To Turn Over A New Leaf

The next morning, Trixie woke up to the golden rays of Celestia’s sun pouring in through the bedroom window onto her resting form. She squinted in the light of the morning, her eyes adjusting to the light. At first she was confused about where she was as she realized she was in an unfamiliar bed, but then she remembered that she was in a guest room in Prince Blueblood’s house.

Trixie lay in the bed a bit longer. As much as she didn’t want to leave the extremely comfortable bed, she knew she had to. She had to be leaving to get back home to her job on the rock farm. She knew she was going to be late as it was, and that meant she would have to work overtime. And she also knew she had to get prepared for her upcoming performance Blueblood was hooking her up with. But before she did leave, she wanted to say good-bye and thank you to Blueblood first. Reluctantly, with a yawn she climbed out of bed and headed over to the door. She opened it up with her magic and walked out into the hallway. There, she almost ran right into a maid.

“Oh, excuse me,” said the young unicorn maid with a light blue coat and blond mane and tail. “You must be Trixie.”

“Yes,” said Trixie. “Um, do you know where Prince Blueblood is?”

“Yes. The master is having breakfast down in the dining room,” she said.

“Thank you,” she said to the maid.

Trixie passed by the maid and proceeded downstairs. She found Blueblood eating breakfast in the dining room, just as the maid had said. Blueblood sat at the head of a long wooden table, and he was the only one at it. He looked up from his food as she entered the room, and smiled.

“Ah, good morning, Trixie,” he said. “Sleep well?”

“Yes, thank you,” said Trixie. “I wanted to say thank you before I left.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” he said. Then after a few seconds he added, “Oh, um, would you like some breakfast before you leave? You must be hungry.”

Trixie realized she hadn’t eaten since yesterday, and she suddenly became aware of how hungry she was. It wouldn’t be wise to travel all that way on an empty stomach, and the food looked and smelled really good too.

“Well, I do have a ways to travel. I suppose I should have a bite to eat before I go.”

Blueblood smiled. “Jeeves!” he called. The butler appeared through the door. “Another plate for our guest.”

“Of course, sire,” said the butler, before turning and walking away.

Trixie sat down at the table.

Blueblood levitated his fork to his mouth and took another bight of his breakfast. “Is where you live very far?” he suddenly asked when his mouth was empty. “If you’d like, I can offer you a ride home.”

“No thanks,” said Trixie. “I can get there on hoof fast enough. You’ve done enough for me already.”

“Very well,” said Blueblood.

The butler returned, carrying a covered tray and sat a plate of food down in front of Trixie. He pulled off the cover to reveal a plate of pancakes. Trixie began eating.

Blueblood was soon finished his breakfast, since he had already started it before Trixie had woke up, and he wiped his lips with a napkin. “I’m sorry, but I have to be going,” he said to her. “I have an appointment to keep this morning and I would hate to be late.”

“Oh, of course,” she said, completely understanding wanting to keep arrangements on time.

“So… I guess I’ll see you at the party then,” he said.

“Huh?” said Trixie, confused. Then she remembered the party Blueblood was getting her a spot as the entertainment at. “Oh, right. Wait, where is the party, and when?”

“Oh, it’s at Canterlot castle, in the gardens, on Thursday at 3:00 PM.”

Trixie thought to herself. It was Monday, so that was three days from now. A good enough time to get ready. She would just have to put in a few more hours at the rock farm for some extra bits. “I’ll be there,” she said to Blueblood.

Blueblood nodded and left the room. Trixie continued eating her breakfast, hearing Blueblood leave the house through the two front doors.

When she was finished with her breakfast, her stomach was nice and full. Sighing contently, she got up from her chair and was about to head over to the foyer to leave, but then she remembered that she didn't have her cape and hat. The butler had taken them the previous night because they had been soaked. She looked around for the gray Earthpony stallion. She quickly spotted him walking out the door to the kitchen and went over to him.

"Yes?" he asked on her approach.

“Um, I’m going to be leaving now,” she said to Jeeves. “Can I have my hat and cape back?”

“Of course,” he said. “You’re hat and cape are on the coat hangers next to the front doors. I trust you can find your own way out?”

“Yes,” she said. She walked to the front doors, grabbed her hat and cape from the coat hangers and put them on, and left.

It was a very bright and sunny day, and the grass glimmered with the fresh dew of the morning. When she was off the Prince’s property she broke into a light trot threw the city. It was still early, so there wern't too many ponies out on the streets yet, which made it much easier for her to travel, and she dare say, more enjoyable. She could even hear birds chirping their morning songs from the window sills of buildings through the city. Before she knew it, she was passing through the city's exit and heading for home.

‘Home,’ she thought to herself as she trotted. A cheap apartment room in a small town near the rock farm where she worked. Even though that was where she was currently living, it didn’t feel like home to her. Home was supposed to be a place where you were happy. A place where your heart was. Where she was living wasn’t home, she realized. Trixie’s heart wasn’t on that rock farm or in that apartment room. She knew her heart was on a stage, being adored by a large crowd who cheered for her.

She sighed. Oh well. She had to focus on getting back to the rock farm to work. Her employer had a short temper, and he would already be cross with her for not being at work on time today.

She quickened her pace as she galloped towards her ‘home’ town.

........................

The trip ‘home’ took her most of the day. By the time she made it, it was already late afternoon. After quickly dropping by her small apartment, she hurried over the rock farm for work. When she got there, Pinkie Pie’s father came out of the house and walked up to her, an annoyed look on his face.

“You’re late!” he said as she walked up to him.

“Yeah, I know,” she said. She knew he would be in this mood. “I’ll put in some extra hours to make up for it, for crying out loud.”

“Darn right, you will!” he said. “I told you going to that city was a waist of time.”

“Forget you, old timer!” Trixie said as she picked up the axe-pick with her magic. “Trixie is going to make something of herself again!”

“Ha! Those silly “get rich quick schemes” are pathetic," he laughed. "You should just be thankful you have a steady job and appreciate what you already have in life.”

“Hey! It’s not a “get rich quick scheme” alright!” she spat, then she stuck up her nose. “You wouldn't understand. You and most other ponies may be happy with a dumb ordinary life, but not me! I want to live a life of fame and greatness! I want to be the best I can be!” She shouted, anger rising in her voice. She had ambitions! She had dreams! And there was nothing wrong with pursuing them! And thanks to the Prince, she finally had a shot. And this time, she wasn’t going to make the same mistakes she had made in the past. This time, she’d remember to try to be honest and more humble to her audiences.

“Just make you’re quota by days end,” said Pinkie’s father as he turned and walked off.

Trixie grumbled in anger and got to work. She walked over to the nearest pile of rocks and began working away at them with the axe-pick. She briefly looked up and saw that the sun was already setting in the sky. She mentally groaned at the knowledge that she would be working well into the night, as well as starting early the next morning. She really hated this job, but she needed the money.

She thought about the performance the Prince had gotten her. “I can’t blow this chance,” she said to herself as she swung her pick against the rocks. “I have to make this work.”