Author's Notes:

Hey everyone! Sorry if the chapter seems a bit... off. I was struggling on how to end it. As I did before I will make revisions after I reach a certain point in the story. Which should be soon, so don't worry.

To my dedicated readers this chapter is going to be a bit more mellow than I have done so far. Here's to all you out there! Enjoy!

PS Please don't call bullshit on me for this chapter.

As Trixie made her way towards town hall she made a detour to La Petite Cafe. Along the way she passed by Carrot Top at her stand. The carrot loving mare waved a greeting to her. Trixie Waved back saying she'd stop by tomorrow when she had some time to spare.

As she turned down Sweets Lane, she came across the small cafe and three familiar ponies sitting at an outside table. Octavia, Vinyl, and Mary were sitting together with their beverages discussing something among themselves.

Feeling it would be rude to barge in on their conversation she went into the cafe where she was greeted by Mrs. Cobblepot.

"Hello again, Trixie." she said in her usual uncaring tone. He slight pointed muzzle towered over her register. "What can I get you?"

She always sounds so angry. "Yes Trixie will have a croissant and a earl grey tea hot. For here, if you don't mind Mrs. Cobblepot."

The earth pony mare sniffed once, her left nostril flared from this. "Yes, Miss Lulamoon. You may have your order here. "She rang her up. "As it stands your boss was here in the main balcony. Your order will be right up." she said handing over the receipt.

"Thank you." Trixie said levitating the receipt over to her. "Um, Mrs. Cobblepot, a quick question?"

The older mare turned her attention to Trixie. Her stare was intense making her shake slightly from the piercing gaze. After a brief moment she nodded for her to continue.

"Where's Platinum? Is she not working today?"

"No she's not." Mrs. Cobblepot replied and continued working her register.

No customers were there so she decided to give Trixie her full attention. "I believe she took the day off. She said she wasn't feeling well."

"Oh." Trixie lowered her head. She figured this had to do with how she reacted to Platinum kissing her he other day. *Perhaps she took it harder than Trixie thought.* She thought it best to give the girl her space. She'd be back eventually, she could talk to her then.

"Thanks for letting me know. If you happen to see her, please let her know that Trixie wishes to speak to her."

Mrs. Cobblepot nodded to her again. "Sure thing. I'll let her know if I see her before you do."

"Thanks." with that Trixie exited outside to see her friends while she waited.

***

Meanwhile outside Mary was talking with Octavia and Vinyl about preparations to build a soundproof building for Vinyl's equipment. Needless to say, Vinyl wasn't feeling very hopeful.

"... and then the cost will be over 6000 bits, plus the cost of labor." she placed a document on top over three others on the table. "Are you following Miss Scratch?"

The ivory unicorn looked like her brain was racked. She was holding her head with both hooves, desperately trying to think of a way to get the money needed for this building. She gripped the sides of her head with her hooves slouching over the table with the majority of her body.

Octavia had just scolded her previously for doing this, and now she sighed, just letting the mare do what she wanted. Overall the building was more important than her bad posture.

"Yeah, yeah I follow," She said sitting up. "Is there no way to lower the cost a bit more? All I have is 2000." Vinyl asked desperately. Octavia offered a comforting hoof to her friend. Vinyl took it with gratitude.

Mary sighed taking off her glasses. "I'm sorry, Miss Scratch, but this cost is as low as I can make it." She exhaled onto the lens cleaning it with her ascot. "And that was after I called in several favors and made a few deals behind the scene. I simply can't make it any lower without others losing money. It's a big investment a soundproof building, even one as small as this." she finished placing her glasses back on.

"Maybe you could get a loan from the bank?" Octavia offered.

"Sorry but that won't work. Vinyl could get a loan but because she's so young she's considered a high risk investment." Mary saw the unicorns posture lower as she hid behind her glasses. She always did that when she was stressed. It was one of her quirks. "I'm sorry for my choice of words, but that's what they'd tell you too. It's nothing personal. Young ponies are more likely to go into debt due to poor money management. It's a factual statistic."

Vinyl sighed smacking her head into the table making it shake with a dull thunk. The cups clanked on their saucer plates for a moment before settling again.

Octavia rubbed her friends back trying to calming her down. She then looked over to Mary, who bore a hurt expression. It was one that said, 'I don't want to do this but I have to, kind of look. "We understand. If she did get one how much could she take out?" the grey mare asked.

"That's the thing, it'd only be around 1000. And that's a generous offer in the best case scenario. It'd still leave a 3000 bit difference to be paid."

Octavia looked to Vinyl with one of her I got an idea looks. "What if I took out a loan? I could cover the cost completely and can pay it off along with what I already have."

"I'm afraid not Miss Von Clef." Mary took another paper out from a folder she kept with her. "I anticipated you'd like to help her but I'm afraid the amount of dept you owe makes it impossible to take another loan until you pay off the majority of it. You owe the bank 25000 so until you pay the majority off you can't take another I'm afraid."

Now, Vinyl was in despair. She began to breath heavily gripping her head like she had the worst hangover ever. Under her glasses her eyes were strained as tears formed around them. Octavia once again tried to calm her down, but nothing seemed to help. "I need some time to think. Can we hold off until tomorrow mayor? I need to write a letter."

"Sure take your time Miss Scratch."

With that Vinyl got up to leave leaving the two older mares behind.

"Shouldn't you go with her Octavia?" asked Mary.

The grey mare shook her head to the politician pony. "No. She needs time to herself. I can tell she's in one of her moods."

"She'll be alright on her own?"

"She'll be fine. I trust her judgement. She may not act like it, but she's really smart and can take care of herself," Octavia said sipping her beverage.

"She may be one of your students but you need to be there for her." The mayor said to the cellist. "She needs guidance now more than ever before. She's new and you have played this game for years."

The grey mare sighed, setting her cup down. She eyed the swirling liquid within. It reminded her of her first performance. She was scared of the whole world being there to watch, and silently judge her. Vinyl was pony that didn't care as long as she made others smile.

"Madam mayor! Octavia!" A familiar voice called to them.

The two earth ponies looked over to see Trixie walking up to them. "Trixie how are you dear?" Octavia stood up hugging her.

"Trixie didn't know we were on a hugging basis Miss Von Clef." she said hugging her back.

Mary then stood up and hugged Trixie. Trixie wasn't sure but she could have sworn, from the corner of her sight, she saw Octavia's ear twitch after they kissed.

Mary broke away looking at Trixie. "How was your day at Sweet Apple Acres?"

"Augh. Applejack was a stick wedged up her flankhole somewhere," Trixie gave an exasperated sigh, sitting down. "Trixie was sure she helped get it out, but then Applejack started beating ponies with said stick. She's the most stubborn pony Trixie has ever met!"

Both Mary and Octavia rolled their eyes at the mare. *Yeah and you're little miss humble yourself.* They both thought. After finishing her thought Octavia decided to ask the obvious. "So, what has Applejack said to you to get you angry?"

"She fates fillyfoolers and-"

Octavia held up a hoof stopping her. "Sorry dear, but Vinyl and I have had this conversation too and I can say I agree with Applejack to a point."

Both Mary and Trixie looked shocked at the statement. Mary had never guessed Octavia to have such feelings about same sex relationships and Trixie didn't think she did either.

"Octavia, I'm surprised," Mary said in a worried tone. "I never pegged you as one to judge on sexual preferences."

Octavia stifled a giggle at the mares reaction. "I can see why you'd think that. No, if another decides to sin I let them do so in peace."

Both Trixie and Mary looked confused at each other. Octavia decided a little clarification was in order. "I'm an earth pony," she pointed to herself. "I was raised in Canterlot but with traditional earth pony values. Thus I don't believe in same sex relationships for myself. I don't push those ideas unto others like Applejack does." She then picked up her cup daintily taking a sip from it twice before continuing. "I know what it's like to be oppressed by another for being different. Growing up in Canterlot I heard plenty of insults from my 'peers' being an earth pony in a unicorn city no less."

Trixie immediately thought back to her first days on the Pie Family farm. She felt like such an outsider, and with her views on same sex relationships, only served to alienate her more to the community nearby. Surprisingly for an earth pony settlement they were really open to the idea of same sex relationships, especially herds. Trixie understood how she felt, how Apple Bloom felt. Possibly how many others felt but were too afraid to speak up.

"Trixie you order is ready." said a voice over a loudspeaker. "Trixie your order is ready at the front counter."

"Please excuse me for a second ladies."Trixie went inside to get her order.

Octavia gave Mary a sly grin taking another sip of her beverage. Mary eyes her wearily. "So Mary, how long do you intend to wait?"

Mary choked on her coffee hacking several times while Octavia laughed at her expense. "I-cough-cough- have no idea what you mean." she glared at her grey friend. Though friend seemed loose in this case.

"Oh I think you do." Octavia's grin grew ten fold. "I know you like her. You don't hug anypony like that anymore. Unless you like them. Like you LIKED Derpy."

The old mare gave out a exasperated sigh nearly throwing her cup to the table. Octavia and everypony in Ponyville seemed to know about her and Derpy wanting them to get back together. Pinkie was the worst.

"Mary." Octavia said in a calm voice. "You can't wait forever. What if she-"

"Yes, yes, yes, I know already!" Mary yelled impatiently. "I got the talk from my parents and Derpy. Even Dinky was giving me her 'look'." Octavia gave her an unamused stare. "Don't you look at me like that."

Octavia shook her head. "Oh, Mary."

Moments later Trixie arrived taking her seat beside Mary. "So anyway, let's get away from that previous depressing topic of bigotry." The azure unicorn said taking a bit of her croissant. She chewed thoughtfully as she took a quick look around. "Where's Vinyl? Wasn't she here earlier?"

Both Octavia and Mary looked at her neither was expecting her to know she was here. In fact none of them even noticed her until she first notified them of her presence.

"She left just moments before you showed up Trixie. Why do you ask?" asked the grey mare.

"Trixie saw you three talking and decided not to interrupt until you finished. Vinyl was here with you," Trixie replied, taking another bite of her croissant.

"We were having a personal discussion." Mary replied not wanting to tell Trixie about the subject. But Trixie was already sure about the subject.

"Was it about her equipment issue with Octavia by chance?" She ventured a guess. Mary turned to Octavia, waiting to see if it was alright for her to tell her. Octavia nodded to her allowing her to continue. "Trixie figured. So Have you three reached an agreement? "

"We have. We decided to make a soundproof building for Vinyl," Octavia started, "But the cost is astronomically out of her price range. We need 6000 total, but we can only get 3000 bits."

Trixie thought for a good minute not saying a word. *Perhaps now was a good time to start showing others I want to make a change. Vinyl is a renown DJ in these parts. Her favor could go a long way to help Trixie reestablish herself.* Granted, she didn't want her first set of friends to be tools for her own personal gain, but it was still a good start for both her and rekindling her ruined reputation. *No don't think of it that way. Think of it as a friendly investment.* Trixie reassured herself. Convinced she had the details worked out she decided to go for it. *For Vinyl.*

"Perhaps, if you don't mind Trixie being so bold, but she could procure the necessary 3000 bits Vinyl requires." she said with confidence. "And Trixie would help with the move or building process if needed."

Now, Mary was not one to judge others but Trixie said once she had nothing of monetarily value left. So how could she possibly pay off 3000 bits for anypony? Octavia shared a skeptical look with her, eyeing Trixie wearily. Trixie noticed their looks and frowned.

"Gee thanks for the bode of confidence friends," Trixie replied sarcastically and swung her arms in the air.

*Did she just emphasize the word friends?* Mary thought raising her brow at the mare.

"It's not that we don't believe you Trixie." Mary replied. "It's just that you yourself said you made nothing left. So how can you pay for the difference?"

The unicorn in question gave the two mares a big tooth grin. It was a smug look of confidence she once gave others she thought beneath her, now it was her way of showing she was absolutely sure of her actions.

"Trixie has a large investment from her previous job. A short letter and she'll have access to it by this time tomorrow." she turned her nose up drinking her coffee.

"You'd do that for Vinyl?" Octavia stared in disbelief. "Even though you just met her and you expect nothing in return?"

Mary frowned at Octavia's assessment of Trixie. There was no way a mare like Trixie could possibly be so selfish, not after all she'd been through. "I mean no offense of course. You have to agree a mare of her, 'caliber', makes it hard to think otherwise," Octavia held her hooves up seeing the mayor's reaction to her statement.

Mary was about to tell her grey friend off when Trixie held up a hoof stopping her. To her surprise, Trixie was rather calm about Octavia's claims. "Trixie will send a letter as soon as she gets home. She'll let you know as soon as she gets word tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?" Both mares said in unison. "But how can you get word back via letter by tomorrow?" Asked Mary.

Trixie once again grinned pulling a candle out from a compartment in her utility belt. "Magical sending candles. Linked to the ones at the Pie family farm. Trixie use to use them to communicate with them when it she was in urgent need to send them a message. Expensive,' she placed the candle down on the table lighting it with her magic. "But they'll send a message to the other within minutes of being sent , even when not lit, depending on the distance. Trixie would wager that it'd reach its destination within an hour from here in Ponyville," She then took a piece of parchment and charcoal and began writing. She sealed it with a ribbon and held it over the flame just out of reach. "So, can Trixie ask or do you want to ask Vinyl first? Trixie thinks she'd love the surprise."

Mary waited looking to Octavia, she nodded smiling at the tan mare, then Mary nodded to Trixie who dropped the scroll into the flame. Immediately it was engulfed by the flame the second it touched, as if it had soaked in a most blamable liquid prior to being offered to a fire god. A smoke trail spiraled upward until it was just ten feet above their head. Then in a lash, it darted off south heading to its destination like a bullet.

All three mares smiled to one another, satisfied with what they'd done. A silent pact made, Trixie raised her tea with her hoof, Mary and Octavia did so as well. "To absent friends," Trixie said. "To Vinyl."

"To Vinyl."
"To Vinyl."

They saluted, their cups clinking against one another.

Then each to a drink to their friend. Octavia set her cup down and was beaming by this point. "I can't wait to tell Vinyl about this! She'll be so delighted." she said hugging Trixie. "Thank you for doing this Trixie. Once again you've amazed me with how selfless you can be."

The blue mare hugged her back. She looked over to Mary who joined in the hug as well. "Well, done Trixie." Mary said, kissing her on the cheek making her blush. She then proceeded to hide behind her mane.

"Thanks Mary," Trixie replied, blushing under her mane.

"Ahem." Octavia pressed a hoof to her mouth as if coughing getting their attentions. "I don't mean to be rude but can you two-"

"Sorry, Octavia. I forgot." Mary let go of them and they all separated. "Sorry, to make you feel awkward."

"Think nothing of it. Lord knows Vinyl would have done the same if she could." The grey mare laughed nearly dropping her tea. All three of them laughed for a good minute before they were able to calm down.

Time went on, and after an hour Octavia had to leave to take care of some business elsewhere. After a brief goodbye Octavia left the cafe leaving the other two mares alone. Trixie sat awkwardly watching as Mary went over the documents from earlier. Her thoughts were on Mary and how beautiful she looked. She thought about how kind she was to her, giving her a job, a place to live, it was nice feeling like she was wanted instead of being hated all the time. But one thing still bothered her to no end.

*She was lonely.*

After she left the farm, and Maud, she felt so alone that she'd cried herself to sleep twice. It hurt her so much to leave Maud behind, but her drive for revenge blinded her. She left a letter telling Maud she was calling off their relationship and that she might not return. It was that simple. Not heart filled love or anything. Just a simple note a cold as her black heart was at the time. When she put on the alicorn amulet, she changed. The power was intoxicating. All she wanted was more power. But deep in it all was a stronger desire. Something she wanted all her life but never felt she got.

Then she thought about the two kisses she got in the last two days.

*She wanted to be loved.*

As the power of the amulet grew, she felt her desires becoming stronger. In the end she got nothing from it. After she removed the amulet, it took some time for her to region her sanity completely. Once she realized the error she made, she sought out Twilight Sparkle, ready to beg for forgiveness if it was necessary. Twilight gave it to her. Forgiveness. It was the happiest moment Trixie had felt in some time.

*Until she remembered how she abandoned the mare that loved her.*

Her thoughts lingered on the stone grey earth pony back on a rock farm. Trixie felt heartbroken after her failure in Ponyville and her failure to Maud. She watched as Mary scanned the documents thoroughly before she began signing them. She felt like she was using Mary. She knew the mare liked her, no she loved her and she loved her too. The truth though was that Trixie was still in love Maud, which made it hard for her to show affections to Mary.

Did she like the tan mare? It seemed too soon to say, but part of her was feeling that Mary was something more than just a friend. More than just a work associate. It was difficult for her to explain, but something was different about her compared to Vinyl or Octavia.

She watched as Mary sipped her coffee reading her documents. Steeling her resolve, Trixie scooted over towards her. Eventually her body pressed against Mary's and both looked at each other. Trixie stared into Mary's deep blue eyes, they reminded her of sapphires. She then rested her head on Mary's shoulder, kissing her gently on the neck. Mary shivered from the sudden contact but kissed her back. She then wrapped a tan arm around Trixie holding her. Unbeknownst to her however, Trixie's mind was in turmoil. The unicorn was torn between her rising feelings for Mary, and her already existing feelings for Maud. But she didn't care, she was content now being close to Mary and that was good enough for her. The only issue was the letter she sent. Whoever receives Trixie's letter will most likely be the one to respond. Trixie really hopes it's not Maud. She may... complicate things if she knew where I was.

She closed her eyes, tired from her day and rested eventually falling asleep on Mary's shoulder with a smile on her face.

***

Later elsewhere in Equestria

A speeding wisp flew across the sky darting through a small town in the southern end of Equestria. Ponies watched it as the tiny thing wiped across the sky heading towards a small farm just outside of town. It passed by a sign that read, 'Welcome to the Pie Rock Farm.'

It then flew into a window slowing to a snail's pace compared to before. Inside a small room a grey mare with a violet mane was reading to herself. Her face was a plain as any stone among her collection that littered her room. It was small and simple. A simple bed, desk, chair, bookshelf and drawer. Several shelves ran along the walls with various stones and gems on display. Her desk was covered in books and catalogs on rocks and gems. A picture laid face down beside a mug of warm coffee.

The mare herself, was reading a book on unique geographical locations, when the wisp flew into her candle bursting into flames as a letter appeared before her. It landed on the desk and fell silent. She didn't respond immediately. She calmly took a bookmark and placed it in the pages before closing it and placing it on the desk beside the candle. She picked up the letter, tearing it open with her mouth and read the contents within.

Her ears perked up and a smile donned her stoic features. She placed the letter down and began to pack. She grabbed a set of saddle bags and placed a few things for traveling into them. She put extra clothes in them and a toothbrush as well. Lastly, she reached beneath her bed and pulled out a small safe with a bronze label on it that read: Trixie's Savings.

She opened it revealing several gems inside. She eyed them momentarily before leaning in and took hold of a large diamond with her mouth. She pulled it out placing it in a knapsack. Satisfied she had everything she picked locked the safe up and replaced it under the bed.

She walked back to her desk with the knapsack over her shoulder, and took the photo in her hoof. She turned the photo over revealing a picture of Trixie with her signature grin and pose during her performances. She ran her hoof across the mare's face in the photo. Kissing it once, she set it back down and walked out of her room.

"Father. I'm going to see Pinkie in Ponyville tomorrow." Maud called out in her monotone voice closing the door behind her.