Every Night I was There: Part 1

He couldn't get her out of his head. The passion in her voice, the joy she expressed while she performed on stage, and the astonishment expressed by the crowds who had gathered upon her arrival. It was unfortunate, however, that all those beautiful things were covered; hidden by a need to impress, and a desire to feed a void that had been carved by years of emptiness and joy brought on from the embarrassment of others. At least, that was what he felt about her, or maybe he just hoped they could be true.
Those were the things that Pickles pondered as he paced slowly from one side of the main room to another, giving the occasional glance out of the windows to the others that were also busy outside with their daily chores. A light aqua hued ear twitched, and the white and green fur of his tail flicked as he turned to once again stroll over to the opposite side.
"Where would she have gone," he mumbled softly to himself.
A quick knock at the door made Pickles' mind snap back into place, causing him to give out a short gasp from the startle, nearly making him stumble back. He gathered himself, trying his best to fix the ruffles in his hair and mane before bolting back to the door.
"Coming—I'm coming!"
His last words slipped into a shout, a hoof hitting a pile of books on the floor just as a small blast of magic hit the handle of the door just enough to push it open, right as he hit the ground with a soft thud and a groan.
"Diiiid I catch you at a bad time?" came a rather concerned female tone.
"N-no; not at all!" Pickles assured as he leapt upright, looking nervously at Twilight Sparkle, who stood with a worried smile on her face. "I was just uh—just—finishing some work on—stuff—and things. That's why the place is such an um—mess?"
"Your place is always a mess, Pickles," she replied, glancing at the mass of rubble scattered over the room. "Anyway, I just came by to check up on that report I gave you for my Practical Pony Powers study. You did read it—right?"
"Read—it?"
Pickles stood, staring blankly off into the empty space behind Twilight's head, hearing her words but unable to register his reply. He only regained his focus when her hoof waved over his eyes, making his blink.
"Anypony in there?" she asked, tapping him on the head.
"Huh? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Pickles replied with a heavy sigh.
"Obviously," Twilight laughed with a roll of her eyes. "I just wanted to know if you finished that editing for me."
"Oh, right!"
Pickles jumped back, maneuvering his way along the floor to the back where he had placed her project on his desk.
"Sorry, I really meant to bring this over to you, I just kind of—well—forgot."
He handed the small stack of papers back to Twilight, who used her magic to give a quick flip through them.
"Where's the rest of it? There appears to be about thirty pages missing."
"Oh, right—about that," Pickles said rubbing the back of his head. "I kind of took the advice from some of the others around town about your speeches and projects."
"What about them?" Twilight replied with a cocked eyebrow.
"Well, most of them all had the same response."
"And that would be?"
"Weeeeeeell," Pickles slowly let his vision shift downward as he moved a hoof against the floor. "They said you tend to be a bit—wordy—and long—and take forever—and not make a lot of sense. I mean, I didn't see what the position of the constellations and the color of each star has to do wanting to know what color flower tastes best on a spring salad."
Twilight groaned, and then tapped the stack into a neat pile against the side of the wall, before holding them out in front of her. Pickles shifted nervously as she stared at him, turning in a circle as she trotted a circle around his body as if studying him.
"So it's her again, isn't it?" she chuckled.
"Her? Her who?"
His sentence was cut off as a magic glow formed around his lips, sealing them shut, causing him to sit and fold his front legs in annoyance and tap a hoof on the ground.
"Pickles, you already told me everything about it. It's Trixie again, right? Why are you so worried about her? She probably wouldn't care anyway."
Unable to talk, he simply gave her a slight nod, then smacking his lips lightly as she finally released him from her spell.
"Is it really that obvious?"
"Well, let's see," Twilight started as she made her way into his home, now using her spells to begin organizing the tragedy of the floors. "You stare off into space, you pace around your home most of the day, and from the looks of your home, more so recently at least, you haven't bothered to take care of anything, including yourself. Personally, I don't understand it. Then again, I don't understand you much either. You're a unicorn pony that doesn't like using magic and has a pickle on his flank. That doesn't make any sense."
"Well, I uh—you see—" he stammered.
"And you keep her dirty hat and cape here with you as well?!" Twilight said, rolling her eyes as she magically pulled the two items from between his desk and bookshelf. "Why do you have these?"
"Hey, be careful with those!"
Pickles ran forward, quickly snatching both out of the air where Twilight was holding them. He neatly folded the cape, setting it and the hat back on the desk.
"Seriously, I don't get it," Twlight bluntly stated. "She was loud, obnoxious, and had an ego bigger than a full grown dragon! How can you even like her?"
"It's—complicated," he admitted. "And when did I ever say anything about liking her?"
"Trust me, you don't need to. But if you're going to insist on keeping those, they need to be cleaned!"
Pickles jerked as Twilight pulled the hat and cape away from him again, keeping it hovering at her side.
"I'll just take these down to Rarity so she can fix them up for you. That way we don't have to worry about you growing too—obsessed over her dirty clothing! I'll see you later, Pickles, and thanks again!"
"Hey w—"
Before he could get in another word, Twilight had vanished with a wink and a flash of light.
"—ait just a second—please," he finished, even though she was already gone before he turned to look at his recently clean home. "When did THIS happen?"
The rest of the day he spent finishing up the work he had readied for others, taking his time to sort, read, and enhance papers and advertisements for other ponies around the area. It wasn't his talent to work on such things, but it was a decent way to earn his living. However, even when he managed to get fully engrossed in his work, his mind always fluttered back to one thing; Trixie.
Soon the sun had set, and as the quiet night came upon the land of Equestria, Pickles found himself in another restless night. It had been over a month since Trixie had come to Ponyville, flashed her magic, and then ran from sight, but almost every night since she had left, his mind wouldn't give him a moment's peace. Even his dreams were plagued with strange nightmares, usually from her point of view. He worried about what had happened to her since all of her belongings had been left behind.
"I hope she's okay," he spoke softly, rolling to his side to stare out the open window, where the moon made shadows dance along the floorboards.
Unable to sleep, he pushed himself from the bed, making his way over to the opening to look more fully at the graceful moon above. His thoughts kept him awake, but they were also responsible for another feeling, one that he realized he could no longer ignore. He knew now what he wanted to do, what he had to do to set his heart right and sate his curiousity.
"I have to find her—I'm going to find her; one way or the other!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Early the next morning, Pickles started his preparations; gathering up a few small supplies, and stuffing whatever he could inside of his saddle bag. On his way out, he went over to the desk in the back, and pulled out a small, tattered poster, one that featured Trixie. If he hoped to find her, he knew it would come in handy. With his sack packed, he walked out of his home, closing the door behind him and placing a note on the door, stating:

"Out on business, but I'll be back in a few days
Please drop any projects in the door slot"

With everything set, Pickles only had to retrieve Trixie's hat and cape from Rarity before he could start off. On the way there, he stopped, a display of freshly baked goods at Sugarcube Corner catching his attention. A growl of his stomach was all it took, and he was instantly caught. After a few minutes, an exchange of money, and few wraps of food, his hunger was sated, and his pack stocked with snacks for later. NOW he could get what he needed before leaving.
Moments later he approached the door to Rarity's own shop, giving a few soft taps on the door.
"Coooooooming!" rang a pleasant voice from the other side.
A rustle, a click, and the door was opened, greeting him with the overly gleaming smile of Rarity.
"Pickles, what brings you here? You—couldn't possibly be here to shop—could you?" she asked, looking slightly confused.
"Eh? Oh no—noooo, not me. I was just—well I think Twilight stopped by the other day and dropped something off for me? Or rather, something she took from me I should say," he tried to explain.
"Something she—took from you? Oh, goodness, that's right! Those drab, out of date rags she brought to me last night! Wait right here, darling. The place is an awful mess right now!"
She gave him a quick shove back away from the door as she shut it, returning a minute later with the freshly folded cape, and newly cleaned hat resting atop it.
"You uh, wanted these—things, correct?" Rarity asked, giving a bit of a disgusted, phony smile at the items as she offered them to him.
"Wow, they look brand new!" Pickle exclaimed, flipping the fabric around as he looked over the missing tears and rips.
"I must ask, dear; what on earth are you doing with those dreadful things? Especially since they belonged to such an egotistical, obnoxious, rude liar such as her?"
"Well, I uh—you see—"
Pickles stopped, rustling in the dirt a bit and looking off to the side, a bit of crimson coming to his cheeks.
"My my my, I see it now! You can't hide those feelings from me. I can recognize when somepony has stars in their eyes, and yours are lighting up like gemstones!" she teased. "Though I'll admit I'm not sure WHY, but you're in love with that, oh how should I say it—with that, unpleasant, brutish girl, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not! I just—they belonged to her and something tells me they're kind of important!" he quickly snapped back as his backend hit the dirt.
Pickles let his ear fold back as he moved his pack around to gently fold both of the restored articles inside for safety.
Smiling with an elegant giggle, he felt Rarity's hoof on his shoulder as he stood, giving it a soft rub before she flicked at the top and sides of his mane, fixing them the best she could.
"While I'm not entirely fond of your choices, I must admit it's rather adorable to see you so flustered over someone," she said before stepping back. "EVERY pony should be entitled to finding their one true love, and you should be no exception, sweetie! You must really have seen something in her. I don't know what that something could be, but if that's what you want, you shouldn't keep yourself waiting any longer."
"But I—"
He stopped, finally just caving in a bit to everyone's suggestions. Maybe he did have feelings for her, even if they weren't obvious to him. Pickles gave her a smile, standing upright as she moved away from him, feeling a little more confident after her little speech.
"Thanks, Rarity. I just—"
His last words were abruptly interrupted as a massive crash bellowed from the inside of Rarity's boutique. For a moment, there was just silence as Rarity's expression slowly faded from shocked to incredibly worried, shown by the occasional twitch of her ear and cringe of her eye.
"It's too early for this!" she muttered through gritted teeth.
"Uhhhh, Rarity?" a soft voice came from behind her.
Pickles gave a stifled laugh as Rarity's body slowly slumped forward, her face forming a blank, yet annoyed stare.
"I better get back in there," she sighed heavily. "Before some pony turns my shop into a disaster area!"
He nodded, giving a quick wave before she turned away, and the door closed swiftly behind her back, followed shortly by Rarity's louder than usual yelling over what surely awaited her. With everything he needed, Pickle hoisted his bag up over his side, and turned down the nearest street.
The morning was early, and most of the town was already awake and getting a head start on the day's activities. He saw many familiar faces, greeting those he knew, but made no more stops now that he was finally on his way. He only had one clue on where he should start, and that was given to him by the poster that he had pulled from the rubble with her clothing. Reaching into one of the saddle bag's pockets, he pulled out the folded up paper, opening it as he read over the title to himself.

"Come and witness the amazing magic of
The Great and Powerful Trixie!

The most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria!

Who single handedly vanquished the dreaded Ursa Major and saved the fearful ponies of Hoofinton!"

Returning the paper, Pickles looked up over the mountains where the sun had started to peek over the distant mountains. Hoofinton was only about a two hour trot from Ponyville if he kept a steady pace. When he reached the end of the town, he stopped, glancing back over his shoulder with a smile before lifting a hoof off the ground, and then another.
"Hope all of you are up for a little adventure!"
Knowing that he would eventually be back in his home town before he knew it gave him all the assurance he needed, and Pickles started off without another moment's hesitation. The day itself was looking to be perfect, as most of the clouds had already been cleared away by the early flight teams, allowing the sky to glimmer in full display. He couldn't have asked for a better day than this.
Pickles encountered few other travelers on his way down the dirt road, many of which who were on their way from one town to another, carrying supplies and other goods for their shops and stores. He only stopped once, sitting under a tree on the outer edge of the larger forest to snack on another of the sweets he had picked up. He couldn't help but laugh as he looked over the paper wrapper from the cupcake he had purchased and what was stamped into it.

"If sugar makes you smile, then twice the sugar should make you smile twice as much!"

"That explains a lot," he laughed softly as he tucked the paper away and licked a chunk of frosting off his face.
The last leg of Pickles' journey went just as smoothly, with the sun above his head to guide the way, the sight of Hoofinton was just in view in the lower valley ahead. It was a little smaller than Ponyville, but appeared to hold just as many residents, and the closer he got, the busier things became. Streets filled with other ponies, and shops lined with fancy goodies just like his own hometown. The problem was, he didn't know where or how to start.
"Well, no better way to do this."
He dug out the paper from his bag and cleared his throat.
"Um, excuse me, have seen this pony?" he mumbled through the paper to ask a light purple hued mare as she walked by.
"I'm sorry, but I haven't," she politely replied before walking on her way.
Pickles waited another few seconds before snagging another opportunity with an older, yellow coated colt as he walked down the streets.
"I don't suppose you know anything about her, do you?"
"Hmmm, I'm afraid I don't," he said as he glanced over the poster.
"Alright, well thanks anyway," Pickles sighed.
His search continued as he made his way deeper into town, stopping anyone when the situation presented itself, but the reply was always the same. No one knew a thing, and no one seemed to have ever even seen her there before. He started to think that maybe Trixie had never even been to Hoofinton at all. It was just another one of her lies.
Just a little past noon he decided to stop and grab something to eat at one of the local restaurants. It had been a rough morning and it felt as if his hooves would break apart if he kept going. Sitting outside, he leaned over the table as he took a bite out of the fresh salad greens he had ordered.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. You knew they were all lies, right?" he asked, as if waiting for some sort of reply before rolling his eyes. "Talking to yourself, that's perfectly normal."
Just as he took a large bite out of the fresh baked bread, a cream colored mare with orange and yellow hair strolled by his outside table, stopping suddenly in front of it.
"She looks a little familiar," she stated as she glanced down at the poster he had left sitting in the open.
"'Ou 'uve?!" Pickles mumbled with his mouth still full of food.
"Pardon?"
He crossed his eyes as if to look down at his own mouth, and chewed as fast as he could before swallowing quickly before standing.
"You've seen her before?" he repeated.
"Well, I haven't seen her, no," the mare continued as she looked over the advertisement and Trixie's picture. "I've heard they have a new unicorn performer though over at Fillydelphia though that might resemble her. Is she a friend of yours?"
"She—she is, yes," Pickles replied, unsure of what else to call her.
"Well I hope you manage to find her then!"
With a smile, he watched her walk off, returning his stare down at the flyer.
"Fillydelphia? But that's—that's on the other side of Equestria, in the other direction!"
With a groan, Pickles' head flopped forward, emitting a soft 'thud' as it hit the table. While the idea of currently traveling in the wrong direction wasn't the best information, the new lead he had was better than none at all.
Once his meal had been finished, he packed up, and took back to the roads, only this time he made his way back in the direction of Ponyville. By the time he had returned, most of the activity had dwindled now that everyone had done their morning running around.
"Oh, there you are," came a hushed voice from behind him.
Turning around, he saw Fluttershy, standing just a few feet behind him as her hoof fell back down, like she was just about to tap his shoulder.
"Is everything okay? You looked a little—well more worried than normal," he attempted to joke.
"Oh no, it's just—Rarity had said that you were leaving town this morning, and I was worried that no one told you there might be a big storm coming later tonight. I'm glad to see you didn't leave yet," she sighed.
"Big?! This storm is going to be huuuuuge!"
Pickles nearly fell forward as Fluttershy jumped into his side, almost knocking him over as a flash of rainbow light blew right in front of them, nearly sending them both to the ground. It quickly formed into the figure of Rainbow Dash as she fluttered over their heads.
"Cloudsdale has a massive backup of storm clouds that they need to release before things get too chaotic up there! So make sure to keep your tails inside unless you want some unexpected flying lessons! Not that it would be a problem for someone as skilled as me!" Rainbow Dash added with a confident grin before she spun back around and disappeared into the gathering clouds.
"Actually I just got back," he laughed as he turned back to Fluttershy, who slowly moved away from him. "I kinda went in the wrong direction and had to turn back."
"Oh, well that's a good thing then! It would have been awful if you got caught in that storm!"
Fluttershy paused for a moment as she glanced around at his bag, looking between him and the darkening clouds overhead.
"Um, I hope you don't mind; I mean I don't want to be rude, but I should probably be going now," she stated nervously.
A soft rumble in the distance made Fluttershy gasp out in alarm before she started to walk away.
"I-I better get going! Be safe, please!"
"Be careful on the way home then!" he shouted out to her as he waved goodbye.
Pickles made it back home just as the rain had started, and what was once a bright sunny day soon turned into a dreary, drenching thunderstorm that showed no signs of letting up. Stuck indoors, he wouldn't be able to travel anywhere until it passed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The rest of the day he spent finishing up overdue projects and starting a couple of the new ones that had already been left for him during his short time away. Flashes of light were soon the only illumination that remained outside once darkness approached, and each rumble and strike only appeared to grow in intensity. With no other choice available, Pickles cleaned up, and crawled back into bed, where sleep soon took him away in a cloud of dreams.
Unfortunately, the dreams that awaited him had sprouted darker seeds than they had previously shown. When his eyes had closed, and his inner thoughts opened, he suddenly found himself before an audience, and standing on a large, beautifully made stage. He tilted his head, confused at the fact that the ponies in the crowd were booing harshly at him.
"What's going on? What happened?"
It was then he looked down and saw the colors of his hooves and body. Stepping back, he shook his head, seeing the beautiful blues. It was then he saw his reflection, shown back to him from broken pieces of mirror that lay below.
"Trixie?" he stomped again, stepping nervously in place when he saw her in the reflection.
It was then an object collided directly with his face, sending him back as it hit with a wet plop.
"Yeah, I got her right in the face!"
"Hey, why don't you make THAT mess vanish, just like your act?"
He used a hoof to wipe away the object, watching as a slightly rotted tomato hit the stage floor. Another followed, and he was forced to quickly jump to the side to avoid being hit yet again.
"Get off the stage! No pony wants to see you screw up anymore tricks!"
Pickles was soon forced to flee from the stage when the barrage become too much. He didn't stop, running until he made it to the safety of the backstage room, and closed the door behind him. There was another mirror in the room, and he approached, looking at the sad reflection of Trixie; tears running down the side of her face.
"A failure—not even a has-been, just a never was," came her burdened voice. "Why can't Trixie make this work?!"
Her hooves hit the top of the desk, and as her eyes closed, so did his.
"All Trixie wanted was someone to care—"
With a startled gasp he awoke, holding a hoof to his head. His heart felt like it was about ready to pop at any given second. It was like every worry in the world has forced its way into him. Panting heavily, he shifted over until his hooves rested on the wooden floor, sighing heavily to try and calm himself after such an awful nightmare.
"Was that," he said between breaths. "Was that why she felt the way she did when she was here?"
He decided he couldn't wait. Even if it was the middle of the night, he had to get moving.
Pickles prepared as fast as he could to pack everything he needed. At that point, he didn't care that the walk to Fillydelphia would take him all night and even most of the morning. He didn't even care if the storm was still raging outside. Nothing mattered right now after such a rude awakening. All that mattered was that he had to leave, he had to find her, and he had to make sure that she was okay.
Bolting into the empty streets of Ponyville, he didn't even bother to close the door behind him. Thankfully, the rain had stopped, even if the ground below his hooves was nothing but solid mud. The clouds above had mostly emptied out, leaving just enough of an opening in the sky to reveal the glowing moon and stars. The street lights were out due to the storm, leaving very little light to illuminate the surrounding areas, as well as his own figure as he moved along the shadowy roads, which almost proved to be a very deadly situation.
Just as he turned into the main intersection near the center of town, someone shouted out, warning for him to move out of the way in the most urging way. He did, just barely diving off to the side against the nearby building as a large carriage skidded by him, gliding through the muddy terrain before it slid to a rocky halt a few yards away from him.
"Woo Nelly; that sure was a close one!"  
Pickles looked over at the stationary vehicle, shaking chunks of mud from his legs and tail where he had been splattered before making his way over to where it now rested.
"Applejack? What are you doing out here?"
"Oh, howdy there, Pickles. I didn't expect to see anyone out here at this time a' night!" Applejack laughed as she leapt from the front end of the carriage to check the wheels.
"Yeah, neither did I—what IS that thing?" he asked as looked over what she had been riding in.
"What, this old thing? Why this here is a modified stage coach! Been testin' out a new steam engine down over at the farms. We had a few left over parts that we had no use for, so we figured why not find a use for 'em! Also took the time to fix up some larger storage space in the back! She's fully functional, not to mention practical!" she said, proudly slapping the side of the wagon as she displayed the metallic engine near the back, and the full canopy top that blanketed the rear area. "Been out here the past couple of nights tryin' ta get the hang of her before our delivery tonight. Sorry I didn't see you, kind of dark 'an all! Now what're you doing out here at such a late hour? Never figured you to be the nocturnal type!"
"I was just—out for a walk is all. Don't worry about it," he tried to assure her.
"Now hold on just a minute. Don't be thinkin' you can pull the wool over mah eyes," Applejack ordered as she walked in front of him, a determined look forming across her muzzle. "I don't suppose this has anything to do with that little venture Twilight said you were plannin' to find that Trixie gal does it?"
"Does EVERYPONY know about this?" he groaned nervously as Applejack stared him down.
"Haha sure seems that way, don't it?"
"Well, last I heard she might have shown up over at Fillydelphia. I was on my way there."
"And you were fixin' to walk that entire ways? Sorry, I ain't gonna let that happen!"
Before he could even protest, Applejack had swooped up behind him, and was quickly pushing him to the front passenger side of the wagon, nudging him against it.
"B-but I thought you said you had a delivery to do!"
"Lucky for you then I just happen to goin' your way! Need to drop off those barrels of applesauce down at the Butter Bites Sweet Shop for their bakin' goods! Which just so happens to be right in the heart of Filly!"
"Are—you sure you don't mind?" he questioned as he slowly climbed up into the seat next to her.
"Think nothin' of it, sugarcube," Applejack assured him. "Besides, you look plum tired as it is. Last thing we need is to have you passed out by the side of the road!"
Pickles smiled as she gave him a nod and a wink before fixing her hat and placing her hooves on the wheel in front. She then pressed a hoof down onto a pedal in the floor and the engine in back hissed as steam flooded the works. Pressure built, and within moments the wheels began to turn, picking up speed as momentum peaked. Soon, they were both off into the night.
The creaks of the wooden wheels as well as the occasional hiss of pressure from the engine at the rear were the only sounds that accompanied the hushed chirp of nightly crickets. Pickles was slowly finding it harder to stay away from his lack of decent sleep in the past few nights, and his eyes started to drift.
"You okay there, partner?" Applejack inquired.
"Y-yeah, just a rough few nights is all. Sleep hasn't exactly been my friend recently," he spoke with a yawn.
"Well you're more than welcome to catch a little shuteye. It's not like you'll be drivin' or anything!" she joked.
The soft vibrations and the calming night were slowly taking their toll on his drowsy state. Pickles' eyes fluttered, his head began to nod, and bit by bit his conscious mind was drifting away into a calm slumber.
"SLEEP?! How can anyone sleep at a time like this?!" an excited voice suddenly rang out, instantly popping him out of his dream bubble with a jolt.
His body nearly fell off the wagon as Pinkie Pie's head popped out from behind the canopy of the vehicle, facing him with a bright, enthusiastic smile.
"I mean just look at this night! The rain was kind of a bummer with all that LOUD thunder and wind going woooooosh, but now it's all gone, and just look at the moon and how bright it is and all those stars! How are ya, doing Pickles?!" she quickly added in between a short breath. "Did I ever tell you how funny your name is?! I love it, since you're green and so are pickles! All the lights in the sky remind me of the city, and I just LOVE the city with all the places to shop and eat and so many other new ponies to meet! It's going to be so fun! Speaking of, I hear you're going to find that grumpy hooves, Trixie! That's sooooo cute that you actually LIKE her like her! I mean I've liked someone before, but I don't know if I've ever LIKE liked someone!"
Any hint of fatigue he had previously felt was quickly burned away by the hyperactive conversation Pinkie Pie had quickly drawn up with herself, which was still running rapidly from her mouth as he glanced over at Applejack. She laughed, grinning at him as they rounded a bend in the road.
"Why is she here?" he asked, rubbing at his eyes.
"I figured it couldn't hurt to let her come along for the trip, since I was figurin' it might get a touch quiet by my lonesome out here. Besides, I don't think it's possible to say no to Pinkie—iffin' you can say anything at 'tall!" Applejack joked over Pinkie Pie's chatter.
If nothing else, Pickles was grateful that he was no longer tired; even if the cost of that was that he might possibly lose his hearing after the ride.
The rest of their travel went smoothly, only having to stop once to refill the water supply on Applejack's steam engine. In what felt like no time at all, the bright lights of Fillydelphia were in clear view as the dirty road gave way to a harder cobble street. Since he didn't have any clue where he would even go, Pickles stayed with Applejack as they made their way to the center of the city, where they parked near the side alley of the Butter Bites Sweet Shop.
"Applejack, how did you know I was hungry?!" Pinkie Pie gasped as she bounced from the wagon and skipped her way through the door.
Pickles pushed his way off the carriage, watching as she left.
"Shouldn't you—"
"BYE PICKLES!!!" Pinkie suddenly shouted as she popped back out from the inside of the building, making him topple backwards. "Hope you find whatcha looking for!"
He groaned as an amused Applejack helped him back to his hooves and patted him firmly on the back.
"You sure you'll be okay on your own, sugarcube? We could always stick around for a couple a days if you want."
"It's okay. Besides, you've already done more than enough for me tonight," he said with a smile. "Thanks Applejack."
"Well if you do need somethin' just ask! You know how to reach any of us!"
With that, Applejack smiled and went inside of the shop. Having no other clues to go by, Pickles stood in the rising streets of the city, looking up at the sky as the sun started to rise and cast its shimmer into purple blends of clouds. As the sun emerged, so did the life of the streets. It was time to get started.
As he had done in Hoofinton, Pickles stopped anyone he could; passing them the flyer and asking if they knew anything at all about the pony named Trixie. One after another, pony after pony, the result was almost identical. There was nothing. It was beginning to look like nothing more than another dead end. However, the city itself was much larger than Ponyville, and there were still many more places to check. The search, he figured, might last days, since if he found nothing here, there would be nowhere else to turn.
Near the middle of the day, after having taken a break to eat and rest up, his search took him to the outer north section of town. The area was a little more run down than the rest of the city, but still pleasant nonetheless since maintenance was being done to fix it up. It was here, that he got his first light of hope.
"Now that you mention it, there's a club down under the main bridge that connects the road to Canterlot," a brown, more gentlemen like stallion said as he pointed down the street. "I've been hearin' people talkin' about a new girl in town with a bit of an attitude. Guess she came in a couple weeks ago."
"Thank you!" Pickles said with his voice full of hope as he took the paper back. "Thank you so much!"
He didn't waste anymore time, bolting in that direction. His body was physically tired, and his mind slightly warped from the mental struggle to stay away, but there was no stopping now. As he approached the bridge, he took a stairway leading down to the lower streets, and under the archway was an entry. Above the entry was a beautiful, neon sign, spelling out:

HAYWAY BRIDGE PERFORMANCE CLUB

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Pickles took in a deep breath, and walked through the doors.
Despite being hidden below the bridge's upper level, he had to admit the interior of the building was presented nicely. Royal blues cascaded along the walls as the occasional flicker of light danced over the surfaces. There was a bar to the left, decorated in elegant gold, a dimly lit stage that covered a large majority of the back, and the floor below his feet was a regal shade of red. Even if the overall design was rather flashy, it wasn't so much that it could hurt one's eyes. The current crowd was rather sparse, with only a few stallions seated at the tavern sipping on their drinks. With the poster ready, Pickles approached the bar.
"Um, excuse me," he asked politely after setting down the flyer.
"How can I help you?" the gray furred male behind the counter inquired.
"I was wondering, if you might know anything about the mare in this picture," he asked, handing him the paper. "She's—she's a friend of mine that vanished a while ago. I've been trying to find her."
Pickles waited nervously as the male studied over the picture of Trixie before lifting his gaze to shoot a smile in his direction, pushing the paper back to him.
"Come back tonight, my friend."
A skip in his heart, and his eyes lit up, feeling a burst of excitement within him.
"So you've seen her?!" he asked again.
"I have. Just come back tonight around nine. That's when we open the stage to local talent or anyone hoping to catch their big break. She tends to make regular appearances."
"I-I will, thank you!"
He felt like he couldn't be happier at this point. This new hope gave him such a boost that he would have explored the rest of the city all day, knowing that she was there somewhere. That is, he would have, if he had the strength to keep moving. Exhaustion was now beginning to win over his excitement, and a few blocks away, he found a very nice hotel to stay at called the Golden Gala Gateway. Pickles rented a room, saying he might be staying a few extra nights, and took the key after paying the required bits. The chamber was nice, without being overly fancy, but before he could even take a look around, the need for slumber took him to the bed, and he was soon out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Pickles awoke just after eight, giving him enough time to clean up, fix his mane as best as he could, and grab a bit to eat before making his way back to the club. Upon entering, he was surprised to see that the club was much more active. The bar was packed with stallion and mare alike, and the stage he had seen before was now brightly displayed as a crowd slowly gathered around its perimeters. On the stage itself, a band of three ponies was currently performing, filling the room with a jazzy music. Making his way through the crowds he managed to find a table closer to the stage's center, where he sat, and waited, scanning the individuals in the room to see if he might spot Trixie.
While he waited, the current performance ended, the sounds of hooves clapping against tables in approval filled the room before they took their bows, and left. Shortly after, a mare made her way to the center, bringing with her a stool to lean against before she opened a booklet she had brought, and began to read poetry for the crowd.
"Can I get you anything?" a waitress asked, startling Pickles as she approached from behind.
"Huh? Oh, um—"
He quickly opened up the menu, giving it a quick glance.
"Just a water for now."
"Sure thing, hon."
She left, and Pickles returned his attention to the rest of the room. It was dark, and he could barely make out details. He eventually figured that if he were to see Trixie, she would more than likely be back stage like the rest of the talent for the night.
He water arrived, another act took its place on stage, and the night continued. A few hours past, new crowds came and went, but still nothing. He had started to think that she wouldn't show up tonight. Maybe he was too late, and she had already packed up to try elsewhere. The thought of another dead end made his heart drop as he rubbed a hoof over the table's surface. Slowly, the lights around the room changed, and turned to the hazy lavender color. The music for the older routine stopped, and the sounds of a new tune started up. Pickles turned his head to face the stage, and everything fell into place.
Around the curtain came a puff of smoke, as a shimmering display of glitter followed from the stage above. Pickles watched, slipping out of his seat as Trixie, the mare he had been searching for, strolled out into view. He was instantly mesmerized, entranced as she stood at the center with her head hung low for a dramatic effect.
"For all of you—Trixie's adoring fans," she finally spoke, right before the music of her song hit, and she started to sing.
"She's taking her time, making up the reasons—to justify all the hurt inside. Guess she knows, from the smiles and the look in their eyes, everyone's got a theory about the bitter one. They're saying, "Mama never loved her much" and, "Daddy never keeps in touch. That's why she shies away from other's affections. But somewhere in a private place she packs her bag for outer space. And now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot to come. And she'll say to him—she's sayin—"
Pickles listened as the last part of the song came out in a quiet hush before she continued. He sat quietly, his eyes fixed upon her, even if she never even looked in his direction.
"Pfft, obviously she didn't get her cutie mark for a talent in singing," he heard a stallion in front of him joke with his buddy.
"No better than any of the other acts she's tried either."
Pickles winched a bit as he listened. He had to admit, while Trixie's singing wasn't bad, it wasn't good either. It appeared that she was singing to herself most of the time, without giving any sort of actual attention to the crowd.
Glancing around nervously, Pickles turned his head to Trixie, and slowly lowered his head. With his horn aimed, a very faint glow emitted, which he aimed directly upon her. He finally picked up on her emotions, holding it as long as he could before the magic was cut out, shaking his head from the spell.
"That's because she doesn't enjoy doing this. She's still nervous," he whispered softly to himself after having felt what she currently did.
Eventually, she ended her song and very sparse claps were heard before she exited the stage. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. Trixie, whose obvious talent, was to make a gorgeous scene on stage with her theatrics, appeared scared to do them. As the room began to clear, he looked to the back where a door led backstage, guarded by a larger, more muscular stallion. Pickles approached cautiously, simply looking up at him.
"Can I help you?" he asked bluntly.
"Um, yeah, I was just—I mean I—one of the performers I saw tonight is a friend I've been looking for," he choked out. "I don't suppose I—"
"Nobody is permitted backstage unless they have an act. That's a club rule my little friend. And if you don't want trouble, I suggest that you take that to heart."
"I—I just—o-okay."
Without a single argument, Pickles turned away, completely embarrassed and lost for ideas.
He made his way out of the club, and into the dark streets of the night, utterly frustrated with himself. He put his backside to the cold wall and slumped onto the street. He stayed there, hoping that Trixie would eventually appear, but sometime in the night the club's lights went out and she never emerged.
With nothing else to do, and nowhere else to go, Pickles turned away and returned to the hotel. His emotions were conflicted. He was overjoyed to have found her, but he was no longer sure how he could even approach her now, or even if she would WANT him to approach her. It was something he never even considered. HE wanted to find her, HE wanted to try and help her out, but what if she didn't want anything to do with him?
Those last thoughts were all he had as he sank into a depressed slumber.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning he awoke, finding himself more determined than ever. All the previous thoughts he had about thinking she wouldn't want to see him were thrown out. He would never know until he had a chance to prove it. He spent the day walking around the city, hoping that he might just come across her outside of the club in any of the shops, but he never did.
So over the next couple of nights he made sure he was there, and always when Trixie's turn on stage came up. Each time she had a different act, or at least a different song to sing, but every one of those shows felt hollow, and nothing like the mare he knew she wanted to be. He occasionally started to make himself more vocal, cheering her name at the end, clapping more loudly than any other pony, anything he could think of to make her notice him.
Then one night, everything started as it always had. Pickles found a seat close to the stage, and waited patiently until Trixie hit the scene. However, as her show grew further into the routine, something changed. She saw him, shocking him as she made full eye contact with him and gave a very subtle wink toward him. For Pickles, the stage and everyone else all appeared to melt away, leaving just Trixie, and himself. It was then he knew what the others had been talking about. This wasn't just some mission to return her belongings to her. He truly was infatuated with her.
The music ended, and the crowd started to clear. For a moment he sat, in awe at what had just happened. She had noticed him, looked directly at, and winked. Maybe she remembered him from Ponyville somehow. If not there, maybe she realized how he'd been there for the past few nights just for her. Glancing over to the backstage entrance, he gathered up his courage, and marched over to the door.
"Haven't I told you once before. No act, no access," the large stallion at the door reminded him.
"But I—"
"No act—no access," he reestablished.
"I have to get back there!" Pickles stated firmly, stomping a hoof on the ground as he threw a serious look towards the stallion.
His sudden burst of confidence quickly shattered as the larger male stepped up to him and glared down at him.
"Sure squirt; you can get in," he said with a sudden laugh, before giving Pickles a shove back with a hoof. "If you can get by me, I won't think nuthin' of it!"
"I—uuhhhhh—"
Pickles swallowed hard, glancing between him and the door, watching as the guard flexed a muscle, making him tiptoe backwards.
"I'll just—be leaving now."
"That's what I thought!"
The stallion returned to his position at the door, and Pickles' head lowered, turning away to look towards the exit.
"There has to be a way back there!"
Looking around the room, he tried to look for another option. Aside from making a run for the stage itself in view of every pony there, he couldn't think of another way.
"Maybe—a distraction?"
His head shifted rapidly, looking for something, ANYTHING he could use to cause enough of a dilemma that he would be able to sneak by, even if it was just for a moment. He looked over to the bar, seeing the many glass bottles of drinks that where lined up behind the counter. He bit his lip, tapping a nervous hoof on the floor. The supports on the shelves where in just enough view, and sparse enough between that he might be able to wiggle one free. Sure it would cause a lot of damage, which he wasn't too happy about doing for the owner, but it might be just what he needed to distract every one in the club. He just needed to get out of sight.
Making his way to the stage, he walked slowly around the tables on the floor, attempting to make himself look casual. He waited until he thought no one was looking, and quickly made a dive under the table, where he was then hidden by the cloth that covered it. Peeking out from under it, he looked over to the bar, the hinge still in good view from where he was hidden. Grinning to himself, he lowered his head a bit, aiming his horn at the shelf.
"Horn, don't fail me now."
The appendage emitted a low glow, but the shelf's support was missed, and the capturing spell hit one of the bottles above it. Pickles released it, tried again, and this time snagged the correct target. Holding his focus the best he could, he wiggled it, very lightly at first, but when it didn't work he pulled harder; too hard.
The piece holding the right side of the shelf popped free, quickly causing it to slant cockeyed. The bottles that lined that shelf fell, and all smashed into the ground with a series of crashes, filling the room with the ear-ringing tone of breaking glass. Pickles' ear twitched, and he cringed before quickly crawling out from under the table.
"Flimsy piece of junk!" the bar owner shouted. "Tony, go get the garbage pale and a mop, will ya?"
Pickles watched as the guard at the door near the stage groaned, and vanished into the backroom behind him. He didn't waste a second as he moved up around the stage, pulled himself up onto it, and vanished behind the curtain. He gasped, seeing the stallion, hiding behind a prop to avoid being seen. Once he exited, he popped his head back out, giving a sigh of relief.
"Maybe that was a bit—much," he admitted.
However, he didn't care. He was backstage now, and there was nothing in his way.
Pickles had never felt more nervous in his entire life as he made his way down the hallway. A few of the performers who had already been on stage passed him, and he was actually surprised that none of them paid him much attention. Finally, he came to a door near the back where a piece of paper with a magic wand cutie mark had been attached. Raising a shaking hoof, he gulped, and then tapped lightly on its surface. There was a brief silence as he heard rustling on the other side.
"You may enter!"
Pickles swallowed again, his legs feeling like rubber as his hooves smacked lightly against the floor. His hoof fumbled with the handle, finding it difficult to keep still.
"Trixie said you may enter!"
Pushing down on the handle, he turned it, slowly opening the door to Trixie's room.
"H-hello?" he stuttered, doing a terrible job at hiding the nervousness in his voice.
"Trixie thought you might show up!" she said with a snarky laugh as she turned to face him. "Trixie has noticed you've been here every night for almost a week."
His words had left him, watching as she moved up behind him, gently pushing him into the room before closing the door behind him. A confident smile crossed over her muzzle as she stepped back around his side.
"I was—I just—I've only been—you see—"
He swallowed firmly, his mouth having gone completely dry.
"Is there a problem? Have you come fallen into a loss for words at the very presence of the greatest and most powerful performer in all of Equestria?" she playfully teased.
Finding nothing to say, he simply stood, smiling at her in what he felt had to be the dopiest way imaginable. He watched as Trixie cocked an eyebrow, obviously showing a bit of discontentment towards his reaction to her.
"Hmmm, Trixie would have thought you'd be a little more appreciative towards her for letting you back here," she sneered as she moved back to the dresser where she brought up a brush with her magic, using it to swipe through her mane. "What exactly do you want with Trixie?"
"I—I—I—"
Pickles couldn't think. He didn't know how to put into words the emotions he felt for her. He didn't know how to tell her he thought there was more to her than what she would show the world. Without even considering what he was doing, he felt his lips give way to something he instantly regretted.
"I'm from Ponyville and I saw you the day you came in bragging about the Ursa Major and when you ran out of town afterward!"
He knew he had just screwed everything up. He saw it in her face as that bragging confidence she had switched to a burning anger.
"Oh, you mean that ramshackle town full of losers!" she huffed. "As if Trixie wasn't embarrassed enough because of those hateful ponies, you decided to follow her here and continue mocking her? Is THAT why you've been watching Trixie every night? What is this, a joke to you too? To see her reduced to showing her amazing skills in such a dump?"
"N-no! I was just going to say—"
"Well you can tell whoever set you up to this that Trixie isn't going to stand for her greatness to be played so horribly, especially now! She also doesn't need or want any of your pathetic sympathies!"
Pickles grunted as she gave him a shove in the chest, the door behind him magically swinging open from a burst of power from her horn.
"Get out!" she growled at him through gritted teeth.
"I just wanted to—"
Before he could even finish his sentence, Trixie raised a hoof, slapping him firmly across the face.
"She said—get—out."
Stunned at her reaction to him, he stared blankly at her, turned towards the door, and walked out. Even as he glanced back over his shoulder at her, the door slammed, and the magic light that had moved it faded away. Nothing had ever hurt him so much as what had just happened. It wasn't the sting on his cheek, but the crush to his hopes towards her. While he had just recently realized a bit of affection towards Trixie, he had mostly just hoped to prove himself right in that there was more to her than the flashy, ego-soaked, lying mare everyone at Ponyville had witnessed. Maybe he was wrong after all. Maybe for once his ability didn't pick up the right emotions. With nothing else to do, he walked for the exit, and left the club to return to his hotel room, not even caring who saw him leave though the backstage entrance. There, he flopped into the bed, and fell into a fitful sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*