"Hey, Trixie, don't you have a show tomorrow?" The gray stallion calculated the cost of the materials while she waited on the other side of the counter.
"Why yes, Trixie hopes that you will be there to see her fantastic performance! It is going to be her glorious return as the Great and Powerful Trixie." Trixie's voiced filled the air with confidence, her posture straight and noble, her head cocked slightly upwards.
"Good to hear. Glad you got back on your feet after the mishap with that Ursa Minor in Ponyville. I always loved seeing your show when you came to town." The store stallion bagged up the bue and white cloth and placed in on Trixie's back. "That's everything you asked for. What's it for?"
A sly grin scrawled across Trixie's face. "You'll see tomorrow. Speaking of which, the Great and Powerful Trixie would like to give you these for your help. She appreciates your giving her these on credit. She will be sure to pay you back." With that, Trixie pulled out a pair of tickets to her show, handing them over to him. "It is going to be brilliant. After all, it is Trixie performing."
"Well thank you Trixie." The stallion seemed completely unphased by Trixie's arrogance. He accepted the tickets and watched as Trixie left the cloth shop.
Trixie squirmed between ponies wandering down the busy side walk, doing everything she could not to bump into anyone as she did. The crowed Manehatten streets were mostly clean, at least in this part of the city. The sound of carriage wheels rumbling down the street and the smell of bakeries and flouriest shops filled the air. Trixie had a long way to go, but the beautiful day made it a pleasant trot, at least until she neared her home. Even in the day time, the area surrounding her apartment complex looked dangerous. Yard's remained unkept, many buildings had broken and boarded up windows, faded and peeling paint gave the neighborhood's age away. Trixie pushed open a door nearly rusted shut and hanging by only one of its hinges.
Inside her apartment, Trixie set the fabric on a rotting wooden table. The room was kept fairly tidy, though water stains and rot reminded her of how poor she was. No matter, Trixie will soon be out of this dump. It has served its purpose. Trixie went to work, her azure magic surrounding the fabric and making cuts and incisions in the fabric, moon and star shapes falling away from the blue fabric to the floor.
She worked diligently for hours on the cloth, her magic sewing the two colors together and creating a pattern that closely resembled her cape and hat. It's been a long time since Trixie wore those. Trixie should make sure that they are clean for tomorrow. When she finally finished, the floor had a small pile of refuse cloth from her cutting.
"There, perfect. This shall make a wonderful curtain for Trixie's show tomorrow." She stared at the curtain for several minutes, inspecting the seams and edges. Perhaps not as good as a professional, but Trixie can't afford such luxuries just now. Tired from a long day of preparation, she wandered into the area of her two room apartment that passed for a kitchen. There were a few dirty dishes in the sink, but most were in a clean pile next to the sink on a towel. Without cabinets, most of the counter space was reserved for the few dishes she owned. she opened the pantry, revealing it to be nearly empty. Her stomach grumbled as she pulled out a small portion of lettuce and a few old dried carrots. Get through it Trixie. Only one more night of this, and the food will be luxurious after. The words rang truer than they had in weeks, knowing that she had nearly sold out the small theater she was performing at. It surprised her, but only a little. This is the Great and Powerful Trixie of course. No greater magician in Equestria, even if there are better magic users. The lettuce was slimy and browned, and after only a couple of bites, she couldn't force anymore down.
Trixie climbed into her bed, stomach growling with hunger at another night without a proper meal. One more night, Trixie fell asleep telling herself. Just one more night of hunger.
Trixie drifted into an uneasy sleep, her mind returning the Ponyville, where it always travelled when she slept. In the familiar row of houses, Trixie wandered around, searching for everypony. The sun was high in the sky, close to noon by her account, and yet the town seemed completely empty. At least, until she neared the town square. Soon she started to hear rumbling from the people gathered there. While she couldn't make out what was being said, Trixie could hear the anger in the crowd. She walked into the center to see every single pony in Ponyville standing around the mayor.
"Ah, Trixie, there you are. Would you come stand up here next to me? We need to discuss how we will deal with your actions in this town." Trixie didn't have time to speak before she was suddenly next to the mayor, standing in front of a crowed of furious faces.
"Trixie thought... I thought that I was forgiven..."
"Twilight may have forgiven you, but we do not. You enslaved our town, insulted and assaulted the citizens. Surely you didn't think it was that simple." The mayor's voice sounded wrong, it deepened and filled Trixie with terror.
"You can't! Trixie said she was sorry." Despite the conviction in her voice, Trixie could feel tears filling her eyes, making it difficult to sleep.
"Do we accept Trixie's apology?"Trixie looked out into the crowed, the furious faces of ponies all staring up at her.
"P-p-p-please, I'm sorry." No longer damned up by her eyes, warm tears streamed down Trixie's azure cheeks. Please, Trixie cried out in her head.
"Well?" The Mayor's voice took on a maniacal quality. Fear crept into Trixie's sorrow, watching as the crowed began to chant "NO," the noise beginning like a small whisper in the crowed and rising to a terrifying crescendo.
"PLEASE!" Trixie's cry was downed out by the crowed, which now began to slowly envelope the stage, closing in on Trixie. Her vision grew darker. Soon she could see nothing, only hearing the sound of her own sobs and the crowed yelling no. Trixie was surrounded in darkness, as the face of some of the Ponyville residents' faces filled the area above her. The rainbow maned pony, one of Twilight's friends, the mayor, the little children who had once adored her, a pink pony with a magenta mane, each flashed in the sky above her, fury the only emotion any seemed capable of feeling. "Stop, p-p-please. I'm sorry." Finally, the face of a lavender unicorn with purple hair and a pink strip appeared alone in front of her.
"Twilight! You forgave me. Please, tell them I'm sorry. Tell them I've changed."
"Foalish Trixie. I only said that so you would leave. You don't belong here. You don't belong with other ponies. Don't ever come BACK."
With that final word, Trixie jerked up out of her bed, tears still fresh on her cheeks as she sat in her be. It was... only a dream. I... Trixie isn't hated. Why does the great and powerful Trixie keeping having this terrible dream? The lavender pony, Twilight, she forgave Trixie. The words sounded hollow in her head, but they calmed her slightly none the less. After sitting in her bed for several minutes, attempting to calm her nerves, she glanced over at her clock. It's only 1:30? Trixie needs her beauty sleep. She stumbled from her bed to a small box in the kitchen area. Inside, she pulled out a bottle of hard apple cider, the banging of the glass sides against the other bottles inside seemed louder than it should have.
She downed the sweet bottle, the alcohol burning her throat a little as it went down. It helped her to calm further, taking the edge of the dream and her fear. Soon she had calmed enough to fall back to a restless, empty sleep.
