Chapter 3
Trixie made her way down the stairs unsteadily the next morning, feeling rested but hungry. She realized as she walked down that she was being watched. Looking around, she found a white rabbit standing on a small end table, glaring at her. It made her feel unwelcome, but Trixie just glared back at it.
"Do not mess with Trixie, rabbit, or she may make you part of her next routine."
The rabbit did not look amused. A noise distracted her, and Trixie looked up to realize the birdhouses hanging from the ceiling were occupied, small sparrows talking to one another from their houses.
"What kind of house is this?" Trixie just stared on. Another bird emerged from a larger house. It was a robin that began to whistle a tune. To Trixie's surprise, a silky voice sang back, wordlessly, in perfect key.
"Good morning- oh, Trixie!" Fluttershy entered the room from the kitchen. Trixie realized she had a light blush on her face and immediately scolded herself. Why was she blushing?
"Would you, um...like breakfast?" Fluttershy asked. Trixie frowned at the way Fluttershy kept pausing and flinching.
"You've carried Trixie, cleaned her, touched... a large part of her body... why do you still fear her? You see how...disgraceful she has become."
"I, just...I'm sorry." Fluttershy muttered, kicking at the ground. Trixie sighed.
"Trixie is...not trying to offend. She promises she is as benevolent as she is wise." she held up her head, still feeling a little of that old pride. At least until her gurgling stomach reminded her of why she had left bed to begin with.
"You mentioned breakfast, did you not?"
"Oh, yes." Fluttershy nodded. "Do you like oatmeal?"
Trixie nodded and continued down the stairs. That bunny watched her the entire time. He did not approve of her, that much was clear.
"Angel be nice. She's our guest." Fluttershy told the bunny as she passed by. The rabbit shook his head and hopped away, for which Trixie found herself unexpectedly glad. She followed Fluttershy in the kitchen and took a seat as the pegasus got to preparing breakfast.
"Trixie has been...thinking on your words last night."
"Oh?"
"Yes. Trixie... does not know what you expect of her. But she has nothing to give in return for your kindness. So, she promises to be out of your hair soon. She can leave after breakfast."
"You...want to leave? Already?"
Trixie nodded. "Trixie is a self-made pony. She does not rely on others for aid, not more than necessary. She shall pay you back one day, she swears."
"You don't have to..."
"Trixie has made up her mind." Trixie said, keeping her head high. She didn't see Fluttershy's worried glance before she got back to breakfast. She soon handed Trixie a piping hot bowl of oatmeal. Instinctively, Trixie tried to levitate a spoon for her meal.
That's a funny place to put a table leg, Trixie thought. She blinked. Everything was sideways, and she realized she could feel the wooden flooring against her side. She was being shaken lightly.
"Trixie! Oh, please wake up."
"What...what happened?" Trixie found her mouth awkward and hard to work.
"You, um, blacked out a little. Healing takes time. Please...you're not better yet."
"But Trixie is... is a self-made pony..." Trixie realized she was whining. No, not whining she told herself. Just complaining.
"You'll feel better after breakfast." Fluttershy was helping her off the floor and she hadn't even noticed. She sighed and nodded. Fluttershy got back to her meal and Trixie did the same, eating like an earth pony, much to her chagrin. The oatmeal was heavy, and she soon found herself not wanting anything after the first couple bites. She looked up to find Fluttershy watching her tentatively. The pegasus gave an encouraging nod to her. Trixie swallowed and forced herself to go back for more. She managed a half dozen bites before realizing anything more would make her sick again. She stared at the still mostly-full bowl.
"It..is time for Trixie to take her leave of you, Fluttershy."
"But..."
"No no, she shall not overstay her welcome. You...were most gracious of a host." Trixie turned away from the kitchen table. She wanted to prove that this was her comeback. That she was strong and powerful enough to return from this. As she exited the kitchen and made for the front door she heard Fluttershy trot up behind her. Trixie remembered herself and opened the door manually, rather than with magic. She looked outside; Fluttershy's hut looked out to green gardens, a winding dirt trail leading eventually to Ponyville. Trixie paused, unable to bring herself to that first step.
"Are you, um, really sure?"
"Trixie...will not be a burden."
"But...you've just had breakfast."
"Well, that is true..."
"And, it's cold in the morning."
"Trixie can feel the chill..."
"And, where, I mean if you don't mind me asking, where will you go? With, without magic?"
"Perhaps..." Trixie bit her lip. "Perhaps Trixie has not thought this through as much as she should."
"Would, would you like to stay for lunch?"
"Well, Trixie is hardly the kind to turn down such a gracious offer." she turned away from the door. She glanced to Fluttershy, who clearly had more to say. Trixie sighed and nodded.
"Would...would you like to see Nurse Redheart? I'm, um, more used to caring for animals, not...ponies." she looked guilty. Trixie looked herself over.
"You've done just fine as far as Trixie can tell."
"What about your magic?"
"Trixie...doubts any mere nurse might be able to help. Besides, Trixie simply needs her energy back."
"Oh, okay."
"So." Trixie turned to her. "What precisely does a pony do with their days when they aren't wooing crowds of ponies?"
"I, um, I take care of animals. And today's grocery day."
"Ah..."
"Would you like to spend some time in the garden? I find it very... refreshing."
"Yes? Yes, that sounds...adequate." Trixie honestly had no idea how that sounded. A bit boring, perhaps. Still, Fluttershy's smile was comforting as she led Trixie out the back door. She found that Fluttershy's home backed onto gentle hills that separated her from the Everfree forest. The tree tops were visible from where they stood, and an involuntary shiver went through Trixie at the sight of them. It would be a while before she ventured into any woods again.
"Isn't it lovely?" Fluttershy smiled, eyes on the sky. Trixie couldn't tell what she meant. It was the day, nothing special. Had the pegasus never seen the day before?
"I love to help all the little animals. But it's nice just relaxing out here too. Here." Fluttershy guided her to the crest of a hill. There she lay down straight, right on the dirt. Trixie was flabbergasted.
"And...now what?"
"You have to, um, sit and wait." Fluttershy said. Trixie frowned. This was ridiculous. She should be...her mind stalled. What? Putting on a show? Dazzling a crowd, earning her bits? In her month alone, most of Trixie's thoughts had been preoccupied on getting back at Twilight Sparkle, the mare that had so spectacularly shown up Trixie. However, without so much as a spark of her magic, it seemed a futile endeavor. Which meant that for once in her life, she had absolutely nothing to do, nowhere to go. So, Trixie lay down beside Fluttershy. She looked around for a moment, feeling out of place, an intruder to something.
"This is-"
"Sssh." Fluttershy was calming, not commanding. Still, Trixie scowled. She wasn't sure which was more annoying, Fluttershy's timidness or the control the pegasus somehow exerted over her. Still, she quieted down. Fluttershy's eyes were skyward, and Trixie looked around.
"Here comes a friend." Fluttershy's voice was whisper quiet, Trixie looked around, not understanding what Fluttershy was getting at. There was nopony around.
"Hello there." Fluttershy said. Trixie looked back to the crazy pony - and saw a hummingbird sitting on Fluttershy's hoof. The pegasus giggled.
"And how are you today?" Fluttershy asked. The hummingbird buzzed in response. Fluttershy giggled again.
"Can you...you can't talk to them." Trixie stared at her
"I've always been able to connect with animals." Fluttershy told her, closing her eyes briefly. Suddenly a second hummingbird came by, sitting by the first. It buzzed excitedly at Fluttershy.
"Oh how cute! I'm so happy for the both of you."
"You...you're insane. Trixie has been staying with a mad mare."
"Oh, no." Fluttershy answered calmly. "They've just had eggs! Why don't you give it a try? Hold out your hoof..." Fluttershy gestured. Trixie blinked, preparing a tirade, when-
"I mean, please?" Fluttershy asked. Trixie found herself stopping and staring. Fluttershy's eyes were just so...big, so open, and in them Trixie could read hope, fear, nervousness...
"F-fine." she stammered, holding out her hoof as directed. Why did her cheeks feel so warm again? Fluttershy nodded to the hummingbirds, and one fluttered over and landed on Trixie.
"Oh, oh my." Trixie tried to hold herself still as the bird hopped about. Fluttershy giggled.
"Y-you better not make a mess on the Great and Powerful Trixie." Trixie scolded the bird, not putting any real anger behind her words. The bird responded with a tilt of its head and a happy buzz.
"Aren't birds wonderful?" Fluttershy asked. Before Trixie could respond, the pegasus whistled a small tune. Suddenly something dropped on the top of Trixie's head.
"Ahh! What is it! Did it mess up Trixie's mane? Um... any more, that is?"
"It's, it's just a robin. Come down little one, you're scaring her."
"The Great and Powerful Trixie was not - oh, wonderful." the robin fluttered off her head and next to the hummingbird. She looked over and saw Fluttershy smile at her, comforting her. Trixie found a smile on her face without understanding why.
"You're doing great. Why don't you relax, I, um, I should get going into town." With that Fluttershy stood up. Trixie felt herself panic.
"Wait, where are you going?" she convinced herself it was only because she was so unfamiliar with the animals around her. Even that made her realize how much fear seemed to rule her.
"Don't worry, they'll be fine. Be gentle." Fluttershy walked off. Trixie looked back to the birds on her hoof. One whistled at her.
"Oh dear." Trixie felt another bird land on her head.
Several minutes later, Trixie felt paralyzed. She was being treated like a lawn ornament, well over a dozen birds of all kinds on her head, her forelegs, even her back. A few had started a rousing chorus a few minutes ago. Trixie sighed. She was having a hard time relaxing with all this wildlife around her.
"You!" suddenly a voice came from above. Trixie blinked and looked up. The birds startled away.
"What are you doing here?" the voice accused. Trixie realized it was behind her, and she got up, turning around just in time for something to hit her. She cried out, feeling like she had been tackled by a raging bull, knocked clean to the ground. She looked up to find eyes like pink fire filling her vision.
"I caught you! I don't know what you're up to..." a blue pegasus with a wild rainbow mane growled at her. Trixie felt her eyes water - not only had the tackle made her side begin to burn, but the pegasus was pinning her down, stepping on her legs and belly.
"I...who...what." the sense had been knocked out from her as she stammered.
"What are you doing here? Were you sneaking up on Fluttershy? Don't you dare hurt her! You...hey, what happened to your mane?" the pegasus' fury was overcome with confusion. "Are you crying?"
"Please get off Trixie. You're hurting her." Trixie knew she was whimpering, but she couldn't help it as the pain worsened. The brash pegasus blinked.
"What...oh colt, what's wrong with you?" the pegasus looked her over. She finally fluttered off Trixie. Trixie gasped and rolled onto her side. She choked back tears, the pain not subsiding. Something inside her seemed to shift in a way she was sure it wasn't supposed to.
"Woah...you, um, okay there?"
"Fluttershy!" Trixie found herself calling the name without thinking it. "Fluttershy!" she sobbed.
"Wait..you know...um..." the pegasus looked around, backing away from the weeping, broken mare. "I-I'll go get Fluttershy."
---
Several minutes later, Trixie was still trying to stop her sniffling as Fluttershy lay an icepack over her side. She had been moved with care on to Fluttershy's couch. The pegasus turned around and looked at her rainbow-maned companion, who watched them warily. She shrunk away under Fluttershy's gaze.
"Why did you do that, Rainbow?" Fluttershy sounded more disappointed then angry.
"I-I didn't know! I thought she was going to...I don't know!"
"So...you attacked her?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow, which was her name as far as Trixie knew, looked away.
"She didn't look bad until I got close. I was just trying to..."
"Could you please go get Nurse Redheart?" Fluttershy asked. Rainbow blinked.
"What?"
"I, um, don't know, but I think she has a cracked rib now. She's really, really weak, Rainbow. And I, I can't leave her alone. Please?"
"Okay. I'm...sorry, Fluttershy." Rainbow barely got the words out. Fluttershy shook her head. It wasn't her Rainbow should be sorry to, and everypony in the room knew it. The cyan pegasus glanced at Trixie one last time before heading for the door. Fluttershy turned back to Trixie, who had lowered her head between her hooves.
"Does it still hurt?"
"Uh huh." Trixie mumbled. "Trixie remembers that pegasus. She was right to be angry."
"But..." Fluttershy frowned. "...I..."
"Don't bother." Trixie told her bitterly. "Trixie gets it. Oh, goddesses, she gets it. Celestia must be punishing her for some transgression, though Trixie knows not. Helping her is a futile task, something will come to break the once Great and Powerful Trixie again. Apparently she deserves this." her expression was a mix of sorrow and stubbornness, part of her still refusing to give in.
"Nopony deserves this." Fluttershy whispered. Trixie looked up to see Fluttershy's eyes were wet. After all she had faced, it wasn't her aches or pains or distraught heart that broke her. It was the sight of such a gentle, caring creature so broken up that sent Trixie over the edge. She began to sob freely, weeping for herself and for everything that had happened. Her life was in tatters. She had lost everything, and for every step forward she took she was just dragged back. She couldn't take any more.
She felt a soft pressure on her face, and then over her back, around her. She blinked rapidly to clear her eyes. Fluttershy had stood up to wrap her arms around Trixie, forelegs around her neck, cheek brushing Trixie's own. Trixie paused, her mind going numb, not knowing how to react. She just lay there and felt Fluttershy around her, holding her tight. Slowly she found herself relaxing under the gentle hug, the tears beginning to dry. She resisted it at first, but the feeling was overwhelming, calmness and tranquility practically radiating from the pegasus. Trixie awkwardly guided her own forelegs around Fluttershy, bringing them to meet just above the pegasus's wings. The movement ached, but she forced herself into it. She held Fluttershy tight, afraid that otherwise the mare would vanish and Trixie would find herself truly alone again. The words she had failed to tell Fluttershy last night came to her again. She didn't hesitate this time.
"Thank you Fluttershy. Th-thank you." she whispered. Fluttershy shifted and slowly brought herself out of the hug. Trixie feared she had ruined it, that she had done something wrong. Still, she had no choice but to let Fluttershy free. The pegasus backed away.
Trixie's fears were allayed when she saw Fluttershy's face. Calm, smiling, eyes hopeful.
"Better?" she asked. Trixie nodded, despite the fact the pain was worse than ever. A blush spread across her face. The Great and Powerful Trixie did not weep, stammer, or hug random ponies. But, the thought came to her, she wasn't exactly great or powerful anymore, was she? She felt that this thought should have depressed her more than it did.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Fluttershy was at it right away.
"Oh, hello. Please come in." Fluttershy stepped aside to let in a white earth pony with a red cross cutie mark, followed by the Rainbow pegasus, and then - Trixie gasped. There she was. The purple mare that had so thoroughly ruined Trixie's whole life.
"Y-you!" Trixie forced herself to her her hooves. "You, how dare you!" she leaped from the couch, and stumbled. "The G-great and P-p-powerful Trixie will...will..." the world swam in front of Trixie's eyes. She stumbled, but as always, she found Fluttershy by her side.
"I..." she could tell it was Twilight's voice, even if her vision was too far gone for her to make out the mare. "I came when I heard Rainbow Dash searching for the nurse. Trixie...I-"
"You came to mock Trixie!" Trixie cried, gnashing her teeth. "To see how you've laid Trixie so low! What you've done to her!"
"Me? You blame...me?"
"If you hadn't...if..." Trixie leaned more on Fluttershy, aware her legs could no longer support her.
"Trixie, I didn't bring in the ursa minor. I had to protect the town! I came because I was worried about you. I always worried where you ran off without any of your things."
"You...worried?"
"Please, girls, she looks feverish." this unfamiliar voice must have come from the nurse. "Try to get her back on the couch."
Trixie felt herself lifted off her feet. She couldn't tell what was going on, and realized her eyes were full of tears. She blinked them clear as best she could, but everything remained slightly blurry. She was panting.
"Fluttershy?" she murmured. Yellow came across her field of vision and she smiled. Okay, she thought, she was safe now. With that, she closed her eyes, and her awareness of the world faded away.
---
Trixie awoke groggy, confused as to everything beyond her own name. She was distantly aware she was on her back, her eyes open. She wasn't blind, she realized, it was just very dark. An open window let in enough moonlight for her to make out details about the room once her eyes adjusted. She heard something like a sigh and looked to her right.
Fluttershy was fast asleep but sitting upright, resting on a stool beside the bed. Not fully aware of herself, Trixie reached over and brushed Fluttershy's cheek gently. It was enough to wake the pegasus up with a startled peep.
"You're awake! I was so worried." Fluttershy held onto Trixie's extended hoof. Trixie smiled.
"Am I going to die?" she asked. The idea didn't scare her, oddly. She couldn't cheat the grim reaper that long.
"N-no!" Fluttershy shook her head. "The doctor said m-malnutrition made your, um, your bones brittle. You, oh dear, had a cracked rib and were...bleeding inside." she shuddered. "They had to...they had to..." Trixie looked where Fluttershy was looking. She was on top of the sheets, letting her see her underbelly. She had fresh stitches down her side, part of her coat sheared away around it. Trixie's senses began to come back to her, and she wrenched her gaze away.
"I...I can't afford such a..."
"Um...it's okay..." Fluttershy hid behind her mane. "It's...it's paid for."
Trixie slumped her head back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling.
"No more lies." she said. "Why? You can't be that well off. You can't do this for any pony who comes by, or needs something. Why aren't I in a hospital now?"
"I.."
"Because you wanted to care for me yourself. Why? Why do you care? I-I don't understand."
She heard Fluttershy shift, and when she looked over she found her caretaker had stood up, her front hooves on the bed. She looked so scared, but after a moment gathered the courage to speak, albeit whisper quiet.
"You were so lonely. I've been friends with Rainbow for a long time, and, and I knew, when she bragged the most...she was the most scared. I knew you were scared, and...I wanted you to have a friend. I thought maybe, I...I could be..." she smiled. "Don't worry. I don't have a lot of expenses, and with everypony coming to me to take care of their pets... it was really no trouble."
"But why? What do you get out of it?"
Fluttershy smiled at her, simply and sweetly. "Kindness is its own reward. I....want to be your friend."
"Me?"
"Y-yes. You, um...you seem so strong, so brave."
"Me?" Trixie chuckled, but cut herself short with a wince as pain shot down her side. Fluttershy nodded, eyes darting to Trixie's stitches.
"You, well, never, ever gave up. How...?"
"A great and powerful amount of stupidity." Trixie said dryly. She looked away. "I'd be dead ten times over without you."
"But you would have fought."
"I have always fought." Trixie said. "Every day of my life."
"Really? Um, Trixie?"
"Yes?"
"C-could you, um, tell me? About yourself...if you don't mind..."
"What do you want to you know?"
"Oh...everything..."
Trixie took a deep breath. She was a storyteller, and had spent years talking about herself. But this was no tale of her greatness, and she had no flashy tricks or artistic flourishes to add. Still, now that Fluttershy had asked, Trixie found herself wanting to tell her.
"Trixie's earliest memories are of a small orphanage in Canterlot..." she began. A long and winding yarn unraveled from there, beginning with her childhood. Her childhood was not really that bad, the orphanage always having enough for them to eat, and there were many fillies of Trixie's age if she ever desired company. She had been neither popular nor unpopular, at least not until that faithful night. Her true story, as far as she saw it, began with the orphanage's talent show, when she had been given a small hat and cape and told, like all the other unicorns, to just do her best trick. The thrill of being in front of the other children, the way she drew power from their attention while others cowered... the discovery of this thrill as a source of her magic, the way she dazzled the small crowd with a light show that, while she now realized was no more than the magic equivalent of third-rate sparklers, had made her stand out against the lackluster levitation tricks that comprised the total of the average unicorn's talent at that age. Trixie was the first of her age group to earn her cutie mark, and in her mind it set her apart for greatness.
Next came her short adoption by an old mare of a professor, no doubt intrigued by Trixie's talents. Only, rather than nurture her talent, the old mare had simply expected Trixie to be a particularly proficient maid, not an actual daughter. This led to Trixie's isolation during her formative years, and she combatted the boredom and loneliness with the only diversion the household had to offer - books. Diving headfirst into self-education, she stole the textbooks of her 'mother' and read late into the night once her chores were finally done, discovering her great talents with spellcraft extended far beyond mere flashing lights or billowing smoke. When she felt herself of age, though she was still more of a filly than a mare, Trixie performed a very dangerous and skillful transmutation. Normal transmutations, turning a rock into a hat or whatever, would be undone if the magician's magic waned, but Trixie took a couple of items from her 'mother' and crafted for herself permanent, exact replicas of the orphanage's hat and cape, made to fit her now of course. With hat and cape around her, Trixie felt herself ready to escape from her miserable home and make her way to Hollyhoof, where surely her talent would make her a star like never before.
After a brief time hitchhiking that taught her harsh lessons about the world beyond her home, Trixie managed to arrive in Hollyhoof, barely a bit to her name despite the modest sum she had left with. There she eventually roomed with a mare that would become Trixie's first crush; a fellow aspiring actress, but one who had had the good sense to splurge for a bus ticket away from her home. Trixie had found that Hollyhoof cared less for talent than it did a pretty face with a particularly narrow middle - the back of Trixie's mind noted the irony that, more than half-starved, she probably finally fit their requirements. She had worked bit pieces, a living background to third-rate movies. Finally, she had caught her break, after arguing with another bit player had forced Trixie to show up the other pony just like she had done in Ponyville, and her flashy performance had caught the director's eye. Trixie was given a chance, told where to audition, what to say to get in, and how good her odds were. She had of course rushed home with the news, ecstatic, and slept the night fitfully as eagerness combated her desire to be at her best the next day.
When she finally awoke, of course, the remnants of the sleep spell were obvious to her. The audition had come and past. Eventually the truth would come out, as the other mare had slipped in as her, and then won the spot easily. She would get her break, as it were; a minor speaking role in a horror film, though apparently her character had died quickly enough she wasn't really noticeable. Trixie couldn't stay, their shared apartment being in the other mare's name. She gathered what few bits she had saved over rent and food, and once again abandoned everything else in the world, convincing herself that with her hat and cape, she could make the world hers. She would make them see how Great and Powerful she really was.
In time, Trixie felt the world did begin to see. She learned to dance for her dinner, setting up on street corners and panhandling, her extensive magical knowledge turned to parlor tricks to attract passerby. It was funny, to her, that her career finally took a turn for the better only when things couldn't get any worse. Small towns were always in need of entertainment, and by now an accomplished hitchhiker, Trixie began to make her rounds in the outskirts of Equestria. Eventually she made enough to rent permits at most towns, allowing her to set up in town square and really put on a performance. Within a couple years she had saved enough to buy herself a home; a small show wagon for her to travel in, even if she still had to move it herself or hire help from town to town. Finally came her arrival in Ponyville, and all Fluttershy already knew.
As she unraveled her tale Trixie felt something inside herself unwind, something she had held close to her heart for so long loosening its grip on her after all these years. Somepony finally knew, knew who she was and why she did what she did. They knew the mare behind the act. She hadn't intended it, but hadn't been able to stop it. As she finished, she saw tears dripping freely from Fluttershy's eyes, the pegasus making no attempt to wipe them away.
"You...you're..."
"Please...don't pity Trixie any more."
"I-I don't." Fluttershy told her, finally wiping her eyes. She held out her arms, just looking at Trixie and waiting for her. Trixie smiled, and inched over slowly, carefully. She held out her own arms and Fluttershy leaned in. They grasped one another in a gentle hug, resting their chin's against one another's shoulders. Trixie's smile widened and she closed her eyes. She couldn't place the feeling that swept over her, but whatever it was, she didn't ever want it to end.
"Thank you, Fluttershy. I-I am honored to call you my friend."
"Me too Trixie."
"Heh. Trixie has not been much of a friend, has she? You'll have to be patient with her."
"You're fine." Fluttershy told her. Trixie had nothing to say, so she just squeezed Fluttershy a little tighter. Fluttershy squeaked, but that didn't stop her from holding Trixie tighter as well. Trixie didn't want to let her go, but her side began to ache. Fluttershy took her signal as she let go and they detangled from one another. When the pegasus got back on her stool, Trixie could see she was blushing. Trixie leaned back and looked at her side again, her stomach turning at the surgical gash.
"It looks to be healing well." she frowned. "Was...magic used? It doesn't look fresh."
"You...um..." Fluttershy looked away, mumbling. It slowly came to Trixie what she was trying to say.
"Fluttershy...how long was Trixie out?"
"O-only, um, a day... and a half"
"It's been over a day?!" Trixie yelped, immediately wincing. "Ahh..." she studied Fluttershy's face. "You...cared for m- for Trixie all through out that?"
"I-I...yes."
Trixie just turned back to the ceiling, staring blankly up. Helpless, comatose for that long. She wondered if Fluttershy had managed to feed her - her mouth didn't seem dry, so she imagined the pegasus had at least managed to get her to drink. It was only now that she discovered her hunger, the sensation so familiar to her she was beginning to ignore it until it grew painful. She vaguely felt she should be enraged about the indignity of it all, being laid so low, yet searching her heart revealed gratitude that she had made it through. Gratitude and something she still didn't understand.
"Some of the others came by after we brought you back." Fluttershy told her. Trixie turned back to her and blinked.
"Rainbow Dash felt so, so bad. Please don't be mad at her." Fluttershy said. "And Twilight...she felt worse."
"It...wasn't her fault. Trixie understands that now."
"It wasn't your fault." Fluttershy said. Trixie smirked.
"Trixie never said it was." she quipped. Fluttershy shrunk back, her mane falling in front of her. Trixie forced herself to inch over and reached out, brushing Fluttershy's mane back.
"You shouldn't hide yourself." she told Fluttershy. "Take pride in who you are."
Fluttershy just smiled in return, but seemed honestly thankful for the gesture. Trixie could read it in her eyes. She eventually broke her gaze to look around the room, her mind turning.
"It has been some time since you've had your own bed, isn't it? Trixie shall take the couch tonight."
"Oh, no, that's quite alright..."
"No no. Trixie is your friend, and has relied on your kindness far too much." Trixie slowly got herself off the bed. Fluttershy looked as if she wanted to do something, say something, but couldn't bring herself to. Trixie got onto her legs and found herself still standing, though she did wobble a bit.
"Trixie, please..."
"Trixie shall be fine, Fluttershy." Trixie smiled. "And she'll be just downstairs, okay? You need some proper rest."
"But...okay." Fluttershy responded. "Good night."
"Good night." Trixie exited the bedroom. The hallway was nearly pitch black. Trixie felt her way along, knowing that any magic would likely end with her on the floor again. She almost tripped down the first stair, and made it cautiously after that. The main room was brighter thanks to large windows facing the moon. Trixie headed for the couch. She wasn't actually sure she could sleep, but she could feel she was low on energy. Oddly not as desperate as before; she guessed as much bed rest as she was getting was doing her a world of good. She would rest on the couch until either the day came or something else to do came to her. She glanced to the window and yelped as something moved. She made out the silhouette of a rabbit. It was the same one as before, and it was still glaring at her.
"Don't worry little rabbit." Trixie chuckled. "Trixie is relatively sure you could beat her if it came to it." she continued toward the couch and rabbit. The bunny glanced to the staircase and back to her. Trixie felt that somehow, she understood.
"Calm yourself. Trixie would never harm a hair on her head, she promises you that." Trixie said, climbing onto the couch. On second thought, maybe she could sleep after all. "She would never let any harm come to Fluttershy." she yawned. "I promise."