Trixie and her Destiny

Chapters

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage
Chapter 2: Collateral Damage
Chapter 3: The Awakening
Chapter 4: Death of a Magician
Chapter 5: Shadow
Chapter 6: Foothold
Chapter 7: The Dark Forest
Chapter 8: Sunlight

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage

Suggested reading music: Suggested reading music chapter 1Chapter 1: Setting the Stage

The sun shown brightly through the trees as the fiery mass peaked over the horizon. A soft fall wind brushing through the trees and across the well-traveled road.

Tap, tap, tap...

A unicorn methodically trotted along the cobblestone path pulling along a bulging yellow cart. The fall air swished through the unicorn's mane gently tossing its long prim strands around her hat. The mare strode with purpose, lost in thought as the beautiful day passed by unnoticed.

This was the time, time to win over yet another town. To spread her power and influence in the minds of others. Another challenger stood before The Great and Powerful Trixie, Ponyville.

She had fought hard in the past few months, Appaloosa, Dodge City, Baltimare, Filly Dalphia, Hallow Shades, and her home town Manehattan. The Great and Powerful Trixie defeated them all. That was not to say they didn’t fight back, each city brought its own set of unique challenges. Specialized mages, magical landmarks, and even mystic weather which disobeyed the natural order. Trixie has over overshadowed them all, placing her image atop a pedestal of glory. The journey had been long and hard, and with several dozen more cities left on the map Trixie braced herself for a rocky ride. Although, if there was one thing that Trixie had learned about herself over these last few months it was how devilishly tricky she could get when pushed to her limits.

The last two towns, as well as Baltimare before were especially challenging for Trixie. Baltimare was open to the sea’s influence which left little unknown to its residents. Trixie smiled slyly as she reminisced on her masterful plan which won over that particularly problematic city. The other two weren’t quite as difficult as they were grating. Two small frontier cities were newly constructed and inhabited by simple folk who were hardly worth the trouble and had left a particularly dirty taste in her mouth.

Suffice to say, The Great and Powerful Trixie was a face for the masses. For those who could fully appreciate the glory of her performances. A magician who, in the next year, would be begged to come and perform in Canterlot for the Royal Princesses.

This was her dream, what Trixie really wanted. This is what made Trixie feel alive!

It was with this in mind that she decided it best not to skip Ponyville on her way out to Los Pegasus. The rural town would inevitably be filled with simple folk and their ilk resulting in more headaches for Trixie. But she couldn’t afford to skip it after the events of Princess Luna’s return. The dot on the map would soon be bustling with activity, the newly found Elements of Harmony and historic rebirth of Princess Luna to fault for its unnatural growth.

Ponyville itself was an easy target, like the last two backwater towns before, a simple magic show should do the trick. However, Trixie felt uneasy about Ponyville. The elements of harmony were a major unknown. This both exhilarated and terrified Trixie who loved the thrill of performance despite the terrible risks of failure which weighed in the balance. Unfortunately, for this town, failure was not an option, she needed a victory in Ponyville that was certain.

Trixie came to a halt just outside of the town, her rough breathing calming as a wave of exhaustion washed over her body, the long trek from Appaloosa hadn’t been as relaxing as she had hoped. “Time to set the stage” she thought to herself routinely, compelling her aching body to action. Trixie began the ritual of preparing her cart for the show, first dismounting herself then... A gust of wind brushed against Trixie’s sweaty fur soothing her stiff stature. She sighed deeply, as the beautiful weather finally registered in her previously occupied mind. She stood resting momentarily, a calm serenity taking hold as her gaze drifted toward the sun rising above the tree line to proclaim the beginning of a new day.

Creak.

“NO!” Trixie shortly screamed as she turned and darted after her cart which was picking up speed down the slight incline. Trixie snagged the cart's mount with her teeth, digging her hooves into the ground as the two slowed to a stop. “No, no you don’t, Prestige. No one runs from The Great and Powerful Trixie. Not again.” she mumbled into the leather girth caught between her teeth. The freezing-cold Foul Mountains had taught Trixie an important lesson. Never leave your cart, Prestige, unattended, gravity has a sick sense of humor.

Trixie tugged at Prestige, pulling it into a grove surrounded by tall bushes. Then she methodically surrounded each wheel with dozens of small rocks. She would not be the victim of another cart gone loose incident, and until she could buy a new cart-break this was the only solution.

Now secure, Prestige sat in the middle of the grove awaiting its master’s inspection. Trixie happily obliged the cart, diving first into the pyrotechnics. Trixie's specialized collection of rockets, flairs, and sparklers were sporadically clustered throughout the cart. Trixie groaned as she cleared the small living area of the rocketry. Placing the multitude of collected fireworks back in their rightful places. Trixie continued for another half-hour, arranging the living space back to what was comfortable and a quick maintenance check thereafter.

Checklist complete she pulled the lever. The cart worked much like a jack-in-the-box transforming the unsuspecting yellow cart into a small stage with an array of contraptions. The complex mechanical miracle had been the result of hundreds of hours of tinkering, the small minute details gave the small broad stage and aura of both exhilaration and mysticism.

Trixie stood back admiring the masterpiece which was her Prestige. The many gadgets and eye candy plastered across the weathered stage sent a torrent of nostalgia through the magician, reinvigorating her passion for a performance.

Trixie pulled a different lever, collapsing the hidden stage back into the unsuspecting cart. “Now, time to get to work!” Trixie thought ecstatically, a bright joy jolting through limbs for first time since Baltimare. Trixie’s trek from Appaloosa had been quite tiring, but the green foliage seemed to welcome her warmly. It was a new day, and The Great and Powerful Trixie was ready.

Her first order of business seemed almost trivial at first, build up some hype. It was simple, yet in a new town which she knew almost nothing about, the task seemed almost insurmountable. Back when she was in Manehattan she would simply use pamphlets and posters placed on the street corners to build up a viewership. Although this time she had no such benefit as knowing a mare working at the Manehattan Times to print her various propaganda. This time, as was becoming a regular, she would need to do some groundwork.

Trixie had been thinking of her plan of attack ever since she left Appaloosa. The long trip gave her loads of time to think. Her idea would require at least some of the locals to praise her. Somepony who would be gullible to instantly believe her to be the stuff of legends without any foretold knowledge of her legacy.

With this in mind, Trixie headed to the local school yard. Its wasn't a long walk but after such a long journey Trixie's pace left little to be asked for in term of speed, or stealth. A half an hour later she arrived at the fence which bordered the local foul school. She was lucky, school had just let out for recess. Trixie peered through the fence rails scouting for her soon to be volunteer promoters. Getting volunteer promoters would take some doing, but this wasn't Trixie’s first time trying something risky in the name of advancing her image. Trixie, prepared for the worst, but hoped for the best beginning “Operation Marionette”.

The school bell rang, stifling the calm late-morning air with its abrupt arrival. Fouls began to pour out of the school, the usual chaos calmed by mixture of worry and relief. Two fouls in particular, Snips and Snails absentmindedly fumbling into the school yard.

“Why do the test have to be so hard?” Snails complained.

“Yeah dude, that entire test was really hard, everything but that last question I just guessed on.”

Snails chuckled, “Yea, I liked that one, an easy one for sure. I put D.”

“What?” Snips interjected, “but the answer was obviously A. Don’t you remember anything from class.”

“Uhhh snails, I am pretty sure that Pegasus need magic to fly. One of my uncles, Uncle Brandy I think. He’s a Pegasus and he said that the wing is only part of the reason he can fly.”

“That’s not magic, magic is what unicorns do with their horns.” snips barked back.

“No, Pegasus also use magic!” Snails said raising his voice.

“Uhhhh. I am pretty sure what one was E. Actually,” a colt smaller interrupted.

“What?” Snips and Snails exclaimed.

The intruder, a colt with the white coat and dark brown mane continued, “Yea, back home I heard that all ponies have magic, even the Earth Ponies,” the newcomer stated somewhat confidently.

“Oh, and who are you?” Snips accused.

“Pipsqueak, I join your class this week, remember?”

“Ohh, you're from Trottingham, right?” snails asked.

“Yep,” nodded Pipsqueak, “best city in the world!”

“Well, I am not sure what they say over there, but here in Ponyville magic is for unicorns only!” Snips exclaimed.

“Pegasus and Unicorns . . .”

“Pegasus and Unicorns! And that’s final!” Snips hollered trying the end the argument by yelling power.

“No, Pegasus def-”

“Why don’t you go ask Cheerilee?” Pip interjected.

“Good idea,” Snails said.

“No!” retorted snips, “If we ask Cheerilee we’ll become teacher’s pets.”

Snails gasped, “You're right, but then how do we . . .”

The two looked toward the younger colt expectantly.

“You could ask another student, I hear that Sweetie bell gets a perfect score on every test. I sit next to her and she talks ‘bout how her sister wants her to get the best education. She is always complaining ‘bout how she has better things to do than sit at home and work on school.

“Ok, then let’s go talk to Sweetie belle. Uhhh… where is she?” Snips said.

“I think she is over by sandboxes, before the test she was talking about wanting to try out a new pattern or something,” Pip Squeak, shuffled to take his leave.

“Come on, let’s go!” Snips said hurriedly as he ran off.

“Uhhh, thanks Pip,” Snails said before turning and running after Snips.

“Uh yea, no problem.”

Snips and snails ran to the sandboxes.

“AHHHH! It’s moving!” a scream echoed throughout the yard.

The two fowls tripped at the sudden outburst, crashing into each other rolling to a stop at the source of the scream. Diamond Tierra was sitting at the edge of the sandbox, eyes wide as her hooves flailed wildly trying to pull her body away from the thing.

What she was referring to was a glowing wooden puppet mechanically walking toward the sandboxes. The toy was a simple creature with a small body with four extruded legs and unusually large head. Its mane, if you could call it that, was a stiff curl of brown hair about its neck.

“How’s it going my little ponies?”

No one response came from the fowls, as an eerie silence enveloping the crowd. The group eyed the toy suspiciously.

“Ehhh I usually get this reaction, I know I am not a pony.”

A few of the larger fouls gave it a threatening look. “But please don't hurt me,” it pleaded.

“Hurt you?" squeaked Sweetie belle "But you're the most adorable thing ever!”

“Well thanks” the toy grimaced in surprise. “But I wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for this one pony. The most beautiful and magical unicorn I ever laid eyes on” The doll gazed into the distance with its eyes detached from the world. “She's the one that made me.”

“WHAT?” exclaimed snips and snail together. “I was...” the toy began. “You mean that you were given life, by a pony?” snips rudely interrupted.

“Yep, all I remember is that one day I woke up and The Great and Powerful Trixie was there. Since then she has let me be her assistant, and I am here to see if anyone wants to come with me this afternoon to see The Great and Powerful Trixie perform magical feats beyond imagination right here in Ponyville!” The ponies became ecstatic with excitement at the idea of seeing a unicorn which could make their toys come to life. “Now remember to bring your parents, you wouldn't want them to be worried about where you were”

A few of the ponies winced at the idea of having to convince their parents to come to the show. “Don't worry The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't charge for her to shows.”

There was a buzz in the air, an energy of hyperactive young ponies running about in excitement for the evening’s entertainment. The creature leaked a guilty smile at the crowd as their hype grew and grew to riotous levels. But then, like clockwork the bell rang out across the schoolyard. A torrent of moans cascaded through the crowd as the fouls headed back to their classes.

“Well, I’ll see you at the performance, remember to bring your parents,” the doll turned to walk out of the yard but was stopped by Snips and Snails.

“So,” snips started, “I was wondering if The Great and Powerful Trixie ever told you anything about magic.”

“Well, I should get going, but if it’s quick what do you want to know?”

“Uhhh the questions is. . .

What kinds of Ponies have magic?”

A. Unicorn.

B. Pegasus.

C. Earth Ponies.

D. A & B.

E. All of the above.

“Snails stated verbatim from the test.

“Well the answer is E. anyone should know that. But Unicorns are the only ones with Real magic, they just say that Pegasus and Earth Ponies have magic because it makes us all equals, even when we aren’t.”

“Ehhh, ok,” Snips ended before the two of them darted inside.

The toy grimace, and happily skipped across the schoolyard to joined its “master” in the

“Yes!” Trixie squealing with the excitement of a filly who just got her cutie mark. The plan went perfectly! She sat there resting in the bushes, a full smile etched across her face. She started wondering why nopony else hadn’t ever done this before, children were the perfect tools for advertisement. Albeit Trixie’s methods of long range telekinesis while simultaneously powering the short range transmitter were exhausting. But there was some serious potential for advertisement here. Fowls were exuberant, annoying and best of all compliant, everything a good advertiser needs to succeed. Trixie took another glance back the school yard admiring her work as the last few fowls disappeared into the building.

Her eyes shifted back to her miracle worker, the transmitter. The device was one of only a few in the world. When she was an assistant for Jack Rabbit’s magic show in Manehattan before her days as a street performer she had access to some of the more sophisticated enchanted tools used in the industry. Black Flair formerly known as Jack Rabbit for his famous rabbit in a hat trick used these tools to communicate while doing high level escape tricks so that he could communicate with his co-workers if there were ever any complications.

Trixie always admired Black Flair for his tenacity to try ever increasingly hard stunts. Although after the incident she was left without work and the entire studio was shut down, the admiration she once held for the stallion was now shame and disappointment. She hadn't seen him since and the void left in the wake of her unemployment was unforgivable. The entire affair was simply, unforgivable. Though on the positive side of things, during the chaos of the studio closing down. . . Well, let’s just say Trixie wasn't going to accept no pay for her work and acquired a few trinkets as a pension before the condemned studio closed down for good.

Maybe this is why she only used production, vanishing, and restoration type magic tricks which encompassed most of the commonly practiced acts. She had considered adapting other tricks into her performances. For this show however, simple tricks would be the best since any added complexities would be lost on her audience and also make the show unnecessarily difficult. Also, less complicated tricks gave way to little room for error. And there was never enough room for error.

“As a magician I promise,” began the Magician’s Oath taken by Trixie long ago, “never to reveal the secrets of my magic to a non-magician, unless that one swears to uphold the Magician’s Oath in turn. I promise never to perform any magic for any non-magician without first practicing the effect until I can perform safely without error. I promise to uphold the wellbeing of my fellow magicians and audience above all other ambition.

“And I promise The Great and Powerful Trixie will rise above them all!” Trixie always liked to add that little part at the end, but dared not say it out loud back under Black Flair’s tutorage. The proud stallion always had a thing for order, and making her repeat this oath before every practice was a mandatory process. At first Trixie was very irritated by the elongated oath, but the oath soon became routine and over time she took a liking to it. Now the oath served as a focal point to which she could center her mind. A single statement which brought her magic and performing finesse to their peaks.

Hours passed and the time was upon her, the streets lined with expectant ponies. Trixie was filled with excitement as she happily strode into Ponyville central, Prestige pulled along telekinetically at her side. Pulling the behemoth was significantly more tiring than pulling it physically, but the mental exertion was far worth the benefit of making a lasting first impression. Trixie was thrilled to see the large crowd awaiting her arrival. Taking a few deep breaths she prepared herself to start the performance, glancing back to her audience nervously. The audience size was amazing she really underestimated the effectiveness of her advertisement. Trixie momentarily regretted saying that show was a free performance, she could have made bank with this crowd.

“Focus!” she thought “now is not the time to get sidetracked, there might be the elements of harmony out there and I can't let myself be shadowed by them.” She breathed a few more times. Then began!

Chapter 2: Collateral Damage

Suggested reading music: Suggested reading music chapter 2

Chapter 2: Collateral Damage

“Come one, come all!” Trixie’s powerful voice vibrated through the crowd, “come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” smoke spewed from the cart as Trixie's mechanical miracle transformed into a stage revealing the caped mare. The audience was already warm “awwing” over her eloquent entrance. Trixie's heart rate skyrocketed as her eyes glazed over the crowd revealing what she thought were all six elements of harmony, front and center they eyeing her with suspicion. Trixie smiled at the approaching challenge. “Well it has been a while since I pushed myself. So let the games begin!” She thought briefly before fully immersing herself in her work.

She held herself high placing a hoof to her chest, with poise. “Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!” Trixie telekinetically released a pack of fireworks, and powered up a few props on stage from her cart for dramatic effect. The flairs sprawled over the crowd igniting the crowd with excitement.

“what boasting.” A voice echoes through the crowd, noticeably diminishing its excitement. Trixie resisted the urge to wince as the remark sounded to have come from was one of the elements.

Trixie then started her performance routine by starting her first production trick, the trick was wasn't hard, but it was effective given the audience was into it.

The crowd's cheers died down, distracted as the front row started side conversations. Trixie kept her cool and ignored the distraction. ”poof!” the flowers teleported in just as she had practiced several weeks before her tour.

It was quite...

Trixie inwardly was furious, the front row was ruining her show.

“Nothin' at all, 'cept in when someone goes around showin' it off like a school filly with fancy new ribbons.” The orange pony stated bluntly as the brief silence accentuated her remark. Trixie couldn't help but involuntary feel squeamish about the comment. Trixie was about to start her next trick when the white unicorn one started up again.

“Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us.”

“SERIOUSLY? shut up! this isn't your show.” Trixie thoughts raged uncontrollably as her attention noticeably locked on the front row.

“Especially when ya got me around being better than the rest of us.” The blue pegasus smirked arrogantly as she hovered above the rest of the crowd.

“AHHHHHH!” Trixie Mentally screamed, “these ponies have no respect. If you want to talk do your own show, STOP STEALING MINE!” Trixie frowned, her thoughts beginning to permeate her fading poker face.

“Eh, I mean, yeah, uh, magic shmagic. Boo!” a pegasus remarked.

Trixie was shocked, her brain full of rage. Trixie had been called many things in the past; fraud, cheapskate, liar to name a few, but this was... this was outrageous! “You come to my free performance. You interrupt my show. You talk down to me like a child... Then to sum it up, you boo at me!” Trixie mentally raged as she focused on her new opponents.

THIS IS WAR!

The world slowed as Trixie’s mind raced a mile a minute, searching desperately for a counter attack to recover her rapidly crumbling show. Trixie has seen this kind of aggressive crowd before. After the incident Black Flair was faced by an audience akin to a lynch mob on a witch hunt for blood. Trixie remembered how he handled it, and the consequences of that performance which essentially erased any hope for the studio’s recovery. Trixie didn't know what else to do, her mind accepted it, but somewhere deep inside Trixie felt wrong. Considering her position, she set on a course of action which she had to follow through to the end. It was risky, but worth it.

The plan was a “classic” Bait and Tramble, the strategy was almost never used because it gave entertainment to the masses at the expense of few presumably random audience members. It was cheap, and had dire consequences given static performances, but it was the only way Trixie could come out on top, the only way she could win! Although, it was a massive gamble.

In the case of Black Flair, his show was an hour long and he was unfortunate enough to have volunteers such as the governor, a renown critic, and an old rival and good friend of his.

After the performance, Trixie had seen him crying in his private chambers, that was the last time she ever saw him. Trixie pushed aside the lingering thoughts and pressed forward steadfast to whatever end await her.

“Well, well, well.” she spouted shortly at the crowd. “It seems we have some neighsayers in the audience. Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie?” She taunted, throwing a menacing glare across the audience. “Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?”

“Just who does she think she is?” the white unicorn questioned.

“Yes, raise the stakes, challenge me I dare you!” Trixie’s mentally begged.

“Yeah! Since we all know that Twilight here is. . .” the dragon was cut off by a purple unicorn which seemed to be his guardian.

Nopony dare accept the challenge, It seemed that they needed a little bit more bait, Trixie let loose another pack of fireworks hoping to spur the crowd and more specifically the front row into either submission or aggression.

Nothing happened for the next few seconds, a few coy whispers pervaded the audience, but nopony made a move. Trixie considered continuing with her show, dropping the Bait and Trample for a less risky approach. But just as the thought crossed her mind a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane darted at her face at a thundering pace, imposing herself inches from Trixie’s face. Trixie winced, startled by the near clash of pony. In preparation for the battle soon to commence she compiling an array of insults and other tricks to assert her superiority.

“So, ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’. What makes you think you're so awesome, anyway?” the pegasus questioned hover in front of Trixie with an indignant facial expression.

Trixie was a little taken aback by the lackluster assault. Taking the opportunity to utilize her show equipment she released a levers back stage. A mist of magical particles flooded into the air. They showered over the stage until Trixie formed them into a cartoonish movie.

The magic dust was originally designed to make particle fireflies run through the audience, but in reality the dust could take any form given enough magical manipulation.

The dust took form into the figure of an ursa major, Trixie narrating the scene. “Heh, why, only the Great and Powerful Trixie has magic strong enough to vanquish the dreaded Ursa Major! When all hope was lost, the ponies of Hoofington had no one to turn to, but the Great and Powerful Trixie stepped in, and with her awesome magic, vanquished the Ursa Major and sent it back to its cave deep within the Everfree Forest!” The figure of the ursa exploding into an array of particle spraying across the audience.

“Ahhh...” the crowd cheered as the particles dispersed. Trexie was overjoyed, it was working, the taboo known as Bait and Trample was working. . . The crowd was in awwww, this is what Trixie lived for. She loved seeing ponies make that face of amazement, the cheering, and the admirers giving off energy as she blow minds and took names. The thrill filled her heart with joy and gave her purpose. Show business was the one thing she really loved in this world and the only thing she couldn't live without.

The fouls from the school were all cheering especially loud claiming that she was the best unicorn in all Equestria. The baby dragon desperately competed with the others claiming that his twilight was better.

“Time for a little flaunting, I need to leave a good impression after all,” Trixie mentally rationalized. Calming her nerves by the acknowledgment that if there were any problems she could simply continue the Bait and Trample. She then proudly followed the lead of the young fouls.

“It's true, my enthusiastic little admirers. Trixie is most certainly the best in Ponyville.”

The crowd went silent.

“BUCK,” Trixie’s tethering psyche squeaked. Her mind began racing again, it hadn't been two minutes since she won the crowd back over and now they all looked hostility at her.

“Guess I'll continue the plan, it’s all or nothing!” Trixie thought, mentally preparing herself.

“Don't believe the Great and Powerful Trixie? Well then, I hereby challenge you, Pony-villians anything you can do, I can do better.” There was an eerie silence, again nopony approached.

“Any takers? Anyone? Hmm?” Trixie trying to push somepony over the edge continued. “Or is Trixie destined to be the greatest equine who has ever lived?” She let another pack of fireworks lose for dramatic effect and to try and reduce the number of volunteers, yet embolden those who would challenge her. The Bait and Trample was now in full effect. There was no turning back now as she had just opened the floodgates, aiming for the jackpot!

To Trixie's surprise no pony came forward, could she be so lucky enough to assert her dominance in Ponyville with no consequences? It seemed all easy. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw that dragon again begging the purple unicorn to challenge her. She thought it best to end this before the show got any messier.

The purple mare being a unicorn would be the perfect target, she looked shy and therefore would burn under the stage fright even if she did accept the challenge. Her magical potential didn't mean squat if she couldn't use it in front of others. She was the perfect target.

Although, in a separate part of Trixie's mind, she wanted to crucify that orange mare for her crude remark regarding her as a “school filly”.

“Hmm,” Trixie bringing a hoof to her chin “how about you!” Trixie pointed at the purple unicorn. The unicorn caved under the pressure, her plan was working. Pushing the issue further she continued the assault.

“Well, how about it? Hm? Is there anything you can do that the Great and Powerful Trixie can't?” The purple unicorn stammered a bit as Trixie’s stare battered her into submission.

To the left of the tattered unicorn the orange farm pony stood, a look of pure disgust painted across her face, as if visually cursing at her. The other part of trixie mind took over. Turning to glare at the orange pony “Well, little hayseed?” mentally salivating over her new pray.

“That's it! I can't stand for no more of this!” she indignantly replied.

Trixie couldn't help but let out a small devilish grin before the crowd as the mare trotted forward right into her trap. The baby dragon ironically encouraged the mare, a proud earth pony, to her doom.

“Can your magical powers do this?” The mare then swung her rope about as proficient as a professional cattle driver, the rope work was quite impressive, but it was obvious that trick was merely a consequence of her job on the ranch. The crowd was impressed which made Trixie uneasy.

She finished “Top that, missy.” she touted proudly.

“Time for a little payback!” She thought, a fiercely grin overtaking her face.

“Oh ye of little talent. Watch and be amazed at the magic of Trixie!” Trixie was apprehensive of her situation, she needed to be careful what exactly she did as the crowd was currently against her. She decided that her original plan of turning the mare's mane color into a blood red and launching fireworks at the earth pony after strapping her to a horizontal spinning wheel would probably make the crowd lynch her.

So, she chose the next best thing.

Trixie first distracted the mare by waving her part of her lasou in front of her. Trixie’s innards lurches forward stifling a wave of laughter, as the mare comically eyed the lasou like a kitten a ball of string. Trixie took the opportunity to snag an apple from the tree while winding the roping around the mare’s hooves. Seconds later the mare was upside down with a priceless expression plastered across her face. Then for the finishing touch she shoved the apple in the earth pony’s mouth, silencing her probable protests.

Finishing her trick she was awarded a cheer from the crowd. Trixie was thankful that the trick didn't come off as simple revenge as the audience laughed and applauded her. She didn't like entertainment at the expense of others, though she was glad to admit this mare was an exception. Plus, it had only minutes ago that she was doing the same thing and for no apparent reason except to ruin her show.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie prevails!” she hoped to end the show on that final note. She had her revenge, claimed her superiority, there was nothing to gain from dragging this out. She has accomplished what she came there for.

“There's no need to go struttin' around and showin' off like that.” The pegasus shouted over the crowd.

“oh?” Trixie raised an eyebrow, but inwardly scolded herself for the missed opportunity to end the show.

“That's my job!” The pegasus bolted forward, leaving slight after images as she flow. Her speed was deafening as she approached a windmill catching the blades she spun them about like a top. After building momentum and speed she released herself from the blades catapulting herself through the air, smashing through a dozens of clouds until reaching the apex of her flight. After a quick pose she darted back toward the ground with lighting fast speeds taking with her the water from the clouds. The crowd was audibly concerned as the pegasus approached the windmill once more taking hold of its blades slowing her speed slightly then releasing flinging the mare back upon the stage. The water particles which followed created a sizable rainbow for the audience to admire.

“They don't call me "Rainbow" and "Dash" for nothin'!” She touted as she finished her performance. The crowd applauded awaiting Trixie's rebuttal.

Trixie liked the show, it was flashy, eccentric, and impressive. Everything a good show needs. She was a little ashamed she would need to ruin it. “Well, I guess she did boo at me, so this will make us even.” she thought.

There was little about the performance she could mock, so she decided to fall back on some insults.

“When Trixie is through, the only thing they'll call you is loser.” she followed it up with a similar spell to her finale. Channeling magic through her horn she bound the water particles together like a chain, then wrapped the mare up, spinning her violently. Adding a bit of telekinesis to spun the pegasus into the air like a miniature tornado made of rainbow and pony. The audience enjoyed the counter-performance immensely. Trixie took the opportunity contine her assault, using her magic she built up an electric cloud behind the unraveled pegasus. “Crash” the changes dispersed. The dizzy pegasus screeched in surprise like a little filly during her first nightmare moon night. More applause from the crowd, Trixie seemed to have struck a chord with the crowd as it appeared they held some contempt for this, Rainbow Dash.

Trixie on the other hoof was a little worried, she has just verbally and physically assaulted what she believed to be two of elements of harmony, and there was only so much damage that could be done before forgiveness was out of reach.

Although on the bright side, Trixie had the stage back under her control once again, she was also getting good at this Bait and Trample. She recognized that the blue pegasus was easy, but the next, if there was one, might not be. She prepared herself, for what she hoped was her last opponent. The crowd seemed intent on forcing shy purple unicorn up on the stage.

“What we need-” the baby dragon said, somehow trying to represent the crowd as a whole “-is another unicorn to challenge her someone with magic of her own” he said nudging the purple unicorn.

“yea!” The Rainbow Dash said, following the baby dragon’s lead. “A unicorn to show this unicorn whose boss!”

“A real unicorn to unicorn tussle!” the orange earth pony encouraged.

Then seemingly out of nowhere the white unicorn, burst forward out of the crowd. “Enough. Enough, all of you.” she stated with an aristocratic aura. “I take your hint, but Rarity is above such nonsense. Rainbow Dash and Applejack may behave like ruffians, but Rarity conducts herself with beauty and grace.”

Trixie’s next target, this gracious, self-dignifying fashionista flaunted her mane about the crowd as she approached the stage. Trixie decided that it was best to give her the first move as that seemed to be working quite well so far. She taunted her in an attempt to move the show along, no need to wait for the inevitable.

“Ooo, what's the matter?’ Trixie touted out at the mare. “Afraid you'll get a hair out of place in that rat's nest you call a mane?” Trixie taunted the fashionista.

“Oh, it. Is. On!” She stated gruffly, glaring at Trixie. “You may think you're tough with all of your so-called powers, but there's more to magic than your brutish ways. A unicorn needs to be more than just muscle.” Her horn began to glow “A unicorn needs to have style.”

The Rarity then commenced to rip down the stage's backdrop and make a dress out of it. Trixie couldn't help but remember the backdrop cost her 25 bits back when she was building Prestige back in Manehatten. It wasn’t a large amount, though enough to warrant some frustration at the mare's lack of appreciation for her property.

When the fashionista was finished, if you could say it took her any time at all, a royal dress lay outfitted on the unicorn. A beautiful blue pristine dress adorned with gold feathers around the neck. Trixie was once again unable to find any direct way to attack the performance, it was simply stunning, and in that instant Trixie noted that the Rarity also somehow also did up her mane to match the outfit in the same instant. Trixie made a mental note that if they ever got past this show that she might contract Rarity when she finally got to big stage in Canterlot.

Unable to trump her performance, Trixie thought it best to stick to what she already knew was her weak spot, her fashion, and specifically her mane. She considered her options “green seems like a fitting color, the color fits her true personality which is abrasive to anything which she doesn't understand. Although I am sure whatever color I give her will make her freak out...” Trixie thought a moment longer, “Green it is,” grinning she cast the spell.

“Quick! I need a mirror!” She reacted in a state of frantic delirium “Get me a mirror! What did she do to my hair? I know she did something terrible to my hair!” The Rarity flared about frantically.

Trixie couldn't hold back any longer, she let out a small giggle at the figure before her which surpassed even greatest actresses of Manehatten in terms of her dramatic presence.

Trixie let out a low sigh, she was winning, but at what cost. She didn't even enjoy this Bait and Trample as much as a normal show which was by far little stressful and much greater in terms of personal reward. However, losing in ponyville wasn’t an option and there wasn’t any other choice, she had to finish it.

All that remained was the purple unicorn which was being prompted to act by that baby dragon. Trixie was grimaced at the annoying baby dragon, it was like he wanted these fights. He wanted for there to be somepony humiliated. The baby dragon’s blind admiration toward his guardian had been the building blocks of this entire catastrophe, and now he wanted to further elongate the suffering. If anyone were to blame for this, it should be that foolish baby dragon, and Applejack too.

Trixie snapping to attention as the little dragon continued to try and tempt the purple unicorn into a fight. Trixie was tired and thought it better to end this before anymore ponies left hating her guts. She knew she was already shy and with none of her friends looking to protect her this time she aimed to scare her away and end the show in one fowl swoop.

“I'm not better than anyone.” the unicorn sputtered at the dragon. Trixie overheard the purple mare's exasperated mumbles.

Taking this as her opportunity to end the show she pretended to misunderstand, “Hah! You think you're better than the Great and Powerful Trixie? You think you have more magical talent? Well, come on, show Trixie what you've got. Show us all,” she waved a hoof to the large crowd.

Two other mares in the crowd made a movement to meet with the unicorn, one pink earthpony and a yellow pegasus. Trixie cringed at the thought of dragging this out any longer, but thankfully they stopped. The two of them took a long look at Trixie and while glaring at her trotted away. Trixie gained a little respect for these two. At least somepony realized the position they had put her in, and although it took three ponies to get the point across, they finally understand, and left rather than cause more problems.

“Who, me?” the purple unicorn hesitantly replied “I'm just your run-of-the-mill citizen of Ponyville. No powerful magic here. I, uh... I think I hear my laundry calling. Sorry, gotta go.” The purple unicorn burst to life scurrying away.

Trixie was a little at ends with that last statement “run-of-the-mill” did she mistake the her for an element of harmony when she wasn't? Trixie knew she was shy and therefore wouldn't accept her challenge onstage. but if she was the element of magic, she should have at least enough pride to say so.

“well no matter” she thought “the stage is clear and the curtains are closing.” Trixie, now exhausted from the stressful show and physical demands of the magic, wrapped up the show flaunting her abilities before the crowd as they dispersed to resume their daily lives.

The crowd was filing out when she caught the eye of two young colts. “Snips, Snail I believe you owe my assistance a favor for a certain test answer. You can make it up to him by getting me a smoothie, extra hay.”

“Sure thing Trixie,” snips said enthusiastically.

Trixie pulled the lever, Prestige hiding its wonders to grant her some peace and quiet to mull over her plans. Grabbing a brush and mirror, Trixie started to comb her mane. Stress leaking out of her with every brush stroke. Although the uneasiness remained. Trixie felt perturbed by her actions, she felt dirty. She had committed a major taboo, and won. Well, she wasn't sure if she had “won” quite yet. The show ended before the crowd got angry, yes but it would be a lie to say the show had a good finale.

Chapter 3: The Awakening

drip

drip

“sooo hot...”

drip

drip…

“Damn that mechanic, why didn’t he come fix the air conditioning before graduation?” Trixie thought as sweat dripped from her brow. Trixie looked over to see, Fugal silently mouthing a something to her.

“Trixie, Trixie,” -they made eye contact- “hoof-fan,” the pegasus mouthed. Fugal then slipped a thin piece of paper with slits of wood embedded into the page for structure. Trixie accepted the fan, grinning.

“Thanks,” Trixie mouthed back, taking the fan and smiling back at her friend. Trixie then waved the fan subtly behind the chair in front of her. A few ponies around her gave her envious looks as the two relished the air current. Fortunately, nopony made any particular fuss, after all it was graduation.

“...And now, I’d like to introduce our student speaker for today’s commencement. A few words from your student body president Fugal Moonglade.”

“Good luck,” Trixie mouthed at Fugal, as she turned to tout up to the podium.

Fugal, gently glided up to the podium, her aquamarine coat and silver mane elucidating the fine grace of a well practiced speaker. “Ladies and gentlecolts, today I am privileged not only to represent the our wonderful student body as president, but also today’s speaker. Firstly, I’d like to thank our valedictorian, Trixie for giving me the opportunity to speak on her behalf. Such generosity is an emblem to what this school represents, love, sharing, and most of all learning together. Today we take a big step forward into the world, we know not where we will go, but we will go together. And I speak to my fellow students as much as the audience in attendance when I say this. We will all make mistakes. I can say this from experience from hundreds of assignments which were riddled with red ink, to forgetting my lunch, it's going to happen. That in mind I am sure you all remember there was one such mistake this last fall.” The ponies on stage giggled, at this. “And for those in attendance i’d like to take a moment to recap. It was during the winter when…”

Trixie’s laughter was near uncontrollable as the not too distant memories of The Stig crashing a carriage into the side of the school building sped into her head. The crazy earth pony was trying to “drift”, he said. But all that happened was two ponies got sent to the nurses office for snow rash and a newly furnish hole now sat into the east hallway. Trixie remembered how school was canceled for the next few weeks as repairs were made, it was a good time.

“Anyways, enough about crashing carriages,” Fugal continued, “The point I am trying to make is that sometimes you makes mistakes, and when you make mistakes you need to remember… No, you need to force yourself to try again, I don’t know exactly what a “drift” evan is, however I do know that The Stig wants to be the best racer in the world! And to that, I wish you the best of luck, and I pray that you never lose sight of your dream. And that goes for us as a class, we are going out into a big world with lots of ponies. Keep sight of your dreams and together we can make them a reality. Thank you.”

Fugal’s speech was met by an uproar of applause as the audience stomped their hooves into the ground appreciatively. Fugal then came back to her seat, an approving smile coming from Trixie.

“Good job,” Trixie whispered.

“Twas nothing, thanks for letting me speak.” whispered back as the applause died down.

“Thank you, Ms. Moonglade, for that wonderful speech, and just to be clear we have recently installed a concrete barrier to prevent such an accident” the agitated principle spoke, “And now, on behalf of the faculty and the ever faithful PTA, I am proud to present Elizabeth Primary School Class LXIX with their diplomas.” The principle left the podium, moving to center stage where a decorative table held hundreds of diplomas.

Trixie sat there musing over the speech, her mind wandered as it often did when not attending a task. She sat contemplated the speach for a while longer analysing the structure, message and delivery with friendly scrutiny. Unfortunately, Trixie found herself impatiently tapping the floor beneath her, there is only so much analysis which can be done on a five minute speech.

Board with the idea of having to wait she counted, three, four, five more rows. Letting out another low sigh her eyes drifted, resting as they fell upon the audience. Trixie curiosity had been peaked with a new topic to occupy her anxious mind. Her view wasn't great, but the auditorium was quite nice with several levels for the audience to look upon the stage. She peered at the crowd full of energy and entropy. Trixie was surprised, she had suspected that she would feel small and pressured as most who struggle with speaking do in front of massive crowds, however the adverse was true; it felt good. There was this buzz about the audience, a dull hazy mixture of emotions, which Trixie found entirely appetizing to watch.

Trixie eventually lost the feeling the concentration of the crowd at center stage granting her relief in her observations. Trixie smiled, as she visually sorted through the audience finding whole families, friends, and others who she had known while at Elisebeth.

Trixie eyed the parents in particular musing in how many had come, it was nice to see all these ponies gather together for the sake of their children.

Trixie bit her lip, stuttering the part of her mind tempting a dangerous thought, she had to keep those emotions bottled up. “It needs to be this way” she rationalized that “its better this way.” The solid argument persuaded the collating thoughts to leave her brain quickly focusing back to the audience for another look to distract herself.

“hmmmm, this is interesting,” the analytical part of Trixie mind started to reel. Trixie had begun to notice a pattern, it seemed that there were a few different reactions from the audience. There was the type of pony which just barely passed filly school and hadn't received any awards, these ponies received a small number of stomps from the audience and then really loud cheers from their friends and family in the audience. Then there were the few that received a few awards such as a letter in athletic or academics. These seemed to receive the best reception as these students were well known and therefore much of the audience participated in the congratulating. Trixie wondered how they would react to herself, she had the highest scores in every class she had taken. Although that wouldn't mean she would receive the loudest applause.

The row in front of Trixie rose and slowly trotted to the front. Trixie mentally prepared herself, after this she would be done. Nervously, she fiddled with her hooves waiting for her row to be called up.

The row in front of her refilled, the fillies noticeably more relaxed. Then Mrs. Shimmer Trixie's previous magic professor and the one responsible for helping Trixie get her Cutie Mark orchestrated her row to stand. Trixie's mind went blank at the order, following the instructions perfectly without a moments delay. They lined the front of the stage, Trixie became unnerved at the massive crowd which now looked upon her.

“Rumble Ramble” the speaker announced. It was almost too much for her to take, it was so different from before, the energy of the crowd was overwhelming. Like the sun that is so beautiful to look at, but burns at the same time. Trixie's heart was racing now, fully alert.

“Rockey Silver” She forced herself to look away from fear that the energy she was feeling would render her unconscious. Trixie cringed, the pony in front of her was walking up to receive her diploma.

“Vinyl Scratch” The audience exploded with cheers and whistles as a large group of ponies near the front screamed and hollered like there were at New Years Eve. The sound those ponies made was deafening, Trixie almost put a hoof to her ear but restrained herself, she was next.

Time seemed to slow slightly as Trixie entered the spotlight “Our valedictorian, Trixie Lulamoon!” the crowd exploded with applause. Trixie faced the crowd to see the faces of her admirers. A jolt of lightning shot down her spine. The crowd was alive! The faculty were all looking with admiration and pride at their student, the crowd, everypony applauding her excited. Trixie felt an energy the likes of which she has never felt. It was like Celestia herself had just infused her with power. Trixie felt so full that her mind couldn't hold itself together, crowds energy overtaking her puny vessel, filling her to the point where she couldn’t feel anything, except pure bliss. Trixie stood there a moment in a state of shock-enjoyment.

A tap on the shoulder, trixie turned to see the principle looking at her worriedly. Trixie blushed accepting her diploma she waved a hoof to the crowd which was already quite. Trixie walked to right of the stage, still buzzing with energy she waited for the row to return.

“Our salutatorian and student body president, Fugal Moonglade!”

The audience went wild again applauding Fugal profusely as she professionally accepted her diploma. She bowed to the audience curtly before joining Trixie, winking playfully at her apparent mishap.

Trixie mentally sighed, sometimes having your birthday on the same day as your best friend could be quite annoying, and sometimes seemed to include graduation.

A moment later the row finished and Trixie started the seemingly endless trip back to her seat. The feeling, the energy, it left her as fast as it came. Trixie physically didn't know how to handle it, her breath went ragged and heart pounded was like a bouncing ball as it fain escape her chest. The few remaining moments on stage felt like hours for the dazed unicorn.

Trixie's mind finally came back to her. “what was that she wondered?” she wondered. As she was more the academic type Trixie had never had so many people cheer at her. The sensation rebounded in her mind a thousand times a second. Trixie's eyes gazed into the crowd in awe of the energy it had given her. Trixie received a nudge to take her seat. She blushed, embarrassed as Fugal anxiously motioned her to sit. Trixie's heart grew colder as she did, the light which once filled her was now slowly fading. She looked up again to see the crowd from her row, the energy spiking for an instance before vanishing entirely.

Trixie, grunted as she felt her body go numb, the lovely sensation of bliss replaced by helpless confusion and emptiness. Trixie glared at the front row, ohhh how she now envied the front row. Her mind now filled with regret for not taking the speaking position her mind and heart aching with every thought. She put a hoof to her chest, feeling a hole manifest itself where the crowd's light and energy once filled.

Trixie silently whimpered as the all too familiar feelings once again took hold, even at graduation it seemed she couldn’t be free of them. A single blank tear formed, then another quietly making their presence known to the ponies around her. Trixie looked away from Fugal, pretending to have caught something of interest in the crowd.

This wasn’t the first time Trixie had, well, precipitation in the eyes. Trixie was very familiar with blank tears she often had them in class randomly, or while eating dinner, or even while playing outside of all things.

Trixie had no control to stop the tears, they came like a drizzle before the light of the day pierced the morning dew. Uncontrollable and inevitable they came silent and without reason. In the past Trixie tried so hard to make them stop, but she knew better now that it was useless to try. One of the many things she had learned about herself over these last years was that she had no control over blank tears.

However this time, the tear felt very normal, and although worth hiding from Fugal were an appropriate accompaniment to her aching heart. Trixie stared off into the crowd trying to omit all emotions and memories. Her conscious mind begging her emotional psyche for solitude and peace.

The last row took its seat behind as Trixie. The principle then continued her speech, Trixie payed no attention to the remainder of the speech with her head hung now in her hooves trying to hide her tears. She sat there for what seemed like an eternity, dazed by her emotions as the world warped around her.

“Trixie, Trixie!” Fugal nuzzled the whimpering mare, “Trixie, are you alright.”

Trixie finally came too, having missed tossing her cap she now sat in the middle of the group of ponies filling out.

“I’ll be alright,” Trixie sniffed, “just let me, clean myself up.”

“Ok, if you’re sure you’re ok, I am going to go meet up with my parents. Remember, we are going to be at table A, and remember to bring an appetite, I don’t want Ms. sniffles anywhere near the deserts.” Fugal smiled widely, trying to improve Trixie mood.

Trixie giggled, a smile cracking onto her forlorn face as memories of one specific birthday party flooded in, “ok, I’ll see you there.” she waved Fugal off as she went to greet her parents.

Forcing herself to the restroom, Trixie quickly trotted off, head downcast to avoid as many faces as possible. Her eyes frantically glanced upward for a restroom sign. Finding her target destination she bolted for the facility.

A loud scream later, she opened the door and gracefully entered another. When Trixie arrived she was greeted by a forlorn face, void of expression, with four liquid lines traced downward from her eyes. Trixie stifled a giggle at her ridiculous reflection, the mirror giving her every reason in the world to clean herself up. After a half dozen splashes of water in the face, and a quick combing, Trixie joined Fugal in the reception room.

The reception room itself was a massive room, well lit with by a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. At the room's perimeter, and the only reason any student was present, were tables cluttered about with orderves and dishes ranging from small salads to cupcakes to candy bars. The room itself was already packed, clusters of ponies siting and wondering about getting food and socializing. Groups of three and four everywhere with an occasional large group together chatting about the ceremony and what they all planed to do with their lives.

Trixie glanced over toward the buffet, spotting Fugal and a few of their friends waiting in line. “Hey, Fugal, so, sorry about that, I just-”

“Don’t worry about it,” Fugal cut her off, “everypony gets a little emotional during graduation. Come on lets get some food,” she waved for her to cut in line.

Trixie smiled joining the group in line.

“So Fugal,” Another pony asked, “what are your plans? I heard a rumor that you were going to try and join the guard or something, is that right?”

“Well, I am considering the possibility, there are some really great opportunities in the guard. Plus, I don’t really have anything else I am terribly interested in. Although, just for fun I would prefer the Night guard, their uniforms are so much better than the Royal guard.” the group laughed at this.

“What,” Fugal said in mock offense, “style is at least half of the job, I’ll need to look impressive, and the Night Guard uniform is just better. More comfortable, more stylish, more everything. It really is a shame that Celestia has neglected their services. They are the best of the best.”

“uhh, Fugal,” Trixie spoke up, her eye fidgeting “I read somewhere that the night guard is just a myth, the special forces division of the guard, and specifically the night guard was dissolved a long time ago.”

“ohh come on Trixie, you can’t believe everything you read they have got to be out there. Who do you think keep equestria safe in the shadows? hmmmm?”

Trixie smirked, “fine, maybe they do exist, but I am not going to believe you till you're one of them.”

“Ohhhh, that sounds like a challenge, and since you beat me to valedictorian, I guess I have no other choice. I will find the night guard and join their legion!” the ground looked at the two worriedly as the argument grew.

“FINE!,” Trixie yelled, winking subtly to Fugal, “Be that way! become the “legend”, but remember that forming the Night Guard doesn’t count.”

“Says who?” Fugal rebutted in an angry tone.

“Fillies,” a pony in the group tried to break the tension, “its graduation, please act your age.”

“No, I can not stand for this,” Trixie huffed, crouching low in an offensive stance, “as Valedictorian I will dethrone this pegasus for her insolence.” The surrounding crowd continued to grow as more and more ponies spectated the match.

“ohhh that is how you want it to be, I see. Then we fight to the death?” Fugal yelled, a smile cracking through the stern face.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way!” Trixie screamed, blinking twice. The two of them charging each other at full speed yelling the whole way.

The crowd went wild, as ponies scrambled away while others tried to get between the two of them.

“Moon glow, sparkle show principles away, clap your hooves and make a little quake,” the two finished the musical rendition with Trixie sending a particle explosion toward the ceiling and Fugal a lighting bolt to one of the lights hanging from the ceiling.

Boom!

The entire ballroom was silence except the Trixie and Fugal who were laughing uproariously, their plan had succeeded flawlessly.

“Thank you,” Trixie began, laughter making her voice barely understandable, “Thank you, thank you, we will be here all week. I mean hour, or at least till we get kicked out.” Trixie finally pulled herself together helping the still laughing Fugal off the floor.

After a minute more the crowd dissipated and the line continued to go through the buffet.

“So, although it’s a rumor that I’ll be joining the guard, I think I’ll give it a shot,” Fugal spoke casually to Trixie.

“Really?” Trixie said, a little shocked, “I didn’t know you would be into that.”

“Yea, turns out pegasus with control over their passive magic is rare, so I have been guaranteed a high ranking spot in the guard if I join. That is of course after basic training which I hear is excruciating.”

“That sounds, uh, cool,” Trixie tried to sound enthusiastic.

“Don’t worry Trixie the guard isn’t all that, I will always be me, Fugal. But it does mean that I am going to be away for a few months during basic.”

“So wait, you already signed up?”

“Well, yea... sorry I didn’t tell you, everything got all crazy before graduation. And the sergeant, my recruiter, gave me a weeks notice before basic starts. Which means, i’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

Trixie stared at Fugal, shock and sadness filling her countenance.

“Hey, none of that!” Fugal spoke up, “remember its graduation, I am sure you have your own plans anyways, its not like either of us were going to be in manehattan for very long anyways. Speaking of which, did you decide whether you're going to university?”

“Well, I talked to an adviser and they suggested that I wait a few years, take up an occupation as an apprentice or something before attending,” Tixie frowned disappointed. “ There is also that invitation to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorn on my desk, I still haven’t decided about that either. I mean magic has always been interesting to me, but I just don’t know if I could do that for my entire life.”

“Hey, you're talking to someone entering the guard. I don’t know if I want to be in The Guard, Night Guard or not I’ll will have to judge if i want to continue serving after my first tour. But what I do know is that I have a talent for lightning, and the guard needs that. So follow what you think you want in life, find something special and pursue it.”

Nearing the end of the buffet, Trixie picked up a chocolate cake slice, “I guess you're right,” she finally conceded. “I just don’t really have anything like that, and apparently I am also running out of funds…” Trixie said wearily.

“Well, I am sure you will find something soon,” Fugal chose her next words carefully, “and if you ever need a place to stay for a few months my doors will always be open.”

“Thanks, Its good to know I have somepony looking out for me,” Trixie smiled as they headed back to their table with two plates stacked full of candy, cakes, and a few vegetables for good measure.

“Hey Fugal, Trixie we are over here,” Fugal’s parents waved them over. The two of them weaved through the crowded ballroom, nearly dropping their meal a few times before finally reach the table. “Honey, your father and I just want to let you know that we are so proud of you for getting salutatorian. Smarts doesn’t run particularly strong in the family, however you have proven that with good determination and a strong will anything is possible. Congratulations!”

Fugal blushed, hugging her mother affectionately.

“And Trixie, thanks for helping our daughter learn so much, you have been a great influence on her as well as being awarded valedictorian, congratulations.”

Trixie blushed, “It was nothing, Fugal is realy smart.”

“Yea, big sis, you are wrealy smart.” Esque, Fugal younger brother said. The group laughed and started eating.

The next few hours flew by, countless jokes, stories, and laughter echoing from the family at the table. Remembering times gone past, some good others not so much. But like all good things, they come to an end to make way for the new.

Trixie stood outside the convention, hugging Fugal tighty. “You be safe ok, I don’t want any letters telling me that you blew up or something.”

“Ahh Trixie, you worry too much, I’ll be fine.” Fugal said, tightening the hug, “Don’t worry i’ll be back before you know it.” Fugal finally broke off the hug heading to where her family was waiting for her. “Good bye, Trixie, have fun!”

“Good bye, Fugal, good luck in the guard!” Trixie waved, turning to go back and grab her things inside.

When Trixie had all her stuff together it was already starting to get dark, a cold wind flowing through the streets warning of the imminent night. As it swept by the mare, a cold shiver went down her spine, a recollection of what happened in the auditorium playing in the back of her head. Trixie tried to process it in her brain, but only received an error from lack of references to similar situations. The energy that the crowd possessed was truly a miracle to behold, it was the first time she had been applauded by a large group of ponies and it felt wonderful.

Another gust of wind swept through leaving a lasting chill, beseeching Trixie to head back to her apartment. Trixie swept the feelings aside intending to revisit the topic later. Her mind beganing to process all the parents she had just met, and their names and faces sorting them like a book keeper her wares. She noted how they all had a profound expression of pride for their children's accomplishments. It was something that Trixie had always removed herself from, but now without school, without anything... her mind was empty.

Trixie’s mind wandered to that taboo.

Her brain subconsciously swept the questions aside deferring to other pressing matters. The usual list compiled in her head. “What is planned for the rest of the day?” and the all too familiar “What homework needs to be done?” and don’t forget the “What is planned for tomorrow?” They probed her mind, answered one after another, until only one remain. A solemn question remained, one that trixie dared not ask. But it persisted “Are your parents are proud of you?” the question echoed through her mind. Trixie couldn't answer, nor did she want to. Than another question rebutted her silence.

Do they even care?

. . .

Trixie didn't move, her brain had asked something that she had repressed for so long that it burned her soul even think of it. Memories flooded Trixie’s mind, the love of her mother’s carrying hooves, the loyal of her father. Trixie began to whimper as the torrent of conflicting emotions flooded her senses. Love, Kindness, Pride, Loss, Loneliness, and shame whirled about, a maelstrom of memories, faces, and dark places whipping through her consciousness violently.

~~~

Seven years ago Trixie came back from school to her family’s apartment. She found it empty with most of the furniture missing and all of the appliances gone. She didn't understand what was going on and so decided it better to go and wait for her mommy and daddy to return and explain it. So she went to her room which was completely normal aside from a note on her desk, which she failed to notice. She spent the next few hours practicing some magic that her current instructor said was crucial to her development as a unicorn. Trixie wasn't so sure about that though, it seemed kind of back-hooved. The homework was to perform a form of telekinesis which grabbed and sealed the air around an object. The seal was to prevent the object or objects from falling out, though Trixie already knew how to directly root her magic into objects so that they would move as instructed. It seemed like a step backwards, but it was still challenging so she wanted to master it. After another half an hour the sun dove under the horizon and the dim moon rose to take its place. Trixie was hungry and now waited patiently on the couch for her parents to return. 9, 10, 11... the clock rolled along unaware of the message it conveyed. Trixie fell asleep. The next day she awoke to an eerie silence. She got up and headed to her room. The window shades were open and a beam of light shone upon her desk, and more specifically a piece of paper. Trixie grabbed and read the note. She ran to the next door neighbors interrogating them about the note unable to believe its contents. Trixie didn't go to school that day, she stayed home waiting, waiting for her parents to return.

~~~

Trixie stumbled through the streets wondering from street corner to street corner tears flowing and whaling as she couldn't answer the question. The lights grew blurry as she continued to stumble sobbing profusely. There was nothing else, except to try and answer the question without an answer. A few passing pedestrians looked at her in surprise not sure what to do in her state of hysteria.

Trixie's eyes met the sun, searching for solitude in the fiery mass as it softly landed on the horizon leaving the city in darkness. The breeze which chilled her moments before now felt like colder than ice. Trixie couldn't get herself together it was an impassable question, a question she couldn't answer no matter how hard she tried. In exhaustion she collapsed, tears cascading from her eyes accompanied by a chorus of sobs and the occasional sniff. Her heart, earlier filled with the energy and passion from her admirers now left only a near empty well, filled with sorrow.

Trixie remained there, for a long time. Her hooves wiping across her puffy eyes did little to stop the torrent of tears. She mourned, alone and near the wayside gutter she curled up hoping for an escape. The drops forming a small puddle below the mare’s crumbled form.

Pop!

Her ear perked up snapping toward the sound.

Pop!

Again this time turning her face to the intruder.

Pop!

the noise echoed through the streets again. Trixie, overwhelmed by curiosity and in need of a break from her question forced herself to stand. She felt weak, like she hadn't eaten in days and stumbled tripping as her hooves quivered from her trauma.

pop!

Blue and red rays of light shafted across the grim street through an alley as Trixie approached the commotion. Trixie enthusiastically raced down the narrow alley the noise growing louder with each step. Jumping over trash bin and card board box, Trixie exited the alley into a the city square filled with ponies. Near the center a tall black stallion stood atop a mighty stage overlooking a massive audience.

“Behold!” A deep voice rang out over the audience. “From the great arcaneries in Canterlot! Taught only to those Celestia deems worthy!”

The black stallion rose up on his hind leg coming into full view of Trixie as his horn began to shimmer. The horn at first was a low glow, then brightened many times into a mystic blinding black. The surreal light enshrouding the audience, shattering reality with its brilliance.

The light faded revealing a horde of creatures bursting forth into and over the crowd. Finches, Eagles, Phoenix , and Dragons flew over the audience with a radiance befitting a god. They glowed phosphorescently in the sky leaving beautiful trails of particles behind. The plaza was brought to an uproar furiously applauding and squealing in delight as the creatures flew through the sky.

Trixie was lost, she was no longer in Equestia but a magical land of beautiful mythical creatures lighting the night sky. Her eyes were ablaze with joy and wonder at the sight. It was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen.

A small creature, a cute green rabbit, tucked its way toward Trixie. It hopped energetically in between the hooves of the crowd stopping to look at Trixie’s distraught main and crass face. At first the creature gave a look of confusion. The mare's face was stained with streaks from her eyes to halfway down her coat. The bunny immediately jumped upon her head and started to tickle trixie, who burst into laughter. The green creature bounced about the mare like a humming bird a flower. The crowd was starting to stare at the mare for her exuberant behavior grinning and laughing along side her as the bunny playfully tormented her. “Stop it, I can't take it anymore.” Trixie let out between laughs. The bunny obliged her request and then rested atop her head for future scheming. Trixie attempted to dismount the varmint swinging her head side to side. Though this accomplished nothing as the bunny was near weightless and was hanging onto her horn. Trixie chuckled “Fine... if you really want to stay with my horn. I won't stop you. Just don't blame me if others start to think of you as a hat.” The bunny's ear perked up in shock. The bunny then leapt from her head and headed back toward the stage. Trixie sighed, relieved to have avoided her torterure’s grasp, but could help feel sad as the bunny hopped toward the stage. Trixie waved to the creature as he left giving off a joyful smile as she did.

The stage lit up again cascading the air with sparks and magical flairs which set the sky aglow. The black unicorn again stood atop the stage, except this time he was accompanied by hundreds of glowing creatures of all different color and shade. Trixie was filled with a feeling of euphoria as she saw the bunny standing beside the black stallion waving to the crowd with its little paws. “Thank you!” the stallion waved to the crowd. “We at Jack Rabbit have a show every week and everypony is welcome.” The stallion and the entire cast of creatures then stood on their hind legs high into the air. The crowd went wild with applause and screaming as the show came to a close. The line of a single pony and hundreds of creatures bowed low. “Thank you and Good night” Then with a loud “poof” The stage was filled with smoke and the stallion and creatures on stage vanished. The street was loud with a the noise of applause for a good minute as the smoke cleared.

After a short while another stallion walked on stage. He had an oddly streaked forest green coat and a dull yellow mane with streaks of gold braided intermittently. “Thanks everypony for coming out tonight, we are going to have a cast and fan meeting in a quarter of an hour in front of frontage fashion.” he pointed a hoof toward a shop with a few ponies setting up a tent and some tables. “I hope to see you all there, and thanks for coming to the show. It was great having such an energetic crowd. Also if you want to see more amazing feats come on down to Jack Rabbit's for the show of your life. We are a little limited with using this square for our shows and we would really like to show you all we can do with a proper stage…” The stallion then mumbled on for a few more minutes about show times, vaguely hinting that there would be new tricks in the upcoming shows and side-performances by aspiring magicians. Followed up by a few more remarks about how great the night was, he finished by inviting everypony to come get autographs and talk to the cast.

Trixie raced to be first in line to see the cast. Although, even her frantic jog to the line, severl dozen ponies already waited. Trixie hated waiting, but for once she was alright with waiting. She needed to see and thank the magician that had turned the her day from one of the worst days of her life into the best day of her life. She felt she owed him and herself that much.

Trixie looked over the cast, a crew of a dozen or so were gathered around signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. Trixie neared the end of the line, looking over the one with a forest green coat.

“Next,” a crew member said.

Trixie walked up to the black magician nervously “Thank you.”

“What’s your name dear?” he replied.

“Trixie” she shrugged quitely.

“Thats a nice name, do you want me to sign something.” Trixie fumbled around a bit as she remembered that the entire reason why everypony was there was to get a signature.

She blushed “ohhh, umm... I don't have anything to... Wait!” She then poked through her small saddle bag looking for a sheet of paper. She found her graduation certificate and handed it to the stallion.

“Well, look what we have here! Congratulations young lady it looks like you just got out of school, and not just for the simple honors of passing your classes either.” The magician was a little shocked to see the list of awards on the paper.

“Are you sure you want me to sign this?” The magician’s surprised voice questioned.

“Yes please, it would mean the world to me to have you sign it!”

“Ok, but don't go and blame me if you don't like my signature, its not really that impressive after all.” A pony behind him let out a small cackle at the remark.

“Its fine, go ahead” she said hastily noticing the numerous hostile eyes peering at her for taking up so much time.

“Ok, well here goes.” the stallion said with a grin. He magically lifted the quill from the pot of ink and started. Trixie's mind was blown! The quill spun across the page like a rocket, zig and zagging across the page like a wild hedgehog popping up from hole to hole. It took him a grand total of 5 seconds to finish his name. Then the quill finally stopped, it let off a whiff of smoke.

It was an elaborate signature something that Trixie has never seen before and it also seemed to glow slightly like it had been infused in some magical spell. Trixie had seen him sign his name earlier from an elbow in the line but up close it was a completely different experience. “Thank you mister.... Uhhh” reading the complex signature aloud “Black Flair”.

“Thats my name sister, hope you like it.”

The mare’s vision faded as a bright smile crossed the stallion's face.

[End Dream]

Chapter 4: Death of a Magician

Suggested reading music: Suggested reading music chapter 4Chapter 4: Death of a Magician

Trixie lay in bed for a while, the dream fading from memory slowly. She rose, breaking her sleepy demeanor. A tear greeted her as she did, slowly it rolled down her cheek. She let out a long sigh.

“More blank tears, dammit,” she thought, pushing aside the covers she approached the window looking out into the starry night above. The eternal night expanded across the infinite sky, illuminating the unicorn as she stood in front of her window. The moon, bright and pristine, was full tonight. The glowing orb static in the sky had possessed a special sparkle since the return of Princess Luna. It shone brighter now, no longer a mare plaster across its face, it felt a unfamiliar to Trixie to see such a pure moon.

The lonesome planet in the sky reminded her of the long nights spent alone working on her magic. The endless hours streaming through pages and pages of material at Celestia's school for gifted unicorns.

“It was hell” Trixie's memories barked, breaking peaceful reflection as memories flooded her mind. She had spent hundreds of hours in that school and never even graduated. It was the single largest disappointment in herself entire life.

Although if she hadn’t gone through that hell, she wouldn’t have made it to Jack Rabbit’s so she reasoned it was worth it in the end. “Dammit, how I wish I could still be working there.” she mumbled blinking away tears under the night sky. Her time there had been like a fond dream, short, magical, everything a pony could ask for, but very brief. She had seen the great Black Flair at his prime and then fall from the heavens. Once the envy of all, brought low, the disgrace to all ponydom.

Trixie stared intently into the night sky watching the stars twinkle. She wished that she could shine like that, shameless and beautiful for all the world to see. She wondered what it must be like to be a star. To have the entire world look upon you and stare in wonder. This was her goal, become a star, a star of magic. To have the world awe over her magic, inspired by her greatness. It was her destiny.

Trixie turned to her makeshift dresser opening one of its drawers.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * The Kind of Pony * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * by: Photo Finish * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * *

lay at the top of her pile of momentos. Trixie pulled it setting the book aside as she looked over her graduation slip. She opened it looking at the splendor of the document. Trixie hadn't many things to be proud of, but this was a grand exception. It was the one single thing which Trixie felt that she truly earned, deserved, and felt proud of. Trixie beamed as she looked the document over. The signature, which was next to the principle's still somehow letting off a dim glow in the dark room. Trixie had often wondered how Black Flair did it, she could never figure it out.

She thought it could have been the ink, but that didn't seem likely since it would have to be enchanted ink which was extraordinary expensive. In fact anything enchanted was extremely expensive. In the past Trixie had often joked about how she should go into the enchanting business so that she wouldn't have to spend so much money on supplies. Although after doing a little research she decided that it would be better to just buy them. Learning to enchant items was just as hard as learning magic twice, as the rules to embed objects with magic were complex and completely opposite to what most magic dictated was “normal”. Trixie always liked to learn things, but this was just too big for her to pursue as a mere hobby.

The mare looked at the paper again, reminded of her lack of education over the past few years. “Maybe I should go back to school.” she thought to herself cautiously. She chuckled to herself for a short while dismissing the thought and placing the article in her coat pocket. She was probably just over tired from her long day and abysmal night there wasn't time for her to doubt her life's path now. She needed to focus on her goal. Canterlot!

“Cooooshhh..” Trixie stumbled at the crashing sound in the distance. She got to her hooves dazed. “Ok, now I know for certain, I am just tired and need to go back to sleep.” She thought as she lay back down in the cramped bed curling up into a tight ball.

“Knock! Knock!” the door rang out.Trixie just slipped into a shallow slumber.

“uhhh, an annoying dream and now what?” she mumbled to herself quietly.

“Trixie!” two squeaky and familiar voices sounded from behind her door. Trixie, annoyed and a little groggy got up and dressed herself. If she was to be seen it would be in her proper show attire. Trixie swung open the door open revealing Snips and Snail's terrified eyes.

Annoyed she shouted “Trixie thought she said the Great and Powerful Trixie did not want to be disturbed!”

“We-- We have a-a tiny problem.” Snips said hesitantly.

“Actually, it's a big one,” snails corrected him.

“What is so important that you cannot wait until morning to disturb Trixie?”

“This is preposterous, why in all of Equatria would you wake me up in the middle of the night?” her thought questioned.

“WHROOOOO!” a roar echoes through town as an ursa major broke the treeline.

“ohhh. . .” she thought half dazed. Trixie pinched herself to make sure this wasn't another dream.

“ahhh!” Trixie mumbled under her breath, the taste of blood filling her mouth, her attempt to wake herself failed.

“nuuu nuu nooo... This can't be right...” her thoughts murmured in disbelief. She stared at the colossal beast blankly for a moment stunned.

Trixie's gaze was disturbed by a piercing scream echoing through the night. Trixie's mind flailed in confusion as the world started warping as the Ursa slightly faded into the distance. Trixie then realized that she was running for her life bellowing out a deathly scream of terror. Realizing her actions, she quickly stopped herself, composing her expression. She stood there ponies streaming out of their houses eyes directed at the unicorn. Slightly embarrassed by her horrid scream only moments ago she turned. Her gaze was met by at two fillies in pursuit. Behind them she saw the massive Ursa a few hundred feet behind them smashing Trixie’s cart to bits. Trixie’s breath let out a long exasperated sigh as her cart degraded into a pile of rubble in moments.

“Great and Powerful Trixie, you've got to vanquish the ursa!” snips demanded .

“Yeah, vanquish so we can watch,” snails added.

“Wait, you brought this here?” Trixie asked, shock etched across her face.

Snails casually nodded in the affirmative.

“You would have me risk my life for your entertainment, you Bucktards!” the thought slipped through her mind, though it was translated to the fillies as:

“Are you out of your little pony minds?” she yelled furious at the two fillies.

Snips and Snails stepped a pace back in fright at her outburst. The growing crowd also taking an interest in the loud conversation, waited her rescue from the situation.

“But,” the foul blue unicorn spouted, “you're the Great and Powerful Trixie.”

“Yeah, remember?” snail added “ You defeated an Ursa Major!”

Trixie was about to say something about how useless banishing an Ursa major was in comparison to the how nice temporary banishment for fouls would be, but was cut off by a chaotic roar from a few feet away.

Trixie hastily put together a plan. She stood momentarily cornered against a wall desperately trying to amuse the Ursa. After which she might try and restrain him somehow. Levitating her rope from her supplies she wrung the rope around the air distracting the Ursa temporally. The Ursa seemed to be slightly amused by the rope, distracted for a moment she tied the rope about its fingers as a distraction. No dice, the ursa stared at the unicorn unamused by the little trick and snapped it almost immediately, all the while his eyes locked on Trixie. The two fouls in the rear complained anxiously awaiting for something unheard of.

“I need something, flashier. Something that will get his attention away from me.” she thought. A spell preceded to form in her mind and she began to cast. Trixie had many spells which were visually appealing and jaw dropping in their beauty. However, almost none of her show spells would work to distract an Ursa major. Trixie formed a cloud of magic in the sky behind the Ursa drawing electricity to coalesce into a dark cloud.

Weather magic was usually strictly for Pegasus ponies, but after significant study into particle magics, which was by far Trixie’s forte in magic, she could manipulate a large number of different particles.

The cloud grew and began to grumble in anticipation for its discharge. Trixie, although proud of her ability to force a cloud into existence, was ashamed at its size. Clouds were supposed to dwarf creatures, not the other way around.

“KSHhh!” The Ursa roared in pain. Trixie didn't miss the opportunity to scurry away in the moment of confusion, leaving the Ursa alone near the edge of ponyville. The beast erupted, ripping roofs off and gorging the ground with its paws it dove into the city square. It seemed to believe that the city's buildings were responsible for his misfortune with the lightning, and as such the beast ravaged the city. Trixie now near the center of Ponyville ran into the purple unicorn from earlier.

“What's going on?” she demanded a stern look on her face. Trixie stared confused, was this still the shy little squeak of a mare from the show yesterday?

“We brought an ursa to town.” snips replied.

The purple unicorn's eyes shot open as the beast came into view. Her reaction was much the same as Trixie's minus the screaming and running.

“You What?” she spouted in disbelief.

“Don't worry, The Great and Powerful Trixie will vanquish it.” Snails said, a sparkle of anticipation festering in his eye. All three pair of pony eyes landing upon Trixie expectantly.

Trixie's mind raced for some scapegoat, but was drawing a blank. What could she do, no-pony except the Princesses and maybe a squadron of the elite guard were capable of dealing with a beast of this size.

A memory flashed through Trixie’s eyes.

“Now remember,” Black Flair spoke to her with a stern deep voice “you have seen first hand that being a magician is dangerous. It is all fun and games untill somepony gets hurt. Trixie, if you're going to be a magician I want you to promise me. Promise me that you will never endanger somepony’s life for the show.” The Great and Powerful Trixie wordlessly responded. “I Promise”.

The Great and Powerful Trixie, it was who Trixie was, a performer, an actor, and mastermind of her campaign to captivate the world. But above all that The Great and Powerful Trixie was a magician. The first rule any magician must follow is to never tell anypony their secrets. Big or small it did not matter, their life was based around secrecy, to have the audience fooled at all times, to reveal only that which would make herself look great. The two philosophies collided prompting Trixie to act.

Trixie fidgeted as the words escaped her mouth “I can't. . .”

“What?” The two fillies shouted at her in disbelief.

“I can't, I never have.” Trixie said “No one can vanquish an Ursa Major. I just made the whole story up to make me look better.”

The two fouls grunted in astonishment.

Trixie mentally face hoofed at their reaction. “What you never expected to be tricked by a magician?” she thought sarcastically.

Another roar echoed through the town center as the Ursa attempted to rip the roof off of one of the buildings after limited success in decapitating the building. It dove forward at the crowd of ponies now gathered, snarling viciously at the crowd.

The purple unicorn stood tall approaching the Ursa. Suddenly the crowd was silent. Her mane blurred in the slight breeze as her horn began to glow. Then like an explosion the city was filled with magic. Trixie could smell the power radiating from the unicorn, like a magic beacon blasting forth a wandering light. Trixie could do nothing but stare in amazement at the unicorn which began to radiate magic. Twilight was now enveloped by magic swirling around her violently like a tornado.

Moments later the city was filled with the sound of a flute. The music was mesmerizing something one would imagine hearing at the gates of zenith in the afterlife. The entire city was lulled into silence. Trixie's mind was almost lost amidst the melody, but her keen spirit repelled the strong magic leaving the unicorn barely conscious. Trixie’s eyes were glued on Twilight as her horn doubled in brightness.

“looks like it takes a lot keep that sp..” Trixie's thought was cut short as the sleepy Ursa started to tumble in her direction. Trixie winced in terror as massive body plummeted toward her.

Trixie’s life flashed before her eyes. Her fillyhood spent in Manehatten, the long evenings after work where she practiced magic religiously, and her tour through equestria yielding the greatest adventures she had ever known. It was all there and gone in a flash.

“This is it.” her mind muttered bitterly. “The Great and powerful Trixie squashed by a sleepy ursa major. How pathetic...” Her mind letting out one last thought as her body began to feel the ursa major’s body make contact.

Trixie stood there a moment more eyes waiting for the wave of pain to come, then fade in an instant.

It didn’t come. . .

Trixie irritated by the delay of her death peeked an eye open. Trixie’s jaw lay open for the next few moments as she witnessed the goddess of magic do her work. The Element of Magic, Twilight, had telekinetically lifted the several thousand pound ursa minor several hundred feet into the air. The ursa major now looked calm and even had a massive milk bottle in its grasp to suck on as it wisped through the air back to the Everfree Forest. Trixie stared at Twilight, her eyes revealing her pure disbelief of what she had just witnessed.

Trixie mind flailed for an explanation. “according the telekinetic theory. . . THAT SHOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE!” Her brain argued against her senses. “According to telekinetic theory that unicorn should have had to hold up the weight of the entire Ursa major on her head!” Trixie’s mind now in full out war against her memories. Her eyes desperately attempted to satisfy her rational mind. They darted through the plaza looking for a rune or maybe some type of enchanted item to explain the events. They revealed only four hoof prints buried several inches into the ground where Twilight stood while she cast her spell.

“Wow, Twilight,” a baby dragon said, breaking Trixie’s concentration, “how'd you know what to do with that Ursa Major?”

“That's what I was doing when you came looking for me. I was so intrigued by Trixie's bragging that I was compelled to do a little reading up on them.” Trixie let out a low sign at the remark, glad to get an explanation for the impossible.

“So it is possible to vanquish an Ursa Major all by yourself?” The baby dragon stated bluntly. Trixie stared at him in disbelief waiting expectantly for the remainder of the explanation from Twilight. An explanation which didn’t come.

“That wasn’t a Ursa Major, it was a baby, an Ursa Minor” The unicorn stated matter-of-factly.

“That was just a baby?” Trixie blurted out in disbelief.

The unicorn nodding in the affirmative, then continued her report. “And it wasn’t rampaging,” She shifted her gaze to the two fillies. “It was just cranky because someone woke it up,” she said, chiding the two fillies.

“Well, if that was an ursa minor, then what’s an ursa major like?” The baby dragon asked curiously.

The unicorn’s eyes then briefly drifted upward, searching her archive of memories for an answer. “You don’t wanna know.” a small smile appearing on her face.

Trixie sat there still trying to put herself together from the events which still seemed to defy reason. Her mind raced for answers, but only found more questions.

She was brought back to reality as the crowd eyed her expectantly. What had they expected she asked to herself briefly before the answer shot back at her.“They want me to admit she is better don’t they” her mind retorted.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie-” she thought “-has just died. . . They wanted it me to acknowledge it.”

“NEVER!” her brain retaliated.

If she couldn’t be the Great and Powerful Trixie, life would not be worth living. Puffing out her chest and putting her best possible stage voice that she could. She defended her name, her existence.

“Huh,” she touted, suppressing the urge to break down in tears. “You may have vanquished an Ursa Minor, but you will never have the amazing, how-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie”. She finished by smashing a smoke bomb on the ground as she run away as fast as possible tears filling her eyes.

Her hooves felt heavy as she ran, the weight of great loss coupled by exhaustion of the previous day making each step harder and harder as she escaped the town. her eyes now trailed by two lines of tears down her light blue mane. She ran because she had nothing left, everything was gone.

Her cart, now nothing more than splinters.

Her image, revealed to be a fraud in front of an entire town.

Her life, now uncertain and without purpose.

She ran into the darkness not caring where for anywhere but here would do.

Chapter 5: Shadow

Chapter 5: The Princess of the Night

Suggested reading music: Suggested reading music chapter 5Act 1: ConsequencesChapter 5: Princess of the Night

The Sun lay low over the horizon, its golden rays waving across the sky in a glorious array of bright reds and soft oranges. At the top of Canterlot tower the tips of the fiery ball could be seen flickering into the cosmos, its figure now dwarfed by the brilliance of the night. The figure of an alicorn sat, patiently waiting for all remnants of the solar mass to vanish, her light blue mane flickering strangely as it swayed in both the physical and ethereal wind of the cosmos. Princess Luna rose, looking to the east for her glorious celestial body. Luna found it, her pristine home over the past thousand years, her prison. Luna concentrated grabbing hold of the colossal mass as its mass weighed heavily on the weak Princess. Taking flight with a few beats of her wings she rose several feet into the air, pulling the moon from the far east to its path across the night sky. The alicorn then unceremoniously dropped toward the ground letting out several loud pants as a few beads of sweat dripped down her face. Her mane, now a solidified, swayed in the physical wind naturally as she fell on her rear panting quietly.

“Luna, are you doing alright?” Her sister asked affectionately from inside the tower.

“Just fine, my dear Tia” she let out between breaths. “just, out of practice, that's all.” She bit her lip, regarding her own excuse a weak explanation.

It had been only a few weeks since Luna had returned to Equestria, her memory and very being reshaped by the Elements of Harmony. Luna was glad about the change, and although the elements had left everything she cared about and removed the extras which served to weaken her resolve. Luna couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness for the loss of her former self. Her memory, now altered revealed most of her years with Celestia before Nightmare moon, and even some of the memories of her time as nightmare moon. A shiver ran down the alicorn’s back as she recalled the atrocities she committed during those dark days. She couldn’t help but feel a shame for those long nights.

Luna entered the tower, receiving a worried look from her sister as her rigid body troted into the room. Celestia sat gracefully enjoyed her evening meal at the dining table, a large salad with some exquisite topping from their neighboring countries plated in front of her. Luna eyed the dish enviously.

“You know Luna, if you want...” she said cautiously “I can set the moon in place until you get your strength back.”

“No! I am the Princess of the Night, it is my duty to raise the moon.” she yelled loudly in the Royal Canterlot voice which carried throughout the castle.

Celestia wore a face not unlike her usual, but with a slight frown upon it. “I also think you know that the Royal Canterlot voice hasn’t been used in centuries.”

“Sorry” she yelled slightly quieter this time. “I am having trouble speaking normally,” she said quieter still.

“Its ok Luna. . .” She paused for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully. “I just want you to be happy and if you keep going at the rate you are now, I don’t know if you will ever get back to normal.” Luna frowned at the remark, considering her words.

Luna hated the idea of changing anymore than she has already, but her sister was never wrong. She bit her lip considering what Celestia wanted of her, but also what she wanted of herself.

Everything was different now, the customs, the culture, and even the way the general populus viewed her and Celestia. Luna’s new life was all so, new, and she wasn’t sure she even liked it, much less did she desire to embrace the new life.

Luna’s thoughts weighted heavily as alongside the daunting prospect of adjusting to the new culture, Luna was also worried that she might change back into nightmare moon. The transformation wasn't completely impossible. After all, If you could become instantly good, why couldn't the opposite happen? What if she were to remember everything and turn evil again. The elements of harmony were extraordinarily powerful, but above their legendary power they were renowned for how little was known about them. The magical artifacts would give the element of magic super-pony powers, but no-pony knew exactly how. No one knew they could even have these effects on Luna, and how long would they last? Celestia herself had told her that she was happily surprised by the results and wouldn’t have had it any other way. As a precaution Luna decided for the time being it would be best to delay her recovery.

“Luna” Her sister called, a mouthful of lettuce prohibiting her from continuing until she swallowed letting out a satisfied sigh. “I have heard from the royal chef that you haven't been eating much. I know that we are Alicorns and don’t require food to survive, but our bodies and magic increases by the nourishment. I don’t want you to hurt yourself with your duties because you aren't eating properly.”

“ohh Tia, why are you so smart?” her thoughts replied. She had at one point considered the possibility that Celestia had the power to read minds, though the impossibility of the idea deflated the theory. Luna’s mind wondered how much of her plan she has seen, but reasoned that she already knew everything.

“I know. . . It is just that. . . uhh. . . everything they were serving. . . had spinach in it. . .” The words leaving the startled Princess’s mouth as an awkward smile crept across Luna face confirming Celestia's fears.

Celestia returned her smile with a heavy frown, as if to say, “you and I both know you're a bad liar.”

“Well” Celestia’s tone perking up, “If you feel so good that you don’t even need food. Then I have a job for you.” Luna’s face which was previously facing the grown now looked up at her sister raising her eyebrows and a slightly pained look as her vacation was coming to an end .

“A Job!” She yelled out in surprise and frustration, not even trying to speak quietly.

“Yes” The Alicorn replied, a slight hint of irritation etched across her face. “I would like you to go visit Twilight Sparkle’s dreams tonight, I want to visit Ponyville in a few weeks on our next parliamentary break. I am sure Twilight would be pleased to see you again.”

Luna began to open her mouth in protest as such a task would be both boring and meaningless.

“And unfortunately” Celestia cut her off before she could begin “I am all out of paper and I don’t expect another shipment for months...” She stated matter-of-factly.

Luna shut her mouth acknowledging her plight. ”Fine, I’ll do it” Luna finally agreed gruffly.

“Thanks, my scholars surely appreciate it.” Celestia smiled at Luna broadly.

A few moments later Celestia let out a slow wink toward Luna. Her face grew bright red in embarrassment at the realization.

“Out of paper. . .” Luna facehoofed at her own stupidity. Luna never did find much enjoyment in her sister’s unique sense of humor.

A few hour later, Celestia hopped into her royal bed which was also within the tower, but first reminded Luna of her request, stating that she wanted the job done that night. After a few complains from Luna the argument was settled by a pleading smile from Celestia.

“Fine, i’ll go tonight.” She replied in an annoyed tone.

Luna sat outside on the tower balcony overlooking a small portion of Equestria from her perch. “Its been more than a thousand years since I last was in a pony’s dream” she thought to herself.

“Well, here is to hoping it is like flying and you never forget...” Her horn glowed shifting her consciousness out of her body into a cloud of ethereal smoke. She let out a small breath as her mind entered the cloud of magic. She was right, moving into the cloud felt very natural to her, almost more so than her alicorn body which felt rigid and heavy at times.

leaving the alicorn body resting on the balcony, the cloud drifted, directed by an invisible force as the massless vessel left Canterlot.

Luna’s heart raced as the sensation of her spirit form overtook her mind. The ponies below her in Canterlot fading from her mind as drifted across the sky. She wafted through the air, careful to mind her direction, she headed to Ponyville.

A few moments later she arrived to find the city in ruin, houses destroyed and claw marks buried into the ground. Luna was shocked to find Twilight directing a few orders to the ponies throughout the streets. She had an assistant dragon carrying a long scroll which stretched several dozen feet behind them as they made notes for repairs.

“Spike, don’t forget to write that we are going to need a construction crew from cant. . .” The unicorn stopped herself short.

“Ohhh no!” The unicorn’s eyes grew huge “Spike! How am I going to tell Celestia, she will be furious with me!” She said exasperated. The purple unicorn trotted about aimlessly mumbling to herself for the next few minutes developing an answer.

“You could just tell her,” Spike interjected.

Luna hovered above the pair, antagonized by the situation. Her people had been attacked. She was the Princess of the Night, She should have been the one to protect them. She began to curse at herself for not keeping a watchful eye over the town earlier. Now she could only observe from her cloud waiting patiently for an answers in their dreams.

The two wandered about the town for another half an hour before heading back to the library for the night. Twilight with a tired and rather drained expression on her face plummeted to her bed at the top of the library tree. Exhausted, her troubled mind drifted into obscurity.

Luna entered the unicorn, enshrouded by its vast knowledge of Twilight, a dream began to play out in her consciousness.

Celestia stood tall in her royal place which seemed irregularly large. Luna watched for a momentarily as Twilight was being yelled at by Princess Celestia for her negligence to stop the damage to Ponyville. The purple unicorn quivered on the stone floor, ashamed and broken before the almighty alicorn. Luna, unwilling to wait for the dream to unfold shattered the scene replacing the cold sanctuary with an open field and star covered sky. The unicorn still quivered on the grassy plane, unable to open her eyes for fear of a non existent Celestia.

“Twilight!” Luna’s voice boomed.

The unicorn snapped to attention, unfamiliar with the voice.

“Princess... Luna...” The unicorn said in between sniffs caused by her crying earlier.

Before anything more could be said, Twilight hugged Luna violently. Clinging to the alicorn, Luna hugged her back. Then a torrent of tears started to flow, soaking Luna’s coat.

“Luna, your sister hates me now,” She said in sobbing delirious voice. “She thinks that I destroyed the town, and says I can’t be her student anymore!” a torrent of tears flowing into Luna’s chest. Luna shocked by the entire scene, redoubled her efforts to comfort the mare until she was ready to talk rationally.

“I didn't though”- sniffing loudly to try to stop her crying, -“ she hates me.” she continued mumbling deliriously.

Luna couldn’t take this any longer, the look on the mare’s face disgusted her. What in all Equestria has her sister done to her?

“Twilight!” She yelled loudly.

Twilight recoiled from the alicorn in shock. Then her face turned sad again, a tear began to form in her eyes.

“STOP” she bellowed, shocking the mare again as her powerful voice cut through her delirium.

“What happened?” she said flatly and with the least amount of emotion as possible. Although she felt a good deal of rage surging throughout her body back in Canterlot.

“Well,” the mare said cautiously “Trixie came to ponyvile and then an Ursa minor showed u-”

“And where is this Trixie?” The alicorn demanded quickly.

“She left, she even left all her stuff in the town square.” she said, a crack of annoyance appearing on her forehead.

“Twilight, I will tell Celestia what has happened. Sleep in peace knowing that I will not let my sister hurt you for your brave actions tonight.” Her voice rang throughout the plane, as she shifted out of the dream.

Luna watched the unicorn contort slightly as she left her mind to entered back into her ethereal cloud. She cast a simple mind spell on the unicorn which would prevent her from dreaming that night. Luna shuddered at the reason why Twilight feared her sister like she did. Celestia was smart, manipulative, and very good around a conversation, but there wouldn't be any reason to fear her. . .

Her mind shifted back to the moment she was banished to the moon. Celestia's face was covered in tears as the elements of harmony shot toward her. Celestia’s face was sorrowful, lonely, longing and guilt ridden, her expression was etched into Luna’s mind forever. That face sung a lullaby, and it was that single moment which kept her from hating Celestia for the next thousand years. Luna hadn't ever seen Celesia cry before, which she reasoned was also the reason why she could forgive her for everything leading up to Nightmare moon.

Her eyes drifted back to the unicorn. She concluded that she was just paranoid or crazy, either would explain her delirium.

Either that, or the dream had been corrupted by some other factor. “Like food?” Luna’s stomach grumbled.

Luna hung in the air a moment longer planning her next move. She set out for the town square searching for Trixie’s stuff. What she found surprised her, in the distance she found a medium sized cart smashed to bits. Wood shrapnel scattered across the yard in all directions.

Nearing the wreckage, Luna winced at the smell of the magic which surrounded the highly sophisticated cart, the scent reminded her of a friend she has once loved long ago.

After a short search through her belongings, Luna found an enchanted item which seemed out of place. The trinket was a very high quality voice transmitter, similar those the royal guard used to convey messages from city to city. Luna’s mind began to question this Trixie’s allegiance. Why did she have such a valuable device for such simple magic shows? Who was she communicating to? Questions bombarded the princess increasing her suspicion.

Luna took another smell of the magic concentrated about the cart and then wafted into the sky. She hovered in the sky a moment, her alicorn body back in Canterlot slightly struggling continue to spell and use other tracking spells simultaneously. She hadn’t used much of the magic which composed her ethereal cloud, but after entering Twilight’s mind, which would best be described as an archive, she was now far less comfortable than when she entered hours earlier. She contemplated the idea of waiting until morning to search out the unicorn, but her negligence from not intervening during the ursa minor’s attack still weighed heavily on her and did little to encourage a rest.

Determined to talk with this Trixie, she concentrated her senses. The unicorn’s scent was weak, but she felt it, a slow somewhat erratic pulse of the magic was resonating slowly from inside the Everfree Forest. Luna not wanting to jump to conclusions based on the mare’s location, swiftly shifted across the sky heading into the dense forest.

Chapter 6: Foothold

Chapter 6: Dreams of the Dreamless

Suggested reading music: Suggested reading music chapter 6

Warning: Chapter contains mild language and gore.

Chapter 6: Dreams of the Dreamless

The Everfree Forest was home to many different creatures, but the one thing they all had in common what that no sentient life lived within its boundaries. The forest would be the ideal place to set a Coup d'état, except that the surroundings and inhabitants of the forest were more trouble than the added secrecy.

With this in mind Luna found the unicorn, hidden deep in the forestry, hidden away from the night sky in the shadows. Trixie was laying down in the center of a massive hollowed out tree which had fallen eons ago. It’s massive hollow shell covered in moss stood as testament to the age of this forsaken forest.

Luna’s cloud of consciousness approached the unicorn cautiously, not wanting to alert the mare who fidgeting violently inside.

“No!” the unicorn called out, a hint of terror in her shallow voice.

Luna, suspecting she has been seen, hid out of sight. She hovered for a few minutes waiting for Trixie to move, but nothing happened.

“Come on!” the trembling unicorn’s voice echoed out in the still forest. “Officer, let me through, I work here!” Trixie mumbled weakly.

Luna came to the realization that Trixie was asleep, or rather she was somewhat awake in her sleep. Prompted by the nightmare which was being revealed to her, she quietly shifted to enter the massive hollow log. She found the mare covered in sweat, her mane was strewn about her back inharmoniously and her tail fraid in multiple directions curling back toward the swealterd pony.

Luna couldn’t help but feel a morsel of pity for the unicorn. She was, after all one of her subjects, and depending on her talk she would probably let the ursa minor incident slide.

Uncomfortable about the scent of the unicorn magic and the increasing discomfort in her ethereal form, she entered the unicorn’s mind. Memories of Trixie’s life flew by her as she entered, many depicting great and terrible events which pervaded her memory. Preparing for the worst, she boosted her magical output as she entered Trixie’s innermost consciousness.

~~~

“No! I didn’t do anything” She yelled defensively, the tormented voice echoed into the black abyss. Trixie was surrounded by her peers, she hadn’t had this particular nightmare for months. They stared at the mare, a mix of hatred and shock etched across their faces. After a few minutes, one of the ponies in attendance come forward. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to Trixie fell to the solid black floor below, her hooves trying to hide herself from the approaching unicorn. She foolishly stole a glance through her hooves and was rewarded by same cold glare she had gotten years back. This was the part where Trixie would crumble on the floor wordlessly and beg for forgiveness, forgiveness which she could never accept.

A twinkle in the distance made her snap out of the reality of the dream. Her consciousness wavered again the dream blurring slightly, then filled with pain echoing from her heart. Memories of her recent demise filling her consciousness as the dream played on in the background. Trixie felt a strange sense of clarity, as if she were awake she could control her body and thoughts, even in this nightmare she had control. She found it strange, the dream continued on, no audience in attendance. She previewed the memories as they fell under her control, a pain slashing her heart again as she recognized a pattern. This was her second time. The second time she had fallen. Before, The Great and Powerful Trixie she had worked at Jack Rabbits. She had worked so hard to impress and gain favor in the eyes of her superiors. This was her goal, to partake in the glory of the stage. She had fail, then tried again as the Great and Powerful Trixie.

“I am pitiful,” she thought, “useless.” Memories of her past made Trixie want to tear her heart out as the round muscle burned violently in within her small chest. Trixie didn't know why, but she felt electrified. Alive like a thunder storm raging violently across the sky.

Her heart raced, each pulse echoing the pain which she felt over her entire life. She wailed in pain at violent sensation. “Its to much,” a thought echoed among the chaos of pain and solitude.

No sooner had the thought echoes through her mind when a dark corner of her mind replied “Then end it.”

Trixie’s mind froze at the suggestion, she hadn’t considered that a viable option until now. The thought rang through her head like a bell, counting down to the final hour.

Another memory flashed through her head, only a few hours ago she has almost died. Her pride flared up demanding a meaningful death, something glorious befitting the death of The Great and Powerful Trixie.

“Trixie!” a ferocious voice echoes out into the abyss, as an alicorn broke apart the dream in the background.

Trixie crumbled at the power of the voice, bowing low as the Princess of the Night approached.

“What have you done!” She sternly interrogated the unicorn.

“hahahahaha. . . “ Trixie began to chuckle quietly. The dark corner of her mind had asked the perfect question. “Death fighting the Princess of the Night in mortal combat. . .”

Trixie stopped laughing for a moment, a memory of her magic teacher during filly school disrupting her gleeful end. “Trixie, now that you have your cutie mark, it is your destiny to follow your talents, until you find your destiny you won’t be truly happy.”

“haHahaHahaHa. . .” her laughing growing slightly louder this time and increasingly hysterical. “Destiny, all my destiny has ever brought me is pain, pain and loneliness” her brain rebutted the memory.

“Is there something funny?” The alicorn asked, her eyebrow furrowed.

“HAHAHAHAHA. . .” Trixie started kicking wildly into the air, an air of madness and chaos fulling the endless void.

The laughing stopped, one final tear left the mare’s eye. She rolled over and stood tall facing the alicorn. An expression of determination and rage etched across the unicorn’s frazzled face.

“Buck you!” Trixie barked at the alicorn. Luna’s face contorted at the remark, rage viable escaping her nostrils. A small silence followed as they stared at each other.

The unicorn continued, “Buck Celestia and her school!”

Princess Luna let out a vicious snarl, and preparing a spell to silence the traitor.

Trixie’s magical scenes perked up, a new kind of magic, one she had never felt before filled the air. Its power was intoxicating, but Trixie felt new strength as rage boiled in her blood, tempering her determination to put up a legendary fight.

A fight befitting The Great and Powerful Trixie.

Trixie prepared a force field spell, yielding the first strike to Luna, as she would deploy her shield and counter all at once.

“You dare disgrace my sister’s name!” Luna’s powerful alicorn voice boomed, “You shall pay dearly traitor!”

The Alicorn’s magic coalesced into a tight mote of energy, the ball of magic bolted at the mare battering against the newly formed shield, easily absorbed.

The world shifted as a physical plane started to materialize from the black void. The alicorn’s face grew colder as she glare at the unicorn who forced the scenery to change.

“Is that the best you can do?” Trixie taunted, as another bolt shot at the mare, only to be intercepted by a materializing wall.

Luna considered banishing the substance of the dream, but decided against it. Unlike Twilight’s dream which was falling apart and therefore easy to shatter, this materialized world was solid and firm depicting the owner’s resolve. She was already quite weak and could feel her physical body wasn’t faring very well as she felt sweat dripping down her face. She would defeat Trixie, knocking her unconscious for a few days. Then go and claim Trixie’s unconscious body when she had gained her strength back.

The scene warped replacing the black abyss, with Trixie’s memory.

The sun shining down upon the light blue alicorn blinded her temporarily. Her eyes adjusted within seconds to reveal Canterlot. She was in the upper district outside of Celestia’s school for Gifted Unicorns. The school perched proudly with a view over all of canterlot, it had been built into the side of the mountain stretching hundreds feet up into the rocky incline. Its entrance seemed irregularly massive to Luna as she cautiously approached the building. A massive white stone statue of Princess Celestia greeted her as she entered. Luna entered the main foyer, the sound of her hooves clacking on the hard stone floor echoed throughout the empty building.

Luna began to hear quiet voices chatter quietly in the hallways, she turned to look, but no one was there.

“Did you hear,” a voice whispered playfully, “one of the students was picked by Celestia herself to be her protege.” the quiet female voice echoed out over the others.

“Yea, I heard that she performed an aging spell” a bright male voice added in.

“Enough!” Luna roared in angrily. “Trixie, stop this meaningless game and face me!” Luna yelled a hint of weakness as her voice gave a little.

“haha. . . Don’t worry my princess” Trixie’s voice sarcastically echoed through the hallways. “We will fight, but first I think you should get to know me, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!” her voice rang out wildly through the stone halls, but was cut short as the world began to shift again.

Luna winced as the stone began to warp, it shifted slightly blurring as the cold stone materialized into painted drywall and soft carpet as the walls closed in. Luna, not wanting to miss the opportunity to take a shot at Trixie prepared her spell in advance. The walls closed into a bedroom, furniture materializing into existence as a small bed and desk filled the otherwise vacant room.

The door opened a crack.

“KSHHhh!” Luna released the energy bolt blasting the door asunder and searing its frame. A light blue filly entered out of the smoke pushing the now non-existent door all the way open. The small unicorn walked into the shocked princess shifting through her, wrapping her own illusion as she did.

Luna let out a quiet dry laugh “ha. ha. nice one. . .”

Luna was about to remark on how a battle between the two of them could be painless and unlike the door’s fate how if she gave up now that her punishment would be lessened. But she was interrupted by a long yawn filly as the memory played on.

Luna relaxed a little taking an interest in the young filly as Trixie then started to do a few spells in the room. The young filly was attempting a rather difficult form of telekinesis and began to throw a series of books at Luna, several warping through her head and abdomen to smash the wall behind her putting holes in the drywall. Luna frowned at the obvious irregularity of the dream.

“Is this necessary for me to understand Trixie?” Luna roared at the soft walls as they trembled under her boisterous voice.

“Ohh come on my little princess. . .” Trixie said in a tone used for addressing fouls. “Learn to have a little fun!” she ended in a stern voice.

“What is this ‘fun’ you speak of!” Luna asked, rage consuming the question.

There was no answer. Luna fumed for the next few moments and considered the gamble of banishing the memory to try and attempt a shot at the rebellious unicorn. She was about to, but her train of thought was cut off by the sound of a door opening in the outside hallway.

Trixie sprang up in a flash, darting for the now partially re-materialized door opening it hastily. She shut the door realizing that it was another room’s door, a worried face once again taking hold as the filly lazily sat back down on the floor.

“Phutatatatata. . .” the filly nervously vibrated her tongue as she laying on the floor waiting. The filly looked around her room eyeing the comfy bed. Her eye caught a glimpse of a piece of paper on her desk. The light was shining especially bright this morning and as such her desk next to the window was illuminated by several glowing rays which danced about the piece of paper on her desk.

The filly approached the desk, grabbing the note with her magic, she lifted the note down.

The voice of a mature Trixie read the note aloud.

Dear Trixie

Unfortunately your mother and I must leave. We have left you everything we own, so you shouldn’t need to move out, unless you want to that is. If you need any assistance, speak with your appointed lawyer, Portrait Potters at the Elizabeth Social Court. I had hoped to talk to you about this change in person, but unfortunately my time has come and I must report back to my superiors.

Good luck, and Goodbye.

~Your loving parents.

Luna noted how similar the note was to those uses a thousand years ago for the Equestrian secret service.

At the end of the reading the world started to shift again. This time the room darkened and the world expanded slightly and walls changing from painted drywall to an stained-old oak. The room smelled like rotting lettuce and the air was very stale. Luna also noted the moist dirt under hoof as this was the most vivid memory yet.

“Why are you showing me this?” Luna’s asked in a normal voice for the first time.

“So that all will know who the The Great and Powerful Trixie really was. So that when we fight you will understand my resolve.” The scene suddenly shifted into motion as Trixie finished her explanation.

Luna’s ears perked up, the stillness broken by boisterous cheering above. A few rogue rays shone down through what appeared to be small cracks in the stage above. Luna walked slowly across the dirt floor waiting for something to happen. The crowd’s cheers died down as Luna was left to the stillness of the dark trap room.

Moments later, a trap door opened up letting a bright orange earth pony wearing a flashy red shirt fall from the stage. He vanished out of Luna’s vision as he fell from the stage.

A small door in the back for the room opened, revealing Trixie. The energetic unicorn was holding a towel and dry shirt identical to those the orange pony was wearing.

“Oracle, we need to hurry,” Trixie whispered, in an annoyed tone.

Trixie waited for a moment, then entered the trap room, a worried look on her face. “Oracle?”

Luna followed alongside the illusionary Trixie as she quietly trotted up to small water pool for the trap door.

Trixie and Luna both froze, bone cold ice running down Luna’s neck as Trixie let out a blood curdling scream.

Oracle had missed the water pool, breaking his neck during the fall, he now lay dead. His eyes lay open staring into the abyss of death as blood dripped from his lifeless jaw.

Other ponies started streaming into the trap room all with a similar reactions.

But Trixie just stood there, staring into oracle’s eyes a wave of guilt embedding itself across her face. Her eyes glanced at the pool which was a half of a foot out of place, and she cursed to herself violently.

Luna stood there motionless, the sight of the dead pony embedded in her mind. The alicorn stood there for quite some time, memories of her atrocities as nightmare moon flooding her mind. A tear dripped down from her eye, both for her own shame and the tragic death of Oracle whose body lay only feet away.

Luna’s physical body sent an urgent message of pain to the sorrowful alicorn indicating the urgency of the of her fatigue. Luna perked up at the sensation, her sorrowful demeanor leaving her immediately.

Luna stood there examining her options. She could either wait until Trixie was done explaining her past, then face her without having to fight through her memories, or she could try and settle this on her own terms with a banishing spell. Luna decided against the gamble of waiting, her body was just so weak right now, and holding together the ethereal cloud was quite draining. She rationalized that she had just enough energy to banish the dream and get a few attacks off before it would no longer be safe to remain.

She noted that at first this was solid world, but now it began to crumble. ”Now would be the perfect time to strike.” Luna thought to herself, planning her next move cautiously. Taking notes from her older sister she tried to increase her odds.

“How well did you know Oracle?” Luna asked in a low voice.

The world trembled blurring significantly as Trixie’s mental body become visible through some of the ripples in the dream. Luna seizing the opportunity, banished the remainder of the dream alerting the unicorn to her intentions.

Another dream began to enshroud the alicorn. Luna battered it aside uttering a quiet groan as her body strained to keep herself contained within the cloud.

“Face me, Trixie!” She roared at the unicorn.

“Or are you not The Great and Powerful Trixie? Are you not one who has seen death? Are you not one who has lived a desperate life striving for purpose? Are you not a proud graduate of Celestia's school for Gifted Unicorn?”

“Buck Celestia,” the unicorn snarled, “and yes I was the Great and Powerful Trixie, but today I am, Trixie Lulamoon, the one who defies god!” Trixie shouted back, getting ready to fight.

Chapter 7: The Dark Forest

Chapter 7: The Short Drop and Sudden Stop

Suggested reading music: Suggested reading music chapter 7

Warning: Chapter contains mild violence and gore.

Chapter 7: The Short Drop and Sudden Stop

Luna let out a deep breath preparing for battle as the world again began to shift and twist. Luna cursed under her course breath as she eyed the transformation take over the familiar black abyss. It was different this time, unlike the previous memories; this one wasn’t like the school which was built like a maze, or the apartment which was similar to a box, or the dark trap room which served as a prison. The memory was open and clear Trixie’s mental manifestation unwavering in the distance as the environment took shape.

Snow fell from the heavens as the two stared at each other, rage visibly escaping both ponies notrols. They were atop of foul mountain, a distant memory playing in the background as a younger Trixie pulled her cart along the ice covered path in the distance. Two ponies shivered as the ice cold wind swept across the two combatants forcing them into action.

Luna was the first to make a move, noticing the uniform environment cast a camouflage spell to turn her light blue coat and mane into a snowy white, she vanished from Trixie’s sight as she did.

Trixie growled violently at the trixie Princess. “Two can play this game,” she touted almost playfully as she cast a similar spell on herself.

The snowy field lay quiet, a light blue mare continuing to trot along in the distance unaware of the tense battle underway.

Luna’s breath was weavering and her vision began to blur slightly the scent of the unicorn’s magic wafting through the air. The chaotic ice cold winds cut deep into her exposed sides as the alicron searched for the unicorn. Luna followed the wavering scent, cautiously tracking the unicorn down as she silently drifted across the snowy plane.

Luna froze, the figure of Trixie stood not more than five feet away blending with the surroundings. The unicorn’s face was directed away from Luna as Trixie peered aimlessly out over the icy field. The mare held a stillness which would have put a statue to shame.

Luna, taking advantage of her lucky ambush, stealthily called her magic forth concealing its presence as light blue mist slowly gathered around her horn. The little magical essence remaining within Luna’s ethereal cloud slowly trickled in, taking a significant amount of time to gather the required magic for her spell.

Suddenly, Trixie’s head jolted turning in the direction of Luna, her eyes closed searching for Luna’s magic. The Princess froze her spell midcast, concealing everything. She had one shot, and she wouldn’t waste it against a force shield, it had to be the perfect shot.

Trixie opened an eye, revealing her dark magenta iris as her eye contrast her snow-clad coat and mane. She eyed the surroundings, looking for movement.

“Buck this blistering snow!” A unicorn in the background screamed in frustration. Trixie turned her head toward the distraught mare distracted momentarily. A nostalgic expressions falling on her previously expressionless face.

An ice cold shiver ran down Trixie’s back as she turn to see an energy bolt flying directly at her. The Unicorn’s eyes went wide, as she hastily attempted to dodge it. She was too late, the bolt smashed into her back two legs ripping both of them off in its blast. The rest of Trixie’s body was rocketed into the air, throwing the mare several feet from where she stand.

A high pitched ringing sound rang in the unicorn’s ear, as she wailed in pain, the white snow changing to a murky dark red as her blood poured out. Trixie lay there several minutes, screaming in pain as she fought the urge to give up and pass out.

“Trixie - haaa - It didn’t - haaa - have to be - haaa - this way.” The Alicorn said panting as she slowly approach the unicorn. A trail of red spots leading the way to the screaming victim.

“We will - haaa - talk -haaa- in a few days.” Luna finished, her weary face looking over Trixie’s gruesome mental form. A look of sadness crossed Luna’s face as she look upon the crimson-snow pony, wishing to end her pain she began to cast another spell.

Her ethereal cloud was running dangerously low on magic so she tried to most effectively harness its remaining resources. The spell took several more minutes to drain the minimum amount of magic required for the energy bolt, every second her mental consciousness blurring under the increasing pressure of the sinking vessel. Finished with her preparations, she stood aiming at the unicorn.

Trixie’s magical senses felt the magic slowly gather, in between massive screams of pain, she gathered that her end was coming. Trixie forced her eyes to open her pride deeming it important to look upon the face of her killer. She found Luna, her weathered figure stood no more than five feet away, a mystic light enshrouding the alicorn’s horn. Trixie’s instincts took over preparing a force shield for protection as she cowered piteously in the crimson snow.

Luna winced as pain throbbed throughout her body, gasping as she released her spell. The energy bolt collided uselessly against Trixie’s newly formed force shield which absorbed the blow. Luna’s face paled noticeably, coughing up blood seconds later, she collapsed.

Trixie lay on the warm wet snow staring at the alicorn as she fight to survive.

“Attack!” a dark voice called from inside her.

“Why? she might die!” her normal-self replied.

“Wasn’t that the point!” the dark voice roared at her “A fight against The Princess of the Night in mortal combat. That is what we wanted.” it said, a in a malicious tone.

“Your right,” a grin crossing the pained unicorn. She dragged herself through the slushy snow pointing her horn at the collapsed alicorn. Blood streaking down the unicorn’s face streaking across her eyes, her stained horn began to glow.

“Die. . .” Trixie weakly said, anger, pain, and revenge droving the mare to fire at the collapsed alicorn.

Trixie didn’t know any real fighting magic so made up a spell on the spot. She telekinetically lifted the slush up from around her, freezing icy-fluid into an sharp-crimson icicle she shot the lance at the alicorn. The attack missed, dropping a feet short.

“Kill her!” the dark voice commanded. The pain began to leave Trixie as her back legs began to slowly materialize. Whipping the blood from her eyes, Trixie focused on her attack the fury of demon possessing the unicorn as her spell enshrouded her puddle of blood and snow.

Her second icicle formed into existence, it was longer than the first: stretching the full length of the unicorn, sharper: its tip humming low in the cold winds, and seemed to give off a yellow glow: magic infused in the bloody shard.

The bright yellow lance shot out at full speed aiming for Luna’s heart. The lance whizzed through that air whistling as the lethal weapon dove into the alicorn’s center, digging its way through the the limp body, extruding slightly out her rear.

A hollow scream roared through across the mountain threatening to reduce its mighty stature to dust. But, not thunder came, no army rose, only silence followed as the snow blissfully fell upon the dying alicorn.

“Hahahaha. . .” Trixie started to chuckle to herself. “Trixie, the one to kill go-” the unicorn was cut off as the sky exploded into a fury of fire and light.

“Luna!” the sun roared, melting the mountains as she shone down upon the snow crest plane. The light burning dying the mountain shades of gray and pale-orange as the snow evaporated under her intense head.

Trixie, standing only moments before with her newly materialized legs, lay quivering in the coarse sand of the newly formed volcano.

She cowered there, a new fear coming over the unicorn, one she had never felt before. The fear gripped the unicorn’s heart, piercing its scared shell hundreds of times, it demanded servitude, it demanded loyalty, it demanded her love.

Trixie lay in the sand, gurgling up her previous meal as the weight of Celestia’s presence battered against the fragile unicorn. The light scorched her skin darkening her complexion to match her new surrounding. Celestia’s power choking out free will and paralyzing Trixie as she scream in pain. The volcano spewed, burning ash into the sky blotting out the scorching sun as its roar consumed the mountain.

Then the lava started to flow, like snakes, the burning earth hissed, scorching all life in its path into ash. Sulfur filled the air, toxic clouds from deep within the earth sprayed up from the cracking surface.

Trixie’s nostrils burned, the toxic air filled her lungs. Incapable of moving she lay there helpless, paralyzed as the hissing lava slowly crept down the mountain side. She saw the lava approaching, but even through the ash covered sky Celestia’s presence dominated her will.

A scorched tree instantly turned to ash as the lava teased its base, its water bursting violently into flames, in a cascade of yellow and red radiating from the figure. Trixie’s eyes went wide as the tree fell, its top exploding into flames upon reaching the hell below.

Every fiber in Trixie’s body yelled at the mare, “RUN!, ESCAPE!,” but nothing happened the unicorn just quivered in the sand, drool escaping her open mouth as her lungs gasped for air. The burning light felt like a warm blanket in comparison to the molten earth which dried her skin as the liquid-earth seeped closer, nearing the unicorn, only feet away.

The sky went dark, the ash in the sky turning from a light gray to a dark black. Trixie fought to desperately to regain control of her body, the molten tricycling closer by the second.

Suddenly, a surge of lava cascaded over the creeping molten-earth, crashing into a nearby puddle splashing molten lava flakes across Trixie’s back. The unicorn screeched in pain as the limp pony burst into life darting away from another approaching wave of lava. She ran to a nearby outcropping on the rocky mountain which would be safe from the lava, for now atleast.

The Unicorn coughed up a wave of blood, cursing as her lungs breathed in more toxic fumes.

“This is no normal dream,” a wave of pain caressing her scorched back as she try to think. “I can’t take any more of this, this torture. . .” another spurt of blood coming up her throat. “How do I wake myself up she thought?”

“Jump,” the dark one said, its voice calm and cold.

“What?” Trixie, in disbelief at her own thoughts.

“Jump, that will wake you up. All you need to do is kill yourself, and you will wake up.”

“Then why didn’t I wake up when Luna blasted off my legs?” she rebutted the dark one.

“Because she was trying to obliterate your consciousness, not kill you,” a hint of frustrations in the entities voice. “Luna’s spell is nearly the same as this dream, it’s a chaotic tumor building inside your mind, and if you won’t die soon, your consciousness will shatter under the intense pain.”

Trixie not wanting to argue with herself pointlessly, couldn’t help but agree with the voice.

“So jump, every second you get closer to losing yourself,”

Trixie’s eyes glanced off the short drop, the distance to the bottom only fifteen feet.

“Remember, you need to kill yourself instantly,” The dark voice spoke with an encouraging tone.

Trixie gulped heavily, only to coughed up another cup of blood in response. “Who are you?” Trixie asked herself.

“I am Trixie of course, I am you,” the dark voice stated bluntly.

Trixie readied herself, preparing to dive head first into the flat rocks below.

The mountain erupted lava, spurting out of its opening splashing chaotically around Trixie. She dove under a rock for protection as a wave of burning rock cascaded from the sky.

“Now!” The dark voice roared in her ear, “go or we will be captured!”

Trixie, cringed as a burning rock smashed violently in front of her shelter. Trixie coughed up another wave of blood, prompting her to move.

Stedfast she rose, new determination rising from her imminent demise. Trixie bowed low preparing to sprint.

“AAAAHH!” The unicorn screamed as she ran out on the ledge and dove head first into the rocky flats below.

Every nerve in Trixie’s body instructed the mare to upright herself. To avoid her imminent death by landing on her hooves. Trixie resisted the natural urge, pointing her head toward the earth like a spear a hollow scream echoing from her descent.

“Crack!” the sound reverberated throughout the mare’s consciousness as everything went darker than black.

~~~

A loud scream echoed through canterlot, one of urgency and pain. Celestia was asleep in her royal bed when she heard the call. Rushing to the scene she was greeted by her sister, a pool of blood below her head, as the alicron struggled to breath.

Celesia looked over Luna’s body, a beads of sweat perspiration on her brow as she look at her sister, a pained expression plastered across her face.

“Come on Luna, I can’t do this alone, not again!” She yelled desperately off the balcony, tears forming in her eyes.

The alicorn sat there eyes dripping profusely as she watch Princess of the Night, her younger sister, stop breathing. Celestia watched a moment longer, shock paralyzing her body.

“No! I won’t lose you again!” Celestia spoke sternly, determination gushing from her form.

The elder alicorn stood facing out over her kingdom, her brilliant white magic exploding outward enshrouding the tower as she searched for her sister. Failing to find Luna in ponyville, Celestia doubled the power of the spell lighting up all of canterlot with its glow. She searched everywhere expanding her reach over all of ponyville and into the Everfree Forest.

Celestia stopped the search calling back her magic as she found Luna. Her magic was weak, weaker than a sleeping earth pony, yet she was suspending her consciousness in space barely able to keep herself together.

Celestia called back her magic, she considered her options. She could fly, but that would be far too slow Luna had already stopped breathing. She could try and send Luna magic and guide her home, but the intensity if her magic would instantly kill anypony. Celestia bit her lip as her decision was made, for better or worse, Luna was worth the risk or killing a pony or two. Besides she was probably being attacked by something in the forest, non-pony and enemies.

Celestia quickly enchanted the air, forming an enchanted lense from the air to focus her magic to the point many miles away. The air condenses, forming into a thin visible cylinder in front of the alicorn.

Celestia rose, flying up to the correct focal length from the lense, she flared her magic infusing the spell with part of her consciousness. The bright light which followed consuming the tower, as a beam of pristine light shot out over Equestia into the Everfree Forest on the horizon.

Celestia hovered there several minutes straining her body to maintain the immense magical output required to reach the Everfree Forest. A tear formed on her eye as she consider the possibility that she wasn’t doing anything, and that Luna had already moved on.

“No, I want her back,” her mind repealed the command to stop. “Even if there is no chance, I must keep trying!” Celestia’s thoughts fell wayside to focus on the spell at hand, increasing its power slightly.

A minute later a small mote of ethereal cloud shot through the air, finding its body, the dark wisp dove into Luna’s pale complexion.

Celestia fell from the sky falling down to the balcony where luna sat, exhausted she began to cast another spell, a healing spell which would put occasionally shock Luna while putting oxygen back into the blood. The painstaking spell required intense magical power as well as concentration, Celestia had neither in reserve.

A moment later Luna awake gasping for air as she cough up the remaining blood in her lungs.

“Tia?” Luna said, her voice somewhat imitating a drunk pony.

“Luna,” Celestia spoke the her name, a stream of tears trickling down her face. Celestia dove at her sister hugging her profusely.

“Don’t ever do that again!” she spoke sternly but hugged her partially conscious sister tightly.

“I prohibit you from ever visiting a pony’s dream when not at full strength, ok?”

The dazed Luna tried to remember what had happened, “ok,” Luna said in a delirious tone, “but does this mean We are going on vacation again?”

“We?” Celestia asked apprehensively, “Well, I am sure I can work somthing out, how does a week in Vanhoover sound?” She said trying to improve the mood of the scene.

“That sounds great, but first, our stomach is famished. Can you wake up the cook, we could really go for a large salad right about now.”

Celestia giggled at her sister, “Sure thing, that sounds like a wonderful idea, its been quite some time since I last used that much magic.” Celestia said, leaving for the cook’s quarters down the hall.

Luna sat there confused and bewildered, what had just happened? How could she loss to a single unicorn, much less a young one at that?

Celestia returned, interrupting her train of thought as she held up two large salads procured from the kitchen.

“I bought croutons,” Celestia smiled at her sister.

After a few minutes of both Celestia and Luna shoveling down their salads, Celestia interrupted the silence.

“So what happened?” Celestia asked kindly, “I sent you to ponyville, how did you end up in the Everfree Forest?”

Embarrassed to talk about how Ponyville was attacked by and ursa minor while she should have been on watch, and how a young unicorn was almost responsible for her death, Luna decided to abridge the tale with some minor details modified.

“Well, Ponyville was attacked, when I went to investigate I followed the perpetrator into the Everfree Forest. After which I entered her mind, to find myself trapped and without any significant amount of magic left within my ethereal cloud, I assume based on the numbness we feel in our legs my consciousness lost connection to my body.” She paused for a moment, her heart still aching from the lance which pierced her body.

“Then we followed your light back here,” she finished, popping a cucumber into her mouth.

“I see, who was the perpetrator?” Celestia asked, as she munched on the remainder of her salad.

“A strong unicorn, she was a graduate from your school.” Luna replied, slightly pained to admit her defeat. “But, judging from the smoke cloud rising from the Everfree Forest we don’t think she would have made it, she was asleep when your spell hit.”

A sad expression came over Celestia as her fears were confirmed, she had most likely destroyed the enemy, killing the unicorn almost instantly.

“Did she tell you her name?” Celestia asked, wanting to send a letter to any relatives with her personal condolences.

“She called herself, Trixie Lulamoon.” Luna said softly, a wave of fatigue overtaking the alicorn as Luna struggled to keep her eyes open.

“Well Tia,”-Luna said, a yawn interrupting her speech- “Thankss for teh foo, we are ecsause. . .” Luna didn’t even finish her sentence before she was passed out on the table, soft snores following her abrupt departure into her dreams.

Celestia smiled at Luna as she slept peacefully on the table. After finishing her salad, she lifted her sister into her blue-velvet bed.

“ohh Luna, what would I do without you?” Celestia asked herself, smiling at her sister’s calm expression as she lay asleep in her royal bed.

After thanking the chef for midnight snack, Celestia instructed the guard to wake her a half an hour early to lower the moon. Celestia lay in bed, thoughts pervading her usually calm mind.

“Trixie Lulamoon, I wonder who she was?” Celestia asked herself before falling into a deep sleep.

Chapter 8: Sunlight

Chapter 8: Shifting Shadows

Suggested reading music: Suggested reading music TahD chapter 8Chapter 8: Shifting Shadows

Trixie’s mind was empty, not a single sensation to wake the dead consciousness. Her mind drifted like a broken pieces of driftwood from a newly destroyed warship. There was nothing, and that was alright. A ripple rang out over the still mass of consciousness which was Trixie. The bits ignited, glowing a vibrant blue which light up the void. The disturbance rang out like a bell calling forth the obliterated bits of Trixie into a single cohesive consciousness as her mind came to a recognize a twinge of pain.

A burning sensation came from the sleeping pony’s back awakening Trixie from her violent slumber. Groaning deeply, Trixie rolled over, the limp body struggling to move as the boiling water dripped from above. The lost unicorn opened her eyes, the burning world around her coming to life as the smell of burning vegetation and burnt hair convoluted the stagnant air in the log.

Trixie stood, her legs wobbling as she took a few steps toward the opening of the smoking log. The weary unicorn gasped falling back down on her hind legs as the outside world consumed her senses.

Hundreds of small fires lay scattered, burning in the wake of a massive hole in the Everfree Forest. The tunnel of scorched earth and vegetation pointing directly to Canterlot, the white city barely visible on the horizon.

Trixie stumbled about for a few moments recalling her vivid dream answering the question as to why her hind legs felt like pudding. She examined her body, attempting to regain the feeling in her hooves, only to reveal several pale dots scattered scattered about her back. At first Trixie stared at them in disbelief, her expression and breathing frantically contorting in shock.

A wave of confusion and horror overtook Trixie, losing all her energy, she crumbled on the ground as her mind reeled about what she had just done, and the ramification of what had happened. The frazzled unicorn began mumbling to herself uncontrollably, demanding some recompense for her crimes.

Her teeth began to chatter as what she had done, she had killed the Princess of the Night. The image of the alicorn’s weak form with a glowing yellow spear gorged into her chest flashed repeatedly through her mind. Trixie remember the absolute glee she felt as the spear ripped into her flesh. The attack was satisfying. The murder, enjoyable. . .

“What am I?” the hollow words escaped Trixie’s mouth, leaving the scorched pony alone to her thoughts. There was a pause, a silence which only the cracking stubs of burning forestry in the distance perturbed. Trixie sprawled about on the gritty ground, her eyes lock on her hooves as she look at herself apprehensively in horror.

“We are Trixie,” a calm dark voice answered.

The burned unicorn spring up, her eyes darting from tree to tree, “Who’s there?” Trixie asked, her voice trembling, “What do you want?”

“We are Trixie,” the voice said again, the sound coming from every direction as Trixie attempted fruitlessly to see everything at once.

“I am Trixie. The Great and Powerful Trixie,” the shaking unicorn corrected herself.

“Ohh really?” the voice snickered, “Then who just defeated Luna? Was that not us?” the dark voice echoed through the dark forest.

“Who are you!” Trixie yelled into the forest, her voice rang out, echoing for several seconds as her voice traveled through the Everfree Forest.

An ominous howl returned her question, the low soft call was greeted by others as the once still forest burst into a chorus.

An icy cold shiver ran down Trixie’s back, prompting her to move from the smoldering tunnel.

The rugged unicorn trotted across the burning field, attempting to remain calm as the howls grew louder and more frequent. She escaped the burning tunnel, entrenching herself in the deep brush of the everfree forest bordering the newly formed highway of ash.

Trixie peered out over the open area. Her shelter, the old hollow tree lay out in the open its form casting a permanent shadows of green across burning enclosure. The green stripes of vegetation contrasting the shrifting ash and smoldering vegetation as a brisk night breeze wafted smoke and ash into the night sky.

Trixie’s eyes focused, attracted to the motion of a shadow shifting on the other side of the tunnel. Trixie eyes went wide as the massive aged creature gracefully sneaked out onto the opening, cautiously approaching the log, sniffing for a scent. The timberwolf was joined by another, a younger and smaller devil which violently dashed toward the log, tossing gray ash into the air as the creature came to a halt next to other. A third came into view, the largest of the three, its massive body dwarfing the others as the beast strode out into the open.

Trixie, stood motionless as the three creatures sniffed and snarled; the antagonizing scent of burning pony driving the creatures to relentlessly claw at the log, searching for the source of the scent.

The graceful timberwolf looked up, his eyes searching the dense forest, then he began to trot. He traveled back and forth examining the smoldering tunnel carved out of the forest until he stopped. The beast sniffed the hair-follicles as they lay scattered about the burnt vegetation.

He let out a low growl summoning the two others to his side as the pack followed the trail.

Trixie’s heart rate raced, the three monsters steadily approaching her hiding place. Scenario after scenario of echoing throughout her mind as the timberwolves encroached upon her hiding place.

“We can take them, kill them!” the dark voice encouraged her.

Images of blood and ice filled her mind. The suffering alicorn lay in front of her panting, an expression of exhaustion, shock, and horror glazed across her weary face.

“no. . . I am not a killer,” Trixie thought, attempting to restrain herself from casting her new ice lance spell.

Trixie’s horn began to glow, magic clocking her form in the dark brush.

The three timberwolves approached, the leader following Trixie’s scent.

Across the scorched burnt scar in the forest, there was a loud rustle in the bushes. The group of timberwolves turned, then bolted for the bushes. The rustling continued up the mountain luring the group further away from Trixie.

“See, Trixie does not need to kill to be great!” She touted over her new consciousness.

Trixie got up, and after casting another active camouflage spell, she set out to find a new shelter.

The night remained bright, the moon hanging still in the night sky a soft breeze frolicked through the forest’s underbrush rippling leaves against the tired unicorn’s hooves. Trixie began to wonder if she had killed Luna or not. She had, after all, sent a lance through her body shouldn't something happen to her celestial body? Trixie reminded herself that it was in fact a dream... Had she killed Luna, or had something else happened.

If she had killed Luna, what would happen to her? “death” Trixie’s mind automatically answered, the image of Celestia’s personal guard appearing in her mind. She had only seen her entourage a few times, once was in Canterlot as guards were posted around her school, the other during her time in manehattan.

Trixie paused to rest under one of the grotesque trees, the memory invaded her thoughts.

~~~

A group of royal guard were marching the streets, a brown stallion with a short mane and bruised body followed the troop. The distraught pony trotted slowly, iron cuffs on each hoof with chains attached to four guards. The chains clanged eerily on the stone walkway as the group slowly preceded.

The stallion in front was a tall unicorn, wearing a high ranking police uniform, he trouted proudly with his crew and prize in tow. The composed unicorn froze, an expression of terror and excitement. The stallion stopped, holding a hoof aloft his halted as he scanned the near vacant street. His horn began to glow, a dark blue shield enshrouded his company.

“In the name of Celestia, reveal yourself!” He shouted.

An eerie silence followed as a few curious onlookers watched the group anxious to who he was referring. Moments later an energy bolt sailed from one of the rooftops striking the shield as two homeless earth ponies simultaneously bucked the bubble shattering the shield into hundreds of fragments.

A few dozen others flooded the streets unicorn, pegasus, and earth ponies ripping the peaceful street into pieces as they battled. The air of confusion which followed was hazy as the younger Trixie hurriedly ran away, screams echoing through the streets.

~~~

Trixie stood there under the tree, the thoughts and memory making her cringe at what they would do to her. She had been informed later that the earth pony in question was the leader of a group of thugs known as the Gray Horns.

Trixie tried to rationalize the situation, what would really happen to her?

“Technically,” She thought to herself, “ I haven't broken any laws. It isn’t illegal to kill gods right?” Trixie chuckled to herself, “Who in their right mind would make such a law? Wait. . .” She remembered her elementary days, “It is against the law to assault any sapient creature capable of speech,” Trixie cursed to herself as she realized there was no possible to sidestep the law.

A twig snapped behind Trixie.

She froze, her mind concentrating on her camouflage to meld into the surrounding as she turn her head toward the sound.

One of the timberwolves from before stood several feet away, glaring at Trixie as sap dripped from its jagged mouth. The beast crept closer to Trixie, as he prepared to pounce.

Trixie, stood frozen in her place fear gripping her hooves grappling them to the ground.

“It’s my turn!“ a voice told Trixie, “Let go, I’ll save us,” the dark one growled at Trixie as she started to shake, the other part of her mind taking control.

Trixie’s body seized as two separate beings fought for control. The timberwolf now aware of the exact location of Trixie pounces at the fidgeting unicorn.

Both consciousness saw it coming and their wills finally aligned leaping out of the way of the attack and blasting the timberwolf back with a blast of telekinetic force.

The timberwolf roared as the blast tossed him into the air flying away from the unicorn at an astonished speed. The beast growled low as his massive claws dug into the hard earth to stop itself from sliding further from her prey.

Trixie stood facing the timberwolf, a massive grin plastered across her sweating face. Although Trixie’s thoughts said were still astonished at the power of her blast, when had she gained such power?

Trixie growed, another blast of force breaking the outer branches of the beast.

The timberwolf stumbled slightly back from the blast, glaring at the unicorn, a strange expression of shock and rage beaming down upon the tiny unicorn. The beast let out an ear splitting howl as he re-engaged his prey.

Trixie bit her lip as she realized what the timberwolf had just done.

Trixie fired another burst of telekinetic force toward the beast head. She followed it up with another a quick camouflage spell, darting away into the dark forest.

The timberwolf roared, unphased by the weaker blast, he pursued Trixie, his wooden body buckling loudly as he raced around trees and large brushes to keep up with the small unicorn.

The massive beast got within a claw’s distance of the mare only to receive a blast to the face knocking the timberwolf back a few feet before continuing his pursuit.

Trixie summoned an ice lance, condensing the moisture in the air into a thin filament of razor sharp ice. The cyan conjuration bolted after the timberwolf, the shard’s edges grazing the timberwolf front leg. The beast slowed considerably, but continued to follow Trixie from a safe distance from her blast and blades.

Trixie struggled to keep pace, the short distance from the timberwolf closing fast as her lungs and heart started to fail.

A pit of horror filled in Trixie’s gut, the timberwolf’s intentions became clear as her sprinting halted to a fast trot, keeping its distance from Trixie.

Trixie stopped, eyeing the timberwolf carefully as she regained her strength. The timberwolf responded in kind, confirming Trixie’s fears as he kept his distance a few feet out of range.

Trixie stood there a moment, starting at the timber wolf a mixed complexion of fear and contemplation overtaking her as she consider her next move.

"We can take him!" the dark voice encouraged her.

"No!" Trixie thought, shocked and ashamed of her alter ego's stupidity. "There is an entire pack of them, can't you hear them?"

"ohh, no... RUN!" the voice screamed in Trixie's ear.

The beast howled again. In the distance other howls echoed through the forest bellowed in the near distance.

Trixie’s eyes darted to see where they would come from, but then notice that the forest got extremely dark in the direction to the south. Taking the note of the timberwolf’s temporary distraction as it howled again she dashed off.

Trixie was surprised when he entered the dense forest, it wasn’t as dark as she had originally thought. She frantically jumped from log to log, diving under massive branches trying to put as much forest between herself and the timberwolves.

It was almost unnerving how agile she felt now, the grass and thick brush which once made her stumble and tripe was easily vaulted. Trixie was breathing hard, but she didn’t feel fatigued; instead she felt afraid and thrilled at the same time. The sensation was uncanny, a wave of energy mixed with a strong desire to live and a familiar joy that she had felt earlier.

Trixie wondered for a moment if this was how the Darring Doo felt like when she was discovering ancient crypts and dungeons. Whatever the reason, she felt great and doubled her speed darting through the forest at furious pace.

Unfortunately, she hadn’t lost the Timberwolves. The pack of creatures pursued the unicorn relentlessly, their number almost a half dozen, bore down on her from all sides.

Trixie now thought how stupid it was to think she could enjoy this chase, she was losing what little energy she has rested up and it was only a matter of time before the Timberwolves would make their move. Trixie breathed hard, trying to speed up as the pack got closer, but her body started to fail once again.

One of the wolves made a move pouncing at Trixie, she redirected the creature’s attack into a passing tree, his form splintering in the collision into hundreds of branches. A wave of howls echoed throughout the forest as the beast’s body scattered across the forest floor.

Trixie’s lungs and heart started to give as hundreds of cramps began to populate her body. In desperation, she cast several dozen smoke bomb spells, blinding herself and the wolves as she blindly darted through the forest.

The ground disappeared beneath her, Trixie’s stomach lurching into her racing heart as she fell out of her cloud of smoke. She screamed, falling head first into the ground for the second time that night. Instinctively, Trixie summoned a force shield upon impact, breaking her fatal fall as the the earth around her shattered in the explosion. The unicorn lay unconscious in her impact creator, a round intent in the open rock bed enclosure. A piece of falling debris slashed open her cheek, waking the dazed unicorn.

Trixie opened her eyes revealing a swarm of timberwolves clawing their way down the cliff before her. Jumping to attention she started to sprint the other way, a wave of terror overtaking her as she felt a surge of pain from her front hoof. She hobbled away from her impact crater a small light flickering in the distance like a beacon in the dark forest. Trixie’s hope surged at the possibility of salvation.

One of timberwolves dove out of the smoky forest above, the beast screamed as it fell, exploding upon impact a few feet behind Trixie. Trixie let out a short cry as branches and rock shrapnel flew around her. Another chorus of howls filled the forest urging Trixie into a quick awkward skipping pattern. Trixie hobbled along, she let out a low curse as she heard the claws scrap along the stone opening as the beasts finished climbing down the cliff. She reached the forest, only a few hundred feet until she reached the light source. Glancing behind her she cast another spell quickly before entering the forestry to pursue the light

Several elongated force fields materialized into existence, like long tubes of magic they hovered above the ground a few feet high and perpendicular to the approaching horde. The closest timberwolf failed to notice the magic as the light blue blended with the cold stone below. The beast thrashed across leaping energetically missing the first tube, he tripped on the next smashing its face into the ground as splinters scattered across the opening. The other timberwolves enraged doubled their pace after the unicorn stumbling over the magical force field tubes.

Trixie winced at the magical feedback as the first tube broke. She was nearly halfway there, when she felt a reverberation of magic the tube closest to her. Trixie looked back to see one of the small devils approaching, kicking up soil and slashing into the trees as the beast jumped from ground to tree limb and back in seconds, transversing the rough terrain with ease. Trixie doubled her pace, hissing at the pain with each painstaking step. Trixie felt the beast was close and started to cast her ice lance in defence. She turned to greet the charging timberwolf, it pounced at her diving from the trees dozens of feet into the air attempting to smash the mare on impact. Trixie was ready, finishing her spell she extended the length lance digging the shard deep into the ground with the point extruding a dozen feet into the air.

The feral beast screech in horror as his body dove into the lance diving through his chest and out his back. The beast roared in pain, a whiff of small black smoke escaped its chest cavity as the green light in its eyes burning seconds ago extinguished, replaced with by darkness.

Trixie stared at the beast for another second, its lifeless form still intact, yet hollow of any motion. Another chorus of howls echoed throughout the forest prompting Trixie to continue running. The pain in her hoof overrun by a stark fear as three timberwolves cleared the rock opening entering the forestry.

The raged unicorn ran, she ran like she had never run before. Her breath was horse and heart racing as her beaten and sore body bolted across the forest stumbling as she approached the light which was emanated only a few dozen feet in a shimmering cloud. Trixie stole a glance at the three timberwolves which had now taken up a formation trapping her in the formation preventing escape.

Trixie’s vision began to blur, her brain and body starting to shut down under the strain of her injury and exhaustion. The thunderous sound of their claws silenced, Trixie turned jumping giving herself a few more milliseconds as the three timberwolves dove claw first at her small form. Trixie’s horn exploded with light, a massive blast of telekinetic force cascading through the forest tossing the three timberwolves with a massive wave a dust through the forest. The ungrounded Trixie catapulted through the air spinning violently and screaming weakly, her limp body elastically flying.

Trixie saw the world blur around her, dark green trees and dark blue sky swishing by her eyes as she flew. The world seemed so blurry and distant to her, the smooth air gently brushing against her as blood rushed to her head. Trixie’s sight blurred even more as unconsciousness overtook her. The flying unicorn saw the sky one last time, then was greeted by wall of fire, Trixie’s eyes went wide for a split second as she flew into the fire until her vision fading to black.