Of Rocks and Showmares

Chapter 3

trixie

Trixie fluttered her eyes and sighed in the warm, morning light. She rolled about and nuzzled her custom, down comforter covers. A pony once told her that investing a thousand bits into bedwear was a waste and there were better uses of money. She never once regretted it. Even when money was tight and she was hungry, Trixie always took comfort in knowing she slept like a goddess.

She welcomed the sight of the golden morning light that poured through her windows. If the sun was up and she wasn’t already covered from head to toe in dust that could only mean one thing.

“Hey, Trix!” Inkie blurted out suddenly from her bedside.

“Bwah!” Trixie yelped.

Trixie fell to the floor in a flailing mess of blankets and pillows.

“Shoot, I didn’t startle ya, did I?”

“Oh no, not at all! Trixie was just bidding a good morning to the floor! How may she assist you!?” Trixie replied with a big, sarcastic smile.

“Yeah, I know how you unicorns are, your weird mornin’ routines and all. You know what today is, right?!”

“Saturday?”

“Yup, that means no more readin’, just us goin’ to town! Ya promised, remember?”

“That Trixie did, but—”

Trixie was interrupted by the sudden closeness of Inkie, who had somehow appeared almost directly on top of her. Trixie blushed as Inkie’s strangely appealing scent of moist earth filled her nose.

“But Trixie think’s maybe she should eat breakfast first and get ready,” she finished.

Inkie didn’t move, smiling at her friend.

“So, maybe you should let me do that?” Trixie shooed her off.

Inkie looked down at her hooves and up and down Trixie’s body. “Oh geez! I’m sorry, didn’t even realize how—yeah, sorry...” Inkie blushed a bit and backed away.

Trixie got to her hooves and brushed herself off. She started making her bed. “My, my, Inkie. And here Trixie thought all our talk of fillyfooling was just witty banter. We haven’t even had breakfast, yet you’ve already found Trixie in bed and gotten her on the floor.” She patted her blankets smooth. “We both know we are, but capacity and interest are two different things. Tell Trixie, do you have a crush on her?”

Trixie threw out her trained, ‘seductive’ look. She was going to know what Inkie felt whether she admitted to it or not. For almost a month now, they’d been working together and Trixie had far too many suspicions of her.

Inkie’s already soft voice became that much softer. “Well, ‘course I do. I dream ‘bout ya every night, Trix. Just you and me, sittin’ out on the beach, waitin’ for the sun to set... But then!” Inkie made a dramatic gesture. “A storm blows in and we’re forced into a small shack for shelter! All night, alone in a shack... I wonder what happens...” She tapped her chin a few times.

Trixie gave her friend the weirdest look. She raised a brow.

“You’ve been reading Trixie’s books again haven’t you?!”

Inkie chuckled. “Yeah, kinda— maybe a little bit. I can see why you’re always so flirty, readin’ stuff like that. I particularly liked chapter nineteen. Such great detail...”

Trixie face flushed bright scarlet.

“Ya know, the part where she comes back after five years and they—”

“YES, TRIXIE WILL GO EAT BREAKFAST NOW.”

Trixie took a long look at her hat and cape.

She wasn’t exactly thrilled by the idea of going into town. From what she gathered, the town Inkie planned on taking her to held about the same population as Ponyville. More ponies meant a greater chance that somepony would recognize her, for better or worse. Trixie heard Inkie call out to her from the first floor.

“Ya almost ready?!”

“Trixie is just wondering if she should wear her hat and cape!”

“I don’t see why not! Only chance you’ll get to show em off is in town!”

Trixie decided against it. If somepony was going to recognize her, nothing was going to stop what followed, but she was used to that. What bothered her more was the idea of Inkie finding out who she really was. Despite their overtly flirtatious relationship, she was becoming good friends with her. Maybe she’d mind that Trixie was despised by the greater public, maybe she wouldn’t, but Trixie didn’t want to find out.

If she’d learned one thing, it was that no one stays friends with a pony everyone hates for very long. Trixie didn’t want Inkie to get hurt by being friends with her.

“Eh, Trixie worked so hard on her mane and coat today that she doesn’t want to have it ruined or hidden!”

“Whatever ya want, Trix! Just hurry up though! I’m gettin’ bored!”

Trixie trotted down to meet her friend and they left.

The walk to town took the lesser part of an hour at a brisk pace. Trixie didn’t know what to expect as Inkie went on about ‘how they had everything’. ‘Everything’ to this mare could mean anything from a tiny little, western town to the great city of Manehattan. When the city peaked around the ever approaching mountains, Trixie gulped.

She was familiar with Dodge City, but thankfully she had never been there on her tour. It was what could only be described as the biggest, western town in Equestria. The roads were still dirt, the buildings held that rustic, wooden feel, and swinging doors were the norm. It wasn’t terribly large, but it was getting to the point where knowing everypony in town was becoming a rare point of pride.

As they entered, Trixie saw streets sparsely populated with quiet ponies going about their business. Wooden carriages carried the affluent and important, hooves carried the less so. Everypony looked busy and paid little heed to each other as they passed. Sometimes a friendly ‘howdy’ rang out, but only for a moment.

“Why does everypony look so distant?” Trixie observed out loud. “Trixie imagined something more of a small town.”

“I dunno. Guess they’re just too busy to stop by and say hello. Used to be that way back when I was a filly, but everypony got too worried ‘bout makin’ money.”

Trixie tensed up as two of young stallions passed by her. They were joking and laughing quietly between themselves. The taller one perked his head at the two mares. He was a dusty white stallion with lightning yellow locks who wore a red bow tie and collar piece. He called out to the farmer.

“Inkie Pie? Is that you? Mercy, how long has it been?” he said warmly, approaching them. His voice was deep and calm, holding only a slight dialect.

“Far too long, Silver. What? Ya ‘fraid I’d never come back?” replied Inkie with a smirk.

“It’d do my heart great pain to never see the lovely Inkie Pie again. You know that.” Silver glanced at Trixie and held his hoof up to his heart. “What pains me more is that you haven’t already introduced me to your equally lovely friend yet.”

Trixie’s stomach dropped like lead. She stood rigid, stress and anxiety racing through her. She just realized she was going to have to say her name. If somepony didn’t recognize her immediately by face, they almost always knew her name. She could be moments away from a repeat of what happened in Manehattan.

“Why this here is my good friend, Trixie!” Inkie patted her on the back with a smile. “Go on, Trix. Don’t be shy.”

Trixie couldn’t afford to glare at her oblivious friend, she was frozen under the scrutinous eyes of the stallion. Her heart raced in her chest and she could feel herself going pale. Against every instinct, she held out her hoof to shake.

“Charmed...” she squeaked weakly.

Against all odds, his smile only grew warmer.

“Trixie, my name is Silver Shot and may I say...” He reached for her hoof and gave it a light peck. “I say, I’ve never seen a unicorn as beautiful as you.”

“Oh my...” The second he kissed her hoof, the tension melted away. Her anxiety became the giggles of a school filly and an attractive blush spread across her face. It had been a long time since a perfect stranger was so kind to her. Silver’s garnet eyes stared deeply into her amethyst counterparts.

“That’s enough, Silver,” Inkie butted in. “Perhaps ya want to introduce your friend to Trix as well.”

“It’d be my pleasure.”

Behind Silver, a short, stocky stallion stepped forward. He tripped over his hoof before catching himself. He wore a goofy, toothy grin. He was was a brick red with a steely silver mane resembling an overgrown, shag rug.

“May I introduce Sir Gustavus Ernest Von Neighvach-Hoofenburg,” Silver announced, almost regally.

Trixie gingerly put her hoof out to shake. “Your name is... Gustav?” she attempted.

“Ya’ll can just call me Lucky...”  He corrected. His thick country accent surprised Trixie. They shook hooves.

“Charmed, Lucky. Trixie assumes you are from Germaney. Trixie adores foreigners.” She gave him a smile.

He blushed. “Just mah folks are. I was born Equestrian...”

Trixie’s smile fell a smidgen. ”Ah...”

An awkward silence followed as all four of them flitted eyes for a moment. Silver was the next one to speak.

“Well, Inkie, this run-in is far too fortunate for mere coincidence. Be it a bold idea, but I’m thinkin’ we were meant to share company this fine day.” His voice was smooth and confident, never breaking for a moment.

“Well, I was fixin’ on showin’ Trix ‘round town. Maybe you can tag along if ya want.”

He looked down to his friend. “Well, Lucky, it seems like we found ourselves dates for the day. Time to put our best hooves forward. We’re in the company of mares now.”

“Gotcha big guy.” A fresh wave of confidence came over Lucky’s face. He stood up a bit taller and looked her straight in the eye. “T’will be a pleasure showin’ ya ‘round Miss Trixie.” He raised his eyebrows at her a few times.

Inkie closed her eyes and shook her head. “Both of you are crazy.”

Silver slid up next to Trixie, looking down at her with a warm smile. “Shall we be off, Trixie?”

Lucky slid up her other side, looking up in the same way. “Ya’ll ready ta git goin’, Miss Trixie?”

Flustered by the attention, Trixie could only blush and nod shyly. She squealed and giggled as they hurried her into town. Inkie was still shaking her head from side to side when she opened her eyes. They were leaving her behind.

“Hey wait, just hold up a second!”

They took leisurely paces as they strolled through town. The two stallions spared no courtesy or pleasantry with the mares. They led them around, pointing out historical landmarks to the interest of the unicorn. At first she was still fearful that somepony might recognize her, but the fear eroded with time. They were laughing, joking, and exchanging stories in no time when a nostalgic kind of aroma filled their noses. It was sweet and thick in the air.

Trixie sniffed at the air. “Mmmm, what is that?”.

Silver smirked, glancing at the unicorn. “Which one of you two want to let our good friend Trixie in on Dodge City’s biggest, and might I add, most delicious secret?” he asked, holding his chin up high in pride.

Inkie passed. “All yours, Lucky.”

“Gotcha.” He threw his arm around Trixie’s neck, pulling her down to his level. “Now, Miss Trixie. When Dodge was first settled, somepony had the nerve ta say it wouldn’t last six months and that it was cursed. They weren’t too far from the truth. Ya see, Dodge City was first built on ancient zebra buria—”

“No! Not that secret! I mean the other one!” exclaimed Silver, waving his hooves for him to stop.

“What? What other secret do we have?” he asked..

They exchanged confused looks.

“Ya mean the fudge...?”

Trixie’s eye lit up. “Fudge? Trixie loves fudge!”

“Yer in fer a treat, we got some purdy good fudge here in Dodge. Prolly the best fudge this side of Canterlot. Would ya like some?“

“Yes, please! Take Trixie to this fudge!”

The two rushed off to find the origin of the aroma.

Meanwhile, Inkie was still standing there a bit dumbfounded. Finally something connected. “Wait, was that ‘bout the curse on Dodge City? Something ‘bout an ancient zebra—”

“Yes, Inkie! Ancient zebra recipe for fudge! Can you believe they just figured it out? Mustn’t be without ancient zebra fudge for too long!”

He shuffled her along while loudly explaining how ‘blue’ the sky seemed to be at that particular moment.

what brings them together: inkie’s side

As they ate their treats, Trixie was smiling radiantly. Usually Trixie was much more sarcastic and snarky. While it could be fun in short spurts, sometimes it became overbearing. Ten hours a day of pessimism, no matter how witty, got old after awhile. Yet, right now, Trixie was being playful, innocent, and surprisingly cheerful. She had once accidentallied poked Inkie in the side, revealing an explosively ticklish reaction, which she was using to her advantage.

She was always at the head of the group, urging everyone to move on faster to the next stop on their tour. She hadn’t even been flirtatious, instead telling amusing stories from a nearly endless pool when she had the spotlight. It was refreshing and Inkie was starting to like the mare a whole lot more because of it.

All too soon the day came to an end. It was getting dark and the mares had a long walk home. Despite trying to drag it out another hour longer, Inkie convinced Trixie they needed to leave. After exchanging hugs, they departed the two stallions, promising another date in a week’s time.

They were well on their way home when Inkie noticed that Trixie was almost skipping in her step and her face was permanently set in a smile.

“Have fun, Trix?”

“Oh, Inkie Pie! Trixie had a grand time!” she said, hugging her friend tightly. “Thank you so much for taking her!”

Inkie blushed as Trixie began rubbing her cheek against her own. She cleared her throat. “Ahem, yeah... So, what’d ya think of Silver and Lucky?”

“Trixie is baffled. You said all the stallions in town were ‘knuckleheads’. That Silver is quite the gentlecolt.”

“I’m guessin’ you got the hots for him?”

“I am surprised you don’t.”

Inkie’s blush intensified, she cleared her throat again. “Well... yeah, ya know why that is...”

Trixie released her. “Well, if you must know, Trixie does fancy that stallion...”

Inkie slumped a bit.

“But...”

Trixie wrapped her tail around Inkie’s.

“Trixie fancies a lot of ponies...”

Inkie’s heart leapt up into her throat. Trixie smiled and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before releasing tails and carrying on with their walk home.

Inkie melted under the unicorn’s soft, delicate lips. At first, it felt almost anti-climactic, just a light touch that was soon forgotten. Yet, slowly but surely, it surged through her like liquid lightning. Warmness crawled through her body, weakening her knees. Trixie turned around and noticed the her lovestruck short circuit.

“Inkie, dear, you’re blushing like mad right now. Are you ok?”

Inkie’s soft voice could only blurt out babble as she dug her hoof at the ground. “T-trix wh-why’d ya d-do th-that?”

“Do what?”

“Ya kissed me...”

“But it was just a little—” Trixie cut herself off.

It was in that moment that they knew.

“Oh my goodness, actually, Inkie,” she said slowly.” Do you want to talk about something? Maybe about us?”

Inkie’s delicate voice squeaked. “Mmmhmmm...”

Trixie couldn’t help but notice how adorable she was. She smiled and looked Inkie straight in the eye. “I think I want to know how you feel about me.”

“Well, I— I...” Inkie trailed off into silence. Her lips trembled. She looked away from Trixie and hid under her mane. Trixie tried to twist her neck around to see her, but she kept turning away.

Their tender moment was interrupted abruptly. A voice rang out.

”Is that the Great and Powerful Trixie?! Yo, guys, check it out!”

”Heh, yeah. Guess it’s our lucky day,” another voice said.

“Oh, no...” Trixie whispered. She looked at Inkie and made her split second decision.

Inkie snapped out of her emotional reverie. “Huh? What’s goin’ on?”

“Hey, Great and Powerful Trixie, how’re the streets treating you? Find any good benches to sleep under?” a third voice rang out.

A group of stallions, two unicorns and a pegasus approached them.

“Trix, ya know these guys?” Inkie muttered still a little breathy.

Trixie forced a laugh. “Oh, you never fail to amuse Trixie! To be honest, she is in no mood to fight tonight. I assume the standard fare?” she said to the stallions cheerily. Trixie whispered through her teeth at Inkie. ”Inkie, go on without me, I’ll be back home soon.”

“Huh...?”

“Coming easy this time?” One of them smirked. “Who’s your friend?” He nodded at Inkie.

“I’—”

“She’s nopony. Trixie couldn’t even tell you her name.” Trixie lashed her tail at Inkie and turned to her. “Now, if you’ll leave, Trixie and the three of us have important business to take care of. Begone with you!” She shooed Inkie away.

The stallions snickered. Inkie cocked her head, trying to understand. She couldn’t find the words to speak, nor the thoughts to explain Trixie’s actions. Something wasn’t connecting with her. Why was Trixie acting so weird and who were these stallions?

Trixie scoffed and held her nose up at the mare, driving the wedge ever deeper. She shot daggers of venom at the farmer. Inkie’s eyes watered, but she blinked them away.

“Hey, w-wait... what’s goin’ on?”

“Are you quite done? Didn’t Trixie tell you to get lost?”

“T-trix, what’s wrong with ya? It’s me, your friend.”

”Does Trixie look like she cares? Get out of here you stupid mare, don’t make The Great and Powerful Trixie tell you again!” she yelled

Inkie shook her head, backing away from the unicorn slowly. She blinked to clear the tears, but a few escaped, falling down her cheeks in steady streams. Her face scrunched up, emotions piling behind her pursed lips and hurt eyes.

“Why’re ya doin’ this to me?! I ain’t done nothin’ wrong!” she burst out. Another pause later she erupted again. “You’re rotten Trix!” she cried. “Real rotten! To answer your question, I don’t feel nothin’! Not anymore at least!” Inkie turned tail and ran, sobbing.

She ran harder and faster than she ever ran before.

Inkie had run home in less than an hour. She cried the entire time and never looked back to see if anyone was following. Next Chapter: Chapter 4 Estimated time remaining: 15 Minutes