After a long walk through the snow, we finally manage to make it to my room, thankfully there wasn't any pony in the waiting room besides the clerk pony, so that made it easy for me and Drakalian to walk past and to my room, entering it and closing the door behind me quickly. "Thank Celestia we're back." I say softly, just glad to get back from outside and in somewhere safe...and warm.

"Trixie, you really ok?" I turn and look at Drak, who was still supporting me, and with a small shake of my body I moved him off.

"Yes, Trixie is fine, thanks for asking. Now, she thanks you for helping her out, but she has lots of-" I started to say, readying my horn to tidy myself up before getting another shock for my efforts. With a cry of surprise, I fall to the floor, twitching.

"Trixie!" The human is quick to reach my side, staff dropping to the floor as his hands reach for my back to help me get back to my hooves. "What happened? What did they do to you?"

I pause as I take a few deep breaths, a bit confused what just happened, but only for a moment. "The Magic Inhibitor. Shit I forgot it was still on me."

"Magic...what?"

I point to the back of my head, to which he looks, and explain just what the bastards did to prevent me from defending myself. Once finished, he frowns. "Those...those son's of a..." He sputters a few moments before just shaking his head. "Here, let me get it off." He says, reaching for the metal object.

I quickly scoot back a bit to stop him. "Wait! Don't touch it. Any moves to try and remove it just zaps me as well." I tell him, getting him to pause.

He looks back at the inhibitor and then at me again. "Do you know how to remove it without shocking you?"

"If Trixie knew that, she would have gotten it off in the first place." I state, glaring at him.

The human puts his hands up. "Easy, I'm trying to help."

"Well Trixie didn't ask for your help human!" I say, keeping my eyes on him as I do so.

Drakalian just looks at me, and whenever I glanced at his eyes, I could see that he was actually worried about me. However it only would last for a moment before he turned his eyes away from me. "Trixie, listen. I want to help you, I really do, but you can't keep pushing everyone away that wishes to just help you." I let out a snort as I listen. "I'm serious. You may get hurt even worse than this one day."

I just turn my snout up and look away from him. "Trixie doesn't need anypony's help, she can take care of herself."

With that, the human gives a quick look around at my room and then raises an eyebrow at me. I know that the room most likely contradicts what I just said, the place being a rather large mess. Then again, it is a small place with only two rooms, a living/bedroom, and a bathroom. There wasn't even a kitchen, just a microwave and a sink. And the bed was just the couch, it doesn't even turn into a bed for Celestia's sake.

I just stare back at him as he looks at me, clearly not buying that I was fine at all. I could feel his eyes slowly starting to dig its way into me, making me actually start to feel a bit nervous. Finally, after what felt like forever, he sighs and gives a small shrug.

"Ok."

I blink in surprise as I hear this. "Wait, ok?" I asked, confused.

"Yea, I'll let you take care of yourself I don't have a right to force my help on you, only offer it, and if you don't want it, then what am I supposed to do." He says.

I remains silent for a few moments, stunned before I am able to find the words to speak. "Trixie...Trixie thanks you for letting her take care of herself." I tell him, turning around to finally get some rest. "Now, she asks for you to please-"

"On one condition." He adds, causing me to turn back, this time with my eyebrow raised. Seeing me wait, he continues. "I won't leave till you take that Magic Inhibitor off, then I'll let you be."

My good eye blinks as I move a hoof behind my head, feeling the metal object there, and wincing at how painful it will be to take it off. However, I just give him a grin and a wave my free hoof. "Psh, that's nothing. The Great and Powerful Trixie can escape from anything!" I state, and start to get to work on removing the damn thing.

It was...a lot harder than it looked. Whenever I tried to give it a tug or a pull, a powerful zap would shock me, forcing me to stop. If I tried to get through the pain, it would just keep a constant current going through me, getting stronger and stronger till I had to stop once again. The entire time I tried, Drak just watched me, leaning against the wall as he crosses his arms in front of his chest.

The minutes slowly ticked by, the sun slowly moving across the sky as I laid on the floor, panting from my last effort, my tail and mane all frazzled from the effort now. Drak, who hadn't moved from his spot, finally speaks up. "So, give up?" I glare at him as he just shrugs. "I got nothing else to do, so I'll just stay here and wait till you either allow me to help, or get knocked out from all the electricity zapping you. And then I'll just bring you to the hospital."

I groan as I plant my face to the floor, thinking my options over. It is clear at this point that I can't take it off, not without some sort of help, but I didn't want to admit to him that I'm helpless. That said, the last time I was at the hospital, which was after the Basilisk attack, it cost my insurance so much that I doubt it can cover anything else. Plus, with only two bits in my name, it wasn't like I could pay for it from my own pockets.

I think my options over in my head, somehow able to HEAR the human just staring at me with how intense he was looking at me. I knew that he was speaking the truth that he would either wait for me to pass out to bring me to the hospital, or till I ask for help, and seeing how I couldn't afford another hospital trip...

I finally look up with weary eyes, seeing him look back, and finally, I speak. "Trixie...Trixie needs your help...human."

Drak smiles as he hears this. "See, that isn't so hard. You even called me a human." He says, walking over and kneeling besides me.

I just glare at him as I get back on my hooves. "She is only saying that cause it's easier than guessing what in Equestria you really are." I tell him, though at this point it was obvious that we both knew I was lying. Not bothering to let him get another chance to talk about it, I turn around and sit, letting him get a better view and reach of the inhibitor.

I feel him slowly touch the metal thing, making me shiver as his fingers graze my fur on my neck as well. "Interesting. Seems that it has a good grip on you, some claws to keep it in place, but...how is it injecting the shocks."

"It has a needle pushed in my neck, most likely pressing against my PPM and sensing whenever I use my magic." I explain.

"PPM?"

"It means punctum pressura magicae, basically it's a pressure point that all unicorns have. In fact, all ponies have it, but it's more prominent in unicorns cause of our constant use of magic in our daily lives."

"Not sure I follow."

I sigh as I turn my head to look at him with my good eye and better explain myself. "The PPM, which is located right at the base of the pony's back head, is a collection of nerves that lead straight to the brain. All ponies have some sort of magic, and can take the energy from their surroundings or the earth, depending on the pony, and use it to gather to a focal point, in this case the PPM. When it passes a certain threshold, it expands and unleashes the energy to where it is needed the most, for pegasus and earth ponies, it's mostly in their hooves. For unicorns, it's in our horn, and since it's such a better conduit than hooves, our PPM is a bit larger than the rest." I tell him. "This STUPID inhibitor most likely has that needle pushed against such a point, and whenever I try to concentrate that magic to cast any sort of spell, it zaps it, and therefore me, causing that energy to be violently expelled, inducing what feels like an electric shock. The bigger the spell, the bigger the shock."

"Well, at least it can be used to detain violent unicorns." He says.

I roll my good eye. "This is Equestria. The most violent unicorns you will see are ones who are angry from a disagreement or the nobles having a fit, and sometimes the occasional drunk. There is barely any crime rate at all, even in places like Manehatten or Las Pegasus, which is why Princess Celestia put an order to stop the production of such things."

"Wait, so they're illegal?"

I shake my head. "Not exactly, just rarely used. Some of the higher guards have one just in case, while a few museums show case them as well. And while the crime rate is low, it doesn't stop a few ponies from using them for...such activities." I say, shivering as I recall what Star said to me about acquiring it.

"In any case, it doesn't look too appealing on you, so let's get it off, shall we?" He says, finally getting a small smile and a nod from me. I turn to face forward as he goes back to fiddling with the object.

We are silent for a few moments as I wait patiently, just taking a few breaths to keep myself calm. Slowly, I move a hoof to my bad eye, lightly touching it and giving a wince as I feel how swollen it had already gotten. I could barely keep it open now, and even without looking into a mirror I just know that it had to be a horrible color already.

"Hey, relax. Once we get this thing off, we can get some ice for your eye." He says. I can't help but feel a tinge of...happiness from his words? I shake that feeling out as I hear him sigh again. "Welp, seems that there isn't much of a way to take it off besides using brute force, but I don't want to hurt you any more than-"

"Please, Trixie isn't some delicate glass pony, she is a full grown mare." I tell him. "Just...j-just yank it off and be done with it."

There is a pause as I hear him shuffle around a bit behind me. "Are you sure? I mean, it will most likely be much more painful than anything you-"

"Trixie can take it, now get this thing off of her!" I snap. Realizing what I just did, I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down. "I...I just want to use my magic again." The thought of never using my magic, even for the brief time...it's just unnerving. The longer I don't have it, the more anxious I could feel myself getting, no matter how much I tried to push that feeling away.

"Ok, just...hold on." I hear him shuffling a bit before his staff comes into view. "Bite on this, just in case."

I was going to scold him again, but seeing how arguing would get nowhere, and the fact that I was very tired, I just lean down and pick the staff up with my mouth...or I tried to. The thing is very heavy. Seeing me struggle a bit, he moves around the room for a while and after a minute of shuffling, my head is laying on a seat with the staff in my mouth. Once set up, he places his hands on the object. "Ready Trixie?"

"Trishy ish alshwash ready." I tell him, rather difficult with the staff in mouth. There is a pause as he feels around the edges of the square, and after finding the first claw, he pulls it back.

As expected, a sharp shock goes through my spine, my teeth already digging into the wood as he starts to tug. "Shit, this is tougher than it looks." He mumbles, his fingers digging around my coat and finding the second one, pulling that loose as well. The zaps start to increase in power, causing me to whimper with how strong they got. "Trixie, if this is too much, maybe we-"

"KEEPHH...GOING..." I nearly screamed out, my teeth starting to ache a bit, though it at least slightly distracted me from the pain. Without hesitating, he keeps on tugging, the pull steady as his fingers find the third claw, pulling it out.

My eyes shut tight as the pain somehow escalates even more. My body is on fire now! The pain...it's...it's everywhere.

"Trixie hang on! Almost there!" He calls to me, seeming to be shouting as he digs for the final one. I just grit my eyes and do my best to bear with the pain, my hooves gripping the seat before me, my teeth almost bitting the staff in two...at least that's what it felt.

At this point, he gives a very hard tug and manages to get the final claw loose.

My eyes snap open as a massive wave of energy washes over my entire being, making me cry out in agony. It was like I was dipped in lava and fed hot coals, everything just burns!

"Just...one mo...hang on...Tri..." I can hear his voice, but it's so clouded over the current in my ears, the pounding in my skull. I feel him give a much harder tug...

As soon as it happened it stopped, the pain just vanishing as quick as it came. I gasp as I let the staff drop from my mouth, coughing and gasping for air as if dying from a lack of oxygen. I pant loudly, my mind going fuzzy as I feel the queasiness slowly sink in from how much pain I just endured.

"Trixie! Are you ok? Say something!" I slowly turn to look at Drakalian, my eye so very blurry as I tried to make out his shape, but all I can see is a large fuzzy object before me. My head feels light, I...I'm so tired. Just want...some sleep...

My eyes are closed before I even hit the ground, out like a light.

---

I shuffle under the sheets of my bed, groaning as I feel my body ache. Not wanting to get up, I tug the sheets higher up to-

Wait, how did I get under my blankets? And how did I get in my bed?

I crack my eyes open as I moan, realizing that I could still see only out of my good one, but...something was covering my bad eye. Reaching a hoof up, I place it on my face and feel what seems like a cold bag. Slowly I started to shift a bit, moving myself into a sitting position as the thing fell off of my face. Looking down at it with my good eye, I see that it was a small plastic bag filled with snow.

"What...what happened? Why am I in my bed? And why is there a snow bag on my eye?" I ask myself, before remembering that the human that was here. However, a quick look around shows that he was nowhere to be seen.

I let out a small sigh as I toss the sheets off, the pack dropping to the floor for the moment. "Great, and that human is gone, most likely taking something with him as well. See Trixie, this is what you get when you-" I start to criticize myself before hearing some footsteps coming to my door.

I fall silent as I wait it out, seeing just who it is. Once they reach my door, I hear the knob turn as the door opens. In walks the human...with an apple pie?

I blink as I look at him with utter confusion. "What are you doing back in Trixie's room?" I ask.

"Bringing food, what does it look like?" He replies, placing the pie on the table. Once the food is placed, he looks back at me with what seems to be concern. "Are you ok? There wasn't much I could do, but I was able to get a small bag from the clerk downstairs and fill it with some snow to act as an icepack for your eye. It seems to have worked, your swelling has gone down."

I silently place a hoof on my eye, and sure enough the swelling was much lower. I was even able to open my eye a bit to see out, but I kept it shut for now. "So you tucked me in my bed?" I asked.

He nods. "I did. When you passed out, I tried to wake you up, but nothing could wake you, so I placed you in your bed." He explains. He pauses as he clicks his fingers on the table for a few moments before he continues. "I...I also got you a new pie. A full one, since I thought you deserve it more for what you went through."

I glare at him as I look away, doing my best to hide my face...and the growing blush on my cheeks. "Trixie...does not need your help or pity offerings." I tell him.

To my surprise, he just shrugs. "Fair enough, just means more for me." He says, placing some paper plates down as he goes into the drawers looking for a knife. Finding one, he takes it to the table and starts cutting the pie into pieces.

I look at him with surprise. "Wait, you just going to take it from Trixie that quickly after offering it to her?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Sure. Like I said I can't force you to take my help and the same goes with my gifts, so if you really aren't hungry after sleeping for a couple of hours..." He says, causing my one eye to go wide with shock.

Looking out the only window I have, I can see that the sun was already starting to set. It was at this point that I realized I haven't eaten anything all day now, and my stomach rumbles in protest, clearly not wanting to go another moment hungry.

Looking back at him with a huff, doing my best to show my anger, I slowly walk up to the table and pull a seat, sitting down. Once I was sitting however, I felt my cheeks turn a bit rosy, and I couldn't help but to look away, my stomach rumbling lightly. I remain silent for a while as the human looks at me, and after glancing at him a few times, I finally speak up. "Trixie will have some pie." I say softly

He smiles at this and nods, placing another slice on the second plate and pushing it towards me. Looking at the food, I can't help but to lick my lips, and seeing Drakalian already starting to dig in, I light up my horn to do the same thing, slowly starting to lift the slice up...

...and get a small jolt of pain to my head in the process.

I gasp as I drop the slice back on the plate, my hooves going to my head, holding it tight as I moaned out. The human is quick to respond, placing his part of the pie back as he reaches over with a hand. "Trixie! You ok?"

I blink my eyes as I feel myself focus once again, and reaching back I make certain that, yes the inhibitor is indeed gone. However, the pain was still there whenever I tried to use my magic, and that worried me. "But...but it's gone...right?" I ask, looking back up at him. "If it's gone, why can I still feel pain when I try to use my magic?"

Drak sighs as he reaches over to place a hand on my hoof. "Twilight told me something like this would happen. Something about a possible side effect of taking it off you improperly...not like we had a choice, but still." He explains. "She said it should only last a couple of days, and the pain will slowly fade with time."

I just look at him and then look down at his hand on my hoof, to which he quickly removes it. Sighing, I nod in understanding. "That...that makes sense. But wait, when did you see Twilight?"

"When you were asleep I went out more than to just get a pie. I also went to Twilight's place and showed her the Magic Inhibitor, explaining to her what happened. She gave me a...rather lengthy explanation to the dangers of forcefully removing it from you without proper guidance." He explains, rubbing the back of his neck.

I remain quiet as I give a small nod before looking back down at my slice of pie. Slowly I focused on using my magic to lift it up, and once again the headache was brought back. I was able to lift it a few inches before I had to drop it again, hissing lightly as I soothe my temple.

"She also said not to overdue it." He says, to which I glare at him as I start to try again. "Please Trixie, she means well, and she wishes for you to get better soon."

I look at him closer, and for the first time he keeps his gaze locked with me. At least for a couple of seconds, then he looks away, but in that one look I felt that he was being very honest with me, and that he really did want to help me. It hurt my head almost as much as trying to use my magic, trying to figure out why he was helping me, what his plan was.

"Trixie...Trixie is confused. Why help her? Why...why help me?" I finally asked, looking at him closer, trying to see what his intent really is.

This time he actually pauses, looking at me for a few moments before looking away, sighing. "I just...I want to repay you."

Now I was even more confused. "Repay me? For what?"

"For saving me from the Basilisk."

Now I realized just what he was talking about, and while I would most certainly be on top of it bragging about it, for some reason I just...froze. I know that I did, but I just felt...shy. Why the buck was I so damn shy all of a sudden?! It isn't anything unusual. But it is, for it was the first time I actually saved somepony...or some creature.

"I-I didn't do anything. I was as trapped as you and you just...fought against it so easily. My foreleg was broken, I had cracked ribs, and-" I tried to say only for him to shush me.

"Trixie, I know it was you. Everyone I asked told me that you can control small storm clouds, and that the only reason why a lightning bolt struck it was cause of you." He says, causing me to curse under my breath. Damn ponies, always talking about things that don't matter to them.

I keep my gaze away from him for a while, calming myself down before looking back, more determined than ever. "So what if I did. That doesn't mean you owe me anything."

This seemed to have caught him off guard, surprise shown on his face. "Trixie, I just want to show you my gratitude. I get it that you don't seem to like me much now, for whatever reason, but I wish to at least try and change that, perhaps even become friends." He says.

There is that word again. Friends. Something that I've heard so many others used, and yet none of them really mean it. "Trixie doesn't need friends." I say, turning my head away.

He seems to be unfazed by this as he continues. "Maybe not, but I would still like for us to take a chance, please." He asks. I slowly turn my gaze back and once again our eyes locked. This time, for some reason I feel...lonely. Even more so than normal, and wanting to really believe him. I quickly look away, a blush forming on my cheeks again as I compose myself. I don't need to have friends...do I?

We fall silent for a good while, the human going back to his meal as he just glances at me every so often, my eye falling on the pie in front of me as I think things over. It's always a struggle, trying to live on my own, now more than ever. Yet here I was, trying to get by my life all by myself. Maybe...maybe it's time I just let some pony help me.

Maybe...I should say yes.

Finally, after what felt like forever, I sigh as I turn to look at him, his eyes looking back at me as I get his attention. "Trixie...I mean, I don't do...having friends that well. I've had some trust issues in the past, so it's...hard for me to trust any pony so easily." I explain. He remains silent as I continue. "If you...if you really want to be my friend, and all that stuff, then I guess...I'll be willing to take another try." He smiles and is about to say something before I cut him off. "However, if you betray my trust in any way, I will personally make your life a living hell."

"Noted." He says, giving a small, nervous chuckle. Satisfied, I look down at my pie as I debate how I'm going to eat it. "If you want, I can hold it for you." He offers.

I look at him with a raised eyebrow...the only one I can raise really. "Trixie is...I mean, I'm more than capable of handling myself with this, thank you very much." I say, and leaning down, I just take a bite from it, chewing on it eagerly as I began to eat it right off the plate.

He blinks as he looks at me, his part of the pie on the plate now as well as he looks at it. Before I can ask what he was thinking, he leans down and does the same as me, eating it right from the plate. While on any pony else it would look fine, on him it looks...rather silly.

I can't help but to laugh a bit at this, seeing him give me a curious look as I did so. "What's so funny?" He asks.

"You are. You are just so...so damn stupid." I said, to which he just smirks and shrugs. I laugh even harder at that, to which he joins in kind. After calming down, we go back to eating, and we even start to talk a bit more, just some random stories here and there about the day, minus the beat up.

For once, I felt wanted, I felt loved.

For once...I had a friend.

Next Chapter: Chapter 22: Fashion Advice Part 1 Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 35 Minutes