Trix of the Trade - Chapter 2

>”Yes! Thas it!”
>Finally! After being led to the wrong part of, ‘Just outside of town.’ three times in a row, you have found Trixie’s wagon.
>Trixie’s sense of direction was non-existent at the moment.
>The wagon is, well, big! If she didn’t have to fit an entire stage in there, you’d say it’s too big.
>Through the dark, you also discern that the wagon looks rather… girly? Accurate descriptions become difficult late at night.
>”This!” You stop Trixie from falling once again. You’ve lost count of how many times you’ve done it.
>”Is Trixie’s not-so-hubble abode.”
“Huh. I never pictured you as a travelling Gypsy.”
>”A what?”
>Or right, not Earth.
“Nevermind, can you handle yourself from here?”
>”Yes… Yes I think I got it.”
>You remove your hand from her back. She stumbles forward, she even nearly falls a few times, but she makes it to the step ladder.
>She hops up the step ladder with surprising grace and opens the door to the wagon.
>Great! You have successfully helped a drunken, depressed Pony get home before she did something she would regret. There’s your good deed for the week.
>You turn back-
>”Where ARE you goin’?”
>You about-face to see Trixie standing at the entryway.
“Uh… Home?”
>She doesn’t look disappointed. She doesn’t look wanting.
>Just confused.
>”You’re not gonna invite yourself in like AAAALLLLLLL the other ‘Gentlecolts’?” There’s an edge in her voice.
“Nope! Even if I were physically attracted to ponies, I wouldn’t take advantage of one in your position.”
>Manners, manners, manners! You thought your parents taught you how to treat a lady well enough. Rarity said otherwise.
>Trixie doesn’t look satisfied with that answer.
>”Come see me tomorrow.” She says flatly before slamming the door shut.
>Uh. Okay.
>You make your way back to the Boutique, your path illuminated by Luna’s moon.
>The bite of a cold evening began to sink in and the prospect of sleep in a warm bed quickly became the only thing on your mind.
>Yes! There’s the Boutique. Bed. Sleep. Door. Open. Rest. Warm. “Anonymous?”
>Wait, what?
>”Anonymous, is that you?” Oh yes, Rarity must still be awake.
>Her voice is coming from the kitchen.
“Uh, yeah.”
>”Could you come in here, dear? We need to discuss something.”
>You follow her voice into the kitchen. Rarity sits at the same spot at the table she occupied before you left.
>A bottle of Red Wine and two wine glasses are laid out in front of her.
>”Please, sit.”
>You oblige.
>She magically pours herself a glass of wine.
>”Would you like a glass?”
>If she’s about to say what you think she’s about to say, then you’re going to need a lot of glasses of wine.
”Yes, please.”
>She proceeds to pour you a glass as well then levitates it into your hand.
>”Anonymous, how long has it been since I took you in?”
“About three months ago.”
>”Ah, yes. And they have been a wonderful three months, have they not?”
>You take a sip of wine. Okay, maybe like three sips.
>”I gave you one small task and you turn me into The Hottest Fashionista in all of Equestria.”
>She really likes that title. You take another sip of wine.
>”Since then, I’ve been busy. Too busy! But, I love what I do and I can’t think of anything else that would make me happier… Except one thing.”
>You polish off your wine. You want to ask for more.
>”You see, Anonymous, I’ve always been one for meritorious romance but I’ve… never had a special somepony of my own. I kept myself busy with my work, hoping the right stallion would come to find me.”
>Forget manners, you pour yourself another drink.
>”So that’s why I need to ask you…”
>Please don’t say it. Rarity, for the love of god, please don’t say what you’re about to say.
>”To relocate, or, um, move out.”
>You spit out your wine.

“W-what!”
>”I’m sorry, Anonymous! It’s not easy meeting stallions with one such as you occupying my home.”
“No, it’s just,” You let out a sigh of… you don’t know. It’s a mix of relief and disappointment. And you chuckle a bit.
“I thought you had feelings for me and… haha, oh wow.”
>”Oh. Oh!” She gives a little titter. “I’m sorry if I gave you the impression-“
“You did! Or, I thought you did! It’s all rather hilarious, now that I look back on it.”
>”My apologies, darling. That was never my intention.”
“Don’t worry about it, I’m the one who misread you. I tend to forget you are naturally affectionate towards everyone.”
>”But how can I not show a little more affection to the Gentlecolt who made me a huge success?” She snuggles up against your side for the second time tonight.
>The two of you sit in a comfortable silence for a moment. Rarity is just a friend, a good friend.
>Then her words sink it.
>You feel slightly nauseous.
>You feel a heavy sensation in your gut.
>You’ve just been evicted.
“Rarity?”
>”Yes?”
“Where am I supposed to go?”
>You pull away from her.
>”I’m not asking you to move out immediately, my dear. I would never kick you out onto the street without a place to call your own!”
>That makes you feel a little better. Only a little.
 “I think I ought to go to bed.”
>”Yes, yes it’s getting late. I shall do the same.” Rarity releases her grip on you and gets off her seat. “Good night, Anonymous.”
”Good night, Rarity.”
-
>You grab your jacket, say, “Good morning!” to Rarity and Sweetie Bell, and rush out of the boutique.
>Not only do you have a meeting with the Mare of Magic, but now you’re more determined than ever to find work.
>You’re not sure when Trixie wanted you to arrive at her wagon but she surely wouldn’t mind being woken up at an early hour, would she?
>You make a quick stop at the Apple Family’s Apple stall for a small breakfast and…
>”Sorry, Mr. Anonymous! Winter is comin’ and AJ says we can’t hire no more ponies right now!” Applebloom says with a frown.
>Eh, it was worth a shot.
>You end up buying an Apple Pie. So much for a small breakfast. Healthy? Forget about it!
>You then head over to Trixie’s wagon, stopped a few times by passing friendly ponies. They were after a piece of your pie and you KNOW it.
>After a refreshing walk and some masterful pie-thief evasion, you come to Trixie’s wagon.
>The golden metal trim and the magenta paint job certainly scream, “Look at me, look at me!” It fits Trixie, even if it doesn’t match her colors.
>You only need to take one step on the step ladder before you’re just as tall as the door.
>You give it three loud knocks. A loud, overdramatic groan responds.
>”Be patient!” Trixie’s voice commanded from inside the wagon.
>You only knocked for, like, a second!
>The sound of a few things begin turned over, a little magical chime, most likely from Trixie, and the stomping of hooves are heard.
>Then the door finally opens. Trixie stands eye level with you.
>Hastily combed hair, wrinkled cape, ice pack badly hidden under wizard hat. Yeah, she’s feeling the repercussions of last night’s shenanigans.
>She glares are you with an expecting expression.
>”Well?”
>What? You came here per her request! Augh! Just… Just chill.
“Uh, you told me to come over.”
>Her expression doesn’t change. Okay, maybe she’s getting more annoyed.
“I, ummm, brought breakfast?”
>It takes a few seconds but she steals the pie from your hands and retreats back into her wagon. You assume the open door is an invitation.
>You have to crouch to get through the doorway but… whoa.
>Whoa!
>This is as large as an entire living room! There is no way you’re still inside the wagon. This is Narnia Closet-esque.
“Where are we?”
>”Ugh, sit”
>You tear your eyes away from the ceiling above you. The walls of the… wagon room were covered in shelves, cabinets, cupboards, you name it. Each held an assortment of snowglobes, magical baubles, cheap-looking wands, all sorts of oddities.
>This whole place gave a bit of a ‘Harry Potter’ vibe. Appropriate, given its occupant.
>You then bring your eyes to Trixie, she’s slumped over a table, hooves over her head, with utensils floating about her.
>You sit across from her; a small teacup shakily floats over to you. You grab it in midair before something happens.
>Actually, all the things Trixie was levitating were shaking. Note to self: hangovers are a Unicorn’s weakness.
“You want me to take care of that?” You reach for the pie knife but Trixie magically tosses it two feet to your left.
>You’re already regretting this visit.
>”Auugh, just… let Trixie have her drink.” On cue, a teapot on the stove behind you began to whistle.
>Everything else she was keeping afloat drops as the pot flies past your head to Trixie and tips itself into her cup.
>Trixie wastes no time as she just throws the liquid down her throat.
>She her entire body goes ridged before going into some sort of seizure.
>Trixie’s face turns neon blue, no, green? Uh, redFUCK DID SHE JUST BREATHE FIRE?
>She goes through the rest of the color spectrum before she deflates with a relieved sigh.
“What just happened? Are you okay?”
>She scoffs at your ignorance.
>”Do you honestly not know what Rainbow is?”
>Yup, Trixie is back to her good ol’ self.
>”Nevermind. Would you like a slice?” She gestures to the Apple Pie.
>Yes. You would love a slice of the pie you bought.
>”Yes, please.”
>With a flurry of magic and utensils, A small slice of pie is served onto your plate. Trixie serves herself a much bigger one.
“Trixie?”
>”Mhm?”
“Is there a reason you asked me to come here this morning?”
>”Trixie would prefer to wait to explain that.”
“Very well. So, Trixie…” You engage her in small talk. She’s reluctant to talk about herself but the dam breaks when you ask about the wagon and the various artifacts within it.
>Most of it sounds like horseshit though.
>”Yes! Even Prince Blueblood was enamored with Trixie! So much, that he gave up his crown just to earn her favor!”
“Uh-huh.” The third person talk is waning on your patience.
>”To this day, the crown that sits on his head is a fake!”
“Neat.” No it isn’t.
>Trixie quietly grunts at your lack of interest.
>”So, human-“
“Anonymous.”
>”Tell Trixie about yourself.” She’s already lost interest. If nobody is talking about her, she has no reason to pay attention.
>Whatever.
“Aside from the fact that I’m an alien species, there’s not much to say. My life before I came here was rather uneventful. My time in Equestria consists of being Twilight Sparkle’s little expe-“
>”Who?” Oh, NOW you have her attention.
“Twilight Sparkle? She’s Princess Celestia’s star pupil and was the pony in charge of studying me when I first came here.”
>”Ugh, continue.”
>You ramble on about how Twilight violated your personal bubble too many times, meeting the princesses, Trixie liked that one, your integration into pony society, getting kicked out, moving into…
>”Rarity? YOU live the THE Rarity?”
“Marshmallow coat, squiggly tail, dress maker, Element of Generosity. One and the same.”
>”Amazing! Trixie had no idea you would be so… connected! O-of course, not as much as her! Did Trixie tell you about how Prince Blueblood is completely in love with Trixie?”
“Yes, you did.”
>Oh. She’s telling it again anyway.
>You ignore her this time. You need to finish this pie, anyway.
>You take a bite, damn this is good pie.
>You take another bite.
>Then another.
>Dang it’s all gone.
>You reach f-Hey! Did Trixie seriously eat the rest of the pie?
>”Anonymous? Are you paying attention to Trixie?”
“Huh?”
>”Trixie asked you a question, answer it!”
“Uh, no. Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”
>”No! Not that… ugh.” She facehooves.”Trixie asked how much weight your word carries around here.”
“Excuse me?”
>”How influential are you? Do these ponies fear you enough to follow your every whim? Do they trust you? Anything.”
“Oh, I dunno. I guess most of them trust me by now.”
>”Ugh, that will have to do.” She beckons you to get closer. You comply.
>”Trixie has a plan and she’s going to need your help.”
>You’re getting really fucking tired of this third person speak.