Part One: The Magician's Redemption.

Could she say that she was once a great and powerful magician? Maybe, but then who would believe her? Twilight had shown her just how wrong her ways were, and all of Equestria was quick to remind her of that. And if she claimed to have changed, nopony would take it seriously anyway. The cruel irony of a pony who had been reformed. A lack of belonging to one side, or the other. Maybe that wasn't so bad after all...

"Ohh, the sorrowful and drenched Trixie does not feel happy at all." That was what it had come to. She was sitting under a tree, in the heavy rain of night. All she had was her hat and cloak, only barely keeping her warm given how wet they had become. There didn't seem like much point in using her magic to start a fire, it would go out within a few moments under those conditions. So she sat, on the damp root of the tree to avoid the muddy grass.

This was how she would spend the night. In an attempt to start her life anew, all her possessions had been given away to ponies who actually needed them. All but her clothes, they were the only things keeping her reasonably sane. It was a decision she didn't regret, despite her current condition. At least there was nothing for foals to scribble pictures on that made fun of her.

A cart rolled by on the puddle filled dirt road. It looked reasonably well kept, not unlike the stallion pulling it. Of average build, a pastel green mane which clung to his neck in the rain. His coat was surprisingly coloured in a stormy blue-grey, suggesting something of pegasi origin. But he was an earth pony alright, if anything that made her feel more comfortable. They were the most understanding ones, she wouldn't have to face another look of disapproval tonight.

"Excuse me Miss. Are you not cold in this weather?" Trixie lifted her head with quite a bit of surprise. He had left the cart where it was, and made his way over without a second thought for his cargo. This wasn't something she had expected at all. "I have noticed you around these parts before, always sitting under a tree in the rain." Noticed? Had she made a habit of sitting under trees in the rain? Given the amount that Vanhoover had compared to other parts of Equestria, she assumed that she would have noticed herself, well before having it pointed out to her.

"I, uh... I don't have anywhere to go, you see. Nopony wants Trixie the Phoney Magician under their roof, do they? I find it's just easier to stay away from everypony, and just watch." Maybe she had said too much at once. He could leave again, and she'd be alone once more. But having somepony to talk to after all that time had led to the urge to unload all her thoughts.

He didn't seem offended at all by her confession. The fact that he sat down beside her was a touching gesture. "What boastful magician spends their days under a damp tree? All I see is a young and beautiful unicorn who doesn't know where to go." Beautiful? Trixie never recalled being called that before. For once, she felt just how cold her body had become. Each droplet of water had drawn out a tiny portion of warmth. Now she was probably colder than the rocks near her hooves, half buried in the freezing mud.

"Come, my sister has a room to spare. She is kind, and many respect her. I cannot say what motivates the other towns of Equestria, but I can say that nopony is unforgiving in Vanhoover." He proved to be a very patient pony, as Trixie remained silent for several minutes. The idea of somepony offering to not only give her a second chance, but a place to stay as well was unimaginable.

Eventually, she got to her hooves and followed him to the cart. As she moved to get in, her back hoof slipped out from underneath her. At that point, she expected to end up with her whole underbelly covered in mud. Instead, he caught her with a firm hold, helping her into the back of the cart. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get that close. But you've clearly been through enough, a mud bath isn't what I'd call ideal right now."

Why was he being so kind to her? She hadn't done anything that deserved even a simple thanks, from anypony. That reminded her of what she had forgotten to do until that moment. "Thank you. I really don't deserve such charity, especially after what I've done. But it does mean a lot, that you went out of your way to help." A soft, meaningful chuckle came from the stallion as he began to pull the cart again. Now she was up there, it became apparent that he transported an assortment of vegetables. The aroma was overwhelming.

"Fleethoof Saddles, of the Saddles family. I do a lot of the transport jobs for Vanhoover, always enjoyed the feeling of pulling weight across great distances. And I can get goods around pretty fast if need be." Trixie shuffled closer towards the front of the cart so she could see the road ahead better. His mark was a hoof in full gallop, an apt name.

Maybe her luck had finally changed, albeit it was a long time between her giving up everything and now. Time wasn't important anymore, the gift was there, and she would accept it with a very grateful heart. "I cannot say how lucky I feel that you came this way at this time, Fleethoof. Everything you've done so far already is more than I could possibly ask for."

The pair continued on through the rainy night. Light was becoming scarce, but didn't seem to hinder Fleethoof too much. A lantern was suspended from the cart to light the road ahead. In the meantime, Trixie settled down between the sacks of vegetables. Now that she had more shelter from the wind, it was far easier to stay warm. And it gave her a chance to rest. Repaying his kindness would be a key priority of her's.

After some time, Vanhoover itself came into view. In comparison to Ponyville, the buildings had a rather more forest theme. Probably due to the abundance of pine trees, which seemed to be the main building material for the residents. Further along the river that ran beside the town, the city itself could be barely seen as a silhouette in the darkness. This was undoubtedly the main suburb.

The cart rolled through the cobble streets until it stopped under the shelter of a cart station. There, Trixie helped unload the sacks of vegetables without question. It was a small start, but at the very least it made her feel useful again. Fleethoof had no objections to her assistance. The sacks themselves were placed inside a small storage shed which would insulate them from the damp. At last, they had a moment to talk properly again.

"My sister Starlight runs the main food market, as well as other community events. She's a unicorn too, the Saddles are a pretty mixed family after all. I think you two should get along well." He kept the door open for Trixie as she made her way inside. The kitchen felt cozy, admittedly larger than one would expect from a normal house, but the way Fleethoof described his family seemed to indicate they had a very close bond.

"Thistle's having her bath, I'll be there in a moment Fleet." Trixie hesitated her step for a moment. Was that just Twilight Sparkle's voice she had heard upstairs? No, it couldn't be surely. Twilight wouldn't be in Vanhoover, Starlight probably just sounded a lot like her. She did have a name of a pony who had been in Canterlot at some point, and she was a unicorn at that.

"I found a visitor along the roadside, Trixie. I do hope that the spare room is still available, she's in need of a good bed after the amount of time she's spent in the forest." Trixie by then had wandered into the loungeroom, where a warm fire was going. Her hat and cloak were outside to dry, so there wouldn't be any accidental puddles. Fleethoof nodded for her to sit down to warm up.

It gave her a good view of the staircase, and the pony who made her way down. Her mane was coloured in the stormy grey of Fleethoof's coat, her own a pale pink. Her mark was very reminiscent of her name, a star shining light down below. Seeing the siblings beside each other did show family resemblance, notably in their faces. The fire in the meantime had warmed her body back up quite a bit, stopping the shivering altogether.

"Trixie, yes I recall the name. Several of the foals quite enjoyed your last performance here, such a shame that you left in a hurry though. So, what were you doing in the forests alone?" It took a moment for Trixie to stand, and approach slowly. Something felt odd, like things were pointing back towards Ponyville. Starlight, her name, voice, and appearance. All reminded her of Twilight.

"I uh... Was searching for an answer, to a question I have been pondering for some time. But, I think that can wait for now." Starlight nodded, smiling as she led Trixie back up the stairs. Fleethoof had made a silent departure by then, leaving the unicorns alone in the house.