The Great and Powerful Fuu

Chapters

1 - A Bump in the Road
2 - It's a Kind of Magic
3 - School's Out
4 - Initiation
5 - A Nightmare on Manestreet
06 - Candy Capers
07 - Requiem for a Dream Princess
08 - The Final Straw
09 - A New Leaf
10 - C'est le chapeau qui fait la pouliche
11 - After the Rain
12 - Broken Shackles
13 - Masquerade
14 - Through the Darkness, Rise

1 - A Bump in the Road

I can't believe I'm writing this...

I can't believe I'm writing at all...

I mean, with all that happened... er...

Ok, let me get back to... pff... has it been that long?

Somewhere in the spring of 2011 someone mentioned ponies to me. "Ponies?" I remarked incredulously. Our friendsgroup had had nothing to do with stables or any kind of farm animal before, and the subject was brought up seemingly out of nowhere.

"Ponies." They returned, as serious as ever. "They're taking over the internet, dude. Haven't you noticed?"

I stared at my friend, a big burly guy of 22 and a half years old, and blinked. "I'm sorry, did you say ponies?" I repeated, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Ponies, yes. My little ponies, to be exact."

"What, that children's show from the '80s?"

"No... the new show? Friendship is Magic? You've not seen it?" he offered, raising an eyebrow.

I leaned back against the side of my car and shook my head. "Dude, why would I be watching a children's show?" I pushed a cigarette between my lips and reached into my pocket for my lighter. "Oh, damn... Denise has my lighter. Mind if I borrow yours?" I wondered, looking up at my friend's face and noticing he was trying his best to stay calm. "What?"

"Ok, for one; you really should take your shit back home after spending a night there."

"She was still slee-"

"Two; It's not a children's show. Don't judge it until you've seen it. This thing goes deep."

I frowned. "How deep?"

"It'll make you cry." My friend offered, revealing his own lighter and holding it up for me.

"Psh..." I started, but the look on my friend's face made me fall silent. I took a draw from my cig and leaned back curiously. "It's that bad?" I jabbed, and immediately had to jump away as he tried to punch me in the arm! "Kidding, kidding!" I laughed, trying to dodge his next blow as well. "Take a joke, man..." I sighed, jumping over the fence around the porch as he didn't let up.

"Don't kid around the ponies." He snorted, backing away and punching the hood of my car instead.

"Hey, I just had it washed..." I frowned, leaning on the fence and shaking my head. "It's got to you that bad, eh? You softy? Ok, I'll give it a go. What channel is it on?"

That was... March? I didn't really get to watching the show until the last couple of episodes of the first season, really. First one I watched was about some fillies running around wanting to get cutiemarks... Silly children's show antics, I thought at the time.

My friend kept insisting it wasn't as good if I didn't watch the first episodes first, so I loaded the thing up on one of the sites it was featured at and started watching. Heck, I had all the time in the world. My girlfriends came a dime a dozen and most of them had an internet connection. And the more I watched, the more I started to notice the little tidbits in their rooms that were dedicated to the show.

Annie was knitting a little doll that looked surprisingly like Rarity, Denise slept under a Rainbow Dash blanket, and whatshername even had a couple of toys from the show. I won't lie; I was hot and I was exploiting my looks to get as many girls into bed as I could.

It wasn't like my home was a good place to be at anyway. My dad was drunk most of the time, hit my mom so often it seemed like he had a running tab at the doctor's office, the twins were going through puberty... the girl kind... I really didn't want to be in that house any more than absolutely necessary.

So I drove away. I was in my early twenties and the world was my oyster.

Slowly but surely, though... the ponies were starting to get to me. I met up with my friend again. We chatted some about the regular... and then the ponies came up again. And... I found myself actually understanding what he was talking about. The intricate play between characters, the ups and downs in their lives... for some reason everything started to make sense and add up. I saw the first season twice or three times before the second started.

"You know that's the same actor that played Q, right?" I offered to ... Alice... or Anice... or something starting with an A... She was a blonde with a great rack. Good in bed as well; she at least shut up afterwards and let me rest.

She stared at me with a blank look. "Q?"

"From Star Trek... Oh, don't worry... my dad watches it over and over and over since someone bought him the VHS collection."

"VHS?"

"Came before DVD? Oh, never mind..." I shrugged, turning back to the first episode of the second series. I was hooked by that time, and not in the good way. Even if it was on television on one of the channels somewhere, I was watching it online. And not paying for it.

I know, I know, bad me. I couldn't really afford it. Most of my money went into clothes, hairgel, keeping my car running... You know, looking good. Rarity would've had a fine colt in me. Both of us were addicted to designer clothes and looking good in them.

So I watched the first two episodes of the second season back-to-back. I'd heard it was a double episode and cliffhangers don't sit well with me. And something struck me.

"I don't get it." I offered to Anastacia? I really don't know. She was painting her toenails on the bed.

"Don't get what?" she wondered, and I turned back to her.

"Discord just up and makes them believe something else. That's impossible, isn't it?" I frowned, never having been much of a believer in mind control.

She looked up from her toenails and shrugged. "Guys seem to be able to talk me into bed even if I know they're all jerks. Doesn't sound so impossible to me." she retorted, and I smirked. Did I feel a hint of remorse about having done the same? Maybe... but it wasn't registering consciously.

"Look, babe... you got a good figure and a good head on it. Of course I want to be with you. I don't know about any others, but you're my girl, you know?" I tried, and her face got hard.

"That's what you said to Lizzy as well, didn't you?" she snarled, and threw the open toenail polish at me. Before she could grab something else, I was out the window and running for my car. I might've thought of myself as the greatest womaniser since Casanova, but I was also a big chicken. I can handle verbal discussions, really. But if they start tossing things at me, I'm gone.

Back in the car, I looked down at my clothes and groaned as they were covered in toenail polish... "Great... there goes another hundred bucks..." I sighed, putting my car in reverse and backing out the driveway.

Bump.

I blinked as my back tire rolled over something that wasn't pavement.

Bump.

My front tire as well, and now I was getting worried. I shut down the car and got out, walking up to the front to see what I might've hit. "Don't let it be her cat, don't let it be her cat..." I repeated to myself, but nothing could've prepared me for what I saw lying on the pavement instead...

Now first off, I'm not crazy. I mean, I never had any hints that I was. I mean... the following is going to be hard to accept, but please do. I'm... well... I couldn't believe it myself, really. I stared at the figure for what seemed like ages. If A... A... that girl would've ran after me instead of sobbing on her bed, she would've easily caught up with me.

But what I saw before me was... well... A pony.

A blue pony.

A blue, cell-shaded pony.

Again, I'm not crazy. There's nothing wrong with my head. There is no way in heaven or hell that I could've hit her, but I did.

I hit Trixie.

Trixie.

Trixie the magician.

Trixie the magician from the cartoon series Friendship is Magic.

I mean... this made my head spin, ok? I stood there for what seemed like forever... Ok, I'm repeating myself. But I hope this all makes it very abundantly clear how immensely confusing and incredulous the situation was, ok?

I stood there, beside my car, looking down at Trixie the magician pony lying on the pavement with trackmarks over her flank.

She was still breathing, so that was good... Cartoon character or not, she was a hurt animal and I could be taken into custody for hitting it. No blood, also good. I quickly scooped her up and put her down on the backseat of my car. Close door, get back in, close front door, start engine, DRIVE!

My tires screeched on the pavement as my car set itself in motion, and I drove halfway across town like a maniac possessed!

There was something that couldn't exist in the back of my car. I might be hallucinating. It might be me. I could've hit any other kind of animal whatsoever. My first thought was to bury it in the nearby forest. Nobody would find it there. Whether cartoon animal or other kind... It was still alive, though... but for how long? What internal injuries might she have? I could just leave her at the edge of the forest...

THERE WAS A CARTOON ANIMAL IN MY CAR!

I hit the brakes and my car slid sideways on the leafcovered dirt road until it came to a stop. I switched the engine off and turned on my seat to look behind me. Cell shaded. Blue coat. Cartoon animal.

I rubbed my eyes and looked again. Cell shaded, blue coat... cartoon animal.

As I stared at her, after rubbing my eyes another time, Trixie moved. I know it was Trixie. She might not have worn her hat or coat, but it clearly was the blue magician...

"Hng... what hit Trixie?" she groaned, reaching up with a hoof to rub at her head.

I had no response. I was frozen on my seat, looking back. I was shocked to the core. She was not just a cartoon character... but she could also TALK... She WAS Trixie. She said it herself...

Her purple eyes opened up and she looked around herself. Her eyes settled on me and she frowned. "A human?" she sneered, and I swallowed. "A human." she repeated, squirming a bit in an attempt to get her hooves back under herself. She visibly winced as she tried, but got her hooves under her with the second attempt. "And what may be your name, human?"

I swallowed again, and looked away. "Er..." I started, and her right eyebrow raised. "I'm..." I continued, and Trixie rolled her eyes.

"Don't bother. It's not important." she snorted, glancing down to her flank and noticing the trackmarks on it. "Ah! And my coat is all dirtied by something! Is this your doing?"

I blushed and looked away and Trixie's tone of voice went from merely condescending to downright cold and accusing.

"It IS your doing, isn't it? Who gave you the right to do this to the Great And Powerful Trixie?" She snorted, and I looked down.

"It's not like I meant to. I just backed up and ffh... frf... ff?" I stopped as my mouth stopped responding as I had expected it to and reached for it. My lips had all but disappeared, leaving a small ring through which I could blow air and... whistle a bit... but not much else.

"Silence! The Great and Powerful Trixie has no time for petty excuses." Her eyes widened at her own words. "Oh! Time! What's the time? Trixie was already running short of it... oh, what if the spell wears off too soon?"

I blinked at her change of demeanor and tilted my head. "Ffh?"

"Hm... It's no use, Trixie will just have to take you with her." Trixie decided, and her horn started to glow.

With her? "Hff??" I started, but got hit by a dizzy spell as her magic touched me. I groaned and closed my eyes, rubbing my hoof to my head as the world around me changed.

Hoof. Yes, I said it.

As the dizzy spell wore off, I found myself sitting on the wooden floor of a wagon. A wagon with a sink and bookcase and bed, on which Trixie was laying. Her horn stopped glowing and she sighed tiredly, lying her head on her pillow. "Fuu... Make me some tea." she ordered, closing her eyes.

Without a second thought I moved to stand up, lost my balance and ended up with my hooves sprawled out to all sides. Only then did the reality of the situation start to sink in. "Wait... I got hooves?" I blinked, looking at the brown-coated hooves that used to be my hands.

"Of course you do, Fuu." Trixie remarked, her head lifting up to look over the edge of the bed to where I lay on the floor trying to come to terms with it all. "Trixie had to bring you with, and it's unheard of to have a human in Equestria."

"In... Equestria?" I repeated, trying to figure out how this whole hoof thing worked.

"Trixie is too tired for wordgames. Hurry up and make her some tea." Trixie sighed, disappearing again and, from the sound of it, dropping her head on the pillow again.

The feeling of my ears moving on my head to catch that sound... it was so strange... my hooves felt so alien to me... my whole body... I looked back and spotted my brown flanks going down to a blonde tail, and some tufts of my blonde mane caught my attention as I moved my head. "Wait a second... I'm a pony?"

"Hmm-mm..." is all that came from the bed, sounding as if Trixie was half-asleep or just didn't care to answer.

"I'm a pony..." I repeated, trying to put my hooves underneath me as I had seen Trixie do. If you don't think of things like this, it actually is quite easy to do. Your body just moves very natural. Well, to me it did. With my hooves resting underneath me I actually felt kind of comfortable.

But once I tried to stand up, I must've looked like Bambi trying to stand up for the first time. I was moving forward, backward, sideways, trying to find my center of gravity and my hoofing. Took a few moments and a snort from the bed to find it, but then I was standing.

Tea... There was a small kettle, and one of those old potbelly stoves with the stove pipe running up through the ceiling so the smoke could get out.

I reached for the kettle with my hands... and promptly collapsed on the floor again. "Right... hooves..." I chided myself, pushing up and staring at the kettle for a long while. This was quite the conundrum, no matter how much of My Little Pony I had seen.

"Use your magic..." Trixie sighed, having moved a bit in the bed to better observe my antics.

"My... what?" I blinked, incredulously, and Trixie rolled her eyes.

"Your magic. You're a unicorn, so use your magic." she huffed, blowing some hair out of her eyes.

I stared at her, then looked up. There was a definite something sticking out from my forehead. It's strange how I hadn't noticed it before. It wasn't until I looked up and saw the thing move around as I moved my head around that it started to dawn on me. "Er... how?" I wondered, not at all sure how to do this sort of thing.

Trixie narrowed her eyes at me and flicked her tail restlessly behind herself. "Think of the thing you want to do, channel it through your horn, and do it." she huffed, clearly getting annoyed with me.

I moved back to stare at the kettle. What did I want to do with it? I wanted to fill it with water. There was a sink, and a faucet, so there should be some running water... Forget the how and why it would be there, little seemed to make sense right now anyway. So, kettle. Sink. Water. Fill... I focused and focused, and focused... and...

"Channel it through your horn, Fuu." Trixie sighed, rubbing a hoof to her forehead. "It's not that difficult."

I frowned at her. "Look, it might not be that difficult for you, but I ffh... ffh??" Trixie's horn glowed as she made my mouth unusable again, and I sighed out in defeat.

"Fuh..." I muttered, turning my attention back to the kettle. Good... here we go... kettle, sink... water... focus on your horn...

A soft light started from where my horn protruded from my forehead, and the kettle started to wobble a little. I focused more on it, focused more on wanting to have the kettle move to the sink and it started to slide off of the stove and towards the sink.

"Don't let it..." Trixie started, breaking my concentration, and the light coming from my horn disappeared abruptly, sending the kettle dropping to the floor.

Before it could hit it, Trixie had taken over and lifted the kettle back up to put it in the sink, her horn glowing brightly.

"Tsk... ok, Trixie will make the tea herself for now. You have to work on controlling your magic, Fuu." she sighed, clearly not happy with my slow progress.

"Fuu..." I whistled through my useless lips, and suddenly got why she kept calling me that. My ears tilted back on my head and I groaned, while dropping to the floor and shaking my head at how ridiculous it all was.

I must've fallen asleep as I lay there, as when I opened my eyes again it was night and Trixie was whimpering in her sleep. I knew my car had hit her twice, but I didn't get a chance to ask her how bad it was.

I pushed up from the floor, stared down at my hooves for a second as they still felt strange to me, then looked over to the bed. Trixie was in pain, that much was clear. Every breath she took made her whimper, and her face was pulled in a mask of pain.

I took a step closer and brought my face close to her flank, looking at the marks my car's tires had left on her. I had little knowledge of biology, but the marks had flattened her coat making the depression they caused on her skin look that much deeper.

Regardless of whether she would be alright or not, she needed someone medical to have a look at her.

I turned around and headed for the door, staring at it intently. What was it again? Oh, right... focus on what to do... then focus through your horn... or something...

I focused on the latch. It was an easy sliding one, and I probably could've slid it open with my hooves or mouth... "Test... test..." I tried, and smiled weakly. At least I could explain to whatever I found outside what the problem was.

The soft glow of my horn made the latch wobble and slowly slide open with the sound of metal sliding over metal, but finally it slid open fully and I could push the door open.

And then I stood still for the longest time.

Outside, the open fields of Equestria stared me in the face. Off in the distance, set against the side of a mountain, was the capital; Canterlot.

I'd seen those buildings come by in the show a few times now. Over to my left, also in the distance, were the lights of Ponyville.

It was marginally closer by, but would still be a bit of a hike. And the rest... Fields of... nothing. Trees, grass, the occasional river or lake... It was so different from the world I came from with its megacities and fewer and fewer green spots between...

It was breathtaking, really, but Trixie's wheezing reached my ears again and I jumped out of the wagon and started to run. Or, well... gallop.

There was little thought behind it beside getting Trixie some medical attention. And the less I thought about my hooves, the easier it was to run with them.

The air rushed past my horn, my ears, through my coat... I felt my mane and tail move behind me from the wind as I drew ever closer to Ponyville. I can't say it felt bad. Really, I still go out from time to time just to run around in the open fields... er... Well... when she lets me.

There's a hospital in Ponyville. I noticed it from the red cross on it and ran straight to it. So many familiar sights along the way... The farm Applejack and her family live at, the tree library that Twilight must've been sleeping in... I rushed past them because I had a mission.

I bolted through the double doors of the hospital and promptly got my forelegs entangled, causing me to do half a somersault and end up on my back staring up at the ceiling as I slid another foot or two further from the momentum.

I quickly rolled over and pushed up, looking around for a nurse. Fortunately there were a few, one of which was moving towards me with a look as if she wanted to say...

"Are you ok?" the nurse closest to me wondered, and I nodded frantically to her.

"I'm ok, but Trixie is not! I need a doctor, quickly... she's not doing well. I need to get her a doctor. Please? Anypony?" I begged, freaked out beyond reason at it all. I hadn't come to terms with the whole ordeal yet, and seeing a cartoon hospital populated with cartoon nurses and... it... I just set my butt down on the ground and started to rub a hoof at the tears that came.

"Easy there... it'll all be ok." the nurse offered, moving up to me and gently patting a hoof to my shoulder. "The doctor's with a patient right now but should be done in..."

"What's all this commotion?" a large colt wondered, dressed in a doctor's outfit with one of those shiny lens things strapped to his forehead. I started to giggle from the ridiculousness of it all, but shook my head at the same time.

"Er... doctor, this filly came running in saying a "Trixie" was not doing well and needed your attention?" the nurse offered, looking helplessly at me.

My giggling stopped abruptly. "Wait... a filly is a female pony..."

Three heads (two nurses and the doctor) started to move up and down slowly, passing glances between one another. "Yes... Yes, it is." The doctor offered, moving a few steps closer and looking me over with a worried glance. "Are you sure you're doing alright, miss?"

I just blinked.

"Hm... nurse, can you get me a..." the doctor started, but I quickly shook my head.

"I'm not important right now! Trixie is! I hit her with my car and now she's wheezing and not doing well at all, she needs medical attention and you're a doctor, and... she's outside. It's a bit of a hike, I... don't know how long... I don't have a watch on me, but... Stop looking at me like that. Just follow, ok?" I rambled, pushing up from the ground and turning my tail to the doctor before running out the door again.

Behind me, I heard the doctor give the nurses some orders (one of which being that they should bring his satchel with them) and then I heard his hooves give chase.

I ran. I ran like I hadn't on the way there. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, as fast as the doctor could follow, as fast as I could while sort of remembering where I came from.

I had to stop twice to catch my bearings in the darkness, but then the wagon came into view again and I sped up even more. As I reached the wagon, I was out of breath and I had left a bit of a distance between me and the doctor.

It took him a minute to catch up, and I nodded towards the inside of the wagon.

He moved on inside, and I rolled over on my side trying to catch my breath.

It stayed quiet inside for a while, but then I heard Trixie whine out louder and mumble something as she woke up from the pain. The doctor mumbled something back, but no matter how I turned my ears I couldn't understand it.

Off in the distance I saw a nurse appear with a satchel, and I focused on my horn with the idea of providing light. It worked, and I smiled weakly to myself.

Trixie would get the help she needed. I closed my eyes as the nurse approached and the light of my horn died out as I lost consciousness.

2 - It's a Kind of Magic

And that all was... twenty years ago? Thirty? Time moves so fast in Equestria... And then there was the whole ordeal with... er... oh, right. Getting ahead of myself.

The doctor helped Trixie recover, clearly. I mean, when I woke up again I was the one lying in the bed, and Trixie was rummaging around through some cupboards, her horn glowing as she moved things around. She seemed to be doing ok, apart from a bandage around her midsection, and at least a whole lot more energetic than before.

I tried to move and found a weight settle around my neck. I blinked and looked down, but it took some tilting of my head to get even a glimpse of the collar. It seemed like leather... or the cartoon equivalent of it. "Fuu?" I whistled through my unusable lips, then groaned as I realized my ability to speak was taken away again.

"Oh, you're awake?" Trixie offered, lifting her head up and looking in my direction while an assortment of kitchenware hovered around her. I nodded, reaching a hoof up to my collar.

"Oh, that? That's just so you don't go running off again like last night." Trixie remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Trixie was doing fine on her own. The Great and Powerfu..." she winced and the light on her horn died out for a second, making the kitchenware drop to the floor around her.

She needed a few breaths to push herself up in her proud stance again and a light blush showed on her cheeks. "Hrm... well... if you hadn't hit Trixie she wouldn't have needed a doctor in the first place. So don't expect a thank you." she huffed, returning her attention to the kitchenware.

I sighed and dropped my head on the pillow, idly feeling the collar with my left forehoof. A collar to keep me from running away from her... it was almost like I was an animal. Or one of those creepy goth kids.

"But you are an animal." my thoughts returned to me, and I shook my head at them. "You're a pony. A unicorn at that. You have hooves, a tail, fur, even if it's all cartoonish." my thoughts continued, and I closed my eyes while letting out a whimper.

The sound of items dropping on the sink reached my ears and the soft clip-clop of Trixie walking nearer the bed followed.

"What's the matter, Fuu?" she asked, and I thought I detected a genuine undertone of worry in her voice. I felt my mouth change and moved my jaw a little before looking up from the pillow again straight into Trixie's purple eyes.

"I get that I hit you." I started, and Trixie nodded as that air of superiority that usually clung to her like a second coat returned, "And I get that you felt that punishment was necessary..." Another nod.

"But how did I... how did... I..." I frowned at myself. I could form these questions, couldn't I? "How in Princess Celestia's name did you even get to my world? How did you get me here? Why am I suddenly a pony? Why am I a FEMALE pony at that? Why am I a filly?? I don't even have a cutiemark! Do I?"

Did I? I quickly looked at my bare flank and shook my head at it. "No, see? I don't even have a cutiemark. What's up with that? And now I'm suddenly a unicorn? So I need to learn magic... I don't even believe in magic! You bring me here, expect me to make tea for you? I... I don't think I even got the blunt end of the shock yet. It all seems to just... it... Why does it all feel so natural? I wake up and I'm a pony. I don't think about having been a human. I think about being a pony. Only when I start to think about it, start remembering, I suddenly realize that this is not normal!"

"Done?" Trixie wondered, and I opened my mouth to continue, then shut it again and frowned at her. I needed a deep breath to calm down a little before I could answer her.

"Maybe... What's with you changing my mouth all the time? One moment I can talk, the next I can't... it's a bit annoying." I sighed, reaching up to wipe a hair from my face. "I mean... I... I just don't get all this."

"Well..." Trixie started, sitting herself down on the floor (after using her magic to move a pillow under her butt), and looking up at me on the bed.

"Most of your questions are easy to answer: Magic. I AM the Great and Powerful Trixie, after all." she offered.

I had to clench my teeth together to not bring up the Ursa Minor she couldn't defeat in the show... "Magic brought me to your world, magic brought us back to Equestria, magic turned you into a filly, magic made you grow younger, magic made all of it happen. At least, it would be one explanation. The gender change... maybe you always wanted to be a girl? Same goes for the age regression. Clearly you had a bad childhood you're trying to do over."

How did she... "How did you..."

"Don't make me silence you again, Fuu." Trixie warned, and I shut up on my own. "About that... You -are- here to be punished for hitting the Great and Powe... powerful..." she coughed and reached with a hoof to her side.

"Are you sure you should be out of bed?" I wondered, but she cast a glance at me that could melt ice from a hundred paces and I shut up again.

"I'm doing fine. Just a minor setback. I'll live." Trixie muttered, using her magic to bring a glass of water to her lips and drinking half of it before continuing; "As I said... You are here to be punished. That means you're Trixie's stagehand from now on. You'll help Trixie with her magic shows and you will be quiet while doing so."

I found myself nodding softly to the idea, but stopped as I did. "You don't need to silence me with magic to do that..." I mumbled, and immediately regretted it as she did just that.

"Clearly Trixie does. You just won't keep quiet. Now, as part of your punishment has you help Trixie with her magic, you'll have to learn magic from me. Aren't you the lucky filly?" she offered, taking another sip of her drink while I was unable to respond.

"Fuu..." I sighed, dropping my head to the pillow again. So this was my punishment then? Being a filly in Trixie's care, having to help Trixie with magic... and for how long?

Would she insist I made tea for her again? Be her... houseslave? That's it, isn't it? I suddenly realized it.

Trixie is just basically using me as a slave! Collar around my neck, ordering me around, taking away my ability to inform anypony else of my plight... I felt a lone tear run down my cheek at the realization.

In the days that followed, I had to help Trixie a lot since she was still weakened from the car running her down. Correction; from MY car running her down. No matter how old we get... heh...

I got a crashcourse in using magic as a unicorn, found out even unicorns use their mouth to hold things from time to time, which is an impossible feat if your mouth is changed to only allow whistling, and had my first experiences with correct toilet use as a filly... Yeah, don't ask.

About three days after I found myself whisked away to Equestria, there was a sound of thunder in the sky and I looked up to see the rings of Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom expand outwards.

It was a beautiful sight to see. Really, did I mention how beautiful Equestria is yet?

You have... NO idea.

Really... If you're out there reading this, watching the series... it's so much better in real life... The colors are so vibrant, the sounds and smells...

I found myself sitting on the grass just staring at the world around me when I should've gotten Trixie some apples from the nearby farm.

The other ponies are so nice... Met up with the ponies at Sweet Apple Acres after Trixie allowed me to talk again, and don't think I didn't see Granny Smith dropping an extra apple in my bag...

Avoided meeting Pinkie Pie so far... don't want a repeat of when Twilight wandered into Ponyville. I mean, Pinkie? New pony? Right... this filly is kind of glad she hasn't found out about her yet.

Er, yeah... I mean... it took a few days... Trixie's explanation was... well... it lead to a conclusion.

I'm not making sense am I?

Ok, let me try again. After Trixie's explanation, and after my realization of what my new role in life was... in my new life... in Equestria, we kind of spent the day with Trixie constantly telling me where to find things, what to do, what was expected of me...

Kind of what I had expected.

Second day, I was told to make tea again. Fudged it up of course. Still wasn't in control of my magic. Narrowly avoided dropping the hot kettle on the floor, but Trixie helped out a bit to make sure there were no accidents.

Third day I was sent out to go get apples from Sweet Apple Acres. Our wagon is set up a few miles away, and it's a bit of a hike to get around the orchard to the front of it, and then Rainbow Dash did her Sonic Rainboom and distracted me enough to make me realize how beautiful the world around me was.

I spent most of the afternoon just sitting in the grass and looking around me taking it all in. Trixie was not amused. She had been meaning to do something with the apples, I'm sure... and when I came home when it got dark, without them, steam was coming from her ears from how mad she was.

So of course the next day I was sent out for apples again. No sonic rainboom, so I actually made it.

Big Macintosh and Applejack were running around in the orchard, I noticed from a distance, but... er... the other one... the little one...

Gods, I'm a little one... Every pony is taller than me! Except for Apple Bloom, that is.

Granny Smith kept saying what a cute filly I was and how dedicated I must be going to get a bucket of apples all by myself and... well. She gave me an extra apple.

Took a while to get the bucket of apples home, but Trixie was, for once, satisfied with my work. I don't know why, but when she said I did a good job on it it made my heart flutter.

We made an apple pie with the apples. Or tried to, really. Neither Trixie nor I are good cooks... it came out burnt and a total mess. We ate it, of course, Trixie wouldn't have it any other way. The Great and Powerful Trixie could not fail at anything, after all...

If you bit around the burnt parts it didn't taste all that bad.

Now I know I woke up in Trixie's bed once... but that was the only time I slept in it. She must've moved me to it to defy the doctor's wishes that she stay in it, but after that it was all over.

She dropped a collection of pillows on the floor and decided that that was my bed now. It's just three pillows, really... but it's comfy enough, I guess.

A small filly like me could easily fit beside Trixie in the bed, but I've not dared bring it up yet.

So yeah, the first week was largely uneventful. I mean, Trixie was healing and I... was trying to figure out how to fit in. And that whole magic deal was getting to me as well.

On the fifth day Trixie told me to balance a paper cup on a needle. No kidding. She put a needle in the dirt in front of the wagon and put a paper cup on it. It started to fall over immediately, of course, but she balanced it with her magic.

"Now you take over, Fuu." she told me, and I started to focus on the cup while my horn started to glow.

"Now Trixie is going to let go, and you'll have to balance it on your own." Trixie offered, and I noticed the cup wobbling more and more as she pulled away.

"Keep focus, Fuu!" Trixie chided, and I did my best to counter the wobbling.

I did ok until Trixie's horn stopped glowing and she told me I was keeping the cup balanced all by myself.

The feeling of pride I felt overwrote my focus and the cup launched from the needle, hitting Trixie right in the face.

"Fuu..." I whistled through my useless lips, dropping my face to the ground and covering it with my forehooves.

"Again. And try to not hit Trixie this time..." Trixie sighed, putting the cup back on the needle and staring at me.

I sat up again and returned to trying to focus... but the trick was more difficult than you would expect, really.

I mean... it would start to wobble one way and I'd try to correct it. But then it would wobble the other way and I had to correct it again.

I just kept correcting and correcting and correcting the wobbling... and hadn't even noticed that Trixie had left.

After a while of just trying to correct the incessant wobbling of the cup, I jumped up as another cup moved right in my view. A filled one, containing some sweet smelling lemonade.

It broke my concentration, and the cup on the needle went flying off, straight into Trixie's face, of course...

"Fuu... And just when Trixie brought you some lemonade for having done such a good job..." Trixie sighed, putting the two cups of lemonade down on the grass and moving the needle back to the sewing kit it came from.

I found my lips returning to normal and dipped my head down to take a sip from the lemonade, noticing that the day had passed from morning into midday and the sun was high in the sky with only a few clouds to mar the day's beauty.

"Tsk... use your magic, silly filly." Trixie sighed, lifting her own cup to her lips while looking out over the fields.

I stared down at my cup, then snorted softly. "And splash the contents all over you?"

Trixie glanced sideways at me and smirked. "Good call."

I smiled and ducked my head down again, taking a hold of the cup with my teeth and using them to lift it up so I could empty it. That done, I dropped it to the grass again and let out a happy sigh. "I got my moments..."

"Curious." I heard say beside me, and I tilted my head towards Trixie. "The shock of your transformation, the move to Equestria... now this... You seem to take it all very well indeed."

I shrugged and rolled on my side. "What else can I do? Panic? Run around like some crazy pony?" Trixie kept looking sideways at me, sipping from her lemonade. "And what with you basically hovering over me giving me things to do, I can't really focus on my problems."

"Well, you are Trixie's stagehand. Of course Trixie would give you things to do." Trixie remarked, putting her empty cup down beside her.

I sighed and dropped my head on my hooves. "There you go saying that again. I don't know how you came up with that idea, but clearly I don't know enough magic to be a good stagehand..."

"And that's why Trixie teaches you, Fuu." Trixie smiled, leaning in to give me a soft pat on my mane.

So yeah, that was most of my first week. In the weeks that followed I was taught more and more about magic until the day Trixie's bandages could come off. We both went to the hospital together, leaving the wagon where it stood.

We stopped for a couple of apples over at the Sweet Apple Acres, where I found myself embarrassed by the question of Apple Bloom if I would come to school when it started again the following Monday. I looked over at Trixie who shrugged as if saying we'd talk about it later.

As we turned away from the farm Trixie had me balance both apples in the air to further my understanding of magic, which went ok until Scootaloo came rushing past on her scooter. If Trixie hadn't stopped them, both apples would've hit her right on the nose.

I don't know why, but everytime something goes wrong with my magic, it tries to hit Trixie on the nose...

Anyway, I was whistling again with my apple hovering around my head since I couldn't bite into it, until we arrived at the hospital. Trixie went in and ordered me to stay out, but at least gave me back my normal mouth so I could eat my apple while waiting.

The similarities between my waiting outside for Trixie to come back and a dog back home waiting for their master didn't go past me and I mused on it while eating the apple one nibble at a time.

I guess Trixie was my master in a way... Collar, constantly demanding things, basically forcing me to stay near her unless she was sending me out for errands...

I finished up with my apple and sat down on a nearby bench to watch the going-ons in Ponyville. A lot more ponies seemed to live here than was apparent in the show. The buildings just seemed to stretch out as far as the eye could see.

And this was supposed to be a "-ville"? I started to get worried about what the bigger towns would look like. If I ever got to see them. We'd been parked in the same place for the past month, after all.

And then the dreaded event happened that I had been trying to avoid. A pink flash moved from behind a building to stand behind a lamppost.

I had to sigh to myself as the lamppost didn't hide Pinkie nearly as much as she might have thought. From the lamppost to hiding behind a cart that was being wheeled down Manestreet, from the cart to a nearby bush, then... nothing.

I blinked, tilting my head a bit as I was sure there was no way out of that bush unless I could've spotted it, but then the paper end of a party horn hit the back of my head and subsequently sounded out loudly in my ears!

I fell forwards, reaching for my ears with my forehooves, while Pinkie jumped up and over the bench and jumped around me rattling off...

"HI! I'm Pinkie Pie and I never saw you before, and if I never saw you before, that means you're new! Cause I know everypony, and I mean EVERYPONY in Ponyville! And if you're new I'll bet you haven't met anyone yet, and if you haven't met anyone yet, you must not have any friends! And if you don't have any friends, that'd make me so sad... Soooooooooo..." She offered, bouncing around and staring at me intently.

I chanced pushing up to look up at Pinkie's HUUUUGE smile, and then her saddlebags popped open sending balloons up to the sky and confetti raining down around us.

"Er..." I blinked, and Pinkie moved in a bit closer.

"Yes? Yes? Yes?!?" she asked, some confetti flying off of her mane towards me.

"I'm with Trixie...?" I offered, blushing lightly. "My name's Fuu..."

Pinkie drew a looooooong breath, looking shocked, but then blinked and sat her butt down. "Trixie? I don't think I know a Trixie? I know a few tricks, though. Good for parties. I have a Tuba? Trixie..."

"The Great and Powerful...?" I offered, but Pinkie held up a hoof to my lips.

"Nono, don't tell. I know EVERYPONY in Ponyville. Let's see, I know a Twilight, Time, Toffee, Tree, Tropical..."

I perked up. "You know a tree?" I repeated, and Pinkie nodded so heavily I thought her head would come off.

"I know a lot of trees! Like this one, and this one... and this one..." she exclaimed, moving from one tree to another and poking each with a hoof.

"Er..." I started again, but the doors to the hospital opened and Trixie came wandering out, oblivious to the danger that was an overexcited Pinkie Pie.

"Fuu?" Trixie offered, and Pinkie's eyes widened to double their size.

"Oh, you know her??" she exclaimed, starting to bounce around Trixie and me in a reverse 8-shape. "I don't know her, but she says her name is Fuu. I know EVERYPONY in Ponyville, I..." and then it hit her. "OOOH! I don't know you either!! That must mean you're new and if you're new, you do..."

"Come along, Fuu." Trixie huffed, leaving Pinkie standing in place blinking a bit as she was ignored.

"Hey now, that's not nice..." Pinkie sighed, but quickly grinned up again as she started to bounce after us. "You know, if you're new to Ponyville, I cou..."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie has been in Ponyville before." Trixie sighed, rolling her eyes.

"That's what I tried to explain, but you can't get a word in with her..." I offered to Trixie, nuzzling up to her flank while we were walking. Pinkie was a bit much right now.

"You have been? You were? How could Pinkie not have noticed?? My Pinkie sense must be off!" Pinkie gasped, falling over on the grass and starting to ramble on the ramifications of her not having noticed.

For example, we had no friends, would've been very sad all the time, had no parties... I dunno... it all turned into a blur as we started to get some distance between her and us.

"Fuu?" Trixie started, glancing back to check Pinkie wasn't following us anymore, then back to me.

"Yes miss Trixie?" I offered, glancing up.

"You're going to school coming Monday." Trixie decided, then focused on the road ahead again.

"...er... erm... ok?" I stammered, blinking to myself. I'd seen the school come by a few times in the episodes... but to actually go there? "Erm... will Apple Bloom and the others be there as well?"

Trixie frowned at my question. "I think so. Does it matter?"

Only that I thought the filly was one of the cutest in the whole series... I could hardly contain my blushing every time I bumped into her when I went to get apples. "No miss Trixie..."

"Good. Let's get some more apples. Trixie wants to try making that apple pie work for once." Trixie smiled, starting on the path past the farm.

3 - School's Out

So on the next Monday I stood scraping my hooves on the road to the school.

"Go on, Fuu. Trixie has to undo the mess you made yesterday. Go join the other foals in the school." Trixie offered, still a bit angry about me somehow having made the wagon collapse.

It really wasn't my fault... Trixie told me to pull on something and I did. Didn't know that she meant the weed around the wheels and not the wheels themselves...

So when I pulled the wheel out from under the wagon, the entire wagon slumped over and... well... collapsed.

We slept in the sideways-leaning wagon as good as we could since we wouldn't get anypony to fix it before dawn, and had breakfast outside (a couple of cupcakes since the cupboard holding the other food was inaccessible due to the mess).

"I..." I started, but the look Trixie gave me showed it was either school or spending a day without being able to talk, so I put one hoof in front of the other and hurried over to join Sweetie Belle as she moved into the classroom.

"Hi, I'm Fuu..." I offered, and one glance at my blank flank made the other filly hurry over to her friends.

Yeah... Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom... all three of them... in the same class as me.

My ears turned down low as I thought of what was to come. I searched for an empty seat, but before I could the three of them moved towards me as one and grinned. The most... cute and... expectant grins I've ever seen.

"Soooooo, you're new, right?" Scootaloo asked me, and I nodded.

"And you don't have your cutiemark yet?" Apple Bloom continued, and I nodded again.

"Want to join our club?" Sweetie Belle queried, and I backed away a little.

"Erm... what club?" I wondered, knowing full well I was dealing with the Cutiemark Crusaders here...

"The Cutiemark Crusaders!" All three exclaimed, turning their happy and expectant grins on me again.

"The..."

"The Cutiemark Crusaders!" Scootaloo repeated, "Isn't it a cool name? See, none of us have our cutiemarks yet."

Apple Bloom cut in at that point, poking at my blank flank. "And neither do you!"

"So you'd fit right in!" Sweetie Belle finished, then tilted her head. "That is, if you want to... er... Fuu, was it?"

I nodded again to my name being uttered, but the three of them took it all the wrong way...

"YAY! Ok, so we meet in the clubhouse over on Sweet Apple Acres! We'll show you where it is after school. It'll be sooo awesome!" they exclaimed, but before I could correct them the teacher walked in.

"Sit down everypony." Her eyes found mine and she raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I see we got a new student! Why don't you come up here and introduce yourself to the class?"

...as if my day couldn't get any worse...

With my ears and tail hanging low, I walked up beside the teacher and turned around to face the rest of the classroom.

Eleven pair of eyes stared curiously up at me, and Apple Bloom gave me an encouraging wink. I felt my cheeks redden as she did and quickly looked up at the teacher.

"What's the matter, er... Fuu?" the teacher wondered, and I fidgeted a bit.

"I don't... have anything to say, really..." I mumbled.

She looked at me curiously, then smiled up. "It's really easy, dear. Just say something like; "Hello everypony, my name is Cheerilee and I'm your teacher. I've always wanted to teach young fillies all there is to know about Equestria." Now you try. Go on, they won't bite."

I sighed deeply and turned back to the classroom. Some ponies were looking around boredly now and I smirked. Having a few not pay attention wasn't so bad? I had little to say anyway... "Erm... I'm Fuu... and I live with Trixie over a..." I started, but immediately got interrupted by Snips and Snails...

"Trixie?" Snails asked confusedly,

"The G and PT?" Snips blinked,

"Err... didn't she leave with that one major?" Snails wondered of Snips,

"It was an Ursa Minor, Snails." Snips retorted,

"Err..." Snails started, but got interrupted by miss Cheerilee;

"Snips and Snails! I'll see you two after class." she offered, "Now be quiet please, Fuu was trying to finish her introduction. Go ahead dear."

I rubbed the side of my head with a hoof, then shrugged.

"That's basically it, miss Cheerilee. I live with Trixie over at the fields and come in town every so often to get apples from Sweet Apple Acres. I don't have much else to say. No interesting family history, no nothing... I guess I'm a bit of an orphan... Trixie took me with her from elsewhere. Besides Apple Bloom and the ponies at the farm, I haven't really met anypony else yet."

I thought it was wisest to just shut up about me having once been a human, or the interesting ideas Trixie had about our "relationship"... or the mouth thing...

Some whispers had started in the classroom, but Cheerilee smiled down at me. "That was a good introduction, dear. And don't you worry, I'm sure you'll make lots of friends once you come to class a little more. Have you studied anywhere else before coming here?"

I shook my head. "Oh dear... Well, it's going to be a repeat course today, class. Please take your seat, Fuu?"

I wandered over to the only empty seat in the room, right next to Apple Bloom of course. I cast a careful glance off to the side, and she was leaning in towards me.

"You really live with Trixie?" she asked, and I nodded silently while trying to figure out how to get to my books.

"Er... how do you..." I started, and Apple Bloom moved in to show me where the books and pencils were hidden. "Thanks..."

"Oh, you're welcome!" Apple Bloom grinned, taking to her own seat again and looking up towards the teacher as Cheerilee started to talk about Equestria's history.

Judging by the bored faces on some of my classmates it was something so well-known to them that they didn't need it repeated, but I tried to focus nonetheless.

Most of the things about Princess Celestia and Princess Luna I already knew. But then Cheerilee started to talk about the dark ages when Earthponies, Pegasi and Unicorns were basically at war with one another. This was news to me!

I drank the story in as Cheerilee recounted the tale of the unstable alliance between tribes, the Summit of the Tribes following the unending blizzard that had fallen over the land, and the accusations made at that summit.

"But they were all still ponies, right?" I quipped, making some half-asleep ponies perk up, and Cheerilee nodded at my question.

"They were, yes. But they were focusing on their differences, not their similarities. Each tribal leader focused solely on their own tribe, blaming the other two for the blizzard. After the summit, each went back to their own land and complained to their advisors." Cheerilee continued, talking about each tribe and how they went to seek a new land for themselves, independent of one another.

The pegasi looking for a land just for the pegasi, the earthponies looking for a land just for the earthponies, and the unicorns... like me, I realized... looking for a land just for the unicorns.

I shook my head at the story. Back home there had been "racial differences" that led to a lot of strange rules and regulations, but a lot of it was just silliness that I didn't much care about.

I mean, I didn't care what complexion the girl in my bed had. I just as easily dated a blonde, redhead or chocolate brown girl. But that... seemed far away already. I was learning about Equestria. The land I now lived in... and went to school in.

The story had progressed to the three leaders finding a new land and starting their petty fight again.

The blizzard was close to follow, of course, as it had been a magical blizzard made by, and here it comes; windigoes feeding off of the disharmony between tribes. It only got worse as they all took shelter in the same cave.

Before too long the blizzard reached the cave and started to encapsulate the six ponies between walls of ice. The leaders were squabbling too much to realize before they were encased by it, frozen in place with seemingly no hope to escape.

Only when their assistants learned they didn't hate one another and really just disliked having to follow their leaders' silly commands that set them up against one another was there any hope again. The three bonded and the unicorn assistant let out a blast of loving magic from their friendship.

Love warmed their hearts and the cave and drove the Windigoes away. The leaders defrosted, their hearts warmed by the sight of their assistants laughing and sharing stories, and harmony was found in what soon became known as Equestria.

When the story ended, I found myself having half climbed up and over my table, mouth agape, staring at Cheerilee. Some whispers around me made me well-aware of how silly it must've looked, and I quickly pulled myself back in my chair.

"It's almost like she never heard of Hearth's Warming Eve before..." one of my classmates whispered to their neighbour, and I blushed deeply.

"Settle down, class. Fuu comes from a different region in Equestria. Maybe she was taught other things that we haven't talked about, hm?" Cheerilee came to my rescue, and I sighed in relief.

"You never heard of Hearth's Warming Eve?" Apple Bloom asked, sitting to my immediate left, and I shook my head to her.

"She's never heard of Hearth's Warming Eve before?" Sweetie Belle asked Scootaloo, who sat one seat behind Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo mimicked my headshake.

"Didn't miss Cheerilee just tell her?" Sweetie Belle continued, and Scootaloo rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Girls, girls... settle down please." Miss Cheerilee tried again, as the whispers started over, but it was to no avail as the school bell sounded as soon as she finished her sentence, indicating class was over.

Cheerilee sighed as everypony rushed out into the playground, but beckoned me to join her as I trotted past. I turned to face her and noticed Snips and Snails joining us as well. Cheerilee first addressed them. "What did we talk about last week again, boys?"

"No discussing things in class, miss Cheerilee..." they both replied, then Snails looked up in mild confusion. "Why was that again, miss Cheerilee?"

"Because you two get lost in your discussions and your grades are slipping, dears. Now do remember it, hm? Go play outside." She winked, then turned to me as the two boys rushed off to join the rest of class on the playground.

"You live with Trixie, do you? Trixie the magician? How is she doing? She left town so quickly last time I heard of her..."

I had to giggle softly at remembering the episode, but then blushed and reached a hoof up to my collar. "Erm... she's doing alright again, considering..." I started, scraping my hoof a bit on the ground. "Why do you ask, miss Cheerilee?"

"Oh, I do care for my students, dear Fuu." Cheerilee smiled, "And hearing about where you live just made me worry a little too much, I fear?" she blushed, wiping her mane out of her face.

"Don't mind a silly mare like myself, dear. Just let me know if there's anything you need to talk about, ok?"

I nodded to her and she visibly relaxed. "Miss Trixie is a... curious pony to live with, miss Cheerilee." I offered, and Cheerilee perked up with a concerned look on her face again.

"I don't always know what she means, but she does her best to teach me what I need to know. She said I could be her magician's assistant one day, if I get better at my magic." I beamed proudly.

It had been something I had clung to. Better to look to the future than to get stuck in the past, no? And I was here now... a whole life in front of me.

Better to have a goal set than roam around lost in memories of a life I couldn't return to without help. At least, not until I got better at magic. A whole lot better at magic.

"Magician's assistant..." Cheerilee mused a moment, but then smiled down and ruffled my mane with a hoof.

"It's good to work towards something. For me, it was teaching. Perhaps your special something will be working as a magician's assistant. Now go along and play with the other foals. We'll have math after recess. You do know your tables, don't you?"

Again that worried look.

"From one to ten, miss Cheerilee." I grinned up, even if I knew I was overconfident in saying so. I probably could guess my way through most of them... The table of seven always gave me a slight headache trying to remember. We'd see after recess.

Miss Cheerilee gently shooed me out the classroom, and I joined the rest of the class playing and eating outside. Off to the side, half hidden underneath the shadow of a tree, Trixie stood watching it all.

As I trotted out of the building, she moved forward just a little and her horn started to glow. I felt a tug on my collar and involuntarily moved closer, but once I noticed where I was headed she didn't have to tug so hard.

Forget how she treated me or how I got there... I had quickly grown used to being around Trixie. As I joined her in the shadow, I nuzzled up to her flank and breathed out a soft sigh of happiness.

Trixie frowned confusedly at that but didn't bring it up.

"Trixie mended the wagon with some help... How was school so far?" she wondered instead, sinking through her hooves on the grass and letting me lay down next to her.

I leaned into her, her bigger form making the feat quite easy, and thought this might be what having a big sis must feel like...

I banished the thought for now. "It's been interesting, miss Trixie. There's a lot about Equestria I didn't know! Did you know the three tribes fought one another in the past? Bringing the..."

"The Windigoes... Yes. The Hearth's Warming Eve later in the year is all about it. The story's been told a thousand times." Trixie interrupted, and I snorted at her.

"Could've let me finish..." I muttered softly, using my magic to slow the descent of a falling leaf and watch it swing left and right before it landed on the grass in front of me.

"Trixie has little time. She brought you lunch." Trixie offered cooly, moving a couple of cupcakes and an apple in front of me.

"The cupboard was a mess. Everything was out of place. Trixie had to sort all the books again, her showcoat and hat were full of crinkles and crumbs. They'll have to be washed, of course. And all because of... hey, are you listening?"

I was, really, and nodded my head quickly, but my mouth was full of cupcake. Blueberry cupcake. It's strange... I never liked blueberry. But it tasted SOOOO good in Equestria... I just... kept wanting to eat more.

"Ok." Trixie nodded, watching me try and chew with my mouth full of cupcake.

"Smaller bites next time... or Trixie might have to help you with that." she warned, and I looked up with a blueberry cupcake-stained grin. She rolled her eyes at me and looked away towards the playground just in time to see Scootaloo head our way.

"Trixie has to go now. She'll be back for you after school, Fuu. Don't get in any trouble now." Trixie offered quickly, standing up and rushing away in the opposite direction of where Scootaloo was coming from.

The loss of a pony body beside me to lean against made me start to tilt over, and as Scootaloo reached me I was lying on my back giggling while pawing with my hooves up at the canopy.

"Er... what are you doing out here?" Scootaloo wondered, tilting her head at me looking at her all upside-down like. "Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and me have been looking all over for you!"

I pushed myself upright again and picked up my apple with my magic, taking a quick bite of it. "Miss Trixie brought me lunch." I grinned.

"Trixie was here?" Scootaloo wondered, looking around her.

"A moment ago?" I offered, stepping out of the shadow. "She left."

"Right... we were going to tell you all about our club too! Now it's almost time for class again." Scootaloo frowned, walking off towards the playground again.

I followed, since I had nothing else to do anyway. "You'll just have to hear it when we show you the clubhouse after school!"

"Ah, yeah... about that..." I started, "Miss Trixie will come pick me up from school since it's my first day and all? I don't know if I can come."

A gasp from my other side made me turn my head to look right in Sweetie Belle's face. "Oh, but you have to. Apple Bloom's family always gives us the best apple juice while we're there."

"You and your apple juice..." Scootaloo giggled, "You're going to get that as your cutiemark, you know?"

Sweetie Belle giggled and shook her head. "Oh, I wish... But you know how Rarity would respond; "Apples? So uncouth..."" she mimicked in Rarity's voice, and both laughed.

"What's uncouth?" Apple Bloom wondered, popping up from out of a mudpit and shaking herself clean.

"Er..." I started, but the school bell rang again to call us all inside.

Math was... worse than I remember it having been. All the tables and additions and subtractions... All the numbers started to swim around my head before I knew it.

I must've had half the answers wrong, if not more. It made time slow down to a crawl and I had given up on the day ever coming to an end before the bell signaled it again.

Knowing Trixie would be waiting for me outside, I rushed out with the others, slowing down to a trot and looking around until I felt the tug to my collar again.

Still not seeing Trixie anywhere, I just followed the tug into a copse of trees. I faintly heard three others following behind, but I had to see Trixie first.

The Cutiemark Crusaders could wait.

"Hey!", "Wait up!", and "Where's she going?", I heard behind me, but the trees soon hid me from their sights and when I made a sharp turn to the right - straight into a bush - I knew they would run right past me without realizing it.

Inside, Trixie was waiting, sitting on her butt and staring at me intently. She didn't need to tell me to hush. Instead she just changed me so I couldn't speak and waited for the CMC to run by in their attempt to catch up to me.

When they were out of earshot, Trixie sighed. "Trixie isn't sure she should still be here. Maybe we should go to Fillydelphia or Las Pegasus... Or Trotsdale... Trixie hasn't been there before..."

Something in the way she said it made me realize she was hit harder by the events depicted in the show than she was letting on. I shuffled forwards and nuzzled up to her.

"Ffh... Fuu Frf..." I offered, trying to let my facial expression and ears show I meant well since I couldn't really smile or speak.

"What was that?" Trixie wondered, returning my mouth to normal again.

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Miss Trixie." I offered, giving another soft nuzzle with my nose at Trixie's side. "I mean... well... You're a caring pony? Even if this is punishment, you still take care of me. You teach me. If the show has taught me anything, it..."

"Show? No, Trixie won't give another show here." Trixie snorted. "They didn't appreciate the Great and Powerful Trixie when Trixie did before."

"I... I didn't mean a show like that. Back ho... Back where I came from originally, everypony here is part of a show on television." I tried to explain, finding myself swallow the word 'home' as it didn't feel like it anymore.

"Television?" Trixie repeated, the word clearly alien to her.

"Box with moving pictures in it... kind of like a book in that it contains stories about things. But it's more like a small version of a theatre?" I tried to explain, and Trixie just blinked.

"Never mind. Look, everypony here is part of a story in my world... I actually..." I started, then looked down and muttered the rest, "...saw everything that happened with you and the Ursa Minor..."

The stare she gave me went straight through me. For a moment there it seemed like she even stopped breathing.

"I mean I still consider you the Great and Powerful Trixie, miss Trixie... You... well... moved me from a different world to here. You somehow turned me into a filly... You're teaching me about magic..." I tried to minimize the damage, but Trixie's face was going from shock to anger and there was little I could do about it.

"You knew??" she hissed through clenched teeth, and I could only nod.

"Home. Now." Trixie demanded, and I found my surroundings change from the interior of a bush to the interior of the wagon.

Trixie shut the door and window and stood up from her bed, staring me down. "You KNEW?!? Who else knows? Who else knows about the Great and Powerful Trixie's most embarrassing moment??"

"It wasn't that bad... really... and you kind of had it coming..." I started, but my mouth zipped shut as Trixie leaned her face in close enough that I could feel her breath on my muzzle.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie did NOT have it coming, Fuu." she hissed, and I had to back down from the anger in her tone.

"Ffh?" I tried, but it was useless. I couldn't really do much as a filly except for backing up into my little corner.

"All Trixie did was TRY to give a good show, TRY to convince everypony that the Great and Powerful Trixie was the best magician in all of Equestria." Trixie huffed, backing away and pacing over towards the door and back to the bed.

"And was I so wrong to do that? I know some of the most spectacular feats of magic every witnessed by pony eyes!"

This sounded familiar and I carefully crawled back out of my corner, lying down on one of my pillows and watching Trixie let her emotions out. I never was good with emotions...

"Trixie was, no IS the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria! She's gone between worlds for Luna's sake!" Trixie continued, but then stopped and her legs started to wobble.

"And then that Twilight filly came running into the scene... stealing the show... ruining everything." There the tears came, welling up in her eyes and starting down her muzzle.

As she collapsed on the ground, I could only shuffle forward to give her a soft nuzzle, but squeaked in surprise as she suddenly wrapped her forehooves around my neck and pulled me closer to her.

"Oh, Fuu... they called me a loudmouth... scoffed at me... chased me out of town..." I raised an eyebrow at the last bit, and Trixie caught it.

"Oh, ok... maybe they didn't chase Trixie out of town... but they won't ever believe Trixie is the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria now... Not after Trixie got upstaged by that Twilight..."

I found my mouth changing back and used it to peck a kiss on Trixie's wet cheek.

"You are to me?" I offered, "Who cares what somepony else thinks? I used to be a human. Now I'm a filly. Do I stop to think of what I lost? I don't. It wouldn't help me. I'm trying my best to live with this new life of mine... I don't know how long I'm going to be stuck here... I..."

"Trixie doesn't know how to make you human again..." Trixie muttered, and I stopped talking.

"You... don't?" I blinked after a moment of hesitation, and Trixie shook her head.

"Trixie doesn't even know how you became a filly... most of it was instinctual... Most of the time Trixie just bluffs her way through these things." she revealed, being more honest in this one moment than I think she must've been in most of her life.

"Wow... that... er..." I stammered, the reality sinking in slowly. "So that... er... I... er... There's not a chance I'll ever... er..."

"Well, Trixie does know how to get to your world... b...but you'd be a filly there, as you are here, Trixie thinks..." Trixie smirked, pulling a handkerchief out of a drawer and dabbing her eyes with it. "It wasn't intended... Trixie just got mad for getting hit by your... car..."

I stared up at her in bewilderment until she finally looked away.

"Do you think Celestia might know?" I tried, trying to swallow that proverbial pill. "I mean... er..."

"Trixie doesn't know. That Twilight filly might, though. Seems the Princess comes to visit her every so often." Trixie smirked, looking back at me.

"Trixie didn't intend to keep you as her pet, but it was the easiest way Trixie knew how to distract you from all this. Trixie thought if she keeps you busy you won't notice you can't go back and it'll all be fine."

"And your assistant for life, I guess?" I snorted, shaking my head in disbelief.

"How did you think that would work? Eventually I would start asking questions about how long the punishment would last, how much more I'd have to do, regardless of how many times you'd stop me from talking. I'm just a young pony now... but I really didn't think I'd grow old as one... Still don't see myself as an old mare like Granny Smith..."

Trixie winced at the thought. "Wrinkles all over... erp... Nono, Trixie just meant to distract you until Trixie found out how to fix it. Wouldn't take The Great and Powerful Trixie that long, she thought..."

I sighed and nuzzled in some more. "I appreciate the idea, really... keeping me distracted so I wouldn't fall into depression, right? I get how that works... on some level..."

"And that's why Trixie sent you to school as well. You have a lot of magical potential, Fuu. Trixie thought maybe if you could learn to live here you might not want to go back when Trixie found out how to send you back, and you could become Trixie's pupil for real." Trixie offered, smiling down weakly.

"Well, it IS nice here... and it might be fun to get through one of those near-apocalypses Twilight constantly fights against..." I chuckled, trying to get myself to a happier mood. "Would've loved to be here for the chocolate rain."

"That was a few months ago, Fuu. Trixie hadn't even planned yet on going to your world back then." Trixie smirked.

"Er... months? No, well... I mean... I've been here a couple of weeks now, right? And I saw the episodes that very day. They didn't get released until the day before..." I tried, my head swimming in math again and not seeming to get to any conclusion that worked for me.

"I don't know how that whole episode thing works in your world, Fuu. But over here it's been two, three months ago that the world changed around and chocolate rain came falling and buildings and Trixie's wagon started to fly through the sky. And then all of a sudden everything was normal again. Trixie didn't know what had happened until she asked somepony at the farm." Trixie revealed.

"Months in days?" I blinked, and Trixie tilted her head slightly.

"I mean... I... well... the first episode was the week before... so if it's been six... no, wait a week has seven days... hm... eight? That won't work... Eight, nine days? Two, three months? Could that work? No... wait... that's four and three..."

Trixie just stared. "What...?"

"There's a problem with time here..." I offered, "I mean, you say you had all that a couple of months ago. But to me it was the episodes I saw on the day you took me here. They were only a week apart. How would that work?"

Trixie shrugged. "That's why Trixie bluffs her way through most of these things. Most magic doesn't make sense if you start to dissect it. It just works."

"Right... except now there's no way I can get back. Because it doesn't work the other way around?" I sighed, and shook my head.

"Don't worry too much, Fuu. You're safe in Trixie's care, aren't you?" Trixie tried, and I buried my face against her coat with a soft whimper.

That was it then. My former life over, this new future laid out for me. To be in Trixie's care until I outgrew it.

"Maybe if I keep learning magic I'll find a way to get back..." I muttered, and Trixie just nuzzled at me in response.

"Maybe you will, Fuu."

4 - Initiation

We sat like that for a long while, and when Trixie finally opened the shutters again it was already starting to get dark. We had a simple dinner, then retired to bed since it was a schoolnight and Trixie insisted I go to school again the following morning. And so it was that, after a quick breakfast, we both started off towards Ponyville again the next day.

Halfway to school I was stopped by Apple Bloom who came running out of the farm and only stopped as she saw Trixie walking beside me. "Er... hi."

"Hi Apple Bloom." I offered with a smile and a slight blush. "Is something wrong?"

Apple Bloom looked nervously over my flank as she walked up beside me, and I glanced over to Trixie who seemed unsure what to do. "Apple Bloom, this is... er... my guardian; Trixie." I offered, smiling at Trixie as she let out a sigh of relief at not having to do the introductions herself. Trixie really wasn't that special a pony without her hat and cloak. She just blended in with the other ponies walking around. Most ponies didn't even seem to recognize her as The Great and Powerful Trixie or gave her the benefit of the doubt if they did. A lot of ponies nodded their heads or said good morning to her as we passed and Trixie seemed to get more and more agitated with every pony doing so.

"Why, hello there miss Trixie! How're y'all doing?" Apple Bloom grinned over my flank, and I looked back at her. She seemed to have something on her mind, but Trixie's silence seemed to make her nervous.

"We've been trying to make apple pie with the apples from your family's orchard, Apple Bloom." I offered, trying to get the conversation going in... whatever direction possible, and Trixie rolled her eyes lightly. "It didn't work out as well as we planned, but they sure were tasty apples." I grinned at Apple Bloom, and she lit up proudly.

"Of course they would! We been sellin' these apples for years an' years an' years and Applejack says there ain't a better orchard in all of Equestria!" Apple Bloom grinned back.

Trixie hummed at that and I flicked an ear as I turned my attention back to my right side. "Trixie isn't sure about that... There are some orchards near Hoofington that have lovely pears, Dodge Junction's cherry orchard..." she started, but then fell silent.

"Well... Yeah! But they ain't no apple orchards!" Apple Bloom giggled, "Sweet Apple Acres is the best apple orchard in all of Equestria, hoofs down!"

I couldn't help myself. "And what about the orchard over at Appleloosa?" I offered, giving Apple Bloom a soft nudge with my shoulder. "They're doing ok?"

"Ah, but that's run by mah cousin Braeburn." Apple Bloom offered. "It's practically th' same orchard."

We giggled a bit at that, then fell silent as the school came into view. "So what is it you wanted to say before, Apple Bloom?" I wondered, and she frowned thoughtfully.

"Well, we wanted to see you yesterday an' all, an' waited in our clubhouse for hours but you didn't show up. Scootaloo an' Sweetie Belle an' me just wondered if everything was fine, is all." Apple Bloom offered, and I nodded my head.

"Just had to go home early because I made a mess. We spent all afternoon cleaning up." I lied, not wanting to explain what really happened.

"Oh." Apple Bloom responded, then noticed Scootaloo a little up ahead and ran up to her. "Scootaloo! Hey, wait up!"

Trixie and I watched as Apple Bloom joined up with Scootaloo, then looked at one another. "Trixie doesn't feel comfortable around all these ponies faking niceness..." Trixie muttered, glancing back in the direction of the wagon and then back at me. "Trixie won't come pick you up out of school. Go make friends. Be home before dark." she offered with what she must've thought was a stern look. To me, it looked all kinds of adorable. Insecure Trixie trying to regain her strong composure.

"Yes miss Trixie." I smiled, then nuzzled up to her side. "I'll make sure to get home before dark. Thank you."

Trixie smirked at my response, but gave a nuzzle back. "It may be a show where you're from, but this is reality for us here, Fuu. Pay attention in class. I expect good grades from my student."

"Oh, I'm your student now?" I blinked, and immediately regretted it as Trixie narrowed her eyes and snorted.

"You're either going to be Trixie's student or her pet, Fuu. Either way Trixie has to take care of you somehow... The only way Trixie knows is by doing magic shows. And it would be better for everypony involved if you kept up the "guardian" ruse and told them you were Trixie's student, yes. Trixie's student learning to be as Great and Powerful as she is." Trixie orated, bringing her face close to mine.

"Erp... Yeah, I'll take the student over the pet dealy..." I swallowed, backing up a little. Immediately Trixie's face cleared up and she shook her head a bit to have her mane fall back in position.

"A student of magic to Trixie, but a student to Equestria's knowledge in school. Do your best, Fuu."

I nodded. "I will, miss Trixie." and watched as she turned tail and trotted off back home. I sighed in relief and turned back for school, noticing the two crusaders had become three as Sweetie Belle had joined the others. Apple Bloom was eagerly motioning for me to join them, and I hurried on over.

"...nd then I flew through the air like Rainbow Dash, over four ponies standing in line in front of the cake's bakery and almost landed on Spike! But with a swift kick of my hind legs I turned around and skidded to a stop behind him instead!" Scootaloo detailed.

"Wow Scootaloo, you must be the best stuntrider in all of Equestria!" Sweetie Belle gasped in awe, "Way more exciting than helping Rarity with her boring chores... Stand there, Sweetie Belle... Don't move, Sweetie Belle... Don't touch that, Sweetie Belle... It's like she doesn't trust me with anything, you know?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "Same with Applejack. She don't trust me with nothing either. Always saying I'm too little for ev'rything. Well, I was big enough to know Zecora wasn't no threat to us!"

"And then Applejack got turned little and you were her big sis for a day..." I offered, making Apple Bloom stare at me dumbfoundedly.

"How'd you know about that? Did anypony tell you?" she asked, and I realized she might not have told anyone but the main group.

"Er... Spike told me." I lied, "Like he told me about that song Pinkie sang about Zecora; "She's an evil enchantress, she does evil dances..."" I started, but stopped as Apple Bloom huffed. "I know she's not, but Pinkie thought she was. Right? At least Spike said so..."

Apple Bloom shrugged. "I guess..."

The school bell rang to call us into class and I waited a moment to wipe the sweat off of my brow before following behind the other crusaders. I felt like I had made a mistake commenting on something few ponies would have had knowledge of. Just because the series had shown almost everything that went on around Ponyville didn't mean everypony had been privvy to the situations. Nopony but Applejack and Rainbow Dash would know about Rainbow having had Applejack in her mouth at one time, after all. It would've been too embarrassing a fact to talk about. I sighed and entered the classroom, avoiding Apple Bloom's curious glances as much as I could during the day.

The day was largely uneventful, with miss Cheerilee teaching math and some basic physics like how gravity works and all that before recess and recounting the story of the two sisters Celestia and Luna after recess. I liked how miss Cheerilee told these tales. Her voice drew you into the stories as if you would have been there watching them unfold before your eyes.

After school I joined up with the crusaders again and finally made my way to the clubhouse. The trio were eager to show me around, although there wasn't much to see. They had a piece of paper nailed to the wall where they would check off who was present, just like miss Cheerilee did at the start of the day, a table and chair with some cups and a bowl on it for eating, and a gap in the ceiling leading up to a small attic with a ladder that could be pulled up to free up space in the main room. It wasn't much, but it was a nice atmosphere the three had created for their clubhouse.

As the "grand tour" was coming to a close, Scootaloo started to drag a lone chair to the center of the room. Once there, she motioned towards it while looking in my direction. "Why don't you sit down, Fuu?" she offered, in a tone that offered no option other than doing as suggested.

I froze and glanced between her and the other two girls. Apple Bloom just nodded in Scootaloo's direction, but Sweetie Belle was digging through a pile of seemingly random objects located along the back wall as if looking for something in particular. With a shrug I set in motion, walking up to the chair and sitting myself down on it. As I did, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo moved to the windows and closed the curtains, shrouding the room in darkness.

"Er... what's going on, you guys?" I asked blindly, hearing them stumble around me, until I heard Sweetie Belle's voice shout out;

"I fwouph iph!"

"Can ya turn it on then?" I heard Apple Bloom say to my right, while Scootaloo was still doing something or other on my left.

"Turn what on?" I asked, but immediately regretted it as a beam of light shone from where Sweetie Belle was standing right at my face the very next moment. I squinted my eyes at it and lifted my left forehoof in front of my face. "Ow, that's bright..."

"Fowwy." Sweetie Belle offered, the beam of light darting everywhere as she did. She returned the beam to my face and I looked off to the side to find Scootaloo taking up position to my left, wearing a Fedora hat. When I glanced to my right, Apple Bloom was still trying to fit a similar hat over her mane and I got a cold shiver down my spine.

"Er..." I started, but Scootaloo quickly leaned in and brought her face mere inches from mine.

"And who gave you the right to speak? Huh? We haven't even asked you any questions yet!"

I blinked and looked on in confusion as Apple Bloom gently pushed Scootaloo out of the way and smiled up from under her hat. "Don't listen to her, da'hling. Now jus' answer our questions and you'll be fine."

"What questions? I'm not getting this." I asked, blinking at the bright light.

"Where were you on the night of three days before yesterday!?" Scootaloo almost shouted at me in her eagerness to be the bad cop, and I inched away from her as far as the chair allowed.

"Scootaloo! That's not what we want to know." Apple Bloom interjected.

"It's not?" Scootaloo blinked, backing off a bit. "Huh."

"Wehh, iff haff of ih..." Sweetie Belle offered, the beam of light dancing around the room again.

"Gah! This is not working, girls! I'mma open ta curtains again." Apple Bloom groaned, turning tail and stumbling over to the weak hint at where the window was. With the curtains open again the beam from Sweetie Belle's flashlight did not seem nearly as strong as it had been in the utter darkness.

"Er... I'm willing to answer any question you want, you know? As long as I can?" I offered, glancing around at myself and noticing the annoyed way in which Scootaloo pulled the hat off of her head. "I'm sorry it didn't work, girls."

"Nah, it's Sweetie Belle's fault. If she'd have kept the flashlight stable, it would've worked. I'm sure of it." Scootaloo sighed.

"My fault?!? MY fault?" Sweetie Belle retorted, the flashlight dropped to the floor and aiming its beam at the back wall. "Whose idea was it to do this anyway? Not mine!"

"Girls, girls!" Apple Bloom stopped them, stepping in-between them. "Sweetie Belle did a mighty fine job holdin' the flashlight. And Scootaloo's idea was good too. It's nopony's fault. We jus' need to think up a better way to initiate our new members."

I nodded at that. "I honestly didn't know what you all were planning or I would've done my best to help out as well. Can we just sit down and talk about it? Over a drink perhaps?"

"Ooh! Apple juice!" Sweetie Belle perked up at the mention of drinks.

Scootaloo grinned up at that as well and Apple Bloom nodded. "Let's go ask Granny Smith for some apple juice then."

I sighed in relief as I moved off of my chair and followed the three girls outside, but I couldn't stop myself wondering what those questions may be. I half suspected I already knew.

Whatever tension may have lingered after that situation, it was all forgotten as soon as we had our first sip of apple juice. Granny Smith always made the best juice. Forget all the juices you may have ever tasted out there in the human world, they were raw sewage in comparison. The only thing better than the apple juice Granny Smith made was the zap-apple jam that Granny Smith made.

Four juice-slurping fillies and one babbling old mare sat on the porch of the Apple family's farmhouse that day: Granny Smith in her rocking chair with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle on her left, Scootaloo had climbed up on the railing and was keeping balance with the flutter of her small wings, and I just sat to the right of Granny Smith taking it all in while sipping from the straw stuck in my cup. With the afternoon sun slowly making its way across the sky, the sound of the birds and other animals around the farmhouse, and the taste of apple juice so sweet it made me wish I could drink it forever, I was thoroughly enjoying myself.

After a while it became apparent Granny Smith had talked herself to sleep, her snoring adding to the sweet song of sounds around me. Apple Bloom blushed and quickly emptied her cup, motioning for us to move away from the porch and over towards the barn. Reluctantly I followed the others in finishing my drink, then gathered the cups all in one place beside the door before following the rest.

The barn was mostly empty except for the haybales and some farm equipment laying around, and there were still some party string-remains hanging down from the rafters and walls.

"Why did we go here?" Sweetie Belle wondered, looking around as she walked further into the barn.

"It jus' didn't feel right goin' back to the clubhouse after what happened, ya know?" Apple Bloom answered with a shrug, and I nodded.

Scootaloo wasn't paying attention. She was looking up at the attic and judging the height between the floor and it by eye.

I passed her by and looked up at the broken party string dangling down from a nail in one of the support beams.

"When was thi..." "What we wan..." both Apple Bloom and I started at the same time, turned to one another and giggled. "You first," I offered to Apple Bloom.

"What we want ta know, is where did ya come from, Fuu? You have such strange reactions to miss Cheerilee's teachings, and... well... you know..." Apple Bloom offered, and I sighed as I sat my butt down on the straw-covered floor. Sweetie Belle turned to face me, but Scootaloo was climbing up a ladder to the attic instead of paying attention.

"I come from a land far, far away. Trixie found me there." I started, not wanting to go into details. "We had heard stories about Equestria, but never really went there ourselves." Stories. That's what they were. "Trixie... adopted me as her student, and we travelled here to Ponyville for me to learn about magic and everything else." It was all true, in a way.

"There are ponies living outside of Equestria?" Sweetie Belle asked, and I nodded. They weren't cell-shaded, but I had seen ponies in the human world.

"Hey girls! What if I get my cutiemark for stagediving?" Scootaloo shouted from up high, and three pair of eyes turned upwards as the orange pony peered down from the attic. "Just watch me, it'll be awesome!"

"Er..." I started,

"Ooh..." Sweetie Belle gasped in anticipation,

"Are ya sure it's safe?" Apple Bloom wondered in concern, but then turned her head as the barn door opened and her sister walked in, an eyebrow raised at seeing Scootaloo up on the attic looking like she was about to jump down.

"Now what the hay is going on in here?" Applejack demanded, "Will ya come down from there before ya break something?" she addressed Scootaloo, "Use'in the ladder..." she added, concern showing on her face.

"Scootaloo was tryin' to get her cutiemark for stage diving, big sis." Apple Bloom offered, to which Applejack made some noises of surprise.

"Hrf... Tsk... Mrfl... Whoa now Nelly, that ain't no way to get a cutiemark! Y'all got to calm down some and think about what it is ya like doin'." Applejack offered, shaking her head as Scootaloo joined us on the ground again. "All yer runnin' around and breakin' bones ain't workin' one bit. And who's this then?" she offered, turning to face me.

"Er... I'm Fuu? Trixie and me come by the stand to buy apples from time to time, remember?" I blushed, scraping a hoof a bit uncomfortably over the floor.

"Well, ya gotta excuse me for not recalling yer face all that well, hun. It's been a long day working an' we get so many ponies from all around for our apples it's hard to keep 'em apart, ya know?" Applejack offered, reaching out to rub my mane with a hoof. "But if ya stick around here for some, I'm sure everypony will get ta know ya before ya can say "Pretty Pink Ponies Prance Pretty Perfectly"."

I blushed more under the tousling of my mane, giggling a bit as Sweetie Belle tried to repeat what Applejack had said and kept stumbling halfway through.

"Pretty Pink Pronies Pr... Pretty Ponies Prance Prinkly... Pretty..." she tried, her own cheeks flushing as Scootaloo broke into laughter.

"Heh. Now y'all go and get doin' something safer, ok? Like maybe ya could go bother Rainbow Dash an' see what's taking that rainstorm I was expectin' today?" Applejack suggested, nudging her head towards the open barn door at the same time as a flash of lightning illuminated the world outside.

"That rainstorm, sis?" Apple Bloom chuckled, but Applejack's reply was drowned by the thunderclap. The flick of her tail and look on her face said enough to let know her little sister's smarts were ill received. Ah, the love between sisters.

We ran out of the barn and through the suddenly pouring rain outside while giggling at Applejack shouting after us that we should not use the barn for playing next time and that Big Mac would hear of it, but the sound of our hooves hitting the wet ground and the occasional thunderclap soon drowned her out. We ran out of Sweet Apple Acres and over towards Ponyville with no clear target in mind, just running side-by-side, bumping flanks and giggling happily. I can't remember a situation before this in which I was this genuinely happy to do nothing in particular. Well, nothing in particular except for running. With friends. Something I don't think I'd ever done before. I never was much of the athletic type.

We stopped in front of Sugarcube Corner to catch our breaths and shook ourselves dry, still giggling but clearly calming down again. The sun in Ponyville was shining, the rainstorm localized over the apple orchards at Sweet Apple Acres. The thunder was still audible off in the distance, but most of the sound was reflected by the surrounding buildings. Scootaloo buzzed her little wings a little to shake the water out of her feathers, spraying it over Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom in the process. Apple Bloom didn't seem to care that much, but Sweetie Belle made a face and tried to dry herself again.

"So what I wanted to ask... when was that party over at Sweet Apple Acres?" I tried, glancing between the three of them before shivering from a cold water droplet leaking down my neck.

"Party? What party? Oh, hi girls! Wanna come in? I made mint-flavoured cupcakes! MINT! FLAVOURED! CUPCAKES!"

You guessed it; Pinkie Pie. Her upper-body sticking out through the open upper-half of the door leading into Sugarcube Corner, her lower body hidden by the closed lower part of the door, Pinkie's face was smeared with green glazing and cupcake crumbs. As we moved to stare up at her, she produced another mintgreen-glazed cupcake and stuffed it into her mouth, then chomped on it in a very excited, messy, and carefree manner, bits of her cupcake flying off everywhere as she chewed on it.

"Er, sure?" Apple Bloom blinked, and the others shrugged as well.

Pinkie Pie squealed from excitement and pulled the lower door open for us, and we walked in in single-file, Scootaloo up in front, Apple Bloom following, and Sweetie Belle just in front of me. Her tail looked nice up close, the smooth transition from pink to purple hairs changing a little as she moved. I got distracted by it to the point where I missed the last step up into Sugarcube Corner, my left forehoof moving up to try and find another step to go up, then finding only air and causing me to stumble forward a little. I bumped into Sweetie Belle's rear as I tried to find my hoofing again, who bumped into Apple Bloom, who bumped into Scootaloo, who jumped up from surprise and all-but launched herself into Pinkie Pie who fell backwards while giggling happily at it all.

"Apple Bloom! What was that for?" Scootaloo whined, fluttering her wings to get out of Pinkie Pie's enthusiastic hug.

"I didn't do nothin'! Sweetie Belle bumped into me first!" Apple Bloom replied, turning to face Sweetie Belle who meeped and shook her head quickly!

"It wasn't me! Fuu pushed me!" she exclaimed, stepping aside and turning to face me as well.

I felt my cheeks turn red and scraped an embarrassed hoof over the floor. "Sorry... I thought there was another step..."

Pinkie Pie finally let go of Scootaloo and jumped up and started bouncing around us at hearing my words, exclaiming loudly, "Of course there's another step! If you want to get somewhere, you have to step step step step step step around!" she giggled, taking very theatrical steps around me as she did. "See? Step step step step step..."

With Pinkie Pie continuing her stepping around in seemingly random circles around and in-between us, the crusaders shared a glance between themselves and me. Scootaloo still looked a little annoyed that she was made to lose her composure, but nodded at Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom didn't really seem to mind what had happened, and gave a warm smile towards me and Sweetie Belle, the latter of which looked to be a bit more distracted by Pinkie's stepping around than the rest of us.

"So... somepony mentioned cupcakes?" Apple Bloom offered as Pinkie started another circle around her, stopping the pink pony dead in her tracks.

"Cupcakes?!? Where?!?" she cried out, as if she'd already forgotten all about them.

"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle piped up, "You said they had mint in them?"

"Oooh, THOSE cupcakes." Pinkie Pie seemed to remember, putting her butt down on the ground and smiling at us.

"Er, yeah... You said we could have some?" Scootaloo frowned, her wings fluttering in an annoyed fashion.

"Oh yeah! Wait here!" Pinkie Pie grinned, standing up and bouncing towards the kitchen area in the back.

"She's always like this, isn't she?" I sighed, walking up towards Apple Bloom while Sweetie Belle moved up to my right side. With Scootaloo moving in from the opposite direction we stood waiting in an odd kind of semi-circle. "So, er... what about my initiation, girls? I gotta be home before dinner." I wondered, glancing between them.

"Well, you didn't answer all our questions yet." Scootalooo pondered, and Sweetie Belle said "Yeah!" to that.

"But you have been good company." Apple Bloom mused, to which Sweetie Belle said "Yeah!" again.

"Oh, and! And! Er..." Sweetie Belle started enthusiastically, then blinked and stared blankly ahead of her for a moment. "Er... What they said!"

"I'm ok with her joinin' us, girls." Apple Bloom stated, to which Scootaloo nodded.

"Me too." she stated, looking towards Sweetie Belle who seemed to have lost track of the conversation again.

"Er... Er... me three!" She finally exclaimed, all three turning towards me with big smiles.

"That settles it, then. Welcome to the cutiemark crusaders, Fuu!" Apple Bloom grinned.

I blushed deeply but smiled between them. "Aww, thanks guys."

"You'll have ta wait until Sweetie Belle makes your cape, tho." Apple Bloom continued.

Sweetie Belle frowned at that and stomped a hoof at the floor. "If Rarity lets me in her workshop again... 'Oh, no, Sweetie Belle. You can't go play in there! Run along...'." she mimicked her bigger sister, then huffed.

"Teehee! That sounded JUST LIKE Rarity! Do me! Do me!" Pinkie Pie popped up behind Scootaloo, making the pegasus meep as she jumped up and forwards at me!

"Oof..." I gasped out as Scootaloo hit me, falling on the ground and laying there sprawled out with her for a second before I just had to giggle at how easily she was spooked. Pinkie Pie started to giggle as well, and soon all five of us were laughing happily at how silly it all was.

5 - A Nightmare on Manestreet

I had a great time at Sugarcube Corner. The day had started off a little weird, but it had ended up being a good day in the end. The cupcakes had been tasty, and Pinkie wasn't that much of a nuisance once you got used to her antics... The Cakes had been very nice ponies as well, cleaning up after the messes Pinkie made as if they had long since gotten used to it, while constantly asking if we needed anything else. I felt a little bit sad when it was time to go, but it was starting to get dark outside and Trixie's cart was parked on the other side of Sweet Apple Acres...

Apple Bloom offered to keep me company, at least until we'd reach the farm, but Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had to go in different directions and we said our goodbyes after I said I would definitely see them in school again the next day.

So there I was, walking flank-to-flank with Apple Bloom down the dirt road leading up to Sweet Apple Acres. With the last of Ponyville's buildings behind us, we were basically the only ponies on the road for miles. I looked over at the cute filly beside me and felt my cheeks turn red again as I saw how her mane moved in the wind. So cute!

Apple Bloom noticed me staring and looked back with a confused look on her face. "What? Do I got anythin' on my face?"

"No... I just... er..." I stammered, then looked away again at the road we were walking on.

"Whaaat?" Apple Bloom wondered, turning into my path and staring me down.

I had to stop so I wouldn't bump into her, but I still looked away while scraping at the floor with my forehoof. "It's nothing..."

"Nothin' is nothin'. You were starin' at me for a reason." Apple Bloom demanded, and I duck my head lower.

"I just thought you looked cute, is all..." I mumbled, feeling so very embarrassed to admit it.

"Huh?" Apple Bloom blinked, but then smiled up. "Why thank you! I think you look pretty darn cute yourself as well, Fuu! But that ain't no reason to stop lookin' at where you're goin'... you might bump into somepony an' spill their apples!"

I blushed and turned my attention forward again, but fell into a slower trot, letting Apple Bloom take the lead. Even her butt looked cute! Oh, if I'd only been human again and she and I a few years older...

I snorted at my own thoughts and banished them. Exactly those thoughts caused me to be a little filly now! Emphasis on the little. Both Apple Bloom and me were like... What... five? Six? I had no idea how to count pony years... Whatever my age, it was farther below the age of adulthood than I dared to go. Even while I was still a human. Anypony above 16 years of age was fair play, really... but below that? Never!

I quickly cantered up to Apple Bloom's right side, trying to hide my blush. "So can we meet up again tomorrow?" I wondered, trying to make some smalltalk to get my embarrassment under control.

"Aww, I wish. But Granny Smith wants me ta be home early tomorrow 'cause of Nightmare Night comin' up soon. She wants ta make mah costume, as usual..." Apple Bloom sighed, clearly not looking forward to it. "I'll probably end up getting Sweetie Belle ta get me a better one from Rarity."

I perked up my ears at that. "Nightmare Night? What's that?"

Apple Bloom stopped and I stumbled to a stop myself, blinking at her reaction.

"Ya haven't heard of Nightmare Night? Ya haven't heard of Hearth's Warming Eve... Where have you been hidin' away?" Apple Bloom decried, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I'm... er... sorry?" I tried, my ears drooping low. "I'm not from here... Trixie only recently brought me over."

"But from where? Ya never said! An' ya knew 'bout cousin Braeburn's farm. Are ya from Appleloosa?"

I scraped a forehoof over the ground. "A bit further than that..."

"How much further?"

"I can't tell you. Sorry."

Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes at me for a moment, but then shrugged. "Well, okay then. If ya can't tell me, ya can't tell me. But it sure must be a strange place if they ain't even heard of Nightmare Night."

"Well, I haven't... maybe some others may know." I shrugged. "Just never paid much attention to what was going on in Equestria."

Apple Bloom snorted at that, but thankfully left the topic at rest. She started off towards the farm again in a slow trot, keeping half an eye on me. "So ya never heard of Nightmare Night?"

I rolled my eyes as I moved to fall in with her pace. "I think we established that..."

"Ok, well... here's what ya need to know to survive:" Apple Bloom started, and I lost a step, stumbling to find my hoofing again.

"I... what?"

"On Nightmare Night, Nightmare Moon comes down in search of all of us. We gotta get candy from everypony and give 'er the candy so she won't eat us. And we have fun scarin' each other and such." Apple Bloom continued despite my stumbling, and I blinked uneasily at her.

"Nightmare Moon? Comes down from where?"

Apple Bloom poked a hoof up. "From the Moon, of course."

"You mean Princess Luna, right? From the moon? Where she was imprisoned for a thousand years?" I could not hide my disbelief.

"Well, duh." Apple Bloom frowned. "That's what I said, ain't it?"

"And you collect candy to have her not eat you?" I continued, to Apple Bloom's nodding. "So it's like Halloween?"

"Hello-whatnow?" Apple Bloom replied, looking at me as if I had gone crazy.

I sighed. "Never mind... I guess it's a different name for it. So it's October here?"

"All month long!" Apple Bloom grinned.

"See, I didn't know that..." I mumbled, falling quiet. The farm's entrance was coming up, and soon I'd be walking the last bit home to face Trixie and her confusing whims. "It doesn't look like October..." I decided, "Far too green."

Apple Bloom shook her head. "October always looks like this. I ain't seen it any other way yet."

"Well, where I'm from? October always came with a bunch of cold and snow and stuff."

"Ain't ya glad you moved out here?" Apple Bloom grinned, then turned into the farm's entrance and then around to face me again. "Well, I'll see ya at school tomorrow?"

I nodded at that. "For sure. I guess I'll go work on my own costume after school then."

"Oh, you should. Nightmare Night is only a week away." Apple Bloom offered, then waved and pranced off towards the farmhouse, where a worried Applejack was standing in the doorway. I gave a wave to her as well, then continued on my way around the farm towards where our cart was.

Heh. A costume. Little did they know I was already wearing one. But this surprised me. I thought it had been summer. It certainly felt like summer. All the leaves were green, the sun was nice and warm, even the cool wind of the falling night did nothing to take away the feeling of a warm blanket just wrapped snuggly around me in the way the perfect summer days always do.

And it wasn't just that I was now wearing a coat of fur around me all the time. I can assure you!

Of course, it had been September when I'd backed out of that driveway and hit Trixie... When was it again? The 25th? 26th? With a week left before supposedly the 30th of October, that would put today at the 23rd? Time really had gone by faster than I realized. I'd been here a month already and I hadn't even noticed.

So... Halloween in Ponyville... I wondered if Trixie would allow me to even attend it. And, if she did, what as? With my collar snuggly around my neck, I would have to choose my costume carefully. Not everything would fit. And I really didn't want to go as a ghost.

Night was falling faster than I had anticipated, and while I could see the cart in the distance, it was quickly becoming nothing but a shadow amongst other shadows, half hidden by the shadows of the copse of trees we were parked next to. I quickened my pace to a canter, which soon turned into a gallop as Trixie stuck her head out of the cart and put a lantern up on the hook beside the door.

I made it to the cart in under a minute, and fell up against the steps leading into it while trying to catch my breath. Trixie, who had followed my approach with a raised eyebrow, just looked down at me laying there with a broad smile on my face.

"You barely made it before nightfall, Fuu. Trixie was getting worried." she offered in a chiding tone, pushing the door open for me to come in and using her magic to drag me up by my collar.

I didn't care. I let her drag me in, then heard the door fall closed behind me. Even with her acting like I did wrong, I knew she cared. Just by hanging out a lantern like that. Her split-second honest worry for me was all I needed to remind me I was home. I picked myself up from the floor and walked after Trixie as she climbed up on her bed again, and before I knew it I had jumped up after her and had wrapped my arms around her waist, my face happily buried up against her larger form.

"Fuu! What are you doing?!?" Trixie meeped, trying to detach me by poking me with her forehooves.

"Thank you." I whispered up at her, looking up at her confused face. Her expression softened as I did, and she managed a weak smile, but then she poked me lightly on the cheek and nodded towards my collection of pillows on the floor. "I know, I know..." I blushed, tearing myself away from her and hopping down onto my pillow-pile instead.

"Just because it was getting dark and the Great and Powerful Trixie put a light out, does not mean you should climb up on Trixie's bed, you know?" Trixie tried to get her composure back, and I giggled a little as I settled in a comfortable position.

"I'm just glad to know you care about me." I smiled up, and found Trixie looking at me with affection in her eyes and a little blush on her cheeks.

"Hmph... just as long as nopony else finds out." she snorted, picking up the book she was reading and pretending to be fully absorbed by it already.

"Trixie?" I asked, and she looked sideways past the book at me.

"Yes, Fuu?"

"Apple Bloom says next week will be Nightmare Night. Did you know?"

"Yes, Fuu." Trixie nodded, returning her attention to her book.

"Trixie?" I started again, and Trixie sighed out in mild annoyance, looking back at me again.

"Yes, Fuu?"

"Everypony's wearing costumes on Nightmare Night, you know?"

Trixie sighed again. "Yes, Fuu. Trixie knows. Trixie is reading a book."

"Yes, Trixie. But I was wondering if I could too?"

Trixie reluctantly put her book back down and stared at me. "If you could what?"

"Wear a costume and collect candy?" I answered, looking up hopefully.

"Will you let Trixie finish reading her book if she says yes?" Trixie grumbled, and I nodded quickly.

"Oh, yes! Definitely!"

"Hm... Trixie guesses it's fine then." Trixie answered, picking up her book again. "Now let Trixie read." I fidgeted a bit on my pile of pillows, and Trixie's attention drifted from her book back to me. "Out with it."

"THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" I exclaimed, while Trixie's ears fell flat on her head.

When my excited thank yous finally subsided, she perked her ears up again and raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you done now? Can Trixie go back to reading Trixie's book? Or does Trixie have to silence you again?"

I blushed and shook my head at the last question. "I'm done, miss Trixie. I'll be quiet."

Trixie smiled at that and flicked her tail in my direction. "We'll talk about it tomorrow after school. Go read your own book if you're not tired yet."

"My own..." I started, but Trixie's face made me shut up and look around myself a bit for the book she had mentioned. After a moment I saw the book peeking out from under one of my pillows and I nosed the pillow out of the way to look at the exposed cover.

The cover read "Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone" and the picture on the cover showed a grey-maned pegasus dangling from a jungle vine above a pool filled with crocodiles. I stared at it a moment, but then tried to push the cover open with my hoof, resulting in the book sliding over the floor a bit.

"Magic." Trixie simply said, and I blushed as I hadn't thought of using my magic for this purpose. With a glow of my horn and careful focus, I lifted the cover and leafed through the first few pages to where the story finally started, then rested my chin on my forehooves and started to read.

There was no real introduction to this Daring Do. The book immediately threw you into the action. Here we had Daring Do exploring the jungle in search of a big sapphire, and she had to fend off plants and animals alike at every turn! Before I knew it, I was so lost in the story that Trixie had to throw a pillow at me to get my attention!

"Fuu! Bedtime!" she grumbled, "And give Trixie her pillow back."

I blushed and closed the book, levitating Trixie's pillow back towards her and managing not to plant it right in her face.

The story had been so exciting, and I was now forced to end on a cliffhanger. Daring Do had only just escaped a pack of jungle creatures wanting to tear her to shreds by some lightning-fast thinking, grabbing a vine to swing over a ravine in which a pool with alligators had hidden, barely escaping their snapping jaws before she landed on the other side. And then she found...

Darkness, really, as Trixie turned off the lights. I felt for the edge of my book and pushed it down under one of my pillows, then curled up in the darkness to go sleep.

And then I dreamed. For perhaps the first time since I arrived in Equestria, I had an actual dream! Well, a nightmare. It had all the elements of a real nasty one too; different worlds and scenes blending together in ways reality would never allow.

It all started innocently enough; I was walking home from school but had chosen a different path than usual. Instead of heading past the farm, I was finding myself head into the Everfree Forest. It made sense in my dream. Afterall, I knew that Trixie's cart was just through here even while knowing it was parked on the other side of Ponyville. Dreamlogic.

Of course, as I passed through the trees which got closer and closer together, it became darker and darker. And the undergrowth got more and more tricky to get through. There were shadows and eyes hidden within them forming all around me. But just as I was getting scared, Daring Do swiped me off of my feet and took me through the trees while swinging from a jungle vine. It was very Tarzanesque.

We landed in a clearing and Daring Do told me she was on a quest to find Candy, one of my former girlfriends from the human world. I asked her to repeat that, but she told me there was no time and that Nightmare Moon was going to eat us if I didn't get in my car!

So I looked behind me and my car was there, with Trixie laying on the backseat moaning in pain. "But how do I drive with hooves?!?" I asked, climbing in through the passenger side and over to the driver's seat. I sat down awkwardly as Daring Do sat down on the passenger seat, and stared at the steering wheel. Yeah, that's not going to work. I couldn't look over it. So I stood up on the seat instead, placing my forehooves on the wheel. "How am I going to drive?"

"Use the magic, Fuu." Trixie's voice said, very much like a Jedi-master would tell their Padawan apprentice.

With Nightmare Moon's maniacal laughter quickly approaching behind us, I focused my magic and started to drive out of the Everfree Forest and into the human world, in search of Candy.

I couldn't even remember her house, and did all the houses start to look the same? Why were their shadows growing? What was that up ahead on the road?

I strained my eyes to find Apple Bloom standing there right in the path of my car, her eyes wide as she stared at us like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Apple Bloom! Get out of the way!" I called out in distress, finding I could not steer my car away, nor stop it! But Apple Bloom just stood there, unmoving, my car approaching without any signs of stopping until the hood seemed to swallow her...

...and I woke up sweating and crying out in anguish!

"Hn... Fuu? What's wrong?" Trixie wondered sleepily, stumbling around to find where she left the candle so she wouldn't magically torch the entire carriage.

I just wheezed as I tried to get my emotions back under control.

"Fuu?"

"I... I just... I think I just had a nightmare... I... I'm fine." I stammered, and I heard a thud as Trixie's head must've fallen back on her pillow.

"Oh. Well, don't have those..." Trixie muttered, and I heard another thud as her hoof landed on the bed. "Mush bedder to juss... hm... hnm...mmh..." she continued, but it was mostly unintelligible as she fell back asleep.

I rubbed at my eyes a moment, curled up, and tried to fall asleep again.

Stupid nightmare... what was that even all about? It just didn't make sense... Find a girl I couldn't even remember? Get chased by Nightmare Moon? And then hitting Apple Bloom? So stupid.

I woke up with a headache, not having slept well at all. My pillows had spread out across the floor and I was clutching the Daring Do book for some reason.

Trixie was still asleep, so I quietly pulled my pillows together and stuck the book underneath the pile, then walked over to push the door open and take a good whiff of the morning scents to clear my head. It looked like the sun had only been up for a little while, the morning dew still lingering on the wood surface of the cart. A few early birds were chirping and flying around in search of food, but the rest of the world still seemed to be asleep.

Knowing Trixie would want her morning tea, I reached back into the cart to take our water bucket's handle between my teeth and dragged it up on the small landing before tipping out the old water. With the empty bucket dangling in front of me, my head held up a bit more than usual so the bucket wouldn't drag over the ground, I pranced on over through the small copse of trees to the river behind it.

I filled up the bucket by simply dunking it under water, but then had to use my magic to get it back on the bank again as it was just too heavy for a little pony like myself. I still had a headache, and decided to walk into the water to immerse myself a little, drinking some of it as the cool flow rushed past me. Maybe I was just a little dehydrated because of the sweating I'd done through the night? I took a deep breath and ducked my head under the water, feeling my mane get washed out as I did.

I blew the water out of my nostrils and shook my head to get it out of my ears, splashing water all over Trixie who'd joined me on the bank.

"Hm... good morning to you too, Fuu." Trixie sighed, walking into the stream herself and carefully dipping her head under for a brief moment, blowing bubbles up out of her nose as she did.

"I'm sorry, miss Trixie." I sighed, lowering my head into the water again as my headache came back. The cool water helped a little, but it wouldn't stay away.

Trixie looked at me for a moment, then approached and put a hoof to my forehead. "You don't look so well, Fuu."

"I just have a headache, miss Trixie."

Trixie nodded, brushing some hairs out of my face with her hoof. "It shows." I looked away, but winced as the pain shot through my head again and fell my ears falling flat against my head. "Did you sleep at all last night? Trixie remembers waking up from something, but she doesn't remember what happened exactly."

"I had a nightmare yesterday." I whimpered, stepping forward a bit to nuzzle my head up under Trixie's for comfort.

Trixie awkwardly returned the nuzzle, then walked back onto the bank and used her magic to drain most of the water from her mane, tail, and coat. "Hm. Come up here, Fuu. Let's head back to the cart. You'll feel better after a cup of tea and some breakfast."

I followed onto the bank, and Trixie's magic washed over me to dry me off a little. Just enough so I wouldn't be dripping wet, but was still damp. Trixie grabbed the water bucket with her magic as well, and we passed back through the copse and up into the cart again where I basically collapsed on my pillows. The little walk had only made my headache worse and I felt as if my head was about to split in half.

Trixie put up the kettle to boil some water for tea, but then sat down beside me and started to gently brush my mane out. The little tugs at my hair hurt, but it still felt nice to know Trixie really cared. Her brushing went from my mane to my tail before the water was done cooking. Trixie poured us both a cup of tea, then continued brushing her own mane and tail as the tea cooled down to drinking temperature.

"Thank you, miss Trixie..." I mumbled, focusing to get my cup up to my lips after blowing at it for a while. It wasn't halfway yet or it started to wobble as my headache got worse, but then stabilized and gently bumped into my lips as Trixie took over from me. I sipped at it but then just lay my head down on my pillows and whimpered. "How can a nightmare give me this kind of a headache?"

Trixie put my cup down and dabbed a cool wet cloth to my forehead instead. "Nightmares bring our deepest thoughts to the surface, Fuu. The fears we tell ourselves we don't have, the pain we buried so we would not cry, the questions we have no answers for." she said in a gentle voice, "It's not uncommon for somepony to get hit harder than others. Especially us unicorns. Our magic makes us more susceptible to thoughts wanting to pass into reality."

"It does?" I wondered, looking up at her.

Trixie nodded slowly to that. "We usually learn to control it while we're still little foals. It's when we have most of our magic accidents and headaches. Trixie guesses you're getting to that point now. It will pass, but you're staying home from school today."

I let my head sink back onto the pillow and sighed. "Yes miss Trixie."

We had our breakfast after that, and I drank three cups of tea while Trixie dabbed cool damp cloths to my forehead, but Trixie had to go let miss Cheerilee know I wasn't going to show up, and buy some new apples as she passed by the farm, so she left me alone after telling me to just focus on getting better.

I really just curled up and closed my eyes, trying to get some sleep. Sleep usually helped when I got sick back in the human world, and it should have a similar effect here. With the relative Equestrian peacefulness helping a great deal, I was out before I knew it.

I woke up again as night fell, with Trixie having moved me up onto the bed and letting me drink some water from a cup. My headache was a lot less already, and I made some protests about being on the bed where I usually wasn't allowed to go, but Trixie hushed me (fortunately without changing my mouth around again) and gave me more water to drink.

Seeing as how I wasn't fully recovered yet, Trixie then got up on the bed as well and lay down beside me, pulling me to her and just shushing me to sleep again. I was feeling too awful at the time to really appreciate it, but remembering it later really helped me to focus on Trixie's good side.

Thanks to Trixie's care, I felt a lot better in the morning, especially waking up snuggled up to Trixie's form, with one of her hooves draped over me. I nuzzled in to her a bit more, cherishing the moment, and closed my eyes with a happy sigh. Trixie leaned her head down as I did, pulling me a bit closer and mumbling something unintelligibly in her sleep.

We rested like that for... some time... I need a watch. But then Trixie started to stir as she woke up and pushed me away again. I whimpered in disappointment, but then shared a yawn with Trixie and stretched myself out as much as I could. "Good morning, miss Trixie." I offered, giving her another nuzzle.

Trixie responded in her usual awkward fashion, giving me a few odd pats on my head. "Feeling better, Fuu?" she wondered, an eyebrow raised.

I nodded a bit at that. "The headache's gone, miss Trixie."

"Would you kindly get off of Trixie's bed then?"

I drooped my ears at hearing that. "Aww. Yes miss Trixie..." I sighed, rolling over to get up on my hooves and jump down on the floor.

"And if you're feeling better, make Trixie her tea, please." Trixie continued, and I sighed out. Back to the old Trixie then.

I took the kettle and felt its weight, checking to see if it still contained any water. I topped it off so there would be enough water in it for four cups, then put it on the stove and turned the fire on underneath it. Only then did I notice Trixie looking at me with an odd smile. "Er... I did do ok, did I not?"

"Without so much as a wobble, Fuu. A sign your understanding of magic has grown." Trixie smiled, "Trixie is proud of you."

I blinked and looked back at the kettle. It had felt easier to move it. I didn't really think about it. I just did it. "Huh..."

"As we grow our magical powers, our bodies adapt to accomodate the larger amounts of energy we use, Fuu. Some of us get nightmares, headaches, others just feel ticklish. It's something that's taught in Canterlot's kindergarten to the unicorn foals so they know it's a part of life."

I felt a shiver going down my back as Trixie's words settled. "So I'm gonna have nightmares and headaches all my life?"

Trixie smirked and climbed off of the bed, giving me a soft nuzzle. "Trixie can't say. It may be that the closeness to Nightmare Night gave you the nightmare. Or that your sweating during it dehydrated you and caused the headache. We have to see what happens next time. But while you're here with Trixie, she's going to take care of you every time it happens. Whatever it is that happens."

I gave a thankful nuzzle back up to Trixie's form, sighing out a bit. "And yet you'll always push me away again." I voiced my concern, to which Trixie responded by breaking away from me and checking up on the tea as if it was the most important thing in the world. I looked at her from the corner of my eye, then walked up to my pillow pile and dropped on it. "It just confuses me, is all. I never know when you'll be nice and when you'll be cold and distant."

"Drop it, Fuu." Trixie's voice came from where she stood in front of the stove, and I noticed she was trembling a little.

"Yes miss Trixie." I muttered, resting my head on my hooves and closing my eyes while trying not to cry. It was so confusing to see her act like that, to be the target of love and loathing in constantly switching random patterns...

We had our morning breakfast in silence, then Trixie told me to hurry on over to school since I was feeling better again. She hadn't come back from her closing herself off again, and I left home with a similar feeling as I had my former home in the human world. It just seemed like nopony wanted me to be around. Or cared whether I lived or died. My parents certainly hadn't cared, raising me on television and whatever food mom had managed to produce while dad wasn't looking. That I had even got an education was a miracle in itself. And now Trixie gave me the cold shoulder and made me feel just as wanted.

I kicked some pebbles aside as I dragged my hooves to school, feeling miserable. The sound of happy foals playing in the playground near the school reached my ears but I couldn't get my mood up enough to want to join them there. I know Trixie had said I should go to school, but as the bell rang to call us in, I found myself turning away from it and wandering over to the clubhouse. I was a cutiemark crusader myself now, so it was my clubhouse just as much as it was that of Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle.

I closed the door behind me after climbing up the ramp, and fell flat on the ground as I felt the wave of sorrow that I had tried so hard to push back come over me. My tears freed themselves from my eyes and I soon was sobbing uncontrollably, just wishing somepony was there who'd accept me for who I was. Somepony who didn't mind I had been a human before. Somepony to help me understand why Trixie could be nice and mean in the same minute.

I cried until I couldn't anymore, curled up on the floor and just sniffled to myself as I thought all my questions over again. Having met Trixie the way I did was probably enough grounds for her to hold a grudge. I should've looked in my rearview mirror and seen her. Or maybe taken her to a vet instead of the forest... I dunno, I had been acting in a panicked rush.

But if I had taken her to a vet... she would have been a cartoon animal in the hands of humans... No good would come of that. Only test after test until her life would be spent. If I thought the situation over again, it probably was a good thing I went out to the woods. Fewer people, nopony to see what had taken up the backseat of my car.

Trixie's reaction also made more sense to me, as I thought it over. She would have woken in shock of the car running her over. I'd seen my mom act out in such situations after dad got to her. Erratic behaviour was par to the course.

And then my sudden arrival in Equestria. Trixie must have had just as much a shock as I had with her finding me changed into a pony like her. Somewhere in my mind her actions made a little more sense, but I still didn't get why she collared me, put so much effort in teaching me, and then acted like I wasn't worth paying attention to.

Something about Trixie just bothered me. Like I knew the answer but the puzzle wasn't coming together yet.

I closed my eyes and sighed. I was too tired from all this crying and thinking. Too many questions left unanswered, and nopony in Equestria was going to be able to give the answers to me. Except perhaps for Trixie.

I fell asleep from mental exhaustion, just laying there in the clubhouse, and only woke up because Apple Bloom threw the door open with a loud bang!

"Oh, there you are!" she exclaimed as I jerked up in surprise, and then turned her tail towards me to call back out: "I found her! She's up in the clubhouse!"

"I... uh... huh? What time is it?" I wondered, rubbing at my sleepy eyes with my forehooves.

"It's like close to nightfall already. Everypony's been lookin' for you!" Apple Bloom revealed, and I looked past her at the sky that was slowly turning a darker shade of mauve.

"I must've fallen asleep..." I mumbled, pushing up on my hooves and wobbling forward a bit. "Whaddya mean "everypony"?"

"Well, big sis Applejack, Trixie, Nightmare Moon..." Apple Bloom offered, and then faced me with a fanged grin as her eyes turned red.

"Er... what's happening?" I asked, backing away from her a bit.

"Well, we can't have Nightmare Night without a little filly to gobble up, can we?" Apple Bloom offered, while the door's opening filled up with more fanged ponies trying to enter behind her.

I backed into a wall that felt like taffy getting stretched out, until it suddenly gave way and I fell through it into a dark hole! All the light around me leaving as the clubhouse flew off into the sky, leaving just a dark bottomless pit for me to fall down through!

I flailed my hooves around as I fell, hearing Nightmare Moon's evil laughter coming from below. But as I looked down at where I was falling towards, I just saw Trixie's face below me, her eyes glowing and her mouth opening to reveal sharp fangs.

As I fell past them into her mouth, I screamed in terror...

...and woke up with the sun shining its rays down on me through the window. I looked around in a panic, realized I was still in the clubhouse, and quickly rushed to the door to pull it open and see what was outside! No Apple Bloom. No Nightmare Moon. No Trixie. Nopony out there threatening to eat me. Or gobble me up for that matter. Just a beautiful afternoon in Equestria staring me in the face as if nothing had happened.

I sighed in relief, wiping the sweat off of my brow, and went back inside the clubhouse where I sat down on the ground and tried to stop my heart from beating so fast. Another nightmare. No headache this time, but it was definitely a nightmare. During the day. What was going on?

I rarely had nightmares about anything! Not even dad gave me nightmares anymore, even if I had had them during my childhood. But now, in about the safest place in all of Equestria, I had two nightmares almost in a row? Both of which had featured Apple Bloom and Nightmare Moon.

I'd seen a show on daytime television once where a spiritual softy talked about dreams being the key to our subconscious and whatever. That they tried to tell us something. And what had Trixie said? Something about unicorns manifesting thoughts into reality? I wasn't sure I understood it. But I did know who would; Zecora. If there was anypony around in Equestria who would know about dreams and their meanings, it would be Zecora.

Where did she live again? The Everfree Forest somewhere, right? Right. But would I be able to find her on my own? Maybe Apple Bloom could... No. Bad idea. Apple Bloom was in my nightmares! I would need to find a neutral party. Somepony who wouldn't ask too many questions.

I pranced over to the door again and stuck my head out, looking around over Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack would be out of the question. She was too responsible. Would probably shoo me off to Trixie. But I had to know what was going on and Trixie wasn't much help with her odd emotions.

Pinkie Pie would be too loud. Fluttershy wouldn't go anywhere near the Everfree Forest unless absolutely necessary. Maybe if I could find Rainbow Dash? I could offer it as a challenge... She never turned down a challenge as far as I knew. But then I hadn't actually seen Rainbow Dash except for the few times she flew by through the air moving clouds this way or that.

Could I ask Twilight? She was responsible, but also a seeker of knowledge. And inexplainable nightmares could spike her curiosity.

I smirked at myself. "Heh... "Spike" her curiosity. Good pun, brain."

So be it then. Twilight would really be the only pony I knew who could lead the way to Zecora. I just had to be careful not to reveal more about myself than absolutely necessary. And on no account should I mention Trixie.

I started down the ramp and turned back towards Ponyville, staying on the inside of the fence so I would evade most ponies on the main road. Any one of them could decide I should be in school and prevent me from getting anywhere near Twilight's treehouse, let alone speak with the mare.

I climbed over the fence when I was close enough to Ponyville and rushed over to the nearest building, then jumped from cover to cover in my best Pinkie Pie impression until I got to the treehouse library. Stepping out of cover, I first checked my coat for any leaves that may have stuck to it, before lifting my hoof and knocking on the door.

"Spike! Someone at the door!" I heard Twilight call out from inside, and then a muttering voice coming closer as Spike responded.

The door opened, and Spike looked at me with some surprise. "Er, yes? Can I help you?"

"Hi... my name's Fuu?" I offered to him, feeling a blush creep up on my cheeks. Spike looked utterly adorable! His scales were shining in the light, his eyes were looking at me with that adorable confusion as he tried to place me among the faces he knew. "Er... I was looking for miss Twilight Sparkle?"

"Oh! Sure, come in!" Spike smiled, stepping aside. He glanced into the library, then put his hand in front of his mouth and whispered to me; "She's reading some stuffy book about the history of magic. Good luck getting her attention."

I giggled some, walking further into the room and looking around to try and spot the unicorn. "I think I can grab her attention just fine, Spike. But thank you for the warning." I offered.

Spike made an awkward salute to me and then looked around shiftily. "Well, if you don't need me... I got a gemstone with my name on it." I shook my head and he quickly rushed off to his precious meal. I watched him go with a little smile. He was too darn cute.

Said the cute little filly in the library.

Anyway, I found Twilight absorbed by a large tome after I headed into the next room, her pet owl Alo... Alio... Aloistitius... However you spell his name, sitting on a perch nearby.

"Miss Twilight?" I tried, but got no response. I moved a little closer, and Alo... Alio... The owl turned his head towards me and went "Who." I giggled up and went "Who." back. The owl seemed to like it, as he said who again, and the two of us spent a few moments who-ing back and forth until Twilight's twitchy ear got to her and she snapped free from her book, groaning at being disturbed.

"GRR! That's enough, ." she told the owl, then faced me and her face went from annoyance to surprise. "Oh my, I'm sorry. I didn't know we had a visitor. Can I help you with anything?"

"Hello miss Twilight Sparkle. I'm Fuu." I introduced myself, and Twilight blushed and shook a hoof.

"No need to call me miss, I'm really not that old..." she giggled, looking me over. "That's an uncommon name, Fuu. You're not from around these parts, are you?"

My turn to blush, and I shook my head. "No, mi... er... Twilight Sparkle. I've only really arrived here a month ago?"

"Oh? From where, if I may ask? You're not from Canterlot, are you?" she wondered, but then started rattling off names of places I hadn't even heard of as I shook my head.

"Er... miss Sparkle? I... er..." I tried, and Twilight stopped with a blush.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry... I just get so excited about ponies from far-away places, you know?"

I nodded and fidgeted a bit. "I kind of noticed that..."

"So, how can I help you? Did you want a copy of the adventures of Daring Do? Most foals your age want to read about her?" Twilight tried, walking over to her massive collection that was suspiciously missing the first volume.

"Er, no miss Sparkle... I wanted to ask you about nightmar..."

"Nightmare Night? Oh, yes, I'm very excited about it myself. I'm putting my costume together myself. Let me see, where's that book. Spike! Spike?!"

I sighed as Spike came running in and Twilight asked him for a particular book about Nightmare Night, the name of which I really can't remember right now. They went through their motion of Spike finding the book and Twilight not appreciating his efforts, but when they calmed down again and Twilight held up the book towards me with her magic, I could finally voice my problem again. "I'm sorry, Twilight. But I didn't seek a book on Nightmare Night."

"Oh." Twilight responded, dropping the book on a random stack around her instead of putting it back where it came from. I could see how the poor little Spike would get exhausted from living with Twilight.

"I'm looking for information about nightmares, miss Twilight." I started, "I was hoping to ask if you could help me get to miss Zecora's house cause she knows a lot about it? I would go myself, but I don't know my way through the Everfree Forest and I heard you knew where Zecora lived... so I wanted to ask if you could help me get to her?" I wondered, and Twilight raised an eyebrow at that.

"Do your parents know you want to go into the Everfree Forest?" she asked, being the responsible one and all that.

"I don't... er..." I started, looking away. "My parents aren't here..." I ended up muttering, and I heard Twilight swallow.

"I'm sorry I asked, sweety." she offered, gently tousling my mane with a hoof. "Well, I do have some things I need to ask of Zecora myself... I guess I could show you the way." she smiled at me, then looked up again and shouted "Spike!" while he was standing right next to her.

"Yes Twilight?" Spike answered, rubbing a hand over his ear.

"Oh, there you are Spike. Can you get me my saddlebags please?" Twilight asked, and Spike pulled them from under the table Twilight had been studying at just before, a mere two steps away from her.

"Here you go, Twilight." Spike offered without any sign of resentment in his voice for Twilight making him do these trivial things.

It seemed a little bit like my relationship with Trixie... She'd tell me to do something and I'd do them. Mostly because I didn't want my mouth to get turned into a whistle again... but I still did my best to do what she told me to do. And here little Spikey-wikey was doing what Twilight asked of him, if only because Twilight asked it of him. And Twilight didn't even thank...

"Ah, thank you Spike." Twilight smiled, using her magic to move her saddlebags on her back and pull the straps tight.

Ok, so maybe she did thank him. I wasn't feeling jealous, really... Not me. Nuh-uh. Ok, maybe a little. Trixie's behaviour this morning just made me feel I deserved a bit better for all the coping and learning I had done since arriving in Equestria. Was that too much to ask?

With Twilight ready to go, I followed her as we walked across town and into the Everfree Forest, with Twilight trying to make smalltalk by explaining facts about who-knows-what. They were so booooooring to listen to, I quickly tuned her out.

The dark forest made me walk up a little closer to Twilight's side, as close as her saddlebags allowed, and I tried not to give in to the shivers of fear that ran down my spine. Nothing to fear here... Before I knew it, I started to hum Pinkie's song "Giggle at the Ghostly".

Twilight looked at me in surprise, but soon we both were humming it and trying to remember the words to it. An attempt at which we both failed. We did get the whole giggling at the ghostly and ghoulie part down, but the rest was a little more difficult, with each of us trying to fit words in with the words the other had thought up would fit in the song.

With the right words or not, the song did help distract us so that we arrived as a cheerful pair at the tree in which Zecora had made her home.

"Zecora, are you home?" Twilight asked, moving up to the door and knocking on it twice.

"Oh my, is that Twilight Sparkle that I hear? Why of course I'm home, come in my dear." Zecora offered from inside, and Twilight pushed the door open, beckoning me to follow.

"I brought a little filly with a question, Zecora. Her name's Fuu." Twilight told the zebra as I carefully stepped into the hut, my nose getting hit with smells that I had no name for as I did.

"Ah, come in my little Fuu. And tell me, what can I do for you?" Zecora asked of me, and I looked up at her while trying to find a place for the smells and feelings I was experiencing.

The tree was... Well... it had... There were masks and potions and things hanging around everywhere. A table and chairs was over in one area, with a bed close beside it, and there was a large cauldron in the center of the room. Smells and smoke wafted through the place in disorganized fashions, hitting my nostrils whenever I was expecting them the least. There was the lingering smell of incense of just about every flavor having been burned, wafts of herbal medicines with their potent scent (which somehow never smelled nice but always did their job) having been prepared, and flavors I could not distinguish from one another drifting in the background of the rest. It was a little overwhelming.

Knowing Zecora was waiting for my question, I focused back on her and looked up at her questioning eyes. "Erm... hello miss Zecora. I was... er... I have been having these recurring nightmares... and I was... er... hoping you would... er..."

"Spooky dreams that give you fright, this close to Nightmare Night? It's not unexpected for foals to fear, as the festival of nightmares draws near." Zecora offered with a smile, but then narrowed her gaze in sudden wonder. "But what is this I see in you? Hm... Twilight, could you leave me with this Fuu?"

Twilight perked up at hearing her name, then nodded lightly. "Er, sure... But can I borrow that fake beard from you before I go? It's for my costume."

I looked between Zecora and Twilight in confusion as Zecora carefully dismantled a mask she had hanging on the wall to give Twilight the fake beard, and then said goodbye to the purple unicorn. Left alone with Zecora, I was suddenly feeling a lot less sure of myself...

Zecora moved past me and sat down on a seat at the table, and motioned for me to sit across from her. She looked closely at me as I did, and I fidgeted a bit with my hooves. "I sent Twilight away because this is not for her to hear, but I sense there's another reason that you're here." she spoke, but I knew she wanted me to verify her claim, so I nodded.

"Hmm. Do you think you can confide in me? Perhaps over a nice cup of tea?" Zecora asked, and I winced a bit at the tea-part.

"No tea, please... I have to make enough tea as it is. Every morning it's "Fuu, make us some tea." and then she's all sweet and when I try to be sweet back she's all "Go do something else, Fuu." and I don't know what I did wrong! And now there's these recurring nightmares, even during the day! And I don't know what they mean!"

Zecora just stared in wonder, before raising a hoof just as I was about to open my mouth again for another sentence.

"Nightmares are no need to panic, but your friend sounds almost manic. Switching emotions like that's not good for any foal, stability and safety makes a pony whole. Did you ask why she's in doubt? Of whether to be nice or to shout?"

I nodded softly. "She doesn't want to say."

"There's not a lot that you can do, but I could talk with her for you?" Zecora offered, but I quickly warded that off.

"Nono, it's ok... she doesn't really like strange ponies intruding upon her privacy. Nor zebras, for that matter." I sighed, rubbing at my forehead a little. "She's a complicated pony. I want to be there for her, but she keeps pushing me away. And I need her to be there for me, but well... She tries, I guess. In her own way. But it's confusing when one moment I'm allowed to cuddle with her, and the next I'm told to stay away from her."

Zecora nodded softly while moving a couple of empty cups in front of us, then waved her right hoof over them and they were suddenly filled with a murky green liquid. Steam started to rise up from it, and she blew some air at her own cup while she seemed to think about what I had said.

I sniffed the drink that had magically appeared like that, and it smelled a lot like tea. Even with its murkiness. Having been out and about without having had anything to drink since breakfast, and with the sweating I'd done in the clubhouse, I lowered my head to the cup and gently breathed air at it myself. It really wasn't the tea that was the problem. It was Trixie's behaviour.

"So what you say is this; that there's a closeness between you that you miss?" Zecora wondered, and I nodded slowly.

"I guess so. She's the only pony in all of Equestria that knows what I've been through. I can really only talk with her about it, nopony else, because she was there when it happened."

Zecora hummed at that. "A trauma shared between you two, could cause the instability towards you."

"I dunno... I just want her to make up her mind whether she's nice or stern..." I sighed out over my cup of tea, daring a little sip but finding it still too hot.

"Whether she acts nice or stern should not really be your concern. If you love her, straight and true, she will find it easier to be nice to you." Zecora decided. "The best way for worries of the heart to mend, is the constant support of a true friend."

I pondered Zecora's words as I sipped from my tea. Was that really all there was to helping Trixie? Just be nice to her, support her, and she'd be fine in the end? I didn't think anything could be that easy. And it probably wasn't going to be.

With the day drawing to a close, Zecora helped me to get back to the forest's edge and sent me on my way. I didn't get the help I needed for my nightmares, but Zecora did help me see I was whining too much about the little things.

There was no denying Trixie took care of me when I needed her most. Letting me sleep in her bed if I felt sick, gently brushing my hair while I lay hurting on my pillows, making tea when I couldn't... She really was a caring pony. She just didn't want to be seen as one for some reason.

So now I needed to be nice to Trixie, support her where I could, get her to trust that she could show her nice side around me without me betraying her. I had no idea if I was up to the challenge, but I didn't really have much of a choice. I lived with her, I depended on her, I didn't know anypony else I could tell about my past. Without Trixie, I would be even farther from home.

And now I just had to figure out how to explain to Trixie where I'd been all day...

06 - Candy Capers

Trixie was not amused when I told her I hadn't spent my day in school and her anger only rose to new heights when I let slip Twilight Sparkle was the one that had led me to Zecora's home.

She all-but exploded in rage and the terminology she used was far from repeatable in front of any audience.

I lost all my privileges because of that day, and Trixie said that if she hadn't gone into town that day to get me a costume for Nightmare Night, I would not have been allowed to partake in the festivities.

But the money had been spent, and I would just have to repay her for her kindness. I had to take her word for it, as I had not seen a costume anywhere in the carriage...

I slept uneasily that night, worrying what my tasks would be the next morning, but my lack of sleep meant I didn't have any nightmares to bother me.

A small relief, as I was faced with the task of not only making tea and sandwiches for breakfast, but also doing the dishes afterwards - something Trixie usually did as she worried about me breaking things.

With the threat of more restrictions following if I broke even a single item ringing clear in my ears, I somehow managed to survive the chore with everything still in one piece.

Trixie didn't say anything about it, instead just produced some saddlebags made of brown leather, a slightly darker shade than the brown of my coat, and proceeded to secure them to my form a little too tight for comfort.

I knew this was meant as punishment, so I tried to swallow my discomfort. Besides, what could I say with my mouth reduced to a small hole through which I could only whistle?

Trixie led the way into town and on to the market, stopping at Quills and Sofas (A store selling quills and sofas nearly exclusively) to get a new quill for herself. It disappeared into one of my bags and we continued on to browse the other stalls.

She bought an empty book to write in, a new frying pan since the one we had had a dent in it ever since the wheel incident, and a bag of alfalfa.

The book and pan went in with the quill on my left side, and the alfalfa went into the saddlebag on my right side, balancing the weight relatively well.

It wasn't perfectly balanced, but I could easily correct it while walking.

With the weight of the saddlebags slowing me down, Trixie started to use her magic to tug on my collar, half-dragging me through town as she continued her shopping trip with no apparent goal in mind.

Trixie just seemed to be looking at everything that she could find, moving from one stall to another, and even into some of the larger shops to have a look around.

We made a wide arc around the area in town that held the tree library Twilight lived in, but we pretty much saw all the rest of town before she decided to head back home again.

I was exhausted by the time we got back to the carriage. I had not been used to carrying so much weight on my back, and while Trixie had bought herself an apple for lunch, I had not been given any food since breakfast.

It wouldn't be time for dinner for another hour, but I had considerable trouble hiding my growling tummy from her.

I climbed up on the landing, half-tripping as I misplaced one of my hooves on the few steps leading up, and then just collapsed in a pile of misery.

Trixie had already headed into the carriage, and used her magic to take the items from my bags and put them in the different cabinets in which they belonged.

She finally unbuckled the straps of the saddlebags once they were empty, and I sighed from relief as the pressure the straps had forced upon my form let up.

With more freedom to breathe, I was able to recover enough to get up on my own hooves and at least head for my pillow pile, where I curled up and promptly fell asleep without having even had dinner yet.

I slept without dreaming that night, probably because of the exhaustion I felt, and woke up refreshed the next day.

It was spent much the same as the former, with the difference that instead of going to the market with Trixie, I was put to work on Sweet Apple Acres instead.

I had to help Applejack with her applebucking by magically moving filled buckets of apples onto a cart until the cart was full.

The cart would then be pulled over to the farmhouse by Big Mac, who emptied the buckets and returned the cart back to us. I then had to put the empty buckets back under the trees that still needed to be bucked so the process could repeat itself.

Trixie left me in Applejack's care after getting bored watching me, and even if I was supposed to be punished, Applejack was nice enough to give me something to eat and drink while we were waiting on the cart's return.

It was not a bad day, considering. Tiring, but not bad. Applejack told a few stories about life on the farm while we were working, helping the day go by faster.

Applejack really helped keep my mood up, even when the headaches started from overusing my magic, but with her support I still managed to keep a smile going until Trixie came to pick me up.

I was experiencing a doubling of my vision by that time, but both of Trixie looked like I was far from forgiven just yet.

I did manage to get dinner in, even if I had to resort to using my hooves as - try as I might - I could not get my magic to work in any reliable fashion.

Trixie's grumbling at having peas randomly launch themselves at her face quickly told me to stop trying.

Another dreamless night followed, but the headaches were still there the next day. It was bad enough that even Trixie took notice of it.

That little sliver of her caring about me showed in how she thought up an easy enough task for me to do, something that didn't require me to use my magic; I had to watch grass grow.

I'm not kidding; I was told to sit down beside the cart and watch the grass grow. All day. While she did her own things without me.

I was given permission to come inside the cart again for lunch, but then had to go back out and stare at the grass moving in the breeze that swept across the land.

If it hadn't been for my headache I could have done a lot of thinking, but mostly I lay there where I was told to sit, my chin resting on my forehooves, and my eyes sort of half staring at the grass and half staring into nothingness.

I mostly just wished for pain relief medication, but did not dare bother Trixie to ask for any.

I honestly don't remember what else I thought of that day. It was so, incredibly, boring...

Dinner came around at some point, and I was happy to see the alfalfa we bought earlier that week used in the dish.

Trixie had burnt it of course, but it still looked like a nice... er... something-or-other that could have at one point been an attempt at making a pie of sorts.

The attempt at a pie had fallen apart, and Trixie had mashed it into little pieces and fried it in a frying pan afterward to make it look like it was meant to look that way.

The bits that weren't burnt weren't that bad, really. She had got most of the ingredients right and the time in the frying pan had let some flavors come to their right which would have otherwise become lost in the pie.

My head didn't hurt that badly anymore as I went to sleep, and I actually dreamt this time.

In my dream, I was in a sort of half-space between Equestria and the human world.

I was back in the street I had used to live at, with the buildings on either side of the road obscured by the trees of the Everfree Forest.

It was night, and the moon was shining brightly in the clear sky, the mare in the moon clearly visible upon its surface.

This shadow upon the lunar surface started to take a more clear form as I looked at it, and a body formed to meet the head that placed itself a few feet away from me, Nightmare Moon looking down at me with some confusion on her face.

"DO NOT BE SCARED, YOUNG FUU!" she cried out, and I responded by being frozen in place from mortal fear.

She frowned at my response, shook her mane, and then looked around.

"THIS PLACE IS UNFAMILIAR TO US. WE HAVE SEEN SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THINE DREAMS BEFORE. IT INTRIGUES US." Nightmare Moon continued, and I felt cold sweat run down my flanks.

"It... It does?" I managed to squeak out, my voice barely a whisper compared to Nightmare Moon's booming voice.

She turned her eyes back to me and snorted. "DID WE NOT JUST SAY THAT?"

I cringed and tried to back away, but my body remained frozen in place.

Don't you just hate dreams like that? Being unable to do anything and just... stand there... while the thing you fear can do just about everything you're scared of it will do?

I was praying and hoping Trixie would wake me up before Nightmare Moon would gobble me up...

"WE TOLD THOU NOT TO BE SCARED. WE MEAN YOU NO HARM. WE MERELY WISH TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE PICTURES MEAN," Nightmare Moon continued, but all I could see was her fierce visage in front of me.

She was towering high above me, her voice making my ears ring even if they were resting flat against my head.

"WE HAVE LIMITED TIME TONIGHT. WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO COME MEET US IN CANTERLOT!" Nightmare Moon decided, and I whimpered while slowly shaking my head.

"I don't think Trixie would allow that..." I muttered.

"TRIXIE?" Nightmare Moon demanded, and I managed to get enough control over my form to fall flat against the ground, peeping out my answer.

"My guardian; Trixie Lulamoon..."

"WE SEE. THOU STAYS NEAR TO PONYVILLE, DOST THOU NOT?" She asked, and I nodded quickly to her question.

"WE ALREADY HAVE PLANS TO VISIT THINE TOWN TWO NIGHTS FROM NOW," she stated what I already knew. "WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AFTER THE FESTIVITIES, YOUNG FUU. WE FEEL WE HAVE MUCH TO DISCUSS."

I didn't know what to think of that. On the one hoof I knew Nightmare Moon had been changed back into Princess Luna after Twilight Sparkle had used the Elements of Harmony on her.

But on the other hoof, all the stories I had been told in the past week about Nightmare Moon coming to gobble us up on Nightmare Night, and her appearance in my dream, made me fearful of her in a way I could not rationally explain.

"THINE DREAM IS COMING TO AN END. WE WILL LOOK FOR YOU ON NIGHTMARE NIGHT, YOUNG FUU." Nightmare Moon suddenly broke through my thoughts, and as I looked up I noticed her body started to go up in smoke while her face merged back into the shadow on the moon's surface.

The smoke continued to expand as Nightmare Moon disappeared, spreading from the moon to the stars to the trees and the buildings, the street... and then I opened my eyes as I woke up.

There was no headache anymore, but I felt a little queasy from the remnants of my fear washing out of me. I sat up and stared at the wall opposite me as I tried to make sense of what I could still remember of the dream.

It was fading quickly, as dreams tend to do, but one thing kept repeating itself in my head. Nightmare Moon said she would look for me on Nightmare Night... Two nights from now.

Nightmare Moon said she would look for me. Personally.

Nightmare Moon. Me. On Nightmare Night. With her looking for me.

I shivered as I tried to put away the fear of getting gobbled up. There was no choice now; I would have to get enough candy together to distract the mare in the moon for long enough so that I could sneak away and remain out of her sight...

Trixie was still asleep, judging from the mild snoring sound that came from the bed. My hope that her dreams were better than mine soon faded as I heard her mumble angrily about "that Twilight filly".

It was clear that the events of last season were still weighing heavily on Trixie's mind.

I lay my head down again in the hope to catch some more sleep, trying to ignore the sleepy mumbling coming from the bed. Sleep came quickly again, and I slept a dreamless sleep until Trixie woke me up again for breakfast.

Trixie took me over to Sugarcube Corner, telling me to help the Cakes out baking their wares.

I tried my best, really I did, but after the third mess of flour hitting the floor rather than the mixing bowl I was put in the front of the store to help customers with their orders.

Sitting on a stool behind the counter so that I could actually look out over it, I helped a lot of Ponyville's residents throughout the day, feeling my cheeks burn each time one of them remarked how helpful I must be to the Cakes and how good it was of me to show my interest in running a shop.

I even got tipped a few times, even if all I really did was use my mouth, hooves, and a little magic to move their orders to the counter and take their money in return.

When Trixie came to pick me up, I had a small bag of coins to present to her and Trixie stared at it in surprise before half snorting a compliment my way.

It clearly was not what she had expected, but she took it "as payment for your transgressions" while barely able to suppress her smile, and I knew it was ok.

I slept a dreamless sleep that night, waking up the next morning to be told by Trixie to keep myself busy around the cart while she went out to "make preparations".

Her words confused me, but I did as told; doing the dishes, cleaning up the cupboards a little, and laying down on the front porch to continue reading my Daring Do book once I was done with it all.

Trixie arrived home just before sundown to find me caught up in a particularly exciting bit of the story; Daring Do had only just escaped from a trap laid by Ahuizotl.

When Trixie's hoof poked me in my side as she passed me by I leapt from the porch as if I had been a pegasus trying to take flight. Unfortunately, lacking the wings of one, I then came crashing back down just as quickly again.

While I was picking myself back up from the ground, Trixie emptied out the saddlebags she had been wearing and stored them in the drawers under the bed, then pulled a costume out from those same drawers and placed it down on top of the bed.

I tucked my book back under my pillows before peeking at what she was doing, and Trixie stepped aside to give me a bit of a better look at it.

It was a onesie in my size; grey with a lighter off-white underside to it. Where I expected a hole for a tail was instead a small fluffball. The outfit's hood had a pair of long ears stitched on it and it made me recognize it for what it was supposed to be.

"Is that a bunny costume?" I asked of Trixie, who just narrowed her eyes at me and motioned her left forehoof in a downward gesture.

"Lower your voice or Trixie will mute you, you know Trixie likes her peace at home," she warned, but then smiled at me regardless. "You wanted an outfit for Nightmare Night. Trixie found you one which should suit you."

I honestly didn't think I had been that loud, just asking a simple question, but I was starting to notice a pattern in Trixie's behavior: She always was more sensitive to sounds and prying questions after having been out to town. Something about being among the other ponies made her antsy and she needed to calm down from it back home in our cart.

She clearly loved the attention while on stage, but anything more than superficial contact with others got on her nerves or something. Like she was afraid to be seen without her performer's mask on.

I expressly focused on speaking softer as I peered at the outfit again. "You think I'd look good as a bunny? That's what you think best suits me?"

"Trixie came to the store late; most of the costumes had already been sold. This was among the remaining ones," Trixie remarked with a huff, her smile disappearing. "Do you want it or not?"

"I appreciate you going through the effort for me, miss Trixie," I spoke, smiling my most genuine of fake smiles at her in the vain hope it would stop her mood from souring more.

She stared at me for a moment as if to judge whether I was being honest with her, then just nodded. "Yes, of course Trixie would put effort in for her assistant to experience her first Nightmare Night. I fully expect a similar effort in actually listening to what Trixie tries to teach you, Fuu."

"Yes, miss Trixie," I sighed. "I'm doing my best."

She narrowed her eyes to me, then motioned to the outfit. "Good. Now try it on."

"What, now?" I squeaked in surprise.

"Trixie needs to see if it fits you or if you need to visit Rarity's shop to have it altered," Trixie explained, in a surprisingly gentle tone. "We only have a day left before the festivities start, so you would have to go in the early morning."

I wasn't looking forward to getting up early in the day if the festivities happened later at the fall of night. I would be too tired to truly appreciate the festivities, and to then talk with Nightmare Moon afterward.

She would surely gobble me up if I fell asleep when she was trying to talk with me!

I used my magic to pull the costume up toward me noting it was basically a full suit with no zippers visible on it. I figured I had to just put my back hooves down through the same hole my face would stick through, then pull it up around me from there.

Finding the back legs of the outfit, I rolled the sleeves up a little to be able to put my back hooves in them as if they were socks, then pulled the suit up to my rump with my magic.

There was a bit of stretch to the material, which helped when I had to stuff my tail hairs into the inner bag of the fluffball. Once I got them all in and pulled the suit up around me some more, I noticed I could move this bunny tail as if it was my own, what with my tailbone connecting to it just the same.

It wasn't too uncomfortable, just a bit of a funny feeling to have these tail hairs stuck in a ball.

Trixie was watching me with her right eyebrow slowly rising up.

I decided to stop focusing on my tail and instead pull the suit up further, sticking my forelegs into their respective sleeves before pulling the hood up further over my head.

My ears fitted into the bunny ears sewn on top of the hood in a similar fashion as my tail fitted into the bunny tail, even if they would not help to keep the big floppy things raised up.

Now fully wearing my bunny outfit, I struck a pose on a whim.

Trixie frowned at me.

"The collar shows under the suit," she spoke dismissively. "You're going to have to pull the hoodie up underneath it or wear a scarf. This just looks weird."

"Do we have a scarf I could wear, miss Trixie?" I wondered.

"No," she replied simply, staring me down.

I sighed and pulled the hoodie off again, then worked it under the collar and pulled it up anew so I was wearing it properly anew with the collar now on the outside of the suit.

"How's this, miss Trixie?" I asked, and she gave me a slow nod.

"Turn around. Let Trixie see the fit," she demanded.

I turned around in the small space of the cart, being scrutinized by Trixie's discerning eye.

Once I had done a full turn, I noticed she was smiling at me.

"Good, Trixie bought the right size. You don't need to go to town in the morning," she considered. "Take it off again while Trixie makes us some sandwiches for dinner."

"Yes miss Trixie." I agreed, promptly pulling the hood off my head. "Sandwiches sound good."

"Sandwiches won't burn when Trixie looks away for a second," my guardian grumbled. "They are obviously superior to pie."

"And they taste very nice when you make them, miss Trixie," I tried to boost her self-confidence on the subject, attempting to be supportive as Zecora had told me.

"You're just saying that because you have a limited palate, Fuu," Trixie huffed as she got to work preparing our meals. "Trixie hasn't shown you the world beyond Ponyville yet. Perhaps Trixie should get her show out on the road so you can see more."

I continued to undress myself, then folded the suit up carefully and placed it at the footend of the bed.

"You did say I should get my magic under control so I could help you with your shows, miss Trixie," I reminded her.

"Yes, Trixie remembers," she hummed while putting some alfalfa and other ingredients between slices of bread. "You have made great progress, but Trixie can't have you crashing down between shows as you have these past days with the headaches and nightmares. Trixie wonders if they will leave you after some time. We will have to see."

I'm sure it was just pragmatic to not have to deal with a hurting and tired filly after each show, but Trixie's words still made me feel like she did care for me even with her dismissive attitude.

"Is there anything I can do besides using my magic?" I wondered carefully, sitting down on the ground a little away from her as she finished up the sandwiches.

"Trixie wouldn't know. Using Trixie's magic is what led Trixie to overcome her own problems. Maybe you're just hit with it harder because you used to be a human? This is something to consider," she returned to me.

Trixie sat down on her bed and floated her own plate with sandwiches over to herself, looking at me pensively.

"Honestly, most of the problems Trixie sees with you is because you used to be a human," she stated slowly. "You have too many questions, you don't act like a normal filly. You only half listen when Trixie speaks."

"I do listen," I protested, glancing between her and my own plate still on the sink. "There are a lot of things I don't know, but I do try to follow along as much as possible."

Trixie studied me while bringing a sandwich up from her plate, then spoke past it. "Get your plate already. Why are you waiting for Trixie to tell you to get it? You're obviously hungry."

"Because you sometimes want me to show initiative, but punish me for showing initiative at other moments. I honestly don't know when I'm allowed to do something or not, miss Trixie," I stated bluntly.

Trixie narrowed her eyes at me but took a bite from her sandwich instead of remarking about it, and I quickly grabbed a magical hold of the plate and sandwiches she had left out for me and pulled them toward myself to do the same.

With both of our mouths now filled with tasty food, I could only just glance at her every so often to see an expression I could only guess at.

She was clearly thinking some things over, taking this moment of quiet to set her thoughts straight, but I was sure I had crossed a line just now.

I had only spoken the truth; she had been going back and forth so often that I was just waiting for her to tell me what to do instead of going by my own initiative.

Trixie finished with her sandwiches and put her plate down on the sink, then just fell down on her bed and pulled her legs up to herself.

"Trixie will work on communicating better," she mumbled. "It is clear you don't pick up on body language and need more explanation."

"You're mostly just sulking on the bed or looking at me as if I've done something wrong," I mumbled. "I don't know what I can read out of that."

"That being an adult is tiresome," Trixie grumbled.

I floated my empty plate over to the sink and placed it on top of hers.

"Want me to do the dishes, miss Trixie?" I asked gently.

"Yes. And make Trixie something to drink while you're at it," she agreed. "You'd best stay up a little longer tonight and then sleep until late in the morning tomorrow; Nightmare Night starts when twilight sets in and lasts for a few hours longer than your usual bedtime. But try to remain quiet; Trixie needs her own rest."

"Yes miss Trixie," I agreed before getting up to go do my tasks.

With the dishes done and tea made for both Trixie and myself, I settled on my stack of pillows on the ground and sipped my own tea while reading my book.

Trixie just rested on her bed with her own tea until she moved her cup over to the sink and left it there.

I barely noticed when she had fallen asleep as I was too engrossed in this Daring Do book until I had finished reading it fully.

After I cleaned up our mugs as quietly as possible and had put my book away, I turned the light off and fell asleep myself.

Nightmare Moon stood towering over the lands of Equestria, her head at the same height as where I had expected the moon to be, her body breaking through the clouds, each of her legs a massive skyscraper.

One of her massive hooves stood on the fields of Sweet Apple Acres, with Applejack trying to buck at it in a futile attempt to get her to lift it again.

I realised with horror that that hoof stood where I knew the Apples' family home to be, and I could only guess at the fate of Applejack's family members.

Nightmare Moon's head turned slowly in the air as she beheld the lands under her.

"NIGHTMARE NIGHT IS SOON UPON US! WE SHALL VISIT PONYVILLE TOMORROW!" she decried in a loud booming voice which parted the clouds before her.

"AND WE WILL SEEST THOU THERE, YOUNG FUU," she reminded me, her head coming down from the sky toward me at a frightening pace. "PERHAPS YOU WILL FEAR US LESS WHEN WE MEET IN PERSON!"

I could only peer up at her huge face before me as I once more stood frozen from fear.

"WAKE UP, FUU," she spoke again, the air from her breath flinging me backward into Trixie's cart behind me.

I crashed into my stack of pillows, flailed around to get my bearings, and then got captured by somepony else's magic.

"No! Let me go! Don't gobble me up!" I cried out, struggling against the magic hold on me.

"Fuu!" Trixie called out. "Snap out of it. You had a nightmare again."

I looked around in bewilderment, hovering a few inches above my pillow pile as I was still held by Trixie's magic.

She stood only two paces from me, closer to the door, her horn glowing.

Daylight shone in from the half-open door behind her, not a sign of Nightmare Moon.

I tried to control my breathing as I noticed I had been hyperventilating, and Trixie took that as a sign to lower me down upon my pillows again.

"Trixie will be happy when you are done with these nightmares, Fuu. They are a nuisance," she decided.

I nodded my head to her statement. "I will be too, miss Trixie. My heart is pounding so fast I swear it's trying to escape from my chest."

"Well, don't let it," Trixie returned with a smirk. "It's already past lunchtime. Trixie thinks we should go to town so you can meet up with your friends. Get your costume on, Fuu."

"Are you going to be taking part in the festivities as well, miss Trixie?" I wondered as I looked around myself for the costume.

"That depends on if there is a calm spot where Trixie can just have a drink and not be bothered too much," she told me. "Trixie is not dressing up for it. That's something for you foals."

I used my magic to lift my pillows off the floor, looking under them. "Where did the costume go?"

"You kicked it under my bed," Trixie stated.

"Oh, thank you miss Trixie," I answered here, looking under her bed for the crumpled-up costume and pulling it free with my magic.

I quickly got dressed up and made sure to put the collar on the outside of the suit as Trixie had instructed me to do the day before.

She walked out of the carriage without waiting for me, and I quickly pulled my saddlebag out from where it was stored, put it on, and shoved my book in it before walking out as well.

Trixie had already walked toward the road and I closed the door to our cart before hurrying after her.

She looked back at me with a questioning look on her face. "Why did you put your saddlebag on?"

"I finished my book, so I thought to bring it back to the library and swap it out for the next volume," I explained.

Trixie just sighed and used her magic to pull my bag off me. "You're not doing that. Wait here while Trixie puts your bag away again."

I watched as she walked back to the cart with my bag in her magical hold, put it in the cart, and then returned to where I stood.

"I don't get why you did that," I stated honestly as I walked beside her to her right. "I thought it would save us some time since we're going into town anyway?"

"What would you do with a book while gathering up candy?" Trixie asked me pointedly. "Your costume looks better without saddlebags on it."

"So I'll just be a collared bunny then," I chuckled weakly. "I guess I'll have to do it tomorrow after school."

"It's Nightmare Night tonight; there is no school tomorrow. You have missed a few days in class, but surely somepony would have mentioned it before then?" Trixie wondered.

I shook my head at her. "No, miss Trixie. I wasn't aware."

"This is what Trixie meant; the problems with you missing clues because you were formerly a human," she pointed out with a sigh. "Too many things Trixie needs to inform you about which anypony growing up in Equestria would have been aware of much faster already."

"I guess you're right, miss Trixie," I mumbled. "There are a lot of unsaid things which aren't explained to me by anypony until they become an issue."

"That is what Trixie said," Trixie pointed out. "The Great and Understanding Trixie will just let you have your night of fun, but she will expect you to learn about these things more proactively starting tomorrow, Fuu. It might not be a school day, but there are enough ponies other than Trixie whom you can ask to explain things for you."

"Yes miss Trixie," I agreed, noting we were turning toward the market square.

A number of stalls were set up, properly dressed up with spooky decorations, and games were set up a little distance away from the food stalls. There was also a large podium which was still being set up with some last minute corrections to the starry drapes by a couple of pegasi, under the watchful gaze of Rarity.

The sun was still high in the sky, but even so there were a number of younger ponies already going around with their guardians, all of them dressed in various costumes like I was.

The only ones not with their guardians were Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and a third pony who I could only barely recognize as Apple Bloom by way of the big bow she wore on her mane.

Scootaloo had dressed up as a Werewolf, Sweetie Belle was very clearly a vampire, but the most work had gone into Apple Bloom's Bride of Frankenstein look.

Applejack's little sister had a big wig on, on which her usual bow had been placed after it had first been cut up and badly stitched together again.

She also had a bunch of fake tattoos of stitching all over her face and body as if the notorious doctor had stitched her together from different bodyparts taken from other ponies.

"Hi girls," I offered as I approached them, and the trio turned to face Trixie and myself.

"There she is, I told you she was gonna be fine," Apple Bloom suggested. "She worked the fields with my big brother and sister just the other day."

"But I got worried about her since she wasn't at school," Sweetie Belle hissed past her false fangs.

"Well, she's here now," Trixie pointed out. "You're her friends, so keep an eye on her. It's her first Nightmare Night and Trixie has to do grownup things."

"Yes miss Trixie!" all three of them exclaimed loudly, making both Trixie and me wince from the loudness of their combined voices.

"Oh! Have you met Pipsqueak yet, Fuu?" Sweetie Belle asked all of a sudden as if she just remembered something.

"Of course not," Scootaloo pointed out with a roll of her eyes. "She wasn't at school when he joined our class."

"Pipsqueak?" I wondered, noting Trixie just walking off from my peripheral vision.

"It's his first Nightmare Night as well," Apple Bloom told me. "He moved here from Trottingham, ya know?"

"I didn't even know there was a place called Trottingham until yesterday," Sweetie Belle admitted. "Rarity said she'd show me on a map but she was too busy with sewing outfits for everypony."

I tried to follow the conversation, turning my head from one of the girls to the other and the suit's left bunny ear flopped down over my left eye as a result.

I blew air up to try and get it out of my face, but it just flopped back again so I had to move it with my magic a moment after.

"Ooh, you've gotten better with your magic, Fuu?" Sweetie Belle realised.

"Yeah, although I've had a few days of bad headaches and nightmares from it," I admitted to her.

"Oh, I used to get those all the time as well," she told me with a smile. "You'll grow out of those."

"Wait, you unicorns get headaches?" Apple Bloom wondered in concern.

"Yeah," Sweetie Belle stated with a big grin. "That's normal when we first learn to use our magic."

"So that's like the pain from when your pin feathers grow out then?" Scootaloo considered, looking back at her wings sticking out of the werewolf costume she was wearing.

"I guess?" Sweetie Belle admitted, and I likewise shrugged at the question.

"I'm not sure I know what that would feel like; we don't have feathers," I pointed out.

Pinkie Pie suddenly popped up between us and pulled us into a big hug, with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo on her right and Sweetie Belle and me on her left.

"Are you ready to gather up some candy? Ba-gawk!" the pink pony dressed like a chicken clucked in our ears.

"Oh yeah!" three out of four of us shouted out, the other Cutie Mark Crusaders far more in tune with one another than I was compared to them.

Pinkie turned her head almost impossibly toward me to peer at me past the fake beak she had propped up on her nose.

"How 'bout you, Fuu?" she asked. "Are you ready to get candy??"

"It's Fuu's first Nightmare Night," Applebloom pointed out, and Pinkie let go of us all in shock.

"Her first Nightmare Night?! Buk, buk, ba-gaaawk! We have to make sure she doesn't get gobbled up by Nightmare Moon then!" she decried.

"It's mah first Nightmare Night too, miss Pinkie Pie," a very British sounding voice called out from beside me, and I turned my head to find a much smaller young colt dressed like a pirate walk up to us.

I quickly compared his size to mine and realised I wasn't the shortest in our group anymore.

"We MUST gather candy, for the sake of these two foals not getting gobbled up on their very first Nightmare Night," Pinkie Pie said with a very serious face. "Follow me, everypony!"

I was taken aback by how quickly the afternoon turned into a mad swirl of Pinkie Pie deciding where we younger ponies would go, but the group just grew under her guidance and soon I was unable to do much else but follow everypony else's example.

It was a lot like Halloween, in a way; we'd go around from door to door and sing this silly rhyme; "Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!"

We would then get candy in our special Nightmare Night bags which Pinkie Pie had made sure we all carried on us, and move on to the next house.

I recognized a few of the ponies who opened their doors to us; having met them out in town before or in school. We got a bunch of goodies at our teacher Cheerilee's house, something Pinkie Pie especially was very happy with.

As the chicken went over the contents of her bag, Cheerilee took me aside a moment.

"How are you doing, Fuu? We have missed you at school these past few days," she asked with a worried look on her face.

"I have been having a lot of headaches and nightmares lately, miss Cheerilee," I answered. "Trixie thought it would be best to keep me at home so I could rest up."

I thought Cheerilee would have been confused by that, what with her being an earthpony, but she instead gave me a bit more candy.

"It's good to hear you're just going through some growing pains, Fuu," Cheerilee told me with clear empathy to her voice. "Some of my classmates back when I went to school were late bloomers like yourself; unicorn magic doesn't grow at the same speed for everypony. If you need to take a few more days off, I can come by with some homework so you don't fall behind in class?"

I thanked her, but Pinkie Pie pressed me on to continue moving to collect more candy so I rejoined the group.

So far so much like Halloween back home.

My bag had filled up with quite a bit of candy before nightfall, but then Pinkie Pie suddenly directed us all to the main square where the mayor of Ponyville decided to hold a speech dressed as a clown.

The mayor introduced Zecora to us, saying she would explain the story of Nightmare Night, and I was immediately invested as the Zebra walked out of a green cloud with spiders stuck to her mane.

"Follow me, and very soon, you'll hear the tale of Nightmare Moon," Zecora started, then led us away from the podium to the edge of the Everfree Forest.

"Listen close, my little dears, I'll tell you where you got your fears of Nightmare Night, so dark and scary. Of Nightmare Moon, who makes you wary." she continued, using green dust to make Nightmare Moon appear in the sky and come charging us.

"Every year, we put on a disguise, to save ourselves from her searching eyes," she continued, hiding in the dust she had spread around the area. "But Nightmare Moon wants just one thing: to gobble up ponies in one quick swing!"

More dust was spread around, and Nightmare Moon was searching around as Zecora continued talking.

"Hungrily, she soars the sky. If she sees nopony, she passes by. So if she comes and all is clear, Equestria is safe another year!"

Zecora threw a lot of effort into her storytelling, and I must admit to having been scared by a few of these depictions appearing around me, but then Pipsqueak walked forward to ask a question I had not even considered.

"Uh, Miss Zecora, if we wear costumes to hide from Nightmare Moon, so she won't gobble us up, how come we still need to give her some of our candy?" he asked the Zebra.

"A perfect question, my little friend. For Nightmare Moon you must not offend." Zecora answered. "Fill up her belly with a treat or two, so she won't return to come eat you!"

At this last part she released more of her magical green smoke and Nightmare Moon jumped at us from out of the cloud in a fearsome vision of her trying to eat us!

We all cried out in fear, but then Pinkie Pie said "Everypony! Just dump some candy and get out of here!"

So we all did, dropping some of our candy out of our bags at the foot of the statue of Nightmare Moon.

The wind picked up as I was pulling candy out of my bag, and I looked up as the rest of us did.

The clouds parted and a dark chariot pulled by a pair of evil-looking ponies descended from where the moon sat in the sky, a third pony shrouded in darkness riding the chariot down to the ground.

I backed away with the group I was in, trying to figure out what was going on, but then suddenly Pinkie Pie shouted out;

"It's Nightmare Moon! Run!"

And we did.

We ran away from the statue as if the devil was on our heels, right into town as Pinkie Pie tried to lead us to safety.

My heart beat fast in my chest as the chariot followed us and landed in the town square, and we all dropped to the ground in fear.

Princess Luna stepped off her chariot and addressed the crowd cowering before her in fear.

"CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE! WE HAVE GRACED YOUR TINY VILLAGE WITH OUR PRESENCE, SO THAT YOU MIGHT BEHOLD THE REAL PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT! A CREATURE OF NIGHTMARES NO LONGER, BUT INSTEAD A PONY WHO DESIRES YOUR LOVE AND ADMIRATION! TOGETHER WE SHALL CHANGE THIS DREADFUL CELEBRATION INTO A BRIGHT AND GLORIOUS FEAST!"

A crack of lightning quickly followed by a clap of thunder followed her loud shouting and I am sure I let out a whimper.

Pinkie Pie jumped up and cried out, "Did you hear that, everypony? Nightmare Moon says she's gonna feast on us all!"

I ran.

Pinkie Pie ran, the group of foals I was with ran, and I ran with them, in a disorganised stampede until Pinkie Pie slowed down again and turned to us.

"I don't think we're being followed. Has anypony been gobbled up?" she asked, doing a quick headcount as we all calmed down from the frightful event.

I was panting hard at this point, being led around from one frightful situation into another. I had not run so much since coming here, except for that one day when I had to find a doctor for Trixie, and I was definitely feeling it.

"Buk, buk, buk. We have to go to Fluttershy's house. She can keep us safe from Nightmare Moon!" Pinkie Pie half-clucked.

"As... as long as we don't have to run," I panted out.

"Aww, sure. We can walk; it's not that far," Pinkie offered with a grin. "I'm sure she'll have candy too!"

She led us out to Fluttershy's cottage on the edge of town and called out "Fluttershy! You've gotta hide us! Nightmare Moon is here and..."

Pinkie Pie did a doubletake as we saw Fluttershy in princess Luna's grasp, supposedly dead or fainted.

"Bakawk! Ah! She stole Fluttershy's voice so she can't scream when she gobbles her up!" Pinkie declared, and ran past us again the way we came.

I had no choice but to follow the group as we ran back to town again, trying once more to find safety.

"Hey, has anypony seen Pipsqueak?" Apple Bloom asked, far more used to running and not at all out of breath yet.

Pinkie Pie stopped dead in her tracks and we all sort of collided into her as there was no way for us to stop that quickly.

As we sorted ourselves out, Pinkie did another headcount.

"Oh, you're right! We are missing Pip!" she noticed. "Let's go look for him before he misses out on all the fun!"

She clucked to herself as she turned for the town square again, and I just tried to make sense of this night of running and ducking for cover.

The gathering up of candy was fun, but then it had all devolved into a right mess.

When we came to the games area, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack were waiting there for us.

Pinkie Pie addressed them; "Hey, gals. Anypony seen Pip? We lost him the last time we had to run..."

She did another doubletake and I looked ahead to spot Luna halfway through eating Pipsqueak!

"Bakawk!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed again. "Aaah! Nightmare Moon is gobbling Pipsqueak! Everypony run!"

And we were back to running for safety, with Pip catching up to us.

I could hear Luna shouting behind us, but I just ran with the group since Pinkie Pie was leading us around this way and that, and I didn't want to end up alone during this frightful night.

We finally returned to the square where everypony were in a dire state.

A few of our group left to join their parents, who were all in various states of shock.

"Well, that's it for Nightmare Night, Apple Bloom," Applejack suggested in a sad tone as she approached her sister and the rest of us Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"What do ya mean, Applejack?" Apple Bloom asked in shock.

"Ah, princess Luna just as much told us so, it's sad but true," Rarity offered as she walked over to us as well. "Perhaps we should head home then, Sweetie Belle?"

"But this can't be the last Nightmare Night!" Pipsqueak decried. "It's only been my first!"

"Mine too," I added, wondering why I was feeling so bad to hear this scary time was apparently over.

More of our group disbanded, and Pinkie just stood there seemingly in shock at everypony around her being all out of sorts.

I looked around in an effort to find Trixie, but she was nowhere to be found.

Pinkie suddenly wandered off but since she wasn't leading our group anymore I didn't follow.

I joined Pipsqueak and a few others near the podium, waiting for Trixie to come find me.

"Gosh. I never thought my very first Nightmare Night would be my very last," Pipsqueak considered.

I sighed in empathy, but then Zecora piped up. "Come, little Pip. Now don't you fret. Nightmare Night's not over yet. We still have candy left to give, so Nightmare Moon might let us live."

I perked up, noting that Applejack was talking with Twilight Sparkle off to the side, but then turned to walk in our direction.

The mayor walked up to us, still dressed as a clown. "Yes. Come on, little ponies. What's Nightmare Night without the annual candy offering? You don't want Nightmare Moon to gobble you up, do you?"

Spike walked by with a bunch of skull-shaped lights on a string, and I heard him say "Aw, the rainbow wig just kills it for me."

Applejack joined up with us and spoke "Come on, kids! Doesn't that sound like fun?" in way too eager a tone.

"What's the use?" I wondered, but Zecora and the mayor led us all out toward the statue again anyway.

We each deposited some more candy at the statue, and I looked up at it as it was my turn.

This was the Nightmare Moon from my dreams. This was the horrible monster who was supposed to gobble us up.

I had seen the princess Luna a couple of times now, and she had looked... different.

And she had told me in my nightmares that she wanted me to be less afraid of her, so why was she scaring us so much?

I walked away from the statue to let the others deposit their candy as well, and could hear Pipsqueak muttering behind me.

"Goodbye, Nightmare Night. Forever," he said.

There was a gust of wind and Nightmare Moon's voice called out from somewhere but it sounded like it came from all around.

I noticed the adults were as confused as we were, and we were all trying to figure out where the voice came from.

"CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE! YOU WERE WISE TO BRING THIS CANDY TO ME. I AM PLEASED WITH YOUR OFFERING. SO PLEASED THAT I MAY JUST EAT IT... INSTEAD OF EATING YOU!" Nightmare Moon decried, and suddenly appeared where her statue had stood a moment before!

We all ran in fear again, hiding in the nearby bushes to not get gobbled up!

And once more Pipsqueak was the boldest among us and was walking back.

I wanted to call out to him to warn him, but then noticed Luna talking with Twilight Sparkle near where the statue had stood a moment before.

"Um... Princess Luna," Pipsqueak called out. "I know there's not gonna be any more Nightmare Night, but do you suppose maybe you could come back next year and scare us again anyway?"

I planted my left forehoof to my forehead. Surely he wasn't?

Luna was confused by this statement. "Child. Art thou saying that thou... likest me to scare you?"

"It's really fun! Scary, but fun!" Pipsqueak stated.

I noticed the foals around me all nodding their heads and considered how I felt myself.

We had been running all over the place, running on adrenaline pumping through our veins, we had gathered up candy and worn costumes.

With Luna or Nightmare Moon chasing us it had almost been like one of the haunted houses back home during Halloween.

"It... is?" Luna wondered.

Pipsqueak grinned. "Yeah! Nightmare Night is my favorite night of the year."

I was calming down from this recent scare again, and I could see where he was coming from. Halloween was just a fun kind of scary; when you were sure you weren't in actual danger.

"Well then. We shall have to bring," Luna started, but then suddenly shouted out loudly again, "NIGHTMARE NIGHT BACK!"

The ferocity of her voice startled me, but the feeling was quickly followed by one of a strange elation; I was actually happy to hear that this world's version of Halloween had not just ended the very first time I had been able to experience it!

"Whoa! You're my favorite princess ever!" Pipsqueak called out before running our way again and shouting to us "She said yes, guys!"

"Yay!" We all called out in unison, a wave of happiness washing over us.

"Buk, buk, bakawk! In that case it's time to gather up more candy!" Pinkie Pie decided as she popped up from behind Apple Bloom like she had been with us all along. "Who's with me?"

"I am!" I heard myself call out before I knew it, caught up in the moment.

"So am I!" Scootaloo decided.

"And me!" Apple Bloom offered up.

"Yeah! What they said," Sweetie Belle added.

07 - Requiem for a Dream Princess

My night of candy gathering and the occasional fright continued for a while, with princess Luna joining in the festivities.

We brought our candy to her every so often, as the tradition demanded, and I spotted her having just as much fun with the games set up around town as the rest of us did.

With the princess keeping her voice at a reasonable volume, the only times my ears rang was when Rainbow Dash made a thunderclap happen overhead, scaring me witless once or twice.

As the night progressed, I noticed my fellow foals yawning more and more, and the pace at which we were following after Pinkie Pie was slowing down.

The group slowly but surely disbanded as parents came to take their foals home, leaving Scootaloo and myself as the last pair to sit with Pinkie Pie going over our candy haul together near the town's fountain.

I didn't know where Trixie had gone. All she had said was that she was going to do some grownup things while we were out gathering candy.

I could have wandered on home by myself, but I had an appointment with princess Luna. Staying near the fountain in town kept a lot of eyes on me and Scootaloo as we slowly became the only two fillies remaining out and about.

Even the adult ponies started to clean up after themselves and go home, even as Pinkie showed no sign of getting tired. Considering the amounts of candy she had consumed, I was sure she was riding a monster of a sugar high.

I picked at my own takings with my magic and lifted what passed for a jellybean in this world to my mouth.

Scootaloo folded the wolf head of her costume back as if she was just taking off a hoodie, letting it rest against her back.

"You're not going home yet, Fuu?" she asked.

"No, I made a promise to wait for somepony," I told her. "How about you?"

Scootaloo shrugged and stifled a yawn. "I'm not tired yet."

I knew that was a blatant lie, but chose to let her have it.

"Tired? Who gets tired on a night like this??" Pinkie exclaimed, but the manic expression on her face made her look unhinged.

A gust of wind from my left side made me turn and look in that direction in time to see princess Luna landing a few paces away from us.

Scootaloo, Pinkie, and myself all bowed our heads toward her as she walked on over.

"Ah, young Fuu. I am happy to find you well," she spoke in a kind, soft voice rather than the booming one from my dreams.

Scootaloo gaped. "She knows your name?"

"The princess knows all of our names; she watches over our dreams, silly," Pinkie pointed out.

"Oh, right," Scootaloo remembered.

"The pink one is correct, but right now we would like to talk with Fuu," the princess told the pair of them.

She then addressed me personally. "Walk with me, young Fuu. Let us away to a calmer spot."

"Yes princess," I answered dilligently, getting up from where I was seated near the fountain.

I looked at my candy stash for a moment, then pushed it over toward Pinkie Pie.

"I doubt Trixie would like me to come home with a pile of candy. You can have it, miss Pinkie. Thank you for making my first Nightmare Night a success," I told her in all honesty.

"I'll see you at school or the clubhouse again, Scootaloo?" I wondered of my fellow Cutiemark Crusader.

"You'll betcha," Scootaloo promised.

I walked up to the princess, noting how she was shorter than her alter ego Nightmare Moon even if she was still taller than even the adult ponies here in Ponyville.

While I was even shorter than her, I would surely hit her if I tried to walk under her, if not with my head than at least with my unicorn horn or ears.

She started walking to a darker spot in town, where the lights of the festival area didn't reach, making sure to keep her pace slow by taking smaller steps in an obvious effort to allow me to keep up with her.

"Dost thou remember what I asked in thine dreams, young Fuu?" princess Luna wondered as we walked.

I tried to recall my dreams, but the memory had been fading as time progressed.

All I remembered was how tall she was in it, how imposing as Nightmare Moon, and how loud her voice sounded to me.

The strongest lasting memory from them was that Nightmare Moon, or princess Luna, wanted to meet with me, but that was about it.

I shook my head in reply. "No, princess Luna. I have difficulty remembering what all happened in them."

"Ah, young Fuu, you are far from the only pony who finds the memory of their dreams fleeting. You frolic in my sister's day but pay so much less attention during my night," she lamented.

I could hear the sorrow in her voice.

It obviously meant a lot to her that ponies respected her night as much as they did the day, but sleep was a necessary thing we just couldn't avoid.

"I do like the nights," I spoke in an effort to make her feel better. "I like looking up at the stars in the sky. Especially here in Equestria, where there's barely any air pollution."

Luna smiled and turned her head slightly to look down upon me with a curious look to her eye.

"This is what we mean; thine dreams are full of concepts foreign to Equestria. They are not the dreams I would expect from a filly of your age," Luna explained.

I looked down at the ground I was walking on with my hooves.

"I'm not your usual filly, I guess," I sighed.

"If we may make an observation, you are not a usual pony, filly or not. What transpired, Fuu? What are these images about? What are you?" Luna pushed.

I stopped walking and glanced around myself to make sure Trixie was nowhere near.

"I'm Trixie's ward, or at least I am now," I started, feeling apprehensive. "I'm not sure she'd like me to talk with anypony else about it. She tends to prevent me doing so."

"Let your princess handle Trixie," Luna suggested to me.

I stared up at the taller alicorn mare, considering for a moment that she was the only pony princess I had met since arriving in Equestria. For all intents and purposes, she was indeed 'my' princess.

"To be honest, princess, I used to be human before Trixie changed that," I spouted, then immediately glanced around again to make sure Trixie had not snuck up on us while I wasn't looking.

Luna watched me fidget, a pensive look on her face.

"You mahns... We faintly remember having read about those in our youth," she considered. "Art thou saying that they are real?"

"As real as you and me standing here right now, princess," I agreed. "I used to be one. I can't believe I've managed to say those words; I used to be human. Trixie brought me..."

My voice broke as tears sprang to my eyes.

Was it from relief that I had finally been able to utter those words to somepony other than Trixie?

Was it the weight of all that had happened to me since backing up out of that driveway?

Luna looked around a moment as well, then leaned down and bit down around my collar resting at the nape of my neck so she had a good grip on the bunny costume I was wearing.

I was unceremoniously hoisted up and felt a sudden rush of wind as the princess took flight with me held in her mouth like a sack of potatoes.

I was bewildered by the whole thing; What had just happened? Where was she taking me?

The night's festivities and the idea that Nightmare Moon might gobble us up if we did not bring her enough candy was still fresh in my mind, and I had to fight my instinct to struggle against her hold.

I barely had enough control over my magic to do the basic things, and without a levitation spell or wings I would not survive the drop, so it was in my best interest to let princess Luna do her thing.

The trees of the Everfree Forest passed by under my hooves, and soon we were farther from Ponyville than I had gone so far.

She kept flying until we came to a large ruined building which was half overgrown with plantlife.

I thought for a moment that she would land in front of it, but instead she flew around to a broken window and expertly landed in the room beyond it.

She lowered me to the ground, the stones barely covered by the remnants of what probably used to be a lush carpet.

I was honestly glad to have some solid ground under me, and took a few uneasy steps to get the cold out of my limbs.

The room we were in must have at one point been a very nicely decorated bedroom, judging by the large bed which had deteriorated to the point where I was sure it would crumble to dust if I sneezed at it.

Luna sat down beside me to get closer to my level, but was similarily looking around the room with a mixed expression of grief and guilt on her face.

I was so confused; why was I suddenly taken for a ride by the pony princess of the night? What was going on?

"We know what it feels like to be misplaced, young Fuu," Luna spoke in a deep sigh. "This used to be our room, a thousand years ago. We made a mistake, and lost what we had as a result."

My mind reeled. A thousand years was such a long time I could not fathom anypony having been alive for that time.

Back home I had not thought further than a few years into the past, and maybe a week into the future so I would know which girl to visit.

It had only been since my mate had pointed out the cartoon to me that... wait.

A memory flitted through my mind.

"This is the castle where Twilight... oh," I recalled the events from the first episodes of the show.

"It is as you say; this is the palace where Twilight Sparkle and her friends defeated Nightmare Moon and made me see the error of my ways," Luna agreed. "Formerly known as the Palace of the Two Sisters, where my sister Celestia and I reigned together so long ago."

I looked at her and the sad expression on her face, then just sat down somewhat opposite her.

"I'm so confused right now, princess," I admitted.

"You are not alone in that, young Fuu. This night has gone different from what I had expected of it," princess Luna suggested. "Much different if you are a you mahn."

"Well, I'm pretty much a pony now, not a human," I coughed uneasily.

I reached up with my right forehoof to touch my horn.

"And I'm learning how to use magic. That's not something humans are able to do, I'm sure," I added.

"Pray tell, how did this happen? Leave out no detail," the princess asked, looking at me intently.

Now safe in knowing Trixie was not there to mute me, with princess Luna having shown a part of her past to me which I was sure few ponies alive today had been privvy to, my words spilled from my lips like an unending stream of water.

I talked about how I was not the best human, how I had my flaws, but how I was introduced to the world of ponies by a buddy of mine and had found it to be more entertaining than I had initially considered it to be.

My bad way with women came up and Luna clearly disliked what she heard as I explained how I just went from one girl to another with no care for how I treated them.

The word 'car' gave her some pause, but I explained it to be a self-propelled cart and that sated her curiosity, for now.

I took full responsibility for having hit Trixie with my car, and used it to excuse her treatment of me now I was living here near Ponyville with her.

She had her good sides, even if she was a bit difficult to deal with; she had allowed me to go to school, to make friends, to experience Nightmare Night, and she tried her best to provide food and shelter for me.

Trixie wasn't all bad, she just needed a manual for dealing with her.

Luna's smile broadened as I explained how I was friends with Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle and how we were all part of a group of crusaders making up fantastical plans to get our cutiemarks one day.

I ended my long rant by detailing about the fun night I had being chased around by her, getting scared by Rainbow Dash occasionally dropping a thunderclap over top of my group, and the amount of various candies I had collected for her.

Luna lowered her head down to look in my eyes. "If I hear you correctly, young Fuu, your life has improved since you have come to our world?"

I quickly nodded my head. "I think so, princess Luna."

"And you have come from a place with a similar dark delusion as had taken a hold of me," she considered.

I tried to follow her thoughts here, but didn't make the same connection.

She had tried to usurp the Equestrian throne, had tried to kill her sister or defeat her to the point where it was just about the same end result, and had been locked away in the moon for a thousand years.

It was hardly comparable to my own transgressions.

"And now you are but one pony among many, doing penance for your crimes," Luna continued, and I looked up to see a lone tear make its way down her cheek. "Like I am."

I didn't know what to say to that.

"When I saw your dreams I was worried that you might bring calamity to our world, as I have done myself," the princess spoke of her worry.

"You have done much to alleviate my fears tonight, as have your friends from Ponyville. Young Pip made me see that being scared can be a positive thing," Luna considered.

"It has been an eventful night," the princess sighed.

I gave a nod, and one of the bunny ears of my costume fell down over my right eye.

Luna used her magic to brush the fake bunny ear back on my head.

"From what you told me, it is obvious that Trixie has brought you here to teach you a lesson. The question is what you are want to do with this new life you have been given, young Fuu?" she asked me directly.

"I don't know. Trixie seems to need somepony like me in her life," I muttered. "She wants me to be her assistant while she performs her magic shows, for one. She presses me to get better at magic so we can get on the road again."

"But, and you might know this better than me, princess, Trixie also has horrible nightmares which disturb her rest," I added in a louder voice, even if it was the squeaky voice of the young filly I was.

"I can't be there for her in her dreams when she has those, but I can help her recover from them by doing chores and making tea when she needs me to," I considered. "It's something, you know?"

Luna eyed me with some interest.

"So, even though you have your misgivings about how you are treated by Trixie, you still wish to remain with her and live here among us? Even if it means you can never return to your old life on Earth?" she wondered.

I reached up with my left hoof to touch my chest, roughly where I thought my heart was located.

"It might be because I'm a filly now, but I don't think I could leave Trixie alone right now. It wouldn't feel right to leave her without friends or somepony to support her like that," I decided. "She has major trust issues and treats me like crap sometimes, but I can take it if it means I can be there for her when she needs me to."

Luna leaned in to gently nuzzle against the top of my head, it felt strangely comforting, like a hug from a grandparent or great aunt.

"You're a tough one, young Fuu. I may have something to help you with your task ahead," she spoke enigmatically.

I watched with some confusion as princess Luna rose to her hooves and walked around to the half-destroyed bed.

"It looks like nopony found it in my sister's haste to leave this palace behind," she spoke to herself.

Luna used her magic to move a part of the rubble from the bed aside, then lifted a stone hidden underneath it from its spot to uncover a small storage space.

"There you are, my old friend," the princess cooed.

I watched with rising interest as she lifted an old book from its hiding place, bound in blue leather and adorned with silver swirls and lettering.

This hiding place under the princess' bed must have been sealed airtight, as the book had survived for a thousand years in there and still looked as new.

Princess Luna returned to me with the book and carefully placed it between us on the floor.

"This, young Fuu, is my dream journal. It is a magic tome made by Starswirl the Bearded to aid me in recalling my dreams back when I was as young as yourself," Luna explained.

She opened the book and leafed through a few of the pages until she came to an empty one.

"It has been diligently recording my dreams ever since it was gifted to me, except for during my long imprisonment," the princess spoke calmly.

She focused her magic on the book and suddenly tore it in half without warning!

I gasped as the book split straight down the middle along the spine, leaving the already filled-in front part of it and empty back of it as separate halves.

"Why did you do that?!?" I decried, forgetting myself for a moment at the sight of this wanton destruction of something which looked like it was priceless.

"Calm down, young Fuu. If you wish to learn about magic in order to help your Trixie, watch your princess at work," Luna chided me for my outburst.

I stood trembling as I watched her magic increase in intensity and flow into both parts of the book laid out between us.

As I watched, each of the book's separate parts started to grow pages out of their torn spines, each new page layering on top of the existing ones as if it had been part of it all along.

When it was finally time for the leather cover to regrow itself, both books had grown to an identical size and were indistinguishable from one another even if one was resting on its front and the other on its back.

Princess Luna opened the one on her left and leafed through it to find nearly half of it filled with cursive lettering, then closed it up again and placed it beside her before focusing on the other one.

She leafed through it as well, but there were only blank pages in this one.

The princess made sure to open it to the first page and then motioned at it with her left hoof.

"Touch this first page with your horn, young Fuu," she demanded with a clear air of authority to her voice.

I looked between her and the book for a moment, but then carefully approached the old tome and bowed my head forward to do as instructed.

My costume's bunny ears flopped down past my horn and over my eyes, but I paid them no mind for now.

I dipped my head down further until I felt my small horn impact with the soft paper of the book and then held my head at that position.

"Now stand still for a moment whilst I attune it to you," Luna spoke, and I could feel the touch of her magic enveloping myself and the book.

It was a surprisingly warm feeling, but I could sense it flowing from me, past my horn, and into the pages of the book.

I could feel how much more in control of her magic the princess was by the soft silky sensation of it passing through me, far less jagged and erratic as my own.

The buzz of magic surrounding me disappeared after a few breaths, and princess Luna let out a sigh.

"There we are. You may lift your head again, young Fuu," she spoke in a gentle tone. "Behold the gift your princess has for you. I am sure Starswirl would have had his reservations, but if my sister Celestia can have her student, so may I."

I felt a shiver run down my spine at hearing the princess speak those words and lifted my head up.

As the bunny ears still blocked my vision, I used my magic to pull them aside.

Before me, where the copy of princess Luna's dream journal had been a moment ago with its blue cover and silver patterns on the cover, now rested a different book altogether.

This book was bound in brown leather, and there were metallic gold patterns on it in a similar style as on the book Luna had laid to her side.

"Behold your own dream journal," Luna spoke, a smile playing on her lips. "It will record your dreams so you may recall them even while awake, and can only be opened or read by you. It will be safe from prying eyes, even from those of your guardian."

I looked up with confusion clear as day on my face.

"I... I don't get it?" I stammered.

"Few in Equestria remember the legends of the humans who once lived here among us. My sister and I might be the only ones beside Trixie who are even aware of this world you call 'Earth'. I can't very well let you reside here without keeping my eye on you," the princess explained.

"Considering your situation and my own, the only moments where we may meet in peace from now on will be in your dreams. It is in both of our interests that you may recall these dreams, young Fuu," she continued.

"You may have questions only I have answers to, and I would like to hear more about your world, and your dreams are worlds which you can shape to show me with mine own eyes what it is you are talking about, where concepts such as that self-propelled cart may require more explaining otherwise," Luna offered with a wink.

I looked down from the princess' face to the book in front of me.

"I'm not sure Trixie will let me keep this," I mumbled apprehensively.

"Your princess shall take care of this. We should go back to your town of Ponyville so I may deliver you to your guardian and impress upon her that this journal shall remain yours to keep and use as only you see fit," Luna decided with a stern frown.

"You may ride on my back for this return trip; you may find it more pleasant an experience than me holding you, and I must ask you to keep both of our journals safe during the flight," the princess offered.

She drooped her right wing down and levitated both books over to rest on her back.

"Shall we?" she pressed.

I felt so overwhelmed by all of this.

Not only had Luna basically abducted me from the Nightmare Night festivities, brought me to what used to be her bedroom, and now given me a dream journal based off her own, but now she was going to tell Trixie to not interfere with my use of it?

I was sure Trixie would retaliate against me for this, even if I had done nothing to create this situation myself.

Luna was now the third pony who had pushed me into a situation against my will, having given me no chance to say no.

First it was Trixie, who had transported me into this world and transformed me into a filly.

Then it had been the Cutiemark Crusaders. Whichever one of them had come up with the cockamanie plan to have me join them had really forced the issue.

And now it was Luna; gifting me a dream journal and telling me we would have meetings in my dreams from now on so I could keep her updated on how I was doing.

Had this been the feeling my former girlfriends felt when I had pressured them into doing something?

I started to think I truly deserved all the punishment Trixie could dish out for this new development...

08 - The Final Straw

The flight back to town was, as Luna had supposed, more comfortable from where I was resting on her back.

I held on to our dream journals with my forelegs, letting my hind legs droop down past Luna's flank.

Even with the movement of Luna's wing muscles under her skin, I barely had to do anything to keep myself from falling off; there was a natural equilibrium that both of our bodies adhered to while the princess was in flight.

Luna's mane brushed past my face as the wind passed through it, the stars in it sparkling around me and the unnatural darkness imbued in them obscuring my vision.

It was a peaceful flight even if I knew what was waiting for me when I would meet up with Trixie again.

She would probably refrain from going up against one of Equestria's princesses out in the open, but once we got back to the cart I was no longer protected by Luna or those around me.

I wondered what my punishment would be for receiving a gift.

A week away from school, doing menial chores wherever Trixie could find them?

I could not guess at what she might do next, no matter how much I thought about it.

The princess soon descended upon the town square, startling the few ponies still busy with cleaning up after the night's events.

She bent down through her legs and leaned sideways to the right a little to allow me to slide off her back.

I made sure to keep the journals from hitting the dirt as I did by protecting them with my forelegs, ending up awkwardly standing on my hind legs for a moment.

The princess turned her head and I spotted a hint of a smile on her lips before she reached out with her magic to pull the books from my grasp.

She parted them as they drifted away from me, my own remaining close enough for me to grab hold of again if I wanted to.

I fell forward onto all four of my hooves again and chuckled at my awkwardness trying to stand on my hind legs.

"Thank you, princess Luna," I offered to the princess, bowing my head to her a bit.

"If you aim to please your Trixie, then you must use your magic as an extension of yourself, young Fuu," Luna responded. "Grab a hold of your journal and keep it suspended near yourself while we search for your guardian."

I knew she was right; Trixie had been adamant about me learning to use my magic.

Even if I knew other foals of around my age who were also struggling with the more advanced uses of magic, Trixie was expecting miracles of me.

I let my magic flow out of my horn and took my journal out of the princess' grasp, opting to have it float to my left side, just within my peripheral vision but out of the way of me seeing in front of me.

The book bobbed up and down a little beside me with the ebb and flow of my magic pouring out of my horn.

Luna smiled a little wider at my actions, and gave me a satisfied nod.

"Good, now we should find your guardian so I may deliver you into their care," she offered with a light chuckle. "If your magic is any indication you are overdue for a rest."

I chuckled weakly at that and looked around the square.

Most of the ponies who had looked our way when we descended down upon the square had returned to their work; cleaning up around the stalls and carts set up for the Nightmare Night celebration.

All of the ponies gathered on the square were adults, leaving me and a very sleepy Spike as the only children among them.

Spike was wobbling on his legs as he followed Twilight Sparkle around, the latter doing her best to help out with her magic.

It appeared to me as if Twilight was unaware her helper was about to fall over from tiredness, but when she finished with her work she turned to him and said.

"Come on, Spike, it's time for us to return home. We have a big day ahead of us again tomorrow," she told the loyal dragon.

"Is it?" Spike wondered, barely comprehending what she told him.

"Oh yes; I have to reorganise the books in the library tomorrow," Twilight exclaimed merrily.

She started off in the direction of her home, with Spike following a step or two behind.

"Didn't you do that just last week?" he asked of her.

"I did," the purple unicorn exclaimed just as eager, "but with all the ponies borrowing and returning books, it's high time I did it again to make sure each book is still in its rightful place!"

"Right," Spike agreed, casting a look over his shoulder at me as if to beg me to help him.

I shrugged and motioned to Luna and the journal I was holding on to, and he grimaced.

We were both in similar situations; just following the whims of the adult ponies around us.

Having seen the show back home, I considered which one of us was worse off...

With Twilight and her dragon exiting the square, I spotted something blue and bothered enter the square from the opposite side; Trixie's mood was obviously down in the gutter as she made a beeline straight for me and the princess.

"Ah, there she is," Luna remarked as she spotted Trixie as well.

The way Trixie was coming for us, I half expected her to let loose a stream of obscenities toward the princess for abducting me.

"Fuu, where have you been? Trixie has been looking all over town for you," she spoke instead. "Evading that bothersome Twilight was enough of a chore without also having to consider what might have happened to you."

"Ah, Trixie, I see you are still bothered by the past," Luna spoke with a raised eyebrow. "Hath I not pressed it upon you to find peace within thyself and move on?"

Trixie's ears flattened from the admonishment, but she bowed her head toward the princess nonetheless.

"With all due respect, princess, Trixie has no memory of what you're talking about. She is still coming back from a concussion caused by Fuu here," my guardian spoke accusingly.

She eached out with her magic to tug at my collar.

"Come along, Fuu. It is well past your bedtime and Trixie needs her rest as well," she commanded.

I could only walk forward at the tugging until I stood beside her, my journal drifting along with me as I did.

Trixie's eyes lingered upon it for a moment.

"Give the princess her book back, Fuu," she ordered.

"You are mistaken," Luna opted to answer before I could. "This journal is for young Fuu to own and use. A gift from me so she may learn to fit in in Equestria."

Trixie looked intensely displeased at hearing that.

"Is it?" she demanded of the princess.

There was a glint in Luna's eyes as she looked down upon Trixie, and I thought I saw the princess grow taller and darker by the second, taking on more of Nightmare Moon's appearance with every passing moment.

I took a careful step back away from her, but was prevented from moving far because Trixie still held onto my collar with her magic.

Trixie finally looked away from Luna and the fearsome effect around the princess dissipated again.

"Trixie sees," the blue magician mumbled, knowing she was no match for one of the rulers of our nation.

"Princess Luna wanted to know about me," I voiced carefully, trying to diffuse the situation. "She saw my dreams and needed to know if I posed a threat to Equestria."

Trixie scoffed at me. "A threat? You?"

"The last time a hyu mahn visited our lands was before my sister and I rose to the throne," Luna stated with considerable weight behind her words. "It is an event of great significance, and not one I can ignore."

She peered down at Trixie with a raised eyebrow. "We are very interested in how you managed to transport a hyu mahn to our world, Trixie Lulamoon."

Trixie finally realised how much trouble she could potentially be in and at least managed to look down more in embarrassment.

I almost lost control of my journal as my focus had drifted away from my use of magic to this power play between the two adults, but corrected it before it hit the ground.

"Perhaps you could fill me in at a later time? Young Fuu is clearly in need of rest," the princess opted at seeing me struggle. "We expect you to take care of her and not interfere with her use of the gift bestowed upon her."

"Yes princess," Trixie spoke in a more humble tone than I had ever heard come from her. "Trixie will take care of Fuu as best she can."

"See that you do," Luna pressed. "I will know if you do not."

"Princess," one of Luna's guards spoke as he approached our group. "It is time for you to return to Canterlot."

"Yes, tonight has been eventful but it is not over yet. Others are in need of me to watch over their dreams," princess Luna agreed.

"Thank you for showing me how great Nightmare Night can be, princess Luna," I offered to her, bowing as low as I could with Trixie still holding onto my collar.

"I will be seeing you in your dreams, young Fuu," Luna spoke, then turned and followed her guard back to the carriage by which she had arrived in Ponyville.

Trixie stood in silence, watching the princess go.

When Luna had walked off far enough, she rounded on me and gave a tug up at my collar so my forelegs rose up from the ground.

"You, me, home, now," Trixie hissed through clenched teeth.

I couldn't respond to her before her horn flashed a bright light blue and washed out our surroundings.

Trixie tugged my collar downward, and I collapsed onto the wood floor of our home, my chin hitting the ground with enough force that I knew it would leave a bruise.

As my eyes recovered from the bright flash, I found myself on the floor between the bed and the small kitchenette, a few feet removed from my stack of pillows, my journal still hovering to my left side albeit only an inch above the ground.

"How dare you get the princess involved?" Trixie spat in anger, towering over me. "Trixie has been trying to gain their favour for years and you get selected overnight?"

I carefully moved my journal down on the ground under the bed so it was out of the way, then let go of it with my magic.

Trixie wasn't having it, and I could feel her magic reach out toward my journal.

It reflected off the book with a strange spark which doused the flow of her magic, and Trixie's face clearly showed her confusion at being denied this way.

"I didn't seek her out or anything; Luna came to me," I defended myself.

Trixie glared down at me.

"It doesn't matter to the Great and Powerful Trixie how you got her attention," she declared, then focused on the journal again. "What is this book she gave you?"

Her magic sparked and doused again as she tried to reach for it.

"What," Trixie just stated, her brain clearly blanking out.

"It's a dream journal, miss Trixie. Luna attuned it to me," I explained as best I could.

Trixie huffed and used her magic to grab one of the boxes stored under the bed and moved it toward the book in a clear effort to displace it, but the box just hit the journal as if it was an immovable object.

When she moved the box away again, it was dented where it had hit the book.

"Why can't Trixie touch this book?" Trixie wondered, having obviously ignored what I said to her just a moment ago.

"Luna said only I can use it," I tried again, but Trixie tugged on my collar so I got dragged across the ground to my pillow pile where she finally let go of it instead of listening.

I used the moment of freedom to reach up with my left forehoof to gently rub at my painful chin.

Trixie walked closer to where the journal was under the bed, aimed her magic at it, and let go a stream of it which crackled through the air; about as much magic as I had ever seen her use.

The journal was left unscathed, unmoved, as if her magic had no hold on it.

Trixie stood spent, breathing heavily for a moment. She had put her all into that outburst, and it had done nothing.

She rounded upon me, still panting, her eyes glowering.

"Fuu, move the book to your pile and keep it out of sight," she demanded.

I sighed and reached out with my magic, but only a weak trickle of it left my horn.

"I... can't," I realised. "I'm too tired, miss Trixie... It's been a long day."

Trixie's eyes narrowed at me, judging whether I spoke the truth or not.

"I can come over and push it this way, I guess?" I offered, but then had to stifle a yawn.

Trixie grumbled at the thought.

"No, you obviously need your rest. Trixie will just have to wait until morning," she sneered in an icy tone.

"I mean, I can push it over if you want me to take care of it right now," I suggested again, pushing myself up.

Trixie grabbed my collar and tugged it down hard so I collapsed onto my pillows again.

"Trixie said she'll wait until morning! You should get sleep and dream about your precious princess!" she bellowed.

"You don't have to be so rough about it," I whimpered, trying to get in a more comfortable position again.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie won't be told what she can and cannot do," Trixie snapped.

"It's not like I asked the princess to give me anything. She did that all on her own. I had no say in it," I defended myself. "I haven't had a say in most anything that happened to me since you dragged me into this world."

"And that is Trixie's problem? You could have denied the gift, told the princess you were already being taken care of by Trixie, but instead you undermine Trixie's teachings by accepting a book Trixie can't touch," she ranted.

"I didn't undermine anything! And being taken care of? I constantly have to dodge your outbursts," I snapped back. "We had a conversation about this just the other day! It's not like I want to upset you, but you just go from 0 to 100 for no reason! I can't figure out how to do right by you, even if I'm doing my best!"

"So now it's Trixie's fault Luna took control of you?" Trixie demanded.

"Kind of, yes; if you hadn't brought me to this world, I..." I started, but then got thrown into the wall beside me by a blast of Trixie's magic.

"Ouch, fuck," I groaned in pain.

Trixie stood fuming in the center of the cart, her nostrils flaring, her horn sparking with magic.

"So it's Trixie's fault? Everything is Trixie's fault. Everything that ever went wrong is Trixie's fault!" she orated as if caught by a sudden spell of madness.

"I didn't say that, but if you didn't," I tried again, only to get flung across the cart to impact with the bedside.

My side erupted in a flash of pain and I curled up where I ended up at as tears sprang to my eyes.

"Just blame Trixie for everything, why don't you?!" Trixie continued to shout, clearly out of control. "It's not like Trixie hasn't tried her best to provide for you, Fuu! Like Trixie wasn't just trying to explore your world before getting hit by your vehicle! Oh, yes, it's Trixie's fault, alright!"

I just lay in a curled up ball of pain, my tears running down my face.

I didn't dare say anything out of fear of getting thrown around again.

"Bah! It's always Trixie's fault. Trixie can never find any pony who appreciates the Great and Powerful Trixie's amazing showmanship. Trixie's opinion never mattered! Nopony ever cares about Trixie," my guardian proclaimed in a mixture of anger and a sadness I had not heard in her voice before.

I was in too much pain to respond, too afraid to do or say anything, and just cried silently.

"Nopony ever gave Trixie a chance," Trixie finally spoke in a softer voice.

A sound of something collapsing on the floor followed, but I dared not move.

"I don't know why I even try anymore," Trixie croaked awkwardly, her voice weak and wary.

I could feel her shift, and her breath suddenly hit my back through the bunny suit's thin fabric.

Neither of us spoke, but I could sense the shallow breaths she took and a soft whimpering hit my ears a moment after.

I couldn't move. I wouldn't put myself in the position of drawing her ire again.

This was a different situation than when I had first arrived in this world and had rushed to find a doctor for her.

She had hurt me once too often, and I felt that she had to feel this pain as I had to feel mine.

Princess Luna would hear about this, once I fell asleep. I would have to make sure to dream of this, to tell her about this outburst.

The princess would have my back, surely?

Maybe I could be saved by her, moved to Canterlot, live there in the palace with her and Celestia?

I could only dream of such a future, and thus I did.

I woke up alone in the cart, somehow on top of my pile of pillows and on the side which didn't hurt as much as the other.

There was an odd sound of crackling and squeaking filling my ears, and I could see some of the items hung from the walls and ceiling were swinging back and forth.

I looked around myself in confusion and spotted my brown fur on my flank, and found a bandage wrapped around my torso.

Dazed, I reached for it but winced as I felt over the spot which had impacted with the bed the previous night.

I had clearly been undressed from the bunny outfit I had worn the previous night.

I carefully pushed up on my four legs, but there was an awkward wobble to the cart which made me have to place my hooves out farther from one another than I would have normally.

The world swayed this way and that, and I had to constantly correct how I was standing so I wouldn't fall over again.

A thought occured to me; the cart was in motion?

Thinking on it, I was sure of it the very next moment; the cart was very obviously in motion.

The creaking of wood, the squeaking of the wheels, the shaking of the cart were all enough evidence for me to realise it was.

I stumbled toward the door at the back and opened it a crack to look out.

An unfamiliar landscape, a road I didn't recognize, and not a sign of Ponyville or Canterlot anywhere behind us.

I swallowed strongly.

Not only was the cart moving, but we had gone to a place unseen in the show.

A no man's land somewhere between pony towns.

I tried to recognize anything from the scenery before me. A mountain peak, a forest, anything, but to no avail.

Worried, I closed the door again and looked around.

My saddlebags with the book I had to return to Twilight's library was still under Trixie's bed; I would be late on returning it.

My dream journal was also still under the bed, seemingly undisturbed by the motions of the cart.

I collapsed onto my pillow pile and drew the journal to me with my magic.

Flipping to the first page, I read the text which had appeared overnight;

I arrived at Canterlot palace, the big double doors leading into the hallway with its decorative windows opening for me as if by magic.

The images on the windows depicted scenes from the show, some I had witnessed myself since coming here, others plucked from what I had only seen back home.

I came upon one which showed the elements of harmony with Trixie Lulamoon in the center of it.

She looked so happy to be surrounded by her friends.

The next window was that of Nightmare Moon standing victoriously over a defeated Celestia.

I shivered as I could feel her eyes pierce into my soul and hurried on to the next pane.

Discord sat drinking tea, watching me approach with great interest.

Rather than being a static pane, his was full of motion; chaotic events happening in the background behind Discord simply sipping at his cup.

I watched as the cup disappeared into his mouth, the liquid of his tea remaining in place, but then he tossed it away as if it wasn't worth holding onto.

"My, my, what's this? A lost wolf among the sheep?" Discord asked of me.

I defiantly stuck my chest out and proclaimed. "I am the Great and Powerful Fuu. Who are you to call me a wolf?"

"Oh, but you are," Discord pressed, leaking off the window pane, snaking across the ground, and manifesting beside me.

He was tall, ridiculously so. Even princess Luna as Nightmare Moon had not been towering as tall over me as Discord was now.

His body curved like an awkward capital letter S, as he bent down to get closer to my level.

"Oh, but you're not the great and powerful anything right now, are you?" he suggested with an evil smirk.

Discord reached over with his left arm and tapped against my horn with his claw.

"You're having some trouble in the magic department, no? Unaccustomed to it, are we?" he chimed up.

I took a step away from him and looked upon him with defiance.

"Stop that. You can't scare me," I declared. "I have seen what you can do, and I know the elements of harmony can defeat you!"

"Ah, and how are the elements of disharmony doing these days, hmm?" Discord wondered, snaking away to the window pane depicting Trixie and her friends.

"It looks to me like they are in quite a pickle," he suggested, tapping the glass depiction of Trixie's snout with his paw. "If they're led by somepony who can't even come clean with herself, then how are they going to do anything to little old me?"

I suddenly realised something and shook my head.

"No, this isn't right. That should be Twilight Sparkle, not Trixie," I mumbled. "This is not how I remember it."

"And how do you remember it?" the glass depiction of Nightmare Moon asked pointedly, staring me down.

"Discord should be trapped in stone, shouldn't he?" I wondered, trying to piece together what I knew of the show.

"Aw, that's no fun," Discord whined as he promptly turned to stone.

"And Twilight and her friends are the elements or harmony, not Trixie," I pointed out.

Trixie's glass self fell out of the pane she was in, revealing Twilight Sparkle had been there all along in her rightful place.

The glass Trixie, as flat as the pane she was, walked over to me and turned so I could look sideways at her.

"Why do you always have to spoil things for Trixie, Fuu?" she demanded.

"No, no, I don't spoil things for you. You're spoiling things for yourself," I protested. "I'm trying so hard to do what you ask of me, but you don't appreciate what you have."

There was a sickening shift in location and I was suddenly back in our cart, but resting on Trixie's bed.

I leapt to my hooves and looked around in dismay, only to find a young foal version of Trixie on a pile of pillows, dressed in a bunny outfit, a collar around her neck.

"What?" I stated in surprise, and filly Trixie looked up at me with worry.

"What's wrong, miss Fuu?" she asked. "Do you want to punish me some more?"

I shook my head and tried to banish the situation from my mind.

"No, no, no! This is not real," I decried.

"Right you are, young Fuu," princess Luna agreed, walking up to me as the world fell apart and left a blank plane instead. "You are having quite a dream."

"Princess Luna!" I stated in surprise, running up to her and feeling myself shrink down as I did.

"Focus, young Fuu," she admonished me, and I skidded to a halt to stop three feet in front of her. "You are on the cusp of lucid dreaming. Remember this feeling, remember what brought it on."

I looked up at her, trying to figure out what she was saying.

"Lucid dreaming? What do you mean?" I asked.

"This plane is not my doing, even if I steered you in the right direction," Luna pointed out. "Imagine a place for us to sit."

I blinked.

"A place for us to sit? Like a pillow?" I wondered.

A pillow appeared between us. A simple square pillow with a plain white cover.

"Good, now another one," the princess suggested.

She used her magic to lift the simple pillow up and place it nearer to her, then sat down upon it.

I focused and another pillow appeared.

"Sit with me, young Fuu?" Luna prompted, and I could only follow her instructions.

Now seated on my own pillow, I voiced my question again.

"What did you mean with lucid dreaming, princess Luna?" I asked.

"As I navigate the dreamscape of other ponies, they are themselves master of their dreams. I am but a visitor in most cases, unless I actively interfere. Those ponies who know they are dreaming, are able to shape it to their will and whim," Luna explained.

"This is what we call lucid dreaming; the ability to recognize you are in a dream, a world which can be controlled by you yourself, where everything goes and nothing can do you harm."

Something in the back of my mind connected and I realised this was not the first time she had tried to explain something like this to me before.

"We have met in dreams before, haven't we? You left me a dream journal," I remembered.

"You are most correct, young Fuu. In the morning, when you wake, you will be able to read back what happened here, so you may recall the dream you had even in my sister's sunlight," Luna agreed. "Now, tell me what caused you to dream about punishing Trixie? What transpired after I left Ponyville?"

My face fell and I lowered myself until I was laying down on the pillow.

"Oh, Trixie did not like the gift you bestowed upon me, princess," I sighed as I remembered what happened.

"Go on," Luna pressed.

"She tried to take it from me, tried to move it with her magic, and punished me for getting your attention while she has been looking for it for years," I recalled.

Luna raised an eyebrow.

"Trixie Lulamoon has trouble with her self-worth," the princess revealed. "I have come to her dreams time and again, trying to convince her otherwise, but she is as stubborn as any I have met. She receives as much of my attention as I can spare."

"Trixie thinks she deserves more," I sighed.

"I am aware," Luna remarked.

She shook her head slowly, tiredly.

"It has been a long night, and the day is breaking soon. When you read this back, remember that I am watching you and her both, but even I am limited in what I am able to do for you both," she explained.

"I know, princess. You have already done more for me than I ever thought you would," I suggested.

Luna smiled at that and leaned in to nuzzle at my mane a little, a gesture she had done before while we were both awake and in her old bedroom.

"Call it an investment in the future, young Fuu," she chuckled. "Now wake and seek common ground with your guardian. You were right to say she needs you as much as you need her."

I flipped to the next page but it was empty.

As I had been reading the text on the pages of this journal, I had experienced the dream anew, although from a spectator point of view.

I was aware I was awake and reading the journal, even if I also experienced my interaction with the princess at some level.

It was like a video playing out in my mind's eye, made more realistic by my magical connection to the journal.

I closed the journal and tucked it in under my pillows so Trixie wouldn't have to see it.

I considered I had to ask her for my own cabinet or storage box so I could leave my items in there without them bothering her, but first I had to get over this constant struggle between us.

Things simply had to change.

I stumbled to my hooves again and made it to the door, opening it to see we were still traveling down the road.

Focusing on the speed at which the ground moved, I considered we were going maybe ten miles an hour; a decent trot.

I stepped out onto the landing, closed the door behind me, and then jumped down onto the ground.

The landing hurt my side, and I winced a moment before recovering.

Turning around to the cart, I could see Trixie's legs through the gap under it.

She was obviously pulling the cart, running ahead of it, and I decided to join her there.

I ran forward at a bit of a faster canter, quickly making it past the cart and to Trixie.

She was pulling the cart with her magic, running between the two beams sticking out the front of it, but raised an eyebrow as she noticed me pulling up.

"Ah, you finally woke up," she scoffed.

I ignored her statement, only giving her a side glance while keeping pace with her.

We trotted for a brief moment before Trixie slowed down, and I followed suit.

Neither of us spoke until she moved the cart off to the side of the road and stopped completely.

I joined her where she stood, and sat down in the grass beside the road.

I watched as she walked out from between the beams of the cart and stopped directly in front of me.

Trixie looked at me with a mixture of worry and confusion on her face.

"What do you want, Fuu?" she demanded.

"Apologise," I forced out of my mouth, my voice squeaking a bit more now I decided to put my hoof down.

"Yes, Trixie accepts your apology," Trixie huffed.

"No, I mean you should apologise to me," I corrected her. "I have done nothing but try to follow your word. I have tried my best to get on your good side. I have jumped high and low, done menial chores, even kept quiet about the mouth thing and the collar you put on me. And then you go ballistic when princess Luna decides to give me a journal? You hurt me, in more ways than one. You need to apologise or I'm taking my stuff and walk back to Ponyville on my own."

My words just fell out of my mouth before I could stop them, but I felt emboldened by having finally stood up for myself and stared up at Trixie unblinkingly.

Trixie looked shocked at my outburst, at my demand, at my decision to go at it alone if she didn't do what I told her.

She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again and narrowed her eyes at me.

Trixie looked thoughtful, sat down, then snorted.

"Well..." she started, but then looked in the direction she had been pulling the cart toward.

"I mean it," I told her. "I can't do this any more. I live in constant fear of whether you're going to have another outburst over nothing. One Nightmare Night is fun and all, but it's different when I return home to you to find out I've done something wrong yet again."

"It's not you, Fuu," Trixie sighed, but continued to stare down the road.

"Then why do I get punished by you all the time?" I pressed. "If I've done nothing wrong, then why do you take your anger out on me?"

"It's not anger, it's..." Trixie started, then sighed out deeply and lowered her head.

She turned her head to face me, looking at me with tired eyes.

"Trixie... I'm sorry, Fuu. You deserve better. Leave Trixie behind if you must, you wouldn't be the first pony to do so," she mumbled dejectedly.

Her words and demeanor hit me in the chest. I felt for her, she was clearly... manipulating me.

I stood up and pointed my left forehoof at her as I felt my anger rise up.

"That's not an apology! You're turning it around on me as if I'm the one hurting you by demanding to be treated as a pers... pony! I just want to stop being afraid of you all the damn time," I decried. "You can't spin it around as if I'm leaving you behind. That's... that's gaslighting, is what it is! You're trying to make me feel bad about asking for some respect?"

Trixie's expression hardened slightly as I caught her.

"I just want to stop getting mistreated by you all the time! I want to be there for you, want to help you out as much as you expect of me, but I don't want to get thrown around the cart. I don't want to have my mouth zipped shut by your magic. I don't want to get dragged around by my collar at your whim! Just treat me like any other pony, for Equestria's sake!" I shouted.

"Was that all?" Trixie snorted.

"No!" I added. "No, it isn't all! It's just the beginning. I just want us to be able to talk normally with one another. I want to be able to store my own stuff under the bed, I want to be able to sleep on the bed instead of on a pile of pillows on the floor. I just want to be able to live with you without constantly having to walk on eggshells. Just stop taking things out on me as if I've done you wrong!"

Trixie looked around, then leaned in and narrowed her eyes at me.

"Do you even know where Trixie took you? Do you know how to get back to Ponyville from here?" she asked in a creepy tone of voice. "What would you do without Trixie to guide you?"

"I don't know where I am, no," I agreed. "But there's a road and roads go from one place to another. I would just grab my stuff and go down the road until I find somepony else. I'm sure I can survive in Equestria even without your help."

The blue magician snorted at that.

"But you're not getting it, Trixie," I pointed out. "I'm saying I don't want to leave you. But that depends on you apologising for your actions yesterday and giving me some room to grow beside you."

Trixie pulled back from me and her expression changed enough that I knew I was finally getting through to her.

"I just want you to stop treating me like dirt, Trixie," I stated once more. "I never meant to hit you with my car. I never did anything to purposefully bother or hurt you. But if all that gets me is shouting, nasty glares, and getting thrown around the cart, I'm done."

I watched the expressions on Trixie's face follow one another in succession. There were hints of anger rising, but then being suppressed again, doubt or confusion, but then her anger rose up again.

I turned away from her and took a few steps toward the back of the cart.

"I'm going to grab my things if you don't apologise. I'll figure things out myself," I stated, feeling the surge of adrenaline rushing through my body.

"Fuu," a tiny voice squeaked out from behind me, almost nothing like the way Trixie talked normally.

I took another step.

"Fuu, I'm sorry," Trixie spoke again, louder now. "I don't..."

I turned around to see Trixie's eyes fill up with moisture. She reached for me with her left forehoof.

"Please don't leave me. I'm sorry, I don't... I don't know how to deal with my emotions. I don't... I'm sorry for hurting you, Fuu. You're right. You don't deserve it," she stammered, tears leaking down her face.

"But please don't leave me," she begged. "I can't be alone again."

I considered whether this was another attempt at emotional manipulation, but she was crying openly now, sitting on the side of the road where anypony might see her.

I turned properly and tilted my head lightly.

"I mean it. I'll leave if you mistreat me again. I can't keep doing this," I reiterated.

Trixie nodded her head, some of her tears flinging this way and that as they made their way down her fur.

"I understand, I do. I don't want to do these things but I don't know how to express myself otherwise," she spoke through her tears. "I'm sorry, Fuu. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

She collapsed before me, reaching out to me with her forehooves, looking up at me through her tears as she laid sprawled out in the dirt.

I was honestly not expecting this kind of an emotional outburst, and was quickly feeling uncomfortable about it.

"We can work on that," I muttered, feeling my ears fold down. "Just stop kicking me down all the time. Do you promise that you'll treat me better from now on?"

Trixie Lulamoon, always needing to be perceived as being the best, was groveling in the dirt looking absolutely worse for wear.

"I promise, Fuu. I promise I'll do better," she finally declared. "I'm not cut out to being a parent, but I'll do my best."

"I wasn't asking you to be my parent," I noted. "Just be my friend. Teach me about magic. Let's work toward those shows you said you want my help with."

Trixie nodded her head at the suggestion.

"Let's become Great and Powerful together," I added, offering a smile to the puddle of despair before me.

09 - A New Leaf

Trixie needed some time to get back from her emotional outburst, and I also found myself riding the coattails of my adrenaline rush, so we both sat in silence beside the road.

I watched my guardian as she rubbed her cheeks dry and tried to compose herself again, casting the occasional glance either up or down the road to see if anypony might come down it who could see her in that state.

I didn't much care about what I looked like at the moment. I was more worried about whether Trixie would keep to her promise.

Trixie finally righted herself up where she sat and looked down past her muzzle at me.

"So, what did the princess tell you to get you to rise up against Trixie anyway?" she demanded.

I stared straight at her eyes and lowered my eyebrows a little to a frown.

"You promised you would be nicer," I reminded her.

Trixie snorted at my reaction, but her expression softened nonetheless.

She tilted her head forward a bit more so she was looking straight at me rather than past her nose, then seemed to study me.

I just sat watching her, trying to not give in to the feeling of nervousness rising up now my adrenaline was slipping away.

"What Trixie means is... what happened, Fuu? Why did you feel like challenging Trixie now? Why not in the beginning when she took you here in the first place?" she expanded her question.

I felt my left ear flop down while my right remained upright.

"You silenced me when I tried, remember?" I pointed out.

"Oh, right," Trixie realised. "Trixie might have overdone it a little."

"A little? You were out of control yesterday; I was afraid you would kill me if I tried to speak my mind, so I just curled up in a ball after you threw me into the side of the bed," I exclaimed.

Trixie looked aghast at my renewed outburst, and looked away to the cart for a moment as if it had suddenly become the most interesting item in the world.

"Trixie could never do that. You're right that she..." she protested, but then her voice trailed off.

The blue unicorn turned her head to look at me again as a deep sigh escaped her.

"No, you're right. I did lose control," she spoke in a rare moment of her forgetting her normal speech patterns.

"Yeah, I know; I have the bruises to prove it," I grumbled.

"I'm sorry, Fuu... I've been so tired, so preoccupied with that stupid spell," she explained quietly.

"What spell?" I wondered, my left ear perking up again.

"That spell which took Trixie to your world and returned us both to Equestria after," Trixie answered simply.

I was confused; she told me before that there was no way for me to return home. I had just about given up hope on it because she had said as much to me.

"What do you mean? You said you didn't know how to return me to Earth, didn't you? That you didn't know how to turn me back into a human?" I recalled.

"That doesn't mean Trixie hasn't tried," my guardian grumbled. "Oh, how she has tried. Every day, all day, attempting to recall that dumb spell from memory."

I stared at her without comprehending.

"I don't get it. Why is it giving you such trouble if you've used it before?" I wondered.

"Because Trixie used an ancient scroll when she teleported to your realm, Fuu. The scroll disintegrated upon use and only kept the doorway open for a short time period, it was almost a one-way trip thanks to your backing into me," she explained. "If Trixie had woken up even a minute after she did she would have been stuck on Earth with you instead."

There was too much left unsaid in that explanation. Too much about magic that I couldn't comprehend yet.

I just sat dumbfounded before Trixie, not knowing what to say.

Finally, then, I remembered where I was and what the show had taught me.

"But, I mean, why not ask Twilight Sparkle for help with it? She's studied magic in Canterlot after all?" I blurted out.

Trixie's face darkened and she let out an angry snort.

"That fool of a foal Twilight Sparkle? No! Trixie will not lower herself to that pony's level," she fumed.

"But," I tried, only for Trixie to thunder on.

"Studied at Canterlot, you say? So did Trixie! At the same School for Gifted Unicorns which Twilight Sparkle attended," she revealed as if this was of great import.

The reference escaped me, and my head somewhat sagged sideways to my right shoulder in confusion, my ears drooping down slightly.

"Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns?" Trixie tried, as if that would explain it all.

When there was no immediate response from me, she rolled her eyes at me.

"Didn't you say you saw some show back on Earth which showed you Trixie's life? Didn't they explain how prestigious a school that was?" she decried.

I shook my head at her frustrated exclamation.

"No, sorry," I answered her in a flat tone, while trying to recall what schools I had seen come by in the show back on Earth.

There had been the school in Ponyville which I was now attending together with the other Cutiemark Crusaders, the flight school in Cloudsdale which Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had been enrolled in, but...

And then it hit me; The very first episode of the show had Twilight Sparkle located in Canterlot, talking with friends, reading about the return of Nightmare Moon in the books in Canterlot's library.

Was that what Trixie was hinting at?

"Wait, you grew up in Canterlot as well?" I suddenly realised.

Trixie stared at me as if my facial expressions had been enough of a show in and of themselves to watch carefully.

"That is what Trixie said, yes," she grumbled.

"I'm sorry, I don't... I'm not sure I know enough about life in Canterlot other than what little the show taught me, and I can't remember a school there," I explained with some embarrassment.

Trixie sighed and motioned her right hoof in a random direction as if to point at where Canterlot might be located.

"Let Trixie explain it to you then; Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns is the princess' very own school which only very few unicorns are allowed to enroll into," she started.

"Obviously Trixie wanted to go there from when she was as young a foal as yourself, since it would allow Trixie to visit the palace and be closer to the princess and the high society of Canterlot," Trixie pointed out.

I could see how that was a thing for ponies from Canterlot since Rarity had been trying to buddy up to the hoity-toity elites in the capital in one of the show's episodes.

"Trixie's parents enrolled her in the school and she was waiting in the hallway for her entrance exam when the sound of thunder shook the building," Trixie continued unabated.

"She was rushed out by the palace guards, and went home without being able to partake in the entrance exams for that year," the magician summarised. "When her parents inquired as to whether she could do the exams another day, they were told all available slots for the year were already filled up and Trixie would have to try again the next year."

A thunderclap which shook the building a school was in? Why did that feel like something I should know?

It didn't connect to anything just yet, so I simply sat and listened to Trixie orating.

"Trixie spent a year working at the Canterlot Royal Theater, working her way up from usher to stagehand, then eventually as an assistant to the magicians performing there," she detailed.

"That is when Trixie's cutiemark appeared," Trixie pointed out, looking back at her flank for a moment.

"So it's a lot like a prestigious college or university back on Earth then," I realised.

"If you say so," Trixie agreed.

"When Trixie did her entrance exam the next year, her future was already set in stone thanks to her time working at the theater," the blue unicorn pointed out. "Trixie tried to learn what magic she could, but it was quickly apparent she could do no more than stage magic, the odd illusion, and so on."

"Her classmates made fun of Trixie's lack of any useful magic. Everything Trixie does is smoke and mirrors," Trixie sighed with a sad undertone as she recalled those days of her youth. "Eventually Trixie just dropped out of school."

I considered what she said, but then raised my right forehoof to her.

"Didn't you teleport us around earlier? That's not stage magic, is it?" I suggested.

"It is; Trixie has a homing stone stored under her bed and simply recalls herself to it," she explained to me. "As long as the stone is given time to recharge its energy between uses, Trixie can teleport back to it any time she wants."

"Trixie can't use it to teleport anywhere else," she pointed out. "It's about as old a stage magician's tool as you can find in Equestria. It's all smoke and mirrors, Fuu."

I thought back to when Trixie had teleported us around; Every time I could remember it had been back to the wagon, never away from it.

I fell back on my butt, only now noticing I had subconsciously been leaning forward, my tail flicking over the grass behind me.

"So that's how you did it," I breathed out, as much in surprise as in admiration.

Knowing how a trick worked was one thing, but the showmanship of magicians was what made the trick work even if you knew how they did it.

Trixie had simply teleported us around without explaining the trick, and boy did it have enough of an effect to bewilder me each time.

"Do you think less of Trixie now that you know how the magic trick works, Fuu?" Trixie wondered.

I shook my head at her as she studied my reaction.

"No, no. Not at all. I had been wondering how you did it, actually," I replied. "I don't even know how to properly control my own magic, so you're still miles ahead of me on that."

"Yes, Trixie is better at magic compared to you," Trixie agreed. "But not compared to that Twilight Sparkle. She was a year ahead of Trixie and Celestia's favourite pupil. If Trixie had been given a chance to show her abilities that day, she might have been instead."

"Oh, I'm sure of it," I agreed with her.

It was probably better to let Trixie dream like that than to snuff the dream out by pointing out how much Twilight Sparkle had done for Equestria in just the first season of the show alone.

"Right?" Trixie continued, emboldened by me agreeing with her after my earlier rebellion. "But the Great and Powerful Trixie will have her moment yet; just you wait and see, Fuu. Once she teaches you enough about magic that you may assist her, Trixie's popularity will rise to new heights."

"You'll be the talk of the town, for sure," I suggested, feeling oddly drawn into her excitement.

Having said that, a thought occured to me and I peered down the road.

"On that note, miss Trixie; where were we going?" I wondered. "Nothing here looks familiar to me?"

Trixie snapped out of her dream and her face darkened again.

"Oh, well... Trixie hadn't considered where we would end up at, to be honest. As far from Ponyville and Canterlot as she could take us in a day's time, to start off with," she replied honestly.

"Trixie was mostly upset with how you seem to draw all the ponies around you while she is still regarded as a pariah by those who were there for her disastrous performance," Trixie sighed. "We should have left sooner, but Trixie thought she could send you back before you settled in properly."

"When princess Luna took an interest in you, Trixie realised that there was no use in trying to do that any more," she explained. "If Trixie sends you back home now, she is sure the princess will haunt her dreams over it."

"You're probably right on that," I considered. "Princess Luna did say she was going to watch me and my progress here."

Trixie huffed at that.

"Yes, this is what Trixie meant with undermining her authority, although she can see she might have taken it a bit farther than she should. The headaches from trying to piece together the transportation spell to Earth have been taking a toll on her," Trixie Lulamoon revealed.

"What headaches?" I queried in surprise. "You didn't tell me you had headaches?"

Trixie frowned at me. "Trixie did say to be quiet in the wagon, to make Trixie some tea and keep to yourself. How could she have made it more clear?"

"By saying you had a headache?" I pointed out. "Just being direct about it helps more than beating about the bush."

Trixie looked away to the road and shrugged.

"Like you could have done anything about the headaches. You had far worse ones than Trixie has experienced these past few days," she remarked. "It honestly worried Trixie. She doesn't know if you might respond to our magic different because you were formerly human."

I studied her and how she was supposedly looking away from me, but noticed I could probably still be seen in her peripheral vision.

"Sweetie Belle thinks it's normal for me to have the headaches I've been having," I revealed to her. "It doesn't seem so bad now; even if I felt worse for wear while having them."

Trixie smiled subconsciously at hearing that, and I realised she truly had been worried in her own weird way.

"Thank you for caring about me like that, miss Trixie," I beamed at her, my own mouth curling into a smile.

Trixie huffed, but her cheeks started to flush under her fur.

"Bah, here you were accusing the Great and Powerful Trixie of mistreating you, and now you're calling her 'miss'? Just forget it, Fuu. Just call Trixie Trixie from now on," she decided.

"Well, you did mistreat me," I stated matter-of-factly, "but I told you I'd stay with you as long as you keep your promise to not do it again."

Trixie turned to face me again and lifted her right hoof up.

"How was that dumb rhyme again... Cross my heart and hope to cry, stick a cupcake in my eye?" she recited, trying her best to mimic Pinkie Pie's Pinkie-promise I recalled from the show's first season.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, I think," I corrected her. "You know you can't ever break a Pinkie Promise, right? Because she will know. That's something even I am aware of; she'll hunt you do and remind you of your promise any time you come even close to breaking it."

Trixie grumbled at my correction; "Yes, Fuu, that is why Trixie thought it would convince you she is genuine about it."

She then did the whole motion again.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," she spoke, emphasizing the corrected word.

A pink fluffy mane popped up from behind our wagon, Ponyville's premier pink party pony popping out a moment after.

"Oh, hi Fuu. Whatcha doing out here?" Pinkie wondered.

Trixie stared dumbfounded at the sudden appearance of Pinkie Pie, and I honestly felt a shiver run down my spine as I had not expected her either.

"Er, well, Trixie is taking us on the road to do a show somewhere else," I tried, knowing it was far from the truth.

Trixie was quick to use my excuse and hook in on it however.

"Yes, exactly," she agreed. "The Great and Powerful Trixie wants Fuu to see how amazing her magic shows are. She was ill received last time she performed in Ponyville, so we are on our way to Los Pegasus."

Pinkie Pie tilted her head and looked as if she didn't believe either of us.

"Okey-dokey-lokey," she finally exclaimed in a merry tone of voice. "Wouldn't it be easier to take the train there though?"

Trixie coughed and motioned at the wagon Pinkie was standing beside.

"Have you ever seen anypony take a wagon like this on the Friendship Express?" she posited.

Pinkie turned to face in the direction Trixie was pointing, and jumped back in surprise as if she had not expected to find our cart there.

"Oh! Wow, that's a biiiig wagon!" Pinkie marveled. "I'm sure it's full of amazing stuff for shows, isn't it?"

"Yes," Trixie agreed with rising frustration.

"Does it have a..." Pinkie started, then grabbed at the air behind her and pulled a cannon out from nowhere, "party cannon?"

Trixie's mouth dropped open a little in surprise, and I honestly had the same reaction.

I was sitting on the ground not four feet away from Pinkie Pie and there was no way that she had been able to hide a heavy cannon like that in the area around us, but here it suddenly was!

"No, but, how?" I stammered.

Trixie recovered quicker, and snorted at my bafflement.

"Trixie is sure that is just a hidden pocket," she decided. "Anypony can do those with enough training."

"But with something as heavy as a cannon?" I questioned her, looking away from Pinkie.

"It's probably a balloon," Trixie huffed. "Inflated behind the wagon while our attention was elsewhere."

"Are you saying you like balloons?" Pinkie Pie wondered, resting on her back on the grass between Trixie and myself.

Both of us looked down at her as Pinkamena Diane Pie started inflating a long blue balloon and then promptly folded it in on itself until it looked like a balloon dog.

"What... are you trying to accomplish here?" Trixie demanded, ignoring the balloon altogether.

Pinkie offered the blue balloon dog to me, smiling up innocently.

I was too dazed by her antics to do much else but grab hold of it with my forehooves.

"Well, I care about my friends, and anypony in Ponyville is my friend, and when my friends are not having a great time, I try to make their day just a little itty-bitty tiny bit better by cheering them up again," Pinkie Pie rattled off.

"Or cheering them down again, or sideways, or diagonalways, or anyways, do either of you want a cupcake?" Pinkie wondered in one breath.

She then quickly sat up and produced a box of cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner from out of nowhere, opening it up, and holding it out between us three so we could both look into it.

There were a rough dozen cupcakes in the box, all topped with a different colour of icing swirled on top of it.

I was still holding on to the balloon dog, but the sweet smell of the cupcakes overpowered the smell of rubber from the balloon and caused my mouth to fill up with saliva.

"How did you even find us?" Trixie wondered, trying to follow what was going on just the same as I was.

"There's only so many roads leading out of Ponyville, duh," Pinkie Pie declared. "I only needed to find out which one you took."

She offered the box with cupcakes up to Trixie again.

"Seriously, take a cupcake. They're delicious! I baked them myself this morning before following after you two," the pink one proclaimed.

Trixie rolled her eyes at Pinkie's insistence and took hold of a cupcake with green icing on it with her magic.

"Trixie presumes this is mint-flavoured?" she wondered, sniffing the thing as she brought it closer to herself.

"Ooh, close, but it's actually lime," Pinkie answered.

She turned the box in my direction.

"How about you, Fuu?" the earthpony mare wondered with a warm smile.

I glanced between the cupcakes and the balloon I was holding.

"Magic, Fuu," Trixie mumbled.

"Yes, I... I'm just a bit out of it, sorry," I apologised.

Reaching out with my magic, I took one of the cupcakes with pink icing out of the box and brought it closer to myself.

I carefully sniffed the thing, trying to figure out what flavour it was from the smell alone.

"Raspberry?" I wondered.

"Oooooooh, so close," Pinkie Pie answered in an overly dramatic tone of voice. "It's actually strawberry surprise!"

I raised an eyebrow at that.

"What's the surprise?" I had to ask.

Pinkie Pie leaned in and held one of her forehooves in front of her mouth, whispering to me in a conspiratorial tone of voice.

"The surprise is sugar frosting mixed in with the strawberry," she confided in me, then pulled away with a happy sigh. "Hmmmmm, sugary sweet frosting...."

Trixie half-closed her eyes and sighed out a deep sigh.

"Trixie guesses she should thank you for the cupcakes," she considered. "But we are fine beyond that."

My guardian took a bite out of her cupcake after speaking, and her eyes opened up fully as the taste hit her.

She seemed to genuinely like it if I could judge her involuntary response, but then she quickly took control over her outward emotions again and kept eating the cupcake in a more stoic manner.

I moved my own cupcake to my lips and carefully nibbled on the frosting covering it to test how hard it was.

My teeth sank into the topping as if it was a soft whipped cream, but there were clearly some sugar crystals in the mixture as I could feel their rough edges on my tongue.

The taste was a very very sweet strawberry, like one of those badly mixed milkshakes I had at fastfood restaurants back at home, but for some reason it just worked for this cupcake.

I found myself taking another bite before I had good and well swallowed the first, now taking part of the spongy cake into my mouth as well.

It had a rich but fluffy texture to it, barely any harder to bite through than the topping on it.

I could taste some of the oats in the dough which I had come to find was a staple part of most any meal here in Equestria, but there were some spices mixed through which I had a hard time identifying in the mixture assaulting my taste buds.

Pinkie Pie just sat in between the both of us, grinning like a maniac as she saw how well her cupcakes were received.

She waited patiently until we had finished our first cupcake, and then just wordlessly moved the box with the remaining cupcakes in them up and down a little between us.

I didn't wait for Trixie to take a cupcake first; I just took a blue one out of the box and stuffed it into my mouth.

As the taste of blueberry and the cake proper fought over which one should have control over my taste buds, I wondered if I had even had breakfast today.

What even was the time?

I dared to look up at the sky to try and find Celestia's sun without looking directly at it.

It sat high up in the sky, almost directly above us. So, roughly noon then. Time for lunch.

I had been too preoccupied getting my point across to Trixie to even consider getting breakfast first.

"They're good, aren't they?" Pinkie Pie cooed to me in particular, clearly proud of her baked goods.

Trixie swallowed down the remains of her cupcake, a yellow one from the looks of icing spread around her mouth, and then addressed Pinkie Pie.

"Yes, Trixie must confess they are very good. How do you keep them from burning up?" she wondered.

"Burning up?" Pinkie repeated like a parrot. "Why, unless I make flaming-hot rainbow-flavoured flapjacks, nothing should be doing any burning of any sort?"

I licked my mouth clean and leaned in to Pinkie Pie much in the same way she had done to me earlier, holding my left forehoof in front of my face while whispering in her ear.

"Trixie has the habit of burning our food when she tries to cook," I confided in the pink earthpony. "But don't tell anypony else."

Pinkie Pie blinked at hearing me say that, then gave me a very serious nod.

"I won't tell anypony. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," she recited her own Pinkie-promise, but finished it up by grabbing one of the cupcakes with purple icing from the box she was still holding onto and smashing it into her right eye.

Trixie looked startled at the sudden splash of purple icing now covering the other mare's face, but I just couldn't hold it anymore.

I let go of my balloon dog as I fell over laughing at Pinkie's antics, the sight of her face with frosting and cake drooping off of it setting me off in an uncontrollable gigglefit.

While I was rolling on the ground holding my forelegs to myself in an effort to gain some control back, Pinkie mumbled something I couldn't quite understand over the sound of my own voice escaping my mouth in short breaths and gasps.

I tried to focus on what Trixie said in response, but to no avail; I heard they were speaking words, but I couldn't get the gist of them.

I focused on the pair of them, but Pinkie just sat there with a serious face with bits of smashed cupcake still lazily drooping down her furry cheeks.

The juxtaposition of this pink pony who always tried to make merriment happen around her looking oh-so-serious for once, but also being smeared with purple frosting and cake bits set me off again.

I just couldn't stop laughing, couldn't focus on what the pair of older mares were talking about in semi-hushed voices.

If they were talking about me, then so be it. If they were talking about the world's events, just the same.

I was just having a rush of dopamine my poor little filly brain hadn't had this way yet.

What reason did I have to laugh my little pony head off before now?

Trixie had treated me like I had been a burden, I had barely come to terms with living in this world now, and there were so many things I had to try and figure out about life as a pony that I had been unable to give my emotions a proper place.

My giggling turned sour as the reality of my life hit me again, and I was soon curled up in the grass crying instead.

A pink hoof moved to gently rummage through my mane, and Pinkie Pie looked down on me with concern in her bright blue eyes.

"See, I told you I knew my friend wasn't having a good time," she offered in a soft, soothing voice.

Trixie took a step toward me and then sat down again, but instantly scooped me up from the ground and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Damn it, Fuu," she grumbled into my mane as I was held to her. "You're making Trixie look bad again. And here she thought she started to get what it was you needed from her."

I couldn't help it; my emotions were going all over the place all of a sudden.

All I could do was cry, leaning into Trixie's warm body, looking out through wet eyes at Pinkie Pie peering back at both of us with clear concern on her face.

I finally, after so many days in Equestria, could let my emotions out like this.

I finally, after so many days here in this world, felt like Trixie genuinely cared for me and wasn't just making up excuses for her bad behaviour.

I finally, after so many days, felt like I was being seen and heard instead of dragged from one event to the next without a say in things.

If Trixie's promise and the way she held onto me right now were any indication, she might finally turn a new leaf.

I had no words for how desperately I needed her to.

10 - C'est le chapeau qui fait la pouliche

I must have fallen asleep in Trixie's embrace, as I woke up anew inside the cart.

The pans and pots and items hanging off the walls were swaying to and fro as the wagon rolled down the road again.

I was confused for a moment as I couldn't place the angle I was seeing them from; I was somehow closer to the ceiling than I had expected myself to be.

More to the right of the cart than the left where my pillow pile was.

I tried to roll onto my side only to get my left forehoof stuck in the blanket draped over me.

With a shock I realised I was resting on Trixie's bed!

Not only that; but I had been tucked in on Trixie's bed, under Trixie's blanket, my head resting on Trixie's pillow!

I struggled to get my hoof free, then finally pushed up into a sitting position once I managed to do so.

Even in what little light made its way into the wagon through the skylight and cracks between the wooden panels, I could see my pillow pile still on the ground where I expected it to be.

My dream journal was clearly buried under the pillows, as I could spot a corner of the brown leather cover peeking out from between a set of them.

The swaying of the wagon as it was pulled down the road worked on my cupcake-filled stomach, and I started to feel a little queasy.

I used my magic to pull the blanket off myself, then rolled off the bed onto my four hooves so I at least wouldn't dirty Trixie's bed if I were to get sick.

Standing on my own four legs now, I started to counteract the swaying of the cart while using my magic to tidy up the bed as good as I could.

It was one thing to have called Trixie out on her bad behaviour and coax a promise to do better out of her, but she was well within her rights to chide me if I didn't clean up after myself.

I stumbled out the door once I had straightened the bed out, and somewhat fell down the steps onto the dirt road.

Picking myself up again, I quickly ran after the wagon to get to the front of it.

As before, Trixie was walking between the two wooden beams sticking out from the front of the cart, using her magic to pull it forward.

Other than previously, she was now wearing her large magician's hat which she had not been wearing before.

With Celestia's sun slowly lowering itself in the sky, the large rim of her hat cast Trixie's face in a dark shadow.

"Ah, you've woken up again," Trixie commented from out of the shadow. "There's a place up ahead where Trixie can park the wagon. Walk beside her until then, Fuu?"

I fell in line beside the wagon, but she shook her head and took a half-step to the right to make space for me between the wooden beams.

"No, Trixie asked for you to walk beside her, not beside the cart," she corrected me.

I ducked underneath the left beam and joined her in the slightly cramped space.

A full grown stallion would have probably taken up this room by himself, but Trixie only took up about two-thirds of it.

I barely fitted in the remaining third section beside her and had to choose between bumping my head into the wood or leaning slightly into her side.

It should be clear which option I chose.

Trixie continued to pull the cart, not remarking about me shirking up against her trying to not get my legs entangled in her own.

"Let Trixie know if she goes too fast; she is used to a trot, but you have shorter legs," she suggested instead.

Having just slept and with the fresh air hitting my nostrils, I felt like I was ready to take on the challenge, so I simply pushed myself to keep up with her.

"I'm fine for now, miss Trixie," I replied with an eager smile. "Have you been pulling the wagon all day?"

"Ever since the pink one and I put you to bed, yes," Trixie agreed. "Pinkie is... a lot; even with you resting in the bed she tried to get Trixie to appreciate her parlor tricks."

"You can't deny that those cupcakes of hers were delicious though," I remarked.

Trixie tilted her head to the right so the shadow from her hat pulled away from the left side of her face.

She looked sideways at me for a moment, then straightened her neck again and resumed looking directly ahead.

"Trixie supposes she can't, no. Apparently Trixie has to take baking lessons with her next we return to Ponyville," she grumbled. "She wouldn't let Trixie go until she had promised as much."

I felt my cheeks redden and fell a half-step behind.

Trixie slowed her pace until I could catch up to her again.

"Don't tell me you asked her to teach Trixie how to cook, Fuu? Was that what you two were whispering about?" Trixie wondered.

"Maybe I said you burnt our food a couple of times," I answered honestly. "I told her to keep it a secret, and she pinkie-promised to do so."

"Well, that's at least something Trixie won't have to worry about then," my guardian chuckled weakly. "She did lose time dealing with Pinkie Pie, so we are running behind on schedule for the rainstorm that's passing overhead tonight."

I looked up at the sky but it was entirely void of clouds.

"How do you know there's a rainstorm coming?" I wondered, confused at what the signs might be.

"Pinkie said her pinkie sense told her that I should wear a hat if I were to keep going down the road," Trixie explained, nudging her head up a moment as if to draw attention to her hat.

"Right, pinkie sense," I remembered. "That's a thing she does."

I looked up at my yellow mane dangling barely in sight of my eyes.

"Shouldn't I be wearing a hat as well, then?" I wondered.

"You were asleep in the wagon," Trixie pointed out. "The wagon has a roof."

"But I'm walking out here beside you now," I reminded her.

Trixie turned her head slightly to look me over again.

"Yes, you are," she agreed. "If you go back into the wagon and pull out the box nearest to the headboard of the bed, there's an older box behind it with an old hat Trixie wore back when she still performed in Canterlot."

I turned my head to look in her direction now.

"It should be your size since you're barely shorter than Trixie was back in the day. Wear it and come show Trixie if she's right," Trixie ordered.

"Yes miss Trixie," I spoke obediently.

I ducked down under the wood beam to my left, then turned around and walked to the back of the cart again.

"Leave out the 'miss', darn it Fuu," Trixie called after me.

I jumped up on the steps and clambered my way back up to the door, then pushed into the wagon proper again.

"Box nearest to the headboard," I reminded myself.

I pulled the indicated box out of the way with my magic and peered down into the dark space under the bed.

"I can't see anything in this light," I shouted in an attempt to have Trixie overhear. "Where's the box?"

"Magic, Fuu! Use your magic already, you..." Trixie called back, but the rest of her words were spoken too soft for me to make out.

I shook my head at myself.

"Magic, right... why do I keep forgetting I have magic?" I chided myself.

Focusing on my horn, I considered what I needed; light. I needed light.

A small spark of energy formed around the tip of my horn, and the twilight of the wagon's living area lit up a little.

I put more focus on the ball of energy, making it larger and brighter, but stopped once it reached the output of an incandescent electric bulb.

It was enough for me to make out details if I brought my horn down to light up the space under the bed.

There were a number of boxes pushed to the very back under the bed, boxes I had not noticed even from my pillow pile on the ground since they were usually hidden by the ones in front of them.

One of them, which had been directly behind the box I had moved aside just now, was a round box I could very clearly identify as a stereotypical hat box.

I reached for it, pulled it out from under the bed, and pushed the other box back in its place.

With increasing nervousness I carefully undid the ribbon holding the lid in place, then pulled it off the box itself.

A large-rimmed magician's hat rested in the box, the tip of it folded over on top of it so it could flatten enough for the lid to close over it.

It was almost a perfect copy of the hat Trixie wore, albeit a smaller version of it and scuffed here or there to indicate it had seen frequent use in the past.

I carefully levitated it up out of its container, straightening the tip of it as I did.

This was Trixie's hat from when she worked at the Canterlot Theater as a young filly, this much was obvious to me.

Clearly a cherished part of her history, since she had kept it with her on the road for all these years even with the negative feelings she might have had about the same period of her life.

A hat which she had now ordered me to wear, at least for the moment.

I gingerly lifted the hat up over my head and carefully pulled it down so it slipped over my mane.

With only a little adjusting so my hairs wouldn't feel like they were being tugged at by the hat's old stitching on the inside of it, I soon had it secured in place and looked up at the wide rim.

Trixie's hat, which she had entrusted to me for the moment.

I made my way out of the wagon again, taking care to not bump the hat against the door or its frame as I did.

Instead of rolling down the steps like moments before, I carefully judged the speed at which the cart was going and then made a leap for the ground behind it once I thought I was sure of how I would land on it.

I almost lost my balance as I landed on my forehooves first, but a quick flick of my tail corrected my balance and I felt the dirt under all four of my hooves again.

I cantered up toward Trixie in front of the wagon again and opted to run beside her on the outside of the wooden beams again as I had before.

Trixie tilted her head slightly as I joined her again, giving me a sideways glance from under the shadow of her own hat.

"What do you think, Trixie? How does it look on me?" I asked, barely able to contain my excitement.

"Trixie thinks we should get you a proper hat of your own once we get to Los Pegasus," she decided after looking me over for a brief spell. "Purple doesn't suit you."

"Well, it is your hat, not mine," I defended myself. "It's not like it was specially made for me or anything."

"Trixie found it for two bits at a thrift store, if she recalls correctly," Trixie chuckled. "It's only after she gained some recognition as a performer that she had copies of it made for her."

"So why did you keep it for all these years, if it's just a thrift store find?" I prodded. "Clearly you have some emotional attachment to it?"

"It was Trixie's first hat. Of course she is emotionally attached to it," the blue unicorn pointed out. "Wouldn't you have a soft spot for... whatever you humans need for your first job?"

"My first job was as a paperboy," I told her. "It's not like there was any clothing associated with that."

There was a soft 'thud' on the rim of my hat.

I turned my eyes up to look at the fabric hanging over my forehead.

Another 'thud', followed by another almost directly after.

A cold something fell onto my back a moment after, making me jump from the shock.

"Ah, there's the rain," my guardian remarked dryly. "Trixie doesn't think we're going to make it to the rest stop if we don't pick up our pace. Do you think you can keep up with Trixie, Fuu?"

I jolted from another wet drop landing just right so it slipped between the hairs on my back and hit my skin underneath again.

"Only one way to tell?" I returned to her. "I'll call out if I can't keep up?"

"Yes, good. It isn't too far ahead of us; just around the bend over there," Trixie suggested.

I peered forward as the rain slowly increased in intensity, the wind starting to pick up as it did.

Through the falling raindrops and the increasing darkness caused by the clouds from which they fell, I could see a mountain range to our right which was encroaching upon the road we were on.

The road bent just around the foot of the last of these mountains, turning away from the river which would otherwise have bordered the road to the left.

"Just around the bend?" I asked for clarification, but Trixie was already picking up pace.

"Just follow, Fuu," Trixie demanded as she increased her trot to a canter, and soon fell into a gallop.

I pushed myself to follow, but my shorter legs meant I could see her slowly outpacing me.

The gusts of wind which were getting stronger by the minute didn't help me keep to a straight line either.

The road up ahead was clear enough for me to know where to go up to the bend, but I still called out to her.

"Wait for me after the bend, please? I'll catch up," I shouted.

As I ran, my fur started to clump together from the water raining down upon me.

I was feeling heavier by the minute while I tried to push forward as fast as my little legs could take me.

My tail was especially heavy as it dragged behind me.

I usually didn't pay attention to what it was doing; it just sort of stuck out of my rear. I just had to keep it in mind when closing doors behind myself.

But with the weight of the water dragging my tail hairs down, I could really sense the muscles around the base of it trying to counter the downward drag even as I ran forward.

My hooves hit the wet dirt and I started to notice I was losing grip on it, so I focused on hammering them down a bit harder into the road as I continued on.

Just that little extra oomph to my step made sure I could propel myself forward without slipping.

The large rim of the hat I was wearing kept the rain out of my eyes, but the gusts of wind made the droplets go sideways, if even for a brief moment, so I still ran right into them.

I made sure to blink more often than normally so I could see whether there was anything like a branch or such in my way, hopefully allowing me enough time to evade something like that.

A bright flash illuminated the world around me, and I had to blink a few times in quick succession to get the afterimage to disappear.

My ears were assaulted by a loud thunderclap not twelve seconds after, the sound rolling down over the landscape for almost just as long.

The distance between Trixie and the wagon, and me trailing behind was constantly increasing, and as the next flash of lightning lit up the world I tried to do a quick distance calculation.

Just a rough six pony lengths, but it was fast increasing.

My ears folded down in preparation for the thunderclap to follow, and it hit almost nine seconds after the flash.

If I had been taught anything back on Earth, it was to calculate the number of seconds by five to get the distance in miles.

It had been twelve seconds before, so almost two-and-a-half miles. But now, with nine seconds between the lightning and thunder, it was just under two miles away from me.

This storm was moving fast. A lot faster than I could run.

Trixie disappeared around the bend at the foot of the mountain up ahead, just as another flash lit up the area.

I folded my ears down again and started to count, but I already knew I wouldn't make it to the bend before the storm caught up to me proper.

The thunderclap was so loud it took the wind out of me. It hadn't even been five seconds since the flash; a single mile.

I looked around for something to use as cover in case I needed to avoid a lightning strike.

A tree was no good; it would be a prime target for lightning to hit.

There was a decently sized boulder coming up to the left of the road, between it and the river which was coming near enough that I could see the rough waters flowing through it at speed.

I jumped at the boulder, grabbing hold of the hat I was wearing with my forelegs so the wind could not pull it off my head.

I curled into a ball as I hit the ground, rolled once, and then flattened myself beside the larger stone, hoping it would be enough of a shelter.

Another flash, and an almost immediate thundering clap which shook the ground I had thrown myself against.

I was now in the danger zone; any bolt of lightning could decide to hit me where I lay panting and praying.

I counted the time between the next flash and its accompanying thunder clap.

The next was immediate; no time to count. The one following took three seconds between the flash and its thunder.

Another flash; seven seconds before I heard the clap. Eleven seconds for the next pairing. Then fifteen, now twenty, and finally twenty three seconds after that.

The rain continued unabated, but the wind slowly started to calm down again as the storm passed overhead, and I finally dared to get up from the ground again.

I could see the lightning going farther and farther away, but as the clouds followed suit and the sky above cleared up, the daylight barely made a difference.

Celestia's sun was dipping lower and lower in the sky, and Luna's moon would soon rise as the night was near; I now found myself in the twilight between them.

I looked around myself for any sign of the road, but the darkness cast shadows in places where they had not been before the storm hit.

Not having known the area I was in while it was still light, I now had even less of a chance of figuring out where I was, and where I might be going.

I knew the river had been to our left, and the mountains to my right, so I started in the direction which kept the river on my left side and tried to find my way back to the road.

The darkness of night settled on the land, and I found my eyes having difficulty adjusting to the deep darkness from before the moon would rise.

"Magic, Fuu," I told myself, as Trixie was not near enough to me to chide me herself.

I focused on my horn again and made another ball of energy around the tip of it to serve as a light.

With my horn sticking out through a hole in the fabric above the large rim, the hat kept it from shining directly into my eyes, and I increased the intensity of my magic until I could see almost four feet in front of me.

I walked forward until I realised the sound of the river was coming too close for comfort.

I looked to my left and saw a faint shimmer in the darkness; my light reflecting against the water in the river.

Water which was flowing at such an intense speed that I would not survive falling in.

I turned away from the river as best I could, and continued on through the wet grass in the hopes of finding the road again.

I knew there should be a mountain somewhere, but I couldn't see it against the black sky.

I had trouble making out anything worth while since my light only spread around me for such a short distance.

I started to feel scared as I couldn't find the road, and instead of taking it slow and steady, increased my pace as I was desperate to catch up with Trixie again.

Trixie was safer than the quickly flowing waters of the river I was trying to leave behind me.

A different light emerged in the distance up ahead, swaying this way and that as if it was a lantern being moved around for its owner to see where they were going, and I turned for it.

As it drew nearer, I thought I could identify the light as being similar to my own; a horn sticking out of a wide-rimmed magician's hat.

"Trixie!" I called out in desperation, quickening my pace even more to make it toward her as fast I could.

Trixie clearly increased her pace as well as she made her way for me, and I somewhat awkwardly collided into her larger form once we met up with one another.

I just buried my face into her wet fur, desperate for the safety she signified.

Trixie wrapped her left foreleg around my withers and nuzzled down against the wet hat resting on top of my head.

"Well, Fuu," Trixie started, "Trixie is happy to see you're starting to use your magic when it counts."

I could only breathe in the smell of her as we both stood wet and cold in the darkness, both of our horns glowing with our magic.

"I couldn't find my way back to the road," I told her. "I'm so glad you came back for me."

"Allow Trixie to save you the trouble of trying to find your way in the darkness," my guardian suggested. "The homing stone should have charged up enough from the lightning for us to use it."

"Yes please," I begged of her.

Another flash of light filled my eyes as Trixie initiated the teleport spell.

We both reappeared in the middle of our wagon's living space, but Trixie didn't immediately break away from me.

She instead nudged the top of my head with her chin.

"Douse your magic. Trixie will light up the lantern," she ordered.

I stopped the flow of magic into my horn and the light surrounding the tip faltered and died out as a result.

Trixie's horn still lit up the space by itself until she used her own magic to turn the lantern on, but once it was lit she let her own light fade out as well.

"We need to hang these hats or they will grow musty before the morning," Trixie spoke, still not taking a step away from me.

I felt a tug at the hat I was wearing, but only when Trixie moved her head and finally took a step aside did I realize she had taken the fabric between her teeth and was pulling it off my head manually instead of with her magic.

"Collect your pillows from the floor and move that journal of yours under our bed, Fuu," Trixie spoke past the sliver of fabric from the hat.

I blinked at the order, but then quickly gathered up my pillows by a combination of my magic, my teeth, and some shoving around with my forehooves, putting them all on the footend of the bed.

I then turned around and very carefully moved my dreamjournal to an empty space under the bed as instructed.

"Like this?" I asked, turning back to face Trixie.

Instead of answering me directly, Trixie first focused on hanging up both of our hats on little pins in the wall directly above where my pillow pile had been before.

I knew they were there, and had expected them to be coathangers or such, but I had not seen them used before now.

Once both hats were hung side-by-side to dry, she turned to face me and looked me over.

"Didn't Trixie say to call out if you could not keep up with her?" she admonished me, but the tone of voice she was using was so far removed from the bitter and snide tone she had used to berate me in the past that it was almost honey-sweet in comparison.

I just blinked at her, then crossed my right foreleg in front of my left in an embarrassed pose.

"Well, I mean, I thought we had more time. That storm went a lot faster than I have ever experienced on Earth; it was like those clouds were in a hurry to get somewhere else," I explained my reasoning. "There was no outrunning that, but I noticed too late; you were too far ahead of me by then."

"Of course the clouds had to go somewhere else," Trixie stated as if I should have known this somehow. "Trixie would imagine the weather ponies were told to keep the storms at bay for the princess' visit to Ponyville last night. They are catching up to the planned weather schedule."

I hadn't thought of it that way; Luna was one of Equestria's princesses, so of course her visit to Ponyville would be planned to the last detail.

In Equestria, this planning included the weather, since the pegasi from Cloudsdale were in charge of it.

"It is just something to remember about life in Equestria, Fuu. Ponyville is a calm little town, but you are going to be faced with a lot more things you might find strange which Trixie is not going to be able to prepare you for now that we are on the road," Trixie warned.

She turned to the cupboards which contained some towels and pulled a pair out of it with her magic, unfolded one of them, and draped it over my shoulders.

"Dry yourself off as good as possible and try to get those clumps of dirt out of your fur," she told me.

I just did as she instructed, drying myself off with the towel she had given me while she did the same with the other one.

"We will both need a bath at the first possible opportunity, but it is likely that will have to wait until we're through the White Tail Woods," Trixie mumbled more to herself than to me.

"You will find that both wetness and cold are a thing to keep in mind now we are getting closer to winter, Fuu," she pressed onto me, speaking up a little louder again. "Make sure that you dry yourself thoroughly each time you come back home, even if you're only a little damp."

I paused drying myself and tilted my head slightly to the right.

"What is going on, Trixie?" I asked of her, trying to figure out why she was suddenly listing a whole slew of new house rules.

Trixie looked me straight in the eyes, even if she kept moving the towel through her fur coat while she did.

"You asked to be treated with respect, as a member of Trixie's household, so she is informing you of what is needed for us to continue to live together as such," she explained. "There is no easy way to get the moisture out of the wagon once it is inside, so we will have to make sure to keep it from coming in as much as we can."

"You may notice we don't have a heater in here," Trixie pointed out something I had been wondering at since I had arrived here.

"We will keep ourselves warm during cold weather by resting under the blankets, but our bodies don't produce enough heat to keep the wood from rotting away around us if we leave water resting on it," Trixie continued.

"Once we are both dry, Trixie will use our towels to dry out the hats as much as possible, then the wall and the floor, and then she will hang these towels outside on the hooks on the porch beside the door," she explained further.

As she continued to dry herself off with her own towel throughout her explanation, I made an effort to do the same.

"Towels are easy to replace, but the hats are not. Trixie will have to see about getting you one of your own after we arrive in Los Pegasus," Trixie chuckled. "Something which fits with those orange eyes of yours."

I stopped drying myself off again.

"My eyes are orange?" I repeated.

"Yes," Trixie agreed. "Have you not looked in a mirror since your arrival? Trixie's hat clashes with them. You need a hat which brings those eyes of yours out like Trixie's hat does her own."

"Orange," I repeated again, trying to get a more complete picture in my head of what I actually looked like.

"Keep drying yourself off, Fuu," Trixie commanded. "We'll have sandwiches for dinner once you're done, and then lay down for the night. We still have two days of travel ahead of us, so Trixie wants to make it an early morning if possible."

I continued to dab and rub and squeeze the towel around myself until I thought I had dried up every little spot that the rain had moistened, then handed my towel off to Trixie who used it to dry her old hat with.

She used her own towel to dry her current, bigger hat in a similar fashion, cleaned the wall and the floor directly underneath the hooks she suspended them on, and then floated the wet things out onto the small porch.

I turned my head to look at what she was doing with them, and found her wringing the towels out just beyond the wood landing, then unfolded them again and floated them to the hooks mounted on the outside of the wagon, beside the door.

I tried to make a mental note of how thorough she was about it; she clearly expected me to do the same if I were to return home without her.

Trixie started rummaging in the kitchenette, picking out the necessities for making us sandwiches.

"You didn't even eat breakfast this morning; you were impossible to wake up. Trixie was able to undress you, bandage you, and make sandwiches for herself and you for breakfast all without you being the wiser," Trixie explained how her morning had been.

"If Trixie remembers, you woke up around noon and then told her what she's done wrong for these past weeks," she sighed. "She's had a lot of time to think today, as you slept and slept again."

I stood a bit awkwardly beside the bed while she talked and prepared food for us at the same time.

Trixie was suddenly more talkative than she had been before, and I wasn't sure what this was leading up to.

"A lot of time to think," Trixie repeated.

She cast a glance back at me.

"Perhaps Trixie should serve as a surrogate parent while you grow up. It would be too much trouble to convince everypony you belong with Trixie without establishing such a relationship," the blue unicorn dropped on me. "Trixie still doesn't think she would be a good parent, but there really is no way around this if we are to visit some of the bigger cities."

I just stared at her, feeling my ears do a weird little wriggle. Were they standing up on my head? Drooping down? I couldn't honestly tell.

"Why is that, Trixie?" I wondered at her suggesting the bigger cities would be the problem.

"Truancy police," Trixie simply stated. "A young foal like yourself needs to be studying somewhere, and as much as Trixie would love to start her own school of magic one day, this wagon is not going to pass inspection for that purpose."

Okay, fair, that was a lot like back on Earth then.

"That makes sense," I agreed with her estimation of the problems ahead of us. "So you'd have to be my legal guardian somehow?"

"That's what Trixie just said," she huffed. "Trixie is sure she could get the paperwork sorted in Los Pegasus; the city is not as strict as Manehattan or Canterlot. Getting a parental license there is more of a matter of knowing which pony to pay than establishing a family relationship. And it will be valid all through Equestria just the same."

I didn't honestly know what to think here. Trixie was obviously trying to figure out what roadblocks would be on our path now she had all but given up on being able to send me back home.

But having her basically adopt me was still a big step, and somewhere in my addled little brain I considered it might be a step too far somehow.

It wasn't like I had any family here in Equestria to return to or anything, but it somehow felt like a betrayal nonetheless.

But who was I betraying? Myself? My family from Earth?

How much had they cared about me anyway? Were they even aware I was missing?

Trixie had done more for me in this short period of time than either of my parents for most of my life.

"Would that mean I have to take your last name?" I asked out loud, right as Trixie bent forward to pick something up.

I could see her freeze in place, but a tremble ran down from her ears down her neck and spine to her tail.

"Fuu Lulamoon?" I queried.

"Trixie thinks we first need to figure out your first name. Fuu must be short for something or everypony is going to get on Trixie's hide over that," Trixie mumbled.

She finished up what she was doing and finally floated a plate with two sandwiches over to me.

"Take it," she demanded, and barely gave me time to grab hold of it with my own magic before releasing it.

"That was mean," I whined, doing my best to control the plate in mid air so I could put it somewhere safe.

"That was training," Trixie corrected me. "Notice how you didn't even hesitate that time before grabbing hold?"

She clambered onto the bed and sat up with her back against the far wall, then patted the space beside her.

"Pull up a few of your pillows and sit with Trixie. She is considering names now, and if you don't help her with it you'll end up with one you don't like," she warned.

I made my way onto the bed as well, pulled a few pillows out of the pile at the footend, stacked them around next to Trixie, and then sat down beside her.

We both used our magic to float our respective plates in front of ourselves so we could eat our dinner from them, with Trixie starting off the brainstorming.

"Fuchsia Lulamoon," she suggested before taking a bite out of her sandwich.

"I'm not purple; that's why you want to get me a different hat," I reminded her, then tried to come up with a name myself. "Fuu.... Fuu... Fiorentina?"

"Trixie is not going to call you Fiorentina. Where did you get that name from?" she complained. "It doesn't sound like a name from around here."

"From back on Earth, I guess. I think it's sports related... I always thought it had a nice ring to it," I protested, but took a bite out of my own sandwich.

"How about Fuirena?" Trixie considered.

"I mean, it's close to Fiorentina," I recognized. "What's it mean?"

"It's a plant with spiky flowers which grows near bodies of water," she recited as if from a textbook. "Trixie once had one stuck in a... compromising spot after sitting down on it after bathing."

"What, so I'm a plant that gets stuck to you after you bathe?" I protested.

Trixie stared sideways at me. "Trixie can't seem to get rid of you, can she?"

I rolled my eyes at her.

"That's nice, thanks. Fuirena is obviously not it," I grumbled.

"How about Futz? You did pelt Trixie with items when you first learned how to use your magic," the mare beside me chuckled, a grin spreading on her lips.

"How about I walk as soon as daylight breaks?" I half-threatened. "Come on now."

"Trixie retracts her suggestion," she decided.

"I'm not purple, or Fuchsia could have worked," I sighed.

I dared to lean sideways into Trixie's larger form, half expecting to be pushed away immediately.

Trixie startled a moment, but then settled again and simply continued eating from her sandwich.

I also took another bite from mine, considering what other names I knew which I could shorten to Fuu.

Trixie shifted her weight a little so she could move her left foreleg around me, and I could briefly sense her breath passing through my mane as she exhaled in my direction.

Without looking up at her, I could tell she was looking down at me for some reason.

"It really is a bother you don't have a single purple hue to you, Fuu," she decided.

"So now what?" I wondered. "I'm all out of ideas already. I don't know what the popular names are here in Equestria, and how many of them contain 'fu'?"

Trixie moved her left hind leg slightly to tap against my right.

"Trixie has an idea. You know Trixie doesn't call herself by her given name on stage," she started. "She is not Trixie Lulamoon on stage, but The Great and Powerful Trixie."

I gave a slow nod to that. "Yes, I... kind of figured?"

"Trixie could buy you a couple of thigh high patterned socks to go with your hat, and you could call yourself Fuu Hockshoe as a stagename?" she posited.

I turned my head to look at her, wondering if she'd gone mad.

"A shoe and a sock are two different things. What is a hock anyway?" I queried.

Trixie stared down at me and then tapped my lower leg again with her own.

"Your hock," she repeated. "The part of your hind leg which bends back. It is just about the most important joint in our hind legs. Trixie has to wonder what you call that on your world if not your hock?"

I looked down at my little pony legs next to her larger ones and tensed my muscles in them a moment to visualise which one did what exactly again.

I then focused on the part of my hind leg which she was bumping into with her own; the part which 'bent back' and was mostly responsible for bending my legs underneath me if I lay down.

It was basically an inverted knee joint.

"The part which bends back? Like that joint right here?" I wondered as I did.

Trixie let out a sound of exasperation. "Don't tell Trixie she has to teach you about basic biology as well..."

I felt my ears droop down as I moved my leg a little to figure out which of the human joints I could most compare it to.

"I guess, going by the feeling as I move it now rather than when I walk on it, this is the second joint from our hip down?" I pondered as I felt out the individual muscle groups.

"In a human, that would probably be the ankle," I reasoned. "We'd go hip, knee, ankle. But they're in different positions in human legs since we ponies walk on our toes."

Trixie shook her head at hearing me list the human terms for the joints in our legs.

"As long as you're a pony they're your hip, stifle, hock, fetlock, pastern, and coffin joints," she recited.

"Oh, well, I guess the hip is the same for both humans and ponies then," I considered. "So then it's a knee for a human and a... stifle for us ponies?"

"That's what Trixie just said, Fuu," Trixie pointed out.

"Okay, so then our hock is a human ankle," I considered. "Do they even sell shoes that reach up to our hock?"

"No, those would be boots," Trixie answered. "Or socks if they don't have a hard sole."

"And there goes that idea for a stagename," I groaned. "Fuu Hockboots just doesn't sound the same, does it?"

Trixie just snorted at the idea, but then shook her head.

"No, it appears Trixie will have to think longer on this name of yours," she decided for now. "We still have two days to Los Pegasus. Trixie is sure something will spring to mind before then, or her name is not the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

"You just said it wasn't; it's your stagename," I corrected her.

"Ah, so you do listen when Trixie speaks," Trixie remarked with a grin.

11 - After the Rain

Day broke with the rain still beating down on the roof of our little wagon.

Trixie and I had decided to leave the problem of my name for later, having instead talked about a few menial things before laying down to sleep.

One such thing was that the path through the forest was a road which was clearly marked.

I shouldn't get lost on it during daytime since there was plenty of signage along the path, but Trixie had stressed to me to not stray away from the wagon when the sun would start to go down.

The night brought dangers with it which I was unable to protect myself against without her help, and I had to remind myself that this world had things in it besides ponies.

Not all of the things in Equestria were kindhearted; diamond dogs, timberwolves, and changelings were definitely on my list of creatures to avoid meeting anytime soon.

It was clear that we both had done some thinking about our situation these past few days and we were trying to steer the conversation well away from things which might set either of us off on another outburst.

Princess Luna's interference in our relationship had been a pivot point which forced both Trixie and I to act to finally try to see eye-to-eye.

It was obvious to me, now, that Trixie had been trying so hard to find a way to send me back that she had basically exhausted herself every day and had been acting out of that exhausted state.

She had stressed herself over suddenly having to live with somepony else, whom she had herself transported into her world and changed beyond recognition, and everything she had done so far had been a poor attempt at damage control.

Bad decision stacked upon bad decision but her ego didn't allow her to take a step back and give either of us the time to think about things properly.

She honestly thought she could find a way to set things right if only she kept at it.

But Luna getting involved meant that Trixie had missed her window to get me sent home without consequences.

Whatever had kept her in Ponyville while she tried to replicate the spell which had brought me into her world, she had now obviously decided it was not worth staying for.

But that had been a bad decision on her part as well, as there was no escaping her thoughts while she was pulling our wagon away from the town.

Even before I woke up and launched my demands at her, Trixie had been sliding down a slope of regret as she tried to walk away from her responsibilities yet again.

She knew she had treated me wrong, but there was no way out of it that would keep her ego intact.

There was no other option for her but to accept my demand for an apology and a promise to do better.

But after Pinkie's interruption there was even more to consider; she had come after us because she felt one of her friends was in emotional trouble.

You can't run away from Pinkie Pie, as Rainbow Dash and Applejack could have told Trixie if she had asked.

Pinkie had tried to solve this emotional disturbance she felt with cupcakes and her usual bubbly demeanour, but had also finally clued Trixie in on just how badly her actions so far had affected me.

Facing your emotions was a tiresome thing, but we were now finally past both of our breaking points and could work things out between us.

We needed that fresh start as there was no way to continue the way we had been doing it so far.

With the promise of Trixie trying to reign in her abusive behaviour toward me, and a new view on the future ahead of us now she had stopped trying to send me back to Earth, the feeling in the cart was already better than it had been before.

Until now I had thought of this cart as my home because there had not been an alternative while I was stuck in this world.

Not necessarily a safe place, as I was at the whim of Trixie's temper tantrums, but at least a place where I could rest.

On a stack of pillows on the ground, with a collar around my neck, like I was a pet...

Waking up in Trixie's bed again now, the first emotion I felt was still panic that she would berate me for being there and not on the ground.

I tried to push up in an effort to get out of the bed again, but there was a weight across my side which tightened around my small form as I did and I fell back onto the mattress instead.

For a moment I considered Trixie's promise might have been broken and she somehow trapped me in her bed with a strap over my side or some such, until I became aware of her breath passing through my mane.

It was slow, steady. Peaceful.

She was obviously still fast asleep.

The weight over my side was her left foreleg, which she was using to keep me close to herself, unawares that I had woken up before her.

Pushing my fears to the back of my mind I allowed myself this brief moment of peace as well.

The rain pouring down continuously since it started yesterday had considerably lowered the temperature around us but it was still nice and cosy under the blankets.

The light of Celestia's sun outside grew brighter as the day progressed, occasionally dimming as it got blocked out by clouds, the long shadows it cast slowly shrinking as time passed.

This peace I felt carefully growing within me was so far removed from what I had ever experienced back on Earth, or perhaps very early on in my life, memories of which long since forgotten.

Equestria did not have planes flying overhead, motorized vehicles on the street, electronic devices playing music, or the constant buzzing of electricity through power lines and transformers.

The only sound was that of chirping birds out in the woods, the rain coming down unabated, and the slow breathing of Trixie behind me.

Rather than my brain zoning out while watching grass grow, or being worried about when my peace was going to be disturbed again by one of Trixie's outbursts, I was hopeful this moment would last.

That it would last longer than the shrinking shadows.

That it would last beyond when Trixie woke up.

That it would be there tomorrow. And the day after. And so on.

Every day from now on, please.

I felt moisture drip down my snout and blinked my eyes to it. When I opened them again droplets stuck to my lashes and my vision was more blurry than before.

Trixie stirred as I moved my left foreleg up to rub at my left eye.

Why was I crying now? Why again? I had been doing a lot of it recently.

"Nn~uhn, of course you can't fly," Trixie mumbled against the back of my head.

It was obvious that Trixie was dreaming, but I wondered if the princess Luna was with her, guiding her dreams.

I remembered my dream journal and reached out with my magic to levitate it up from where it was under the bed.

I kept it suspended in the air before me, then opened it and leafed through the pages until I got to the most recent entry, which was easy enough as there were only two entries in it.

While I couldn't remember the dream I had last night, the dream journal had done what it was set up to do and had recorded it for me to read back nonetheless.

I had been lost in the woods, my hooves splattering up moisture from puddles on the wet road.

Shadows and creepy whispering followed behind me and I was utterly mortified that I had somehow lost sight of Trixie and our wagon.

A lightning flash filled the sky, and the trees closed in above my head a little as if to keep its light from reaching me with their yellow, orange, and red leaves.

The thunderclap rolled through the new tunnel made by the trees and the leaves came loose from them and started to fall down around me.

"Faster, Fuu," a voice carried on the wind.

I felt compelled to follow the instructions given, and hurried along at a trot down this seemingly endless tunnel of wood and wetness.

"...faster..." the voice whispered from somewhere behind me.

I sped up to a canter, but somehow it didn't feel fast enough yet and increased that to a gallop.

More leaves fell around me as I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me, leaving the trees more bare than I had found them, and I was reminded of one of the pony episodes.

Which was it? It was called the...

"...running of the leaves...", added the disembodied voice.

Remembering that episode where Rainbow Dash and Applejack were trying to figure out which one of them was the better athlete helped bolster my mood.

Obviously I was just in the same race as them.

As I thought this, a familiar earthpony ran past me on my right side.

"Comin' through! That's some mighty fine runnin' yer doing there, Fuu, keep it up," she offered as she galloped past at a faster pace than me due to her longer legs.

"Oh no you don't. Get back here," Rainbow called after her, running past on my left side.

Her blue wings were bound to her sides with rope, but she was doing a good job catching up to her friend without needing them.

She turned her head as she passed me and offered me a grin. "Keep running like that and you might one day be as awesome as me."

I watched the both of them speed away from me, still intent on beating one another to the finish line, but I wasn't left by myself for long.

A taller pony caught up to my right side and I looked sideways up at her to find Luna smiling back at me.

"You may slow down again unless you wish to continue dropping the leaves in thine dream forest," the princess suggested. "It would be easier for us to talk if you did."

I slowed my gallop to a canter, then to a trot, then finally just a comfortable walk, and Luna kept up with my change in pace.

"How have you been faring since I left you in Ponyville, Fuu?" Luna wondered.

I sighed and collected my thoughts as I saw a branch in the path coming up.

There was a sign pointing to the right and fresh hooffalls in the dirt suggested both Applejack and Rainbow Dash had gone that way.

Given Applejack was the element of honesty, and Rainbow Dash the element of loyalty, I figured this was my subconsciousness telling me to be honest with the princess.

"I'll tell you, princess; Trixie did not like the gift you gave me. She reacted very strongly to it," I answered, turning for the right path as I did.

"Define strongly, for thy Trixie's dreams are filled with pain and regret," Luna pressed, falling back into her old timey speak.

"She lost it; she shouted at me, tried to take the journal, and then threw me around instead when she couldn't," I listed, much to Luna's shock.

"Trixie did bandage me up and put me to bed after, and we have had an emotional day following that," I quickly continued as the princess' face darkened.

"She apologized and we came to an understanding between us. She promised she wouldn't do that ever again. We're in a much better place now, emotionally speaking," I pressed further, before the princess would be moved to act against Trixie.

"This explains her dreams of late. We thank you for being honest with us, young Fuu," Luna replied in earnest, the darkness receding again.

I beamed a smile up at her.

"Of course, princess!" I replied eagerly, feeling much too happy about the praise. "You're only one of two ponies who know everything there is to know about me, and you're here in my dreams with me. You'd figure it out if I tried lying to you."

"Yes, I would," she chuckled. "Still, it is nice to know thou needest no motivation to be truthful."

"I've lied too much to too many people in my old life," I reasoned. "Trixie set me straight on that real quick."

"Some lessons are harder to learn than others," Luna mused.

She suddenly stopped walking and looked around as the forest around us started to fade out of focus.

"You are starting to wake up again, it looks like," she noted. "Let us talk more about this in a future dream."

I turned to look up at her and gave a nod. "I'm looking forward to it. Thank you princess Luna."

I let my eyes linger on the page of the dream journal for a little longer and considered how its magic worked exactly.

Reading back about what I had dreamt made it feel as real as any memory, but I could let it play out in my mind as fast or slow as I wanted it to.

If I read any sentence on its own it would still draw up the dreamscape in my mind's eye and made me feel the sensations I had felt at that point in the dream.

I could see and hear Luna as she had walked beside me. I could remember vividly how it had felt as Applejack and Rainbow Dash had sped past me.

That tinge of excitement as each of them had left me with a little message to keep me going.

If this was how Luna herself had started to learn to control not only her own dreams but that of other ponies as well, things were going to get interesting to be sure.

I closed my dream journal and moved it back under the bed again with my magic.

Trixie let out a sudden sigh, her breath passing through my mane.

"Trixie is not going to lie, Fuu. That book is bothering her," she mumbled. "It is protected by magic which is beyond her; she could not read a single word of what was written on its pages while you held it open in front of your face just now."

I didn't even know she had been awake until now, and felt my left ear tilt down slightly, my right unable to follow as it was somewhat squished in place between my head and the pillow.

"I'm sorry," I let out in more of a whimper than I had intended.

"Hrm, don't be," Trixie replied thoughtfully. "Trixie promised to try to not let her emotions get the better of her."

She pulled her left foreleg a bit tighter around me, keeping me close to herself.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax in Trixie's hold since she clearly felt like maintaining the peaceful moment between us.

We definitely needed a moment of this.

Just the sound of rain and wildlife to keep our thoughts company.

Trixie's breath hit my left ear and I felt it twitch involuntarily.

"Do you blame Trixie for her reaction after she came to in your car?" she queried in a half whisper.

"Maybe at first," I considered, "but I have had some time to think about it. You said the window to return home was closing for you, didn't you?"

"Trixie did; the spell she used only kept the connection open for two hours and she would have been stuck in your world if she did not return when she did," she repeated.

"I wouldn't say I deserved to be taken along, to be 'punished' for what I did," I added. "I didn't see you in the rearview mirrors, miss Trixie."

"Leave out the 'miss'," Trixie protested. "What do mirrors have to do with anything?"

"I wouldn't have backed up if I had seen you, is what I'm trying to say," I pointed out. "At the same time, I do have to wonder why you didn't move out of the way when you heard the engine start."

"Trixie couldn't place the noise. It was sudden and overwhelming, especially with that nasty smell which accompanied it," she explained. "There was not enough time to react."

Given the peaceful nature of most vehicles in Equestria, I could see how a combustion engine would be overwhelming for Trixie.

Especially if she had her face near the exhaust when I started the engine.

I wondered if I could have heard her coughing over the sound of the engine if the fumes had got to her.

Perhaps if I had paid better attention to such things instead of being in such a rush to drive off I could have noticed her behind my car?

The question was if I would have believed it if I spotted her or written it up to my inexplicable binge watching of the show?

"Once the rain lets up, Trixie will have to start teaching you some stage magic," Trixie decided. "You should still aim to be her assistant during Trixie's magic shows."

"Are we going to wait it out in the cart?" I wondered.

"No, Trixie will have to pull the cart again soon for us to make it through the forest before the Running of the Leaves," she explained.

"She will wear her hat against the rain but there is no other way to get to Los Pegasus in time for the contest to become Los Pegasus' main show pony for the coming year," Trixie continued.

"When Trixie wins the contest she can prove to the ponies in Ponyville that she truly IS the Greatest and Powerfullest magic pony around," she breathed out as if she was dreaming of the future.

"Do you need me to learn magic for the show, miss Trixie? Is that why you have been pushing me to control my magic?" I realised.

Trixie bit down on my mane and gave the hairs a bit of a tug.

"Trixie told you to drop the title," she grumbled. "She needs to do better by you before she deserves it."

"Ack, I'm sorry," I apologized. "What should I call you instead?"

"If Trixie is to use her money from her performances in Los Pegasus to adopt you, perhaps you should get used to calling her 'mother'?" Trixie considered.

Of course I had expected this to come. So why were my cheeks suddenly burning red hot at the thought?

"It might be too early for you to call her such, given the nature of our relationship, but it would certainly help in public, especially once we get the documents signed," she mused. "Trixie's name is fine until then."

"I think I can do that, Trixie," I agreed eagerly.

There was a chuckle from the larger pony behind me, and she pulled her left foreleg a bit tighter around me.

"Trixie must confess it was nice to wake up like this," Trixie mumbled into my mane. "As long as you don't do anything to force Trixie to have you rest on the ground again as punishment, the coming winter might not be as cold as she has experienced them before."

I perked up my ear at that last part, only for her to blow air straight at it.

"Now Trixie should get up out of bed and make us some breakfast. It must already be midday," she reasoned.

"Wouldn't that be brunch?" I posited.

Trixie tugged on my hair again before answering.

"Do you want Trixie to make breakfast for you and lunch after, or do you want to eat only one meal before dinner, Fuu?" she threatened.

"Pulling the wagon takes a lot out of Trixie. She will eat again before dinner to get her energy back, which would make that her lunch," Trixie explained slowly and deliberately.

"Therefore this meal which Trixie is making as soon as she gets out of bed will be Trixie's breakfast, not brunch," she pointed out.

"Now roll out of bed so Trixie can get to work," she finished.

Trixie's left foreleg let go of me and I wriggled out from under the blankets until I could roll onto my four hooves beside the bed.

I stumbled a moment as I got my bearings after having rested for longer than I had been used to, but moved aside in time to not get hit by Trixie rolling my way to get out of the bed as well.

"Trixie expects you to make the bed while she pulls the wagon after breakfast, but open the sheets to let it air out first. Remember what Trixie told you yesterday about moisture," Trixie told me.

"And put a comb through that mane of yours," she added, looking me over. "It looks like somepony pulled your hairs in different directions overnight."

I looked up at her and raised an eyebrow.

"I have to wonder who that could have been," I mused dryly.

"Trixie wonders that as well," she chuckled in response.

I sighed as Trixie turned for the kitchenette to start making breakfast.

I, in turn, set to my tasks of drawing open the sheets so the bed could air out, and then putting a comb to my mane.

We sat down on the little porch, under the overhang, and ate the sandwiches which Trixie had prepared while watching the rain come down around us.

A few birds were foraging in the undergrowth nearby, flitting this way or that, their song the only sounds beside the rain and our chewing.

The clouds parted before I managed to swallow the last bit of my sandwich, and I looked up to see a couple of Pegasi fly through the air after them as if they were corralling them like a flock of sheep.

"Just imagine; I could have ended up as a Pegasus," I mused.

"Trixie can just imagine the hospital bills from your many broken bones as you attempted to learn how to fly," Trixie chuckled darkly. "Are you done eating, Fuu?"

"I am sure I would have been fine, but yes I am done eating. Do you want me to rinse the plates before we go?" I asked, showing her some initative since she was going to have to pull the wagon and all.

Trixie raised an eyebrow and then just wordlessly levitated her empty plate toward mine and placed it on top.

"I'll take that as a yes," I chuckled as I pushed myself up on my hooves.

As I wandered back into the wagon to rinse off the plates, I noticed Trixie paying some attention to our hats.

They had been hanging out on the porch all night, protected somewhat from most of the rain coming down around us but still in the cold and moist air.

She hummed some to herself before grabbing her own hat from the hook it was on and putting it on her head.

"Make sure to grab your hat off its hook before we go; it might fall off when we move. It is still moist, as Trixie's is, but it will dry while worn," she warned me.

"I'll do that, mi... Trixie," I corrected myself.

Trixie stood in the doorway and looked curiously at me from under her large hat.

"...yes, good. Almost. When in doubt, just call her Trixie; the Great and Powerful!" she suddenly exclaimed, taking on a proud pose.

"I might have less trouble with that than with the thought of calling you mom, honestly," I coughed oddly.

"Go on," she pressed.

"What do you mean?" I wondered, feigning ignorance.

"Call Trixie the Great and Powerful," she suggested. "Humour her."

"As you wish, oh Great and Powerful Trixie," I spoke with extra flair, bowing my head to her.

"Ahaha! And for her next trick; the Great and Powerful Trixie will disappear off stage," she called out to nopony in particular.

Her horn lit up, and suddenly a cloud of smoke erupted from around her.

When the smoke dissipated again, Trixie was gone.

I blinked at myself at her theatrics, but then walked on over toward the entrance.

My sensitive pony ears heard wet hooffalls making their way around to the front of the wagon, so it was not like I didn't know where she could have gone.

Clearly she needed this moment, so I felt I should play along with her.

"Oh my goodness! What an amazing trick," I spoke loudly, making sure to emphasize my supposed wonder. "I wonder where she has gone?"

I made sure to close the wagon's door behind me and pick up Trixie's old hat to wear before jumping down onto the wet forest path myself.

As I pulled the slightly damp cloth over my head, I reflected on her odd behaviour just now.

It was almost comical, playful, not like the bitching and moaning from the past weeks I had spent with her.

If this was how she was going to be from now on, I would be absolutely fine with it.

As I reached the front of the wagon, Trixie was grinning at me.

"So, as for your first magic trick; Trixie expects you to learn a smokebomb exit. You can do this as you walk alongside her," she suggested to me, and my mood dropped a notch.

"Oh, what, that was just your lead-in on giving me stuff to learn?" I realised.

Trixie narrowed her eyes at me.

"Don't let a moment to put up a show pass you by, Fuu," she told me. "Especially once we get to Los Pegasus. Ponies only go there to be entertained, so we must provide them a show when and where we are able."

I considered that there was some truth in that. When in Rome, and all that.

"How would I start learning that trick?" I asked her directly, trying to get her back to that earlier playful mood.

"Smoke is just dirty air when you think of it; Consider the falling leaves coming down from the trees around us," Trixie started.

She started to walk, pulling the wagon along with her magic.

"There are only a few of them now so we can see right past them, but smoke has a large number of fine particles which block our view. It is just a matter of filling the air around you with them," she explained.

I gave a thoughtful nod to her words. It made sense to me.

"Less magical ponies than Trixie would have to use an actual smokebomb prepared ahead of time; pull them from a hidden pocket in the clothing worn on stage, use a quickfuse, and drop it before themselves so the smoke coming blocks the line of sight from the audience," Trixie pointed out further.

"Alternatively they would use a bag of powder, usually fine grain sand with reflective properties so there's more of a wall of reflected light than dark smoke," she continued.

"Right, but I'm guessing you don't want me to focus on either of those options," I wondered with a worried half-chuckle.

"You're right, Fuu! If you are to join The Great and Powerful Trixie on stage as her assistant, you must use your magic to manifest smoke around you without such cheap parlor tricks," she agreed with me.

I let out a deep sigh and looked down at the puddles on the path we were walking along, making sure to avoid them so I wouldn't get splashed by the water.

"Just as I thought," I mumbled. "How?"

"Even air as clean as this has particles drifting through it," Trixie suggested to me. "You just need to pull them into the same spot to create a smokescreen."

"Like levitating any other object, but smaller?" I started to comprehend.

"Exactly; just compress the particles in the air in front of you as we walk," she agreed with a smile. "Show Trixie something she can be proud of you for."

Trixie had been so dismissive during her previous teachings. So sure that I could not follow her instructions, angry at my limited understanding of magic and the slow progress I was making.

This turnaround, this suggestion in her words and show of emotions that she at least partly believed I could show her that I could do as she asked, honestly filled me with a desire to do just that.

I felt a strange rush as I focused my magic through my horn, seeking out what particles I could find in the air around us.

Particles were small, smaller than the littlest thing I had lifted with my magic so far.

If I tried to just grab hold of them as I did any other item I would most likely fail.

Instead I considered what we did back on Earth if we wanted to catch air in something; Our lungs used negative pressure; expanding our chest would pull the air into the vacuum we created.

Blowing up a balloon with that same air was a positive pressure; pushing it right back out again into the rubber bladder.

I thought of creating a negative pressure just in front of me to draw the air in, letting my magic loose out of my horn to commit this thought to reality.

The wind picked up as my magic set to work, but nothing happened beside that.

"Okay, that's wind. You're making wind happen," Trixie helpfully pointed out.

"I noticed as much," I coughed. "I guess I need to filter the air I pull in?"

"Trixie said to move the particles, not the air," she corrected me. "You're focusing on the wrong thing, Fuu."

"How would I grab hold of the particles if I don't funnel them through a sphere of negative pressure?" I wondered.

"You have already moved those particles by creating that zone of negative pressure," Trixie pointed out. "You moved them aside to allow room for the air to flood into the space."

I stopped walking and doused my magic.

Trixie stopped walking as well and looked sideways at me.

"How did you think you were creating the air, Fuu?" she asked of me.

"I don't know, honestly. I just thought of the best way to get air moving so I could grab the particles out of it and my magic did it for me," I explained.

"That last part, there. Didn't you learn anything from what Trixie has told you?" she grumbled.

"Remember just yesterday when Trixie dropped your plate without forewarning? You took it from the air before it shattered on the ground. What were you thinking when you did that?" she used as an example.

"Just that the plate shouldn't fall, I guess?" I replied, trying to make the link with what I was doing now.

Trixie rolled her eyes at me.

"And because you thought the plate shouldn't drop, it didn't. So what was it that Trixie told you to do now?" she pressed.

"To compress particles in front of me?" I repeated, my right ear twitching under the hat I wore.

"So do that. Don't focus on the air," she told me flatly.

I blinked, then let my magic free from my horn and a clump of dust suddenly pressed itself together in mid-air between us.

Shocked at this clump appearing between us, I lost control of my magic and sent it flying in Trixie's direction the very next moment!

Trixie's magic stopped it before the clump could hit her right between the eyes and it fizzled apart.

"You're lucky Trixie was ready for it this time, Fuu," she mused. "Do you see now what Trixie is telling you?"

I gave a quick nod at her.

"Focus on the end result, not how to get there?" I answered.

"Exactly. So; manifest a small cloud of compressed particles in the air in front of you as we walk... and don't send it flying into Trixie's face again if you could," she ordered of me again.

So much for her good mood.

I charged my horn again and just focused on the end result; a cloud of compressed particles in the air between us.

As I let the magic loose from the tip of my horn, the air between us trembled and became more hazy by the second.

"There you go," Trixie chuckled from the other side of the haze. "Now focus on how wide you want it to be dispersed instead of this cone."

"It's a cone?" I wondered, then thought about making it a screen; a simple flat plane between her and me, just enough to obscure each from the other's sight.

Edges to the haze became more profound as the particles in this area I was focusing on were clumping together while those outside of my magic's hold were left to fly free.

"That's a screen. Did you intend to make a screen, Fuu?" the blurry vision of Trixie wondered.

"I did, yes," I answered her, feeling my excitement rise. "Focus on the end result, you said. I thought about making a hazy screen."

"Now remember what smoke is; it's denser particles than that," she instructed from the other side of the haze.

The moment I considered her words the haze darkened and became more blotchy, trails of smoke lazily drifting up.

I knew the smoke was just random particles which had existed in the air around us before my magic had pulled them together, but the effect was intensely realistic.

"Okay, now spread the smoke in all directions as if it erupts from a smokebomb and douse your magic instantly," Trixie ordered.

The smoke suddenly filled the air around us and I was forced to breathe it in as it didn't disperse as fast as I had thought it would.

I collapsed onto the wet dirt as I tried to stifle a sudden coughing fit, thankful for the pocket of cleaner air below the sudden cloud of smoke I had created.

As this dark mist above our heads started to drift apart thanks to the winds passing through the forest, I could hear Trixie cough as well.

Peering her way through the clearer air, I spotted Trixie similarily down in the dirt in the same spot where she had stood a moment before.

A proud grin was plastered on her face, even as she had to press a hoof to her muzzle to stifle another cough.

"That's a start. Now we just need to work on controlling the range of it," she told me. "You'd want to keep it on the stage, not filling the whole venue. But Trixie sees you grasp the concept, and quicker than she thought you would. Well done, Fuu."

I'd done it; I made Trixie proud of me.

For the first time in a long while, someone I was quickly starting to see as a parental figure was proud of me.

Rain moistened the fur on my cheeks again, or perhaps it was just the tears of joy leaking from my eyes.

At least it was washing the sting from the smoke out of them...

12 - Broken Shackles

Trixie and me picked ourselves off the ground and continued walking as soon as the smoke cleared again.

While she had caught my earlier attempt with her magic to keep the clump from hitting her in the face, she had let the natural wind take care of the larger amount of smoke in the air now.

I mused at it while walking beside her, using my magic to make little puffs of smoke appear in the air around my head as per Trixie's instructions.

Each time I created another one of these localised pockets of smoke and let go of them again to see them fall apart again on their own I felt a little bit more familiar with the concept.

With the feeling of magic grasping on these particles by itself to create what I wanted it to do as I sent it out of my horn.

I changed the amount of mana I released each time, a little more or less, trying to figure out if and how the amount of magic I used affected the puffs I was creating this way.

Perhaps the sheer large amount of smoke covering us earlier would have been more difficult to clean up than it had been to create by my magic being let loose without restriction for the briefest of moments.

I created another puff of smoke and saw how the lighter particles ascended while the heavier ones drifted down toward the ground.

Smoke was not as simple as just packing a bunch of the same particles together; it would not look right if all of them were light or all heavy.

If all of the particles were but the lightest, thinnest of those available, it would more be the haze I had created before.

Too heavy, large, and it would clump up and drop to the floor like small little nuggets.

Only by combining multiple different particles like weaving a blanket could it be called smoke.

And my magic was doing that by itself just by me focusing on what I wanted it to create.

If I created a puff of smoke and then instantly focused on making it disappear again though, I found I needed to use more mana to do the job.

The instant I created the smoke, the lighter particles were already spreading upward and to all sides while the heavier particles dropped down toward the ground.

It was like trying to mix syrup in a body of water; just a spoonful of syrup was easy enough to add.

Purifying the water again afterward would be a whole lot more work, requiring scientific things like boiling and filtering and whatnot.

I forcefully disappeared another newly created puff of smoke and heard Trixie scrape her throat.

I peered sideways at her from under the rim of her wide hat which I was borrowing for now.

"What's wrong?" I wondered, ceasing my magic exercises for the moment.

"Trixie imagines you're going to need a nap after lunch," Trixie considered. "Are you aware of how much mana you have in reserves, Fuu? Remember the headaches you were having?"

I felt my ears trying to droop within the confines of the hat.

"I remember the headaches, yes," I agreed in a half-whimper.

"If you use up all your mana, they will return with a vengeance," Trixie knew. "Remember Trixie said you should create the smoke to train yourself, not make it disappear again directly after."

"Right," I sighed. "I was just thinking about why you didn't remove the smoke earlier and... I think that just answered that."

Trixie smirked at me from under the shadow of her large hat.

"Yes, not even The Great and Powerful Trixie could make a cloud like that clear away without suffering a sizeable dip in her magic reserves," she agreed. "And she does need to keep the wagon moving along."

I gave a nod in her direction.

"You're right, of course... I'm not used to having to keep track of this kind of thing," I muttered. "How do I know how much reserves I have, Trixie?"

Trixie chuckled and put her attention on the road ahead again before answering.

"Just feel for your mana but don't charge your horn with it," she advised.

I did as she told while keeping pace with her.

"It is a pressure which increases as you rest, and decreases as you use it up," Trixie continued to explain. "If you start feeling like the pressure is barely there, stop using your magic and give it time to build back up."

I considered how much energy I felt as I reached for this mana inside me.

It was difficult for me to guess at how much I had woken up with now that I had already used a portion of it up with the training I had been doing throughout the day, but there was still some pressure to it.

If I considered just opening the pathway from my mana to my horn, it would spill out wild and free as it had done when the smoke spread around us earlier.

"How do I know when it gets too low? I feel like if I let go of it right now it would probably cover us in smoke again or something," I sighed. "If only it had a gauge like the fuel tank of my car back on Earth."

"Perhaps you should just keep using your magic until you start feeling the headaches," Trixie pondered. "That should give you an idea of what your lower limit is, Trixie supposes."

"I'm not looking forward to that," I grumbled.

"Nor is Trixie; you would be losing another day or two on your training," she sighed. "Just be careful when you start feeling like your mana is dropping below a comfortable threshold. Remember you still need to make the bed."

I rolled my eyes at her reminder.

"I know I have to make the bed. You don't have to remind me; you're not my mom," I joked as if I was back home responding to a friend being a bother.

The moment after the words left my mouth I regretted them.

Slowing down, I shook my head at myself.

"At least, not yet," I mumbled.

Trixie slowed down as well and turned the wagon off the path so she could park it off to the side.

I stopped walking and watched as she came up toward me now the cart was parked in a safe enough spot.

"Trixie doesn't think she heard you right there," she started.

She stood a few paces in front of me, looking at me with an odd show of emotion on her face which I couldn't quite place.

I tilted my head up so the sun's rays hit my face.

"I said you're not my mom yet," I repeated myself, feeling a little put on the spot by her.

Trixie smiled weakly as she studied my face as much as I was studying hers.

"No, not yet," she agreed with my observation of the state of our relationship. "You should tell Trixie if you don't want her to go along with her plan, Fuu."

"It depends on if you're going to stay nice or not," I sighed.

"Trixie intends to not get overwhelmed by her emotions again, yes," she agreed. "Today was a good day until now."

"Apart from the soggy hat," I chuckled lightly.

"Apart from the soggy hat," Trixie repeated my words with a smile on her lips.

"Then, yeah, I'd... love to be your daughter, I guess," I breathed out.

Trixie moved forward before I could react and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Then Trixie will try to be the Greatest and most Powerfullest mom she can be," she decided.

I struggled to breathe as my face was suddenly pressed into her chest, until she let go of me and lifted my hat off my head.

"Tilt your head forward a bit," she demanded.

I did as instructed, my mind unable to follow what was going on now.

There was an odd tug around my neck, and then my collar pulled up and over my head, past my ears, horn, and eventually past where the tip of my nose was until it dangled between us, held only by Trixie's magic.

It felt weird to not have the collar sit snuggly around my neck anymore.

It was like a cold burn, a sensation not unlike stepping naked into the cold winter air.

I carefully reached up with my left forehoof after first shaking the dirt and moisture off it, and used it to feel at my neck.

"Trixie should not keep her daughter collared like a pet," Trixie whispered to me.

I found myself at a loss for words.

It was clear that my fur was flattened more where the collar had been, the bunnysuit having been looped under it during Nightmare Night had done nothing to change that.

My hoof felt over a dip like in the skin of a finger which had seen a ring worn on it for years instead of the bump of the collar I had expected to feel.

Some part of my brain couldn't connect to the meaning of this gesture, this disconnect between what it was that I should have felt with my hoof and the reality of what was actually there, and my hoof reached from my neck toward the collar still hovering between us instead.

Trixie focused her magic in the same moment and it disintegrated into nothing before my hoof could reach it.

"A...ah, no," I gasped.

Trixie stared down at me and plopped her old hat back on top of my head without ceremony.

"This is as much new territory for you as it is for Trixie," she muttered.

She reached up with her own right hoof and touched my left cheek with it, and my left hoof grappled at her foreleg just to not have to dangle in the air beside it.

"T...that was too sudden," I sputtered as my brain remembered how to talk again.

"Is it not what they say; rip the bandaid off quickly so it hurts less? Trixie wouldn't want her daughter to hurt; that goes against the promise Trixie made with you, Fuu," she explained, but I saw in her eyes that she was unsure of whether she made the right decision considering my reaction.

"No, I mean, yes, that's what the doctors said, but I was... I mean," I stumbled, then turned my eyes down to look at the ground between us. "It was the first gift you got me..."

Trixie let out a surprised snort.

"What a gift... The Great and Powerful Trixie could get you so much better a gift once we make it to Los Pegasus, Fuu; she will perform on the mainstage once she shows the ponies in that town what REAL stage magic is," she boasted.

"Once Trixie gets paid, she will get those adoption papers sorted, buy a new wagon, get you a new hat - nay, a whole outfit for joining Trixie on stage!" she orated in a sudden bout of excitement. "You'll want for nothing once Trixie gets hired, just wait and see."

Oh how those promises sounded sweet to my ears, yet I knew what her overconfidence could lead to.

"I don't need all that," I muttered up instead.

I leaned my head in against her chest and just stood against her for a moment.

"I'd be happy enough just learning magic from you, traveling, spending time watching the sun rise and fall," I sighed, suddenly way more tired than I thought I was.

Trixie noticed it as well, and looked down upon me with concern.

"See what Trixie meant with conserving your magic, Fuu? Let's head inside and she will make you lunch, but you'll have to take a midday nap after that to get your mana back. She'll not have you complain about headaches in the afternoon," she decided.

"Yes mom," I answered, now less so as a joke than I did before.

"Once you're awake again, Trixie will want to see a proper smokebomb from you before she'll move on to your next lesson," Trixie continued, her right hoof patting across my back. "You'll be as good a magician as Trixie is before you'll know it. Let that be a present from her as well."

"Yes mom," I mumbled into the blue fuzz on her chest. "I'll do my best."

"Good, now let's get out of the cold," Trixie pressed. "It is not as bad while she walks, but standing still makes it creep up through Trixie's coat."

She gently pushed me in the direction of the wagon, so I turned to move on my own accord, my mind still blown by what happened just now and my emotional turmoil over it.

Gone was the collar I had worn since the first day after arriving here.

It had been a symbol of my forced submission to her, her desire to punish me for the transgression of hitting her with my car, her status as somepony who knew better than me what my future would hold.

And it was also just an item of clothing, and not one I had seen on other ponies in Ponyville.

But maybe that was why I felt like a part of me had disappeared with it; it had set me aside from all the other pastel ponies in Equestria.

Without it, I was just another background pony in the show.

I yawned as I climbed up the steps to the wagon porch. I was undeniably tired, whether it was from the mana drain or otherwise.

Trixie pulled my hat off my head and put it up on one of the hooks on the wall inside, her own following shortly after to hang from the other hook.

"Tell Trixie how it feels, Fuu. Just tired? Nausea? Headache?" she queried.

"Just tired," I responded flatly.

"Lay on the bed while Trixie makes you and herself lunch. Let her know if you start to get a headache or feel nauseous," Trixie decided.

She walked on over to the kitchenette and started making some of the same old sandwiches she had been making this morning, and the day before, and before that.

I climbed on the bed and lay down with my head on one of the pillows, a brief moan escaping my lips as I felt a dizzy spell from turning over onto my side.

Trixie stopped what she was doing and turned to face me, a concerned look on her face.

"I just had a dizzy spell, I'm fine," I warded off before she could speak.

She looked me over as if she didn't entirely believe me, but then turned back for the kitchenette again.

"Then don't disturb Trixie as she makes food," she grumbled half-heartedly.

I could forgive her the occasional snide remark seeing how much progress we made in a short amount of time.

I watched the back of her head as she put her sandwiches together and considered what my future with her would be like.

She had been so dismissive, so angry, so bothered by my existence.

Luna taking an interest in me had finally snapped something in Trixie and now she was tilting hard in the extreme other direction.

Now we were talking about having me adopted by her, learning magic tricks from her, with those moments of genuine concern for my wellbeing radiating from her all the way through.

It was like she was trying to overcorrect for her earlier mistakes. But was this something which Trixie could maintain?

I stifled a yawn. I was so tired, slightly dazed.

Was it just the magic training? Had I emptied my magic reserves as Trixie seemed to think?

Or was it an emotional whiplash from these new developments?

I had only just settled into my life in Ponyville only for Trixie to tear me away from it.

My life at school, my friends, the book I still had to return to Twilight's library.

How long would it take for me to settle into this new experience?

Would Trixie get her spot on the mainstage in this city we were headed for?

Could I live up to her expectations of me? Both as an assistant and a soon-to-be adopted daughter?

Or was it all going to change again the moment I let my guard down?

Trixie finished the sandwiches and sat down on the bed next to me, the plates drifting after her from the kitchenette by her magic.

She put them down between us and then looked at me with a frown plastered on her face.

"You've eaten without using your magic before," she recalled. "Can Trixie trust you with that or should she feed you?"

I chuckled weakly at remembering my early days learning how to use magic, sending assorted items flying into Trixie's face.

"You can trust me, 'mom'," I told her. "Especially with these sandwiches of yours; you make them the same each day so I know how to eat them almost without spilling."

A muscle on Trixie's face twitched, but she just studied me as I took my first bite.

I made it a point to smile at her as I chewed my food, which clearly calmed her worries.

We sat in silence while she started on her own sandwiches, using her magic to float them off her plate toward herself.

With me being barred from using my magic, I just used my mouth while I tried to keep any spillage on my plate.

Trixie watched me as she ate her own sandwiches, but I couldn't guess at what was going through her head as she did.

Her being a larger pony, and able to use her magic, she finished before me.

She peered over her empty plate at mine, at my efforts of eating without my magic, at her sandwiches disappearing one bite at a time.

"They're bland, aren't they?" she suddenly sighed.

I stopped chewing and perked my tired head up.

"Trixie has been eating these very same sandwiches every day since she started traveling on her own," she revealed.

"They're easy to make, the ingredients stay good for a while, and it's just become routine to her," Trixie considered.

I swallowed before opening my mouth to speak.

"They're not bland," I protested. "I mean, they're the same sandwiches you've made since I was brought here, but a little stability is a good thing, right?"

Trixie just shook her head at herself.

"We'll eat better once Trixie gets onto the mainstage, Fuu," she promised to me.

"You don't have to change everything about yourself just for my benefit, you know?" I countered. "These sandwiches are still better than what I had for lunch back on Earth."

"That is a low bar to set. From what Trixie has seen of that world, Equestria has higher standards overall," she scoffed.

"In some ways, yes," I agreed. "Can we agree that I like your sandwiches please, mis... mom?"

"Miss mom?" Trixie wondered bemusedly.

"Too much change at once," I excused myself. "It's hard to keep up with it all."

Trixie's smile fell again and she instead picked some crumbs from the bedsheets with her magic, putting them on her empty plate as if she needed to occupy herself with something.

I bit down into the remainder of my sandwich to finish my lunch in this awkward moment of silence between us.

"Trixie feels like she can do better," Trixie mumbled, more to herself than anything.

I gave her an empathetic nod, but my mouth was once again filled with my lunch so there was no way for me to say anything until I swallowed it down.

"Trixie must do better, Fuu," she now spoke to me directly. "Especially now you're here with Trixie. This competition must go Trixie's way so she can support you properly."

There was that desperation to her voice again, as I had heard from myself before when I called her out on her behaviour.

Trixie was swimming in as deep emotional waters as I was, and we needed to keep one another afloat in them.

"I'm sure it will be fine if we trust in one another, mom," I put to her. "You've got such drive to be the best magical pony in Equestria, I'm sure you can get there."

Trixie smiled a careful smile my way.

"That means a lot to Trixie, thank you Fuu," she breathed out.

I saw her visibly relaxing where she sat, but I knew it was just temporary.

She just kept on blaming herself for every little thing that went wrong, then getting overwhelmed from self-criticism, which had resulted in her lashing out toward others.

I yawned again, but then finally got the last of my sandwich down.

Trixie stacked our plates and levitated them to the kitchenette for cleaning so they would be out of the way.

A collection of crumbs followed immediately after so they would not get lost in the sheets.

"You should take a nap until you feel well enough again, Fuu. Trixie has more to teach you when you can use your magic again," she decided.

"Yes mom," I answered dutifully, "but we're in this together, okay?"

Trixie smirked at my words.

"That's what scares Trixie so," she sighed.

"Talk with me about it, mom," I suggested. "I mean, when I'm not this tired."

Trixie made a face like she had to pass gas.

"We're in this together," I repeated myself. "I'm not going anywhere. You need to be able to trust me."

"Lay your head down and get some sleep, Fuu," Trixie grumbled.

She used her magic to apply a little pressure to the side of my head, and I lowered it to my pillow again.

"I'm not going anywhere, mom," I repeated.

"Trixie knows," she sighed. "Take a nap, get your strength back."

I closed my eyes and just let myself drift off, hoping my message got through to her.

A tired blue alicorn was sat on a lounge chair with purple cushions, a big book laid open before her.

She turned to look in my direction, over the rim of the reading glasses resting on her muzzle.

"Another visit, young Fuu?" Luna wondered. "What has you taking a nap at what must be the height of my sister's day?"

I looked around myself and the dreamspace filled itself in with more items as I put my focus on them.

A dresser, a bed, a rug on the floor, a window set in a wall.

Luna watched me take in the room we were in, patiently waiting for a reply to her question.

"Mom sent me to bed after I used too much magic during training," I finally breathed out. "Where are we, princess Luna?"

Luna raised an eyebrow and used her magic to levitate her glasses off her muzzle and put them down on her book.

"It is but a representation of our bedroom in Canterlot," the princess answered. "Fitting, considering thou hast seen our other bedroom as well."

She studied me a little more intently.

"Who is it you call 'mom', Fuu? Could it be your Trixie?" she guessed.

"Uh-huh," I answered with a quick nod. "She's going to adopt me when we get to Los Pegasus. Today has been a day."

"Curious. If your princess may make an observation; you were complaining about her being abusive just the last time we met," Luna considered.

"She's... complicated. We're in a better place now, trying to figure out how to get through this together," I explained.

I took a few steps toward the princess, sitting down on the rug nearer to the lounge chair.

Luna watched me with interest as I approached.

"It sounds like a positive development, at least," she noted. "And it is obvious your dream journal is working as intended."

"Yes, princess Luna. Although Trixie said she doesn't like how she can't move it or read it," I replied honestly.

"That sounds familiar," Luna chuckled. "Our sister Celestia said much the same when we received ours."

"She did?" I queried.

"Oh, yes. It is why we started to hide ours under our bed," the princess agreed.

"That's where mine is as well," I revealed to her. "It's not like we have much space in our wagon to keep it anywhere else."

Luna just smiled warmly in my direction.

After the emotional turmoil I had gone through in the morning hours, Luna's smile filled me with a warmth I desperately needed to feel from somepony else.

With Trixie having decided to adopt me, to change our relationship in a way that was going to have effects for years to come, I needed more than empty promises from her.

Just that smile from Luna gave me what I craved from my soon-to-be mom.

Luna promised nothing and demanded nothing in return. She just sat there and shared her dreamspace with me.

It was a far cry from Trixie constantly pushing herself and me to get better.

I wiped the stupid dream tears from my stupid dream body's cheeks.

"I'm sorry, princess, I'm not usually crying this much," I apologized.

"Don't apologize, young Fuu. You are going through a tumultuous time right now," the princess warded off.

"We gave you your journal so you might have somepony to confide in. So we may ask you about your world, and you may ask us about our own," she continued.

"You should feel safe to express yourself however you must while here," Luna explained. "Your dreams are yours to shape."

I just kept wiping at my eyes, but the water was starting to pool around me as if I was seated in a bathtub which was slowly filling itself with my tears.

Luna leaned her head down closer to me.

"What is it you are thinking of right now, young Fuu?" she queried in a gentle voice.

"That I'm in over my head, princess. Trixie is forcing changes upon me so fast that I can barely keep up with it," I answered her honestly.

"Like you are drowning in, what I can only consider to be a bathtub?" Luna summarised.

She nudged her head a little as if she wanted me to pay attention to something by my side.

I looked around by her prompting to find that I was sitting in a freestanding white porcelain bathtub which was slowly filling itself with water.

Each tear which leaked down my cheeks made the water rise further around my flanks.

"Where did this come from?" I wondered with some confusion.

"Remember what we said, young Fuu; you shape the world of your dreams," Luna reminded me.

"You may have wandered into our dream as if we left the front door wide open, but you brought with it your own dreamscape," she pointed out further.

"We suggest you get control over it before it rises past your withers," the princess suggested calmly.

"How?" I sniffled.

"Perhaps you should let it drain away?" Luna offered up.

I looked around myself for the drain plug, but the floor sank away from under me as I did until I was forced to tread water just to stay above it.

Luna stood up from where she sat, and stood between me and the lounge chair she had been sitting on moments before.

My brain couldn't comprehend how she was standing on the water I was now trying to not drown in.

Luna tapped the surface she stood on with her left hoof and the sound it produced was not the splashing I had expected.

It was more a soft thud like she had placed her hoof on a soft rug covering a stone floor.

In that moment I remembered that I had been sitting on a rug in her bedroom.

The ground came rushing up to me under the water until I was sure I could sit on it again without submerging, and I dared to fold my legs under me when it did.

I looked around myself in amazement as the water around me pulled away while the bathtub disappeared, and soon enough I was sitting on Luna's rug again.

With still moist eyes, I turned my head to look at Luna's face, her warm smile now so close to me.

There was no judgement, no pressure, just that smile of hers.

"As we said before, young Fuu; we are here for you when you need us," the princess of the night reminded me.

"Has anypony ever told you you're imposing when you do something like that?" I sniffled.

"Many a time," Luna agreed.

She sank down through her long legs to sit down beside me, and reached out to gently nuzzle at the top of my head.

"You just need to have faith in yourself, young Fuu," she suggested to me through the hairs of my mane. "It was by your own understanding of the situation that the waters receded."

"And I didn't even have to use magic for it this time," I chuckled weakly.

"Exactly; it was all you," the princess pressed onto me.

She pulled away from my mane to look down at me.

"Do you understand what your princess is telling you?" she wondered.

I looked up at the larger mare and gave a careful nod up.

"I think so, princess," I tried. "You said I'm in control of my own dreams?"

"It extends farther than that," Luna suggested calmly. "Even in the light of my sister's sun, you are in control of your own life."

"It doesn't feel that way, what with Trixie making snap decisions for me," I sighed out.

Luna snorted at the thought, but that smile remained on her lips.

"It matters not what decisions other ponies make for us, young Fuu. What matters is how you allow them to affect you," she explained.

"We know how somepony else's actions may lead one down a path of confusion and despair," the princess continued. "It is easy to fall to one's nightmares when you lose the belief that you are in control."

The light drained away from around her, even as she started to change into that terrible, frightening form she had on Nightmare Night.

"It is what led to the creation of the princess of nightmares; Nightmare Moon," Nightmare Moon spoke with a cold, harsh tone to her voice.

"We lost to the darkness inherent to our nightmares, the whispers of inadequacy, the promise of power," she continued.

I remembered the story from the show, from school here in Equestria, and from what she told me herself when we met during Nightmare Night.

"It is only when you trust in yourself, when you focus on your strengths, that you can push those insecurities aside and consider what truly matters," Nightmare Moon pointed out.

Light returned to my eyes again as Nightmare Moon transformed back into Luna.

"You know your strengths innately, young Fuu. Everypony does, although it is easy to forget in turbulent times," the princess suggested.

"Your Trixie most likely has that problem as well as you do, young Fuu," she pointed out. "She forgets about her strengths, and acts out from fear of her weaknesses being exposed."

"I told her I was going to be there for her, princess. Even as I fell asleep," I recalled. "She needs me to support her."

"Your princess agrees, but your Trixie might be unable to see it just yet," Luna explained gently.

She leaned in again and nuzzled at the top of my head some more, and I leaned in to the comforting gesture.

"I'll have to persist, then," I decided. "The more I learn about her, the more I think Trixie just really needs somepony to confide in. She has so many hangups which trigger an emotional response, it can't be easy for her either."

"Don't forget about yourself," Luna warned. "We are here when you need us."

I felt the pull of the waking world on me, but tried to keep it at bay for a little longer.

"You're like a big sister, princess Luna. I can't believe how lucky I am that I have caught your eye when I did," I mused. "These moments help me so much, you have no idea."

Luna just gave a gentle nibble on my mane.

"We know how much it can help to just have a listening ear, young Fuu. Don't forget yourself whilst you walk in my sister's light," she warned me. "You have the strength you need inside you. Trust in it."

"I'll do my best princess," I answered her.

"I believe you can do it," Luna trusted to me as I finally lost my battle against my body waking up.

Luna's last sentence echoed through my mind as I opened my eyes.

"I believe you can do it," she had said.

The princess believed in me, in my ability to survive the ever-changing winds of Trixie's erratic emotions.

I could be there in a supporting role for Trixie. I had to trust in my own ability to do so, especially with the princess' backing.

Now I just needed Trixie to believe that as well.

13 - Masquerade

With renewed energy thanks to my nap, I rolled out of bed and pulled my hat off its hook.

I bounded out of the door and onto the road as the cart was pulled along yet again by the blue unicorn mare up front.

With my hat back on my head, I reached the front again before long and grinned over at Trixie as she glanced my way.

"Ah, Trixie sees you are awake again, Fuu," she suggested.

"Yep, and I feel fine," I boasted. "No lack of magic or energy. I can do more smoke bombs any time."

"Maybe not today; nightfall is not too far away, and Trixie must make up for lost time," Trixie decided.

"What do you mean, mom?" I wondered. "You didn't take a nap as well, did you?"

"No, Trixie did not. But she normally makes better time as there are less interruptions. We are not on schedule," the blue magician grumbled.

"Can I help somehow?" I had to ask, wanting to be there for Trixie. "I can try pulling as well? Just taking the weight off your shoulders a little?"

Trixie briefly thought about it while pulling the wagon around a bend in the road.

"Trixie wonders if you understand the sustained energy draw of pulling a cart like this," she muttered in reply.

"I didn't say I could pull it by myself, mom; I was thinking of pulling along with you. Even a little bit of help could make it easier on you, right?" I repeated my idea.

"That could work," she agreed. "You would need to take up position in front of Trixie so she can see when you are taxing yourself. Trixie does not want a repeat of earlier today."

"Yes mom," I agreed, hurrying on over to walk just in front of her in front of the wagon. "You just have to tell me where to go, because I have no idea."

"Just follow the road, Fuu; it doesn't branch off until closer to Los Pegasus," Trixie grumbled.

"I can do that," I giggled.

"Now reach out with your magic for the wood beams we walk between and pull them forward," the blue magician ordered from behind me. "Don't immediately use all your magic; build it up until you feel comfortable with the constant outpouring of mana."

"Yes mom," I returned eagerly.

I let my magic flow out through my horn and reach for the wood beams as instructed.

Given Trixie's warning, I started with a small amount of magic and then increased it while sensing what it effectively did to the wagon.

It was a little like tugging a boat along by a rope which had some give to it.

As this imaginary rope pulled taut, the weight of the wagon transferred to me via my horn and I started to get a good feel for how heavy it actually was.

Since the wagon was already in motion thanks to Trixie pulling it, I at least didn't have to pull it from a standstill, but it was clear there was no way for me to pull it on my own.

Trixie decreased her magic output until she noticed I couldn't increase mine without straining myself.

"Make sure you can keep a constant pull on it. Trixie is making up the difference needed to keep the wagon rolling," she reminded me. "Warn her if you need her to take over from you."

"Yes mom," I called back. "I'm fine for now. Am I helping, if only a little?"

There was a noncommitting grumble from behind me and I dared to glance back at Trixie.

"Keep your eyes up Fuu, front," the blue mare behind me chided.

"Ouch," I replied mockingly. "That was a bad joke."

"Forth, Fuu. Fuu, Forth," Trixie joked.

"No more, please," I begged.

"It's not like Trixie hasn't stopped thinking of a new name for you," Trixie revealed. "Why not come up with one yourself as we walk?"

"What's wrong with Fuu? I've gotten used to it," I returned. "I'm fine going for a secondary name or something?"

"Nopony else is called Fuu," the mare behind me protested.

"Good, then I can't be confused with somepony else," I retorted. "How many ponies do you know who are called Trixie, anyway?"

"Trixie doesn't know anypony else named Trixie," she stated.

"There you go, mom. If you can have a unique name, why can't I?" I put before her.

"Trixie is starting to regret taking that collar off you; you're getting mouthy," the magician behind me grumbled.

I bit down on my lower lip, choosing not to respond to that.

The sudden removal and destruction of my collar was a sore spot still, even if it was a little ridiculous I had gotten so attached to it.

Trixie scraped her throat in mild discomfort.

"Okay, Trixie can see that was a bad thing to say," she mumbled with clear embarrassment to her voice.

I realised my ears and tail had drooped down and forced them back to a more neutral position.

"Too soon, mom," I muttered back.

"Trixie is trying her best," Trixie sighed.

"Stop saying that," I threw back. "Stop saying you're doing your best. I don't need you to be your best."

"What do you want Trixie to do?" she countered.

"Just give yourself time, mom. I can't learn to do magic on your level overnight. I can't expect you to change who you are overnight either," I suggested.

"I'm happy enough not being thrown around the wagon when you're angry, but it's fine to have emotions, you know?" I sighed, glancing back over my right shoulder. "It's fine to just be yourself and let them out in the open. Better than to have them bottled up."

The rim of Trixie's hat cast her face in a dark shadow as Celestia's sun slipped lower in the sky, and I couldn't tell what expression she had on her face as a result.

"Had another dream, did you?" she asked accusingly, tilting her head forward a bit to further hide her face away even more.

A thought occured to me and I put my attention to the road in front of me again so the wagon wouldn't veer off it into some bushes or a tree or something.

"It scares you to be yourself, doesn't it?" I considered. "Even around me. Even considering I'm going to be your daughter."

"Stop it, Fuu," Trixie grumbled. "Not today. Not now."

"Okay mom," I agreed. "Just remember I'm not going anywhere. Whether through the magic of the transformation or whatever, all I've been doing is trying to fit in the role you assigned to me."

"Like someone on Earth said at some point; all of the world is a movie and we're all just actors playing our roles or something," I was sure I quoted wrongly.

The weight of the wagon increased but I couldn't keep up with the magic drain to compensate, so I ended up slowing my pace.

"To the right, that opening between the trees," Trixie pointed out. "We're parking there for the night."

"I see it," I answered, and tried to steer for it. "You okay, mom?"

"No," she answered curtly.

I had the feeling she needed me to be quiet, so I shut up again.

We parked the wagon off the side of the road, and I stopped channeling my magic.

Turning to face Trixie, she stood there trembling on her hooves as steam rose around her. Her head was tilted slightly forward, the rim of her hat hiding her face from me fully.

I considered her stance for a moment, then took a step away from her.

"I'll... be in the wagon," I mumbled, trying to not push her more.

We had both had some emotional days behind us, with varying degrees of us opening up to one another.

Trixie was still locking something away from me, even now, but this was clearly not the time for me to press it.

I turned away and walked back around to the rear of the wagon, then climbed in and hung my hat on the hook inside.

Once again I clambered up on the bed, but I chose to take up a spot in the corner, using the pillows which had been on the ground before to both support me and form a makeshift wall so Trixie could have her own space on the bed beside me.

And then I waited.

Night fell properly and Trixie eventually joined me in the wagon, tossed her hat onto its own hook, and fell onto the bed.

She said nothing, she didn't offer to make dinner, she just curled up on the bed.

With all lights doused and night coming for us, we both just lay there in the dark.

I couldn't grasp sleep. Not so soon after my nap. Not while knowing that Trixie was going through things she didn't want to bother me with.

Things she had not confessed to anyone but herself. Things which hid in the deepest, darkest crevasses of her psyche.

I stared at the food on my plate and idly mixed it around with the fork I levitated with my magic.

It looked sickly, poisonous, inedible. Just some grey goop with chunks in it.

"You're going to have to get through it if you want to grow up big and strong," a voice told me from across the table.

I looked up to find an unknown mare there. Brown coat like myself, greying mane which at one point must have been a light brown or blonde, smart glasses resting on her muzzle.

"I'm sure it'll taste horrible," I protested.

"Listen to your mother; we need a taste of something horrid now and again to help us appreciate the better tasting things in life," she suggested.

I looked around myself. This place barely had any detail unless I put my focus on it.

The floor, the ceiling, the walls, every item in it, faded in and out of focus as if they were only there because I noticed them.

"This is a dream," I realised.

I put my focus on the other pony and shook my head at her.

"I'm sorry, but you're not my mom," I apologized for some reason. "Thank you for the advice though."

She smirked even as she started to shimmer and collapse into nothingness before my eyes.

"That was quick of you," Luna remarked, standing off to the side in the quickly fading realm of imaginary items. "What happened, young Fuu?"

"Has Trixie fallen asleep yet?" I countered.

"She has," the princess agreed.

"How is she doing, princess? I think I may have touched a nerve," I wondered.

There was a brief vacancy in the princess' eyes, but then her attention returned to me again.

"She is having a nightmare, and it's a worrying one," Luna revealed.

"Is there anything I can do to help her weather it, princess? I pretty much caused it," I sighed

I closed the distance between us and Luna watched me as if she was sizing me up.

"You shouldn't," she considered after a moment. "Not unless you wish to take on more hay than you could conceivably eat in one sitting."

"But I caused the problem, princess. I should take responsibility for my own actions, shouldn't I?" I considered.

"You are very forward about it all of a sudden, young Fuu," Luna realised.

"I care about Trixie. She's supposed to become my mom. I want us to have a future where we're not constantly at each others' throats," I explained. "I need to know what's bothering her so I can help her, but she doesn't want to open up to me."

"Would it help if your princess told you you're not the subject of your Trixie's nightmare?" the princess wondered.

"Only a little. I told her to be herself. To drop the mask she was wearing, at least around me," I sighed.

"We all wear masks," Luna knew.

"I don't think I am. Not anymore," I considered, shaking my head a little.

"Have you told anypony beyond Trixie and me about your being human, Fuu?" the princess of dreams queried.

"No?" I replied. "I haven't really had a reason to?"

"That, in itself, is a mask," the older pony explained to me. "You always hide a part of yourself which is private. In every situation, every relationship, no matter how much you trust the other."

I stared up at her, at this tall alicorn mare who had probably been close to my human age before she had been locked away in the moon.

"So Trixie's masking," I started.

"She has many, they are layered deep within, and are important to her," Luna revealed. "The very thought of baring herself scares her."

"But she revealed so much about herself to me already," I protested, knowing how much we had spoken in the recent days.

"Some things slip out in the heat of an argument," the princess agreed. "I know I have said a thing or two to my sister which I shouldn't have, just because my emotions got the better of me."

I did a doubletake.

"You're not using the royal 'we', princess?" I noticed.

Luna chuckled at that.

"Celestia pressed upon me that time has moved on from that sort of thing. I am trying to adjust as well as you are," she suggested calmly.

"It is fine if you want to use it around me, princess. Trixie has a unique way of talking as well," I offered. "I've gotten used to it."

"Don't mind if we do," Luna laughed heartily. "It is comforting to know there is somepony who will accept one's oddities, even if it is just an outdated manner of speech."

"Why wouldn't I? You accepted me for who I am," I pointed out to her. "Trixie has..."

I stopped and consider what all happened between Trixie and me in the past day.

She had hammered onto me that she was changing, that she was ready to accept me, that she wanted to adopt me.

Trixie had destroyed my collar and then gave me a new kind of bondage to tie me to her; making me her daughter.

"Hasn't she?" I now sincerely doubted.

"It is hard for her to accept anypony, since she does not accept who she is herself," Luna sighed.

"No, I need to give her the benefit of the doubt, princess," I decided.

Luna looked down upon me, a smile playing on her lips.

"Trixie said she would adopt me. She's trying so hard to make this work," I defended her. "She needs me as much as I need her."

"Perhaps more so than you need her," Luna pressed upon me once again.

I frowned at her.

"So about that nightmare of hers," I started. "Why are you not allowing me to help her if she needs me so much?"

"Because this nightmare of hers is not about you, young Fuu," Luna repeated herself. "We don't believe you can help her with it."

"Then what do you expect me to do here? I'm obviously no longer dreaming about horrible food," I sighed.

Luna shrugged at that.

"What is it you want to do, young Fuu? You are still asleep; anything is possible," she noted.

"What would you do, princess?" I wondered.

"You caught me doing what I would do myself when you last took a nap," she pointed out with a chuckle.

"Read a book?" I recalled with some confusion.

"You would be surprised how little time your princess gets to enjoy the little things," Luna revealed.

"The most mundane pleasantries disappear into the background of the rituals which govern life in the palace," the princess mused.

She leaned in to nuzzle at the top of my head some.

"Why do you keep doing that, princess?" I had to ask.

"Mundane pleasantries," Luna mumbled as she continued giving attention to the top of my head. "Is it bothering you?"

"No," I admitted, leaning into it. "Not at all. It's a little more familiar than I could have ever hoped for, but not unpleasant."

Luna and I stood in this weird half existence of an interrupted dream, with her nuzzling into my mane and me just enjoying the calm moment between us.

Every time she had done this I had just instantly had this wave of peace fall over me.

The feeling that I was protected, watched over, welcome.

All the words spoken between us were just that; words. Words could be twisted, changed, taken back.

This sensation was far more intimate, unfiltered, needing no explanation.

Mundane pleasantries, she called it. I could get used to mundane pleasantries like these.

"You don't have to worry about your Trixie while she sleeps, young Fuu," Luna tried to comfort me.

"Your princess watches over everypony's dreams, as you well know," she reminded me, "and we can be in more than one dream at the same time."

"As we speak here, your Trixie is fighting a fight she has fought before. And we are helping her by guiding her as much as she requires to not lose hope during her struggle," the princess explained.

"Remember when we first met in your own nightmare; it is rare for me to interfere that directly. That openly," Luna pointed out calmly.

I closed my eyes and waited for her to get to the point.

"Most of the time when somepony has a nightmare, they are able to get through it on their own with only a little push in the right direction. That is all I do for them," she continued to explain.

I gave a slow nod to her words.

"If I was to bring you to your Trixie's nightmare, could you do the same? Could you keep your distance and just whisper to her from the shadows?" she wondered.

"Would you be able to keep your emotions under control, young Fuu?" Luna pressed.

She finally pulled away from nuzzling me and just looked at me instead.

"Trust in your would-be mother, young Fuu. She is capable of fighting these fights herself when given time," the blue alicorn mare ensured me.

I blinked my eyes open to hear Trixie groaning on the bed near me.

She was obviously still stuck in her nightmare, which Luna had told me I couldn't help her deal with.

While I was awake and alert all of a sudden, it was clearly still the middle of the night as I couldn't see a hoof in front of my face.

Had the princess just unceremoniously thrown me out of my own dream after making her point clear?

What had woken me up?

A sudden thud from outside tried to answer my question; there was something out there!

The weather was calm enough that I could hear something sniffing the air outside as if it was catching our scent, but there were no hooffalls.

A dog? Wolf? Bear even? I could only guess right now.

Trixie had warned me not to stray far from the wagon at night, but I had to worry about how safe we were inside of it if a wild animal tried to force its way in.

I moved a pillow or two out of my way, feeling my way to the edge of the bed.

Trixie was resting a little away from me, giving me plenty of room to scoot past her until I slipped off the edge and onto my hooves.

I immediately slipped in front of the door and sat my rump down in front of it.

The door swinging outward was a problem. I couldn't just block the door with my weight and hope for the best.

Instead I reached out for the latch with my magic. Just enough magic to keep it pinned in its closed state, but hopefully not enough to draw attention to myself.

I would have to hope Trixie could keep quiet as well.

Another thud on the side of the wagon, closer to the back of it, and the sniffling followed shortly behind.

I was glad I made the decision to keep the door forced closed as it was clear they were on their way toward it.

With any luck the creature outside would be dumb enough to consider a closed door just another impassable wall and would move on.

The stairs creaked as a weight pushed down on them, the sniffing now just a wood panel away from me.

A thud against the door made it bend inward a little, and now I could hear the tapping and soft scraping of nails following it.

I felt my heart thump faster in my chest and tried to control my breathing in an effort to stay calm and focused.

It didn't help that I could trace where the creature was touching the door on the other side by the way the wood bulged on mine.

I was just a little unicorn filly trying her best to keep something clearly much larger out of her home.

The situation was straight out of a bad horror movie as far as I was concerned.

I could feel the creature's breath under the crack under the door, but the door didn't give it entry into the wagon.

My magic held the latch firmly in place, and even if it didn't the creature was mostly just pushing the door closed rather than trying to pull it open.

All I had to do was to keep it out and not give it a reason to stick around.

All I had to do was to keep quiet.

Of course, in true horror fashion, that's when Trixie cried out in agony over something that happened in her nightmare...

The sound of Trixie's voice was closely followed by the roar of something I could now identify as a bear, even if I didn't know the type.

It was big, that's what it was, and obviously searching for food.

The roar of surprise, of realising there was something hidden in this weird wooden box it had found parked in the forest it obviously called home.

Now the question was how it would get into the box, and the first thing it considered was just pounding on the door I sat in front of.

Trixie startled awake from the pounding, and the first thing she did was light the lamp with her magic.

She sat up in bed, looked around to find me seated on the ground in front of a door which was in the process of being broken down, and must have thought she rolled from one nightmare into the next if I had to judge by her facial expression.

"Fuu, what..." she started, but then her brain caught up to the facts.

She scrambled onto her hooves and launched herself off the bed to stand right in front of me.

"That door won't hold long. What did you do?!?" she asked in a half-panic.

"I just held the door shut while it sniffed around. It was going to go away on its own before you suddenly screamed," I explained as fast as I could possibly speak.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie had a nightmare, don't blame this on her," she grumbled.

I felt her reach out with her own magic to help mine to keep the door in its place, the wood straightening out even as the bear still tried to punch through it from the other side.

"Don't you know some kind of magic trick to distract it, mom?" I wondered up, somewhat relieved she was helping out.

"Yes, of course, why didn't Trixie think of that," she scoffed. "Let her think... how to distract a hungry bear?"

"They like honey, don't they?" I tried to help.

"Trixie will just conjure a jar of honey out of her hat, shall she? Oh, wait, we don't have a jar of honey, and both of our hats are inside here with us," Trixie retorted. "It doesn't work like that."

"Well, I wouldn't know," I grumbled. "What else could we do beside just keeping the door shut?"

"Kitchen, bottom left cupboard, small bag in the back," Trixie ordered. "Trixie will keep the bear out."

I quickly doused my magic and scooted past her as well I could, opening the cupboard to find the bag she pointed out.

"Pepper?" I read on the label as I held it up in the light.

"Yes, that's it. Spread it around in front of the door, quickly now," Trixie instructed.

I moved the bag closer to her and upended it so the black powder would leak out.

"That's enough, now send it through the gap under the door. Forcefully, like a smokebomb explosion," mom groaned with much effort. "And hurry it; the bear is almost through the wood panel."

I put the partially emptied bag down before me, then forcefully shoved the powder on the ground out through the crack under the door as instructed.

There was another punch of the bear's large claw against the wood, the panel bending inward a little to give us a terrifying glimpse of the furred limb.

And then the bear sneezed in surprise, and sneezed again immediately after.

The claw withdrew from the door as the bear now had to deal with the pepper dust invading its nose as it had tried to invade our wagon.

A thud and shake of the wagon indicated it had fallen off the small landing on the other side as it tried to get the tingling out of its nose.

The sounds which followed made me feel a little sorry about the poor creature; it was obviously panicking over this sudden attack.

But I also felt relief that it had stopped trying to get through to us.

Trixie flopped down on the ground, shaking her head tiredly.

"That should make it think twice about coming in here," she decided. "Well done, Fuu."

I smiled up at hearing the compliment.

"Do you think it will leave us alone now, mom?" I had to ask.

"Trixie hopes it will; that door won't take another beating like that without breaking apart into tinder," mom sighed out.

We both sat and listened to the bear grumble and stumble about outside.

The sounds quieted down a bit as the effects of the pepper receded, but that didn't mean we were out of danger yet.

The sniffling I had woken to earlier returned as the bear thought about its options.

Here was a wooden box with something in it which stung its nose if it tried to get to it.

An annoyed snort told us it had decided against trying again.

Trixie and I listened to it walk off while it moaned to itself in whatever language bears used, as if it was complaining about its luck this night.

I let out a relieved breath of air I hadn't been aware I was holding.

"That was close," I whimpered.

"It was," Trixie agreed.

She turned around to face me, and instantly decided to put the bag of pepper sat between us back in the cupboard.

"When did you wake up?" she demanded.

"Shortly before it got to the door, mom. It bumped the side of the wagon a few times," I explained. "You were having a nightmare; I couldn't wake you."

Trixie recalled something and her ears drooped down.

"Yes," she agreed. "Trixie can still remember bits of it."

"I didn't know if you wanted me to wake you up after yesterday," I sighed. "I didn't dare get in the way."

The blue mare looked at me pensively.

"You're not in Trixie's way," she whispered. "She's in her own way more than you are."

I smirked up at hearing that. This was something I had considered for longer already, but Trixie getting to the realisation on her own was another thing entirely.

Trixie looked back at me, her eyes twitching a little as if her thoughts were coming at her fast and hard.

Luna had told me I couldn't help her in her dreams, but we were awake now.

I moved closer to her and buried my face in against her fur.

"I'm here for you, mom," I reminded her.

"Trixie knows that, Fuu," she sighed as she leaned her head down against the top of mine.

"You don't always act like you do," I countered. "We're stronger together, but you have to trust that I won't betray you when you show weakness."

Trixie just sighed out at that.

"I can't come to you in your nightmares, mom. Those are the princess' domain, but I'm here for you while you're awake," I continued.

"So you keep saying," she grumbled.

"And you keep not wanting to confide in me. At least, not really. You're still hiding," I pointed out.

"Who's the parent in this relationship, you or Trixie?" she wondered.

"You," I answered.

"Then give your poor mom a break," Trixie decided. "She will need more time."

"I'm not going anywhere," I once more reminded her.

"Trixie knows, on some level," she mumbled, her head weighing a little heavier on me.

"I have all the time in the world, mom. All the time you need," I put to her. "I'm not going anywhere."

A drop of warm liquid hit the top of my head, then another.

As Celestia's sun rose to cast its light on Equestria again, I just sat on the ground of our wagon, supporting Trixie as she cried in silence.

Trixie needed to let it all out, to get through those walls in her mind which were preventing her from trusting anypony else.

And she needed to do it by herself.

I couldn't help her in her dreams, as princess Luna had taken that role, but at least I could sit her and let her rest her head on top of mine.

Her mind was her own, and I didn't dare say anything to break through whatever she was going through.

So many days of emotional turmoil, crying so much, the two of us fighting to come together somehow.

And it was probably easier on me, given the magic rearranged my little filly brain to fit in with this world.

Things were happening to me and I just tried my best to adapt to it.

Maybe the transformation magic had done a number on my brain as it turned me into a filly.

Trixie calmed down after a while but moved her left foreleg around me and continued to rest against me.

I was starting to wonder if she would ever let me go, or whether I would mind if she did not.

I wondered, even, if she might have fallen asleep where we sat.

"Thank you, Fuu," Trixie finally breathed out.

I sort of shrugged at that, trying to figure out what she meant exactly.

"Trixie needs time," she finally realised. "She is going to need a lot of time."

I just kept quiet as she was on the right path and I didn't want to interrupt her.

"A year on the mainstage should give Trixie that time," she considered. "It would give her a stable income, take some pressure off."

It sounded too good to be true, but I wanted to give her that future, that stability, the same as how I craved it myself.

Having a year together like that would be plenty of time to work on our issues together.

Even with Trixie having to spend her evenings performing on stage, it should be enough time.

But first we would have to make it to Los Pegasus.

First there was that contest to get to.

And why was the thought of it filling me with dread?

14 - Through the Darkness, Rise

After Trixie had regained control of herself we ate some breakfast together so we at least had some strength back from the food to balance out against our interrupted sleep.

We made it out of the wagon after breakfast and Trixie spent a few minutes inspecting the damage to our home on wheels.

The door was hanging together by hope and prayers more than anything; the bear's claws had scraped layers of paint and wood off the outside of it, leaving the panel weakened and ready to give in at any point.

Trixie made me get a couple of twigs and small branches from the undergrowth in the forest surrounding us, and used her magic to layer them over the damage on the door like a patchwork repair job.

It wouldn't last long, but at least it would hold until we got to Los Pegasus, as far as she was concerned.

The bear had only scuffed the side of the wagon by brushing up against it.

A few clawmarks and one bitemark on the back wheel showed where it had tested whether the wagon was edible, but those spots didn't need repairs.

Trixie left them for what they were and just returned to pulling the cart further so we could make it to the city of Los Pegasus before nightfall.

She told me to stay near and focus on making little specks of light appear in the air around me as we walked.

In just the same way as how I had make the smokebombs before, I focused on pulling particles together in the air and then just lit them on fire to create small sparks.

"It's a shame our rest was disrupted," Trixie grumbled. "We will have to make pace for Trixie to be able to sign us up and get enough rest before the first round of the contest begins."

"You mean to tell me the contest begins tomorrow, mom?" I inferred from her words.

I made a few more little balls of particles flare up around me.

"Make tiny explosions, not flames," Trixie instructed. "No, it's starting tonight."

I missed a step and clumsily caught up to her again once I found my hoofing anew.

"What do you mean tonight?" I demanded.

Trixie gave me a sideways glance from under her large hat.

"Just as Trixie said; the contest begins tonight," she repeated herself. "That is why Trixie has been trying to get us there as fast as possible."

"I can't possibly learn all the magic I need to help you out on stage before tonight," I groaned. "I barely know how to do anything besides smokebombs."

"Trixie didn't think you would, Fuu," she returned to me. "These exercises are only the first part of your training. Once Los Pegasus sees what The Great and Powerful Trixie can do and puts her on the mainstage for a year, she will teach you more magic in-between shows."

I expressly made a little explosion of light pop right in front of her face to express my annoyance.

"That's not what you led me to believe, mom. You said that I would be helping you out on the mainstage," I protested.

"Once you are ready for it, yes. Trixie is not going to drag you onto the mainstage until then," she countered. "You should have realised that yourself, Fuu."

I glared at her.

"Los Pegasus is not a place for young foals, you'll see once we get there. You can't be expected to perform together with Trixie until you grow up a little more first," the older mare declared.

I found myself blowing air into my cheeks to puff them out.

This was entirely different from what I had been led to believe by her own words.

I thought we were going to Los Pegasus and do the contest together. That is how she put it before me after all.

If Trixie managed to win the contest, and given my knowledge of her boasting in the show that was a big if, I had fully expected to have to aid her in the shows she would have to perform for the coming year.

Learning that I would not be performing in the city, perhaps at all, made me wonder what her plans for me were instead.

"Don't sulk," Trixie demanded.

"How can I not? What am I going to do for a year if not help you on stage?" I wondered. "You could have just as well left me in Ponyville to study at school. At least I would have been with my friends there."

"And leave you to be corrupted by Twilight Sparkle?" Trixie huffed haughtily. "You know how Trixie feels about her."

"I kind of thought we were past that," I sighed, popping a few more specks of light around us in the air.

"Trixie coming to trust in you more does nothing to change her opinion of that fool of a foal Twilight Sparkle," my soon-to-be mother declared. "You're wholly different ponies."

"That's not what I meant," I grumbled. "Never mind her."

"Exactly, the farther Twilight Sparkle is from our thoughts, the better," Trixie agreed.

I thoughtfully popped another particle ball in the air as if I was popping bubblegum or bubblewrap back on Earth.

The sound was similar, although it came with a small flash of light which the others didn't have.

I considered for a moment what use the two tricks mom taught me had on stage; smokebombs were easy enough to understand the use of.

These little specks of light were throwing me for a loop. When had I ever seen this kind of magic used on stage back home?

"So what good are these little explosions?" I asked out loud, popping another two.

"Distraction, like the smokebombs," Trixie simply stated. "A lot of stage magic is making the audience put their attention on the wrong thing so they don't see you making a switch."

"Misdirection, you mean?" I considered.

"Yes. They also combine nicely; try making a flash of light in the air and follow with a smokebomb in the same spot," the blue magician suggested.

I focused my attention on a particular spot in the air in front of me and flashed it, then followed with a puff of smoke.

"Oh, wow, that's a lot like a firecracker or special effect going off," I noticed.

"Cheap and easy trick, but the both of them have many uses on stage," Trixie explained. "Separately they can just be a flash of light like a stagelight reflecting off a mirrored surface or a puff of smoke to hide a swift exit."

"I can see that," I agreed.

"Together you can make it appear as if there was an explosion on stage. Small or big, they can have the effect of shocking the audience to stop them thinking clearly about what else is going on," the great and powerful performer knew from experience.

"Try a bigger explosion of light, like how you made the big smokebomb, but try to not overdo it this time," she warned.

I hesitated, but then pulled more of the dust in the air together in one spot than I had before, and lit them on fire like they were hit by an electronic charge.

The resulting flash blinded me for a moment and left an imprint in my vision as if I had looked into the flash of a photo being taken.

"Good, you did that with enough restraint this time," Trixie commended me. "Trixie was half expecting a second sun to appear in the air before her, but you held back. Had you done such with the smoke you would not have suffered the ill effects of draining your mana."

"Yeah, I learned from that mistake," I chuckled weakly.

"So the trick is to learn how much dust I need and how to trigger it to create sparks or smoke? Can I do something else with this method of balling up dust particles, mom?" I wondered, thinking I got the base method down.

Trixie smiled under the shadow of her hat's large rim.

"You are getting the taste for it, Fuu? Yes, there is more which can be done with the dust swirling in the air around us," she agreed.

"If you believe you can do it without taxing yourself while we continue on walking, try lining the dust up in a straight line when you hold them in the air before you," Trixie suggested.

"A straight line in the air... like a ribbon?" I considered.

"Not quite a ribbon, no. What Trixie means is a smaller version of that smoke veil you had made earlier. Let light pass through it, but deflect it by lining the particles up in a straight line," she tried to explain.

I didn't know what she meant exactly, but I just started to pull the dust around us until a strip of it hung in the air before me.

It looked more like a thin strip of cloth which barely managed to keep itself together than anything.

"Now feel at the dust and seek out those particles which are elongated. Line those up in the air until they are laid out side-by-side, tip-to-tip in that same space," Trixie instructed.

As I dropped the more round bits in the air and left only the thin strands to turn in the way she told me to, the 'fabric' before me started to shimmer.

The light from the sun hit the straight particles now being laid out in the air and 'broke' upon them, creating a faint rainbow before me.

"Wait, is this a prism?" I realised with surprise and glee.

"That is what Trixie is instructing you to create, yes," mom returned. "Pull more straight particles to this area and change how close they are to one another."

I did as instructed and noticed that the density of the particles changed which colour of the rainbow became more dominant.

Pulling the particles close together only made the thinnest waves of light pass through, turning the yellow light into a light blue, which darkened until slowly turning purple.

Moving them apart again changed the purple light back to dark blue, lighter blue, yellow, orange, then red.

If I thinned out the row of particles the light passed through, the entire range of the rainbow showed again, while forcing more and more layers of them broke the light multiple times to only let the one colour through.

"We're turning left on the road from the North here. Pay attention so you don't wander onto the railroad tracks instead," Trixie warned.

I turned my attention away from the prism experiment in the air before me, noticing for the first time that we were leaving the woods.

The crossroads we ended up at continued in all directions; to the North of us it led through more forest and toward some distand snow-covered mountains.

To the West were what appeared to be wetlands; a dense mist hanging over the area and keeping me from seeing much in that direction.

A set of railroad tracks came from the East, through the same woods we had come from but not following the forest path we had taken to get here.

It crossed diagonally across the crossroads, cutting the North and West roads from the East and South ones, and then ran parallel to the right of the road further to the South.

"If there's a train going the same way, why couldn't we have taken that?" I wondered out loud, more to myself than anything.

"Because our home does not fit on board of the train," Trixie answered curtly. "Unless Trixie would pay for it to be loaded onto a special carriage, and that Nightmare Night costume she bought for you already helped to deplete her emergency funds."

I dipped my head a little lower and felt my ears droop down.

"I'm sorry, mom... I didn't know money was that tight," I sighed.

"Why do you think Trixie had you do menial jobs in the first week after you arrived here?" she wondered pointedly. "They helped to pay for your food for these past weeks."

I felt a mixture of surprise and shame take hold of me.

Surprise that money was as much of a problem as it was that Trixie had to rely on my doing odd jobs to fill that gap, but also shame that I had not noticed it before now.

The signs had been there; from constantly having the same old sandwiches for lunch, to Trixie being upset about her having had to arrange a costume for Nightmare Night.

She had been frugal in her own way, and I had just assumed it was because she was mad at me for hitting her with her car.

I had to wonder just how close to poverty Trixie was, and how much worse my being there with her had made the situation.

Trixie turned our wagon onto the road to the South, making sure to keep some distance from the railroad tracks, and somewhat forced me to turn with them as I was walking on her left side.

I traced the road we were now on and the tracks beside it toward a pair of bridges up ahead, crossing possibly the same river I had almost fallen into when the weatherponies had sent that storm across the sky above.

The land beyond the bridges was cast in a dense shadow thanks to a thick layer of clouds hanging overhead.

I found myself pulling the rim of my hat up with my magic in an effort to stare up at the clouds, and Trixie noticed I was falling behind as I did.

"That there is Los Pegasus," Trixie explained. "Above the clouds is the city which never sleeps, which is where Trixie will be performing after she parks the wagon in the undercity below."

I looked beyond the bridge and peered into the unnatural darkness beyond.

Street lamps were placed on either side of the road, emitting a blue light from magical gemstones set in them.

They clearly illuminated the road as it continued from the bridge toward a set of large buildings on the edge of town.

More lights were mounted to the sides of these buildings, hinting at where doors or signs were located.

Strings of lights were criss-crossing between buildings as well, giving the whole place a whimsical fantasy feeling.

I was reminded of those old towns from Charles Dickens' christmas story.

The train station the tracks beside the road we were on was leading to was even more brightly lit, sticking out like a sore thumb on the edge of this undercity.

A number of other buildings beside it were set around a square where a balloon was starting to drift up toward a gap in the clouds above it.

It was very clearly the main way for ponies to reach the city above from the train station below.

I was about to remark on it when I noticed the train starting to leave the station; the light mounted on the engine up front piercing the darkness as it started to pull away.

I ran up ahead a little so Trixie and the cart wouldn't block my view of this, to me, famous train, illiciting a huff from my mom-to-be.

"What are you doing now?" she wondered.

"The Friendship Express," I pointed out eagerly.

"Yes, Trixie had noticed," she grumbled. "You might want to sit down and cover your ears before it gets to us."

I looked back in surprise, noting her sitting down on her haunches and placing her own forehooves over her ears for a moment.

She just stared me down until I followed suit, so I sat down on my own haunches and placed my forehooves to my own ears to flatten them against my skull through the fabric of the hat I was wearing.

The train was making its way toward us at an ever-increasing speed, and I watched in wonder as this steam locomotive chugged on.

And then it reached its own bridge, directly beside the one we were aiming to cross over, and it let out an unholy howl as the driver blew the whistle.

I knew what it was supposed to sound like; I had seen it on television and videos on the internet often enough.

Considering how Earth was inundated with loud sounds, I had never been especially fearful of it.

But in the quiet lands of Equestria, this sound made me tremble in awe at its ferocity.

The train rushed by us after making it across the river, the wind blowing by enough to lift my hat from my head if I had not been holding it with my forehooves.

It was such a rush to see it drive by within touching distance, without fencing between the road I was on and the tracks it was driving along.

And then it had passed and the sound retreated, growing fainter and fainter, and leaving just that peaceful calm which I had come to love about this world.

I carefully removed my forehooves from my ears and turned to face Trixie.

"That was... awesome," I breathed out in a new appreciation of steam locomotives.

"Trixie thinks it's too loud. What is wrong with a wagon like we have?" she grumbled in return.

"Yes, it might be faster, but it is also too noisy. The Great and Powerful Trixie needs her peace and quiet between shows," she complained.

I got up on my four legs again so I could keep up with her pulling the wagon on, but felt my ears droop a little from her negativity.

"I guess it's just something that's going to stay a part of me, mom," I considered. "I always had a fascination for steam locomotives and combustion engines in general."

"Combust some more lights in the air instead, but keep walking," Trixie demanded. "We should have arrived before the afternoon train left for Canterlot."

"Now Trixie needs to make sure she parks the wagon and rush up to the theater above before the contest starts. She hates feeling rushed like that," she sighed.

She picked up speed a bit and rushed over the bridge, and I followed her over the river and into the darkness of the cloud cover.

The moment Celestia's sun disappeared from sight, I could feel a cold start to creep into my coat.

Trixie led the way toward the buildings up ahead, trying not to show she was shivering from the same cold I felt.

"So we find a place to park the wagon, and then we'll... take a balloon ride up?" I guessed.

"That is the plan, yes," she agreed. "The contest is held in the main theater above us. Trixie will have to sign up before the first round begins."

I looked up again at the dark clouds above us.

"So when will you be able to show your stuff, mom? During the first round?" I wondered.

"Trixie expects not because she is late to arrive," she returned with a wry smile. "She stayed longer in Ponyville than she had wanted to."

"Not because of me, I hope?", I coughed uneasily.

"You were too eager to experience your first Nightmare Night, Fuu. How could Trixie keep that from you?" she returned with a wry smile.

I peered back at her in shocked surprise.

Even before Luna's kidnapping me to her old palace and granting me a dream journal Trixie had set her own needs aside for me?

Once again I had missed it, perhaps in my eagerness to experience this Nightmare Night with my CMC friends.

There were just signs that had gone right past me and I was starting to feel like a dumb foal over all of it.

And now we were late to arrive for this show Trixie obviously put all her hopes on.

"Then let's get our wagon parked so you can prepare, mom," I stated decisively. "Just let me know what I can do to help."

Trixie turned her head to look my way, but the cloud cover and the shadow of her hat made it impossible for me to see her facial expression.

"If you could go into the wagon and pull The Great and Powerful Trixie's suitcase out from under the bed? It contains most of the items she needs for her show," she suggested.

"I can do that," I agreed.

"Don't take it out of the wagon, Fuu," Trixie called after me as I turned around. "Just get it out from under our bed."

"Yes mom," I called back, now eager to help her out with this simple task.

I clambered back into the wagon and put the hat I was wearing up on the hook on the wall inside almost on automation.

It had only been two or three days now since I started wearing it, but there was already a familiarity to the act which felt right.

Ducking my head down to peer under the bed, I first noticed my dream journal under the bed, next to my saddle bags which contained the book I still had to return to Twilight's library.

Trixie had made us leave Ponyville so sudden, not giving me any chance to get the book returned or get a new volume, that it was still with us now in Los Pegasus.

I made a mental note to return it as soon as the opportunity arose.

Trixie's suitcase was directly behind my items, and I moved my stuff up onto the bed for a moment to pull it out of its hiding place.

As I set it down on its side to place it next to the wall my hat hang from, I heard something rattle inside as if it fell down along a few other items.

I silently cursed to myself, hoping this was a normal sound to do with the way Trixie had packed her suitcase.

With the suitcase out in the open and within reach of Trixie once she would get back here to our wagon, I put my saddle bags and books back where they had come from.

The wagon stopped moving almost the same second as I finished up inside, and I just turned to face the door and waited for Trixie to come pick up her suitcase.

And waited.

After what seemed like an age and a half Trixie finally came to the door and stepped inside, took one glance at her suitcase standing ready for her, and smiled.

"Thank you, Fuu," she sighed relieved.

"Leave your hat on the hook, but follow Trixie," she ordered. "Stay close; the city above is crowded and Trixie doesn't want you getting lost."

"Yes mom," I agreed.

"Oh, and don't call her mom while we are up there. She is The Great and Powerful Trixie, after all," Trixie suggested.

"If anypony asks, you are The Great and Powerful Trixie's assistant. Use the tricks Trixie taught you on the way here to convince them if needed," she continued.

"Trixie is there to perform and we need to avoid unnecessary questions until the paperwork gets signed," Trixie decided.

"Yes mom," I answered, but then corrected myself. "I mean, the Great and Powerful Trixie."

"It is just for the duration of the contest," Trixie offered with a wry smile. "We can formalize your registration once Trixie wins."

I watched as Trixie pulled her cloak out from where it was stored folded up in a bag under the bed and put it on herself.

She was so confident she was going to win, and I could only hope that it was going to happen the way she envisioned it.

The promise of a year of a solid income, and living together with Trixie as my mom in this weird dual city, was tantalizing.

With Trixie wearing both her hat and cloak now, she looked like the bold stage personality I knew from the show; from before things started to go wrong for her when her boasting got the better of her.

I really needed this contest to go as well as she thought it would.

"From this moment on we're performing, Fuu. Be on your best behaviour," Trixie noted to me.

"Yes, Great and Powerful Trixie," I agreed as instructed by her.

"Follow close behind and don't get distracted," she warned.

Trixie grabbed hold of her suitcase and walked out of the wagon, clearly expecting me to follow.

I made sure to close the door behind us, damaged as it was, and hurried after Trixie.

After the period of emotional damage we both suffered from my arrival in Equestria up to now, it was honestly amazing to see Trixie stride boldly forward in front of me.

Her head was held up high, her eyes to the prize, her cloak fluttering in the air.

She looked almost regal as she took her steps with great purpose, like a proper show pony.

The suitcase floating to her right side was just another part of this air of superiority; not once did it bob or waver as it followed her.

It was amazing to behold and I tried to match her self-confidence in the way I walked two steps behind her myself.

The wagon, I found, had been parked in a hall with multiple other wagons, just one among many.

We walked out of this hall, past a guard post near the entrance, and out onto the street of this dark town.

The lights of the station lit up the area we were headed toward, their light reaching up toward the hole in the cloud cover which a balloon was descending down from.

"Hurry up, Fuu," Trixie admonished me as I had let my attention drift like that.

I increased my pace to catch up to her again, trying to stick close as she had ordered me.

"We are aiming to get on the next balloon up," she noted.

"Yes G and PT," I offered so she knew I heard her.

There was a short snort from Trixie, as if my using Snips and Snails' name for her caught her by surprise.

A second balloon now lifted up from the ground, the pair of them taking a slightly different path from one another so they wouldn't meet up in the middle.

I had the thought that a couple of elevators would do the job faster and could haul more ponies up, but I was looking forward to my first-ever ride in a hot air balloon.

The closer we got to the station, the more other ponies were on the road with us and the closer I felt I should be walking after Trixie just to make sure nopony else would pass between us.

Worker ponies, merchants, and eccentric performers went in all sorts of directions.

It was easy for me to get lost in these masses, which I had not yet gotten the chance to get used to; I was just a small filly among much larger ponies.

Much, much larger ponies when considering the big earthpony stallions hauling heavy goods this way or that.

I had really only known one such big pony from the Apple farm; Big Mac, but some of the stallions walking past would make even him look on the small side.

Some carried these goods on their backs, others were pulling or pushing carts, it made it clear that the station was important grounds for both the undercity and the city above.

Trixie led me through the station, past little shops offering assorted souvenirs and snacks, and richer ponies were lazying about in the food court waiting for their train to come in.

I was starting to feel underdressed, especially with me lacking the collar I had worn for the first weeks of my life here in Equestria.

There was no time for me to stop and gawk at these ponies and what they were all eating, even if the smells from the food court teased my nose.

Trixie kept pace through them, and the crowds parted for her as she carried herself like she was too important to be stopped by them.

I just followed in her wake, trying to keep pace, and doing my best to not get overwhelmed by all the new experiences hitting me.

Past the station, the food court and the shops, and into the open square on the other side where the balloons were tethered.

Four landing zones were set up for the balloons, with one of them waiting for its turn to rise even while the one I had seen coming down before landed beside it.

It was amazing to see the work of the earthponies, pegasi, and unicorns all making sure the balloon landed safely; the pegasi flying up to greet it and steer it in the direction they wanted it to go, unicorns helping to keep the basket stable, and earthponies grabbing onto the mooring ropes to make sure it would be tethered once on the ground.

Trixie ignored the crowds waiting for the other balloon and just walked straight up to it.

Her suitcase opened slightly and she pulled a document out of it which she presented to the pony in charge of the onboarding process.

"You are in the presence of The Great and Powerful Trixie, and assistant," she simply stated with all the boastfulness I knew from the show.

The other pony looked over her document, glanced past it at Trixie and myself, and then rolled their eyes.

"Please board, madam. The balloon is leaving as soon as you are on it," they instructed, much to the chagrin of the ones in queue.

"Excuuuse me, but we were here first," an earthpony mare at the front complained. "What makes her so special?"

"Are you so blind that you cannot see the talent before you?" Trixie scoffed. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is here to blow your little minds away with feats of magic beyond your imagination!"

"Why, I never," the other mare gasped.

"Please board, madam," the steward suggested once more, waving us through.

"With pleasure," Trixie agreed with a grin.

She climbed aboard the balloon and placed the suitcase into the basket with her before turning to look in my direction.

"Come along, Fuu," she demanded.

I ducked my head down a little in embarrassment at the scene having played out in front of me just now, but joined her in the basket under the balloon as well.

"Up and away," the steward called out, and there was a sudden sense of motion.

The earthponies must have let go of the mooring ropes, and the balloon was now starting to rise up to its destination above us.

Trixie looked down at me standing beside her, and shook her head a little.

"Head up, Fuu," she admonished me. "Be aware that you are with the most amazing unicorn this side of Equestria."

There was a scoff from one of the other passengers, and I could see a twitch in Trixie's eye upon hearing it.

"Let's get to the our destination first, Great and Powerful Trixie," I mumbled. "I'm just a little overwhelmed, is all. There are more ponies here than I'm used to."

My explanation seemed to ease Trixie's concern and she just focused on a point somewhere before her as if she was mentally going over something else.

I was too caught up in the experience of having my first ever balloon flight, even if it was as a young foal among older ponies rather than back on Earth as a human.

The other balloon disappeared as we took off above it, and the pegasi who had guided us up flew away from our balloon and returned to the ground.

We were flying up by the power of hot air, and maybe a little unicorn magic from the balloon operator in the basket with us.

Given Trixie and myself had been the last ones in the basket, we were close enough to the edge that I could just crane my head up to peer over it at the dark landscape below.

It was magical to be caught in this one single light beam coming down around us from the gap in the clouds up above and see the dark lands around us pulling away.

Almost like we were experiencing the Rapture and were now ascending into Heaven by hot air balloon...