Trixie and her Destiny

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.

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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.