Oh day of days... The apathetic unicorn allowed herself to sink into a state of self-pity.

She leaned up and stared down the trail with woeful tears filling her eyes. "Pinkie, where are you?"