Late in the afternoon, Fluttershy had mostly calmed down with the comfort of Trixie. However, the Great and Powerful unicorn herself was far from calm: in fact she was verging on fury after having seen the one pony in the world she cared about brought to tears through no fault of her own.

"Thanks for this..."

"Don't mention it." Trixie sounded harsh as she spoke.

"No, I mean it. Thank you for being here with me right now. I'd be worse off..." Fluttershy pressed her face into Trixie's chest and muffled the rest of her sentence.

Trixie reached down and began stroking her mane again. "Really Fluttershy, it's my pleasure. I'll always be here for you when you need me, and I'll always be happy to do so."

Fluttershy squeaked another nearly incomprehensible thank you and wrapped her arms tightly around her supportive friend. Suddenly the anger Trixie had been feeling seemed to vanish for a moment, and instead a torrent of unfamiliar emotions filled her mind. She almost felt grateful for Fluttershy's situation, as it at least meant she had an excuse to be near. Trixie quickly forced the selfish sentiment out of her mind.

"Fluttershy, I have some preparing to do, so if you'll excuse me." Trixie stood and headed for the door.

"Oh, okay..." Fluttershy laid down on the couch.

"Well if you'd like I can stay longer I suppose." Trixie turned back.

"No that's alright, I need to go talk to Rainbow Dash anyway." Fluttershy offered her most sincere smile, then remembered an important detail to mention.

"Trixie, please be careful. I forgot to tell you... or I should say I chose not to tell you because I didn't think it would really matter, but Twilight knows that you're here in Ponyville, and I think she hates you... Please don't let her see you, I'd hate for you to get hurt."

With a spiteful glance Trixie trotted out the door. Fluttershy recoiled, but after a moment shrugged it off as Trixie just being herself. After trying to figure out where Rainbow might be, she decided to simply wander the town for a while until she ran into her. Fluttershy trotted out her door and down the road, scanning the sky for any evidence of the distinctly colorful pegasus. A conversation she had had with Rainbow Dash the previous night began to replay itself in her mind, causing her to blush as she trotted down the public sidewalks.

"Perhaps now would be the perfect time to put it to the test." Fluttershy thought out loud as she paused in front of Sugarcube Corner.

DING!!!

Fluttershy walked into Sugarcube Corner, hoping for some advice. She stepped up to the counter but no one was in sight.

"Um, excuse me."

"Hiya! What brings you here?" Pinkie jumped up from behind the counter, "Oh, thanks again for all your help before!"

"You're welcome, and, I just wanted to ask you something." Fluttershy gulped. "Well, I heard about you and Rainbow Dash, and I heard you're really good at... something..." Fluttershy's voice faded off into silence.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Let me guess! Is it tap dancing?!" Pinkie hopped onto the counter and began tapping her hooves with surprising precision.

"No, Pinkie. It was something else... Well you see, me and Twilight got in a fight and there's something I was hoping to get better at so I could make it up to her. Rainbow said a good... um well... she said a good um, lick would get me on her good side again." Fluttershy looked across the counter at the still-tapping hooves, a deep blush growing across her cheeks.

Pinkie paused and thought for a moment. "Ohhhhh! Why didn't you say so?! I can help with that..."

She placed a hoof on her chin and cleared her throat. Then, little to Fluttershy's surprise, she began to sing.

So you've got a cutesy marefriend and she's pretty mad at you

You want to make it up to her and know just what to do

But when it comes to eating pie you haven't got a clue

So you came here for a tip, well I've got quite a few

Make sure to set the mood just right and keep the lighting low

Then rub her body hips and thighs make sure to take it slow

Call it insight, practice or just my mare's intuition

But following these steps will bring your plans into fruition!

Eating pie is so exciting

Tasty mares are too inviting

Subtle licks can turn to biting

The sweet taste is quite delighting!

Now remember when you're going down you can't just jump right in

If you make sure you play your cards right you'll make this mare's head spin

First rub her hooves and kiss her thighs and maybe bite her skin

Then lick around her sweet spot and there's no way you can't win

Make sure the timing's right before you do what you must do

You'll know right when she's ready when her body begs for you

Then use your tongue to make her squirm, you can never be too rough

And then you'll hear that mare scream that she just can't get enough!

Eating pie is so exciting

Tasty mares are too inviting

Subtle licks can turn to biting

The sweet taste is quite delighting!

Pinkie stood on the counter-top breathing heavily with wide outstretched arms and a bright smile. Fluttershy was looking up at her, jaw hanging ajar and eyes wide. She took a couple steps back, torn between gratefulness and hysteria.

"Uh... Thanks?" Fluttershy tentatively offered.

"Sure! Did you need anything else?" Pinkie jumped down and stood back behind the counter.

"Well actually I was wondering if you knew where Rainbow Dash was." The shy pegasus was glad to change the subject.

"No idea, I haven't seen her since yesterday morning. I sure miss her though. Oh, I know! When you find her tell her to come see me right away!" Pinkie's eyes lit up at the thought.

"Oh, okay Pinkie, I will. Anyway, I should be going now, I really need to talk to her about something before she finds Twilight." Fluttershy smiled and Pinkie nodded before ducking back behind the counter.

"Well... I'll see you later Pinkie, and thanks again." Fluttershy waited for a reply but got nothing.

She quietly exited the building and continued making her way through Ponyville in hopes of finding Rainbow before it was too late. The last thing she wanted was either her or Twilight getting hurt if they decided to fight, especially since there was no good reason for it. Approaching the intersection, she decided she would head towards the library, which was around the corner. Just as she reached it, she collided with Scootaloo, tripping over her and sending her scooter flying into the air.

"Whoa! What are you doing?! Learn to walk will ya?!" Scootaloo forcefully pushed Fluttershy off of herself and immediately regretted what she had done as soon as she realized who it was.

"Oh Fluttershy, I'm sorry I didn't realize it was you!" Scootaloo jumped to help her friend up.

"I'm really sorry Scootaloo, I didn't mean to..." Fluttershy was quickly cut off.

"Psh, don't worry about it. I've been through a lot worse today." Scootaloo trotted around Fluttershy and brushed all the dust off her coat with a wing.

"You... you have? Oh! Have you seen Rainbow Dash?"

"Uh, yeah... She's at the hospital I think. At least that's where she was going when I last saw her, but you know how she is." Scootaloo began casually fixing her own mane.

"Hospital?! Is she okay?! What happened?!" Pinkie Pie shouted from next to Fluttershy, startling her into a high pitched shriek.

Scootaloo glanced around, not sure where Pinkie came from or how long she'd been there. "Oh, well, uh, she crashed and I think she broke her nose. No big deal though, she'll be fine, at least I hope so. Anyway I really need to get home before I get in trouble again. Bye Fluttershy, bye Pinkie Pie." Scootaloo hastily hopped back on her scooter and made her way down the road.

"No time to waste Fluttershy! Let's go!" Pinkie stood behind Fluttershy and pushed her down the sidewalk with a few rough nudges.

"You don't have to do that... I'm going..." Fluttershy narrowed her eyes in annoyance until she remembered Rainbow could be hurt.

The two then quickly made their way to the hospital. As they approached the emergency room wing, Fluttershy noticed that for the first time she could recall, Pinkie wasn't smiling. In fact she looked worried beyond all reason and kept a very quick pace, nearly galloping.

As they entered to facility and approached the receptionist, Pinkie lost it. "Where is she?! Huh?! HUH?!"

"Shh, Pinkie, please calm down." Fluttershy nervously flattened herself against the floor as the nurse behind the desk angrily glared at them both.

Pinkie placed a hoof on her face and calmed herself down, then Fluttershy spoke in a more reasonable manner. "Um, excuse me ma'am, I'm terribly sorry for the noise, but we're looking for our friend Rainbow Dash. Can you help us?"

"Yes well... she's being treated now in room twenty three. Head down the north wing, take a left, and it should be the eighth room on the right." The mare tipped her glasses and stared the two down, implying they should hurry and leave before she decides not to allow them to visit.

"Thank you, we'll just be on our way then." Fluttershy gently nudged Pinkie towards the north wing, who was still trying to regain her own composure.

"I'm sure Rainbow's fine, you'll see." Fluttershy attempted to reassure her worrisome friend.

"You're right, of course you're right... Right? You are right, right?" Pinkie began hyperventilating.

"Oh dear, Pinkie, you're overreacting. Please calm down, look we're almost there." Fluttershy wrapped a wing around Pinkie and calmly walked her down the hall.

The eighth room seemed to be a mile away as Pinkie looked down the ever stretching hallway. "Fluttershy, I'm not used to feeling this way. When I heard Rainbow Dash was hurt I... I just... I got scared."

"You heard Scootaloo, she's not that hurt. Don't be scared." Fluttershy cheerily smiled.

"That's not it, I just started to think. It could have been worse, she could have... She could have broken a wing again! Or worse..." Pinkie stopped and pressed her hooves into her eyes to keep herself from crying.

Fluttershy didn't know how to respond, but fortunately she didn't have to, as they were finally there. Pinkie excitedly trotted in, eager to give Rainbow Dash a greatly overdue hug. As she entered the room, she came to a slow trot, then stopped. Nurse Redheart was sitting on the bed next to Rainbow Dash, who was happily bragging and boasting about how great she was in bed. The nurse's usually snow white face was blanketed by a thin layer of blush as she held her hoof up to her mouth and giggled like a young school filly.

"...And that's how I got these bad boys." Rainbow held up each arm and put on a wolfish smile while flexing, still speaking in a nasally voice with her muzzle tightly bandaged.

Pinkie stood shocked, her mouth wide open as she watched her new-found love betraying the unreasonably large amount of trust bestowed upon her.

"Rainbow Dash?!" Pinkie's emotions completely flipped.

"Oh dear, I'll... uh... chart something." Nurse Readheart jumped up and trotted towards Pinkie with an awkward smile. "And you are?"

"I'm Pinkie Pie. What's it to ya?" Pinkie gave her a stern glare.

"Oh, hmm. Haven't heard of you." The nurse then trotted out of the room, unpleasantly flicking her tail.

Fluttershy remained quiet, and Rainbow was the first to break the tense silence that filled the room. "Hey Pink, what's up?"

"Your wings for starters..." Pinkie lowered her body and looked as if she were ready to attack.

"Oh, oops, sorry about that." Rainbow scratched the back of her head and lowered her wings.

Pinkie growled and stamped the floor with a hint of rage in her eyes.

"Whoa there, are you mad at me for that? You need to chill Pinkie, I didn't even do anything." Rainbow's voice took on a harsh edge.

"Didn't do anything? Didn't do anything?! Are you kidding me?!" Pinkie's ears lowered and she began breathing heavily, searching deeply for the words to convey exactly what she wanted to say.

"Forget you Rainbow Dash!"

She turned and angrily stomped out of the room, knocking a clipboard along with a small stack of papers out of Nurse Redheart's hooves as she quickly trotted past.

Fluttershy stood in the doorway quietly and awkwardly, not sure whether she should leave or not. "Rainbow... are you alright?"

"Duh, yeah... of course I am! Pinkie's the one with the problem!" Rainbow forcefully fell backwards onto her hospital bed.

"Oh... well, I don't know if I should get in the middle of this."

"That's alright Shy. I'm glad you came to check in on me, I'm fine though, so don't worry about me. You can go if you want." Hearing those words, Fluttershy quickly trotted up to Rainbow and gave her a tight hug, then left the room.

"Bye..." Rainbow shouted as Fluttershy hastily trotted away to catch up with Pinkie. Easy to see which one of us she cares about more... Rainbow selfishly thought.

Rainbow was strong and Fluttershy knew it, she'd definitely be fine. Pinkie on the other hoof... Well, no pony knew for sure what she'd do under this kind of emotional stress. It was essential that she wasn't left alone to do something reckless or crazy. After spotting Pinkie down the street sitting calmly on a park bench, Fluttershy face hoofed. She had forgotten to tell Rainbow to stay away from Twilight for a while and why. It was too late now though: Pinkie had become the priority. She needed attention, and the concerned pegasus knew it. With a deep sigh, Fluttershy worked up the kindness to once again put every pony in the world ahead of herself and her own interests. It was sometimes hard, but Fluttershy would never say it wasn't worth it to make those around her feel good, or at least better, even at her own expense.

Pinkie is... complicated, this could very well take all day... Fluttershy thought as she took a deep breath and approached her sulking friend. As the two talked about everything that had been happening recently, Pinkie got in touch with a part of herself she never knew existed, jealousy. This was something most ponies in this town dealt with on a daily basis. Something Trixie was all too familiar with. Fluttershy decided to spend the day with Pinkie in the meadow, at least to take her mind of Rainbow Dash for now while she calmed down.

The two made their way back to Fluttershy's tree home and got comfortable. The pink mare was still sobbing and seemed unreasonably upset. Tentatively, Fluttershy decided to inquire to Pinkie's apparent overreaction. "Do you want to talk about why you're so um, upset?"

With a couple sniffles, Pinkie wiped her eyes and put on a light smile. "I can't really explain... It's just, I thought this was more than just a game to her."

Fluttershy awkwardly frowned. "Why do you think that she thinks its just a game?"

"Well, she's always running around with other mares. And when she's with me, she never wants to just have fun or spend time, all we do is... is..." Pinkie blushed and placed her hooves over her eyes.

"There there, you don't have to say it Pinkie. So how long have you guys been together?" Fluttershy hoped for an easier topic.

"I... I don't know. We never officially got together. I don't think we're together now anymore anyway." Pinkie bit her lip and stared at the floor.

"Why not?" Fluttershy couldn't help but ask, hoping to know exactly what was on Pinkie's mind.

The sulking pink mare brushed her mane aside and looked her friend in the eye. "Dashie promised me that she'd never do this again, that she'd stop floozying around all the time."

"Well, I think Rainbow Dash really cares about you a lot. She's just not used to this kind of relationship yet. Maybe you should talk to her one more time. Just tell her how you really feel." Fluttershy narrowed her eyes and puffed her chest out, hoping to appear confident in her statement.

Pinkie looked away, more than insecure and unsure about the idea. "I don't know... maybe I can give her one more chance... You don't know what it feels like though Shy, this is really not good. Its bad, or worse. Its awful. Its horrible."

"I think I can relate Pinkie. I'm having a... well maybe a kinda similar problem too... I don't wanna talk about it though." Fluttershy looked down, feeling guilty for dragging her life problems into the conversation.

"Oh you, Pinkie won't have any saddy sad heads around here." The less than selfish mare put on a big smile to encourage Fluttershy to stay positive, hiding a sniffle and stopping a quivering lip.

Each mare giggled and wiped her eyes. Letting her issues out and getting them off her chest helped Pinkie lighten up if only a little. Her time with Fluttershy wouldn't go unappreciated. Its always nice to have a friend to talk to.

***

As the moon slowly crept above the horizon, Trixie packed her saddle bag in preparation for the night ahead. She trotted around her shelter in the Everfree Forest, pacing in front of a mirror she once used to prepare her outfit before a show. She had remodeled her old mobile stage into a much larger structure, using old lumber and supplies she found in various areas throughout the forest. The stage now took up most of the clearing she made in forest, it became her home. Over the months she had found many different things scattered across the streets of Ponyville on trash night which she used to make her stage a little more homely. Along with these old materials, she had decorated the walls with various paintings and the results of the other crafts she practiced during her lonely days spent in the woods.

With a deep breath, Trixie threw her satchel over her back. She steeled her nerves and worked herself up with negative thoughts about Twilight Sparkle. She was hoping for more than a simple confrontation: she wanted to find the evidence necessary to pry Twilight and Fluttershy apart forever. Trixie had already convinced herself that Twilight had cheated on Fluttershy and deserved nothing less than a punishment that would reflect the emotional pain Fluttershy would be forced to endure to when found out.

She trotted outside and headed down the trail leading to Fluttershy's home. Trixie lowered her head and quickly made her way down the road, ensuring she wouldn't be spotted. As she came into town, she detoured off the road and made her way around a treeline. Cutting through bushes and back yards, she soon found Twilight's library home. She inched closer and stayed well hidden in the shadows and darkness as the moon became blocked out by thick cloud cover. From within her satchel she took out a scroll and opened it across the grass before closing her eyes and sending a small ember of magic from her horn to gently fall into the center of the outspread parchment. It began to dimly glow, and as Trixie focused on Twilight, an image appeared on the parchment. It was a birds-eye view of Twilight in her home. Trixie carefully and patiently observed to detect any signs of foul play.

An hour slowly slipped by and Trixie grew bored. Twilight was sitting at a desk, writing down endless notes as she performed what seemed like random chemical experiments. What she hoped to achieve was beyond Trixie, and the less than exciting event was proving to be getting on her last nerves. She considered rushing in and confronting Twilight on her own without any evidence. More so than not, she had simply worked up her own sense of disdain and resentment towards Twilight that she allowed to fester into near hatred.

Suddenly Twilight made a move. She nervously glanced around then quickly and quietly trotted up to Spike, ensuring he was asleep. She then crawled into bed and tightly grabbed onto her pillow. Seemingly upset, she began crying into it and curled up into a ball. Trixie uncomfortably shifted and glanced around feeling a bit awkward. Twilight rolled over on her back and tightly pressed the pillow into her face, then angrily threw it over the edge of the bed. Trixie began to watch more carefully as Twilight made her way downstairs. The flustered unicorn grabbed a piece of paper and began frantically writing. Trixie focused as carefully as she could, but couldn't make out what was being written. As Twilight wrote, tear drops were gently falling into the paper. It was obvious that this was an emotional letter, it needed to be seen. Trixie readied herself, her horn lit up and she closed her eyes and waited. Soon a purple flame exited the library and began drifting into the air. As it passed over Trixie, she caught it in a small net of magic and purple embers rained down. Trixie gathered them up into her satchel and went back to observing Twilight. A few minutes later the mare was fast asleep.

Trixie dispelled the scroll, which then burst into a cold flame for a second before disintegrating into the air. Feeling a bit disappointed at the lack of incriminating activities, she could only hope that this letter held something useful. She decided it'd be safe to sweep the house for any sings as well while she was already in town. She trotted up to the library door and easily unlocked it with a simple spell. Security in this town wasn't by any means tight, considering the crime rate was nearly nonexistent. Trixie quietly trotted inside, making sure her steps were as silent as possible. She closed her eyes and let out a deep pulse of magic from her horn, it radiated through the house, and created an image in her mind that reflected her surroundings in the dark room. Trixie closed her eyes tighter and focused on the image imprinted in her mind. She then began checking drawers for a journal or something of the sort. Nothing downstairs. She levitated herself upstairs and repeated the process.

There was a particular drawer in Twilight's room, particular in that it was frequently and recently used. She knew this because of the magical traces left behind in the image created by the spell. Twilight's laziness would prove her downfall in this situation. Trixie opened the door to the room containing the overused drawer. Twilight was fast asleep in the bed directly in front of where Trixie stood. She licked her lips and thought about how easily she could end Twilight in this situation. Clearing her mind, she focused on the task at hoof. She was no murderer. She opened the drawer and sure enough, a journal was cleverly tucked within, attached to the top of the inside, just out of sight. Trixie took it in an aura of magic and concentrated for a few moments. Then the book split into two copies, a spell she'd worked up just for the occasion. She tucked the duplicate into her satchel and returned the other, then headed outside before she woke anyone up.

She quickly trotted down the road and out of the library's line of sight. When she felt like she was clear, she jumped up and down in joy and giggled to herself, her heart teeming with pride. Then Trixie suddenly paused and stood still in the middle of the road. She almost felt as if she had been struck by the bright moonlight as the dark clouds drifted towards the horizon. Looking up at the stars between the veil of breaking darkness, she felt a pang of emptiness fill her heart, as if they were trying to tell her something was wrong.

Everyone makes mistakes, Trixie...

She felt almost pathetic as she realized how painstakingly hard she was working to appease her jealous rage. As if proving Twilight's infidelity would cause Fluttershy to come running into her arms for comfort and fall in love with her. It was a useless endeavor.

However, what was done was done, and Trixie's curiosity wasn't going to allow her to return the stolen letter or journal. She made haste on her way home, this time not straying from the main roads. It was late, far past midnight, and Trixie figured no one would be awake at this hour, and if there was someone around, they'd most likely not recognize her. Then, in a heartbeat, Trixie had ducked off the road and taken cover in a roadside bush, seeing a familiar pink earth pony slow-trotting down the road. As Pinkie paralleled the bush, she stopped and glanced over.

"Why are you hiding in there? Are you playing hide-and-go-seek? Oh, can I play?! Shhh, don't blow your hiding spot, I'll hide with you." Pinkie jumped into the bush next to the shocked unicorn.

"I'm not hiding! What's wrong with you?!" Trixie jumped out of the bush and brushed herself off.

"Not... hiding? Then what are you doing? Spying?" Pinkie stood up and widened a questioning eye.

"No, I'm not doing anything, leave me alone... I'm very busy." Trixie gave her an evil glare.

"Oh... okay, I'll just go home then... by myself... alone... without anypony..." Pinkie uncharacteristically lowered her head and continued her slow trot down the road.

Something in Pinkie's tone or eyes caught Trixie's attention and a bit of her empathy. "Wait."

Pinkie stopped and allowed her beautiful smile to shine in the night. "I'm waiting, now what?"

"I don't know, just... Do you want to come with me or something?" Trixie subconsciously tried to contain her angry tones but failed to do so.

Pinkie seemed oblivious to the obvious yet somewhat unintentional disdain in Trixie's voice. "I'd love to! Where are we going?"

"Shh, it's the middle of the night and you're yelling like a maniac. Please be quiet and follow me." Trixie then led the way back to her forest home.

At the edge of the forest, Pinkie stopped and let out a deep yawn. "Are you sure you want to go in there? It can be dangerous at night."

"Don't you know who you're traveling with? None other than the Great and Powerful Trixie! Fear not my merrily-mundane messy-maned mare, I'll protect you from any threats within the forest!" Trixie lit her horn up and led the way, casting light through the darkness.

The two made their way down a small overgrown trail, a familiar path for Trixie. It wasn't long before they reached the modded stage that was Trixie's home and there were no threats to be seen.

"Welcome to my humble abode, you're the first visitor I've had." Trixie bowed and allowed Pinkie to enter first.

With a flick of her horn, several candles lit with a deep purple flame before turning to a soft orange and illuminating the small home. Pinkie looked around with a straight face. She looked over at the cracked mirror, then across the walls. Pinkie gulped, feeling a bit disturbed. As soon as Trixie realized what the pink pony was looking at, she began to blush and regret inviting her in before redecorating. There were dozens of vivid paintings displayed across the walls, each one being a representation of one of Trixie's emotions in one way or another. From eerily lifelike portraits to abstract colors patterned across canvases, each one seemed to reflect not only Trixie's ever-changing moods, but also her artistic talent. One in particular captured Pinkie's attention. A strikingly realistic painting of Fluttershy standing in the forest, blushing and smiling. A couple of birds sat perched on her wing and beams of sunlight shone brightly around her shadowed yet elegantly lit face. It couldn't be described as anything other than a masterpiece.

"Great and Powerful Trixie, why is this huge painting of Fluttershy in your house?" Pinkie couldn't help but ask.

"That's not as easy to explain as one might think. At least not in depth. But essentially, I love to paint, and she is my inspiration, this was a tribute to her. Oh and by the way, just call me Trixie."

"She's your inspiration?" Pinkie asked, confused.

"Yes well, she inspired the first piece of art I've ever made. A spell actually, a beautiful spell if I do say so myself." Trixie blushed as she recalled her days practicing.

"So... Trixie, now what do we do?" Pinkie's short attention span was lost.

"Now, you sit quietly. Like I told you before, I'm very busy and have work to do." Trixie sent her a sharp glance, as if she already regretted inviting the mare over.

"Oh... can I watch?" Pinkie jumped up and trotted over to Trixie, who was unloading a mess of glowing purple embers.

"If you must. But be quiet, okay?"

"I'll be quiet, promise!" Pinkie zipped her mouth up and threw away the key.

Trixie nodded and began carefully sorting the cool glowing embers across a table. A mere few seconds later, Pinkie spoke. "Ooh, what's that?"

"Shh, aren't you supposed to be being quiet?" Trixie was clearly annoyed.

"Ugh... fine... Why'd you invite me here anyway... I'm bored." Pinkie collapsed onto the floor.

Trixie stopped focusing on the task at hoof for a moment. "I don't know okay? I just didn't want you to be alone. No pony should have to be alone if they don't want to be."

Pinkie considered offering a playful retort, but detected sincerity in Trixie's voice. Rather than ruin it with insincerity, she considered what she'd say before saying it, something she wasn't used to at all.

"Trixie, thanks for that. I'm glad I'm not alone right now, even if I'm bored. It could be worse..." Pinkie sighed, feeling a bit ashamed of herself.

"I'm working on being kind, something Fluttershy has taught me about making the world a better place. Now if you really want to thank me, you can do so by staying quiet! Don't push your luck with this kindness thing. Unlike Fluttershy, my kindness is in unhealthily short supply." Trixie then went back to work and Pinkie sighed.

Before long, Pinkie Pie was fast asleep on the floor. Disturbed by her snoring, Trixie levitated her into a small mostly dry-grass bed. Feeling as if she'd accomplished a good deed, she went back to work, feeling confident and more level headed than ever. She pieced the embers back together very carefully, using her magic to detect the right order in which to place them. Hours slipped into the night as she diligently worked on the arduous task. After a while, she decided to take a break from the letter and pulled Twilight's journal out. It was, as expected, sealed tightly shut with a simple locking spell probably designed to keep Spike out. Trixie quickly and easily disarmed the trigger and opened it up. She skimmed to the most recent entries. Boring, lame, boring, blah blah... Nothing caught her interest, until an entry made on the date Goldenmane, 35th. Cycle 5.

It was an entry, describing in explicit detail, the emotions Twilight had been feeling after having a sexual encounter with a mare who's name she didn't recognize. Trixie almost felt as if she were going to faint. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hooves as she read on. This was it... This is more than she'd ever hoped to find.

She decided she must finish reassembling this letter immediately, as her curiosity now needed to be satisfied like never before. She worked diligently, forcing her horn to stay precise despite the sharp headache it was causing her to focus so intensely. She carefully aligned lightly flaming fragments of magic that held the essence of the letter together. Her eyes felt as if there were about to cross as she was nearing completion and her head felt like it was about to explode. Then, with a poof of smoke and purple flame, the letter appeared in front of her.

"I did it!" Trixie jumped up and celebrated. She glanced over to Pinkie who was still asleep, wishing she could celebrate with her.

She looked over Pinkie, the now quietly snoozing earth pony seeming so peaceful. Her light breathing and subtle smile were simply comforting to look at. Trixie felt as if she was once again losing sight of her goals. After thinking about it, she wasn't even sure what those goals were anymore. It seemed now the only potential result would be hurting Fluttershy. Is that really something she could go through with? Trixie couldn't help but wonder.

Without further delay, Trixie opened the letter to invade Twilight's privacy and hopefully incriminate her further. To Trixie's surprise, this letter was actually to Fluttershy rather than the other mare as she had anticipated.

Fluttershy, this is Twilight Sparkle. I know what I did was wrong. I know that I should trust you more. I'm sorry that I jumped to conclusions and didn't give you a fair chance to explain what had happened. In truth, I'm the one that should be sorry. I have something important to tell you, a confession to make. I'd like to do whatever it takes to make this up to you. I love you Fluttershy, I love you with all my heart and I only hope you can forgive me.

Trixie read over the letter several times. Each time she read it faster and her breathing quickened.

No... no no no... This isn't right... This can't be right. Trixie placed her front hooves on her face and sunk into her own despair. She knew Fluttershy would immediately forgive Twilight despite everything she had done. It wasn't right, Twilight didn't deserve another ounce of Fluttershy's affection. Something had to be done. But she knew it wasn't her place to speak for Twilight, no matter how much she'd love to throw her under the carriage, so to speak.

Trixie stood up and walked outside for some fresh air. With a deep exhale, she watched her breath get carried away on the cool night breeze. As always, her eyes were then drawn to the stars. She searched the sky for answers she knew she'd never reach on her own. She drew invisible lines in between them, hoping to form some kind of message telling her what she should be doing. She knew the answers to her life were there, she felt it. Giving up, she collapsed onto the grass and laid face down. After such an exhausting night, she had no trouble drifting off into sleep, even in this cold air.

A few short hours later, the sun breached the horizon. Beaming rays of light crept between the trees and across Trixie's face. She placed a hoof over her eyes in annoyance.

"Screw you Celestia..." Trixie accidentally spoke out loud.

"Good morning sleepy head!" Pinkie cheerfully yelled from within the house.

Trixie leaned up and forced her aching eyes open with an obnoxiously long yawn. Laying back down, she took in all the familiar scents the early morning forest had to offer. However, it was something unfamiliar that caught her attention. She decided to investigate the mouth-watering aroma. The source seemed to be coming from within her home, and upon entering she stumbled onto a surprising sight. All the candles in the house were gathered into the center of the room beneath what seemed to be a makeshift burner. Pinkie was standing over it with her eyes closed and a spatula made from crudely assembled planks in her mouth.

"I made breakfast!" She announced with overly enthusiastic glee.

"Pinkie, where in Equestria did you get these provisions?" Trixie looked over several seemingly well prepared breakfast foods.

"It's grass silly, there's grass everywhere." Pinkie rolled her eyes with a wide smile and continued to serve the food.

"Grass... Grass pancakes? Grass muffins? Grass... uh, what is that liquid?" Trixie raised an eyebrow.

"Uh duh! Grass juice."

"I'm not drinking that..."

Trixie closed her eyes and took in another deep breath, reveling in the scent of a freshly cooked meal, something she hadn't had since living with Fluttershy, nearly three months ago.

"Okay Pinkie, this is all really too much. I don't know what to say." Being honest with herself, Trixie wasn't really sure how to behave in this situation at all.

"Well if I were you, I'd just say... Gee thanks Pinkie, it sure was nice of you to make me breakfast!" Pinkie smiled, hoping for a compliment.

"... Thanks I guess." Trixie sat down and looked off to one side.

"You're welcome. Now eat up!" Pinkie seemed completely immune to Trixie's involuntary disdain.

Trixie slowly glanced over to the warm food sitting on a plate in front of her, finally allowing a slight smile to escape her impervious walls.

"I mean it Pinkie, thanks for this." Genuine gratitude wasn't something Trixie often offered, and somehow Pinkie made that connection, and took it for what it was.

Trixie began eating, levitating small chunks of food into her mouth. Pinkie was digging in to her helping face first. It wasn't hard for Trixie to find amusement in the whole situation, and now more than ever, she was glad she had invited Pinkie into her home.

As she was about to take the last bite, something occurred to her. "Pinkie, how did you mix this grass into batter? It's not like I have the proper utensils, and you don't have magic. I don't see anything around here that you could have used to do it either..."

"Oh, easy. I just chewed it up first."

Trixie sat there with her jaw wide open, dropping the last piece of grass muffin onto the floor. Her eye twitched as she imagined Pinkie pre-chewing the few she had just eaten. Suddenly, Pinkie began to laugh hysterically. She fell off her chair and rolled onto the floor.

"Oh Trixie! You should have seen your face! Ha! You're too easy." Pinkie wiped a tear and tried to catch her breath.

"So, you didn't chew it then?" Trixie asked, torn between relief and rage.

"Of course not, that'd be nasty. I used the spatula to smash and mix it. It's just grass, water, and flour." Pinkie stuck her tongue out to top off the prank.

"Well that's a relief, now I don't have to destroy you. That would have been a shame because believe it or not, I actually kind of like you." Trixie looked up with a sketchy smile.

Pinkie giggled and winked, then stood up to clear the area.

"Sit down you, I'll get it." Trixie levitated the dishes right out of Pinkie's hooves and sat them off to one side.

Pinkie didn't argue, instead she began to walk around the small house, once again admiring the pictures on the walls. "This picture looks even better in the daylight."

Trixie dropped a small wooden plate and blushed. "Uh, thanks."

Pinkie walked up to the portrait and lightly ran her hoof across Fluttershy's face. "It's so lifelike. I'm impressed. Where did you get the supplies to paint these?"

Trixie walked up next to Pinkie and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Come with me, I'll show you."

The two walked outside and around to the back of Trixie's home. There were several blank canvases hung on the back of the house along with a few burned remains.

"Like everything I do, it's magic." Trixie closed her eyes and aimed at a canvas.

Pinkie quietly watched to see just how this worked. Trixie visualized what she wanted to create. Aiming her horn carefully, she sent a thin stream straight forward. With careful concentration she precisely guided the stream in various strokes and patterns. A moment later she stopped and opened her eyes. A very poorly sketched out pink pony had been placed onto the canvas. It did, however, at least vaguely resemble Pinkie Pie.

"Ooh is it me?! Can I keep it?" Pinkie quickly snatched the small canvas off the house and rolled it up.

"Seriously? Sure, but I mean... It's kind of bad don't you think? I need to practice drawing you a few times before I can make anything decent."

"I love it!" Pinkie unrolled the painting and held it up next to herself.

"If you say so." Trixie broke into another smile.

"I say you should give Fluttershy the picture of her too."

"Whoa, I don't think so. It took me ages to complete that, and knowing Twilight Sparkle, it would just end up getting accidentally destroyed, just like the scarf I made her." Trixie took a defensive stance.

"Why would knowing Twilight Sparkle destroy your things? So anyway, how did you figure out you could paint like that anyway?" Pinkie placed a hoof to her chin and tried to imagine how one would go about discovering such a talent.

"Twilight would destroy my things herself because she's a stupid jealous donkey! And I discovered it when I was practicing my own offensive spells on trees. I noticed when concentrating on certain things, I could create colored scorch marks. One thing led to another and I figured out how to burn color into paper." Trixie headed back inside to guard her portraits.

"Does Twilight hate you?" Pinkie's one track mind began to show.

Trixie glared sharply at the undeserving Pinkie Pie, piercing her with the contempt she held for Twilight. "Yes, and she barely even knows me. Fluttershy told Twilight about me though, and how I changed. Twilight wouldn't listen, she said I'm nothing but trouble and commanded Fluttershy to stay away from me."

"That doesn't sound like the Twilight Sparkle I know at all... Or does it?" Pinkie stood on her back hooves and crossed her arms.

"Wait, you know Twilight Sparkle as well?"

"Well of course I do! I know everyone in Ponyville! But that's not the point here! Twilight must be... um, jealous of you." Pinkie fell back to her hooves and dropped her smile.

"Jealous of me? That's a laugh Pinkie." Trixie looked around and lowered her eyes.

Pinkie looked over the surprisingly modest unicorn. "I just realized something, Fluttershy talks about you... a lot. I didn't know who she was talking about at first, but it has to be you. I remember her talking with Twilight at my party a while ago. She said she saw the most amazing spell she'd ever seen before and that her new friend cast it. Twilight's been jealous of you ever since."

"Wait, do you know when exactly that was? Was she talking about the spell I made for her or the one that revealed her deepest desire." Trixie realized she'd likely not receive an answer that indicated which it was, but it was very important to her.

"It was... I think, maybe ... One, two, three, eighty seven days ago!"

"One hundred and seven, you're sure?" Trixie waited for a reply before attempting to calculate.

"Bet your flank I'm sure." Pinkie said with a stretch and a yawn.

Trixie sat down and began to think. After about a week of living in the forest, she had made herself a sort of calendar. It was mostly used to keep track of the time spent as she worked on various projects, whether they be paintings or magical experiments, it would prove valuable in this instance. She consulted it and realized she had only been in the forest for nearly three months now. Trixie soon realized that eighty seven days ago was definitely before she had created her spell dedicated to Fluttershy. This revelation came as somewhat of a devastating blow to Trixie, however it also meant something else, something much more important.

"Pinkie! Do you know what this means?"

"Kind of."

"Wait, you do?" Trixie lost her train of thought.

"It means that before you tried to make Fluttershy fall for you, she you accidentally made her realize how much she missed the relationship she once had with Twilight when you used that spell on her. Which means there's no way the sweet and faithful Fluttershy would have ever given you a fair chance, since those old feelings of when they first got together were fresh in her mind." Pinkie Pie held a straight face and spoke as if she were reciting the obvious, resisting the urge to exclaim her boredom.

Trixie sat back and leaned up against the wall. "You're right, that's exactly what I was thinking."

"Ugh, gag... you girls are so lucky. I wish I could trade places with one of you three. Hay, even one of you four if I count Rainbow Dash." Pinkie put on a self pitying face and sulked in her seat.

Trixie lost her cool, standing up and glaring at Pinkie. "What?! What are you talking about, trade places with whom?! Me? Why, so you can live alone and watch the one you love get hurt over and over again by a stupid self righteous unicorn?!"

Pinkie recoiled slightly, then strongly held her ground. "No, what I mean is it would be nice to be part of something serious. I'd like to trade places with you because at least you know there're some underlying emotions to be found in Fluttershy and you actually have a chance to get her to fall for you especially now that Twilight's pushing her away with all this petty dramatic nonsense!"

"Are you saying you want Fluttershy as well?" Trixie looked worried.

"No, I'd actually rather trade places with Fluttershy. Not because I want to be with you or Twilight, I just wish I knew what it felt like to be loved like that." Pinkie pointed up to the elaborate portrait without looking at it.

"I'm sorry Pinkie, I didn't mean to yell at you..." Trixie sat back down, feeling a bit ashamed.

Pinkie walked up next to her and sat down against the wall by her side, placing an arm around her neck. "It's okay, I yell at me too sometimes. I'm just so frustrating."

Trixie thought she detected a joking tone in her voice but wasn't sure, she decided it'd be best to change the subject. "So how does Rainbow Dash come into play, you mentioned her earlier."

Pinkie lost her smile once again. She looked down and tried to decide how to put it. "I spent the night with Rainbow Dash a few weeks ago. I fell in love with her, I always liked her a lot, and I thought the feeling was mutual, but I was wrong."

Trixie remained silent, not sure words of comfort would be welcomed.

Pinkie took a deep breath and smiled. "I saw her flirting with another pony yesterday... I've never wanted to hurt someone so badly before. You know?"

Trixie could easily relate to that. "Yes I know, I swear I'm insane sometimes... The thoughts that pop into my mind when I think about Twilight Sparkle even scare myself. What makes us strong is not letting our jealousy control our actions though, right?"

"Right," Pinkie giggled and pulled Trixie in closer. "I'm glad I found you. I had fun spending the morning with you, but I really should be getting back now. Can I come over again soon?"

Trixie's heart fluttered with joy: she had made a new friend. "Of course you can Pinkie. I'd be glad to... let you."

"Okay, I'll see ya soon then." Pinkie gave her a tight friendly hug and trotted down the forest trail.

Trixie let her hooves lazily fall to the floor. She was still pretty tired after the long all-nighter piecing the letter together. Which brought that back to her attention. She jumped up and went over to her satchel, which contained the evidence she gathered last night. Now more than ever, she knew Twilight's plans for reconciliation must be sabotaged.

She loves me, I know it... Trixie found justification in her selfish actions. Twilight was horrible, and Fluttershy was trapped in a relationship she didn't want to be in. Whether this was true or not, Trixie forced herself to believe it was an absolute.

Trixie very carefully went over the letter, imprinting Twilight's writing style in her mind. She then began to forge another letter, carefully mimicking the strokes of each character with her quill. It took more concentration than expected to remain so precise. Trixie took a break from the half written letter and began to massage her temple with a hoof, then went back to her project. She continued working diligently, letting minutes turn to hours as the day slipped away.

She completed the letter and headed outside for some air. During the process of writing, she seemed to have lost her motivation. At first she was completely confident and sure that what she was doing was right. But as the letter neared completion, something felt off. A familiar yet unidentifiable voice resonated in her mind. Everyone makes mistakes, Trixie...

Once again doubting her own intentions, she looked to the starry sky for answers. Their celestial beauty seemed to turn her greatest desires into nothing. She laid on her back and stared into the clusters, admiring how each one beamed and twinkled individually. If their existence was simply a spell, it was one without comparison. Trixie lost herself in the night sky, letting the immaculateness of the sight whisk her worries away. She connected the dots in her mind, then a sudden realization dawned on her. She shot up and rushed inside, preparing to head out.

Earlier that day, Pinkie Pie was nearing Sugarcube Corner as she cheerfully hopped down the sidewalk, feeling a sense of rejuvenation after having spent such a nice morning with a new friend. That was all quickly swallowed as she caught a glimpse of a rainbow tail rounding a corner in front of the bakery. Pinkie slowed her pace to a silent sneak. She carefully peeked around the corner to see Rainbow Dash impatiently waiting for Pinkie to let her in. With a deep breath, Pinkie decided to confront her.

"Rainbow, what are you doing here." Pinkie kicked at the ground while she waited for a reply.

Rainbow Dash was clearly fighting herself inside her mind, forcing the arrogant pride she held so tightly down into her stomach. "I'm... I just want to say I'm sorry about earlier."

"Forget it Dash, I'm not forgiving you that easily. Now excuse me, I have work to do." Pinkie pushed her way by and went inside the building, tightly shutting the door behind herself without looking back.

Rainbow Dash took the sharp blow to her self esteem, and turned it into anger. "Whatever, I was just trying to be nice anyway! I'm not sorry because I didn't do anything wrong in the first place!"

Pinkie Pie could clearly hear everything Dash was saying in the quiet bakery, but chose to ignore it as best she could. Her lip began to quiver and she closed her eyes to hold the tears back. She knew the perfect opportunity to get back on track had been blown.

Rainbow Dash flew away with not so surprising speed. She spotted Twilight Sparkle giving Carrot Top a sympathetic hug and decided to pry.

As she flew over she overheard Twilight speaking. "So you're sure you won't tell me who it was?"

With a soft landing next to the two, the earth pony was quick to give a respectful nod and duck out.

"What's goin' on Twilight?" Rainbow inappropriately asked.

"It's personal stuff Rainbow. So um, did you need anything?" Twilight asked with a sincere smile.

"Not really, I just thought maybe we could talk." Rainbow Dash looked genuinely worried.

"Sure, of course we can talk. Come on in." Twilight led the way and rolled her eyes when she was sure no one could see her. What am I, some kind of therapist all of a sudden?

When they were inside, Twilight swallowed her contempt. "So what did you need to talk about?"

"I guess I just want some advice..." Rainbow proceeded to explain everything that had happened. From the night spent with Pinkie leading up the hospital fight.

"You already know I started dating Pinkie a few weeks ago. I guess I didn't take it as seriously as she did. I just wanted to have fun with my best friend, I didn't mean to make her fall for me like that. I really do care about her a lot, and I feel really bad about what happened. Earlier when I was getting my nose fixed at the hospital, Pinkie saw me flirting with a nurse and she flipped out on me. I tried to talk to her but she won't listen. What should I do?"

Twilight didn't take the story well. "Are you serious? You know how Pinkie is, and she's been talking about you nonstop ever since you two got together. What kind of horrible pony are you to not take Pinkie seriously?! If I was Pinkie I'd have kicked that already bucked up nose of yours right then and there! Get out of my library until you learn how to treat your friends right. You don't deserve Pinkie, you don't deserve anyone! Now leave!"

Rainbow backed out of the library, her confidence shattered after the emotional ravaging Twilight inflicted. As the door shut, Twilight broke into tears. Little did Rainbow Dash know, her outburst was partially directed at herself. Twilight now felt worse than ever after letting her own issues get the best of her judgement. Rainbow was clearly in need of a friend, and she had failed to be that friend. She decided to try and catch Rainbow before she flew away, but as she looked outside, she saw Scootaloo being a good friend in her place. Feeling relieved that Rainbow wouldn't be forced to deal with whatever it was she was dealing with alone, Twilight returned to her own self pity.

A few hours later the sun had set and it was dark out, when there was a strange knock at the library door. Twilight drearily got up to answer, assuming it was Spike and he had forgotten his key again. As she opened the door, her eye twitched.

"Trixie?!" Twilight wasn't sure if she should attack her or slam the door in her face.

Fearing the worst, Trixie took a defensive stance and readied her horn. "Look, I'm here to make peace. I'll start by returning these."

Trixie levitated the journal and letter over to Twilight. The purple unicorn felt pure fury boiling in her heart. Trixie hadn't realized the depth of Twilight's hatred for her. She had been dwelling on her resentment towards Trixie ever since she first discovered that she was around.

"Where did you get these?!" Twilight exclaimed, already knowing the answer.

"I um... I broke into your house and took it from your room. I left the original, this is a duplicate I made. Also I intercepted the letter right as you sent it and reconstructed it last night." Trixie looked down and swallowed her own resentful spite after recalling the details of her abandoned projects.

"You did what?!" Twilight was teetering over the deep end; to say that her privacy had been invaded was a severe understatement.

She focused on the target of her building rage. With a sharp flash of light, she shot a focused blast of magical energy directly towards Trixie. Having seen this coming before she even knocked, Trixie was quick to react. She covered her face with her hooves and created a barrier of magic just before impact. The blast sent her sliding across the dirt road outside in a cloud of dust.

"What the hay was that for?! I said I was sorry!" Trixie lowered her spell and shouted.

"No you didn't! But I'll make sure you are!" Twilight readied another spell, waiting for the right moment to cast it.

"Fine, I'm not sorry! If this is how you wanna do it then fine! Bring it!" Trixie dropped her defensive stance and lost her motives. She kept her body low as she approached Twilight.

Twilight grinned and released her spell, sending another powerful blast towards her enemy. Trixie didn't shield herself this time, instead she caught the concentrated magic in her own aura and sent it flying back towards her rival. Twilight was surprised to see such an advanced counter-spell. She had no choice but to shield herself with a defensive spell and brace herself for the impact. The combined force of her own spell within Trixie's powerful aura was enough to break her guard. Twilight tumbled across the library floor. Trixie didn't lose the opportunity to get a hoof up. She galloped into the library and shut the door behind herself. Twilight quickly struggled to her hooves and braced herself for the next attack. Trixie had sent a chair flying towards her target as she continued to charge her. Twilight made the split second choice to deflect the chair and take Trixie's physical attack full force. As she caught the projectile in her own aura, Trixie slid around and forcefully implanted her back hooves into Twilight's ribs.

Twilight whimpered as she rolled away from the blow to her side. Trixie didn't let up, this was something she had been imagining doing for quite some time, although not her original intention. She lifted Twilight up with her magic and violently threw her into a bookshelf, knocking several of them to the floor. Twilight caught herself before she hit the ground. Not giving up, she quickly caught Trixie's leg and pulled her to the ground as she regained her balance. Before Trixie could react, Twilight stamped her front hoof into her face with barbaric force. Her powerful stomp was enhanced by the use of magic to press it down much harder than she could have on her own. It came down like a fiery purple comet as it exploded into Trixie's jaw. As Twilight's hoof was rushing down for a second fiery impact, Trixie saw it coming, but was too disoriented react properly. She took the hit full force and lost her sense of self awareness as she nearly blacked out.

Twilight collapsed to the floor next to Trixie, having overexerted her magic and exhausted herself. Trixie was regaining focus and scurried away from Twilight. She stood up on wobbly hooves and wiped the blood off mouth. Her eye was swollen and her cheek was puffed and swelling as well. She knew it was likely that her cheek bone had been fractured, but that only strengthened her desire to further harm Twilight. Trixie took a moment to focus her energy and level her senses as Twilight was stumbling to her hooves. The last spell she had used was meant to render Trixie unconscious but Twilight had overdone it and used up the last bit of energy she had on the powerful yet highly magic consuming spell.

Trixie saw her opportunity as Twilight coughed and tried to refocus her magic. She grabbed Twilight with her telekinetic force and pressed her tightly against a wall. Trixie closed her eyes and began to focus, Twilight could feel what was happening, and she was all too familiar with forced magical combustion. Trixie opened her eyes and leveled out her magical frequency to the desired pitch. Twilight's horn attempted to break her free, but it was useless. Trixie hadn't used much magic in the fight, a simple counter and levitation was all. She had more than enough strength left to hold her down. Trixie looked into Twilight's eyes as she began to writhe in agony.

"Please! I'm sorry!" Twilight managed a shout through the aura of magic.

Trixie's eyes shot wide open. She saw the terror in the panicking mare's eyes, as well as the horror of her own actions and intentions. She closed her eyes and released the spell, gently lowering Twilight to the floor.

"Enough's enough, I'm leaving." Trixie muttered.

"Wait... I... Just wait." Twilight was gasping for breath.

Trixie paused for a moment, she felt a sharp sting on her lip. It was cut and bleeding pretty badly. Twilight made her way to her hooves.

"Trixie, thanks for... thanks for not killing me. I know you could have." Twilight offered her most humble gratitude.

"I couldn't do that to Fluttershy. Don't thank me, thank her. As for the journal and letter, I haven't shown her yet. So you better be thankful that I'm giving you the chance to make things right between you two. Don't muck it up again." Trixie trotted outside and headed for home.

Twilight fell down on her hooves and was at a loss for words. Her ribs were aching and heart was broken. To her own shame, she brought all this pain upon herself.

Trixie angrily made her way down the road home. She looked up at the stars spitefully rather than with her usual humility.

"Thanks a lot stars! Look where your stupid plan got me." Trixie stopped and kicked a rock across the road. Why am I talking to stars... Am I crazy?

She felt a sudden relief wash over her as the moon beamed brightly down. The stars all twinkled in a distinct yet unexplainable pattern. Trixie heard a voice in her mind, as if the stars really were communicating with her.

You made the right choice. I'm proud of you, Trixie...

Trixie was stunned, and gazed across the bright night sky as she shouted. "Who are you?! Why are you talking to me?!"

She felt like she was at the brink of insanity and hurried home to the safety and solitude of the indoors. Her eyes were drawn to the skies once again as she galloped. The eerily bright stars reflected across a forest pond as she neared home.

Don't be afraid Trixie, I'm your friend.