The Most Powerful In Equestria

As Celestia brought the sun up to begin the new day Trixie’s wagon was parked outside the limits of Ponyville. The reason the wagon had stopped owed to an enchantment on most cities and towns in Equestria that stopped self moving vehicles from entering the city limits without a driver at the reigns. Trixie herself was still asleep on the small fold out bed inside.  She woke with a yawn and activated one of the more luxurious machines that came with wagon. It was machine that produced an energizing blend of chocolate, caramel, cream, sugar, and coffee that at its best would be called delicious and at its worse a cup of coffee. Trixie took the cup in her magical grip before opening a cabinet and withdrawing a large blue crystal orb and setting it on the table.

As far as unicorn talents go magic is one of the more useful. Unicorns all had magic but when your talent is magic than anything another unicorn can do you can do. “Thank you ever so much Cassandra. You’ve no idea how much this has helped me.” Trixie said to no one in particular as she took sip of her coffee. Cassandra was unicorn she had met who had the talent of foretelling disaster. Not a talent that endeared her to any one in her home town. Trixie had taken a great amount of time to learn the art she was nowhere as good at it but she knew enough to avoid most problems but some you just can’t dodge.

“Now then what do we have today.” Trixie said as she finished her coffee and turned to the crystal ball as she activated the spell.  An image of a pink figure dancing surrounded by red eyed shadowy ponies.  But it was evident her travels would be hindered if she did not avoid the obstacle. “Peril of pink prancing ponies.” She said as wrote the same into a small note pad which she had tucked under her hat.  The image swirled and became a shimmering violet hued six pointed star with several smaller white stars. Slowly her cutie mark appeared in the background and moved forward until they stood equal with one another. “Now what does that mean?” Trixie had little time to ponder the meaning as the image changed again. A black and white stylized image of the sun it swirled, and darkness engulfed it leaving behind a scene of a devastated field littered with the bodies of dead ponies. “By Celestia’s mane whatever is going to happen is gonna be big.”  Following which the ball fogged over meaning this was as far ahead as she could look.

After putting away the crystal she took the drivers position and headed into town carefully navigating the roads crowded with busy ponies heading this place or the other.  As Trixie went along her way she decided there were two things she had to do today. She had to find out about that strange vision of destruction, and to visit the town library. For reasons she could not fathom Ponyville possessed a few of the rarest tomes of magic outside of the forbidden collection of spells in the Canterlot royal library.

“Excuse me little filly which way is it to the library?” Trixie asked an orange Pegasus that pulled up next to her on a scooter.

“Uhm… it’s right up ahead and to your left can’t miss it.” The Pegasus paused before adding. “It’s the big tree.” With that said the Pegasus took off again.

-

“Why on earth would you make a library out of a tree?” Trixie said out loud as she entered the library.

“Be with you in a second.” A voice called from the back room. Trixie heard quite scuffling before the door opened and lavender mare with a dark purple mane with pink stripe walked in. “Hello and welcome to The Books and Branches Library.” The mare said as she took her place behind the counter. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. How may I help you…?” Twilight sentence trailed off as she realized the mare was staring at her flank. “Um ahem.” She coughed making the other unicorn start.

“My apologizes it’s just I saw your cutie mark in a vision earlier and it took me by surprise.” Trixie explained. “Anyway do you have A History of Equis’ Greatest Unicorns?”

“Yes, I just finished it the other day.” Twilight turned to pull the book from the shelf and handed it to Trixie. “But what do you mean in a vision and what did it mean?”

“Just a little scrying spell but unfortunately I have no clue what it meant.” Trixie paused before pulling her notepad from her hat.  “Have you seen this symbol any where?”

Twilight gazed at the symbol for a moment. “No I’m sorry I’ve never seen it before.” she said with a shake of her head. “But it does look an awful lot like a zebra’s design.”

Trixie took another look at the mark and facehoofed. “Yes it does indeed thank you very much Miss Sparkle.” She bowed slightly as she collected the book and went out the door. “Well now I know where I need to go.” She turned and headed into the Everfree forest.

--

“Confounded nature lucky for you you’re a protected species.” Trixie swore and fumed as the plants tangled about her and barred her path to the trail she had spotted. While Trixie was no expert tracker she could recognize a zebra’s tracks when she saw them. Finally struggling free from the plants she followed them along a hoof trodden pathway until she found a smallish hut nestled between some trees and some odd looking blue flowers. Walking up to the hut she knocked on the door.

“A welcome to you, Zecora is pleased to meet you.” The zebra said as she opened the door to the hut. Trixie only needed a passing glance at Zecora cutie mark to see it was the same sigil from her vision.

Trixie paused as she formulated her sentence and then put her A+ second language class to work.  “A pleasure to meet you Zecora. My name is Trixie.”

“You speak Zebranian, and quite well as a matter of fact.” Zecora said mildly shocked. “Well come inside you’ll be the first pony to visit me since I moved here.”

“Thank you for inviting me in.” Trixie walked in and sat down on of the cushions around the room. “Well I can understand why I’d be the first pony to visit.”

“Oh? Why is that?” Zecora sounded more than a little insulted.

“A great many ponies are absolutely terrified of the Everfree forest, and wouldn’t step hoof in it for most any reason.” Trixie explained as she admired the décor. The masks and various objects she saw were foreign and strange. “I love your home. It’s so exotic and exciting.”

“Thank you. I had wondered why no visitors were coming.” The zebra sighed. “I was beginning to think I had offended them somehow.”

“I’m fairly certain that any pony who talked to you would find you to be perfect company. “ Trixie looked out the window and realized how late it was. “Zecora it was lovely talking with you, but I must be going. I promise to come visit again as soon as I get back from my trip though.”

“Feel free to visit at any time.”  Zecora said with a smile as Trixie walked out the door.

Neither pony noticed a wisp of black something or other as it retreated from the area around Zecora’s hut, and the zebra herself.

--

Trixie made her way back to her wagon and after a quick snack she pulled out the map. “Hmm next stop is the city of Neighson.” The unicorn mare turned on the lights and security for her wagon. She turned set her course and went inside to sleep.