*Clink*
>Put it away from your mind.
*Clink*
>You are not here for anything other than start up money for your performances.
*Clink*
>Money to go back and show that Twilight Sparkle up once and for all.
*CLINK*
>So put HIM away from your mind.
*CLI-CHK*
>Your pickaxe grazes the rock you were chipping at, it plants into the ground near your foreleg, startling you.
>"Lula! Hey, you alright?"
>Tell him no Trixie, it'll only be harder to focus o-
>Anon's gentle hand is on your back, he puts a slight pressure on you as he kneels down next to you.
>"Here, lemme see..."
>He takes your hoof in his hand, gently running his thumb over all of your ankle, "Looks good to me, just a startle this time huh?"
"Y-yes... Lula is okay... "
>You can feel a warmth in your chest as he smiles at you, a genuine smile, one you haven't seen in such a long ti-
"O-of course I am fine! Lula is no little filly after all" you huff.
>You snatch your hoof out of his grasp and walk back to your rock.
>The ground shuffles under Anon's weight as he stands, "Right, sorry. You're all so cute I can't help it sometimes."
>He walks back to the mound of stone he was working on.
>Cute.
>He called you cute!
>You shake your head and eliminate any affections building in your heart, you aren't meant to stay here.
>In your shake you glimpse him walking away, you try to pry your eyes but can't help staring at his tantalizing form.
>He walks past his mound and continues over to the grey earth pony chipping away at her own mass of rock.
>She pauses her work and glances up at him with her cold calm eyes.
>His expression is matched by her stillness.
>It burns you up to see him expend so much on her.
>Anon runs his fingers through her mane, pausing to scratch her ears as they talk.
>A sensation you've had the fortune of knowing once.
>When you tried lifting a cart that was far too heav-
>When you tried lifting a cart after having worked all day and were tired.
>The cart came down on your head and Anon was tending to you shortly after.
>Anon bends down and pecks Maud on the lips before happily skipping back to his rock.
>Maud blinks slowly, then turns back to her boulder and resumes working.
>There wasn't a hint of longing on her face or anything!
>You blow air out of your nose and lift up your pickaxe with your magic.

>"Lunch time!"
>You drop your pick and make your way to the wooden table bench Anon is standing by, the order they placed with the woodworker must have been finished then.
>Maud's ears flick but she keeps working.
>You grit your teeth, how she could continue working rather than spend some time with her stallion is beyond you.
>"Hey Lula, mind pulling that end of the table cover?"
>Foal's play.
>You levitate the cloth with ease, along with all the eating utensils Anon had brought out.
>They dance about in the air for a moment, cups vanishing from Anon's sight, only to reappear filled with juice and water.
>You see a glimmer in his eyes that has not once made itself present in all your time on the farm.
>Satisfied with your performance, you bring the items down, settling everything neatly.
>"Wow! That was unexpected. I take it you were a table setter or something? Bet you worked for the upper crust with a show like that."
>The napkin you were carefully folding in the air drops to the table.
"Wh-what?! To say that Tr- L-Lula is a... er, yes, Lula was a- a grand and precise... table setter" you mumble the last two words.
>Anon hums happily, "It shows, you do some great work Lula, I'm sorry you fell on such hard times."
"Such is the life of a traveling Ma- Master... table setter."
>Anon nods as he begins putting food on the three plates, "Yeah, I kind of know what that's like. I was a circus performer back on Earth after all. Great times, bad times, it all depends on the city."
>You didn't know that.
>A performer?
>Here?!

>He takes up a handful of apples and begins juggling them with his hands, "That look on your face, guess I never told you about my life from before."
>The control, the speed, all without any magic!
"Anon, if you are so talented, then why spend all your time in this dump?"
>Your hoof goes over your mouth as Anon loses control from your statement, "Whoops!"
>He snatches them all out of the air, catching one in his mouth from lack of hand space.
>Anon winks in your direction as he sets the apples down on the table, with a crunch he bites through the apple in his mouth and catches the fruit as it falls down.
>"This dump?"
"Anon, Lula didn't mean it li-"
>He dismisses your statement with a wave of his hand, "No no, you're right, this place is pretty bland compared to what I've seen. Back on Earth and here. Its familiar in a way though, everyone pulls their weight here just like in a circus... well with less animal poop."
>He takes another bite of his apple as he stares out into the distance, "I dunno. I guess since I got a do over here I figured maybe it's finally time to settle down. Leave the performance life behind, no more wonder and uncertainty sure, but I get stability, I'm still active, and... no more loneliness either."
>You follow his gaze to see that he's watching Maud, still working away, "God, Maud is... she's just what I needed. I mean when you look at her, on the surface she can be a little-"
>Dull.
>Ungrateful.
>Unworthy.
>"-Plain. But really, when you get to know her she's... well she's great! And not just that, sturdy too, like nothing phases her. I love it, how strong how... powerful she is. Just what I needed in my life."
>You are great, powerful too!
>Well, Trixie is... until Trixie was humiliated by that lucky Twilight Sparkle.
>Lula is... a table setter.
>"Hey Maudie, you ready to eat?"
>"Of course." she responds flatly.
>You sit at the table across from Maud.
>Anon sits facing you both.
>Wait wha-

>He's seated in a rock that has been shaped into a seat of sorts, it's made of the same material as the rock Maud was chipping away at this whole time...
>"Thanks for the seat hun, I was an acrobat not a contortionist, getting into that bench would've been trouble."
>"I told Rose Wood to adjust it for you."
>"Well she just finished it, I don't want to tell her she messed up. Why don't we just order another chair from her. I've got some bits saved up from the last order we filled."
>Maud hums noncommittally.
>Anon appears satisfied with the decision, while Maud resumes her lunch.
"Oh hey Maudie, you missed out on Lula's table setting" Anon chirps.
>Maud puts her sandwich down and looks over to you, "Oh, did I?" she asks in her usual flat voice.
"It was only the work of a long time professional" you muse smugly.
>"Oh man, if only we could get some trapezes... or like a tall tree... or anything that's not rocks..."
>You can see the performer's yearning spark in his eyes.
>Something you're certain Maud could never pick up on.
"Allow the gr- grand and precise Lula to assist you."
>You levitate some of the worn pickaxe handles out of the barrel they were in and bring them over to the table.
>Anon's eyes twinkle as he realizes what you're doing.
>"Think you can hold them like there were ropes about two meters long holding them?"
>Maud sits in her rightful place, away, while she watches you both adjust and discuss.
>"Alright, so just a little higher Lula."
>You lift all the handles, including the one he's gripping a touch higher.
>Anon swings back and forth, his feet grazing just above the ground, "Perfect! Alright... let's hope I still got it, or I'm going to be eating dirt."
>"If you are low on certain minerals, it could be beneficial for you to do so."
>"I love you too Maudie."
>Anon builds up momentum, each change in direction a slight drain on you.
>He releases the handle and flips through the air.
>His motions are like that of the most graceful pegasii.

>Another drain as he catches the next handle and his momentum carries him forward.
>He swings so fluidly through the air, not a single moment do you notice his momentum halt as he easily transitions from one motion to the next.
>Your energy is running low, but you couldn't dare allow his performance to stop early.
>He builds up a large swing.
>You can already see it, you and Anon, traveling Equestria.
>His eyes look determined as he reaches the height of his forward arc.
>Maud toting the wagon from one city to the next.
>Anon releases his grip and soars.
>At night you would all sleep together.
>He flies over one handle.
>You would take the alpha's position, closest to him of course.
>The following handle is swinging away as he approaches it.
>How perfect it would all b-
>"Anon" Maud says in a slightly elevated voice.
>He can't catch the handle as he continues falling.
>A sudden drain on your energy makes itself known as he spins around and throws his leg up in the air.
>He catches the handle with the top of his foot, the force alone rips your train of thought away.
>You feel very lightheaded as Anon chuckles while suspended upside down, "That one always gets em. Imagine me doing it way up in the air."
>Anon drops the small distance to the ground on his hands and slowly lowers himself back onto his feet.
>"Whew! That was amazi- Oh, Lula, are you okay?"
>You can barely make out his form, the world is getting blurry.
"Lula is f-fine... j-just a little exhausted is all..." you mumble.
>"Oh man... I'll go get some cold water. Watch her okay Maudie?"
>You rest your head against the table, breathing heavily as you try not to pass out.
>What was it you were thinking about?
>Travelling? Yes, with Anon... and Maud too.
>A shadow looms over you, granting you some relief from the burning sun.
>"You like him don't you?" Maud asks.
"Was it that obvious?"
>You're too tired for any power games right now.
>"Boulder is very good at noticing these things."
>That damned rock, always making you look like a fool.
>"You should know... Anonymous is monogamous."
"Wh-what?"
>"He will only share his love with one other. I tried to convince him otherwise before, after you had been working here for a time, even if you never got better at farming."
>Only one other?
>"He made it clear that it's not something he's comfortable with."
>And it's not you.
>"I should have said something sooner, but I thought boulder was wrong, that you were going to move on like you said."
>Of course it's not you... you're not great, you're not powerful.
>A hoof rests on your shoulder, "It's probably better this way. You wanted to leave eventually, and Anonymous has stability here, I can support him by myself. Could you do the same if he was with you?"
>Not great... not powerful... not yet.

>Casting the illusion should be a simple matter for you.
>The bits you've saved up until now aren't anywhere near enough to buy the Alicorn Amulet, but if you quintuple them with a little spell it should be enough to convince that fool stallion running the store to sell.
>Just wait Anonymous, you will know the Great and Powerful Trixie Lulamoon yet!