Blood Boil

Even in the middle of the night, with stars twinkling in the sky and the town quiet as a mouse, the library stood stoic and overwhelming. It was an awesome monument to wisdom; daunting in both its height (carved out of a massive tree in the midst of the town) and the impressive volume of information it held within. Spell book after spell book, history after history, and story after countless story. The knowledge of the ages were at the hooftips of anypony who was inside, and Twilight Sparkle had been blessed with the privilege of living there.

Of course if Trixie had been lucky enough to live in such a place, she too would have been able to conjure the magic needed to return the Ursa Minor back to its home. She would have been the one that was accepted, and she would have been the one that gained the town's favor.

But no. It was Twilight who calmed the beast. It was Twilight that made it look so easy, so hopelessly simple and effortless. But it was Twilight that was the real fake. She was the one that had to rely on books and studying and notes and reading! Trixie was pure unrefined talent! She was more powerful that Twilight could ever HOPE to be and yet it was TWILIGHT that was the princess’s precious pet. It was TWILIGHT who was allowed to live within a house of knowledge. It was TWILIGHT they’d all accepted and Trixie had been denied an opportunity to shine, once again, by Twilight Sparkle. Twilight, Twilight, Twilight!!!

She had tried to forget—Oh, don’t think that Trixie hadn’t tried. But it nipped at her. It gnawed at her, and scratched and bit and screamed at her. It made Trixie’s blood boil white hot with rage and the only cure she could think of was cold and terrible revenge. She was going to fix everything, expose Twilight for what she really was, and prove to the world who was the better magician. She was going to end her nightmares and sleepless nights, the depression and the self doubt. She was going to fix this, and she was going to teach Twilight how Great and Powerful Trixie really was.

The door creaked open; a sound so loud Trixie froze in her tracks, not daring to breathe or twitch a muscle. Was this it?! Would Twilight wake up NOW and her plans all be for naught? No no no! She’d planned everything—come too far, tried too hard, set everything up just right! It couldn’t end here, not now! Minutes ticked by. In the distance an owl called into the night, and a dragon snored peacefully upstairs, but aside from that there was nothing else alive that Trixie’s ears could detect. She let out a heavy sigh and drew her eyes shut. Victory was too close at hoof for her to quit now and Trixie had no intention of returning home empty hoofed.

The first step into the library nearly knocked the unicorn to the ground. It was the POWER! Dear sweet Celestia, the POWER!!! It was raw magical energy wafting from the shelved books. Pure unsettling power that made the air stuffy and sticky and sweet with the scent of potential. It was, of course, Twilight’s domain. Her energy was the strongest here…more powerful than anywhere else on the planet. Her home- a library, and just another way the purple mare was a fraud. Those spells she cast that night so close to her dwelling, so simple to draw energy from that boundless resource. Trixie's eyes narrowed. It was her duty to fix this. it was her duty to save the town from Twilight’s clutches.

The unicorn crept as quietly as she could, wincing at every step that made the floor creak and crack beneath her. Every step tore at her nerves, wickedly hinting that her plan would be over before it even truly began. It was the most difficult and delicate step in the process, and when Trixie had gotten to the top of the stairs, her eyes widened in horror. Spike was awake.

Well, sort of. Twilight’s little minion was sitting up in a little bed basket, rubbing his eyes and giving a precious little yawn. If Trixie had time, she’d have snatched him from this freak show and taken him with her. A life of labor and servitude? For a DRAGON? One of nature’s most majestic and powerful creatures? Was the entire town simply blind to Twilight’s madness? …Or were they under some sort of spell? That wicked purple witch. It wouldn’t have been hard. All the books and stores of knowledge here, finding a mind bending spell first. Make it something that could be contracted like an airborne sickness. From one pony to another. Suddenly everypony loves Twilight…’A Want-It-Need-It’ spell, that was tweaked just a little bit… It wouldn’t have been too difficult, living in a place like this. Not difficult at all. Those poor ponies. The more she thought about this, the more it seemed to make sense. She would free the town as soon as she could get a chance… but first, the dragon.
Spike, however, was easy enough to take care of. He drove his sleepy gaze across Trixie and tilted his head cutely to one side.

“Mommy?” He squeaked. Poor little thing. A few days off would be perfect for him. Trixie’s horn twinkled with a burst of magic, and Spike’s eyes rolled back in his head.

“Pleasant dreams, little dragon.” Trixie whispered—and narrowed her eyes at her prize. Twilight Sparkle, dozing quietly without a care in the world. A book, History of Equestria had tumbled to the sheets she was wrapped up in. Even at night, she was still scheming, still learning, still cheating. Trixie approached slowly, tilting her head to examine Twilight’s form. Only her head and one foreleg stuck out of the covers, but it was enough. Trixie had seen enough. That was Twilight, the same pony she remembered in her dreams and in her nightmares. The same pony that had blinded the town to her true nature and made a mockery out of true magic. Twilight. Sparkle.

“You make me sick," Trixie snarled quietly, her horn dazzling the dark room with a bright burst of magic. It should have been enough—it was a spliced spell. Something to weaken Twilight’s magic, and put her into a long, restful slumber, but to Trixie’s surprise, the unicorn’s eyes shot open.

“Wha…wha…T, Trixshe?” The sleepy unicorn sputtered, sitting up in bed. For a single instant, Trixie wondered if the magic in the room- the entire tree, was interrupting her spell. Surely it was, but not enough for it to completely fail, right?! But soon the fear vanished, and the effects started to render themselves visible. Twilight was only half sitting up in bed, her eyes not fully open. She was resisting…

“That’s, 'the Great and Powerful' Trixie to YOU,” Trixie snarled, and took a step back, watching in great satisfaction as Twilight tried to figure out what was going on.

“W, what…whadjoo do to me? Wha- haff you done?” Twilight babbled, trying to pull herself out from under the covers. Her bed was so warm…so comfortable, and she was SO tired…but there was something wrong. There was something seriously wrong!! Every warning alarm she had in her head was going off, and she had to figure it out! But why was she so sleepy… why couldn’t she wake up? The purple mare stumbled out of bed and landed on her chest with a groan. She gazed helplessly at Trixie who grinned a wicked, dastardly grin.

“Thaaaat's right. Just sleep. Give in to Trixie’s magic…you can’t fight me for long. “The blue unicorn cooed softly, delighting in Twilight’s growing panic.

“G, Get out of here! You leave ush alone! Spike…S, Spike? What haff yoo done to him?! Shpike! Wake up! SHPIKE?!” Twilight squeaked when she noticed her companion had not roused from his slumber. He was out cold it seemed, but she could feel the effects of a spell on him as well. Things were getting serious, and Twilight was entering full blown terror. It was a spell. Trixie had cast a spell on her while she was sleeping. The sudden fear, the panic, the confusion. It was all Trixie’s doing!

“NO! No, no no, y, you sthay away! Get away from me!” Twilight squealed, climbing to her hooves, only to stumble forward. Her legs weren’t working right. The entire room was spinning- wobbling underneath her. She tried to turn- to cast something, to utter some defenses but her mind had gone numb and her tongue waggled helplessly while she tried to remember the words to a spell…any spell!!

“S, shomepony! Shomepony help me!” Twilight screamed, tumbling forward towards the stairs. She had to get away! Had to get outside. Fresh air! She needed fresh air to clear her head. Maybe find somepony taking a late night stroll. Somepony. ANYPONY!

“Oooo, is it getting hard to think? Can’t focus to cast a spell? It’s ok Twilight…just relax…calm down…it’ll be over before you know it. “Trixie giggled, following behind Twilight in a casual, leisurely stroll.

With both forehooves, Twilight grabbed the railing to the staircase and tried to descend. One hoof in front of the other. She could do this. She HAD to do this! She had to get help! She had to save Spike!! But the room was spinning so badly and she could hardly focus. And then …then there was pain—there was SO MUCH PAIN! The world was in shambles, and the tree was circling and spiraling and tumbling all around her. She collapsed at the bottom of the stairs in a heap, whimpering with tears trickling down her cheeks.

“Ooooo that looked like it hurt! Color Trixie impressed! You’re still able to resist, even AFTER falling down the stairs. Oooo, think you can you make it to the door?” a voice asked, haunting her.

“S, Shomepony...halp…” Twilight sobbed, crawling forward by her front hooves. Her legs were twisted and crumpled underneath her, and she knew they were there. She KNEW they were there, but she couldn’t feel them. Trixie’s spell grew stronger and stronger by the second. She had to get outside and fast! It was her only hope!

“S, Shomepony! PLEEESH!!” Twilight squealed, her voice a choked shadow of its original pitch and strength. Behind her, Trixie casually trotted down the stairs, gleefully watching Twilight’s pathetic attempts to remedy the situation. It was worth it. Every second of planning, every minute of concentration, every moment of waiting had all been for this. It was sweeter than her fondest dream, and it just grew sweeter still. Twilight seemed to have changed tactics, crawling towards the closest bookshelf towards her.

“Ooo! Looking for an antidote? A spell to banish whatever it is that’s been done to you?” Trixie spat. She wasn’t even sure if Twilight could hear her anymore, but it was pleasing to think about.

The room was spinning around Twilight, faster and faster, tilting and twirling as the contents of her last meal threatened to rise. She had to get out, she HAD to, but the room was no longer familiar to her. The door! WHERE WAS THE DOOR?!

“CELESHTIA! ANYPONY! PLEESH!” she screamed again (A faint gurgle now) while tugging herself along. Her hoof bumped against something wooden and hard. A book case. If she could find a book—a counter-spell perhaps— something quick and easy to cast! Oh by Celestia’s mercy, there was hope!

Twilight, with the last of her strength, hoisted herself up on her unsteady forelegs, and felt despair wash over her. The books were in front of her! Right there! And to her fortune she was looking at the big blue one Counterspells to Curses. It was so close, so very, very close, and yet it was hopelessly out of reach. Her vision was so blurred, so distorted; she could hardly make out the title, let alone the small print inside of the volume. So close and yet so far. This was it. The end. It was all over, and with tears in her eyes she slumped to the ground, using her reserves of energy to try and keep herself awake. A losing battle, to be sure.

“Trickshe…pleesh…Don’t…don’t do thish…don’t……” Twilight sputtered as the blue unicorn cantered over towards her and sat down, directly in front of her, grinning wickedly.

“Hmmm?” Trixie asked, elated in her victory.

“D, don’t…don’t hurt Shpike…” Twilight pleaded. She gasped when Trixie reached down and lifted her chin gently with a hoof, until they were nose to nose, and eye to eye.

“Oh, don’t worry about that, Twilight. You are ALL that Trixie wants.” She hissed, and dropped Twilight to the ground, and smiled a horrible ear to ear smile: bright, gleaming and terrible. It was the last thing Twilight saw before the darkness slurped her up and sleep finally claimed her.

Author's Note

I don't even remember writing this but it's ooooooold.
And so ghastly purple...UGH....