Author's note: This story takes place a while after season 1 ep 6: "Boast Busters". You can enjoy this story even if you haven't seen it, but you'll likely get more from it if you have!
Chapter 1
Though the sun had been shining all morning, the air smelled like rain as Applejack and Apple Bloom walked toward their farm. Shadows of clouds began to move along the ground, and the wind started to blow.
A fat raindrop splashed squarely onto Applejack's nose. "Sis, it's startin' ta rain," Apple Bloom said, breaking into an easy canter.
"I know," Applejack replied, also picking up her pace. "What the hay? Rainbow Dash said no rain was scheduled 'til tomorrow!"
The Apple sisters galloped to their huge front porch and unpacked their saddlebags. Applejack went to the screen door and looked up. There were many overlapping clouds; the rainfall would last at least another half-hour. "Rainbow, you up there? T'day was supposed to be sunny!" the earth pony shouted.
Sure enough, a hole appeared in the low-hanging nimbus clouds and a blue head and neck with a brightly-colored mane poked through. "Chill out, this wasn't my fault, okay?" said the pegasus. "The factory in Cloudsdale made a surplus, so we had to change the schedule. I told you yesterday."
"No, you didn't," Applejack said.
"Oh. Really?-whoops, too much to do, gotta go!" Rainbow Dash disappeared again, not willing to deal with a dripping wet, displeased Applejack at the moment.
"I'm gonna get even with that featherbrain," Applejack grumbled. She turned around at exactly the wrong time, getting a faceful of water as Apple Bloom shook the rain out of her coat.
"Heh heh, oops," Apple Bloom said, grinning apologetically.
It was still raining 20 minutes later, when Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle arrived. They were wearing slickers and Pinkie Pie's umbrella-hats. "I see Rainbow Dash got around to tellin' you gals 'bout the weather change," Applejack said wryly.
"Nope! My tail was all: twitch-a-twitch, twitch-a-twitch!" Pinkie Pie said enthusiastically.
"Her tail is way more reliable than Rainbow Dash," Twilight said. All four ponies laughed.
"Well, it's good to have you here," said Applejack. "Pinkie, Apple Bloom'll help you with the turnovers, 'kay? Twi', you can help me with the fritters."
Many hours later-many confections, pastries, and desserts later-Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie said goodnight and headed for home, each of them carrying a bag of apple treats. Everything in the kitchen was remarkably clean, thanks to Twilight's magic. (Pinkie Pie was a great baker, but because she was so exuberant, she usually left quite a mess behind her.)
"You go up to bed; you've had a long day, sis," Applejack said to Apple Bloom.
"'Kay...g'naht," the younger pony said.
Applejack had one last chore to do. She went to the barn to put away the flour, oatmeal, and other dry goods she and her friends hadn't used.
As the strong farm pony was about to leave the barn, she noticed a soft sound.
With caution, Applejack investigated the straw bales in the corner, thinking that perhaps a skunk, raccoon, or stray dog had found a way into the barn.
Not at all! Behind a row of bales lay a small medium-blue mare, fast asleep. The darkness made it hard to get a good look at the pony, who was mostly covered in straw. Still, there appeared to be something familiar about the stranger.
What to do?
There were deep circles under the strange pony's eyes and dried mud in the strange pony's mane. Applejack's friendly and compassionate heart immediately chose an action. With her nose, Applejack gently nudged the unknown mare's shoulder.
The little pony shifted. The straw and the pony's mane had been hiding a horn! The stranger looked even more familiar-
"Trixie?" Applejack whispered.
The unicorn's eyelids snapped open. She jumped to her hooves and looked around, disoriented and a bit panicked.
"Hey now, easy! You're safe," Applejack said quietly. "Come on, let's get you into a bed."
"Who're you?" Trixie asked warily, not budging.
The earth mare shook her blonde mane as she laughed. "We've never been introduced, huh? I'm Applejack, r'member? I sure recollect you, sugar cube."
Weak from lack of food and sleep, Trixie's knees wobbled as she tried to remember this pony. She'd met so many in the past year or two. She couldn't place the face. "I don't remember," she said. "Let me go, okay? I wanted shelter from the rain and I fell asleep. I swear I haven't eaten any of your hay or apples or anything."
"You haven't? Do! You look hungry-"
"-No. I can't pay you."
"It's on the house. I insist." Applejack smiled. "You can leave whenever you want, soon as you've had food, rest, and a bath."
Trixie looked closely at Applejack. The earth pony was fairly tall and obviously very strong. Trixie was a rather small, thin unicorn. She couldn't outrun this farm pony, and Trixie's magic felt very distant.
Besides, Trixie was tired of running. She'd always been proud, but she wanted to accept what Applejack was offering. As politely as she could, she said, "You are very generous. Thank you." She followed Applejack to a room on the second floor of the farmhouse.
"It's kinda small, but it's cozy enough," Applejack said, turning to face her unexpected visitor. Her eyebrows rose; most of Trixie's tail looked like it had been unevenly cut away.
"What?" Trixie asked, seeing Applejack's expression.
"Nothin' that can't wait 'til t'morrow," the hard-working farmer answered. "I do have a choice for you, though. If you're feelin' awake enough to eat now, I could whip up a quick bite for you."
"I...am quite hungry," Trixie admitted.
"Then come with me to the kitchen." Applejack made Trixie a big hay-and-carrot sandwich on rye bread, and cut her a large piece of apple coffee cake. Trixie devoured the food as soon as it was set in front of her. Applejack also gave Trixie plenty of cold water to go with the meal, and Trixie gulped the water as fast as the food.
"Do you want more?" Applejack asked when Trixie had finished.
"No, but it was delicious," Trixie answered. "I haven't had a full stomach in weeks."
"Well then, I'll clear up here. You get some rest and I'll see you in the mornin'," said Applejack.
"Thank you once more, Applejack," Trixie said, suddenly very tired again. The blue unicorn stumbled up the stairs, to the room Applejack had shown her. She got into the warm bed and fell asleep instantly.
When Trixie woke, the room was mainly in shadow. On the sill of the south window stood a red vase filled with orange and white flowers. She heard muffled voices, perhaps from downstairs.
As Trixie got out of bed, she saw that there was a note next to the flower bouquet. It read, "Dear Trixie, I've got to work. Sorry I can't be there when you wake up, but Apple Bloom and I made breakfast; just go to the kitchen and Apple Bloom will get it for you. If you're up to it, please come see me in the North Field. Love, Applejack."
Though she felt a little awkward and a little nervous, Trixie decided to do as Applejack indicated. She opened the curtains, letting sunlight enter the room. The day looked a bit cloudy, but lovely, with a rich blue sky. Trixie smiled and went down the stairs, to the kitchen.
There were three fillies there, talking kind of loudly and apparently making apple jam and apple butter. They were an unusual trio; one was a pegasus, one was a unicorn, and one (Applejack's sister, obviously) was an earth pony. They were having a good time, arguing and joking like friends.
"Uh, Apple Bloom?" Trixie said.
The red-maned earth pony and her companions turned. "Raht! You must be the unicorn my sister was talkin' 'bout. Hm, we're just a few minutes from lunch. Wouldya rather just wait and have that with all o' us?"
"Is Applejack going to eat then too?" asked Trixie.
"Sure is," Apple Bloom said.
"Okay," said Trixie. "I'd like to bathe quickly, if that's all right."
"No problem!" The energetic earth filly pointed the way. Trixie hurried to wash and dry herself, though she was still not used to having to do such things without magic and with very limited telekinesis. She wanted to be in the room to greet Applejack when she returned from the North Field, so Trixie rushed through the process. Her beautiful blue coat regained its luster, but was still a bit damp when she returned to the kitchen.
The three fillies noticed Trixie's reappearance. "I'll bet you're good at moving things using your horn, like my sister is," said the little pink-and-purple-haired unicorn filly. "Would you mind getting those jars from the high shel-"
"-Your cutie marks! They're different!" the orange pegasus filly yelled, interrupting her friend. "How'd you earn those?"
"Oh, it's not a very interesting story," Trixie said.
"Please?" all three of the youngsters asked.
Trixie noticed that not one of them had a cutie mark. She hesitated for a moment. Well, why not? "Very well," Trixie said, showing a small smile.
Wide-eyed, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle listened as the blue unicorn told them about the day a new blacksmith came to her village and set up shop. During the next several months, the newcomer grew popular, and Trixie's family's business declined. Most ponies liked the new smith's lower prices, even though Trixie's mother clearly made higher quality goods.
Young Trixie wanted to help her family, but she wasn't very good with hammering or quenching or shaping molds. But when she tried to stoke the fire for her mother and older brother, she found out that she could do amazing things with the fire itself. "Trixie, if you'd put on a display of pyrotechnics, the village would get interested in us again," her mom told her.
Was she ever right! Trixie began to perform outside her parents' shop, and word of her talent spread quickly. Soon, most of her village gathered to see her fireworks. Pushing the envelope, little Trixie also used her magic to persuade ropes to climb into trees and hang swings from the branches for the amusement of young foals. She concentrated and experimented and she managed to wring a tiny bolt of lightning from a nearby cloud as well! (That trick really impressed everypony; they thought only pegasi could control weather.)
"...and when night fell, I was exhausted," Trixie told her rapt audience. "Mom said we'd doubled sales! She tucked me into bed. As she was pulling up the covers, she gasped and said I should look at my hind leg. And there was my cutie mark!"
"Awesome!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said.
"The lightning was pretty cool, but it would've been even better if you'd used it to scare off a hydra or something," Scootaloo said, twitching her tiny wings.
"But why aren't your cutie marks identical?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"I don't know," Trixie answered. "My mother said it might be because I can do so many kinds of magic, but there are other unicorns who can, so I don't think that's it."
"Show us some magic," said Scootaloo.
"Yeah, show us your best spell, please?" Apple Bloom said.
"Please?" Sweetie Belle chimed in.
"I can't, fillies. I'm sorry," said Trixie.
"What? Why not?" asked Scootaloo.
"Come on, please?" Sweetie Belle said.
"I would if I could, but I can't," Trixie said, getting just a touch irritated. "My magic isn't with me now."
Immediately, the three young ponies began asking rapid-fire questions. Who'd ever heard of a unicorn losing her magic?
Just then, there was the sound of the front door opening and shutting, and Applejack's voice saying, "Is lunch ready yet?"
"Sure, me and Sweetie Belle will set it out," Apple Bloom answered.
Applejack approached Trixie. "How're you feelin'? Didya sleep all right?"
"Quite well," Trixie said. "The bed was very comfortable. I've had more than a few nights spent shivering out-of-doors, recently."
"I reckon just about anythin' would be better'n that," Applejack said.
Sweetie Belle concentrated hard and managed to use her developing telekinesis to set Trixie's lunch on the table, then her own. Apple Bloom served herself, Scootaloo, and Applejack. Big Macintosh arrived then, and both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom put his oversized lunch in front of him.
The next 30 minutes were mostly filled with drinking and eating.
When she was about finished, Applejack continued the conversation. "How'd you come to be in the area of Ponyville, Trixie? I'm guessin' it wasn't on purpose."
Trixie didn't have time to answer. "'Trixie'?" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "I've heard of you! You turned my big sister's hair green."
Everyone at the table turned to look at Trixie. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo began talking at the same time.
"That's you? You tried to make Rainbow Dash look stupid. What's your problem, huh?" Scootaloo said.
"Hey, then you're the one who tied up Applejack with her lasso. Applejack, why're you bein' nahce to her?" asked Apple Bloom.
Although Trixie's brain instantly thought of a retort, she kept her mouth shut. It wasn't all her fault, what had happened the last time she'd been in Ponyville. Still, should she apologize?
"She didn't mean nothin' by it," Applejack said. "'Sides, Trixie here looked like she could use ahr help. The Apple Family always likes to help, right Apple Bloom?"
"Raht," Apple Bloom said, back to sounding friendly and cheerful. Trixie breathed more easily, glad that these earth ponies didn't hold grudges.
"It sounded kind of personal to me," Scootaloo insisted. "Rainbow Dash said you were a show-off and a meanie, Trixie."
"I shouldn't have done those things," Trixie said. "I was trying to impress everypony with my magic and I took it too far."
"Anyway, Mac and I hafta get back to work," said Applejack, stepping away from the table. "Thank you young'uns fer the lunch."
"I'll go with you," Trixie said, remembering Applejack's note. (She wanted to get away from the questions of the fillies, too.)
Shortly after noon, Applejack and Trixie were talking together in the North Field; Applejack checking the trees for damaging fungus or evidence that deer had been "raiding" the green apples before they had a chance to ripen; Trixie watching with a small amount of fascination and growing respect.
Applejack patted one of the trunks. With melancholy edging her voice, she said, "Awful sorry, but you've gotta come down, ol' girl. You've had a good life and I'll miss you."
Trixie said, "Why? This tree looks healthy to me. Its leaves are full and green, and it's begun to produce some little apples."
"See this split?" Applejack asked, pointing.
"No, I hadn't," Trixie answered.
The strong earth mare laughed. "I've been doin' this so long, I guess I forgot that what's obvious to me ain't to everypony. Well, this split happened 'cause of high winds. It could be enough to kill the tree by itself, but the bigger worry is infection. Harmful ants and moths and whatnot can get inta the livin' wood now. If this ol' girl gets sick, it could spread to nearby trees real quick." The blonde-tailed work pony patted the tree's trunk again. "You're givin' your life to protect your sisters and brothers. Don't worry, I'll look after 'em," Applejack said.
Just an hour earlier, Trixie would have found this talk silly or downright ridiculous. Now, she was actually moved by the compassion she heard in Applejack's accented voice. "I've never really thought about the life of an apple farmer," said the light-blue-maned unicorn. "There's a lot that has to be done; I've seen that from watching you work during a single afternoon! But how does any of this stuff explain your amazing rope skills?"
"We've got a few head o' dairy cattle, and sometimes I look after the neighbors' hogs and sheep," Applejack said modestly. "But no pegasus or earth pony'll ever be as good as a unicorn can be with a lariat."
"No way. I simply used my animation spell-it's easy when it's done that way. Your performance was artistic and athletic, and it was the result of months and years of practice."
"Yours had artistry too. I know it was easier for you to use the lariat than it was for me, but I had a load of experience. Your improvisation was mighty impressive. I wouldn't have admitted that then, o' course."
"I got carried away, though. Your tricks with that-'lariat' you call it?-were just supposed to show the audience your skill. Mine were to make me look good at the expense of whoever challenged me. That was mean and I'd take it back if I could."
Applejack stopped walking for a second and smiled at Trixie. "I had you figured wrong; I never expected to hear you say you'd behaved badly. (Wish you could teach Rainbow Dash how to do that.) Don't worry; there's no hard feelin's.
"But anyway, you haven't said yet: why're you here?"
"Because I got lost," Trixie said, her voice lowered due to her embarrassment. "Your Whitetail Wood is perfectly safe, but the Everfree Forest isn't. In the dark, they look the same. Once I realized my mistake, I should have retraced my steps immediately, but I just didn't want to.
"So I intended to go through the forest, except that I couldn't find my way. After it got really dark, I noticed some yellow lights. They looked like they were far away, but they looked like lanterns or lamps, so I went toward them. That just got me more lost, because those lights were swamp candles."
The two mares were walking more and more slowly. Without saying anything, they stopped and sat next to each other on the springy grass between the rows of trees. A cicada buzzed loudly from a low-hanging branch. Once it was quiet, Trixie picked up her story again.
"I was pretty scared in there. I think I wandered four or five days. Every time a dangerous creature approached, I hid. That was thee or four times a day! At night, it was very hard to sleep.
"In the early morning one day, I heard a chimera coming my way. Their noses are good; I didn't think I could hide from it. I sneaked out of the thicket where I'd slept and then I ran.
"I wasn't paying enough attention to where I was going. The trees were small and close together and the light was dimmer. As I snaked my way through the trees, a wide hole opened right in front of me. Next thing I knew, I was sliding down a slippery, muddy ramp."
Applejack tried to picture the hotshot magician she'd met several weeks ago getting herself into a scrape of this size. It was hard to believe. And yet...she did believe Trixie. Sure, Trixie looked like she'd been through a lot, but anypony could alter her appearance. It was Trixie's story that was convincing. The way she told it was even more convincing. There was more to this blue unicorn's character than Trixie herself had let on.
"I was alone in a maze of tunnels.
"I was safe from monsters, but there was no food, and the only water trickled down the walls or dripped from the ceiling. It tasted odd and didn't help my thirst. Twice, I walked until I was exhausted and had to sleep.
"As I was walking groggily on the third or fourth day, I realized that the rough tunnel had ended and I was in a finished underground corridor. The walls, floor, and ceiling were smooth, orange-red stone. There were holders for candles and torches-not that any lights were actually lit. I was still finding my way only by the glow of my horn.
"I rounded a corner and suddenly an enormous carved sphinx loomed in front of me. I stopped and stared at it for a minute. It looked so lifelike!
"But eventually, I had to keep searching for a way out of the tunnels, while I still had the strength to try.
"As I moved past the sphinx, I stumbled and brushed against its paw.
"Instantly, I heard a powerful, wise voice, in my head! I knew it was the sphinx. It told me that my situation was hopeless, unless I accepted its help. I hadn't wanted to face the reality, but it was true; I already knew in my heart how dire my situation was.
"The sphinx offered me a teleport to the edge of the forest. But there was a catch: the sphinx's own magic was almost gone. It would have to use my magic to send me to safety-all my magic!
"I hesitated when I heard the cost of this rescue. But the sphinx's silent voice told me that I might be able to replenish my magical power.
"I asked the sphinx how. There was no answer.
"That scared the hay out of me! Was the sphinx weakening or going to sleep? I panicked and immediately accepted the sphinx's offer. I shouted it aloud, trying to make sure the stone sphinx could hear me.
"When I next opened my eyes, I was on the border of the forest, with farmland stretching out before me. It was night, but I could see better than I could in the unlit tunnels. Luckily, I heard the sound of a stream nearby. I ran to it and had my first real drink in days.
"I was still hungry and I still didn't know where I was, but I felt alive again. I found a path and started walking on it. The path connected to a road, and I turned and started walking on that. I walked until the sun came up and still I kept walking.
"I didn't meet anyone, and my spirit began to sink.
"Shortly after, it began to rain. I was exhausted from hours of walking. I looked for shelter and I spotted a barn. I decided to slip inside, to wait out the storm. But I fell asleep.
"The rest you know."
Applejack sat quiet for a moment. Then she said, "Your tail-what happened there?"
"My tail? Oh, that! So minor compared to the other things that have happened, I forgot about it. On one of the first nights I spent in the forest, some wood sprites pranked me by cutting it short-the little jerks!"
Applejack lifted herself slowly, stretching as she went: first her hind legs, then her forelegs. "Hoo-ey! You've been through a lot," she said.
Trixie also rose. "I've learned a lot, too. The biggest lesson is that even 'the Great and Powerful Trixie' shouldn't go into the Everfree Forest alone. I never will again."
The two mares got back to work. (It was mostly Applejack working, but Trixie was observing closely, trying to learn. She helped a bit toward the end of the day.) They talked quite a bit and the hours rushed by. Dusk arrived and night was on its way.
"Applejack!" The voice was faint. Apple Bloom was calling.
"It's practically nightfall," Trixie said, noticing just then.
"Yeah, we'd better head back to the house," said Applejack.
The pair turned and left the North Field. They heard Apple Bloom again, louder this time. Applejack called, "We'll be right there, li'l sis!"
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had gone home, so Trixie had dinner with Applejack, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith. The old-timer was interested in the unicorn; Trixie repeated many of the stories she'd already told that day. That sort of thing used to make her impatient, but she didn't mind much on this occasion.
Applejack and Trixie found themselves in the living room in the early evening. "I'd better get to the Ponyville Inn," said Trixie. "Tomorrow, I'll get back on the road." She walked to the front door and stepped into the breezy night.
"Where're you goin'?" asked Applejack, just a step behind her.
"My hometown, Bridleborough," the blue unicorn said.
"That's far. It's at least three or four days' walk," said the strong farm pony. "'Sides, you haven't got any money, have you?"
Trixie blushed, her cheeks turning a cute lavender shade. "I guess I got caught up in the good feelings of today. I totally forgot about that."
"There's no need to worry your pretty head," Applejack said. "Do what you want to do. I think you've got a few choices.
"For one, you can stay with us. Or you can go right away; I'll lend you the money you need to get back to Bridleborough by train. Or you can do something different."
"In that case, I'll stay here for one more night. Then I'll accept your offer and travel back to Bridleborough to see my family. I'm still not sure of exact times, but I think it's been a month since I sent them a letter. They must be a little worried by now. But I haven't visited them in five or six months. After these ordeals, I really want to see them again." The small blue mare looked as though she was on the verge of tears, and her eyes were slightly unfocused as she let her memory rule her vision.
"You love your family," Applejack said. "We've got that in commmon; I love mine too. It's no business of mine, but why'd you leave for such a long time, in that case?"
"I didn't mean to be gone so long," answered Trixie. "But I like traveling. I won't say I have wanderlust, but I enjoy seeing things and places I've never seen before. There's my mother, too; my mom and dad always said it was good for young ponies to travel."
The strong blonde mare said, "Then you're tougher'n me. I went to the big city and got so homesick-I came back to the farm in a month."
Trixie smiled sympathetically. "To the big city from here? That would be a huge shock! Maybe you should have gone to another town first. Not all travels lead to homesickness. Bridleborough's a lot like Ponyville, for example..."
The mares looked at each other.
"Would you come with me to Bridleborough?" asked Trixie.
"I couldn't this instant, but if-look out!"
A strong rush of wind had caught a fairly large dead branch and snapped the last bit of fiber than had held the branch to the tree; it hurtled down toward Trixie and Applejack. Applejack shoved Trixie aside, steeling herself for a painful blow.
The heavy branch shrank, its diameter thinning in an instant, until it was no thicker than a writing quill. It bounced harmlessly off Applejack's upper back. Applejack saw that Trixie's horn was glowing faintly.
"Neat trick! I thought you couldn't do magic right now," Applejack said, grinning at Trixie with gratitude.
"I couldn't!" Trixie said, sounding astonished. "I haven't been able to do even a simple thing like light a lamp with my magic ever since the encounter with the sphinx."
Applejack went to Trixie's side. "Well, you saved me from gettin' a big welt or worse," she said quietly, her big green eyes sparkling. She hugged Trixie, suddenly but gently.
Trixie stiffened for a second. Applejack had been kind, but she was still a farmer, who got sweaty and dirty every day. Trixie wasn't in the habit of hugging anyone, let alone country ponies-
-But Applejack's hug felt good. Trixie hugged back, feeling like she was already back among family.
Except that Applejack was bigger and stronger than her mom or any of her sisters and brothers. And Applejack smelled differently. Trixie had expected her to smell like dust and sweat, but Applejack smelled very good, like apples, hickory smoke, and spring rain. The little unicorn was enjoying being held by this sweet, warm farm girl.
After a few seconds, the two separated a bit. "You saved me first. You were going to take the hit from that branch for me," Trixie said.
Applejack blushed slightly, aware of Trixie's deep purple eyes beaming at her. "I'm just heavier'n you, that's all; I'm less likely to get hurt by a fallin' branch," she said awkwardly.
"Well, thank you," Trixie said. "Not just for protecting me; I get the feeling you had something to do with my magic coming back, too."
"How 'bout we go back inside and discuss goin' to Bridleborough?" Applejack asked.
Trixie nodded, and winked at the bigger mare. The two ponies went back into the farmhouse for the night.
To be continued...
(At least, I'll continue if there's interest. This story has been harder to write than I thought it would be. If you'd like me to keep going, please let me know, otherwise I'll probably drop it and go on to other things.)