Trixie and Her Homestead

Before too long, the news of the unexpected newcomer became the talk of the town in Ponyville. It hadn’t even been three days before nearly every single pony in town knew of the existence of a strange being from a different dimension that magically seemed to just pop into Equestria. There was a great deal of controversy surrounding this new individual as well. Some ponies believed that he was not to be trusted. Others were quite fascinated and curious about the details of this creature's behavior. Yet others were relatively neutral and uninterested in the affairs of this creature, so long as it left them and their businesses alone. In the meantime, however, it was up to the ponies of the main six to determine exactly what should be done about the human.

During the interim between the human's arrival and any formal decision-making about what was to be done with him, the main six decided to deliberate and discuss the issue of what should be done in terms of housing and feeding the human.

One week after the arrival, with the human still living in a makeshift tarp tent near Twilight’s tree, the main six ponies decided to get together and discuss exactly what was to be done. Rarity contended that they needed to get a special containment unit in order to ensure that this unexpected guest wouldn’t bring any destructive parasites or sicknesses into Equestria. Pinkie Pie advocated for a plan that called for the human to live in the town square so that everyone could help out and take care of him. Applejack volunteered one of her old barns for the human to live in. Still, Rainbow Dash advocated for kicking the human out of Equestria entirely, as she didn’t trust him. Ever the voice of wisdom, Twilight Sparkle decided to further the idea that the human could live with her, in order to be observed at a scientific level. After all, she argued, who else could better analyze and evaluate the patterns and behaviors of a foreign specimen than a person trained in the study of science?

There was a considerable amount of heated debate. All the while, András had been outside, taking a walk around his new environment. It had been a week since he arrived in Equestria, and all he seemed to do was walk around and wait. In his mind, he felt that all decisions about him were being made behind closed doors, without much of his input at all. He felt both confused and ashamed that he ended up in this situation, maybe never to know again exactly how he got there and what would become of his family in his home dimension. More pressingly, he noticed that by spending all of his time outside and walking around in this unfamiliar environment, his clothes had started to accumulate an odor from constant wear. After all, he didn’t have anything to change into during all these days.

Resolved to take matters into his own hands and be productive for once, he inspected the surroundings and vicinity of Ponyville for a river or creek in which he could wash his clothes. Sleeping on what was little more than a tarp-covered piece of grass had done quite a number on his clothes. They were now covered in mud and dust. Seeing a forest and hoping that some small stream might flow through it, he started walking away from the edges of the town and towards the forest.

After what felt like an hour, he found himself deep within the thicket of the dense forest.

He remarked to himself that it would be quite easy for him to get lost in this environment. God forbid.

As fortune would have it, he ended up stumbling onto a stream, which ran through a collection of tall trees that he, in his home dimension, would’ve believed were oaks or maybe even beech trees.

In any case, the stream seemed to lead to an open glade within the dense forest. He was surprised that he had been so fortunate to find this sort of environment so quickly. Moreover, he was absolutely amazed by the lack of insects in comparison to his native homeland. He could recall that in the summer, a place like this would be teeming with mosquitoes. However, things seemed to be quite nice and pleasant in this new environment.

Deciding not to waste any time, he removed his long linen shirt and pants, shearling hat, and his boots as well as the foot wraps underneath them. There he stood in his mid-thigh-length undergarments, getting ready to wash his clothes.

Suddenly, from the very limits of his sight and hearing, he perceived the creaking and rocking of some sort of wagon coming into view from just beyond the tree line. He hunched down, attempting to cover himself and keep himself as hidden as possible behind a fallen log.

It was hard to perceive right away, but the shape and appearance of the wagon seemed to be quite familiar to András. His first thought was that the wagon appeared to be one of the traveling gypsies. The rounded design and large wooden wheels certainly gave it away for him. However, in front of the wagon, instead of seeing a more characteristically chestnut or black horse, he saw a pony which was a brilliant blue color. Even more curiously, he noticed that like many other ponies in this realm, this equine had a design of some sort on her flank.

In particular, this pony, with a brightly juxtaposed white mane, looked like a crescent moon displayed on her side.

"Is she a Turk? A Szekely?" András thought.

He wasn’t quite sure, but he decided to keep his distance.

Even from this distance, András could still hear that the pony was talking to itself. It appeared to have a female voice. More interesting still, the pony seemed to be repeating a set of lines over and over again. These lines included the words “…the great and powerful…” with vigor and flourish that even the still ignorant András could easily conjecture that these words were meant for some sort of grand performance in front of others.

“Yes, humble audience members, the great and powerful Trixie is here to amaze you with her unparalleled skills in the magical arts!”

Peeking his head slightly out from behind the fallen log, he tried to get a better look at this blue pony and see exactly what she was doing. When shifting his weight to raise his body up slightly, he must’ve stepped on a dry twig or branch, causing it to break and make a sound. The unknown blue pony looked over in his direction as he ducked again once more behind the log.

"Hello, is there anyone there?" she asked with trepidation.

She repeated her question.

In the meantime, he tried to get dressed as fast as he could while staying behind the log in order to make sure that if he was forced to show himself to the pony, he would be decent.

"I can hear you," she said. "Just show yourself before Trixie comes over there and uses her magic to eliminate you as a threat."

Getting his pants and undershirt on just in time, he stood up, raising his hands slightly above his head to signify that he was not a threat.

"Holy crap," Trixie responded. "What are you? Who are you?"

"My name is András, there’s nothing to fear. I just came to Equestria not that long ago, and I was just wandering through these woods."

"Why on earth are you here?"

"You mean, like, in Equestria?"

"No, silly, I meant in the forest."

"Oh, I was just looking for a place to wash my clothes. I haven’t had a change of clothes since I got here about a week ago."

"That explains why I haven’t heard of you. I’ve been in this forest for a week looking for a place to set up shop more permanently. Living out of a wagon is great and all, but having my own home and property is something that I think every pony desires. And certainly, when it comes to someone as powerful and great as the magical sorcerer Trixie, ponies deserve the best in this world," she said arrogantly.

"I get that," András responded, trying to placate the pony. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well, actually, there is," Trixie responded. "Since I see that you have pretty long arms and what look like hands, I guess… you could probably be of help unloading this wagon."

"OK, that’s no problem," he responded, understanding that this task was probably the first step in making a friend and being useful to a pony.

The work went on for a few hours, as András lifted heavy boxes and Trixie helped with her magic to unload everything into the open grassy space amidst the tall trees.

Once the work was done, András sat down for an extra moment underneath the shade of one of the especially leafy trees and sighed loudly.

"Thank you so much for your help," Trixie said. "You really did help me a lot. You did in an hour what it would’ve taken me a day to do. I don’t suppose that you’re up to helping me a little bit more?"

"I guess I could, if you’d like me to."

"Well, the first thing you could do is to help me by referring to me as the Great and Powerful Trixie. Of course, that is my official moniker."

"OK, I guess I could do that for you, Trixie. I think the 'Great and Powerful' bit might be a little bit too long to repeat every time, but you certainly do seem great and powerful," he added, just to appease her, believing to a certain extent that she might be a little bit deranged.

"Sounds good. Now the Great and Powerful Trixie commands you, András, to take this ax and build Trixie a fence."

"But Trixie, that seems like a lot of work. I don’t even know if I have the right to cut down these trees. Is this even your land?"

"Do you dare question the knowledge and wisdom of Trixie?”

“No, not at all. I was just curious. I’ll get ready to start on that fence,” András replied, sensing a bit of tension and hostility in her voice and getting a bit nervous.

“That’s what I thought,” added Trixie.

With the ax and an extra shovel he found hung up in the wagon, which seemed to be larger than even Trixie, András went about taking large tree boughs and decently firm branches to construct a makeshift fence. In order to avoid chopping down trees as much as he could, he elected for branches that had already fallen and, when absolutely necessary, tried to pick trees that already looked like they were on their way out. Even though the area that he was assigned to fence was not too terribly big, likely being no larger than a single acre, he still felt exhausted by the time he finished. Acknowledging that while the fence was not necessarily pretty or strong, it would do its job and had enough support to stand up to at least moderate winds.

After this endeavor, András was thoroughly exhausted. He took a position lying down next to the roots of an especially large tree, resting his head on one of the root knots that extended out from the tree’s trunk.

With a cool breeze lightly blowing through the grass and foliage of the forest, he drifted off to sleep for a moment.

When he awoke, he realized that Trixie was standing over him, looking directly at his face.

“Oh goodness,” he shouted as he jolted up, startled.

“No need to worry. Trixie is watching over you. With her magic on your side, nothing bad will happen to you.”

“Oh, OK. I guess that’s all right. I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.”

“Of course you didn’t, as no one can expect the tricks and methods of the great and powerful Trixie.”

“And yes, Trixie, there was another question that I wanted to ask you.”

“Yes, go ahead, what is it?”

“Are you, by chance, a gypsy?”

“No, not at all. Why do you think so?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just your wagon made me think that you were maybe a traveling gypsy or something.”

“But interestingly enough, that’s not the first time I’ve gotten a question of that nature. It’s just a very convenient wagon.”

“Understood, thanks for clearing that up.”

“So now that I’ve done all this work for you, could you tell me honestly why you want this so badly? Also, why this location in particular? It feels kind of secluded and difficult to get to.”

“Yes, I know. It certainly does seem that way. But living out of one’s wagon can certainly make one desperate. It’s a lonely existence always being on the road. And although I am the best magician around, it seems like some people in Ponyville do not respect me for the talent that I have. After these ups and downs, I decided it would be best to settle down on a small piece of land. As for the choice of plot, well... I can’t say that it’s completely 100% legal. In all honesty, I chose this in order to make sure that I had the best chance of not being bothered by any government officials.”

“That makes sense. I totally understand,” András answered. “I was an immigrant myself when I was younger, so I understand how sweet it can be just to settle down in one place after being on the move for so long.”

“You do?”

“Of course. Most of my youth, especially when I was a teenager, was spent moving from place to place with my family. After my younger siblings died, it was hard to feel like I had roots anywhere. But, as time does, it tends to change things. And now, at least before ending up here in Equestria, I was starting to feel a little bit more at home in the village where I was living. Or at least as much as I could.”

“Wow, I didn’t know that you had such a similar story to Trixie. Feeling constantly hounded from place to place and always being on the road is tough. I can certainly speak to that.”

“Of course. If you ever need to talk about it, or even if you want to talk about it right now, I’ll be there to listen to you.”

“You would?” Trixie responded somewhat in shock. “No pony has ever done that for me.”

“A shame, since you seem like a really nice pony.”

“András?”

“Yes,” András responded, sitting even more upright and leaning against the tree.

“Do you think it’ll be okay if... Trixie sits down on your lap?”

“Sure, why not?”

With brave confidence, Trixie walked over and sat down across András’s lap, curling herself up into a ball and draping her front hooves over his left side.

“Is this OK?” she asked, squirming more comfortably into place.

“Of course, as long as you’re comfortable,” András responded.

“You really are so caring, you’re like a dream. Honestly, every pony should treat Trixie this way.”

“I don’t know if I’m doing anything that special right now,” András responded, “but you seem like a very nice pony and I don’t see any reason to treat you badly.”

“Of course not, you seem like a generous person, even though you are from a different dimension,” she said with a bit of a laugh. “And I’m sure you can fuck well too, if you know what I mean,” she added under her breath.

“What was that?” he asked instinctively.

“Oh, nothing. Trixie was just talking to herself; she was just saying you're so strong you can probably buck apples well...harvest them, you know.”

“Oh, I got it...No problem, just tell me if you need anything.”

At the same time, Trixie was slowly kneading the upper shanks of her front hooves and her chest deeper into András’s lap. She liked the way his body felt underneath her.

Hearing that she might be uncomfortable in the position she took up on his lap, András shifted a little bit.

Attempting to show that she was more than comfortable enough, Trixie tilted and then lowered her head to the side, resting it on the lower portion of András’s belly.

“You know, András... I do have something that could make this afternoon quite enjoyable.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“They are called magic crystals, and they have a pretty amazing ability to affect a pony’s mind. Some in Ponyville really enjoy using them, but as a magician and a sorcerer, in order to get myself in the right headspace to perform... Since you are quite bigger than the average pony, I’m not quite sure how the dosing would work for you, but I would wager that if you took about as many crystals as I do, you’ll probably feel the effects pretty well.”

Not wanting to embarrass himself or let down his newly befriended acquaintance, he decided to go for it and live in the moment.

After letting Trixie know that he was comfortable with the idea, she used the magic of her horn to telekinetically lift and transport a small bag of rose-colored crystals from her wagon, about 12 feet away, to right in front of her hooves.

Showing her new interdimensional friend what to do, she opened up the small bag, took two crystals out, placed them on her tongue, and retreated her tongue back into her mouth.

Not needing any verbal clarification, András took four, put them on his tongue, and allowed the crystals to dissolve in his mouth. What he did not expect was a completely novel experience; it was truly unlike anything he had ever experienced both in terms of flavor and sensation, as the crystals fizzed as they dissolved.

After performing this ritual, Trixie once again placed her head on András’s belly and this time closed her eyes and relaxed. Deciding the best thing to do was follow his new friend’s lead, he did the same, leaning his head on the large tree behind him and letting his eyelids rest.

Now that both Trixie and András were clearly comfortable, he decided to take a chance and slowly pet her, focusing on her head with his left hand and scratching her flank with his right.

Trixie clearly enjoyed this and purred under his touch. In this orientation, the two remained for quite some time, and András stopped counting the minutes until he completely lost track of time. The only thing that granted any semblance of temporal awareness to the two was the slow transit of the sun across the sky until it retreated from its high zenith above the forest to a position where it was hiding behind the tips of the trees across the glade.

It was in these passing, unmonitored moments of time that the couple both experienced the effects of the crystals. Though he could not surmise what Trixie experienced, András noticed bright swirls and flashes of color, even with his eyes closed. He saw familiar sights and almost believed that he could smell similar smells from his childhood, everything from freshly baked bread to the smell of sap from mountain conifer trees.

Things got more intense. He thought he could hear voices, though not the voices of the ponies he had been acquainted with over the last week. No, instead, he seemed to hear the voices of his lost brother and sister. They seemed to be saying nice things to him, and he could hear the tone of their voice as they seemed to be calling out to him. The weirdest thing was, he couldn’t make out any of their words, only the more general cadences and tones of their speech, just as he remembered them from so many years ago.

It must have been sometime in the early afternoon when the two were awoken from their state of relaxed semi-sleep by growling sounds. Although András knew he was now in a domain populated by animals, this sound was completely uncivilized and animalistic, in stark contrast to the behavior and speech patterns of the ponies he had interacted with so far. Quickly opening his eyes, his gaze darted across the field until he located it—standing there on the opposite end of the clearing was a wolf.

"Dammit," he thought. "How do I get myself out of this one?"

Sensing the unexpected tension in her new friend, Trixie lifted her gaze and turned to András. Upon seeing his eyes fixated on a point in the distance, she quickly turned her head. She then saw the wolf with its ruggedly matted gray fur.

"Oh my God, András. What are we going to do?" she whispered, fear evident in her voice.

Trying not to make any sudden moves, András slowly picked up Trixie, placing his hands under her armpits and moving her to the side. Throughout this maneuver, he kept eye contact with the wolf, who was now staring directly at them with eyes that seemed to burrow into András’s very soul.

In her own state of fear, Trixie stood still, though clearly shaking.

András attempted to maintain a straight, domineering posture while holding his own in a staring match against the wolf. Things seemed to be going well, as neither side advanced towards the other, but he was suddenly distracted by a somewhat odd and unfamiliar sound coming from beside him. He looked down at Trixie to see a strange liquid coming from her. In her fear of the wolf, she had started to urinate on herself, producing a smell that was actually quite familiar to András. In truth, anyone who spent much time around horses could recognize the smell of their grass-fed urine.

However, in that split second, he realized that by looking down at Trixie, he had inadvertently taken his gaze away from the wolf.

"Oh my Lord," he thought.

In that instant, he immediately turned his gaze back upward, looking across the clearing, only to see the wolf beginning to pick up speed as it approached them. András could see in the wild animal's eyes that it was determined and wouldn't stop until it made the pony and the interdimensional guest its next meal.

András knew that now was the time for action; he had to think fast. Looking around for something to grab in order to defend himself, he realized that he had left his ax leaning against the tree behind him. Picking it up, he felt slightly more confident in his chances of survival.

"Stand back, Trixie," he shouted, advancing toward the threatening wild animal. "I will handle this bastard."

He stepped forward, positioning himself with his right shoulder turned toward the animal and his left shoulder cocked backward, ready to swing the ax in order to deliver a fatal blow. He waited in this position as the wolf continued driving forward. It didn’t seem to be slowing down; rather, it seemed even more committed to its attack. When it was just a couple of yards away, András prepared to swing the ax downward, aiming to hit the wolf on its torso.

Within what felt like a millisecond, the moment arrived. The wolf jumped up, obviously aiming for András’s neck. Fortunately, András was able to deliver a blow to the animal, but the wolf's momentum caused it to brush and ricochet off the ax, though not as high as it had originally intended. The wild animal collided with András's chest with enough force to knock the wind out of him, pushing him to the ground. Now the real struggle began.

Still holding onto the ax handle with all his might, he maneuvered the large wooden shaft toward the wolf's neck, attempting to pin it down and suffocate it. All the while, the wolf, with unmatched vigor and energy, snapped its pointed white teeth at Trixie’s human defender. Fortunately, András had not only delivered a decisive early blow but also managed to wrestle the wolf into a position beneath him, giving him the opportunity to use his weight to his advantage against the beast.

As András locked out his arms and continued to use his pectorals and core muscles to drive the wooden handle downward, he could feel the pressure he was putting on the wolf's windpipe and the eventual snap of its spine. Within a few moments, the wolf had been effectively dispatched.

With forearms covered in scratches and blood from his tussle with the wolf and its sharp claws, András stood up, dusted himself off, removed the grass and dirt from his knees, and turned back to Trixie, who was now hiding behind the tree.

Walking a few yards back to where he had been sitting only a few minutes before, he couldn't help but instinctively look down at the puddle of urine left by the pony. Glancing briefly at the puddle and then back up at the azure equine, his eyes sought some sort of response, all the while understanding the fear she must have felt when the wolf suddenly appeared.

"Oh, I’m sorry. I know this looks pretty... well, embarrassing," Trixie said, trying to couch the blow of the humiliating situation.

"No, it’s OK. I totally understand. It’s not something I can really fault you for. I was pretty afraid when I saw that wolf too."

"But the way you handled things, I’m still amazed! To have the bravery and strength to do something like that... If you weren’t here, András, I would’ve died. And I’m not joking," Trixie said with a note of sadness in her voice. "Even though Trixie is quite great and powerful, being able to defeat a wild animal like that out here in nature with no one to help wouldn’t have been an easy task."

"Don’t mention it. I’m happy to help when I can."

"Well, I have to say, what you did back there was pretty hot. I don’t say this lightly. Usually, Trixie is the one impressing other people, and not the other way around, but an act of bravery like that certainly melts my heart."

"Aww, that’s very nice of you to say, Trixie. You seem to be quite a kind person, uh, I mean pony. Sorry, I’m still getting used to that."

They both shared an innocent laugh, but little did András know, Trixie wanted more from him, so much more...