After nearly eight grueling hours, the day’s final bell finally rang and Trixie was eager to be out the front door before she had any other interaction with Bon Bon or Rainbow Dash. Stomping down the school’s front step, Trixie said her goodbyes to Lavender and Fuschia.

“You’re sure you don’t want to hang out?” Lace asked, hopeful eyes contrasting the thin sad line her mouth formed.

“No, I’m fine. I’ll catch you guys tomorrow morning.”

It was clear to Trixie that her friends were concerned for her. Even the absence of third-person speech seemed to cement their worries, from the way they glanced at each other. But, after a moment of awkward silence, the three of them exchanged hugs and the two Illusions were on their way. Autumn leaves began to tumble across the school’s lawn, but Trixie could swear she could hear a voice upon the wind. All Trixie could do now was sulk around the front entrance, plagued by the same horrible whispers as before, at least until Adagio could join her.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long.

“-And of course Rainbow Dash had to start gloating about it…” Trixie groaned as she regaled the story to Adagio, “And she was calling Trixie that name the whole time!”

“...Why would you challenge Rainbow Dash to a sport you never play?” Asked Adagio.

Trixie scoffed incredulously, jutting her nose skyward. “Pft! Because the Great and Powerful Trixie can do anything Rainbow Dash can do, and since Rainbow couldn’t do it either, we’re even!” At least, that’s what she told herself.

The wind picked up and Adagio's floof began to ripple and flap in the November breeze. “Uh-huh… And what about the cotton candy-haired bitch?”

Trixie stopped and stared at the sidewalk as she processed the question. Adagio stopped a few steps later and turned towards her, and Trixie looked up. “...What does Pinkie Pie have to do with this?”

“No, the one who gave you shit in the locker room!”

Trixie resumed her stride as she answered “Oh! Bon Bon? She just huffed and walked off. Guess Trixie proved her wrong, huh?”

Adagio's fluffy hair continued to jostle in the wind as they walked. “If you say so. What’s her problem, anyway?” She turned her head to look at Trixie, but a few curly locks blew in front of her face and got caught in her mouth on the last word. She calmly used her hand to brush her hair back out of her mouth.

“I have no idea. I mean…” The wind whipped a few silvery strands of hair into her face, so she spat and fussed with her hair before continuing, “Pfeh! -I know why she doesn’t like Trixie, but I also don’t know, you know? Never would have guessed she’d be like that.”

“Do you want me to handle it?” Adagio offered ominously. “Someone needs to learn what it means to threaten a Siren’s treasure.”

Trixie bit her lip. The offer was tempting, oh so tempting. She was dating a Siren! A monster, loving as she may be, that could probably eat high school bullies for breakfast! Trixie had no doubt Adagio could ‘deal with’ Bon Bon in brutally efficient ways. But still… Trixie sighed, “Please don’t get yourself in trouble over Trixie. We both know you’re still on a short leash with Principal Celestia.”

“But Trix, I--...!”

“Please, just give it some time to sort itself out.” Trixie pleaded. “I'd rather not see you get thrown out of school over this.”

Adagio studied her face. “Are you sure?”

“I'm sure… It won't do either of us any good if you got expelled just because someone was mean to me, Dagi.”

Adagio sighed deeply and conceded, “I guess you have a point. I’m not happy about it, but I’ll let it slide, just this once!” She put her arm around Trixie’s shoulders.“You're lucky you're so cute!”

A smile broke out like a wildfire across Trixie’s face, steaming like smoke as a lovestruck giggle escaped her. As they walked together, Adagio’s body heat did wonders to ward off the cold late autumn air and Trixie got comfortable in the embrace. Leaves still dashed past them as they walked together, and being this close to Adagio helped distract Trixie from any whispering. Even the breeze in their faces couldn't wash away the heavenly fruity scent that came from Adagio. ‘I wonder what that scent really is?’

“So you know how I have the fashionable Rainboom in my History class?” Adagio asked, shattering the silence and derailing Trixie’s train of thought.

“Rarity? What about her?”

As her hair whipped into her face again, Adagio gradually got more agitated as she told the story. “Well, it seems the whole fucking band knows about what happened. I got paired up with her for a stupid group project and she was making small talk. Apparently, both Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy ‘expressed their concerns’ to her about the substitute. Just more Rainbooms muscling their way into our business!”

“Well, at least that’s four out of seven that aren’t making Trixie’s day worse…” Trixie grumbled.

Adagio came to a stop and silently counted on her fingers before asking, “Seven?”

“Twilight, the human one.”

“Riiight, I forgot that the royal pain-in-the-ass had a human double! I hope I never have to meet her…” Adagio grumbled, musing shortly thereafter, “So Rainbow is on the shit list but Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and the cowgirl aren’t. Jury’s out on Sunset and the other one for now.”

Trixie nodded absentmindedly and muttered, “Pretty much…”

As Adagio put her hands in Trixie’s, she sighed with mixed contentment and frustration. “I’d much rather they all mind their own business for once!”

The conversation lulled after that and the two continued to walk side by side in silence. The sounds of the day dominated the air; the gentle breeze (“Pfeh!”), birds chirping, leaves crunching beneath their feet, and the occasional passing car. It was a comfortable silence. Finally getting the chance to air all the day’s grievances and share some alone time with her girlfriend meant, for the first time since that morning, Trixie was somewhat enjoying herself.

Deciding to revive a small detail from before, Trixie gave a small laugh. “So… Trixie’s your treasure, huh?”

With a smile, Adagio pulled Trixie closer to her as her ruby eyes sparkled with adoration. “My most precious treasure…” Before Trixie knew it, yellow fingers brushed aside a stray lock of her hair and wandered deep into the silvery thicket. Using all five of her fingernails, the amorous Siren lightly brushed across the side of her scalp, down the nape of her neck, and traced her spine from the base of her skull to the crest of her shoulders. No doubt the probing fingers would have traveled farther, were it not for the hoodie. But even the few inches of skin that they scratched were enough to send tingles down the magician’s spine and cause her heart to tremble. What she whispered next was in some obscure language, but Trixie lost all ability to ask about it as Adagio slipped her tongue into her mouth.

For one brief moment in time, Trixie forgot all about the day she had endured. The wind picked up and leaves danced around them as they savored this moment together.

By the time they pulled apart, Trixie was out of breath. Or, more accurately, her breath had been stolen by the magnificent siren she had the privilege of calling ‘lover.’

“You mean more to me than I can put into words.”

Trixie smiled, her voice still soft and bashful as she hopefully suggested, “You could… You could try! I’d love to hear!” She sounded too much like Fluttershy, and it drove her mad!

Adagio smiled and looked at her with an unusual, almost painful look in her eye. All she said as she leaned in for another kiss was, “Another time, my love… Another time…”

The time had come for them to part ways, though Trixie’s hands refused to let go of Adagio’s. The cold air stung her skin as the two reluctantly parted. “Make it home safe! Say hi to Momma Showcase and Spectacle for me, okay babe?” Adagio called out to her as they walked in opposite directions.

“Will do! See you tomorrow, Dagi!”

Trixie’s smile fell. All her good spirits left along with Adagio, and suddenly the air felt colder, the silence more uncomfortable. By the time she was walking through the front door, Trixie felt like she had left her body.

The house was still, dim, and desolate. Its stagnant air broken by the rush of wind from outside, its peace disturbed by loud, shrill barking the second she turned the knob. The moment she stepped inside her legs were assailed by a tiny mint green beast.

“Hello, Nick- Eek!” Trixie yelped, pulling her leg away and putting on a forceful tone “No! Bad girl! Go sit!” She scolded the excited dog away and looked down at her scratched leg, revealed by a big split in what had once been a good pair of leggings. Great, now those are ruined! She thought, growling as she kicked off her boots and stormed to her bedroom, letting her backpack slide off her shoulders and land beside her desk with a heavy thud! Her coat and ruined leggings came off next, replaced by a more comfortable pair of pants before she sulked off to the kitchen.

The leggings went into the garbage and Trixie went to the freezer, looking for anything that sounded easy and edible. Heating up the oven felt like too much effort, so the microwave was put to work. A few minutes of humming later Trixie had a plate of piping hot nuggets and a glass of soda. The nearly empty bottle of barbeque sauce sputtered and spat a mess all over the plate, its awful noise shattering the silence of the empty house.

A wooden fold-up table was pulled to the couch and her snack was consumed slowly and robotically as Trixie stared at the lifeless TV screen, a million miles away. Distantly she felt a warm mass of fur curl up beside her on the couch, so she absentmindedly began stroking Nicky with her free hand. And as she finished off her last nugget and slumped back, Trixie found some rest at last.

*****

Trixie woke up with a kick to the stomach, followed by Nicky’s high pitched barking and the loud clang of the screen door opening. At some point Trixie had turned to lay properly on the couch, and a Bears blanket had been laid over her, falling over her lap as she sat up and nursed her hurting belly.

“Hey baby-baby~!” Nana doted over the dog as she stepped inside and shook off the cold. “Brrrhhr! Cold outside! –I’ve got sandwiches. Trixie, I got you chicken bacon and ranch.” She said, putting the wrapped up hero on Trixie’s tray table and handing another sandwich to Showcase, who glanced over to the Groggy and Sore Trixie.

“Good morning, sleepyhead. Or should I say ‘good evening?’” Showcase said.

“Trixie was just- Hmmmng~” Trixie stretched and yawned before leaning over to unwrap her sandwich. “-So tired after school. Long day.” Chicken, bacon, ranch, cheese, onions, and bell peppers. Just how she liked it. One of her childhood comfort foods was a nice treat to end the day on.

Showcase laughed. “Haha, go figure. I woke you up when I got home, and you went right back to sleep again.” The TV was turned on, the living room coming to life with the music and chatter of some clip show. It was one of those shows that nobody ever really watched, yet was somehow watched enough that it was the only thing this channel ever aired. Trixie figured it was only ever put on as background noise. “What got you so worn out?”

“Trixie had… A very long day. Lots of stuff happened.” Trixie took a bite of her sandwich, ranch dressing spilled out onto her fingers and totally overpowered her taste buds. They always added too much.

“What?” Asked Nana.

With a groan, Trixie began recounting her story for the second time that day. And she had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time, not by a mile. “So, you know Ms. Harshwhinny, right?” She said, and Showcase hummed her acknowledgement. “Well, she had a substitute today. For the whole week, and Trixie thought ‘oh, awesome.’ But, I guess he didn’t get the memo, so when he was calling attendance instead of ‘Trixie’ he said…”

“Oh, he didn’t.” Showcase said.

“He so did.”

“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry.” Showcase leaned over to pull Trixie into a side-hug. The platitude was a nice thought, and Trixie did feel grateful. Really! But still somehow dissatisfied at the same time. “But that wasn’t even the worst thing that happened.

"So, Trixie was in the locker room, right, getting changed for gym. And she normally changes in the stall. But then Bon Bon came up to her and was like,” Trixie put on her snootiest, most nasally mean girl voice possible. “‘Errm, this is the girl’s locker room. You shouldn’t be in here, get out.’ And Trixie went, ‘Okay, go get the teacher then, see if Trixie cares.’”

Yeah, Trixie didn’t care at all.

“So Rainbow Dash came in like,” Trixie put on an extra phlegmy, pack-a-day-for-twenty-years impression for Rainbow, “‘What’s the big deal? It’s just Trixie.’ Hehe, Bon Bon looked so embarrassed. The coach didn’t even know what to do!”

Sure, maybe she was leaving out a few details. Like all of the staring she felt in the locker room, the full extent of the scene Bon Bon had made and how it really made Trixie feel. But embellishing it made Trixie feel better. So Trixie laughed, and Showcase laughed along with her. But Nana had gone unusually quiet for the whole conversation, silently chewing her sandwich and staring pensively at the TV screen.

Then Nana finally spoke up, “Well, you know how girls can be. If they don’t see you as one of them…”

Showcase cleared her throat. “Mom.”

It wasn’t the worst thing Nana could have said. On its face it could even be taken as supportive, and yet it left Trixie feeling worse. She’d only finished about half her sandwich, but the way the conversation was going was robbing her of appetite. She wrapped up the other half and scooted off the couch, coming up with some excuse to excuse herself. “Trixie’s stomach isn’t feeling well, she’s gonna lie down for a bit…”

Nana quickly looked up with concern, “Do you need an ibuprofen?”

“Trixie will be fine. Thanks for the sandwich.” With that, Trixie skulked off to her bedroom and collapsed into her bed, staring up at her ceiling. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed. It felt like far too much and far too little at once, but after an uncertain amount of time she heard a knock at the door and her mother’s voice came through.

“Trix? I’m coming in.” She announced, and soon she had entered. Not like Trixie had much of a say in it, so she just sat up and made room for Showcase in the small room. Showcase closed the door behind her (which Trixie didn’t like,) and took a seat beside Trixie. “You feeling okay?”

“Trixie is fine.” She didn’t even have to think about it.

“Are you sure you’re fine?”

Trixie had a feeling Showcase wasn’t going to let up until she said something else. “I’m nervous. Like, yesterday nobody knew except Lavender and Fuschia. Now everyone knows I’m trans, except the one girl who should.”

Showcase visibly hardened at the mention of Adagio. It wasn’t a well-kept secret that mom didn’t exactly approve of her choice of partner. “Are you scared she’ll reject you for it? If you don’t trust her…”

“No!” Trixie exclaimed. “Trixie trusts her. She won’t turn on Trixie. Trixie just needs to… Do it. Find some time to tell her and just… Rip the bandaid off.”

Her mother sighed. “If you’re sure… So about what happened today. Do you want me to go speak to Principal Celestia about it?”

“No, Trixie can handle this herself.” Trixie said, unsure if it was the truth. “But thank you, mom.”

“Okay. Sleep well, Trix. You know you can always come to me for anything.” Showcase said, giving Trixie another hug and kissing her forehead before standing and leaving. Trixie heard her sigh after the door closed.

Falling back onto her bed, Trixie stared lifelessly at her backpack. That annoying voice named “responsibility” told her she should do her homework now rather than after midnight, but Trixie could barely remember her name right now. How was she supposed to think about chemistry after the day she’d just had?

Then her phone vibrated and made a generic text tone.

Sunset Shimmer
"Hey!"

Sunset Shimmer
"How are you doing?"

Trixie super didn’t want to talk to her old bully, no matter how much she has supposedly changed over the past few months! Her first thought was to ignore Sunset and try her best to fall asleep, or maybe send her a text telling her to mind her own business again.

It didn’t help that Sunset had held this exact problem over her head long before.

But instead… The automatic response.

Me
“fine”

Sunset Shimmer
"Did you want to talk about today? I heard some things.?"

Of course she did.

Me
“not rly”

Sunset Shimmer
"Okay..."

Sunset Shimmer
"I'm here if you ever want to talk about it. Or just chat about anything, kay?"

Me
“k, thx”

Frustrated, Trixie muted her texts with Sunset and set her phone on her nightstand. Through the wall, Showcase and Nana continued their conversation in the living room. At first it was too muffled for Trixie to hear much, but the volume had been rising steadily, and she heard Nana say…

“I just think, maybe that Bon Bon girl had a point. Lord knows I wouldn't want a boy in the locker room with my girls.”

“Mom, we’ve talked about this. Trixie is not a boy.”

“Oh, come on Showcase. You and I both knew he couldn’t play pretend forever. Someone was going to find out.”

“I’m not hearing this!” Showcase shouted, shaking the house as she stomped down the hall.

Trixie’s eyes stung, her throat burning as she tried to fight off tears. Absently, she reached down beside her bed and felt around for a soft round shape, pulling up a small stuffed bear with blue fur, covered in white stars. Clutching Ursa to her chest, she buried her face into her pillow and tried her best to think about chemistry.

Author's Note

This chapter was absolutely grueling to get through. I'm so glad it's done. In the meantime, I've made plenty of progress on other chapters, so hopefully those will get out at a faster pace.

Hopefully.

So ends Trixie's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I hope the fic isn't coming off too much like 'queer suffering porn.' Trixie does keep getting kicked while she's down, but there are some bright moments too. It won't always be like this, I promise