Chapters The Great and (Et Cetera) Trixie in: Foaled- A Hearths Warming Tale
Author's Note
Written for
for Jinglemas 2024
I hope the story is well enjoyed
Prologue
Prologue
Trixie is scared. Hard to imagine, I know; but she is actually terrified, screaming as loud as one can in the back of her mind, but too scared to make even the smallest sound.
Trixie is an expert and a professional, and as such is completely ready and prepared for any possibility of her spell going maybe just a little…well, a lot awry; but Trixie was not prepared for this.
A foal. Trixie was a foal … again.
It's not like Trixie has never been a foal before, Trixie can handle this…
Immediately upon having this thought, Trixie trips over herself, unused to her new-found shortness and youth. Buck me.
All right Trixie, if any pony is good in a crisis, you are, so just ask yourself, what would Trixie do?
….
After a good solid hour-long cry that definitely did not happen; that was definitely just an effect of the spell making Trixie younger- Trixie got down to business planning a solution to her crises.
The Great and (Et Cetera) Trixie in: Foaled- A Hearths Warming Tale
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2
The floors of the Crusader clubhouse now creaked under the weight of its full membership maybe forty ponies, er creatures strong… and all parts of the small building lamented, groaning to the sounds of the poor but emboldened music of Scootaloo's singing.
"Look here are three little ponIes ready to sing for this crOuD"
"No, let's not do that again." Apple Bloom complained, reaching for a nearby surplus of cotton-balls.
"She... she has a good point"
"I do?" Apple-bloom and Scootaloo asked in unison.
"I suppose ya both do"
This time Sweetie Belle joined her "They do?" with the two "We Do?"
Babs nodded before continuing.
"Well... I mean yeah I suppose so, I like the idea of the song, the song is great, it shows that we have spunk, ya know, moxy, but shouldn't we make it more inclusive... didn't we want to use this festival as a chance to show that the cutie mark crusaders are for every creature... not just er us ponies? That's what Hearth's-Warming is all about isn't it, all different types coming together ya knows?
“I think you're onto something, I like that!” Scootaloo pulled out a large sheet of parchment and began doodling changes to the lyrics, quill in mouth “Something something every creature come together…”
There were smiles and nods all around the clubhouse, especially among the newer members.
Quite suddenly Babs, Gabby, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Bell found themselves quietly chatting in the back of the cramped room, as various other members of the CMC crowded around Scoots with countless suggestions about the new song. Not a situation that had been entirely upsetting as it had been a busy meeting and they hadn’t quite gotten a chance to greet each other properly, or for that matter to comment on Sweetie Bell’s lovely new star and snowflake studded dress.
“Wow, that’s beautiful!” Remarked Apple-bloom, “Did your sister help you with it?”
“It was all Trixie, actually. My sister was a bit busy and I kind of failed when I tried on my own… Wait where is Trixie?..
“Trixie?”
Trixie was nowhere to be seen.
The Great and (Et Cetera) Trixie in: Foaled- A Hearths Warming Tale
3
It was with the first few taps of the makeshift gavel and the first remarks of Scootaloo's best impressions of an ultimate judicial leader that Trixie backed out of the Clubhouse.
“Let the umTeenth annual cuteiMark Crusaders Hearth’s-warming Festival planning meeting begin! First here’s Apple-Bloom with some opening remarks.”
The young voices faded behind her as she turned to run, head dropped low beneath her oversized cloak, which trailed off behind her, sending expired leaves and frozen snow flying in her wake.
Trixie was not crying. But she was galloping.
At last, she skidded to a stop, the skeleton trees of the Everfree forest now tall and dark, looming before her, and here she sat. Still, she did not cry, just a little eye sweat from the run. And here she was again, alone with her own thoughts which haunted her.
This whole thing is my own fault, the young crusaders shouldn't have to deal with it.
She sniffled… as the winter weather bothered her sinuses, Trixie doesn’t cry. But she did not sneeze either.
It really is my own fault… if I didn’t think so high and mighty of myself…
Hooves trembling, all of her trembling Trixie removed a withered purple carnation from one of many of her pockets, and held it in her lap. Her eye sweat (definitely not tears) glistened like teardrops or diamonds, or even falling snow on the pedals of the flower beneath her. She shivered.
It was supposed to be easy. Not really an age spell, just meant to make the old flower new again, just perk it up a little. How was Trixi to know it would go horribly awry.
Trixie knew it would, because Trixie ruins everything. Trixie the great and pitiful magician. I can't even ask for help without getting cold hooves. No. No, it's for the best that Trixie fixes her own mistake. No pony should get hurt on my account.
She had already hurt so many, she wasn't so blind as to not see that, and even being forgiven, it bothered her dearly.Even having moved on knowing that she was an older wiser pony for her mistakes, it bothered her; and now she wasn’t an older pony was she and had she really learned anything? This too bothered her.
She cried.
The Great and (Et Cetera) Trixie in: Foaled- A Hearths Warming Tale
4
”Trxie!- Trixie!”
Hearing the voices of the approaching young fillies and the gryphling, Trixie rushed to gently stuff her flower back into her pocket, and to dry her eyes with her forehoof, hoping desperately that there was no redness for the young ones to behold; this coming to mind she drew her hood in and closer to her face averting her gaze.
“Trixie!”
“Uh… er no Trixie here, nope, no Trixie” She looked around desperately hoping to find some inspiration for a fake name, though what she really wanted was a hole to put her head in, like some exotic bird, or a bush to jump into; but then she'd get all muddy and-
“No Trixie… just er MudBush, Lula MudBush”
The three young ones stared at her in stunned silence unused to seeing Trixie in such a state, not just a foal, but worn from her good cry.
Sweetie Bell was perhaps the first to recover, taking a seat on a log next to the younger older filly, she kindly played along offering a gentle wry smile.
“Well… it's nice to meet you, Ms. MudBush, we were just worried about you. You rushed out of the club house before anyp-” She glanced at Gabby catching herself “before any of us could help you. Helping others with problems, big or small is what the Cutie Mark Crusaders are all about.”
Trixie sniffled. She glanced into Sweetie Belle's innocent yet knowing eyes, honest eyes, kind eyes.
Despite all her best efforts here Trixie burst into tears balling into Sweetie Belle's lap.
Author's Note
More to come after the Jinglemiss event 😉
I wanted to ensure this was a solid complete story on its own and though I had many more ideas of places to take the story I did not want to let feature- creep keep me from ending it on a emotionally resonant note.
A compromise I will end here, a spot where I've seen some stories end, and continue on after Jinglemiss
Best wishes_Talo
