Chapter 1: "Monsters in the Dark"
They say that the Everfree forest isn’t like the rest of Equestria, that it is an untamed place where the plants, animals, and even the very weather itself all propagate without anypony’s guiding hoof. Then there are the monsters: manticores, cockatrices, timberwolves, and all sorts of other strange abominations. None of that however was currently of much concern to the lone unicorn as she staggered her way through the tangled undergrowth.
Such thoughts had briefly unsettled her shortly after entering the forest, but she was, after all, The Great & Powerful Trixie and no mere forest, no matter how weirdly unnatural, would intimidate her. With her mastery of magic, she knew she had nothing to fear from any monster no matter how big or--
Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as she glanced up through the twisted canopy of trees. In a sudden blind panic, she dove into the nearest bush, paying little head to the broken twigs and thorns that added fresh cuts to her mud stained azure coat and tore at her already frayed cloak and hat.
Several moments passed before she poked her head ever so slightly out to take a second glance at the source of her sudden terror, a set of twinkling lights against a dark background. She held her breath, unable to breathe as her heart seemed to catch in her throat, but as her eyes came into focus she realized it was no colossal glowing ursine, only the star filled night sky peeking through a break in the trees.
She muttered a brief curse as she struggled to dislodge her tangled silver mane from her impromptu shelter. How could that creature still haunt her thoughts so?
True, she had been caught... unprepared that first time, and now of course she was half delirious with hunger, but she was still The Great & Powerful Trixie! With a surge of confidence, she reared back striking her well-rehearsed stage pose... only belatedly did she remember that there was no audience to faun over her in these lonely woods. Even as such, the familiarity of the motions helped renew her spirit and pride... that is until it was all swiftly spoiled by her traitorous stomach as it growled out in protest.
She dropped back to all fours as the now all too familiar empty ache reminded her that she hadn’t had a solid meal in days -- or had it been weeks? The fact she’d lost track should probably have been troubling, but her hunger was far too insistent than to allow her to waste the energy needed to properly consider that.
While the forest was lush with vegetation, it seemed that with nopony to guide its course that it was all bitter and sour. While she tried her best to force the harsh foliage down, it was hardly worth the trouble as she would only spend the next few hours painfully retching it all back up -- seemingly with interest to be paid for the trespass. The only thing she’d managed to keep down in all this time had been a few meager pinecones.
If she ever got out of this foul prison of branches, she swore that she would never look down upon another farm pony, not even that orange coated and obviously inbred hick who had been among the foulmouthed hecklers at her last performance. Mmm... Her taste buds watered as she thought of the ripe juicy apple she had so carelessly stuffed in the hillfilly’s slack-jawed mouth. If only she had that delectable morsel now, then she would-- A long moan from her sustenance deprived belly once again reminded her of the folly of dwelling on thoughts of such unavailable snacks.
She shook her head in a vain attempt to regain her senses, but only served to leave herself dizzy and woozy. Light-headed as she was, she still managed to once more place one hoof in front of the other in a slow but constant pace. Surely, if she just kept walking, she would soon find her way out. Even if she’d only been heading deeper into the darkest depths of the Everfree all this time, surely she would have to eventually come out the other side. It wasn’t as if the forest could go on forever, could it?
As she quickly tried to throw off that last unsettling thought, she found her mind wandering back to the events that had brought her to her current misfortunes, to that backwater of a town called Ponyville and that lavender coated upstart that had forced her to beat such a hasty retreat.
~~~~~~~~
Of course, at that point, Trixie still had sufficient wits about her not to do anything so foalish as to run blindly into the most dangerous forest in all of Equestria. No, she had sensibly stuck to main roads as she swiftly fled from the angry mob that would have already no doubt been organizing to lynch her for the disaster that had in no way been her fault. After all, she should hardly be held accountable over the actions of two misguided and obviously mentally deficient colts. Not that her Great & Powerful self would normally have had any difficulty handling such a trivial situation, it had after all only been a baby. Yes, she had reassured herself, if only she had not been so recently roused from a peaceful slumber and so all too excusably unable to perform to her naturally superior standards.
She supposed she owed at least a small debt of gratitude to that lavender unicorn, who had even displayed more than a fair modicum of talent and potential. Were she the type to do so, Trixie could have almost considered taking the mare on as an apprentice. Then again though, it also seemed awfully convenient, and such a showy performance, not to mention those absolutely garish mane and tail highlights. Clearly, that mare had been trying to draw as much attention as possible.
Could it be? Yes, that had to be the answer. No doubt the wench had conned those colts into helping her lure that beast into town just so she could show up Trixie, probably out of some undue sense of jealous entitlement. It was the only plausible explanation for so many coincidences to have conspired against The Great & Powerful Trixie!
Well, this is still only a... minor setback, Trixie chuckled at her own pun.
The life of a showmare was glamorous, but certainly never easy. This wasn’t the first time Trixie had stumbled on her path to the fame she so rightfully deserved, and she had always managed to land on her hooves. Bolstered with renewed confidence, Trixie had at that very moment resolved to put on the most stunning show ever as soon as she reached the next town... only to almost as quickly come to the dreadful realization that, in her hasty retreat, she had left all of her worldly possessions behind.
Slowly she turned and gazed back, then with halting trepidation she started down the path back to the town. She should have known better. The only decision that could possibly have rivaled her terrible choice to visit that backwater in the first place was to foalishly dare to step hoof into Ponyville for a second time.
~~~~~~~~
Trixie was broken out of her memories by a rumble, but this time it wasn’t the protests of her starved gut, rather instead it was from the sky. Trixie didn’t look forward to spending another night in the rain and so quickened her pace, hoping to find a cave. What she found instead was a rope bridge slung across a gorge.
Her violet eyes widened with the unexpected discovery, for it was the first signs of anything resembling civilization she had come across since entering the forest. In her delight, Trixie barely noticed how old the bridge was and nearly tumbled into the chasm below when a rotten board cracked under her weight. Still though, so glad was she to finally be through with her ordeal that Trixie hardly even felt the need to berate whatever ponies lived here for their poor maintenance habits.
Carefully crossing the remainder of the bridge Trixie strained to see through the darkness and mist to see whatever sleepy village she had stumbled upon. She cried out to anypony that might still be up, only now realizing how rough and dry her voice had become.
A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the area, and to her astonishment, Trixie saw not some sleepy village, but looming stone walls. She cautiously crept forward, no longer sure what to expect. As she did so a sliver of moon light peeked through the clouds, giving her a better view of her surroundings. She could make out, though only just barely, that the stone walls, while massive, were also ancient and crumbling. Dismayed, she realized this was no settlement but an abandoned ruin, however, it was also at that moment the sky began to leak. As the first drops of cold rain rolled down her coat, Trixie decided that ruin or not, it was still shelter and so quickly made her way inside.
Without even so much as the moonlight diffused through the thick cloud cover, Trixie found herself engulfed in total darkness. Though it was difficult in her hunger addled state, she managed to focus her magic sufficiently to cast a dull illumination from her horn. She wasn’t entirely sure that it helped, for while she could now make out her immediate surroundings the weak glow only served to cast the rest of the ruin into a deeper shadow.
Briefly she found her imagination conjuring all manner and variety of horrors that could be lurking in those shadows. What foalish nonsense! She thought while scolding herself for indulging in such delusions. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she once again reassured herself that there were no monsters beyond her Great & Powerful abilities. Thus emboldened, having nothing better to do, and with a vain hope of finding something edible despite the structure’s age, Trixie set about slowly exploring the halls of the ruin.
Eventually, she found herself atop a tower and in a grand chamber, far too large for the glow of her horn to reach from wall to wall, but flashes of lightning from the storm raging outside cast its form into a harsh contrast. Trixie could see herself surrounded by tall pillars spaced between equally large windows, yet oddly no wind seemed to blow through the shattered glass. She wondered briefly if some lingering enchantment protected this chamber. It certainly wouldn’t surprise her as the entire room seemed to resonate with residual magical energies. Most felt ancient and yet there also seemed to be something more recent as well. Oddly, some of it even seemed vaguely familiar, though Trixie couldn’t quite place where she could have ever felt something like it before.
As she slowly walked deeper into the chamber and towards the raised dais at the other end, Trixie could feel the power all around her rising. Her own magic even seemed to resonate with it, drinking it in. It did nothing to soothe her aching belly, yet at the same time it seemed to fill her with a semblance of renewed vigor.
Reaching the foot of a raised dais at the end of the chamber, she could now make out three shapes atop it, a trio of Pegasi statues facing away from her and formed in a semi-circle around the platform’s center. Each sat upon it’s haunches with a single fore-hoof raised as if reaching for something unseen, though it was the wings that struck Trixie as most odd. Each statue had its wings spread forward and folded across its own face, as if to shield its eyes.
Trixie wasn’t sure what, but there was something oddly unsettling about the statues. Though obviously mere stone, it almost seemed as though they moved every so subtly as she shifted her gaze from one to another. Such a silly thought that was though and easily explained by the ever shifting flashes of light from outside. She reached out, prodding one of the statues with her hoof. For just an instant she held her breath as though expecting it to suddenly spring to life, but of course it simply remained fixed in its spot.
Finally reassured that there was nothing of interest in this chamber, Trixie turned to leave and resume her exploration of the ruins. Half way to the doorway... she wasn’t sure why, but she felt compelled to give one last look behind her. Naturally everything was exactly as it had been, the two statues right where they had been when she had first entered. No sooner did she start to turn to leave again though, when the realization struck -- there had originally been three statues, hadn’t there?
Turning full around she gaped, not because there were now only two statues but because she could still clearly see the third. It just wasn’t where it was supposed to be. No, it was instead standing roughly half way between Trixie and the remaining pair of the trio of which it used to be part of.
Trixie stared for countless seconds trying to ponder this impossibility. There was no way that such a discrepancy could be a mere trick of light. A delusion perhaps? It seemed awfully mundane for that. Trixie found herself approaching the statue; she had to know for certain. Reaching out a hoof she touched it, tensing as if expecting the thing to lash out at her. Her hoof struck only solid stone, however, and she instantly found herself laughing at how foalish she was acting. Of course statues didn’t move, she reassured herself. Her hunger addled brain was clearly just taking advantage of the admittedly spooky nature of the ruins to play tricks on her.
The azure mare began to turn to leave again, blinking ever so briefly as she did, then fell backwards in a startled panic. Staring up at the source of her sudden fright, Trixie saw the statue, but now it had definitely moved. Its wings spread wide, its pose rearing back, forehooves poised as though ready to crush the life from her prone form, but worst of all was the face. Blank stone eyes seemed to stare emptiness at her and its lips were curled back revealing a mouth full of vicious fangs. Trixie trembled, knowing her end was near, but as she continued to stare at the monster that had been revealed to her, nothing happened.
Confusion mixed with fright as she rose unsteadily back to her hooves while keep her gaze fixed. Had she only imagined it all? No, she made that mistake before and would not allow herself to do so again. She stared defiantly at the monster, which was obviously too afraid of The Great & Powerful Trixie to dare make a move while she had her eye on it. Concentrating, she wrapped her magic about it and began to lift. The effort was hard, not just because she was still drained from hunger, and not just because the monster was heavy as the stone it appeared to be made from, but because it struggled. It didn’t actually move, not so far as her eye could discern, but Trixie was still certain that it was actively resisting her magic. With a great heave, she raised it from the floor. Then putting forth all her effort, hurled it across the chamber, shattering the window at the far end. Without a second thought, she rapidly turned and galloped down the stairs, out of the tower and into the pouring rain.
Leaning heavily against a pillar, Trixie’s lungs heaved in ragged breaths. As she slowly recovered, the frightened mare chanced a glance up at the tower, and as a sheet of lightning rolled across the sky she froze mid-breath, for in the window she saw it. Those same soulless eyes and hungry mouth. Had the monster already climbed back into the tower, or worse, did this mean that its counterparts had also been monsters? If that were the case though, where was the second?
In a panic, her eyes darted back down to the doorway from which she had emerged, and there it was, or was the beast so fast that in that brief moment it had descended the entire tower? She dared not look away to confirm whether there was still one of the beasts in the window above, but at that moment a great flash lit the whole sky, washing away the world in a sea of blinding white, and in that instant the monster in the doorway had been joined by a second.
Trixie sobbed, her tears mixing with the rain. There was no escape. How could she possibly out run creatures that could move so swiftly? This couldn’t be how it would all end. Lost and alone in forgotten ruin in the middle of a forsaken forest, not one adoring fan to mourn her passing.
No, she refused to believe that. There had to be a way out, but how when her foes seemed to move as if by magic?
...as if by magic.
That was it. Trixie hadn’t felt an ounce of magic as the monsters moved, and they bore no horns she could see. No matter how fast they were, these monsters clearly couldn’t actually teleport, but Trixie could.
Where to though?
Such a spell required a clear mental image of the destination and became more difficult with physical distance and time since the location had been last viewed. She couldn’t risk trying to target any of the random spots of forest she’d been wandering, nor had she been paying much attention to the ruined halls.
The tower?
No, then she would only trap herself.
The bridge?
Would it be a far enough lead?
Another flash across the sky turned her vision white, allowing the monsters to advance nearly half the length of the courtyard. There had to be another way. Trixie wracked her memory searching for any alternative. There was another way, there had to be! Ponyville? No, she’d already dismissed that idea when she first admitted to herself that she might have become lost. No, it was it was useless. She’d never before teleported more than the distance of her stage, besides there was nothing in that unimportant town she had bothered to remember with enough detail to picture, certainly not after so long, except...
Images of a lavender mare with a dark blue mane and shock of pink danced across the back of her mind, but could that work. Yes! In theory at least. Trixie had once read about unicorns that locked onto another unicorn to teleport across great distances. It required familiarity with the magic of the target, but after witnessing the display involved in the vanquishing of the ursa, that was something she would never forget.
Could she do it though? She’d never tried before.
What nonsense, of course she could. She was The Great & Powerful Trixie! Anything somepony could do, she could do better. With that she started to focus all her remaining magic into her horn. She thought back to that night of her greatest humiliation, to the way the lavender unicorn’s horn had burned, and there it was. Even over such distance, and though its master must surely be asleep, the power shone out like a beacon. Just how powerful was that mare? It didn’t matter, not with salvation so close.
Trixie reared back as her magic reached a crescendo. Kicking her hooves in the air as her cape billowed in the storm’s wind. She glared in defiance as she laughed at her would be assailants. They thought her cornered, weak and helpless, but she was the one, the only, THE GREAT & POWERFUL TRIXIE, and she would now perform her greatest feat of magic ever.
Was there ever any doubt...
She let loose her magic, shooting through the ethereal leylines of power, seeking its intended target. She felt her body pulled along, dissolving into nothing as she made her grand escape. As relief washed over her, she let her strained eyelids relax, and she felt it; the cold touch of stone.
Chapter 2: "A Strange New World"
The first sensation she felt was pain, throbbing pain through her entire skull. Trixie had promised herself many times before, but this time she meant it.
"Uggghh… No more hard cider."
She reached a hoof up to massage her aching temples, but something wasn’t right. Her hooves felt far too soft and pliable, and were those her ears she was touching? They seemed far too low on her head. She brought a hoof in front of her face as she struggled to bring her eyes into focus.
…
Her shrill cry echoed through the empty night air, as her vision was filled not with a familiar azure hoof, but a pale spider-like thing. Trixie quickly proceeded to bat away at the, whatever it was, with her other hoof, only to be greeted by a second one of the spider-like things and a sharp sensation of pain.
Had she been bitten? No, the sensation had not been all that dissimilar from banging her own hooves together, and as she looked more closely she saw that the spider-things weren't resting atop her hooves, but rather attached to similarly pale limbs.
Trixie held her breath as her eyes followed down the hairless forelimbs, attached to an equally pale and oddly curved body, down to a pair of pale legs that seemed far too long to match with the forelimbs. Whatever had happened to her, it was more than a simple hangover.
Trixie tried to think through the fog in her head, and then it all came crashing back to her; the storm, seeking shelter in those abandoned ruins, the statues which were actually monsters, her attempts to flee via teleportation, and the ice cold touch of stone. Had her spell gone awry? No, this was far too bizarre for that. Had the monsters done this to her? If so, what purpose could twisting her form like this serve? Unless…
Was she dead?
Trixie traced that spider-like appendage along her new misformed body. It felt very real, if also utterly alien. She inhaled sharply, feeling the cool night air bite at her lungs, exhaling slowly as she watched her breath turn to mist. She pressed against her chest, and felt the reassuring thump-thump of her heart. If she was dead, she felt oddly alive, not to mention cold. The bare skin of this strange body affording none of the natural warmth of the azure coat she'd had her whole life.
Wrapping herself tightly in her cape to conserve what heat she could, Trixie sat huddled on the ground in a position she would probably have thought quite strange were she paying it any attention. Her focus was instead entirely on her surroundings as she slowly turned her head, trying to figure out just where she was. Whatever else had happened, she had clearly failed to reach Ponyville.
Probably just as well, it would be quite difficult to explain her present appearance.
As best she could tell, she was still in the forest, though no part she could recall seeing. The trees seemed to be far taller and much straighter than any she'd seen elsewhere in the Everfree. Also, the storm seemed to have passed, or rather, not touched here at all. The undergrowth beneath her was damp with pre-morning dew, but nowhere near the puddles of sticky mud she would have expected from the downpour.
Her contemplation was disturbed by a rustling from the dark shadows beyond her sight. Trixie found herself petrified with fright; had the monsters followed her? No, as fast as they could move, surely they would already be upon her were that the case. Still, considering any number of other beasts that could conceivably be stalking her, that was hardly reassuring.
Just as she once again began to resign herself to a meaningless end, Trixie heard a thick rugged voice call out, “Oi, is anyone out thar?”
Trixie felt pure joy flood her soul. At long last someone had found her. “Yes! Over here!” she cried out, fighting the tears that tried to creep into her eyes.
Thudding steps preceded a flickering light as a massive form came into view. A tall and wide framed creature, carrying a torch, lumbered forward. It was frighteningly tall, with a face barely visible though its thick dark hair. At first Trixie thought it might be a minotaur, but it had no horns. Next, she thought it to be a yeti, but weren’t they only supposed to live in snow-covered mountains? Still, she thought she’d heard they had forest dwelling cousins. What were they called again — sack-squash? Well the name certainly seemed to fit. The creature’s hide hung loosely like a sack, and its feet certainly seemed large enough to squash just about anything.
“Now wha’ is a fine lady like yerself doing out in the wood at these wee hours?” the creature asked as it approached her.
Trixie attempted to rise, only to find her unfamiliar limbs tangle in her cloak, forcing her roughly back to the ground.
“Now thar, ya okay? Ya look like ya’ve been through quite a bad spot.”
Trixie glared up with more than a little indignant embarrassment at her predicament, but fought down the urge to make a biting retort to such an obvious observation. It would hardly do to insult her would-be savior, lest he choose to abandon her to her fate in this forsaken place. “Yes, Trixie supposes she has seen better days,” then putting on what she hoped was a convincing smile as she continued, “Trixie would greatly appreciate it if you could show her to the nearest settlement, fine sack-squash.”
The creature seemed only to stare at her in confusion before it spoke again, “Sack what now?”
Trixie couldn’t help but fluster. "Sack-squash," she repeated, “that is what you are, is it not?”
“Well ain’ that a hoot!” the creature replied with a deep and resounding chuckle. “Nah, I’m as human as you are, well wit’ just a wee bit o’ giant’s blood on me mum’s side. S’pose tha’ might explain yer confusion. Can’t rightly say tha’ I ever heard of any sack-squashes though.” The creature then seemed to puzzle over that for a moment, “Tis a might odd though I ain' never heard of such a thing, seein’ as I’m somethin’ of an expert on all sorts of critters.”
Human — so that’s what the creature was, and if it's odd yammering was to be believed, so was she. Not that Trixie could conceive how she and the creature could both be in anyway the same. Even accounting for her unwanted new shape, she saw little resemblance between her slender coatless form and this leathery beast. Although, he had also claimed to be part giant, but a giant what, she wondered.
Perhaps a bear of some sort. She could certainly see the creature as being part bear, though fortunately not of the star variety. Still, if she was to take herself as the measure by which to judge a pure human than the amount of bear, or whatever, in the creature would have to be a fair amount more than the wee bit it claimed.
Of course, none of this helped Trixie to figure out just where in Equestria she was. She'd never even heard of these human creatures before, though admittedly, like most ponies she had little knowledge of the lands beyond the Everfree. Still, she wondered, just how far off-course had her teleport spell been?
Despite her curiosity, Trixie decided it was probably best to play along with the creature, for now, and not reveal too much of her true origins. There was, after all, no telling if the locals were friendly to pony-folk. Also, it would be just as easy not having to bother with explaining how it was she no longer was one — especially as Trixie herself still didn't understand how that even happened in the first place.
*Ahem*
Her musings were interrupted as she heard the creature cough for attention. She looked up to see it reaching down with a hand. Yes, that was what the minotaurs called such appendages, now that she recalled. She reached out with her own hand, briefly unsettling herself that she could perceive the foreign limb as her own. Still, she had little time to dwell on the matter, as she was quickly lifted to a standing position on only her lower two limbs, not unlike the creature's own stance. Trixie was no stranger to rearing upright, doing so often in her performances as she would proclaim her glory to the eager audience. Again, however, she found it odd how natural her new body felt in the position, adjusting with little effort to what should have been at least a partially awkward balance.
Which was a good thing, as she felt the creature suddenly withdraw the supporting limb and begin stammering awkwardly, "Oh my — begging yer pardon… I didn' know nor mean ta peak… err, I um mean…"
What was the beast going on about? It was as though her mere presence had now become unnerving, as it hastily averted its eyes. Trixie wasn't sure, but she even thought she saw the creature blushing through the hair covering its face. "What is the matter with you?!" she demanded, "The Great & Powerful Trixie is used to inspiring shocked awe, but this seems a bit excessive."
"Pardon, it's just tha'… well… you're a might… underdressed."
"What?!" Trixie thought aloud. If anything, her hat and cape were usually considered to be overdressing for most casual occasions, which was of course the entire point of wearing them, so as draw attention and be sure that no pony could ignore her magnificent presence. Her hat in particular might currently be laying a few paces away on the nearby forest floor, but surely that couldn't be the trouble, as it had been cast aside this whole time.
"Perhaps you'd be more comfortable if'n I lent you my coat, ma'am?" The creature then began fiddling with what look to be a set of buttons; all the while, keeping its own gaze steadfastly averted.
It was then that Trixie realized the loose leather hide of the creature's body was actually clothing. That helped explain the lack of resemblance between herself and the creature, despite its assurance they were somehow both human. Still, the way it was behaving, was almost as though the creature had never seen a full grown mare before — or whatever the proper term might be for her altered form.
…and now the creature meant to strip away its own clothing to lend to her.
She found something unsettling about that prospect and absolutely no curiosity to discover what this creature looked like without its coverings. The sight of her own altered body had been quite disturbing enough for one evening; she had no desire to be confronted with another such so soon.
"That won't be necessary!" she shouted hastily.
There was a brief uneasy silence that hung between them, before Trixie amended, "That is to say, that coat of yours looks awfully large and heavy for me to wear. Trixie's hat and cape should suffice for now." To make her stance on the matter clear she took hold of her cape and drew it tightly around her body.
The action seemed to have the desired result of placating the creature, and it ceased attempting to remove its own garments. "Well… if you insist then," it said hesitantly. "Yer sure though? Ain' really no trouble on my part and—"
"Thank you, but please, no."
Trixie was about to use her magic to retrieve her hat when the creature, with one stride of its sizable legs, lumbered aside and leaned down to pick it up by hand. The creature then dusted off the garment before placing it atop her head. "I must say, ma'am, that must 'ave been a strange splinchin' accident for you to lose all the rest of yer clothes but keep these"
"Splinching?"
"Well, yeah. That is if'in I'm right guessin' the reason yer out her all alone in these parts is cause ya was tryin' to apparate somewhere or another and somethin' went wrong. Could be worse though, I 'spose. Yer Lucky ta 'ave only lost yer clothes, but bein' all intact with the rest of yer body — er… not that I was peaking a look, ma'am."
She still wasn't sure what issue the creature was taking with her manner of dress. She'd met several upscale elitists in some of the larger cities that considered fine clothing a symbol status and would refuse to associate with those they deemed underdressed, but given the appearance of the creature's attire she would hardly describe it as classy, more so strictly utilitarian. Still, perhaps standards of refinement were simply different in whatever strange land this was.
"Right then; well, my home ain' to far from here. Best be off so we can get you sorted out all good and proper like."
"Lead the way my good… sir?"
The question was born of honest uncertainty. Having never seen a human before, Trixie could only guess by comparison to her own warped form that this one before her was a stallion, or whatever the proper local term might be. That is, assuming she herself was even still a mare, a most disturbing prospect. The fact that her savior had claimed to be some kind of half-breed only confused matters all the more so.
The human, however, seemed to take the question differently, "Oh, right, where are my manners. Name's Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper o' tha Keys and Grounds, and Professor fer the Care o' Magical Creatures at Hogwarts," the creature spoke with obvious pride.
"Hog-what?"
"Why, only tha finest school of wizardry and witch craft thar is or ever was, ma'am. Ya really ain' from round these parts, are ya now? "
Trixie shifted awkwardly as she made a mental note to be more careful in how she asked questions so as not to further draw suspicion.
As the two made their way through the Forest, Trixie thrilled at the prospect of a return to civilization, even if it were one wholly unfamiliar to her. At the same time, she found her mind wandering back to how she first became lost in the Everfree.
~~~~~~~~
By the time she had circled around the edge of the town, just to make sure nopony was still looking for her, it was already nearing dawn. As Trixie crept through the twilight morning, she wasn't sure if it was merely due to lack of sleep, but somehow it seemed as if the colors of the sky itself were somehow mocking her.
As she approached the site where she had left her stage-wagon, Trixie found herself faced with the grievous horror of her tragedy. She had heard the sickening crunch as she'd fled for her life from the jaws of the ravenous star bear, but given the haste with which she had been forced to flee the townsfolk so shortly thereafter, she’d not had the time to take stock of the damage. Now though, harsh reality asserted itself as her former conveyance and home lay before her, reduced to barely more than a pile of splinters.
She felt her eyes moisten and her heart felt like it would simply collapse in her chest, but no. She was still The Great & Powerful Trixie and she would not give in to such pitiable despair. Using her magic she gently sifted through the remains, hoping beyond hope that she would find some measure by which she could begin to rebuild her life, but it was like digging through her own corpse. Every board she turned over revealed only crushed memories and broken dreams. Her efforts were ultimately rewarded though, as she found a starry cloak and matching hat
The items weren’t her most valuable possessions, not in any monetary sense at least. Truth be told they weren't even all that special, just one costume among the many she'd worn in her career. They were more than a little battered and ragged from the ordeal, but even in such a woeful state the mere act of garbing herself in the familiar stage attire filled the despondent mare with a sense of renewed confidence, a sense of normality restored.
Sentimentalities aside, she had also found beneath the garments a bag with what bits represented her life's savings, further lifting her spirit. All lingering doubts drained from her. Despite this trial, she would endure and persevere. She was after all, now and always, "The Great & Powerful Trixie!"
As she stood tall on her hind legs, fore-hooves spread wide, and cape billowing in the wind, Trixe realized only belatedly that she'd made that declaration aloud. She quickly brought a hoof to her mouth as she lowered herself back to the ground and glanced about nervously. Sure having given her presence away, a mob of vengeful villagers would shortly descend upon her at any moment.
Silent seconds passed by as Trixie held what she thought likely to be her final breath, but when nothing came to pass she wiped a hoof across her forehead in relief as she let out her breath in a heavy sigh.
It was, however, just then that she heard a low growl coming from the shadows of the nearby alley. She had started to turn to see what it could have been, but was quickly met with a loud bark. Dogs?! The town had set dogs to guard the wreckage, no doubt expecting her to return to the scene of the crime, such as it was.
Quick as a bolt and without chancing a second glance at the shadow that charged at her from the alley, Trixie darted away at full gallop, but the barks perused her and worse still, were joined by the voice of somepony crying out for her to stop.
As if Trixie would be that foolish.
Instead she only hastened her flight and was rewarded with the sight of a forest's edge. Surely she could lose her pursuers in the thick foliage, then hide out and rest until the following evening, when she could make good her final escape and leave this accursed hick town behind forever.
. . . .
What Trixie never saw as she disappeared into shadows of the Everfree Forest, was a brown stallion in a security uniform and a pink mare in a nurse’s cap finally corner the dog, or rather a light blue mare with a frazzled gray mane in a hospital gown.
As the uniformed pair scolded, the third pony merely panted happily with a vacant stare before letting out a bark.
~~~~~~~~
Trixie sat at a table in the shack that the creature –Hagrid– called home. It was a humble abode, though Trixie had taken shelter in far worse, even before her recent troubles. Still, it had been a touch disappointing when he'd led her to this hovel rather than the castle which it sat it the shadow of. Not that she should have been surprised that a mere groundskeeper would be limited such meager accommodations. Although, hadn't he also said something about being a professor as well?
Before she bother to put in further thought into the matter, Trixie decided it might all be just as well anyway. Given her recent unpleasant experiences, Trixie wasn't sure she'd ever again be comfortable around any structure with carved stone facets.
On first being welcomed into her host's home, the giant had attempted to excuse himself to find her something to wear –a trivial detail she still wasn't sure why he was so insistent upon– until her own stomach loudly interjected its opinion on what was the most crucial priority, and he instead set about making her the hot meal which now sat before her
The former pony looked into the bowl of thick stew that had been placed in front of her. The aroma wafting off it was pungent and she found herself torn. It was hardly the most refined meal she'd ever been served and were circumstance different she might have even found it offensive and so turned up her nose, insisting he fix her something more befitting a unicorn of her stature. In her present state, however, the mere fact that it was food –real food– warm and freshly cooked, made it a sight that would surpass even the grandest royal banquets of Canterlot.
Famished as she was, Trixie felt the urge to simply dive into the broth, to bathe her face in its warmth while greedily lapping up ever last drop. Yet she was still a mare –or whatever– with some semblance of dignity, and so she instead reached out with her magic to gently lift the nearby spoon… or rather she tried, but the utensil stubbornly remained fixed to the table headless of her rampant hunger.
As Trixie stared with vexing indignation at the uncooperative utensil, her host spoke up, "Ain' nothin' wrong wit' it I hope?"
Trixie blushed in a combination of embarrassment and barely restrained frustration, "Not with the stew, no, but it would seem this ordeal has left me weaker than I thought and I can't quite manage a proper levitation." Were she more clear headed, Trixie would undoubtedly never willingly admit that her magic was lacking in any way, least of all for something so casually trivial, or would have at least come up with some excuse. Instead she simply frowned as she resigned herself to eating like a meager pegasus or earth pony.
Her host, however, only seemed a bit confused, "Well, If'n tha's the way ya intend to go about it, might help to use yer wand."
That statement managed to rip her gaze from the alluring sight of food, thoughts of her hunger all but banished from her mind. Did he think her a mere school filly to need such an implement for magic so simple as basic levitation. "Why would The Great & Powerful Trixie need such a toy when she had a perfectly good—"
Trixie stopped short as she had reached a hoof –hand– to lift her hat and show off her glorious horn, only to realize with alarm that her forehead was bare and smooth.
"No…" she gasped.
"No, no, no! It's gone, but how? That's not possible!" Hasty panic gave way as dread realization sunk into her soul. The fact she was now some human thing instead of a pony she could cope with, but this… that she was no longer a unicorn either?
As she frantically felt all about her head hoping against hope to find her horn somewhere, anywhere, her host interjected, "Guessin' ya must 'ave lost it in tha forest? Dona' worry your pretty little head 'bout that none. Soon as it's good and light out we'll go find it." Then he hesitated, "Less'n of course ya left it behind in tha splinchin'?"
"Lost it…? Left it behind!" She leapt to her feet and slammed her fists against the table, heedless of her cape spreading wide as she did so — and the obvious return of discomfort that seemed to cause her host. She fumed at the creature's blatant indifference and insensitivity at this most horrific plight. "How could I have lost it; these things don't just randomly fall off!"
Yet her incensed anger couldn't hold, and Trixie rapidly found it giving way to abject despair. Her whole life was over; everything special about her gone, cruelly ripped away by the monsters that had twisted her body. What good was her special talent if she no longer possessed any magic?
It was with that thought the dismay of her situation only deepened. If she wasn't a pony anymore, did she even still have her cutie mark, the very symbol that gave her purpose and meaning? She couldn't remember, having been so distracted by the alieness of her new form when first waking to this living nightmare that she'd not even bothered to look for anything familiar… and now, now she was too scared to even chance the glance that might confirm such.
The tears were already flowing freely as her host vainly tried offering a meaningless consolation for the loss a creature such as himself could never understand, "Now, now. Ain' all tha bad. Ya would hardly be tha first witch to 'ave lost her wand."
"Lost my…?" she found her question trailing off as a new realization dawned upon her. Thinking back to the fire Hagrid had started on arriving at the cottage, he'd waved some gaudy pink umbrella and muttered some kind of brief incantation before sparks shot from its tip. Almost immediately after he seemed to chide himself though, and ask her not to speak of what she'd just seen. She wasn't sure what that last part had been about, but the first part gave her some semblance of a renewed spirit. This creature, though bereft of horn, clearly could use magic, and if he could then no doubt so could The Great & Powerful Trixie — all she needed was…
"My wand, of course, how silly of me," with her mind clearing, Trixie quickly fell back onto an effortless lie to salvage whatever dignity she had left. "Yes, you see I usually keep it tucked on the inside of my hat, so when it wasn't there… well, The Great & Powerful Trixie hopes she didn't alarm you in her panic," and with that she calmly sat back down, wrapping her cape around her body again as she did.
"Ain' no bother at all, and like I said, don't ya worry none about it. I'm sure it'll be a simple enough matter ta find it come dawn."
Trixie wondered briefly about that, if maybe her horn had been transformed as well, if it was even now laying unattended in the dark woods? The thought left Trixie distinctly unsettled, that some fundamental part of herself could be transformed into a mere inanimate stick and so easily misplaced. Much as she was eager to regain the use of her magic Trixie hoped that the search would be futile. After all, her azure coat had not been transformed into clothing, so why should her horn be any different. Though she had one lingering doubt to assuage before she could take comfort in that thought…
"…and if we can't find it," she asked with hesitation, "then a replacement can be easily procured?"
"Course it can. We got some of the finest wand crafters in all the world right nearby. So don't let it trouble ya none no more. You just eat up and get yer strength back."
With her greatest concern put to ease, Trixie turned her attention back to the stew. She tentatively reached a hand out to take hold of the nearby spoon, fumbling awkwardly as she struggled to figure out just how to grip it. If her host noticed her difficulties he made no comment, having mostly returned to averting his gaze from directly looking at her.
As she finally managed to bring a spoonful of stew to her mouth, and as she felt its life giving warmth course through her body, for the first time in seemingly forever Trixie also felt something else she'd all but given up on.
HOPE.
********
A lavender colored unicorn slept peacefully in the loft of the library she called home, heedless of the downpour from the storm that had rolled in from the Everfree Forest. Lightning flashed outside her window, but even as it was followed by a low rumbling thunder moments later, all she did was roll over. In the depths of her slumber she remained blissfully unaware of the lurking danger, wholly oblivious to the leering stone face that stared at her through the window.
Author's Note
• Editing by my long time friend ColdGoldLazarus, who generously took time out of his hectic schedule to help make this mess of words semi-readable.
• Extra thanks go out to refferee for reminding me how long it had been since I last updated this fic. It's loyal and dedicated fans like him who make this all worth while.
• Apologies to any diehard Potter fans as I likely butchered Hagrid's accent. Please feel free to scold and correct me in the comments.
• Next time on OW&W -- Trixie goes shopping! 
...oh, and Twilight receives some unexpected visitors, but surely they're just interested in a spot of tea, so nothing at all interesting is likely to happen there. 
