What's a Human?

Author's Notes:

First of all, this is my first (fan fiction that is) and I put forth quite a bit of effort on it, creative criticism is good to help an amateur author like myself in amping up my abilities.

Before I get the question "Why Trixie and a human?'' I'll give you the answer and it's just that I wanted to get Trixie out of the usual Trixie/Sparkle rut and throw something new out there. Also the first chapter is shorter than the rest will be.

But anyways, hope you all enjoy :)

Trixie was towing her traveling stage and home behind her along a path that ran parallel to the Everfree Forest, thinking about what she did not a week ago.

How could I have been so foalish? She asked herself mentally, I could have avoided this situation if I hadn't lied in the first place. Trixie sighed. Since her humiliation after the Ursa Minor incident two months ago, her thoughts were consumed with revenge on the lavender unicorn that humiliated her, even going so far as to hunt down an ancient artifact that was supposedly cursed just to get the revenge she wanted so badly. Even though Trixie saw the error in her ways after losing in a magic duel, she felt alone, that fact that she really was alone didn't help the fact.

Maybe I should get a pet or something, she mused. I'll at least have something to take my thoughts away from my constant travels somewhat.

A lengthy span of time passed where nothing but the sound of her cart's wheels on the ground was the only noise present, until she heard a light rustling in the brush to her immediate right.

She stopped dead in her tracks. "Who's there?" She asked. No response "Show yourself, Trixie already knows you're there."

More rustling, Trixie charged her horn, preparing to cast a spell if necessary, the rustling was louder, her muscles tensed up. It was a rabbit, an ordinary rabbit. Trixie sighed.

"You know it's not nice to scare ponies like that, right?" She asked it, the little rabbit nodded its head. "Good, now run along." And the rabbit did just that. Trixie also left the premises, glad that something snapped her from her thoughts of loneliness. Trixie grunted as she walked, it felt as if her cart had gotten heavier since she stopped. After ten minutes of pulling her now obviously heavier cart she stopped and unhooked herself.

"There is no way I was imagining that weight." she told herself, gasping slightly from the physical effort. After regaining her breath Trixie went to the back of her cart to find the door's lock open, as if somepony had unlocked it and forgot to put it back correctly. Her curiosity perked, she magicked the lock off the door and opened said door to find the most bizarre sight she could have imagined. Even with her extensive knowledge of almost every creature in Equestria and its surrounding countries she had no idea what the creature that was lying on her bed even was! It had little to no fur besides its mane, had hind legs far longer than it's forelegs, suggesting that it was bipedal and odd enough was wearing a set of pristine and clean clothes.

Minutes passed with the creature and Trixie staring at each other, it's metallic silver eyes alluring in a cute animal type of way.

"Err-Hi?" said a masculine voice.

Trixie furrowed her brow, and looked behind her, finding nopony, surely she hadn't just heard this creature speak.

"I said, hello."

Trixie rubbed her head with a hoof, did she hit her head? Was she imagining this?

"I heard you speak, so I know you understand me." It said.

Trixie's jaw dropped, there was no denying it any longer, this new creature was smart enough to get into her locked cart without breaking the lock and could even speak! If that's the case than maybe it's civilized and can give her the information on what it is.

"You... are correct. Trixie was speaking earlier." She said in a slightly shaky voice.

"Good to hear, I guess." it said. "I assume you don't know what I am since I don't know what you are?"

"You are... correct again."

"I'll start with what I am, and that's a human."

"Human? What's a human?"

The human groaned and put one of its appendages on its face in an 'are you serious?' fashion. "You didn't just ask that now, did you?" He asked. Trixie was about to retort when it raised its appendage and silenced her. Odd. She didn't have the intention to stop talking. "Never mind. I'll explain exactly what a human is." It paused, "Humans are bipedal, mammal, homo sapiens that are at the top of the food chain of the planet Earth, humans aren't the strongest physically but we have incredibly advanced technology that we use against... really everything, other species, our planet..." His face darkened "and each other" he spat.

Silence prevailed after the human finished his explanation. Trixie was never one to be completely afraid of another, unless it was a predator, but she was terrified of this... human just from an explanation of what they are and what they have.

The human sighed and raised it's appendage yet again and Trixie found her hooves stuck to the ground. Pulling back she tried to break free of whatever got a hold of her until she noticed the faint white glow around the end of the humans appendage.

"You can use magic?!?!" She shouted. "That's impossible! Only unicorns like Trixie can use magic!"

"Not in my case it seems." It said. "Anyways, now that I've explained what I am, can you explain exactly what you are, because to me you look like a miniature horse,"

Trixie snorted in outrage at the insult of being called a horse, "First, Trixie is not a horse, the Saddle Arabians are horses, and second Trixie is a unicorn pony." Brief and to the point, just how Trixie liked it.

The human glanced up and saw her horn, "So you are." the corners of his mouth raised the slightest bit. "I'd never had guessed when I saw a colorful equine that it would be able to speak, use magic and would be an example of Greek mythology. Interesting..."

The way this human was staring at Trixie caused some anxiety, it was like the human was dissecting her just by looking at her. She shuddered, wishing she wasn't still trapped.

The human cocked it's head to the side, much like a confused dog. "Something wrong?"

"Yes!" Trixie shouted. "There is most definitely something wrong here!"

"Oh really?" He mussed with that same half smirk "Pray tell, what is so wrong?"

"Oh, nothing really, besides the fact that you're restraining Trixie to the ground and studying Trixie as if she was some new plaything!" She clapped her hooves over her mouth regretting her choice of words. She gave this human an idea of what to do with her, and it scared her. Chuckling. He was chuckling! '"A-and w-what is so f-funny?" Trixie stuttered, images of what this human could do to her with just a spell running amok inside her skull.

"Oh nothing really, just the fact that you're wrong with both of those assessments, because I released you during your short explanation and I was just comparing how you- Hey!" As soon as Trixie heard that she had already been released she bolted in the opposite direction, forget trying to fight the human, its magic was far stronger because it got past her Control Magic-Ward as if it was nothing. She just continued to gallop away as fast as she possibly could until she was stopped dead in her tracks by something that got a hold of her tail.

"Let Trixie go!" She shouted and looked back to find a manticore holding her tail. The world stopped and Trixie's heart too, her eyes shrunk to pinpricks and a piercing scream ended the pause in time. The manticore raised a clawed lion paw in the air, the look in it's eye showing it's hunger and blood lust. Trixie closed her eyes, hoping that it would be quick. But it never came, instead she heard a war cry.

Trixie opened her eyes to find the human pounding down the trail towards them, a deep scowl on his face.

As if this wasn't bad enough. Trixie thought. However, instead of attacking the two of them as Trixie expected he jumped high into the air and landed a kick in the manticore snout, causing the manticore to fly back several hundred feet which in turn sent Trixie flying with it. Trixie's head collided with something very hard and solid, could have been a tree, could have been a rock, she didn't know. All she knew was that her vision was fading and the manticore was fighting the human and losing.

The final blow landed and the manticore fell, Trixie didn't know if it was dead or just unconscious. The last thing Trixie saw before losing all of her vision was the human striding towards her, his shirt torn, covered in blood and had a concerned look on his face.

Introductions and Recoveries

Author's Notes:

Hey guys, I had plenty of time today to work on this and the next chapter is here! I took the suggestion of slowing it down into consideration and this was the end result, hope it's better than the first chapter!

Pain.

Her throbbing head was all Trixie could think about. She slowly opened her eyes to see only blurs. She rubbed her eyes with her hooves hoping to clear her sight. The first thing she saw was the ceiling over her bed, unmistakable because of the replica of her cutie mark that she painted above it, a blanket covering her form. Odd, last thing she remembered was that she was pulling her cart like any normal day, running into a little rabbit, then...

"The human!" Trixie shouted, bolting upright. Her left foreleg gave a twinge of pain, but she ignored it.

Why did the human save me? Where's the manticore? Why didn't the human just leave me? Trixie just kept thinking of questions but not answers. She then rolled out of her bed, determined to get answers from the human. Opening the door she found the human silhouetted in front of a beautiful sunset in its final minutes of the day. Trixie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped at the sight, her heart giving a strange flutter.

The human straightened turning to face her. "Ah, you're awake." he said in a slightly cheery voice and had that half smirk from before on his face, "Good to see you can walk around with out a limp." Trixie was about to question him when she realized her front left leg was in a makeshift splint made up of sticks and a blanket. "I was able to heal it enough to make it only a minor fracture, but I couldn't heal it any more than that."

"Why?" Trixie mumbled.

"Excuse me?" He asked. "Can you repeat that?"

"Why?" She asked a little more clearly.

"One more time?"

"Why!?" She shouted, "Why let Trixie go, than save Trixie's sorry flank from a manticore when you could have gotten injured? It would have been so easy for you to do, just watch as Trixie gets torn to shreds and eaten! Or is it because you wanted to hurt Trixie instead, not wanting the manticore to have the fun of it?!" The human was silent, not backing down, flinching or even giving an expression to Trixie as she accused him of multiple atrocious acts. Eventually Trixie stopped, resorting to glaring at her might-be captor. "Well?!"

He closed his bright eyes and slowed his breathing further than before. After what felt like an eternity he opened his eyes and spoke "You're wrong again Trixie." He sighed. "How about I answer your question with one of my own? If I got a sick pleasure from watching others suffer, then why would I heal most of your broken foreleg and help ease a majority of the pain from your concussion?"

Trixie was speechless. He was right, he had helped her out of a sticky situation and even began nursing her back to heath, making her assumptions of him completely baseless and made her feel like she was a little filly calling out an old, wise mare. "I don't know," she finally admitted "But, really why? Also how do you know Trixie's name?"

A smile. The human actually gave her a genuine facial expression! "Because my personal motto is 'help those in need and maybe they can help you.' Since I helped you with that manticore, I expected that you would be able to help me figure out how I got here and if I could possibly get back to where I'm from. As for your name," he shrugged "You've said it at least twenty times since we meet and it's also written on the wall of your mobile home. One doesn't need much more than that to figure it out."

Trixie's face burned ever so slightly from a light blush at the obvious answer to her second question. "So is that the only reason you saved Trixie for?" She asked, "Or is there another?"

The human's smile disappeared and he glanced just to the right of Trixie as he responded "I do have another reason, but that will have to wait for some time to be said, if ever."

Trixie opened her mouth to ask why he was dodging her question but closed it when she saw his, barely visible, serene expression, as if just living was giving him joy to last him an eternity. She let the matter drop, aggravated at how thick-skulled this human was.

"Name." She stated.

"Excuse me?" He asked.

"Your name, tell it to Trixie."

The human arched his eyebrow the slightest bit, "My name is Joseph Green."

"That is a strange name." Trixie said

"And Trixie Wand isn't a strange name?" Joseph asked.

Trixie reeled back when she heard her last name, "How do you know Trixie's last name!? Trixie never told you, nor anypony else!"

Joseph's eyes widened the slightest bit but the rest of his face remained in the same stoic position. "If I told you now, you would never believe me."

"And why is that?!" She shouted.

"Would you believe me if I said I could make absolutely anything I want happen with a mere thought? Would you believe I could fly without wings or magic? Or anything else along those lines?" He asked.

"No, because what your saying is impossible!"

He sighed, "Not quite," he said, "But at the moment, yes, those things are impossible. But imagine something at least three times as impossible as those examples and hopefully you can understand why I know you wouldn't believe me."

Trixie stopped. If what Joseph said is true, she understood why he was reluctant to elaborate. "Fine, Trixie won't question you on this subject for now." She scowled, "But she will again, eventually!"

"Eventually?" Joseph asked, "As in you expect me to stick around and be available for conversation at a later date?"

Trixie nodded and looked around, she and Joseph were both in a small, plain area with a small tent, a fire and two overturned halves of a freshly cut tree trunk acting as makeshift seats and just south of the small camp were the fringes of the Everfree.

Trixie shuddered, not from the memories of her escape from death at the edge of the ancient and foreboding forest, but instead from the cold wind that froze her as if her fur coat was nonexistent.

Joseph, who was tending to the fire looked up to see Trixie shivering, his eyes widening the slightest amount. He rose to his full height and, Trixie noted he was much taller than her, even though Trixie was an average four and a half hooves tall, he seemed to be at least six hooves tall.

"Are you cold?'' he asked.

Another blast of cold air made Trixie shiver harder "A-a l-l-little." She stuttered through her clacking teeth, "T-Trixie will just g-go inside." Trixie had only managed to turn around before she was stopped by something that had her tail, and she had an idea who it was.

"Wait just a second." He said, dragging her by her tail, using his magic, she was moved closer to one of the makeshift benches, "Just give me a moment." The glow around his hand got brighter slightly and the chilling wind died and the force holding her tail dissipated.

"How did you do that?" Trixie asked curious, sitting down on the, rather warm, log.

Joseph just shrugged and lowered his appendage down to his side, "Weather Manipulation spell?"

Trixie was very impressed, Weather Manipulation spells were rather difficult to cast and it was as if Joseph could cast them with little to no problem.

The sun had finally completed its decent and the darkness surrounded them, the light from their fire the only thing keeping the darkness at bay. Even though Joseph was not saying a thing Trixie could see something was on his mind from his body movement. The slight amount of fidgeting, how he was looking at everything besides her, and other subtle giveaways. To be nice Trixie started a conversation to get his mind of whatever it was that he was thinking.

"So, uh, what is it that you remember? How you got here Trixie means." She started.

Joseph paused, then said, "Not much, I was having fun at a party that was thrown in my honor for my latest discovery in my field of science, I got a little tipsy and, after that, nothing."

"Nothing?"

He nodded "Next thing I knew, I was in the middle of some freaky, dark forest with strange creatures and even stranger plants."

Trixie didn't know what to say, if he was telling the truth then he had not the slightest idea of how he got here and woke up in the Everfree! "You're very lucky," She said "From what you said you landed in the Everfree forest, a place of dark magic and ancient creatures from a nearly forgotten age."

Joseph's eyebrows shot up for roughly three seconds before returning to their usual position "Did I really?" he asked in an amused tone. "Seems my bad luck did not carry over to this different land." He chuckled and looked into the fire, "Huh, looks like we need more wood for the fire, if you'll excuse me for a moment." Joseph then got up from his log and made his way to the side of Trixie's cart where a decent sized wood pile lay. Bending over he grabbed several full sized logs with those odd appendages he had.

"What are those?" Trixie asked pointing with her hoof at Joseph's appendages after he set down the logs.

"You mean my hands?" He asked wiggling the smaller parts on one, "They're what I use to pick things up with and," His face darkened, "When necessary, fight with." His expression went back to normal, "But anyways it's just a part of the human anatomy."

"What are the littler things on your hand called?"

"Fingers, humans have ten, five on each hand," he explained holding up one to Trixie so she could study it while telling her exactly what a few parts of his hand were called. While Trixie was studying Joseph's hand he was busy chopping wood, not using a tool or magic, mind you, but using his hand to cut the thick logs into narrow quarters. After finishing Joseph put four log quarters into the fire and sat back down, giving a content sigh.

"Joseph?" Trixie asked.

"Yes?"

Trixie bit her bottom lip a bit, "What did you do before you ended up here?"

If Trixie was intruding in Joseph's personal life he didn't seem to mind, if anything Trixie swore that she saw his eyes get a twinkle in them, "Well, you see Trixie, what I am is a physicist and engineer, I have found ways to bend a few of the laws of physics through my extensive research and even grant myself the greatest thing the world has ever seen," He lifted his hand, his palm facing upwards where a ball of white fire burst into existence, "Magical abilities, allowing me to further reshape the laws of physics."

Trixie stared at the enticing white flames that where now in Joseph's hand and she continued to watch until he decided to let the miniature fire burn itself out, curling into the air and disappearing. All Trixie could think of was how amazing he was, changing the laws of physics? There was only one being that Trixie knew of that could do that, but the pink earth pony was the exception of almost every rule or known fact there is, but that's besides the point.

A comfortable silence took the place of conversation, human and pony alike staring into the ever moving flames. After what felt like several hours of relaxing Trixie began to feel drowsy and her foreleg was beginning to ache.

"Trixie thinks that she will go to sleep now," she said. "Trixie shall see you in the morning Joseph."

Joseph smiled, and for the second time that day Trixie's heart felt as if it was filled with butterflies, and he said, "Good night, Trixie, and please, call me Joe."

Trixie nodded her head and left the light of the fire for her dark cart, but instead of fearing who was outside, knowing Joe was just outside left her dreaming peacefully, for most of the night anyway...

Traveling and Learning

Author's Notes:

Sorry this took so much longer than the first two did (Writers block played a big role), First things first, I decided to put a little story behind the barking the pony (The one from Read It and Weep) and put in an extended (and modified) version of Equastria's founding, also through the comments I see people going WAY off about Joe's magic, you see, he was working on an experiment and as a byproduct he got his powers, HE DID NOT GAIN THEM UPON ENTRANCE INTO EQUESTRIA!!! I stated that at the end of Chapter 2! Anyways, I put far more effort into this chapter, and made a point of making it longer, and from here on out POV changes will be indicated by [POV: Joseph] in red or [POV: Trixie] in blue, Now I hope you enjoy!

Sunrise. Took long enough. thought Joe. Having discovered he can sustain himself shortly after unlocking his abilities he had no need for sleep, food or even water. As usual he sat cross legged, meditating, reviewing the past twenty-four hours mentally, answering questions he might have had at that moment in time. Opening his eyes he watched as the sun slowly rose from the horizon.

You should tell her now. Said a voice. Joe groaned, not this again.

You already know why I can't tell her Blake, if I told her now what little trust she has in me will be shattered.

Blake scoffed, being apart of Joseph since his successful experiment that resulted in his ability to do things far beyond what an ordinary human would consider 'normal', Blake has been that annoying voice in Joe's head. Yes, but you know that their are a multitude of possibilities for what could happen if you told her the truth, and many are positive if you decide to try and talk your way out of it!

That's saying if I correctly guessed her personality, Joe retorted, Even with all the knowledge I have at my disposal I still struggle to completely understand another life form's personality, and since you share my memories you know that.

What was that one saying you had? Blake asked in a mocking tone, Oh right, 'Just because I don't understand now doesn't mean I won't be able to figure it out later'. You've said it yourself! You don't yet understand her, so who knows if you won't later?

Then what is it you expect me to do? Joe asked, It's not exactly easy for one to figure out an others personality

Spend time with her. Blake stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, She'll open up to you eventually, then you can determine when she's going to be able to understand you had your reasons.

Joseph thought about that. Maybe Blake wasn't wrong, it wouldn't hurt to try at least. Fine. he mentally groaned, But if I follow your 'plan' and she ends up hating me forever you're going to spend eternity buried under the crushing weight of my darker thoughts.

Love you too. Blake said in farewell before retreating back into Joe's subconscious.

Joe groaned and watched as the sun made it's daily trek across the sky. Blake was always hard to understand, sometimes he tried his hardest to give Joe good advice, and others just sat in his head and screwed with him. As unfortunate as it was, their was no discernible way to tell what his true intentions are, but for once he seemed to actually wants to see Joe succeed, but he could just be messing with him again.

Sighing, he pushed the matter to the side, first things first, getting Trixie to full health again was his top priority.

Trixie awoke to the sound of birds singing. Yawning, she sat up and stretched, her left fore hoof still aching, but not overly so. Using her magic she removed the blanket covering her and exited her cart to see Joe, staring down at her, a frown upon his face.

"What's wrong Joe?" She asked

"Nothing," he growled "Besides the fact that I was wrong to help you, I should have left you with the manticore."

"What?!" Trixie asked stunned.

"You're a fraud Trixie, you're a failure and most of all a good for nothing liar! Good bye, and enjoy the parting gift!" He shouted sprouting wings and flying away.

Trixie sat on her haunches, what just happened? She wanted to cry, but couldn't. This has happened more times than she could count, so many ponies have left her, and now the only known human too! Looking up to where Joe was not moments ago she saw a large wrapped present.

Maybe this is a prank? She hoped. Getting up she opened the present using her magic. At first she didn't know what it was, it just looked like a large ball of fur. It shifted and before her stood the manticore, with bloodshot eyes and bloody claws. Trixie screamed.

All Trixie could hear was screaming, it continued until Joe slammed open the door to her cart a look of pure rage on his face his brown hair tinted black at the ends. The screaming stopped, it was then she realized that she had been the one screaming. Looking around Joe's expression went back to it's usual blank state and hair going back to chestnut brown.

"Hey, Trixie, you alright?" he asked. Trixie didn't respond, shaken from how real the dream felt. "Bad dream?" He walked to her side.

"You left me." She whispered.

"What?" he asked

Trixie cleared her throat, she had an iron lump in her throat, and it hurt. "Trixie said you left her."

Joe rose a brow slightly, "That's what caused you to scream as if you were getting tortured?"

"Yes." she responded sheepishly.

"Well," he started, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know about after you're fully healed, but until then, you have no need to worry."

Trixie gave a wry smile to Joe, as much as she hated to admit it, his reassurance helped calm her. He returned her smile with that half smirk of his and removed his hand from her shoulder. "I suggest you get ready, I planned on making you breakfast, so hurry up, it's nearly done."

"Okay, Trixie will ready herself." With a nod Joe left her cart, closing the door behind him.

Breakfast for me? Trixie thought, a lonely tear making its way down her cheek.

That was different than expected. Joe though, pacing back and forth.

Minor complication, Blake said, She didn't say 'no thank you' now, did she?

No, but I kind of wanted to surprise her with breakfast in bed, not almost break her door of her hinges after I hear her scream, find it was just a night terror then nonchalantly say 'Oh, I made you breakfast.'.

You're blowing this out of proportion. Blake groaned You need to roll with the punches.

Easy for you to say, your just a split personality created as a byproduct from my experiment of unlocking the other ninety percent my brain, with no ability to take control of my body.

You pull that card out too much, besides, I'm the charismatic part of you and have most of your emotions, that's why since getting your powers you yourself has been rather emotionless.

You also sucked out my love for practical jokes. Joe pointed out. That's why you feed me bad advice from time to time, correct me if I'm wrong. Blake didn't respond to that, mumbling something about 'Us being part of a whole' and 'You would do the same.'

Joe sighed, Listen, I just don't want to screw things up with her, you know why.

Blake just made an annoyed noise, I tried to help you, unless you really need my help, I'm just gonna stay in your subconscious. and he did just that, leaving Joseph to his own thoughts.

Joe stopped pacing, "I'll never understand him." he said.

"Understand who?" Trixie asked.

Shit...

After fixing her bedhead and brushing her coat so that her fur wasn't puffy Trixie exited her cart to find Joe walking back and forth, apparently too consumed in thought to notice her. He eventually stopped.

"I'll never understand him." he stated

"Understand who?" Trixie asked

Joe looked up finally noticing her a look of shock on his face. "Err, no one!"

Trixie gave him a confused look. "Joe, Trixie can tell something's up, you were fine just a few minutes ago when you burst through Trixie's door, but now you're acting as if you just saw a ghost, you can tell Trixie what's wrong."

Joe's regular look reappeared and he seemed to be thinking hard. After a minute of Trixie looking at him with confusion he nodded and said, "You don't want to know Trixie."

"If Trixie didn't want to know, she wouldn't have asked."

One of Joe's eyes twitched, "Okay then, I just really don't want to explain it to you."

"And why's that?"

"Because somethings are better left unsaid." he replied.

Though Trixie wished to pursue the matter further she already knew, from yesterdays conversation, that Joe was too stubborn to argue with. "Fine, you win," Trixie scowled the slightest bit. "You're very stubborn, now aren't you?"

Joe seemed to finally relax when Trixie admitted defeat. He sniffed the air and responded "Yes I am, but, on to another topic. Your breakfast is ready." Walking over to what were now coals, Trixie found a delightful tossed salad and on the coals themselves was a pan cooking sunny side up eggs.

"This...is all for m-er, Trixie?" she asked sniffing the eggs, they smelled wonderful.

"I said I made you breakfast didn't I?"

Trixie gave him a deadpan look "Not what Trixie meant, Trixie meant is it all for her?" Joe nodded. "What about you?"

That half smile. Celestia, Trixie didn't know why, but that smile caused her mind to go into a befuddled state, she saw his mouth move but couldn't hear the words except. "... Need it."

Trixie shook her head. "What?"

"I said I sustain myself, I have no need for food, water or even sleep, so, yes, it's all for you, because I really don't need it." he repeated.

Trixie blinked and nodded, levitating the bowl containing her salad and the eggs onto the plate he provided and grasped the fork.

''I assume I did rather well?" Joe asked in an amused tone. Trixie only made a satisfied noise. After the first bite, Trixie started to stuff her muzzle with the salad, she didn't know why it was so delicious, or, rather how it could be so good. The eggs didn't fare much better and ended with the same fate as the salad.

"I'll take that as an affirmative." chuckling he got up from his log, both of which had not moved since last night, and took Trixie's plate and bowl and walked a little bit away from the little camp.

"Where are you going?" Trixie asked. Joe didn't respond, instead he used his magic to levitate the porcelain dishes into the air, where it sat for a few moments before getting blasted with water coming out of Joe's hand. Trixie sat and watched with wide eyes, though she used to boast her skill in magic she could almost never recreate the spells she memorized since magic kindergarten, but the spell Joe was using to clean her dishes was unfamiliar to her.

How could he be able to create his own spells? she asked herself. It took a lot of time and effort to create a simple spell, like to, say, enlarge a leaf to act as an umbrella. It would take months of research and testing to get it right, if ever.

He returned with the now clean dishes and dropped them off in the small compartment that stored all her food items in, and came back with a brow raised. "What's that look for?" he asked.

Trixie shook the look of disbelief off her face. "Nothing, I'm just curious about that spell you used to clean the dishes with, I'm familiar with many spells, but the one you used is a mystery to me."

"It's just a spell, I don't see what's so special about it." he responded nonchalantly.

"That's just it, it's a spell that I don't know of. Since I was a filly I studied all types of magic, and memorized over a thousand spells, though I can't cast every one of them, I know them, how to cast them and what should be their result. Of the multitude, the single spell you used is not apart of my knowledge, meaning, you've created your own spell."

"I'm not sure about the who 'created a spell thing'," he shrugged. "But you seem sure of it, so I guess I did."

"How can you be so flippant about it? Untested spells can easily go awry and cause and explosion or something equally disastrous!"

"Again, I can't agree or disagree with you because I discovered all the spells I know on my own."

Trixie was shocked again, there was no way he would have survived from rediscovering a spell, the last time that happened that unfortunate mare was locked in an asylum for years, she even had to have her horn surgically removed and even now still barks like a dog. "But...that can't be. You're still sane!"

"What?"

Trixie groaned, he might be strong and know spells that aren't in any spell book, but he doesn't know the basis of magic itself. "Okay, if Trixie is going to explain this, Trixie will have to start from the beginning." she paused, organizing her thoughts, "From what historical documents show, magic is the-eh, foundation of all of Equestria and the lands we ponies originate from, the name has been lost in history, but in the times we lived in this distant land, there were three tribes of ponies, the Earth ponies, who cultivated the land. The Pegasi ponies, who moved the clouds and altered the weather for the Earth ponies to grow, in exchange some of the food that they grew. Finally there were the Unicorn ponies who, with their combined effort were able to raise the sun and moon. Each respective tribe had a different kind of magic flowing through them, the Unicorn tribe had the largest store of magic inside them and were able to accesses it. When Unicorns discovered this, they were only able to do basic things, like levitation spells and the like, and learned to combine their strength to control the wild sun and moon. After Equestria was founded with the three tribes working and living together, the Unicorns pooled their resources and knowledge to create many fantastic spells, one noted spell creator and tester was Starswirl the Bearded, but he, unlike many spell creators and testers was able to keep his sanity. Making new spells or rediscovering them taxes your magic pool, as it's known, tax it too much and you will go insane."

Joe didn't respond, he just sat on his log half, staring down at his hands, his eyes glazed.

"...How he got here?....Statistically impossible... can't be the same..." he mumbled, shaking his head he cleared his throat and said "I'm not completely sure that it would be the same for me as it would for you, but I'll take your word on it," he took a deep breath of air, exhaling he asked "So where are we going?"

"Trixie was going to go to Baltimare, a city where Trixie has not gone in many years."

Looking at the sun Joe responded, "I'm sure we can get a few miles in before night time if we leave now,"

Trixie agreed and was about to hook herself into her cart as usual when Joe stepped in front of her, looking up she asked, "What are you doing?"

"You aren't going to pull this cart with your fore hoof in its current state, go inside and relax, and pretend you're on a boat ride," he smirked.

Before she knew what she was doing she had nodded and entered her cart and was lying on her bed, a goofy grin on her face. Maybe my travels won't be so bad anymore. she thought, relaxing as the cart began moving forward.

Of Trappers and Magic Tricks

"So this is Baltimare?" Joe asked, looking at the buzzing city from a hillock roughly three miles away. Though there were some cities larger than Baltimare, such as Canterlot, Baltimare was still fairly large, with several skyscrapers in the downtown area and a few parks inside the city itself.

"It is, Trixie doesn't remember there being so many skyscrapers the last time she visited, Trixie can still most likely navigate through the city nonetheless."

"Good to hear, but what about me?" Joe asked, gesturing to himself, "You said that we were going to Baltimare to perform, but I'm not exactly what you call inconspicuous, with me being bipedal and mostly hairless."

Trixie thought about it. It had taken about three days to get to Baltimare, where Trixie was scheduled to make an appearance at a popular bar on Mane Street. Trixie can't complain about the trip. While traveling she asked many questions about Joe, who answered many, such as age, twenty four, height, six foot six inches, weight, one hundred and ninety pounds and additional questions about his person, species, and history. All the while he responded, his now-signature half smirk, plastered on his face. Joe told her many things about himself especially his childhood, where he was educated, though the names she was unfamiliar with, his past experiments and his abilities in the field of magic. Reviewing what he had told her, she came up with a solution. "How about doing that Transfiguration spell you told me about two days ago?" she proposed.

He looked off, thinking, after a long silence he spoke up. "That's not that bad idea, but I have one problem with it, and that's the fact that I don't want to be a pony." Trixie opened her mouth to ask why, but he spoke again, "Nothing against you or your kind, but I think I would rather have a different perspective."

"How different of a perspective?"

"A 'no one will expect it' kind of perspective. Since you're a magician I thought that it would be entertaining to be a rabbit, and be your companion, not pet mind you, that would make it degrading."

"A rabbit." Trixie deadpanned How am I not surprised? she thought. Joe might not have realized it, but through his actions Trixie had been able to put reason behind somethings he does with his colorful personality, which is ironic, given the fact that he rarely gives a full expression. The only real emotions she had seen from him were amusement and anger.

"What?" he asked in an innocent tone. "I just thought that you could plan an amazing trick or two, where I can be the source of the magic, making it your pink aura instead of my white and we'll have them craving more."

Trixie though about that, he had a point. Joe was far more powerful than any unicorn that Trixie had ever seen, and, after last night's fireworks show, she didn't doubt his ability to amaze with visual spectacles. "Trixie is just unsure about it, are you sure that you can do it?"

"Does this answer your question?" he asked, as he surrounded himself in his magic. He smirked, getting smaller, white fur sprouting, ears relocating and elongating, legs reshaping and feet elongating. After a few more seconds before her stood a small white bunny, not a single thing seemed off about it. There was just one thing bothering her, "Where are your clothes?" She asked averting her eyes, blushing

Joe started to chuckle, "You have no need to worry, my clothes changed to fur. Besides, I thought that since you don't wear clothes that anything with a fur coat wasn't considered naked."

"Your right, but it just feels wrong since you always wear clothes, and it just looks like your not, it's a matter of principal."

"Principal or not, you're fretting over something you don't need to, besides, technically I am wearing clothes, it just looks like fur."

An awkward silence filled the gap in their conversation, with Trixie glancing at Joe every now and then, her light blush still present. About ten minutes passed before rustling was heard. Joe turned around immediately, a bit of white fur on the tips of his ears turning a dark gray, "Who's there?" he asked.

The rustling stopped. Not a sound was heard, besides the chirping of birds in the distance.

"Got ya'!" Shouted a large brown stallion, throwing a cage over bunny-Joe, capturing him. "We got 'im boys! I told you that there were talking rabbits!" He shouted to his crew of four other stallions, tossing the cage to one of them.

"Let him go!" Trixie shouted, running at the stallion holding the cage that had Joe.

The brown stallion, stepped in Trixie's way and grappled with her, looking at her, he said, "Go away little filly, this is our prize." His group whooped and hollered in response.

"He's no one's prize! Let him go!" Trixie shouted struggling against the large kidnapper, "He did nothing to you!"

"Stop...Struggling!" He grunted, backhoofing Trixie across the face. Falling to the ground, she teared up, only to hear a familiar war cry, and the shattering of wood.

Rage. Rage was the only emotion Joseph felt witnessing Trixie get assaulted, his mind became foggy, the sides of his vision blackening, his blood pulsing at a ferocious rate. Before he knew what he was doing he screamed at his captors at the top of his lungs, dipping into his powers to change back to normal. The cage was too small, growling in anger Joe threw his arms up, shattering the flimsy wood.

"You will all pay for hurting her!" He shouted, jumping at the assailant Joe grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, and held him up to face him.

The stallion looked angry, "Oi! What are you? What did you do with our prize?" he shouted, "Whatever you are, you aren't gonna be able to stand once we're done with you!" he ended his statement by throwing a hoof at Joe's face. Joe rose a hand and caught his hoof before it could make contact.

"You dare harm Trixie then attempt to harm me? I will not allow it!" Joe shouted, punting the stallion two hundred feet away, where he landed in a heap. The four other stallions were shocked, One of them fled, while the other three charged, holding long knives in their mouths. Joe swung an arm forward and struck one of the advancing ponies on the side of his head, knocking him out. Both of the remaining stallions began to slash and stab at Joe, who dodged every attack at incredible speeds. "You must be punished!" Joe shouted, grabbing both of the knives by the blade he scowled deeper at one of them and kicked him square in the chest, sending him into a stand of trees a few feet away, where a loud crack was heard. The remaining stallion stopped, and dropped his weapon. "Collect your injured before you become one." Joe growled menacingly, and the final stallion did just that, scampering off with his three friends atop his back.

Joe stood there, watching as the lone pony ran away as fast as he could. Growling Joe turned around to see Trixie staring, horrified at what she just witnessed. The rage dissipated from Joe's mind, his vision began to clear and his blood pressure went back to normal. He stood there weakly, dropped the weapon and mumbled "I'm sorry" before passing out.

Trixie watched as Joe fought the attacking stallions, and defeated all but one, who he let go to retrieve his comrades, and escape. Trixie had never seen Joe act like this, nor look like this. After breaking out of his cage his hair was pure black, as were his eyes and clothes, even his voice changed, instead of his usual kind, gentle toned voice, he had a deep, gravely, angry, demonic voice. After the last stallion ran off Joe growled and turned to face Trixie, and she was scared. Something was happening, his hair was changing back to it's normal color, as did his clothes and eyes and he mumbled two words, "I'm sorry," before collapsing on the ground.

"Joe!" Trixie shouted, getting up and running over to him, he seemed fine besides the cuts on the palms of his hands, and was unconscious. "Joe...What happened?" she asked his slumbering body. "Just...Please be okay..."

"What the hell happened Blake?!" Joe asked. They were in Joe's dream scape, staring at one another, or glaring in Joe's case.

Blake shrugged, "Not a clue, something big must've happened if you're here."

Joe scowled, "No really? I know you had something to do with it."

Blake raised his hands in a defeated manner, "I did not, but I think I know what did happen." he said "I think with the surge of anger your fight or flight response was activated and without thinking you chose fight."

Joe was silent, mulling over Blake's simple theory, and had to agree with him, "I just don't understand why I fainted after what I assume was an adrenaline rush, I know the weaker mind would, but not mine, it is far too complex...."

Walking over and wrapping an arm around Joe, Blake said, "You know that the beam could have caused several other by-products, such as fits of anger, high blood pressure, the list of possible ailments go on and on. Just hope it doesn't happen again." Joe sighed and nodded, he would deny it, but he was put at ease by Blake. "Alright, well, you should go, you've been unconscious for half an hour, and the Baltimare police might be on the way."

"Right, those brutes most likely went to get help saying something like 'A monster attacked us!' or something along those lines."

"Yes," Blake said, taking his arm back. "Well, take care Joseph, we shall speak again soon." Once Blake finished his sentence Joe was ripped from his dream scape, and Blake's black haired head disappeared.

Why won't he wake up? Trixie asked herself, it has been over twenty minutes since Joe fainted, and it didn't look like he would be waking up anytime soon. While he was out cold Trixie preformed first aid on Joe's hands to prevent infection and additional pain. That gang or whatever they where must have gone to the authorities, I don't see them yet, but I can't carry Joe all that far, I know that. I need some way to wake him up. Now!

Without thinking she grabbed a nearby bucket, filled it with water from a stream that was behind her cart, and threw the water onto Joe. As soon as the water hit his face Joe shot up, looking around frantically.

"Where are we?" he asked immediately.

Trixie was shocked by his sudden reaction, but answered "Where we were before,"

Taking a deep breath he looked at his hands with a pained expression and sighed before getting up. "We should get out of this area," he said "Let's pack up camp. Once we finish you can hop in your cart and I'll try to get some distance from here,"

Trixie complied and started to prepare everything for departure. After everything was stored safely in the storage compartment of Trixie's cart, they set off.

After an hour of looking for a secluded location outside of town they found one about five miles away from their previous location.

"That could have gone better." Joe said stopping the cart and sitting down

"Trixie agrees." Trixie responded, exiting her cart "Unless Trixie is crossing a line, she would like to ask you what happened."

"To tell you the truth, I have no real answer."

"You don't?! How could you not know? You're the smartest person I knows!"

Joe hung his head in shame, "There are things even the greatest minds cannot understand, and that was one such thing."

"But Joe, you weren't just violent, you changed."

Raising his head he arched a brow and asked, "How so?"

"Everything about you just...went black, your hair, eyes and even your clothes!"

Putting a hand on his chin Joe thought, Trixie didn't know exactly what about but, he finally said, "I'll need to think about this for some time to know exactly what happened, but I thank you for telling me this."

Trixie smiled in response, to which Joe replied in a smirk. Looking up Trixie saw where the sun was in the sky, "I think we should be going to the city now Joseph, Trixie's performance is scheduled to start in two hours."

Reentering her cart Trixie donned her magician outfit and exited once more to a somewhat different Joe. "What?" she asked incredulously

Lowering his head he muttered "Nothing, are you ready?"

As confused as Trixie was towards Joe's odd behavior she begrudgingly agreed to leave then. It had only taken twenty minutes to get to the edge of the city, Joe in his rabbit form on Trixie's back and Trixie in her magician costume.

"Nice outfit!" commented a snide mare that they passed, who's breezy yellow sundress was turned into a disgusting green, purple and brown laced frock. Joe laughed as the mare began to freakout about her now disgustingly colored dress, being mocked by those passing by her.

"Did you do that Joe?" Trixie asked

"Yes indeed, no one is to mock you whilst I am around." he responded, saluting in an informal way

Trixie giggled at his randomness and continued on, further into the depths of the bustling city.

So far so good! Trixie thought, looking at the crowd's pleased faces, she'd been preforming at a mediocre level, doing simple parlor tricks, the latest one was pulling a 'rabbit' out of her hat. The rabbit being Joe, who was now dancing a cute dance on stage, making the crowd 'Awwwww'.

"Now," Trixie said, taking some attention away from Joseph, who still danced in front of her, "For the final trick, I shall disappear from the stage, reappear somewhere else, disappear once more and reappear on stage in another form!" thought she said that in a confident voice she was scared, Joe had reassured her that she would be fine but she still had her doubts. Doubts she didn't voice. Acting as if she was charging her horn she let one corner of her mouth twitch, letting Joe know she was ready.

If Trixie was in the crowd she would have seen herself disappear from the stage in a ball of pink magic, but she wasn't in the crowd. "Here I am!" she shouted from behind the crowd, once most had turned around she exclaimed "Now I'm not!" before disappearing again, but the difference between this teleporation and the previous one is that, while being teleported, she was changing very fast, and when she was on stage again she was still standing, just not on four legs. "And here I am, once more!" she exclaimed. When the crowd turned to face the stage many of them looked at Trixie in shock, seeing a bipedal, shaved apelike creature with the same mane cut as Trixie had and in the same magician costume that she had been wearing.

"It is I, Trixie! In a new form! Bask in my magic!" she said, but the crowd was silent...then burst into applause. The cheering was so loud that Trixie had to cover her ears with her new hands. With one more twitch of the lips she was surrounded in a pink aura and slowly transformed back into her normal, blue, self.

Looking at Joe, Trixie nodded and they both bowed, and the curtains slowly dropped.

Author's Notes:

I know...this took WAY too long to put out, but life can be aggravatingly busy, and writers block is very inconvenient. But here it is! The latest chapter! Also, let me know in the comments if the action scene should have this or that added or removed, anyhow, I hope you all enjoy!

Lessons on the Road Side

"So what exactly was in that sack the bar owner gave you?" Joe inquired. It has been five hours since Trixie's performance, and she and Joe were currently sitting on opposite sides of a fire in their little camp. It had taken an hour in itself to leave the bar, for the audience demanded an encore and did not wish to let Trixie leave. After convincing the crowd that she was too exhausted to perform again they let the duo leave, showering her with praise. One pony in particular had followed them out and, after following them for a few minutes, offered Trixie a job preforming at a city called Trottingham. Trixie agreed to the offer immediately and they discussed the where and when.

"Hm? Oh, they're just bits." She answered casting a sidelong glace to her cart where the thousand bits were stored.

"Bits? I assume they are some form of currency in...?" Joe started.

"Equestria," Trixie finished.

"Ah, so that is the name of this land, interesting." Joe responded, looking at Trixie, "You know Trixie, I have very little knowledge of Equestria, so I have a proposition for you."

Trixie cocked her head to the side, "Proposition? Proposition for what?"

"I propose that while we are traveling together that we share our knowledge. You teach me about Equestria while I teach you how to perform some spells. How does that sound?"

Trixie all but froze in the flow of space-time. "You...want to teach me spells?" she asked cautiously, as if afraid that Joe was lying.

"Indeed I do, I thought that we could start the lessons tomorrow, but you still have to teach me more about this land."

Trixie nodded her head very fast "I will! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Trixie cheered, getting up from her makeshift seat and hugged Joe. It has been years since he had the comfort of a gentle hug. Closing his eyes he chose to savor the moment, wrapping his arms around the still-thankful Trixie. After what felt like hours they let go of one another.

Trixie yawned, covering her mouth with a hoof, "I think it is time for me to sleep, good night, Joe."

"Good night Trixie."

You're getting attached to her. said Blake, breaking the silence of the night.

So what if I am? Joe responded. Blake had been pestering him about how he's been acting to Trixie, mainly saying that he's gotten too close to her.

You know exactly why I'm saying you're attached to her. This is when you were seventeen all over again.

This is nothing like when I was seventeen! You know as well as I do that I had just started dating the wrong woman at the wrong time, and got stabbed in the back. She was truly psychotic.

Doesn't matter, I'm saying that Trixie could be set off like that and you won't be able to bring yourself to hurt her when that happens.

Blake, I know Trixie, she would not go completely insane from one isolated incident.

You say that, yet you know it's true.

Enough! Joe shouted mentally, I've had just about enough of you criticizing my choices. I'm doing what I think is best and will lead her to trust me even more than she does now. I know even now she wishes to ask me questions that I know she won't be able to stand to hear the answers to. This whole fiasco that I've been dancing through would be far easier if you would actually help me instead of pestering and annoying me!

I have been trying to help! Blake growled, causing Joe's head to ache ever so slightly, For once I'm agreeing with the pony, you're as stubborn as a mule!

Don't you dare demean Trixie! You have no right to say anything insulting about her! The pain in Joe's head started to slowly get worse.

I can say anything about the god damn horse I want! You may be the controlling personality but you have no power over me!

Scowling Joe entered his subconscious, to glare at Blake face to face, "Want to say that again?"

Blake just crossed his arms across his chest a cocky smile on his face, "You have no power over me. sidestepping to the right to avoid the punch Joe had aimed at him.

"I'm getting really sick and tired of these charades of yours." Joe said walking up to Blake, "You know my reasons, you know my tactics, yet you continue to say that you know better than I in this matter."

"I'm telling you what needs to be said, you fail to understand that you're getting consumed with these travels of yours and that Trixie is going to snap eventually. She has nightmares every night and you know that, hell, even the night she met you she did! Before that even."

Joe's eye twitched, punching Blake in the stomach he stormed off shouting, "I know what I'm doing Blake, you just need to shut your pie hole and let me work all of this out!"

Blake-hunched over with a hand over his abdomen-shouted back "You don't understand anything! This whole situation will blow up in your face sooner or later!"

Joe exited his subconscious and put up a few mental barriers around his subconscious to keep Blake quiet. He sighed, as much as he hated Blake he has the slightest point. Getting up from the log he had been sitting on for the past three hours, he stretched his legs and began walking in a random direction, hoping to get someones annoying banter off his mind.

"Alright, are you ready Trixie?" Joe asked, creating a large board made of magic showing every statistic of a tree near the edge of the Everfree forest as Trixie called it. It was just after nine p.m. and the sun was nearing the horizon, with a few clouds and a breeze that was light but refreshing. Trixie had been educating Joe about Equeastrian history while they traveled, and is wasn't as complicated as Joe expected.

Unicorns were snooty and haughty because they had magic, built castles, had many formalities and supposedly rose the sun and moon. Pegasi were a small, warlike tribe who cared not for formalities, only food, land and military strength, and all Pegasi had the ability to changed the weather manually. Earth ponies were peasant farmers who cultivated the land, with no formalities like the pegasi but only cared to survive off the land they grew on, but had to pay taxes to the Unicorns and Pegasi for their services to the Earth ponies.

After a blizzard created by windigos nearly wiped them out, they all left their old land for the land now known as Equestria, bringing the windigos with them. After setting aside their differences and creating a bond of friendship, the windigos left Equestria and the three tribes became one, marking that day as 'Hearths Warming Day' and the birth of the Equestria as a nation. Joe found all of this information interesting, mainly the point of the three different races not coexisting as Joe had seen while on Trixie's back going to and from the bar on 'Mane' street.

"Trixie is ready, Joe." she said charging up her horn, taking Joe's attention back to her.

"Remember, focus your magic into a concentrated beam, and release it forward."

Trixie closed her eyes, the aura around her horn growing brighter. With a quick thrust of her head she launched a pink beam of magic at the tree Joe had statistics on, causing the information on his magic board to change.

Studying the new information, Joe calculated how strong her beam was. "I must say, you did better than I anticipated for your first try." he said, looking back at the slightly-gasping Trixie, who now held a proud smile upon her muzzle.

"I did?" she asked, walking up to the scorched tree. It was blackened where the beam struck and even had a small dent in it.

"Yes, you did, if I was to give you a number out of one hundred, I would give you a fifty seven."

Trixie's proud smile faltered ever so slightly, but remained fixed in place. "Well I guess we're going to have to change that now, aren't we?"

Joe gave Trixie a smirk, "Indeed we do."

Trixie growled in frustration, she'd been trying to make a stronger beam for three hours now, but has been in the same range of strength the whole time. "What the buck?! Why can't Trixie get it any stronger?!" she shouted, trying to release some of the pent up anger at her inability to progress.

"I'm not sure, you're executing it perfectly." Joe responded, hoping that the small complement could ease Trixie some. It failed.

"Trixie doesn't care if she's executing it perfectly! Trixie cares about making it stronger!"

Joe sighed, This has gone on for too long she's getting too frustrated with herself. he thought. "Trixie, you won't master a spell in one day, it takes time."

"Says the smartest being in Equestria," she mumbled, speaking up she suggested,"Why don't you do it? Maybe if you show me how to do it instead of explaining how to do it I can understand better."

Joe put his bandaged hand on his chin, he had yet to heal himself, but the wounds didn't hurt overly much, and allowed Trixie to baby him a little. "I don't see the harm in that." he said finally. Raising an arm he reached into the depths of his mind where his 'magic' lay, creating the white aura around his raised hand. Focusing his strength in his palm, the aura grew brighter until it burst forward, the beam created ripped through the tree with ease, as well as several dozen behind and around it. As fast as it had came, it went. Leaving a section of the forest to have only chard stumps present.

Joe looked over at Trixie, who's mouth was agape, and said, "That's how you do it, but I might have gone the slightest bit overboard with it." Trixie just stood there, looking at the now-nonexistent stand of trees. Joe walked in front of her and squatted down to look into her magenta eyes. "Trixie? Are you alright?" He asked, concern laced in the tone of his voice.

"That was so powerful...It was great!" she exclaimed, tackling Joe. "You did that with so little effort! You're amazing!"

Joe smiled up at Trixie, seeing the wide smile upon her own face. "Trixie, you are aware that it's hard to breathe when you are standing on my stomach, correct?"

Trixie looked down and blushed, getting off of Joe and helping him up, she let loose a torrent of apologies. Joe raised a hand and cut her off, "It's no problem Trixie, really."

"But-"

"It is not a problem. Now off to bed, if you are to learn, you need your rest."

"But Joe," she whined, giving him the puppy eyes.

"Off to bed." he stated firmly.

"Awww.."

"Do not worry Trixie, you can work on it in the morning."

"Fine. Good night Joe." she said, a little disappointed.

"Good night Trixie. May all your dreams be sweet tonight."

Trixie smiled as she beheld the sunset, in all its glory. The day she's spent with Joe has been amazing, and he smiled the whole time, nothing could spoil the happiness that Trixie felt right now.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Joseph asked walking to Trixie and stopping besides her.

"It really is."

"You know Trixie..." Joe started, looking to Trixie, "I've had a great time with you but..."

Trixie looked at Joe with concern, "But what?"

"How...How can you stand yourself?" he asked, scowling at her.

"What?!" Trixie exclaimed.

"How can you stand yourself?!" he repeated, "All you do is lie to your crowd, while I save your sorry flank from going bankrupt! I am the only reason that you can even eat at this point!"

Trixie was shocked and hurt to the core. How could he be saying this? Why would he say this? "Joe, you-but I- you," she sniffled, tears running down her face like great rivers, "How can you be saying this?!"

A demented smile formed on Joe's face, while his clothes, hair and eyes started to blacken, "Because it's true. Failure. Fraud. Words used to describe you throughout your whole life! You don't deserve someone-anyone- to care for you, you're hopeless, and will never be remembered!" he spat

Tears continued to flow from Trixie's eyes, he was right, she didn't deserve someone as great as him.

Joe keeled down, propping Trixie's head up, "Now you know, but you will be the first to see the end of your wretched world."

"What?!"

Standing up, Joe surrounded himself in a black aura. The ground shook violently, the winds buffeted Trixie, the sun slowly darkened, until it was pitch black.

"Fraud...Failure...Never remembered, and the first to die!"

Trixie screamed, and an all too familiar figure opened the door.

Maybe I should've bent the truth some, at least to boost her confidence instead of telling her that she was barely above par. Joe thought. An ear-piercing scream sounded form Trixie's cart, this one louder than the previous nights. Trixie! Joe shoot up and dashed to the door, opening it as fast as he could without damaging it.

"Joe! What are you doing in here!?" Trixie exclaimed.

"You screamed, I thought that you may have had a nightmare."

Trixie, looked away mumbling that she did. "Well, what was it about?" Trixie didn't respond. "Was it truly so bad that you don't wish to tell me?"

Trixie didn't respond.

"Well whatever it be, know that it most likely will never happen." Joe said, with a smile and turning around to leave when Trixie exclaimed, "Wait!"

Turning around, Joe gave Trixie a confused look, "Yes?"

"Um...Do you, maybe, know some way to help put me to sleep faster?" she asked in a shy tone.

Joe thought for a moment, and came up with one possible solution. "There may be one, but are you sure that you want my help?"

Trixie nodded, laying back down, and pulling up her sheets. Joe sat down beside Trixie, and closed his eyes, staying silent for a few minutes before starting to sing a lullaby.

"You're a bright and shining star way up high in the sky~
Shining peacefully through the night~
Through the worry, through the strife, you should be happy and full of life.
No matter how big the problem be, you can always put your faith in me~
Fear not the monsters of the night, you and I will put up a fight,
To stop the evil in it's tracks, and let you sleep peacefully~
Dream a dream of color and light, do not fear for I am here, to combat those of dark and sin, and let you dream your dream~
Through the worry through the strife, You should be happy and full of life.
No matter how big the problem be, you can always put your faith in me.
Some nights may be scary, some nights may be lonely.
But tonight, is a night for sleep, my dear.
And rest assured knowing I'll, be, here..."

The cart was silent after Joe stopped singing, it had been years since he's sung that lullaby to any living being. Mother...Sarah... he thought, fighting back tears.

"That...was beautiful..." Trixie said slowly, awe in her tone.

"Thank you Trixie." Joe said, opening his eyes.

"Is that a human nursery rhyme, or did you make it?"

"I made it. When I was fifteen I had a little sister, her name was Sarah, she was six years old, and had nightmares almost every night, and with my mother being single and having two children, she was at her wits end most of the time. When she woke up, screaming or crying, I got up too to comfort her, and I made a simple lullaby to tell her that I would always be there for her." Joe paused, "The day after I made my lullaby I got sick, and my mother went with Sarah to get me medicine...and never came back."

"What happened?" Trixie asked quietly.

Joe took a deep breath and stated, "They were both killed in a horrible accident. When I learned of there terrible fate, I vowed to never forget the lullaby I made for Sarah. And what I sang to you was that same lullaby."

Trixie seemed stunned, and seemed to pity Joe. She slowly got up and embraced him, "I'm sorry." she whispered. Joe sniffed, and fought back the tears harder than ever. Before he knew what happened Trixie had locked her lips with Joe's. He went wide eyed and stood up, breaking the kiss, shocked at Trixie's actions.

"Good night Trixie." he said before bolting out the door, closing it gently behind him.

What...Just...Happened? Joe asked himself.

Author's Notes:

Guys, I wrote a majority of this chapter from midnight to four in the morning, coffee works wonders! So, now you guys have a bit of Joe's past, think of it as you will, and just one little thing, Joe's lullaby is a lullaby I had made myself, credit goes to no one but me for that little tid-bit. And for those who are still reading my first fic, I thank you all! I hope you all have a wonderful day~

P.S. If you know what song I subtly reffered to when I put 'May all your dreams be sweet tonight,' Let me know in the comments!!